Professor

Part 27

I studied the poster, my mind already racing through possibilities. A vacant professor position at Ardent Academy? That wasn't normal.

Professors here were powerful figures—some former war generals, others legendary adventurers. They didn't just disappear.

Damon licked the last of his skewer and tossed the stick aside. "So, what's the move? We sneaking in?"

I glanced around. Too many eyes. Too many potential risks. "Not yet. We need to know what happened to the last professor first."

I activated Appraisal, scanning the crowd for any students who might have inside information.

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▶ Name: Julius Renfield

▶ Age: 22

▶ Power: Flame Control (Rank C)

▶ Profession: Academy Student

▶ Luck: Low

▶ Talents: Hotheaded, Good Combat Instincts, Horrible Liar

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Horrible liar.

Perfect.

I approached him with a casual stride. "Hey. You know anything about the missing professor?"

Julius blinked, caught off guard. "Wh-What? No! Of course not!"

Damon gave me a sideways look. "Wow. That was easy."

I smirked. "Try again. What happened?"

Julius shifted uncomfortably. "Look, all I know is… Professor Mordain vanished last week. One day, he was leading combat drills. The next, his office was cleared out."

I frowned. "No explanation?"

He lowered his voice. "There's a rumor he… challenged someone above his rank. And lost."

Damon whistled. "So what? He got kicked out?"

Julius hesitated. "No one's seen him since."

I exchanged a look with Damon. That was bad. Professors were powerful. If one of them was taken out in secret, then someone inside this academy was silencing threats.

Damon stretched. "Welp. Guess we gotta find out who did it."

I sighed. "You just want to fight someone, don't you?"

He grinned. "Maybe."

I turned back to Julius. "One last thing. Who's the strongest professor here?"

He swallowed hard. "That'd be Professor Alistair Vexis."

I clenched my jaw. The one my Appraisal couldn't read.

I had a bad feeling about this.