The morning of the council assembly came heavy with gray clouds. The air carried the weight of a storm that hadn't yet broken. The academy courtyard was quieter than usual, its usual chatter replaced by an uneasy stillness. Word had already spread that the student council had called a special hearing — and whenever that happened, something serious was brewing.

Arios walked through the courtyard slowly, his boots pressing against the stone path slick with dew. His expression was calm, but his mind wasn't. The three days had gone by fast, too fast. He'd barely had enough time to prepare, but every moment had been used carefully — tracing reports, gathering witness notes, cross-checking records from the academy archives.

In his left hand, he held a sealed folder, neatly bound and labeled. Inside were copies of everything he'd found — records that connected Instructor Garron's current employment file to falsified credentials, dates that didn't align, signatures that were too identical to belong to different institutions.

He wasn't nervous. Not exactly. But he was aware that what he was about to do would make enemies.

As he crossed the main gate into the administrative wing, a few students turned their heads. Some whispered, recognizing him. The rumors about Amelia's case had been running wild, twisting details into speculation. To most of them, Arios was just the quiet first-year who somehow kept getting involved in things he shouldn't.

The council chamber sat at the end of the upper corridor — a large hall with arched windows, silver-blue banners of the academy crest, and rows of carved desks arranged in a semicircle. At the far center stood a raised platform, where the president's seat overlooked everything like a judge's bench.

When Arios stepped inside, the room was already half-filled. The student council members were seated — seven in total, each wearing the navy sashes that marked their positions.

Damian Ravencroft, the president, sat at the center. His posture was straight, his expression unreadable. He was older than most in the room — calm eyes, tidy hair, and a voice known for its quiet authority.

On the right side of the chamber stood Instructor Garron.

The man's face was smooth as ever, his expression relaxed, as though he had nothing to hide. He turned slightly when Arios entered, offering a small, polite smile. "Ah, Mr. Pureheart. You're here. How punctual."

Arios ignored him and moved to the participant's stand.

Lucy and Liza were already sitting among the observers in the back, their eyes fixed on him. Amelia wasn't there — she wasn't allowed to attend this hearing. Arios had promised her that he would handle it.

The murmurs faded when Damian finally spoke.

"Let's begin."

His voice was calm, measured. "This assembly has been called in light of recent accusations, both regarding Instructor Amelia's conduct and the counterclaims presented by student Arios Pureheart. We will allow both sides to present their statements, review the supporting documents, and determine whether further disciplinary action or investigation is warranted."

He paused, looking toward Garron first. "Instructor Garron, as the accuser, you will begin."

Garron nodded, stepping forward with an air of calm confidence. "Thank you, President Ravencroft."

He turned slightly, his gaze sweeping across the council before settling briefly on Arios.

"I have maintained, from the beginning," he began, "that Instructor Amelia engaged in irregular mana practices, influencing certain students' performances through unauthorized manipulation spells. Several anomalies in test results, as well as behavioral inconsistencies among her class members, support this claim. My only interest has been the preservation of fairness and order within the academy."

He spoke smoothly, as if every word had been rehearsed.

Damian listened silently, hands folded.

Garron continued, "I am aware that Mr. Pureheart here has taken an interest in defending her, and while I commend loyalty, I cannot allow personal attachment to cloud objective truth." He gestured lightly toward Arios, his tone shifting faintly, carrying subtle condescension. "Young students often see only fragments of a situation. They mistake appearances for reality."

Lucy's hands tightened around the edge of her seat. Liza leaned slightly forward, watching Garron with cold eyes.

Arios stood quietly, waiting. He didn't react to the provocation.

When Garron finished, Damian turned to him. "Mr. Pureheart, you may respond."

Arios stepped forward. His movements were steady, deliberate. When he reached the center, he placed his folder on the desk before him.

"President Ravencroft," he began, his tone even. "Members of the council. I respect the academy's process. But I believe the accusations against Instructor Amelia are not based on truth, but manipulation. And the source of that manipulation is standing right there."

The room shifted slightly. A few whispers rippled through the council members.

Garron tilted his head, smiling faintly. "Careful with your words, boy."

