The next lecture was taught by Liza Provim, who Ray later learnt was his late teacher's sister. She taught the class about the basics of magic and went in depth regarding the two unbreakable rules.
The class ended with her challenging students to think about circumstances where the 2 rules were broken, but no one was able to come up with anything concrete.
Ray rushed out of his seat as soon as Liza dismissed class. He followed her out of the classroom and called out to her in the hallways.
"Ray Vilhorm, right?" She asked rhetorically as Ray finally caught up to her. "You're the one Schelo was looking after." A bleak silence invaded the air as she mentioned her brother.
"Do you need something?" She quickly asked, trying not to make the atmosphere too awkward.
"I actually wanted to ask you something." Ray began. As a stream of students exited the classroom he said, "Maybe it'll be better if we could speak somewhere private."
Liza ushered Ray towards one of the gardens further away from the academic building after seeing his serious expression.
"This better be worth my time, Ray."
"I can ensure that you won't be disappointed."
Ray began with a simple question. "Did Mister Schelo have any serious enemies? Was he on bad terms with someone in a high position?" This was his chance to learn some more about the mysterious man in the 'basement' and more about his teacher.
Liza sighed. She had been asked the same question by the police when they had come over to relay the news of his death to her. And she answered the same as she had last time.
"I don't know much about his life, but as far as people from high places go, I don't think Schelo had anyone who hated him enough to kill him. He mostly kept to himself so I'm not really sure about this."
Ray was quite confused by her answer. Every time he thought about Schelo, the scene of his interaction with Haik invaded his mind. Schelo had been pretty scared when talking to Ray's dad, and while Ray hadn't noticed that in the moment, he was sure of it in hindsight.
"What about my dad?" Ray asked abruptly.
Liza was very confused by Ray's question, and rightfully so. Who in the world would place suspicion on their own dad?
"I'm not sure what you're getting at, but from what I remember, your dad and Schelo were quite close. They were inseparable in their time at Zychs, almost as if they were brothers.
"It's odd that you suspect your father, but I'm sure he has nothing to do with Schelo's death. I had never seen the two fight, nor had anyone else for that matter."
Ray was even more flustered now. He had known that Haik and Schelo were close friends in school, but the way they acted around each other was completely different from the way two friends would.
Their dynamic was way too similar to the one between Ray and Wolfe. It was easy for him to notice the burning glare in his father's eyes when he looked at Schelo. He was way too familiar with that gaze since it was the one he always shot at Wolfe. The irritation on his father's face reminded him of moments when Wolfe would approach him. It was the look one would have if pure filth was walking up to them.
Ray saw himself in his father in those brief moments, and he hated it. He wasn't his father. He never wished to be. But the way he treated Wolfe was unbearably similar to how Haik probably treated Schelo.
If he was going to gain anything from this conversation, it was that Haik and Schelo were putting up an act over the years. An act that convinced everyone that they were friends. His father's expression, though, was enough to convince Ray otherwise.
"Do you have anything else to say?" Liza asked. She had been promised a worthwhile discussion, but had only received some useless questioning. "I'll be leaving if you don't have anything else to say to me."
Ray grabbed onto Liza's wrist as she began walking away. "Wait!" He said. "There is something else. Something you need to know."
Liza shrugged off the fact that Ray had grabbed her hand and crossed her arms, waiting for what he was about to say.
Ray had been debating whether to reveal what he knew about his dad and came to the conclusion that he should keep that part hidden for now. Instead he told Liza about the mysterious figure that had pushed him back into the room.
"That's why I asked you if he had anyone who hated him, because the person who pushed me probably worked for them. If someone in a high position had something against Schelo, then it's possible that they hired that person to kill Schelo and the others there."
"I see." She said, "Sadly, I don't know anyone who could have done this, but I'll keep what you said in mind. But I suspect it might be a little too late for us to follow this cold trail since the crime was committed nearly a month ago.
"I'll keep an eye out for anything related to this, nonetheless. Thanks a lot Ray."
Her gratitude was sincere and Ray could feel it.
Though he had no leads regarding the mysterious figure, he had gained some useful insight into his relation with Wolfe. He disliked Wolfe, but he hated his father more. Wolfe and him shared something similar to Schelo and Haik, and it was a toxic mess.
Ray didn't want to end up like his father, and he would even go as far as befriending Wolfe if necessary.