#Fact 9: Some of you must know that the "OCTOPATH" word was made from the first letter for each protagonist names, right ? There are 2 letters "T" and 2 letters "O" and here's how the game community placed the names:

Ophilia Cyrus Tressa Olberic Primrose Alfyn Therion H'aanit

However, here's how Travis thinks about his own order of the names:

Ophilia Cyrus Therion Olberic Primrose Alfyn Tressa H'aanit

Yeah, he just switched Therion and Tressa, but that order doesn't mean at all how much Travis liked each of them.

~Cyrus's POV~

'What a grievous theft...'

I wasn't expecting that "The Church of the Flame: A complete Historie" would have been stolen although it was crucial for us to get our hands on it.

Indeed, we needed to check if that tome would show some useful information about the strange behavior of the Sacred Flame. Considering it has been written by some of the most important members of the Church of the Flame in the old times, I believed that they might have witnessed some unique observations about the Flame and its countless secrets...

But now, it has been stolen since yesterday and I feared that it would take us a lot of time to find the culprit by ourselves...

However, I will not give up so easily and I even have one potential suspect in mind....

One which especially drew my attention since a while...

"What ?!... You believe that the Yellow helmet man could be the thief ?!...", Travis exclaimed surprisingly, but in a low tone.

I shushed to him, understanding his reaction as I nodded to him.

"For now, it is just a theory of mine, and I didn't have any clear proof to demonstrate it.", I answered him with honesty, but I was still vigilant as I explained to him. "Though, with the actual circumstances, he has a very convincing motive..."

"A motive ?"

"A reason, for committing the crime. If the man with the yellow helmet is well known to be cautiously prepared before his act, he should have been aware that some people would interfere in his plans... So, he could have anticipated that and managed to steal The Church of the Flame: A complete historie before someone else borrow it..."

"He again...", pronounced Travis in a low but serious voice.

It seems that Travis didn't like to speak about that man, especially for all the things he has done to him, such as attempting to kill him, tracking him down, harming him...

Honestly, what kind of individual would do that to such a child ?!

Though, I could see that Travis was often concerned about him as well, and I have no idea for which reason that person was so interested by him and his unique magic... By the way, I was also wondering why he has saved his life from a bomb's explosion when he was in that desert...

Anyway, he had some links with the recent events, so I made another deduction.

"Indeed, he could have perfectly another reason to rob it from the Special archives."

"W-which one, Professor ?!..."

"Think about it: this man would be aware that manipulating the magic of the Sacred Flame would be very risky and complex... In theory, if you admit that he wants to provoke another cataclysm with the power of the original sacred flame... he would need to know more about the magic needed to control it. So, in a way or another, he could also have heard about a certain book detailing some secret knowledge and using it for preparing his ritual..."

"!!!..."

Travis immediately understood with shock before I declared in a serious tone.

"In other terms, that book wouldn't only explain how to cure the Flame... but also to manipulate it for evil intentions."

Indeed, if that stolen tome was really showing a lot of secrets about the Sacred Flame in general, I also believed that it hasn't only be put in the special archives for nothing...

It could have also many secrets which could permit us to use the Flame for evil.

"That doesn't sound good at all... We can really do so many things with the Sacred Flame ?!...", asked Travis who started to be a little worried.

I answered him seriously.

"The possibilities are high... The Sacred Flames are well known to be a huge magic receptacle where the embers could only be recuperated or given by the most faithful members of the Church of the Sacred Flame... According to the ancient texts, the religion has been mostly created with the main ambition to protect the Sacred Flames and repeal all the darkness from the world of Orsterra, but also to make sure no one use the power of the flames for evil intentions.", I explained to Travis as I frowned a bit. "Though, even something which has been created for good can be well used to do the evil... If ever the man with the yellow helmet managed to awaken it with his actual powers, now, there's no doubt he will try to exploit it for sinister purposes..."

"So, we have to stop him !", shouted Travis.

"Shhhh !!!"

Shushed someone in the library to the boy, blaming him for the noise.

I calmly shushed to him as well as I replied.

"Easy to say, Travis... But we still must know where this man could be hiding, and we have no clue about where he could be located as we speak..."

I could see Travis who was starting to be worried and nervous when he told me by raising his voice a little.

"What if... he has taken the appearance of someone else to..."

"Shhh !", shushed someone at a near table.

Travis flinched as he was interrupted.

"Sorry...", the boy apologized in a low voice.

He sighed again as the thought he made was making him quite frightened...

But he was right to be concerned: me too, I was well astonished to learn that, according to that boy, the man with the yellow helmet had really the faculty to change his appearance...

So, I was thinking about that lead.

"This could be a possibility... This power this man must have... Something which we could have only heard book of tales... But if this man turns out to have the power of metamorphose in a human being, by taking his appearance and his voice... he could use it at many advantages."

"Y-yeah... He even got me once...", mumbled the boy with a frown.

I remembered that Travis told me the time where he and his friend Philip were lured by a man which pretended to be the chief of the village of Cobblestone that has been kidnapped by the brigands as well. He was pretending to be on their side and led them to the exit... but it wasn't only a trap for he could kidnap Travis...

Thankfully that brave Olberic Eisenberg came at his rescue, at this moment... But if the yellow helmet man has really that frightening power to take the appearance of our closed ones, I couldn't imagine how much cunning he was up to...

If ever my fears are right, I believe, in this city... there is an impostor among us !

'There's still a detail which bothers me: from all the spells which I've studied about, they would always require one or several conditions to activate it. I don't think our suspect could take a certain person's appearance by simply knowing him... perhaps he must at least see the person targeted or having a physical contact with him... Maybe time will tell soon...'

While Travis was still pensive, I told him my actual thoughts.

"Anyway... Even if he has the amazing ability to take someone's appearance... I am greatly confident that he would have to stay at Atlasdam for preparing that imposing ritual and watch over the Sacred Flame to make sure they connect well before the explosion. However, there is no way he would constantly stay near the Flame at the Royal Palace, especially when the flamepit's area is much more watched over by the guard, and it would make him very suspect..."

"T-that's true !...", shouted Travis with a low voice before he added. "Perhaps he could have turned himself into a guard !..."

"Excellent deduction, my boy.", I complimented him before I explained. "However, we can't check everyone in this city to look for the culprit, so I suggest we find several clues to eliminate as most people as possible and being limited to only a few suspects to watch over. And for that, I think we should reconstruct the crime scene to trace him."

Travis looked curious as he asked me.

"But how do we do to reconstruct a crime scene ? It's not really the same as how we reconstruct an house, no ?"

I felt quite amused by his question as he looked at me innocently while he also wanted to work with me.

"You will see, it is fairly simple. All we have to do, is to examine the area and inquire people who could have noticed something suspicious.", I told him with a smile.

"Ohhhh !!!... Now I get it !... We're gonna be detectives who will investigate and find the thief !...", said Travis happily as he looked quite excited.

I calmly chuckled before I replied.

"You got that right, my boy."

The boy grinned as quickly as his emotion turned from worry to happiness, as he was cheering up on his chair, balancing it a little when he exclaimed calmly.

"That's cool !... I always wanted to play the detective, professor !... Are we gonna look for footprints with a magnifying glass and follow them until we find the culprit ?..."

"Err... I believe that shouldn't be a bad idea, but I don't think it would be so simple to find out, as perhaps the culprit could have well wiped his shoes before entering. Indeed, it is not possible to find any footprints inside the Library, because the place is cleaned by Mercedez each night and the theft has been committed at least one day ago.", I convinced him.

"Ah yeah, you're right !...", replied Travis annoyingly while slapping calmly his forehead.

I smiled at him, starting to enjoy his involvement.

"That's really nice to show yourself useful, Travis. But I believe that the first thing we must do is to ask people who could have noticed something suspicious.", I proposed him when I added. "You will see, it will be a little amusing !..."

"Alright, if you say so !... Ready to be your assistant !...", he told me with determination while leaving his chair.

"I would be happy to have an assistant like you !", I told him nicely when I stood up from my chair. "Let's begin our research, shall we ?"