Arios ignored him, opening the folder. "I have here copies of employment records for Instructor Garron. These were retrieved from both the academy archives and the Ministry's public ledger." He began handing out the copies to the nearest aides, who distributed them among the council.

Damian accepted his copy, flipping through the pages.

"Notice the inconsistencies," Arios continued. "The certificate dates on his registration forms don't match the ministry's database entries. The same signature appears across multiple institutions, identical down to stroke pressure — something that shouldn't happen naturally."

One of the council secretaries frowned, holding up her sheet. "He's right. These aren't identical copies; they're reuses of the same template."

Garron's expression didn't change, though his smile grew thinner. "That's quite a leap, Mr. Pureheart. Administrative errors happen often, especially across provincial systems. You should know better than to jump to conclusions."

Arios turned a page, continuing as if he hadn't heard. "Furthermore, one of the academy's oldest yearbooks — stored in the west wing archives — mentions a disciplinary expulsion from five years ago. The instructor's name was 'Garrel Mern,' removed for misuse of illusion-based teaching methods resulting in student harm. The description and signature style match perfectly with those of Instructor Garron."

A quiet murmur spread through the room.

Damian raised an eyebrow slightly. "You're suggesting he changed his name?"

"I'm suggesting," Arios said, meeting his eyes, "that he falsified his identity and entered this academy under false pretenses, later using his position to manipulate student records and fabricate misconduct against another instructor."

Garron laughed softly. It wasn't a kind laugh. "You've been busy, haven't you? Digging through dusty old books, connecting random dots, spinning conspiracy theories. Do you know how absurd you sound?"

"I know how the illusion you trapped me in felt," Arios said quietly.

The words froze the air.

Damian's expression sharpened. "What illusion?"

Arios turned toward him, voice steady. "Three days ago, Instructor Garron summoned me under the pretense of discussing Amelia's case. When I entered his office, he activated an illusion formation. I was trapped in a dungeon-like realm filled with hostile entities. It was not a training illusion. It was meant to kill."

Gasps broke from the observers. Lucy stood halfway up before Liza pulled her back down.

Damian raised his hand for silence. His tone remained calm but colder now. "That's a serious accusation. Do you have proof?"

"Yes."

Arios reached into his folder again and pulled out a smaller crystal orb, sealed in a containment clasp. "When the illusion was triggered, a residual mana trail remained on my wristband. I extracted it with a mana trace capture device afterward. The wavelength matches the same signature embedded in Instructor Garron's personal staff — a hybrid resonance pattern only someone with illusion specialization could leave."

He placed the orb on the table. It glowed faintly, reacting to the chamber's ambient energy.

Damian leaned forward slightly, studying it. The other council members exchanged uncertain glances.

Garron's voice, however, stayed calm. "A fascinating story, truly. But are you implying that I would attempt murder inside the academy, with traceable magic no less? That's quite the accusation for a student."

"You did it because you thought I wouldn't survive to talk," Arios replied.

For the first time, Garron's smile twitched. Just slightly.

The room grew tense.

Damian sat back in his chair, fingers tapping lightly against the armrest. He didn't speak for several seconds. Then he said quietly, "Instructor Garron, would you be willing to submit your staff for mana resonance verification?"

Garron's expression didn't change, but the pause before his answer was noticeable. "I don't have it with me."

"That's unfortunate," Damian said. "Then we'll have to verify the claim through other means. In the meantime, this council will suspend all pending accusations against Instructor Amelia until the authenticity of these documents and the mana trace are reviewed."

The announcement broke through the tension like a wave.

Lucy exhaled audibly. Liza's eyes widened slightly — a small, rare sign of relief.

But Garron wasn't done.

He smiled again, more tightly now. "You're making a mistake, President. This student is fabricating evidence. It's easy to claim forged documents and false traces. You're going to base a suspension on a child's word?"

Damian looked at him calmly. "I'm basing it on inconsistencies that now require investigation. You'll have a chance to respond formally once verification is complete."

Arios didn't move. He kept his eyes on Garron. For a brief moment, their gazes locked — teacher and student, predator and prey.

