"What?" Rey asked confusedly. He could not understand why they were glaring at him in the first place. "Glad that you two are still alive," he continued. Only silence engulfed them as the headmaster finally spoke.
"Do you mind explaining what happened to you two?" The headmaster asked glancing at the dead bodies. The two looked at each other. They had not yet decided what details to say and which to skip.
"I guess this is not the right place to have this conversation," Alaric said with a knowing look.
"It won't matter. The Royal Family has sent its people to look for the princess. I guess it is only rightful that I learn what transpired as the one who is on charge of the academy," the headmaster said flatly.
Alaric was about to speak when the headmaster asked with a serious tone.
"I felt the presence of a powerful being. Mind explaining from there?" The headmaster asked. Alaric looked at Aurora and then spoke up.
"I am sure that that person is as or almost as strong as you are. I wondered why he disappeared but it has dawned to me that he was in a hurry to escape after he felt your presence. He left hastily a few seconds just before you arrived.
"What I have learned about him is that he has affinity for darkness attributes. I don't know what is his connection with the previous array teacher, Joan, for she is the one who plotted everything and responsible for the kidnapping.
"I wonder how the academy was able to employ a wayward teacher," Alaric said his tone accusing. But it was true. Even the headmaster knew he sure was going to be answerable for having a traitor in the academy. What was worse was that the headmaster did not even know about the disappearance of the princess and the Royal Family knew it before him.
The headmaster still had an expressionless gaze not letting the young ones know what he was thinking. As for Rey, he had his jaw dropping. He could not imagine that the array teacher, among the most beautiful teachers, was the traitor.
" I need the details of what happened. Starting from when it started," the headmaster said.
"I received an anonymous message telling me to save Aurora," Alaric said with a pause. The headmaster gave him a doubtful gaze. That kind of message ought to be sent to a powerful person like him and not a weak Cryptic Plane kid like Alaric.
His gaze was on Alaric but he suddenly felt something wrong when he realized that Alaric's Body Cultivation was already at the sixth stage of the Master Plane. How could such a thing happen? Though he knew some truths about Alaric from the Manifestation he had during the test to join the academy, it was unbelievable.
Alaric continued to explain the details telling of how he helped Aurora escape from the academy and he received a glare that asked why he did not take her to the headmaster but he realized that he was not being logical and was already making things difficult for him.
He explained a few things and omitted other like the Ice Queen and how she teleported him to a different place. But still, he had to give a good reason as to why he appeared in another region far from the Origin Region. He realized that the ones who housed him for a week must have spoken of his last whereabouts.
With that, it was obvious he had to speak some truths and said of how he somehow disappeared after he was stabbed and how he survived later was unknown to him for he woke up in a house in the woods where he was hosted by the group.
Up to that point, the headmaster nodded for that was somehow in alignment with his discovery. Then he asked a question that threatened to expose some of Alaric's secrets.
"How did you know that Aurora was here?" It was a bomb that would blow up his lie but Alaric showed no change in expression as he explained.
"As I have said before, I received an anonymous message. I was stranded and unsure of where to go. I had thoughts of coming back and telling the academy of what had transpired but I somehow found a map in the woods that led me to where the princess was.
"This anonymous person appears to know a lot and he is probably the one who was helping us behind the scenes by creating traps and even killing those powerful than us. I need to find him so I can express my gratitude.
"Even after I found this cave, I was not sure how I was going to sirvive but it appears the person behind the scenes was able to help out. I wonder if the headmaster has a clue of who that person can be." Alaric said.
He also had to explain the condition he found Aurora in and he could see the headmaster clenching his fists. Alaric gave more information about the anonymous person and used him to fill the loopholes in his story.
He used him as an excuse as to how he was somehow able to appear in a different region. He even guided the headmaster that the person probably had to be a space elementalist for it was impossible to close such a distance instantly.
The headmaster nodded as everything aligned.
"I must say that you are one brave kid," the headmaster said. " You have done a lot and the Royal Family surely will express its gratitude. Let's put aside the matters of the space elementalist and the white robed man.
"Further investigation shall be carried out and you may he called upon for clarification. First we shall leave this place and head back to the academy," the headmaster said and let out a deep breath. He could not help bit wonder how the two were entangled in the affairs of such powerful beings.
Aurora looked at Alaric and his straight face and calm looks as he spoke to the intimidating headmaster, lying blatantly, made her sigh. Around 70% of what Alaric said was the truth but the other 30% was a lie that hid almost 100% of the truth.
Alaric could be considered a craftsman of lies as even she found herself believing in everything he said. But she could understand the importance of the anonymous person. Even she had she not been there to bear witness, she would have never believed that Alaric killed the two men and almost drove Joan to death.
He was but a Cryptic Plane kid. It was impossible for him to even lay hand on a Master Plane Cultivator, let alone a Salvia Plane one. She also understood that the reason he gave in each details to precision was also for her.
Later when they were to get interrogated, their stories definitely had to match after all. For Aurora, she only had to speak the truth and she would only put new scenes at the cave's incident. Alaric did not meet her gaze and he was still focused on the headteacher awaiting further instructions.
"Meet me outside," the headmaster said and he flashed out of their sight. Aurora let out a deep breath she did not know she was holding. She could not believe that he was able to make all incidents aligns and none seemed to contradict one another.
Alaric looked at her and raised his hand to pat her head and a smile appeared on his lips. That smile, to her was an evil one. One of a villain after a successful heist. Rey looked at Alaric teasingly.
"A mysterious space elementalist huh?" He asked but he too believed it but something told him deep down that this was a lie. Alaric turned his soft gaze and a murderous gaze landed on Rey.
Rey wanted to turn quickly and run away. He did not know why but his presence seemed to have angered his friend. Alaric was ready to dash and clobber his friend to death. Aurora only giggled as she led the way out. Rey stood on her left and his intentions clear.
Use her as a shield from a certain mad man.
Aurora walked slowly and smiled at this. She could never get tired of them and she would never get bored of their banters and antics. She could only pity Rey who was soon going to be subject of bullying from a certain young man who had just gotten more powerful.
Now that she thought of it, Alaric was probably the best in array in the whole academy at the moment. Not even other substitute teachers could surpass his knowlede of arrays. She was still lost in her thoughts when she felt dizziness and weak.
Alaric who was left behind glared at Rey and Rey who happened to look back met his glare and he shuddered. He was sure Alaric had changed. Something had changed to be specific. And he was not ready to find out what it was. Rey who thought he was safe felt his world turn in the next instant...