"At your service, Professor !"

I also left my chair as the boy was following me closely, still wearing the cape he borrowed which fitted him much more than I thought.

I was still thinking about that yellow helmet man and how much he would make a great culprit... However, despite all these coincidences, there was still the possibility that the culprit would be a simple person, or even someone we haven't thought about yet...

'I guess that will be a long research...'

I looked down at Travis: his walk showed how much he was excited to help me despite we were both investigating about an important case.

However, it was not like he didn't understand the gravity of the situation or how dangerous it was... but it was like he was immediately up for it when we talked about "detectives", and that he was already aware what kind of research we were going to make.

'I am wondering how this boy could be so motivated for helping me in my investigation ?... I always thought that most kids of his age wouldn't be interested by that kind of game...'

'...Does all the children from his world really enjoy to "play the detective" ?'

'How much different are their tastes compared to ours ?...'

~Travis's POV~

'So cool ! I really want to do like the detectives from the books !'

I remembered when I was sometimes reading some books at the library in the real world that showed a story about a detective who wanted to solve the case of a crime !

For example, that detective named Sherlock H-something has to find some lost things like a stolen jewel and look for any clues like footprints or a broken window to find out where it his hidden and who was the one who stole it.

It was amusing because I enjoyed to imagine who was the culprit and why, and there was even a time when I managed to guess the identity of the thief before reading the answer at the last page !

I also heard that there were many different versions of books about this character for older children, and even adults, but I enjoyed that kind of game when we have to look for clues and find the culprit.

Indeed, I was very glad to play that game of detective for real as I would help Cyrus to find a stolen book and look for clues to get it !

And this time, we were even working in a much bigger library than in the real world and the first thing I wanted now was a magnifying glass to look like a true detective !

I couldn't stop to be excited right now, but then I shook my head to focus myself.

'Be serious, Travis ! You're not here to play, but to save thousands of people from the city ! Do you get it ?!'

That's right... Even if Cyrus said that it would be like playing a game, I had to believe there was no time to play just for laugh.

There was someone hidden in that large city who wanted to explode it and destroy the world, and if we didn't hurry up, a lot of people will die because of him and we needed to prevent that.

Even if doing that investigation with the professor looks exciting, I must be serious if I wanted to help him... and also to find more clues.

But actually, I didn't have any idea on how we will handle this, so I asked to Cyrus.

"Okay, so... where do we begin our search, Professor ?"

"Well, as I already told you, we will inquire a few persons by asking them some questions about what they could have seen, heard and what they know. It is often especially useful to ask to witness because they could bring us some new supplementary information.", the Professor explained to me as I continued to listen. "However, it would be a waste of time to inquire everyone, so we have to choose wisely those who has more ties with the current affair."

"And do you have any idea who ?"

"First, I suppose we should inquire with Mercedes again as to where the keys to the library are stored.", answered me Cyrus when he turned and watched towards the library's exit as the door was wide opened. "The guard at the front door would know who has been frequenting the library lately. As might my fellow scholars..."

"Yes !... Me too, I believe the guard at the entrance could help us a lot !", I replied to him when I became concerned. "But Professor... You said earlier that you don't want more people to know about our investigation, so how are you gonna do ?"

"Nice remark, Travis... With the experience I acquired with time, it also included my inquiring skills and I managed to find a strategy to discuss with witnesses while drawing as less attention as possible, and sometimes, to gain experience, it's useful to watch people practicing. Do you understand ?"

"Yeah... Kinda...", I mumbled, still quite unsure.

"But first, we should see someone who already knew the situation...", told me Cyrus while he headed back to the librarian's desk.

Cyrus walked a bit faster as I was observing the place around me.

It looked so calm and there weren't a lot of people here today, especially because of the incident from yesterday that Cyrus told me about, and the place looked bigger with less people inside.

'It's so big...'

'How are we gonna find some clues ?!..."

Suddenly, I accidentally bumped into a man who was reading a large book.

"Oh !... Sorry, Sir !"

"..."

He was dressed like the Professor Albright with a black worn by scholars, and slightly taller than him. His mid long hair was a light brown, and he looked like an old man with his sharp. noise and his dark eyes.

The man, who looked quite bored, just looked down at me before he ignored me, and he went to the other side of the room while carrying his book.

'What's wrong with him ?...'

I just apologized to him, but he didn't say anything and went back to his own stuff !

In my opinion, he doesn't look well talkative and neither very nice...

I was still watching him when I noticed something wrong with his coat: there were a few brown stains of what looked to be... mud, I guess ?

'Meh... Maybe he has fallen over a puddle of mud a front of his home...'

I finally ignored him and joined back Cyrus who was waiting for me a front of the Librarian's desk.

The professor was talking with her, as she started to think about something when she took some paperwork from her desk and read them.

"Only Headmaster Yvon and the guard stationed outside should have a key to the library archives.", answered Mercedez to Cyrus.

'A key ?...'

'Oh yeah !... That's right we need to get a special key to go to the archives !'

"Now I see...", mumbled Cyrus while being pensive.

After he thanked her, she went back to her own stuff when I spoke to the Professor.

"So, if I have well understood, the only ones who would possess keys to the special archives are the Headmaster and the guard outside ?"

"Of course, Travis. You see, we already got an useful information for an investigation, and also 2 potential suspects...", explained the Professor wisely.

"You mean the guard and your boss ?!... That one of them could be the culprit ?!..."

"Hold on, hold on...", calmed me down Cyrus when he told me. "Even though they would be able to have committed the theft, we have yet to verify if they could have still a motive to rob the book."

"What's a motive ?"

"A reason, an aim for the culprit in committing a crime. Generally, if a suspect has a motive, that permits him to frame him more for the crime in addition of the proofs."

"So... The yellow helmet man too has a motive for stealing that book: he wants to use it for creating that bomb !..."

"You got it, Travis...", told me the professor while ruffling my hair when he continued. "Though, it is sometimes possible that criminals have no clear motive and are simply driven by madness and anger, like murderers... However, it would require a certain wit to steal a book from the secured archives, so I am still confident that the culprit have a motive."

Now, I see.

I could understand Cyrus's explanation about a criminal's motive, as it was like when I stole a piece of bread in my old life and my motive was simply because I was hungry.

Though, even though this yellow helmet man looked crazy with his big coats and his sinister way of talking... me too, I had the feeling that he has something in mind, a reason to become a bad guy...

'Why did he want to blow up the world ? Why have he placed all these bombs ?'

'Has he any real motive behind that motive in doing so ?'

Indeed, it wasn't only for him: there was also that famous weird group led by one of the crow guys who killed Primrose's father. When I spied on him in that secret path, he was talking some things about "creating a new world" while using the powers of these bombs, if I have well understood.

But seriously, what was the point of using bombs to create a new world ? Bombs are supposed to only destroy, no ?!

"Travis ?", a voice told me.

"!!!..."

I went back to reality and saw the Professor watching down at me.

"Is there something wrong ?", he asked me again.

"N-no, Professor !... I was just trying to imagine how the crime has occurred like how you would do !..."

Cyrus smiled at me when he proposed.

"Let's pay a little visit to the guard, shall we ?"

"Okay !"

I then followed him to the exit, and we were once again outside.

The place was slightly more crowded than earlier as more people were doing shopping at the market. I could see an old woman sweeping the floor a front of her home and noticed a white cat drinking milk in a bowl at the window.

Just next to us, we noticed a guard standing next to the door.

"Excuse me, sir...", spoke Cyrus to the guard.

"..."

The guard didn't answer, as he was still holding firmly his spear, and his back was slightly pressed against the wall.

I looked down at him and noticed his eyes were closed.

'Wait... Is he... sleeping ?!'

Really, I didn't expect to see that.

Cyrus stayed patient as he spoke again.

"Sir ?..."

"Haaa !..."

The guard suddenly woke up and flinched of surprise.

"Kof ! Kof ! Kof !..."

He loudly coughed in his elbow by surprise when he finally spoke angrily as he looked annoyed.

