Chapter : 1437

  Lloyd Ferrum walked into the faculty lounge of the Royal Academy. It was a Monday, and the air smelled like stale coffee and regret. The lounge was quiet, except for the scratching of quills and the occasional sigh from a professor drowning in grading papers. Lloyd wasn't there for coffee or grading. He was there to hunt.

  Well, not hunt exactly. More like observe. He needed to figure out who his colleagues really were. He had built a team—the "Broken Wand Alliance"—but he realized he knew nothing about them. Were they competent? Were they dangerous? Did they put milk in their tea before or after the water? These were critical questions.

  He spotted Rubaiya sitting by the window. She was surrounded by stacks of books that were taller than she was. She was reading three of them simultaneously, her eyes darting back and forth like a hummingbird on caffeine. Rubaiya was the strategist. The brain. She was sharp, quick, and a little terrifying.

  "Professor Rubaiya," Lloyd said, pulling up a chair. "How goes the war against ignorance?"

  Rubaiya didn't look up. "Ignorance is winning. I just graded a paper where a student claimed that fire is made of 'angry air'. It is a tragedy."

  "Angry air," Lloyd chuckled. "I like it. Poetic. Wrong, but poetic."

  He leaned back in his chair, trying to look casual. "So, Rubaiya. We're partners in this curse-hunting business. But I realized I don't know much about your... capabilities. If we get attacked by a shadow monster, what do you bring to the table? Besides very harsh grading."

  Rubaiya finally looked up. She adjusted her glasses. Her eyes were intense. "You wish to know my power?"

  "Just curious," Lloyd said. "I showed you my... tactical brilliance. It's only fair."

  "Very well," Rubaiya said. She closed her books with a snap. "Observe."

  She held out her hand. A small, sleek spirit materialized on her palm. It looked like a cat, but not a house cat. It was a wild cat, lean and muscular, with fur that shimmered like polished obsidian. Its eyes were bright yellow and filled with a predatory intelligence.

  "This is Shadow," Rubaiya introduced. "My spirit. He is small, but he is precise."

  "A cat," Lloyd said. "Cute. Does he chase lasers?"

  "He chases weaknesses," Rubaiya said coolly. "Shadow's ability is 'Absolute Pierce'. He can bypass any magical defense. Shields, wards, armor... they are nothing to him. He strikes the core directly."

  Lloyd frowned internally. "Absolute Pierce" was a high-level ability. It was an assassin's skill. It didn't quite fit the profile of a theoretical strategist. Strategists usually had spirits that boosted intelligence or controlled the battlefield. A spirit designed for killing... that was interesting.

  "Impressive," Lloyd said aloud. "So you're the scalpel. Good to know. But can he open a jar of pickles? That's the real test of strength."

  Rubaiya stared at him. "He can cut the jar in half. Would you like a demonstration?"

  "No, I like my jars intact," Lloyd said, standing up. "Thanks for the show, Rubaiya. Remind me never to make you angry."

  "I am always angry," Rubaiya said, opening her book again. "It is my natural state."

  Lloyd walked away, his mind whirring. Rubaiya was dangerous. More dangerous than she looked. He filed that information away under 'Do Not Annoy'.

  Next on his list was Daniel. The brick wall. The man who loved rules more than life itself.

  He found Daniel in the armory. Daniel was inspecting a row of practice swords. He was measuring the distance between them with a ruler. If one sword was a millimeter out of place, Daniel looked like he might explode.

  "Daniel!" Lloyd called out. "Measuring the fun out of the room?"

  Daniel straightened up. He saluted. "Professor Ferrum. Order is essential. A disorganized armory leads to a disorganized mind."

  "Right," Lloyd said. "Listen, Daniel. I was wondering. You're the discipline instructor. You're big. You're strong. But what's your spirit? I've never seen it."

  "I am not a frontline fighter," Daniel stated. "My role is support. Logistics. Equipment."

  "Support?" Lloyd raised an eyebrow. "You look like you could bench press a horse."

  "Appearances can be deceiving," Daniel said. "My spirit is... utilitarian."

  He held out his hands. A glow appeared. It wasn't a creature. It was a hammer. A spectral, glowing forge hammer.

  "This is Forge," Daniel said. "My spirit allows me to craft weapons and armor instantly. I can repair damaged equipment in seconds. I can reinforce steel. I can imbue items with temporary enchantments."

