Part 1, Vermonk's Pov
I directly teleported myself and Jameson to the forest after instructing the guards to inform the head about this matter...
" Master Vermonk... It's dangerous for us to go alone." Jameson who was only a tier-four mage hesitated.
Even I, as a 6th-tier mage wasn't confident about going there alone to save the kids but I needed to hurry... That is why I dragged the only mage near me to the forest, Jameson wasn't strong but he was better than nothing.
Also, he is required for tracking Ethan Augustine...
" Jameson... I take responsibility for your safety. Just guide me towards where the kids are."
I comforted him, and he somewhat calmed down before showing me the path.
" Let's not teleport anymore, I had already exhausted too much mana doing that," I had teleported directly into the forest which is very far away from this place.
"Yes... Please drink this now, so you can replenish your mana quickly."
Jameson handed me a potion...
"A Mana Revitalization potion... Thanks, I will pay for it." I thanked him because these things are more valuable than the beast gems that I'd given to Gulliver.
" Don't thank me, I want to live and you are the only person who can cast strong combat spells."
Running through the forest we reached a not-so-deeper part of the forest and Jameson pointed out where Ethan was...
" Thank goodness they weren't too deep inside the forest."
I agreed with Jameson the Deeper parts of the forest are populated by some of the things that I'd never wanna encounter in my life.
I checked on Ethan... The boy wasn't injured, but I smiled because I found something interesting near him.
'A wand... But he doesn't have a mana vessel.' I thought but after checking his body, I found something interesting that I had never seen before.
" Jameson, I believe you can carry a young girl," I asked, we needed to hurry out of the forest first.
" Not a problem..." He replied energetically.
This guy... Was truly happy just like myself to have found the kids not so deep in the forest. At this range, we will only encounter some of the low-tier or mid-tier magical beasts.
We walked faster towards the academy grounds in about half an hour and reached the border that students were not allowed to cross... I wondered how these two crossed the strict patrol of the guards.
On our way, we also spotted a team of guards who were fully geared up to enter the forest but seeing us bringing the kids back calmed them.
"... Carry these guys to the infirmary. We will do the interrogation there."
I sent the kids on the stretcher in the care of medical staves and turned myself to face the head of the academy.
A man in his thirties, who from his build, looked like a knight but because of his mage robe and the wand in his hand, looked like a mage. His name is Dion Kerry, one of the most powerful mages in the world who may one day achieve the position of Arch-mage.
"You acted without reporting me..." Dion looked at me with his fierce red eyes and tried to fix his auburn colour hairs which were messed up badly for some reason.
"It was necessary, by the way, how are you going to handle this."
" I heard from one of the second-year instructors... That girl Laura Mauser seems to have been assaulted by the two boys. I can't believe one of them was Alec's son... Anyway, it doesn't matter, if it's true then proper punishment will be given to him."
" If not?"
" Then nothing will happen... We will let the students rest easy."
" You are not just a mage Dion... Think carefully, this is all a ploy to target those two boys."
" So what if it is... What can we do about it? Do you want me to punish that girl? She is probably the victim of the real perpetrator behind this... I will try to make sure that the two boys are given another chance to stay in the academy."
This fool is thinking about saving all of them but it will only make things worse. He needs to act properly...
" Once they are proven guilty... They need to be expelled because that's the rule, keeping them in the academy will be an even bigger deal because they aren't just anyone." I spoke. " It will make others question your integrity."
" Then, You want me to expel them..." He spoke widening his eyes in surprise at my proposal.
" Yes... But if they aren't proven guilty then investigate and find the real culprits and expel them all. There is no need to act soft to either side even if it is injustice... That is your duty as the head so the students can believe in the rules." I said this because I believed that Ethan made sure to do something to prove himself innocent so there was no need for me to interfere... but even if I interfere, it will be futile. Hearing my unexpected response Dion spoke in a serious tone...
" Even if that means, some students are taking advantage of such rules... You are supporting the same notion as me."
" Yes... "
I lowered my head... And clenched my hands, there is nothing that I can do for those two at the moment. Davis Taron might be saved but Ethan... No one would help him in this situation, no one will stand up for him, even if he was the son of a great man.
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Part 2, In the infirmary.
. . . . .
" ... a Green flame! Are you sure about that?" Dion the head of the academy asked. He had heard the same statement from the girl but thought that it was just a lie... Maybe Ethan had threatened her to give that statement, that's what Deon thought.
The Green flame attracted them here... Meant that there is a demon in the forest, probably a fox demon who can charm people using that flame.
Dion didn't want to face a fox demon... He just wished that it was a lie.
' How come there is something like that in the forest? Doesn't that mean that we may have to close the academy soon... It's probably a lie.'
" Look... Ethan, I know you are being wrongly accused but don't lie about something like this. That girl who you might have threatened already given a statement that proves your innocence... We will close the case here and no one will bother you."
" I am not lying about it." He spoke with certainty and added, "There is a Fox demon in the forest and if you don't find it in time then it will slowly get stronger by eating the magical beasts... And then you might have to face something that you would not be able to deal with on your own."
Dion frowned after hearing that... Ethan wasn't admitting that it was a lie.
" I think this is enough, Thanks for your time, Ethan... Work hard in your studies."
Dion didn't want to hear more after Ethan answered everything with confidence. Even that girl didn't seem to be lying... It made Dion somewhat believe in them and he couldn't just ignore such a big matter.
' I need to hurry... This is the worst that could happen.'
. . . . .
Part 3, Ethan's Pov
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I sighed after the Head of the academy left the room, it wasn't a lie that there is a fox demon in the forest.
No... There are two Fox demons in the forest, a four-tailed fox and her cub. She had appeared in that forest to give birth to that cub and was raising it in secret.
In my previous life, they didn't act before the second semester began. It started to attract students with a weak minds towards the forest and ate them, there were a total of four deaths... I had no plans of interfering in that event as it would have closed the academy for about a month.
I would have utilised that month to go somewhere important ... But now that would not be possible. The Academy knows about the threat so academy will try to handle the situation without closing the academy.
With everything getting back to normal... I started to think about the future. What happened after that fox dies... What if I can use that cub for myself?
'Can I tame that cub?' I thought but quickly dismissed the idea. They are probably too deep within the forest and taming a mythical demon is near impossible compared to taming monsters...
I was just glad that somehow I was able to overcome their trap. Now it was time to counterattack... I will make them regret ever doing this to me and Davis.