"Sorry, but I don't have time to... !!!", he flinched of surprise when he saw Cyrus and became calmer. "Oh !... Err... G-good morning, Professor Albright !!... What can I do for you ?!..."

"Good morning, sir. I believe I already know you; I spoke with your son yesterday.", answered him calmly Cyrus.

"Oh, really ? What has he done again, that lil rascal ?!... My apologies if he might have disturbed..."

"No, no... You get it wrong, sir... I'm just have some questions to ask you if you don't mind of course..."

The elder guard just sighed when he asked annoyingly.

"What do you want ?..."

"We are looking for a book which has been stolen, sir.", I asked, as I also wanted to investigate like Cyrus.

"Well... Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm just charged to keep that door, not to look for stolen book... I would advise you to ask someone else from the watch to help you find the culprit, but thought, I believe they have better things to do than this.", mumbled the man annoyingly when he added. "And if someone would have really stolen one, I would have seen him."

Sadly, I had the feeling the guard's situation wasn't helping us a lot.

What was wrong with him ?! I know it could be exhausting to do that kind of work and stay at the same place for hours, but couldn't he take any effort to help us ?!

I sighed annoyingly as I was asked at the man again.

"Are you sure, sir, that you weren't sleep..."

Cyrus calmly interrupted me.

"...Anyway, I've heard that you possess a duplicate key of the special archives... Am I right ?"

"Of course, I've got a key to the archives. And no, I wasn't sleeping... I was resting my eyes, is all. But even if I was sleeping, what would it matter ? What kind of fool would bother stealing a worthless tome anyway ?", he answered us again in a annoyed voice.

'The kind of one who want to blow up everything and kill everyone, perhaps...', I thought while staring weirdly at him.

The professor held his chin once again, meaning that he was thinking about something.

"...Most intriguing.", he said before he thanked the guard.

"Move along now... I have my work to do...", answered the elder guard.

Cyrus went back inside the Library, so I followed him when he explained to me.

"You see, Travis: this how we glean new information."

"..."

"I see that you don't look very satisfied for some reason."

I felt pretty upset now after talking with that guard.

"When I think about it... That book wouldn't have been stolen if that guard wasn't sleeping !... It's because of him that we have trouble stopping the yellow helmet man..."

Cyrus crouched down at my level.

"I know that you are quite frustrated, my boy... But criticizing the guard's work won't help us in our investigation. And even if the case of the stolen book is slowing us down in curing the flame, we will still manage to find more clues and find the responsible as soon as possible, because no matter the difficulty, we will keep going !...", he promised me positively. "Do you understand ?"

Sometimes, I had the feeling that no matter how awful the situation is, Cyrus always managed to view things in a good way.

Though... this is what I liked about him.

"Yes, you're right Professor !...", I smiled back a bit as I clenched my fists with determination. "It's not even today that I will give up so easily !..."

"That's the spirit !...", cheered the Professor.

Progressively, my will to never give up on things was coming back.

The thief can even bury the book to hide it, I would dig holes with a shovel in all Atlasdam if I have to !

Honestly, I was just worried about what the yellow helmet man wanted to do with the book if he was well the culprit, so that was normal that I blamed the guard for doing such a huge mistake by sleeping.

Though, everyone makes mistakes...

Anyway, I still wanted to continue play the detective with Cyrus and solve the case of the stolen book !

'The case of the stolen book... That sound like a good name for an investigation !'

"So, I believe the librarian was right that the guard has a key.", I said to Cyrus.

"He has a key, yes. Yet he knows little of the true value of the books he guards.", he declared me.

I was thinking about his remark when I declared.

"It's true that he wasn't interested in books at all... Indeed, maybe he has never entered inside the library.", I guessed, making Cyrus chuckle a little when I asked him. "Anyway, are we gonna see your boss to know if he has well a key, Professor ?"

"Well, I doubt he will let us enter in his office just to check if he really possess a key... However, I remember well to have seen him putting it inside his drawer, so there is no need to check back."

"Okay, if you say so."

Though, I just figured out that it would be a bad idea to ask him about the key and tell him about the stolen book.

He wouldn't only be mad to the nice librarian, but he would also know that me and Cyrus are trying to find a way to cure the Sacred Flame while he had forbidden everyone to do some research.

Even though I was quite proud that Cyrus broke the law for saving the world, I didn't want him to be fired of his job by his boss. So, I think it would be better to fend for ourselves again...

I looked around me again, observing how vast was the giant library and his thousand books, as I imagined an idea.

"If only cameras were already invented in your world, Professor... With that, we should clearly see the one who stole the book, am I wrong ?", I said to the Professor.

"I guess that would be nice if we also have these machines with eyes... Though, I believe the culprit would review his plan and make a new one where he adapts himself in the place and avoid those "eyes"..."

The black-haired man looked amused by that story of cameras as I replied with a smile.

"Mmmh... You're might be right, Professor !"

We both looked at each other, as we started to have fun imagining how the crime occurred.

Indeed, I couldn't still believe that Cyrus was so smart that he would think that thieves would avoid cameras although they were not invented in this world yet. He didn't even see one from his own eyes !

I continued to follow Cyrus, ready to help again.

"Anyway, who are we about to inquire, next ?"

Cyrus was once again thinking while walking this time.

"Well, if we consider that the culprit had to steal the book from the special archives... I believe there could be a possibility that he wasn't allowed to go in."

"Hmm... That is not silly... But what if the culprit was still allowed to go in like you, Professor ?"

"That's a nice deduction, my boy... However, there is a flaw in your theory..."

"Really ?... What is it ?"

"If the culprit was allowed to borrow books from the special archives for a few days... why would he bother stealing a tome although that would be less suspicious if he simply borrows it ?!"

"Ah !... I didn't consider that...", I felt quite embarrassed.

I felt his hand on my shoulders.

"It's all right, Travis... Everyone makes mistakes by trying to find out the solution of a problem... but with the experience, we have to know how to not make the same mistake and think better of another logical plan.", he explained me wisely like he was teaching a lesson while he continued. "Also, I wasn't the only one, at the time, in the community, to request an access to the special archives. It is well known that this part of library is filled of works with classified but amazing knowledge that only a few of us are aware... At least, if I had the time to read one."

"So, you want to know those who also want to have access to this room ?", I asked him, as the professor nodded to me while I felt unsure. "But I heard that there were many people like you !... We're not going to ask all of them one by one who want to have the access ?!..."

"No. Do not worry about this. We have just to refer to Mercedez again about that information. I still believe she knows something."

"Phew... Okay...", I felt quite reassured.

Cyrus told me there were hundreds of scholars who came from Atlasdam, and that most of them were working in the entire world.

I was worried that it would take us an eternity if we were going to ask them all about the archives !

Thankfully that wasn't the case, but I was wondering if there was well another scholar like Cyrus who might have stolen that book...

So, we went back again to talk to the nice librarian as Cyrus as asked her something.

"The names of the scholars who have requested access to the special archives ? Just wait, Professor..."

She took a bunch of paperworks and seemed to look for one in particular.

"..."

Me and the professor stayed patient as she was searching for a whole minute when she finally found a parchment and started to read it while talking.

"I have... a few names of people who recently asked for an access to the archives. But among them... there was especially one who have made the most requests in this week."

"And who is it, Miss ?", I asked.

She read again before answering us.

"It is Russel... Russel MacDouglas."

"!!!..."

Cyrus looked slightly surprised as I was pretty curious.

"Russel MacDouglas ?... Do you know him, Professor ?"

"Yes... He was present, during the emergency meeting we had yesterday...", he answered me before he asked to Mercedez. "Do you know where he might be ?"

"Oh, he is just sitting right there, with his paperwork.", she pointed her finger in a direction.

"..."

We both watched, sitting at a dark corner of the place, a single man who was alone at a table.

He was checking a few parchments and writing with a quill and an inkwell, as he looked to be very busy in his work.

I also noticed his black coat on his chair which was the same as Cyrus, and somehow, I've already seen his light brown hair somewhere...

'It's the man from earlier !...'

He was the rude man that I've bumped earlier !...