  Chapter : 1438

  Lloyd watched as Daniel touched a dented shield. The metal flowed like liquid, smoothing out perfectly. It was a powerful ability, but it was purely constructive.

  "A crafter," Lloyd noted. "So you make the swords, but you don't swing them?"

  "I can swing them," Daniel said. "But my talent lies in creation. I have supplied the Royal Guard for ten years. My armor has saved many lives."

  "That's... respectable," Lloyd admitted. "Boring, but respectable. So if we get attacked, you'll just... fix my coat?"

  "I will ensure your equipment does not fail," Daniel said seriously. "A soldier is only as good as his gear."

  Lloyd nodded. Daniel was exactly what he seemed. A solid, reliable, rule-following wall. He wasn't a threat. He was infrastructure.

  "Thanks, Daniel," Lloyd said. "Keep up the good work. Those swords look very... parallel."

  "Thank you, sir," Daniel said, returning to his ruler.

  Lloyd left the armory. He felt a little better. He was building a picture. Rubaiya was the weapon. Daniel was the shield. It was a balanced team.

  But there was still a missing piece. A shadow in the corner of his mind. Something didn't quite add up. Rubaiya's power was too aggressive for her role. Daniel's power was too passive for his size. It was a contradiction.

  "People are puzzles," Lloyd muttered. "And I hate puzzles with missing pieces."

  He walked out into the courtyard. The sun was shining. Students were laughing. It looked peaceful. But Lloyd knew better. Beneath the surface, the curse was waiting. And the traitor was watching.

  He needed more information. He needed to dig deeper.

  "Time for some gossip," Lloyd decided. "Time to talk to the socialite."

  He turned towards the administration building. Tulip was waiting. And if anyone knew the secrets of the Academy, it was the woman who turned tea parties into interrogations.

  Tulip’s office smelled like expensive perfume and secrets. It was decorated with plush velvet chairs and vases of fresh flowers. It was the kind of room where people let their guard down and said things they shouldn't.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Tulip was sitting behind her desk, writing a letter on pink stationery. She looked up and smiled as Lloyd entered.

  "Lloyd!" she beamed. "To what do I owe the pleasure? Did you come to discuss the upcoming flower festival? Or perhaps you need fashion advice?"

  "I think my fashion is peak 'tired professor'," Lloyd said, sitting down. "No, I came for something else. I came for a story."

  "I love stories," Tulip said, putting down her quill. "What kind of story?"

  "A tragic one," Lloyd said. "About a boy named Jamie."

  Tulip’s smile softened into something sadder. "Ah. Poor Jamie. He is in the dungeon now, isn't he?"

  "He is," Lloyd confirmed. "But I don't think he belongs there. I think he was framed. But to prove it, I need to understand him. Why is he so... Jamie? Why does he act like he's the star of a play that nobody else is watching?"

  Tulip sighed. She poured two cups of tea. "It is a sad tale, Lloyd. Jamie comes from House Vane. Once, they were powerful. They were heroes. But his father... his father made bad investments. He gambled. He lost their fortune. He lost their honor."

  "So Jamie is poor?" Lloyd asked.

  "He is desperate," Tulip corrected. "He is trying to rebuild his house from ashes. He believes that if he becomes a hero, if he gains glory, he can restore his family's name. That is why he is so loud. That is why he is so arrogant. He is terrified of being forgotten."

  Lloyd took a sip of tea. It was excellent. "So his thirst for glory is real. It's not an act."

  "It is his lifeblood," Tulip said. "He would never endanger the Princess. Protecting her is his path to redemption. Hurting her would be suicide for his dreams."

  "That makes sense," Lloyd nodded. "A man desperate for approval doesn't bite the hand he wants to feed him. So Jamie is innocent. He's just an idiot."

  "A lovable idiot," Tulip added. "Mostly."

  "Okay," Lloyd said. "One more question. About Rubaiya."

  Tulip’s eyes twinkled. "Rubaiya. The mystery. What about her?"

  "She's... intense," Lloyd said. "And her spirit is a killer. Where did she come from? She doesn't act like a noble."

  "She isn't," Tulip revealed. "Or she wasn't. Rubaiya was born a commoner. An orphan in the slums of the capital."

  "The slums?" Lloyd was surprised.

  Chapter : 1439

  "Yes. Headmaster Valerius found her," Tulip explained. "She was teaching herself magic using scraps of paper she found in the trash. She was a prodigy. A diamond in the mud. Valerius adopted her into a minor noble house so she could attend the Academy. But she never forgot where she came from."

