[Chapter 46 Comment]
[Seby_Spina: top as usualy]
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The students continued their attempts to catch Theo, but they failed every time, leaving them frustrated and feeling as if Theo could see through all their plans.
"That monster teacher... How can he see through all of our attempts?" Maya laid her head on the table, feeling exhausted.
"Hey, mind your manners, we're at the dining table now," Serena sighed as she put away the plates.
"Still, don't you feel the same way, Serena?" Maya pouted. "We haven't had a single success. It's like he knows what we're going to do. And the fact that he can do almost anything feels unfair. Imagine being able to infiltrate, execute, gather information, and all that in an assassination attempt. It would make you an invincible assassin, wouldn't it?"
"That's true. I haven't really thought about it, but I wonder what Teacher can and can't do," Serena pondered. "What do you think, Mia? Have you noticed anything that he can't do?"
"What my dad can't do?" Mia tilted her head in confusion. "Well, there are plenty of things he can't do. He's not as smart as scientists who have dedicated their lives to a specific subject, and he's not as skilled as someone who has spent years honing their abilities..."
"But no one can do everything," Serena's eyebrows twitched.
"Hahaha, I'm just joking," Mia chuckled. "It's true that my dad has limitations. However, according to my mom, he is considered the most talented person in the world. His talent lies in learning. In other words, if he focuses on something, he can quickly become proficient at it. For example, if you were to discuss exorcism with him, he wouldn't take long to become a master exorcist or something similar. He may not be the best, but he would definitely rank among the top."
"Are you serious? With all due respect, I have to ask... Is your dad a monster?" Serena looked at Mia with a bewildered expression.
"I'm not lying. It's just that he hasn't delved deeply into knowledge about the other realms, so it's something you can exploit... I believe I mentioned this before," Mia replied.
"That's true," Serena nodded, looking down. What Mia said made sense. Considering Mia's own exceptional abilities at just seven years old, it was clear that her parents were remarkable as well.
Li Wei pondered for a moment and asked, "So, what do you think we should do next? We've tried many things, but nothing has worked."
"Hmm, I'm not sure," Mia tilted her head in confusion. "Maybe you should try finding the spy my dad has."
Mia casually dropped a bombshell.
"A spy?!" All the students widened their eyes in shock. They were sitting together with Mia, treating her to some food in the hopes of obtaining information.
However, they had never considered the possibility of a spy among them because they had trusted each other.
"A spy?" They looked at each other, wondering if there was a traitor among them.
"Who is the spy? I'm going to beat you up!" Serena gritted her teeth, glaring at her classmates.
"Now that I think about it, the way he was able to see through our plans..." Li Wei looked down, recalling their failed attempts. "Without a spy, he wouldn't have been able to do it."
"Then, could it be you, Mia?" Maya asked without hesitation.
The students fell silent for a moment and turned their gaze towards Mia. She was Theo's daughter, so it was natural for them to suspect her loyalty.
"I don't mind if you think of me as the spy," Mia shrugged. "My dad actually told me not to participate in this game because I needed to stay behind and catch the people who had harmed us before. If you consider me a spy and avoid me, then there's no advantage or disadvantage for me. So, feel free to believe what you want."
The group couldn't help but agree with Mia. If she had no intention of participating, there was no reason for her to be Theo's spy. Furthermore, they had only asked Mia about Theo's weaknesses and had not shared their own plans, so it would be impossible for Mia to know all their strategies.
"But if Mia is not the spy, then who could it be?" Oliver pondered deeply. "It would have to be someone with the ability to spy on us..."
"Let's not get carried away with speculation," Aurora intervened, stopping them from overthinking. She turned to Mia and asked, "Can you confirm what you said earlier?"
"I'm just speculating based on what my dad has taught me. He always emphasized the importance of having an Information Network, Strength, and Connections in life. Building an information network takes time, strength comes from within oneself, and connections require various factors for success. When I think about it, the only plausible reason for Theo not falling into your traps could be the existence of a spy."
"It's just speculation," Li Wei frowned.
"But it's not entirely unfounded," Lancelot interjected, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"If there is a spy among us, it means that there is a traitor within our own ranks..." Maya looked around, trying to sense any signs of hostility.
"If we consider the situation, there is only one person who can be selected. While we're all working together to catch Teacher Theo, the spy can side with him and secure their position if they manage to prevent us from catching him. It's a clever strategy," Serena smirked, realizing she had been outsmarted by this individual.