Cyrus also watched at him with concern when he spoke.

"I see... Thank you a lot, Mercedez."

"You're welcome, Professor."

The lady went back to her work as I shushed to the professor.

"So... this man could be the one who has stolen the book ?"

"First, Travis, we have to ask him a few questions and find more information about the crime. And then, only time will tell us the identity of the true culprit.", he answered me while walking calmly towards Russel's table.

I followed him and, of course, I was suspecting him to be the one who stole the book.

But for now, Cyrus just wanted to question him like how he would do with Mercedez and the guard, and even me, I wasn't sure at 100 % that he could be our thief.

'It's not because this man asked more to go to the archives than the others that he should be the robber...'

'Everything is possible, after all...'

We observed him as he was still writing and checking some other papers, and he looked so busy that it was like he ignored everyone at his surroundings.

One woman also asked him if she could sit take the other chair that he wasn't using, but he completely ignored her, and she still took the chair and went away anyway.

I was wondering what kind of work he was doing.

"What is he doing, Professor ?"

"He's doing his accounts, Travis."

"His accounts ?"

"He is managing his money to see how much leaves he has left, but also how much he has to pay for his bills, for paying his rent, his food supplies for the month, and also all the debts he has to handle.", Cyrus explained me when he added. "It's when he borrows money from someone to pay what he needs under some circumstances, but then he has to pay him back in a limited time. And as we can see, it looks like he has more debts to count than usual..."

"Okay... I see...", I answered him, even if I didn't clearly understand.

However, I managed to understand that he was counting how much money he has left. Me too, before I arrived in that game, I would often how many coins I've found on the ground.

Indeed, Sir Olberic told me that it was important to keep enough money for the future, and so we could buy what we need to eat and to dress ourselves. But now I had lost all my money which was inside my bag at Sunshade, I was completely broke.

I think this man was afraid to be in the same situation as I was...

Anyway, we stopped next to his desk, but he was still ignoring us and counting his money instead.

"...and 3560... plus 456 leaves from last month... which makes me this... plus 379 leaves from that month... and then I get...", he flinched a bit when he read the result and got angry "Arh... I'm so fed up !..."

"Excuse me, sir...", I asked calmly to him.

"!!!... Don't you see that I'm busy, kid ?!...", he blamed me angrily, his reaction surprising me.

"SHHH !!!..."

The people around him shushed to him, as he has yelled a bit too loud, making him grumble annoyingly.

We could really say that Russel wasn't very friendly...

Cyrus finally spoke to him

"My apologies, my friend, if it might not be the right moment... but I have a few questions to ask you."

Russel sighed annoyingly when he spoke.

"It's just because it's you, Cyrus... What do you want ?"

"Do you know that a book from the archives has been stolen ?"

"Oh, really ?...", said Russell in an uninterested voice when he replied. "Mercedez should be more careful with all that precious stuff we entrust her. Me, I would never entrust my works to someone who doesn't know how to keep it..."

I felt quite angry of what he just said about that nice librarian, as he was still checking again his paperwork.

"She is still doing such a huge work every day, you know...", answered the Professor when he continued. "Indeed, it was already well secured as we only need the key to open the door which led to the special archives. You know that, don't you ?"

"Are you talking about the key to the archives ? Oh, I have never got that, despite all of my requests. But I'm not surprised someone stole a tome, considering what they're worth. I've gambling debts myself, so I understand the temptation...", mumbled the scholar with brown hair when he stood up with all his work and told us. "Now, if you would like to excuse me, I have places to be..."

He then bypassed us and headed impatiently towards the exit, as perhaps he looked annoyed by all of Cyrus's questions.

I was trying to think for a while.

"Mmmhh... I don't think we have heard anything interesting about the book from him."

"On the contrary, Travis.", corrected me calmly Cyrus who looked still optimistic before he added. "Unlike the guard, he knows the value of the tomes, and is burdened with debt, to boot."

"What does this means, Professor ?"

As I was expecting an answer for him, Cyrus was once again lost in his thoughts without listening to me.

"... That should be all the information we need to solve the case.", he finally declared when he told me. "Let's go sit somewhere, ok ?"

"Ok."

We then spotted another free table with 2 free chairs, which were left by 2 people who were done reading, and we immediately took their place.

Me, I was still trying to think about our investigation, especially about what that Russel told us.

Honestly, by seeing how rude he was with us when we told him about the theft and how left us, I was finding him very suspicious...

'Could that Russel be the culprit ?'

Cyrus sat a front of me and spoke to me with a smile.

"Well, Travis... What do you think of all the knowledge we have found about our investigation ?"

"Mmh...", I was racking my brains a little bit, trying to remember everything we have discovered so far and make a deduction, as I answered him. "It's true that we have learned many things... Like that there are 2 keys which open the door to the archives, Professor... So, maybe the culprit could have used one of them."

"...Of course ! It all makes sense now. Besides the librarian's key, there are only two keys to the archives: one belonging to the headmaster, and one to the guardsman.", he reminded me positively.

Despite these useful details, I was still unsure about something.

"Mmmh... There is still something which bothers me, Professor: if there are 2 keys, which one was used to unlock the archives ? That could be the guard's key, of course... but also the one used by your boss, right ?"

"The Headmaster also has a key, this is true, but last time I checked it, it was safely locked away in his office. Furthermore, he hasn't visited the archives yesterday.", explained me the Professor as I continued to listen. "On the other hand, the guard has been acting suspiciously of late, even sleeping while on active duty. So... it would be all too easy a task to lift the key off his person."

'That's right !... If would be way to easy to steal the key from the guard, as he wouldn't even notice !'

'Me too, I would rather steal him instead of Cyrus's boss whose key is well guarded according to Cyrus !..."

'And neither Therion would never try something so stupid instead of doing the easy way !'

While I started to discover the truth about the theft, I also have another theory in mind.

"Also, Professor... is it possible that the guard could be the culprit ?"

"No... He would have no motive. The culprit must be someone who understands the true value of the tome... Which is to say, one of my colleagues.", answered me Cyrus seriously as he was deducing something. "And most likely, one who has accrued a frightful gambling debt... Put it all together, and our villain is..."

"RUSSELL !!!...", I exclaimed quietly.

"Indubitably ! That shifty scholar, Russell !", added Cyrus with a serious tone before he replied. "Yes, I daresay my logic is foolproof. Now all the remains is to find our man and make him confess to the crime."

"So, he could be the one who stole the tome ? Could he also be...", I took my time before shushing to him. "The yellow helmet man ?..."

There was a small silence between us, as I didn't really like to speak about him as well while Cyrus was thinking for a while.

"Mmh... For that, we are not sure yet. Even though there is a possibility that he could have taken the appearance of one of my pair, there is still another possibility where the true Russel could be the culprit, nothing more. He has already a motive to steal that tome and sell it to the black market, so he could repay his debts.", explained Cyrus when he continued in a quite serious tone. "Indeed, we can only consider 2 different scenarios for the stealing of the tome: either the culprit is simply the real Russel who robbed it just to pay his debts, either the yellow helmet man has taken his appearance while the real Russel could be have been abducted..."

"So... you mean he could have kidnapped him and tied him with ropes like how would do a real kidnapper ?..."

"That could be a possibility... but a small one... Actually, we have still no idea if the Russel we have seen earlier was the real one... or an imposter.", told me calmly the Professor when he revealed to me. "To be honest, I have doubts that he could have taken his appearance..."

"Uh ?... Why ?..."

"If he wanted to take someone's appearance, he would have to find out what is the person's personality for he could better imitate him and being less suspicious towards the rest of the community.  However, I know Russel since I arrived in that city, and he is the kind of man who is often working alone and lacks on sociability. So, only our community is aware of who he is really."

"I think you're quite right, Professor... If me too I could turn myself into other people and that I turned in you, I would act like I really like studying and learning many things !..."

The professor calmly chuckled at my remark when he replied.

"This is what I call "putting ourselves in the shoes of someone". It's sometimes useful to imagine what the culprit could have in mind and establish a theory about how he could have committed his crime. And by the way, I believe it would be easier to follow the scenario of "Russel being the pure villain" instead of "Russel is an impostor". But if ever you are right, Travis, we will have to be very cautious..."