  "That explains the chip on her shoulder," Lloyd mused. "And the drive. She had to fight for everything."

  "She is kind, Lloyd," Tulip said earnestly. "Beneath that sharp tongue, she cares deeply. She spends her weekends tutoring struggling students for free. She buys books for those who cannot afford them. She is hard on them because she wants them to survive."

  "A tough love teacher," Lloyd said. "With a lethal cat spirit."

  "Exactly," Tulip smiled. "She is a protector. Just like you."

  Lloyd stood up. "Thanks, Tulip. You're a fountain of knowledge."

  "I try," she said. "Will you get Jamie out?"

  "I'm working on it," Lloyd promised. "But first, I need to catch the real bad guy."

  He left the office. His mind was clearer now. Jamie was a victim of his own desperation. Rubaiya was a survivor fighting for the underdog. Daniel was a craftsman obsessed with order.

  They all had motives. They all had secrets. But none of them felt like a traitor. None of them felt like a person who would unleash a curse to destroy the school.

  "Maybe I'm looking at this wrong," Lloyd thought as he walked back to the Old Tower. "Maybe it's not who they are. Maybe it's what they do."

  He thought about Daniel. The craftsman. The man who brought weapons into the Academy.

  "Daniel brought the sword," Lloyd realized. "The cursed sword that possessed Tom. Daniel runs the armory. He checks the equipment."

  It was a thread. A thin, fragile thread. But it was something.

  If Daniel was the supplier, he was the point of entry. Even if he wasn't the mastermind, he was the gatekeeper.

  "Time to have another chat with the brick wall," Lloyd decided.

  But before he could move, he saw Rubaiya walking towards him across the courtyard. She looked urgent. She looked like she had solved a math problem that resulted in doom.

  "Lloyd!" she called out. "We need to talk. Now."

  Lloyd stopped. "What is it?"

  "I have a theory," Rubaiya said, breathless. "About the traitor."

  "Let me guess," Lloyd said. "It's the gardener. It's always the gardener."

  "No," Rubaiya said. Her eyes were deadly serious. "It's Daniel."

  Lloyd froze. "Daniel?"

  "Think about it," Rubaiya said. "The locket. The sword. Where did they come from?"

  "The armory," Lloyd said slowly.

  "Who controls the armory?" Rubaiya pressed. "Who inspects every item? Who has the skill to modify weapons? Who has a spirit that can alter metal?"

  "Daniel," Lloyd whispered.

  "He fits the profile," Rubaiya insisted. "He is quiet. He is overlooked. He has access. And he has the means. Lloyd, I think our discipline instructor is crafting devil weapons right under our noses."

  Lloyd looked at her. Her logic was sound. It matched his own suspicions. But it felt... too easy. Too neat.

  "Okay," Lloyd said. "Let's assume you're right. What do we do?"

  "We confront him," Rubaiya said. "We catch him in the act."

  "Or," Lloyd said, a plan forming in his mind. "We ask the guy in the dungeon. Jamie saw the sword up close. Maybe he saw something we missed."

  "Jamie?" Rubaiya scoffed. "He is useless."

  "He's a witness," Lloyd said. "And right now, he's the only one who isn't a suspect. Come on. We're going to jail."

  He turned and headed for the dungeons. Rubaiya followed, looking skeptical.

  The web was tightening. The pieces were moving. And Lloyd Ferrum was starting to see the shape of the spider.

  But he had a nagging feeling. A feeling that he was looking at the wrong web.

  "Don't get cocky, Lloyd," he told himself. "Assume nothing. Question everything. Even the math."

  The investigation was heating up. And someone was about to get burned.

  Lloyd and Rubaiya walked down the spiraling stone stairs that led to the Academy's dungeon. It was cold, damp, and smelled of despair and unwashed socks. Not exactly a five-star hotel.

  "Why are we visiting the peacock?" Rubaiya asked, holding a scented handkerchief to her nose. "He will just cry about his hair."

  "Because peacocks notice things," Lloyd said. "They are obsessed with appearances. Jamie was fighting Tom. He saw the sword up close. He felt it."

  "He felt it trying to kill him," Rubaiya corrected.

  Chapter : 1440

  "Exactly. A very intimate experience," Lloyd said.

  They reached the cell block. A guard nodded to Lloyd and unlocked the heavy iron door.