Garron's expression softened again, masking his anger behind professionalism. "Very well," he said finally, bowing slightly. "I'll comply with any procedures deemed necessary. But when this turns out to be false, I expect an apology."

He turned sharply, cloak swaying behind him as he exited the chamber. The sound of the door closing echoed like a crack.

For several seconds, no one spoke.

Then Damian said quietly, "This session is adjourned until verification results are complete. Mr. Pureheart, remain for a moment."

The others began to stand, collecting their papers. Lucy and Liza stayed seated in the back, watching.

When the chamber emptied to just the council officers and Arios, Damian stood and walked down from the platform. He was taller up close, his expression unreadable but composed.

"You handled yourself well," Damian said quietly. "You realize, of course, that what you've done could have serious repercussions if proven false."

"I know," Arios said. "But it's not false."

Damian studied him for a moment longer, then gave a faint nod. "I believe you. For now."

He turned toward the table, glancing at the orb. "We'll need to have the mana trace tested by the administration's specialists. I'll personally oversee it. In the meantime, I suggest you keep a low profile."

Arios nodded. "Understood."

"Good." Damian looked toward the doorway where Garron had left. "If what you claim is true, then this academy has a far bigger problem than forged paperwork."

He started to walk back toward his seat, then paused. "Tell me something, Arios. Why risk this? You could've stayed quiet, let the council handle it."

Arios looked at the floor for a second, then said quietly, "Because Amelia didn't deserve what happened to her. And because someone has to stop people like him."

Damian studied him for a few seconds, then smiled faintly — the kind of smile that wasn't exactly kind but approving in a reserved way. "Then I hope your conviction holds, because the kind of people you're trying to expose rarely fall quietly."

He dismissed him with a nod.

Arios turned and walked out.

Outside the chamber, Lucy and Liza were waiting near the entrance. The moment he appeared, Lucy ran up to him. "You actually did it!"

Liza followed, crossing her arms. "He looked like he was going to break that fake calm any second."

Arios gave a small nod. "It's not over yet."

Lucy frowned. "You think he'll try something?"

"He won't stop," Arios said. "Not until he knows I can't reveal more."

Liza looked thoughtful. "You still have something left, don't you?"

Arios glanced at her, then said quietly, "There's one more file. A restricted one. I didn't show it yet."

Lucy blinked. "Why not?"

"Because if I had," Arios said, "he would've panicked right there. I want him to think he still has time to act. That's when he'll make his mistake."

The two girls exchanged glances, realizing the strategy behind his calm.

Liza smirked slightly. "Cold. I like it."

Lucy sighed, rubbing her forehead. "You scare me sometimes."

They walked together down the corridor. The sound of the rain finally started outside — soft, steady, falling against the academy glass.

By the time they reached the main lobby, most students had already heard something. Whispers spread quickly — "Instructor Garron suspended?" "Student accused him?" "Mana traces?" The whole building buzzed with speculation.

Arios didn't stop to listen.

They stepped outside, and the rain fell heavier now. Lucy opened her umbrella, pulling it over them. Arios looked up briefly, watching the gray sky. The tension that had held him since the illusion finally started to ease, just slightly.

They walked in silence for a while until Lucy said softly, "You think Amelia will believe it's finally turning?"

"She'll know soon," Arios replied.

Liza gave a small nod. "Good. Because after this, it's not just about her anymore. Garron won't go down alone."

Arios knew she was right.

Somewhere deep inside, he could feel it — a storm still gathering beyond what they could see. The illusion dungeon was only the beginning. Garron had been a piece, not the hand that moved it.

As the rain soaked the courtyard, he looked back once toward the council hall. Through one of the upper windows, Damian was still visible, standing alone, watching the rain as well. Their eyes didn't meet, but Arios could sense it — the quiet understanding between two people preparing for something larger.

When he turned back, Lucy and Liza were waiting beside him.

He took a slow breath. "We're not done."

Lucy gave a determined nod. "Then we'll keep going."

The rain continued to fall, washing the academy in gray light. Somewhere within the storm's low rumble, Arios could almost hear it — the echo of the dragon's roar from the illusion, not as a threat anymore, but as a reminder.

He had survived once. He could do it again.

And this time, it wouldn't be an illusion.

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