"Alright, Professor."

Maybe the professor could be right about the true Russel being the culprit, especially as he must know that man much more than I believe because he was one of his colleagues.

But I still believed that it could be the yellow helmet man in hiding, because it could be obvious for him to turn into a scholar for stealing that book.

Though, even if I have no idea which theory was good, but there was only one way to find out.

I got up of my chair and asked to Cyrus.

"So... What are we waiting to go find Russel and ask him to give us back the book ?"

"I had just the same idea in mind, my boy.", told me the Professor when he stood up as well and headed to the exit.

Now, I was determined to find that Russel again, and I wanted Cyrus to finally make him spill the beans.

~Therese's POV~

"..."

I watched at Professor Albright who just left the library with Travis, his new student, while I was hiding behind a shelf... without taking the chance to approach him...

Since I was little, I was used to go at the Royal library. Not only to study, but also because I loved reading books, especially about the ones where I learn a lot about the story of the world. That place was one of my favorites to go in Atlasdam as I would sometimes spend hours reading a book.

Of course, I was aware Professor Albright would often wander here, so I would mostly sit at a table away from the eyes because... I would fear to bother him in his work...

No... In fact, it wasn't really for that...

Anyway, I would often observe him for far, but today, he wasn't alone.

It was hard to believe how close these 2 have become, with that young boy following faithfully Professor Albright like a puppy.

However, it's been a while that they walked and discussed together about something quite important, and even though I didn't dare to approach them... I had the feeling that he wasn't giving him a simple class lesson...

But the Professor looked well serious for some reason, and I have no idea what he and this little boy have in mind...

'Professor Albright ?... What are you up to ?'

~Travis's POV~

"Where is he, now ?", I asked while looking at Russel in the surroundings.

"Hmm... I fear that he has already left the place.", answered me Cyrus while thinking when he added. "I also believe that if he was well the thief, he would try to hide the book at an unknown place and make sure no one find it."

"So, how about we go to his home ? Maybe he hid the book, here !"

"Perhaps, Travis... But we cannot break into someone's home, as it is..."

"Illegal, I know...", I finished at his place, feeling quite annoyed.

"I think it would be better if we go speak to him face to face and get some explanations.", proposes the Professor when he was thinking about something. "However, it's been such a while that I haven't been around him, so I have no idea where he could be actually working... I might be smart, but we cannot sadly remember anything..."

Now, even Professor Albright was in trouble...

I think we should have followed him when Russel left instead of staying in the library. It was quite shameful that we let him running away !

But now, there were more crowd outside at this hour, and Russel could have the time to his hiding !

Indeed, since the beginning of the investigation, Cyrus was always the one to ask for questions while I would only follow him and listen ! I should have done anything at least to help us finding the book !

The professor didn't have any idea where Russel might be, as even his incredible mind has limits...

'If I could do something to help him !..."

I couldn't just stand idly while someone is attempting to explode the city !

'If I was that Russel, where would I go to work ?!...'

"Hmm..."

I was reminding about everything I've heard and seen during our investigation of the stolen book... Like Mercedez who told us that she wasn't watching... the guard who was asleep at the entrance... and also Russel when we saw him during his work...

'I've also seen him when I accidentally bumped him...'

Hazardly, I was remembering the scene like if it just occurred one second again...

When I was observing the crime scene...

Before bumping into him and apologizing...

Then, he just ignored me, and I watched him leave...

And when I saw him going away from me the first time, I was especially watching at his...

'Wait...'

Suddenly, I figured out something and clapped my hand, as I got excited.

"Eureka ! I might know where he is!"

The professor curiously looked down at me while he seemed intrigued.

"Oh, what are you talking about, Travis ?"

"You know, Professor, when you were dealing with the girl at the library earlier ?... well, I saw Russel and I noticed that he has a kind of brown stain on his coat... So, he must be working in a very dirty place !"

The professor was thinking for a while when he figured out as well.

"But yes !!! That's right !!!", Cyrus suddenly shouted happily as he replied. "I didn't pay attention to that detail ! Well done, Travis !!", he suddenly lifted me up in the airs and looked very proud."You too, you would make such an amazing detective !"

I smiled happily before he put me down and ruffled my hair

"He he he !... Thanks, Professor ! But do you know where we could find a very dirty place ? Like a forest with all that mud and..."

"Believe me, I exactly know a place which answers at those criterias ! Follow me !", he motioned me to follow him.

"Yes, Professor !", I answered with a cheerful smile.

I followed closely the professor, still wearing my black cape to play discreet, as even though I have no idea where he was leading me, I was incredibly happy to have been useful like a true detective.

At this point, we will manage to find the book and save the world !

~Later~

We reached the Royal Academy on foot, but Cyrus bypassed the stairs and went in another way.

While I keep following him, I discovered a new place above the building that I've never noticed before.

There was the wall of bricks with all these climbing plants, and the ground was covered of tall grass with dirt, but what concerned me the most was the tunnel right there.

Indeed, there was an entrance which looked so old that plants started growing there and we could see grass inside. I also observed at the end stairs which looked to go down in what seemed to be a cave.

I then smelled a disgusting odor which came from the cave and winced while pinching my noise.

"Bweeh !... What is that place ?..."

"This is the shadowy subterranean studies: it was formerly an old jail but has been abandoned due to the building of a new one, and...", the professor sniffed the odor before he continued. "... for hygienic reasons. Now, it is sometimes used by scholars for working on experiences too dangerous to be used inside a closed place, and word has it Russel has been doing his research underground these days."

"Me, I would never work in such a place...", I added in disgust.

The disgusting smell reminded me of the odor of a dead rat with an old hamburger left for ages !

"I think it's time, for me, that I do some fieldwork on my own.", told me Cyrus when he entered inside the place, with a certain determination on his face.

Me too, I wanted to enter, but I was taking my time because of the awful smell, breathing the cold air from outside before being ready.

Clomp ! Clomp !

"...?"

I heard a noise behind and turned around.

There was a view of the place which was next to the Royal Library, and I noticed a dozen of guards wandering further, dressed like the one who sleep at the entrance and the ones who caught me yesterday.

Strangely, they were walking quite fast, like there were looking for something.

'Why are they so many guards, right there ?'

It's just I've never seen so many gathered at the same place...

"So, Travis, do you come ?!", called me the professor.

"Y-yes ! I'm coming, Professor !"

I ignored the guards and took a huge breath, before adventuring myself inside the cave.

~Cyrus's POV~

After going down the stairs, I was now finding myself in a gigantic cave, and it was hard to believe such a place existed below the Royal Academy.

However, I was mostly impressed because it didn't look like a jail at all at the first place, but mostly like a normal cave. There were many stalagmites as sharp as swords and the cave looked so wide that it would be easy to get lost... if they weren't flamepits.

Indeed, that place didn't look completely abandoned: a few burning flamepits were dispersed around a path in case some scholars would need to study here.

'No wonder why this jail has been abandoned... Nature has clearly regained the upper hand...'

I heard a few steps walking and noticed Travis who joined me, as he looked very speechless to discover such a place.

"Woaaah...", his amazement made him forget about the awful odor when he asked. "Was it really an old jail ? Where are the prison bars ?"

He innocently looked around his surroundings when I answered.

"Eaten away by rust, as we speak. Here, we are now inside the shadowy subterranean study..."

I stayed well cautious and vigilant, as even thought this place look to be deserted and only inhabited by the cave fauna... I started to feel a certain feeling of danger remaining here.

If Travis's deduction was right, Russel should be actually wandering somewhere in that study, and I could admit this wide cave would be the ideal place to hide a book. And the best way to find the book was to find the culprit.

We were currently close to recover the book and use it to heal the sick flame... But we haven't found it yet...

"I think we should follow that path, Professor !...", shushed to me Travis.