"That makes sense. Teacher never forbade us from approaching him," Li Wei observed their reactions, searching for any hint of guilt.
"But if we suspect Haruka, for what reason? I mean, the spot is important. If Haruka were to side with Theo, she wouldn't gain much, would she? Would she really risk becoming the target of the entire class just for a few bonus points?" Lancelot questioned. He couldn't fathom why Haruka would put herself in such a position.
Suddenly, Mia chimed in, "That's also a possibility. Have you considered why my dad said that the student with the highest score would go on a mission alone with him?"
The realization struck them like lightning. Going alone with Theo would offer significant advantages.
While Mia could potentially trick them into thinking she was the spy, she had been with Theo the longest, so her desire to be with him shouldn't be as strong as the others. Therefore, the likelihood of her being the spy was relatively low.
"Could it be Haruka then?" Lancelot asked, wearing a grave expression.
"We shouldn't be too hasty. What about the others? Aurora's spirits can gather information too, right? It may not work against our teacher, but it could certainly work against us," Li Wei stared at Aurora intently.
"What? Are you doubting me?" Aurora slammed her hand on the table, biting her lip in frustration.
Oliver and Maya exchanged glances. Maya whispered to him, "Do you have any way to hack into her account?"
"I can do it, but breaking the encryption on Lumina is challenging, even for a team of specialists. So, within the game's time limit, I can probably only do it on two people."
"In that case, let's focus on Haruka and Aurora. They are the prime suspects," Maya said, glancing at the other students. "Serena may be a genius, but she's not particularly skilled with Lumina. The same goes for Li Wei and Lancelot. The twins wouldn't do this because even if they win, they'd have to fight each other. Can you imagine the twins being separated because of this? Jayden doesn't possess the ability to pull it off."
"What about Avalon..." Oliver started to ask before realizing it was a foolish question.
"Do you really think that straightforward guy would do something like this?" Maya sighed.
"You're right," Oliver conceded. They both sighed, realizing that they could only focus their investigation on Haruka and Aurora.
After reaching an agreement, they waited for everyone to finish suspecting each other. However, they were unable to find the culprit. The spy would not reveal themselves at this point, knowing that they would become the target of the class's hate and face intense scrutiny for their actions.
Mia looked at them with a smile. This situation was exactly what her dad had told her about last night.
"Mia, they will probably ask you about me again. This time, they will wonder how I can do all that. So, you should answer all their doubts and share your thoughts on the situation," Theo instructed his daughter.
"Are you sure, Dad? Does that mean I'm going against you this time?" Mia raised an eyebrow.
"Not at all. This game is designed to be a simulation in real life. If they can't figure it out, then they shouldn't accompany me on the next mission. As a master of illusion, I can create whatever I want within my illusions. If they can't see through it, bringing them along will only harm them," Theo explained.
"That's why you suggested this game," Mia nodded in agreement. The game stimulated their creative thinking and was beneficial for their training. "Alright then, what do you think will happen once I tell them everything I know?"
"Hmm? They will start suspecting each other, and there will be tension in the class. However, you don't have to worry about that because they will reconcile after the game is over. No one will be harmed," Theo assured his daughter.
"Alright then," Mia finally accepted the task. Just as Theo had predicted, the students began suspecting each other. "Dad was the one who trained and taught me all these things... I wonder how I can outsmart him?"
Little did everyone know, Mia was the one who wanted to defeat Theo the most. While the students prepared for their next game, Theo paid a visit to Victoria.
"Well, to think you have the time to visit me... I wonder what you want," Victoria greeted him with a wry smile. Seeing Theo's calm demeanor reminded her that she had helped the students, and Theo was merely returning the favor.
But to her surprise, Theo's expression turned serious as he stood before her.
"I need your help," Theo stated, taking out his Lumina and showing her the contribution points he had acquired.
"Help?" Victoria realized she had misunderstood him. Seeing that Theo was genuinely serious, she changed her approach and asked, "What kind of help?"
"The ones who caused that incident," Theo replied.
"Hmm?" Victoria raised an eyebrow. "But aren't you relying on Sir Baold's help to..."
Before she could finish her sentence, she saw the cold expression on Theo's face, conveying that relying solely on Sir Baold wasn't enough.
Theo pointed at the number of contribution points and continued, "With all the contribution points I have, as well as Mr. Baold's assistance, I want you to help me capture those responsible."
His cold tone sent chills down Victoria's spine. It was clear that Theo had no intentions of stopping at just capturing them. He was determined to do whatever it took to extract information and eliminate the culprits.