They arrived at the door of one of the rooms. Arlott was confused, looking back at Kyel, the person who seemed two years older than him.
Arlott appeared to be in a hurry to open the door and enter to see what this person wanted from him.
He fumbled with the keys he had in his hands, but eventually managed to unlock the door.
In a small, cozy room, Arlott and Kyel stood facing each other. Kyel said, "First question: why did you steal the book?"
Arlott answered, "I come from a poor family. I do everything that helps me learn, especially in magic circles. Believe me, I return the books after reading them. You will not find any books in my room."
He continued, "In addition, Professor Hallote does not use these books. She only puts them as decoration. I cannot afford such books."
Kyel replied, "Even so, stealing is wrong. If I report you now, you will be exposed to dire consequences."
Kyel explained, "Professor Hallote will make you repeat the class, in addition to taking away your privileges as an honor student. You won't even have that monthly scholarship left, and you will have to face the students' bullying and be called a thief for as long as you stay here, if they don't expel you as soon as they find out you stole a professor's book."
Arlott was thinking about what Kyel said and replied, "But I am borrowing it and I will return it to its place. In addition, perhaps Professor Hallote knows that I steal her books—I mean, I borrow her books and return them later."
Kyel faked a smile and said, "You really think so? Is this the intelligence level of an honor student?"
With eyes full of doubt and fear, Arlott said, "You're not going to report me, are you?"
Kyel replied, "It depends."
Arlott asked him, "On what?"
There was silence; Kyel did not answer, and Arlott looked around nervously.
In the end, he surrendered to reality and said, "What should I do? What do you want from me?"
With a cold face, Kyel said, "You know what I want."
He met him with a foolish look, "What do you want? I don't know?"
Kyel said, "I know you heard me back then, but I'll repeat it: how?"
Arlott was nervous and started speaking quickly, taking out black ash from his sleeve. "It's a third-rate magic circle. It takes some mastery and practice. It works like a magnet to attract something very quickly and hide it. This is how I've don—"
Kyel interrupted, "I saw how you and your magic doll stole the book when you exchanged places,
"but that's not what I'm asking about. Don't procrastinate. I know you know what I'm talking about."
With disbelieving eyes, Arlott looked at Kyel. "How?"
A smile appeared on Kyel's face. "I should be the one asking how. When you disappeared and reappeared at the door of the boys' dormitory, is it your jacket? Is it a spell that makes you invisible?
"I know it's one of these two, but the first option is the one I'm most sure of."
Kyel continued his explanation, "Especially with the use of that doll, you make the doll take your place and sneak away. This way, you took the book so that no one would suspect your absence and your appearance afterward in your place.
"But the second time, you didn't need that doll of yours because you were certain that I would touch your jacket for the second time and get electrocuted and thrown away, giving you time to escape while you disappeared without raising any suspicions.
Am I right, Mcben Arlott?"
Arlott looked down; his secret had been exposed, and he still couldn't believe it, but the truth was that this person had revealed it.
Arlott asked, "What do you want then? If you knew all this before, then why? Why do you need all this fuss? What do you want? I am poor, and I have no money to help you with. If you want the jacket, you can forget it because it is a magical object tied to me."
Kyel said, "Well, actually, I need you for something. I don't want money that I know you don't have. As for the jacket, I need it. I won't take it from you. You will do something for me with it."
"You do not need me to tell you what would happen if the presence of a magical object like this in the Magic Tower was revealed, especially since it can fool even the most experienced professors and they cannot trace it,
especially after you used it to steal Professor Hallote's books. Even if you return them, who will believe you? As you know, there have been many recent cases of theft."
So, what do you say, Mcben Arlott? You know who they'll suspect?"
Arlott angrily said, "What do you need me for? I'll do anything, but just once. Anything else, you can go and snitch on me all you want. It's not the end of the world."
Kyel faked another smile and said, "Don't worry, it's just one mission, and then you won't hear or see me again, I promise."
Arlott asked, "What could this mission be? If it is something difficult, like sneaking into one of the forbidden areas or a mission outside the Magic Tower, then you can forget about it!"
Kyel said, "No, dear Arlott, that's not it. What I want from you is very easy.
"I simply need you to sneak into Professor Megan's magic potions class and write a report for me about the outstanding students there, then sneak into the teachers' residence, into Professor Megan's room.
"I want you to bring me any book on magic potion recipes, and also, if you find anything that looks like a diary, bring it, but do not open it or read it."
"Can you do that?"
In Arlott's head, there were many questions, and his mouth was the only key to knowing this.
He asked, "For what purpose?"
After a minute of silence, Kyel didn't answer.
He gave up and said, "I think everyone has their own reason. I think I can do it. I once snuck into Mrs. Burson's room to get a copy of the final year's exam, hahahaha."
With a cold face, Kyel said, "Good to hear that. Make sure you don't get caught.
"I need these things within three days. Come to the back tower behind the garden. It's better that you come at night so you don't get detected, and bring what you were asked for.
"Then neither of us will know each other. Promise me?"
With a worried face, he said, "Yes, I promise!"
Kyel reached for the door and decided to leave, but Arlott's voice stopped him.
"Wait, can I know your name?"
Kyel turned around, smiling, "Why do you want to know?"
"Isn't it fair that we both know each other's names since we're working together?" Arlott answered.
"Jul— I go by the name Kyel, Kyel Everhart." He thought carefully and said.
"Have a good day, Kyel."
With that, Kyel left Arlott's room.
He repeated a saying that he had heard from his so-called father in his past dreamy life:
'There's nothing scarier than a man who knows what he wants and knows what he's doing.'
He faked another smile— a genuine smile, a sincere smile, an honest smile.