"Travis, one more thing...", I quietly spoke to him who turned at me curiously. "We never know what will happen during that meeting with Russel, and if he's well the real one or the impostor... So, in any case, I will ask you to be extremely cautious... And if ever I tell you to run, you run away from that place... Do you get it ?"

"... Okay, Professor...", he shushed to me, as he started to be quite worried about the plan.

I could read in his eyes his feeling of uncertainty.

I knew that he wasn't the kind of child who would run away from any danger by leaving people behind. When Travis told me about all of his adventures, I figured out that he didn't like to let the others in dangers at his place and would even put himself in danger to rescue them.

However, I have to make sure nothing happens to him, and he was more safe with me in this town than with anyone else... for now.

So, we started to walk through the path, observing once again how wide was this area.

There were also a few lanthorns suspending on a rope at the ceiling and emitting a soft light which would help us to see through this shadowy study. The atmosphere was quite cold and the ground was pretty wet, but the awful pestilence started to disappear as much as we walked.

It wasn't the first time that I visited that place, but due to my work, I've never had the opportunity to explore it further. The late Professor Milestones sometimes brought me here alongside a few students to show us dangerous spells inside and make us writing observations.

The topography of the cave was ideal to train using dangerous spells away to avoid any collateral damage, but Russel wasn't the kind of scholar to learn powerful spells and create new ones. His work mostly consisted of scientific research and he didn't like to travel because he didn't like to fight monsters and brigands.

So, he was mostly used to work alone except during the important meetings of the community even though he wasn't always cooperative with his pairs. Indeed, he would often insist at some colleagues to continue to pursue research about already known products instead of taking risks to find new ones.

But recently, he was often focusing on paying his debts, as the budget of most of his project was quite expensive so he would borrow money from the Academy's economy, and the Headmaster didn't even appreciate how much he owed to the community. Furthermore, he was also a gambler and would often try to win more money, but he would sadly loose more money than he could win with his salary.

In other terms, he was considered by a miserable man by our community.

Honestly, I wasn't used to care about his work and his behavior, but it will be a matter of time before we discover all of his true motivations soon...

We continued to walk through the path since a long minute when we noticed an upper area which was more illuminated than any other spots.

I gestured Travis to stop walking and told him to walk much quieter without making any noise, which he agreed before we continued to walk through the path.

I heard the echoing sound of a fire crackling when we hid in the darkness and looked up at the area in question.

The area was well furnished: a few oak tables were dispersed where we could count many potions and glass containers for the products. A chimney was also present with a fire calmly burning to heat up the place, and we can also find a few shelves stowing many potions and plates.

In reality, that area was arranged by the academy for letting scholars working on some experiences, but at first glance, it seemed that there were many products on the desks ready to be used.

A chemical odor could be smelled when we saw the silhouette of a man, who was working at a disk and he wore a black coat.

'Russel !...'

"It's him !...", shushed Travis with a very low tone.

So, our intuition was right: Russel McDouglas was well hiding in that study !

He was currently working on his own studies, trying to concoct a few potions, test their effects and note their observations so he could write some thesis about the knowledge of these products.

We observed him walking at the right just to take one glass vial before returning to his desk and continuing his experience, as he looked well focused on his work.

"Hey !... It isn't the book which you were looking for ?!...", shushed Travis.

I observed on the desk, and there was well a large book wide opened while Russel was sometimes reading at it.

"Mayhap !... But it isn't the only one !..."

More at the left, there was a pile of books gathered which I recognized most of their leather cover to belong to the Royal Academy.

'All these works which were stolen...'

'So, it wasn't his only crime...'

The cunning scholar was still working on his experiences as he looked well nervous when he stared once again at the stolen tomes and sighed.

"I hope all of them will be enough...", muttered Russel, believing he was alone.

Now I was certain he was our man, I believed that I've seen enough.

'Here we go !'

So, I decided to leave my hiding spot and I climbed calmly the stairs before I waited at the entrance.

Russel curiously turned around and noticed me.

"P-professor Albright ?!", he exclaimed surprisingly as he flinched in place at my sight when his eyebrows knitted. "Are you always in the habit of barging into your peers' office while they're working ?!"

"My apologies. I would have knocked, but... I didn't see a door.", I answered calmly to him, as I slowly walked towards him when I replied while watching at the book. "Apropos of nothing, mayhap you've heard that a certain tome was stolen from the archives."

"!!!...", the man stepped back in fear at my question, as he looked so suspicious when he replied nervously. "...I haven't the faintest clue what you're talking about."

"LIAR !!", angrily shouted Travis to the man while pointing his finger towards the book.

The boy joined my side as he was glaring at Russel, making him flinch a bit as he was truly denying the truth.

I sighed annoyingly while shaking my head, as I wasn't convinced at all by his arguments.

"Come now, Russel. Playing dumb is just going to drag this out for the both of us.", I then watched at him with the serious glare. "So let's cut straight to the heart of the matter: you're a thief, and I can prove it."

"!!!...", the man became angrier as he yelled. "Wh-what ?! THE HELLS YOU CAN !"

His voice echoed through the cavern, as sweat started to flow down his face. We could see at first glance that he was such a terrible liar.

"Unfortunately for you, at precisely the moment you were trying to sneak back with the key... Your friend the guardsman was just waking from his little slumber.", I replied to my pair.

Russel's eyes widened as he turned his back from us, trying to ignore all the accusations he was framed as he mumbled nervously.

"B-but that's impossible ! He was asleep, I'm positively..."

"CULPRIT !!!", shouted angrily Travis towards the man when he continued to blame.  "YOU'RE THE ONE WHO STOLE HIS KEY FOR STEALING THE BOOK THAT I AND THE PROFESSOR !!! NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU LIE, YOU'RE DEFINITELY..."

"I HAVE NO LESSON TO RECEIVE FROM A BRAT LIKE YOU !!!", Russel yelled angrily at the boy, who cut himself when the man glared menacingly at me. "AND NEITHER FROM A SNOOPER LIKE YOU, CYRUS !!!"

The tension was going up in the room, as a small silence occurred as Russel's hands were trembling, probably aware that he was now exposed.

Despite his protests, I stayed calm.

"Keeping up on our friend's somnolence, are we, old chum ?", I replied seriously, my arms tightly crossed.

"I-it was a slip of the tongue ! I tell you, I know nothing about this gods-damned book !", continued to deny Russel, as he was starting to freak out.

The man turned his back from us, as Travis was looking menacingly at him while I started to be quite annoyed by his little game of lies.

"Figured you'd say as much.", I declared calmly when I proposed him."Then perhaps you'd care to acompany me to the academy ? To prove your innocence, of course."

"!!!..."

Russel looked down while clenching his fists with anger as he was aware that there was no issue for him to deny his crime.

Then, I saw Travis who ran towards his desk.

"I'll go get the book !"

"!!!... TRAVIS !!! WAIT !!!"

CRAAAAAAAAACKLLLLE !!!!

"!!!..."

A trail of fire suddenly appeared a front of Travis, making him jump backwards in surprise.

The wall of fire continued to burn a front of us as a voice yelled.

"D-damn it ! Damn it all to hell !"

It was Russel who was creating that spell of that wall of fire with his hands, as he was angrily watching us.

"It was the perfect plan ! If not for your bloody meddling, I could have had it all !", his hands started to produce large fireballs as he was about to throw one at us. "I swear, I never meant to...! I just needed the money..."

CRAAAAAAACKLLE !!!

The spell was aiming towards Travis when I decided to intervene.

"STAY CLOSE TO ME, TRAVIS !!!"

KRRRRRRRRR !!!

I summoned a wall of ice a front of us, shielding us from the fireball explosion.

Travis was well surprised by my new spell when I stared at Russel who looked driven by madness as his flames were still burning in his hand.

I remembered that he was a specialist in fire elemental magic, but I just know the spell how to counter him.

"That tome would fetch a small fortune. This is true.", I said while extending my both hands which were shining towards the wall of ice.

KRRRRR...

The wall started to move towards Russel, who continued to angrily throw his fireballs, attempting to break it !!

CRAAAACKLE !  CRAAACKLE !

The wall of ice started to melt but I keep walking while speaking to my colleague.