  Jamie was sitting on a cot, his head in his hands. His pristine white dueling outfit was stained with dirt. His hair was a disaster. He looked like a deflated balloon.

  "Jamie," Lloyd said softly.

  Jamie looked up. His eyes were red. "Lloyd? Did you come to mock me? Is the Princess here to execute me?"

  "No one is executing anyone," Lloyd said. "I brought you a sandwich."

  He handed Jamie a wrapped sandwich he had swiped from the cafeteria. Jamie took it like it was a holy relic.

  "Ham and cheese," Jamie whispered. "My favorite."

  "Eat," Lloyd said. "And talk. Tell me about the sword. Tom's sword. The one that went crazy."

  Jamie took a bite, chewed, and swallowed. He looked thoughtful. "It was... heavy. Heavier than a practice sword. When our blades locked, I felt a vibration. A hum. It wasn't just magic. It felt... hungry."

  "Did you see the markings?" Rubaiya asked. "Were there runes?"

  "I was a bit busy trying not to be decapitated," Jamie snapped. "But... yes. The pommel. It wasn't the standard Academy crest. It was smooth. Black. Like obsidian."

  "Obsidian," Lloyd muttered. "Conductive. Good for curses."

  "And the balance was off," Jamie added. "It felt top-heavy. Like something had been added to the blade. Inserted inside."

  "A core," Lloyd realized. "Just like the locket. Someone hollowed out the sword and put a curse battery inside."

  "Daniel," Rubaiya said. "He could do that. His spirit, Forge, can manipulate metal without leaving a seam. He could open the blade, insert the core, and seal it shut perfectly. No one would know."

  Jamie looked confused. "Daniel? Boring Daniel? Why would he do that?"

  "Because he's the only one who can," Lloyd said. "Jamie, did Daniel give Tom that sword?"

  "I don't know," Jamie said. "Tom just grabbed it from the rack. But Daniel maintains the rack. He stocks it every morning."

  "Okay," Lloyd said. "That's good info. Thanks, Jamie."

  "Are you going to let me out?" Jamie asked hopefully.

  "Not yet," Lloyd said. "You're safer in here. Trust me. If you come out, the real killer might try to silence you. Enjoy the sandwich. I'll bring you a comb next time."

  Jamie touched his messy hair and looked horrified. "Please hurry."

  Lloyd and Rubaiya left the cell. They walked back up the stairs.

  "It has to be Daniel," Rubaiya said. "The evidence is piling up. The means, the opportunity, the access. He is the craftsman. He is the source."

  "It fits," Lloyd admitted. "But what's the motive? Why would a loyal instructor suddenly start arming students with devil weapons?"

  "Money?" Rubaiya suggested. "Blackmail? Maybe he is a sleeper agent. Like the girl in your office. I heard that story."

  "Maybe," Lloyd said while frowning, and thought who could have spread that information. "But Daniel is... simple. He likes rules. Chaos goes against his nature."

  "Or maybe that is just a mask," Rubaiya argued. "The perfect cover for a chaotic agent is a boring bureaucrat."

  "True," Lloyd said. "Alright. Let's go talk to Tulip again. She knows everyone's backstory. Maybe she knows Daniel's."

  They found Tulip in the garden, pruning roses. She looked elegant, even with shears in her hand.

  "Tulip," Lloyd said. "We need to talk about Daniel."

  Tulip paused. She looked at them. "Daniel? Why?"

  "We think he might be involved," Lloyd said. "Hypothetically. What do you know about him? His family? His debts?"

  Tulip frowned. She put down the shears. "Daniel has no family. He was a soldier. He retired after an injury. He lives for his work. He has no debts that I know of. He lives very simply. He sends most of his salary to a veteran's fund."

  "A saint," Lloyd muttered. "Great. Just what I needed. A suspect who is a saint."

  "Is there anything else?" Rubaiya asked. "Anything strange?"

  "Well," Tulip thought for a moment. "He has been... stressed lately. He mentioned he was working on a special project. Private commissions. He said he needed extra money for... materials."

  "Private commissions," Lloyd repeated. "Materials. Could be he's buying illegal components. Or paying off someone."

  "Or he is just making custom armor for a noble," Tulip said. "He is very sought after."

  "Thanks, Tulip," Lloyd said.

  He walked away with Rubaiya. The picture was getting clearer, but also muddier. Daniel was a good man who needed money. He had the skills to make the weapons. He had access.