The Author's POV

"Sure, yes, okay, we're coming."

Hanging up the phone, Kevin headed for the entrance of the academy.

I followed him from behind.

Glancing around the place, I curiously asked.

"Where are we going now?"

"Section B."

Kevin answered before he turned his head to glance my way.

"By the way, I forgot to compliment you about the glasses."

"Oh, these. "

Raising my hand, I pushed my glasses up a little.

"Wanted to look the part."

"...Kind of cringe."

"Says the guy who is wearing a suit."

I bluntly replied while pushing my hair back.

Actually, the reason why I was wearing the glasses wasn't actually because I wanted to look the part.

Well, a small part was. However, the main reason was something else.

Connected to the glasses was a small camera that Smallsnake and Ryan could see through.

From there, whenever I wanted to pick information about someone, they would quickly send me a brief overview of their information.

Was kind of handy.

"Wait is that..."

"It's them."

"It can't be..."

Along the way, some of the staff and students that were not in the auditorium managed to recognize us as I could hear faint whispering coming from their direction.

Some even went as far as taking out their phones and started taking pictures of us from the distance.

I feigned ignorance to that.

"We're here."

Walking for the next ten minutes, we soon stopped in front of a familiar rectangular infrastructure.

Even after having seen the building countless times in the past, I couldn't help but be amazed by the sheer size of the structure.

"Let's go."

Waving his hand toward the guard, Kevin and I entered the building and soon made it all the way toward Donna's office which was on the fifth floor of the structure.

To Tok—!

Kevin knocked on the door and Donna's voice echoed soon after.

"Come in."

"If you will excuse us."

Clank—!

"Welcome you two."

Upon entering the room, we were greeted by Donna who sat behind her desk. Kevin was the first to greet her.

"Hey. It's been a while, Donna."

"Mhm, it's nice seeing you again, Kevin. Did you have any trouble getting here?"

"Not at all."

"That's good."

As the two were talking, I glanced around the place. It had been a while since I had been in Donna's office and it still looked exactly as it did in the past. Small, and comfy.

"Ren?"

Snapping me out of it, I suddenly felt someone tap me on the shoulder. It was Kevin.

"What is it?"

"Are you not paying attention at all?"

nudging

hit to

to a realization, I lowered my head and greeted

to see

good to see

smile, not minding my rudeness. She then pressed her hand

to the point, I need

a stern look appeared

"Mana contracts?"

"That's right."

two pens next

be it an assistant, staff, or regular professor must sign a mana contract. This is for security reasons, I'm sure you

"I see..."

down on a brown leather chair opposite Donna's

about to sign, his

if you guys do this, how come

was a valid

mana contracts, how was it

knew the

helpless smile on her face, Donna leaned back in her

you how deep-rooted the influence of the Monolith

she could follow up, I sat down next to Kevin and did a

that there was nothing I was

know this by now, but a

useful, weren't

for some people to escape its influence, although, the method was actually extremely complex and it required

that the user would find their lifespan shortening by a large degree due to the fact that their soul

could be done easily, and the fact that the Monolith had managed to infiltrate the Lock despite all of

"I guess you're right."

Kevin signed the paper and put

barely signed more than one

the

"Here you go."

"Thank you."

Donna put

was then projected in the

brief rundown on who the individuals you

list of professors began to

professors to high-ranked

gender, rank, and the level of suspicion that the

that the Lock suspects of

as I stared at the projection. There were quite a few familiar faces amongst the list of professors, however,

to the point of being surprised by

I was in fact able to spot a couple of

of use

will be a professor while Ren

me out of my

Kevin is

curved upward,

Even if you do have the qualifications to be a

"Oh."

moved my

was an assistant professor, it could only mean

don't have any issues

Donna clapped her hands.

again turned her attention toward the holographic projection in front of her and started to brief Kevin and m, on all the individuals

what your roles are. I will now start giving you details on the

...30 minutes later.

after Donna gave me a proper rundown on the situation, and what I was supposed to do in

was stick close to

***

Demon Hunter Guild.

"Young Miss? Young Miss?"

"Hm?"

Amanda out of her

a worried

alright, young

"Yeah."

lowered her head and stared at the papers in

"What were we discussing?"

the launch of the magic cards system. We have currently mass-produced over a couple of millions of cards, and we're currently sold out in terms of pre-released booking. We're practically ready to launch them, however,

"Ah, right."

eyes squinted. After a bit

the market by next week. Amp up security during the time, and make sure that nothing happens to the reserves. Make sure that nothing happens during the transition phase. We can't afford to have our cards robbed. Even if it costs a bit,

"Understood."

replied with a

the folder,

"Is there anything else?"

"No."

shook his head with a

caused Amanda

there something else

"No, no."

back. Lowering his body, he bit