"And yet, did you not for a moment consider the consequences ?"

CRACKLE !

"!!!..."

The man started to panic as the wall continued to move further, no matter how much fireballs he threw.

He continued to step back until he stopped on track, as he was about to fall in a lower floor of the cave, as he looked scared.

I continued to explain his crime.

"In stealing that tome, you would steal from our students something more valuable that all the realm's riches. A grave crime no matter who would perpetrate it, but all the more unforgivable when committed by one who calls himself a scholar."

KRRRRR !!!

The wall was about to trap him, as I wanted him to give up and surrender.

I watched at him looking around him when he took something from his pockets and yelled at me.

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES AS LONG AS I HAVE ENOUGH TO PAY MY DEBTS !!"

"!!!..."

He threw some light soulstones above the wall and

FLAAAASH !!

I suddenly covered my eyes from the light, making me falling back as I stopped to magically push the wall.

CRRRRRRRRR !!!

I managed to see Russel creating a burning trail of fire against the wall of ice, melting it completely as he protested again.

"AND IT IS NOT TODAY THAT WE WILL PREVENT ME TO DO SO !!!..."

He was then creating fireballs from his hands and ready to throw them at me when suddenly

GZZZZ !!!

SCRRRAAAAAAAATCHHHH !!!

"AAAAAARGH !!!"

Russel was electrocuted by blue electricity, kicked by a small figure covered by blue lightnings who appeared from nowhere !

'Travis !'

"LEAVE MY PROFESSOR ALONE !", yelled the boy.

Russel then got thrown towards his "office" and landed on a table with potions that broke at the impact.

GZZZZ !!!

Travis was still watching Russel attentively while his powers were still activated, as I was astonished by his fighting skills.

'By the twelve gods !... He has just repealed Russel with a kick, although he was known to have mastered powerful fire spells !...'

'And also... did he just call me "my professor" ?!'

"Gnnn !!!..."

Russel was lying on the broken table, his clothes slightly burned by Travis's powers, as he was trying to get up.

My attention came back to him as I must stop his madness once and for all.

"Ha !!!"

I extended my hands and created 2 small trails of ice which reached Russel's hands, covering them before solidifying the ice, making him unable to move and use his magic like his hands were handcuffed.

He tried desperately to remove them, in vain, and he was too exhausted to fight back.

He was finally defeated.

GZZZ !! GZZZ !!

As I watched at Russel seriously, I noticed Travis being still covered by blue lightnings as I advised him.

"He's unable to fight more, Travis. Just deactivate your powers."

"Ah ! Yes !..."

Gzzz !!

He crossed his fingers, making his magic disappear.

Now that there was no need to fight, I decided to walk towards Russel which was put out of action.

The man was breathing heavily, exhausted of using his powers, as he was still watching at me with anger.

I then stopped a front of him when I spoke.

"It's over now, Russell. You lost, and there's no need to fight more."

"I haven't lost... You cheated as your little friend attacked me in our duel...", protested Russel.

"And you ?!... Haven't you cheated by throwing these light things to him ?!", yelled angrily Travis towards him.

The man flinched at his remark, as he was still desperate of being caught.

Travis was standing next to me as he asked.

"So, what are we gonna do with him, Professor ?!..."

"Well... He will go back to the Academy, so he could face the community and confess all his crimes... He will be then judged and get a balanced sentence..."

"You... fools...", mumbled Russel's voice, as we both watched at him when he replied with hate. "It will be you... who will face one thing... and it will be DOOM !!!"

He then moved his bust back and front, opening slightly the button of his coat which revealed... a dozen of light soulstones !!

"!!!!..."

FLAAAAAAAAAAASSSSHHH !!!

A bright light exploded a front of us, repealing both I and Travis.

"Ha !..."

"Ngh !!..."

We both backwards, with still our eyes closed.

My senses were quite stunned as I could not see anything clear and my hearing was recovering due to the explosion, but after a while, I managed to regain balance.

Crivens ! I should have expected that Russel was still hiding these soulstones inside his coat  !...

But what was that mad man thinking ?!

My senses went back to normal, but I was worrying for someone else.

"TRAVIS ! ARE YOU FINE ?!!"

I saw him lying on the ground, as he started to get up with difficulty, his hand over his forehead as he answered.

"I'm ok !... !!!..."

The boy was suddenly shocked by what he was seeing a front of him.

I then watched in direction of what drew his attention.

Russel was still lying there, his hands still covered by the ice spells.

So, I stood up and slowly approached him... when the sight made my blood running cold.

"!!!... What in the twelve gods !!!..."

He was still lying on the ground, at the same place.

But he wasn't moving, not a single inch.

Neither breathing nor mumbling.

But there was something new which wasn't there before the explosion...

And it was... blood.

'Russell !...'

Blood was flowing from his torso, and there was a dagger planted right into his heart !

'He has been killed ! But how ?!'

I was as confused as shocked to the sudden sight of one of my colleagues' lifeless corpse, without understanding how it happened and where did that dagger come from.

"Oh no..."

Travis was also very shocked as well, especially since it wasn't a pretty sight to see for a young child, and that wasn't even his first time...

"Mmmh !!!... Mmmmh ?!..."

A muffled voice suddenly echoed from the cavern.

'!!!... Someone else is right there !...'

I watched down at the bottom part of the studies, as I noticed a small cell with old and rusted iron bars.

It was true that place was an old prison, but I was mostly concerned because... there was a prisoner inside !

Travis also noticed it as we both observed a person which looked chained inside the small cell.

'But wait, that silhouette...'

There was a woman down there, wearing a white dress with gold finery and shiny blonde hair...

'!!!...'

"Your Highness ?!..."

"Mmmhh ?!..", she noticed me as she was astonished to see me.

I was surprised to see the Princess Mary, one of my students, being trapped inside that cell, has her hands chained and her mouth was gagged !...

Honestly, I was terribly confused: how wasn't I able to notice her earlier ?!

'Why is she locked here ?! How has she been abducted and brought here ?!... Was Russel the responsible ?!...'

"STOP RIGHT THERE ! CYRUS !", suddenly echoed a voice.

"?!!!!!..."

Clomp ! Clomp ! Clomp ! Clomp ! Clomp !

Out of surprise, we heard a lot of footsteps which echoed through the entire place, and their amount of noise made me believe they were at least 20 persons in the cave !

CLOMP ! CLOMP ! CLOMP ! CLOMP ! CLOMP !

Then, we watched a good numbers of royal guards, wearing either golden armors or armors of chain mail, which started to gather inside the room !

"HE'S HERE !! DON'T LET HIM ESCAPE !!", yelled one of the Royal guards while holding firmly his spear.

At our surprise, more and more came around us, well-armed with their swords and spears, and some soldiers were even aiming at me with arrows !

We were both surrounded !

As I was trying to analyze the sudden situation, a familiar voice yelled at me.

"DON'T EVEN TRY ANYTHING STUPID, CYRUS ! YOU'RE SURROUNDED !"

I then saw a man which appeared among the guards and advanced a few steps while watching at us coldly... Headmaster Yvon !

"Wait ! What is the meaning of this, headmaster ?!", I exclaimed to my superior, wanting some explanations for that ambush when something tightened my wrists. "Ngh !..."

There were spells of light magic which surrounded my wrists like ropes that were summoned by a pair of scholars which were members of the magical royal guards !

I couldn't do anything, and these light ropes were aspiring my magic flow, preventing me to use magic, as they were useful to arrest the magic users' criminals.

The Headmaster announced me with a firm voice.

"Cyrus Albright, on behalf of the community of the scholars, and of the Kingdom... You are under arrest for the attempt of using a work from the Royal Library for malevolent purposes, kidnapping of her Highness the Princess Mary, and murder of one of your pairs, Professor Russell !"

"!!!..."

As I was incredibly surprised, Travis decided to protest.

"NO WAIT ! HE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH..."

FWIIII !!!

A shadowy magic was covering Travis's body, tightening him and elevating him in the airs at his surprise !

"HEY ! WHAT THE... !!! MMMHH !!! MHHH !!"

The shadowy spell then formed a rope which gagged Travis's mouth, preventing him to yell.

"Quiet down, sweetie... Adults are talking.", said a female voice which belonged to Lucia.

Professor Lucia then appeared next to Yvon, as she was responsible for the spell which prevented Travis to escape.

Travis was kicking his feet to try escaping, but he progressively lost his strength to fight back because that dark magic made him loose his energy.

Strangely, the headmaster watched coldly at the boy but with a certain interest.

"So... This must be the boy with the special powers, I believe..."

"That is exact, sir... Despite his young age, he is already Cyrus Albright's complice, and both were working together to attempt destroying Atlasdam with a magical bomb...", explained his assistant Lucia.

"!!!..."

The dark-haired woman continued to explain as she was observing Russel's lifeless corpse.

"I believe Professor Russel managed to discover their awful plan and wanted to tell the community, but Cyrus used that knife to stab him and silence him forever...", she then bent down a front of his corpse when she took the blooded weapon out of his chest. "What an unfortunate fate for such an unfortunate man... But thanks to him, we might have found the responsible for all these events, Headmaster."

I could not believe that... They were now accusing me of being responsible to have committed all of these crimes, and also of being the one who wanted to create that bomb and destroy the city !...

But how have they managed to get all of these information which were supposed to be a secret between Travis and I ?!!

'Does.. someone from the community has spied on us ?!...'

"Finally... After so long...", pronounced the Headmaster when he yelled at his men. "What are you waiting for to free her highness from her cell ?!"

"Right away, sir !"

Clomp clomp clomp clomp !

While the guards went down the cave in direction of her Highness's cell, the scholars restraining me put me on my knees.

"Ngh !!"

A pair of guards started to handcuff me as Yvon looked down at me annoyingly.

"I don't believe that you may have been informed of that new because of what you and your little "student" were up to, but things are taking a different turn, as we say... So, I finally changed my mind and allowed the community to find out about the Sacred Flame abnormal behavior.", explained the Headmaster with a serious tone.

"!!!..."

Lucia then walked a few steps and continued.

"As we speak, the Flame is burning even bigger, just like it became aggressive, and everyone in the Court are deeply worried. So, we have finally decided to do everything in our power to deal with that problem and, mayhap, saving the city from a horrifying fate... We will explain our decision to the King when he will come back from hunting.", she then approached the opened book on the desk while contemplating it. "We have heard of a book which could, in theory, give us useful knowledge to prevent that tragedy to happen... but we also discovered that it has been stolen by, following any logic, the responsible of these events.", she then pointed her finger towards me. "And the culprit is you, Cyrus !"

"!!!..."

I flinched again, as I was now being accused by all these charges instead of someone else !

But why would they accuse me of all these crimes ?!

The headmaster Yvon watched at me coldly as he spoke again.

"I must say it was quite hard to find the culprit in such a short time... But thankfully, according to some sources, that we have spotted an illicit relationship between you and the Princess !"

"WHAT ?!...", I shouted surprisingly.

Even all the guards were shocked by the claim, as they started to watch me with disgust and shame.

But what was that far-fetched story ?! I never had such a close relationship with her Highness ! All of that was such a lie !

Yvon then menacingly pointed his fingers towards me.

"So, you got closer to her with the unique goal to abduct her and take her as an hostage in case your plan failed ! But no matter what... YOU HAVE LOST, CYRUS !!", he yelled at me when he replied in a cold tone. "Honestly, it is such a shame that the responsible is someone among our community, and for someone of your status... I fear that your sentence will be... unimaginable."

The guards behind me made me stood up, as I decided to protest.

"Headmaster! Listen to me !... You are just committing a huge mistake !..."

"You're right... We made a mistake to let you "investigating" on your own, Cyrus...", he replied to me annoyingly when he ordered at his men. "TAKE THEM AWAY !"

We were then taken by the guards, my hands being handcuffed, as Lucia was following us while still using her dark magic to lift Travis.

"Mmmmhhh ! Mmmmh !!!"

His muffed voice continued to yell as he tried to escape her spell's grasp, but there was nothing he could do...

And neither I could do anything...

'What an unpredictable situation !...'

'I should have doubted that someone would spy on us...'

'But why are they suddenly accusing me from all these crimes ?!'

'The princess' abduction... Russel's murder...'

'All of these events at the same time were surprising...'

'Could we have been... victims of a setup ?...'

~Third POV~

Half of the troops stayed alongside with Yvon and a few other scholars, as the Headmaster decided to go down the cave.

Princess Mary has been finally released by a few guards, as she looked quite exhausted.

"Thank you...", she said at the guards who freed her.

"Your Highness !... Haven't they harmed you ?!...", exclaimed the Headmaster while showing her a certain worry.

"...no, I'm fine... I was just locked here for a few hours...", she answered him with a low tone.

"What kind of monsters would do such a thing at a lady like you !!...", complained a scholar.

"Forgive our curiosity, your Highness, but how have you managed to be locked here ?...", asked Yvon.

"It's alright... I will explain everything to you."

The other scholars accompanying Yvon were helping her to walk, her arms being supported by their shoulders.

As they were walking, the Princess started her story.

"Me too, I was worried about the flame behavior and had a bad feeling about it... But I have heard about that work named "The Church of the Flame: A complete Historie", and I was confident that it could contain the solution how to fix the Flame... So, I decided to do my own investigation and left the Royal Palace without telling anyone and headed to the Royal Library."

"!!!..."

The scholars were surprised when Yvon blamed her.

"Your Highness... Are you aware of all the risks you have taken by searching for that tome alone ?!..."

"I know... But I didn't want to worry the Court.", answered Mary with regret when she continued. "But while I was heading to the library, I noticed someone wearing the scholar's coat entering in the subterranean studies... I couldn't clearly see his face, but I noticed that he was hiding a book. So, I decided to sneak up on him and entered inside the cave. Then, I discovered all these books which were stolen... including the one I was looking for... No one was there at this moment, so I managed to read a part of the book, but before I was able to leave and tell the Court... I received a blow behind me..."

"And that was how you found yourself locked in that cell, right ?", guessed Yvon.

The princess nodded calmly when she added.

"I should have been more careful when I went here... but I cannot still believe Cyrus would be able to do such a thing ! That doesn't look like him to make such a complot !"

As she was quite upset about what kind of sentence would happen to her teacher, Yvon stayed quite indifferent.

"This is sadly the truth, my dear...", he shared her pity while frowning.

The princess frowned, as she looked betrayed when she has something to say.

"We should bring you back to the Palace, your Highness...", advised a scholar.

"No, wait.", ordered the Princess, as the guards stopped curiously when she added. "I want you to bring me back to see the book again. I... I have discovered something important..."

The scholars all looked at her curiously as Yvon was intrigued.

"And can we know what is it, your Highness ?"

"I think I've found a way to cure the Sacred Flame."

~

A/N: CLIFFHANGER TIME !!

How everyone is going ?! I hope you have all spent a Merry Christmas, and there was something I wanted to tell you.

I'm sorry that I haven't taken my promise to finish the first book before the end of the year. Even the chapter 1000 of ONE PIECE was finally released in 2020 despite how hard this year was...

It's hard for me to take promise, as it's been 2 years and half that I'm uploading that first book, and at this rhythm, Octopath Traveler 2 will be released before I finish my long story !

However, I always try to do a lot of effort to write more as usual and get my 1500 words per day, and I will make sure I will start the book 2 on 2021.

Anyway, so the one who died in the chapter was finally RUSSELL McDOUGLAS (again a family name I invented).

You know, when I said last time that an important character will die, I was talking about a main character from Cyrus's chapter 1, not from the whole game !

Oh... I should have explained that to you earlier, right ?

Anyway, RIP to Russel who wasn't supposed to die unlike in the game.

NOW, YOU KNOW WHY THE STORY IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FROM THE GAME !

One more thing... I hope you enjoyed that chapter, and I think there are 4 remaining chapters before the book ends !

Take care of yourself and have an Happy New Year soon !