The night was heavy with an eerie silence, broken only by the distant howls of wind brushing against the academy's towering spires. The torches along the hallways flickered uncertainly, casting long, shifting shadows against the ancient stone walls.
Eren moved carefully, his steps deliberate as he navigated the empty corridors. The weight of the earlier encounter with the Seeker still lingered on his shoulders. He had managed to fool him—for now—but how long would that last?
The thought gnawed at him.
Someone had tipped off the Seeker.
There was a traitor.
And if he didn't figure out who it was soon, he would be exposed.
---
A Midnight Meeting
Lilia was waiting for him in one of the academy's hidden study chambers, a secluded place that few students knew about. She looked up as he entered, her expression tense.
"You're late," she whispered.
"Had to make sure I wasn't followed."
Lilia nodded, glancing around cautiously before leaning in. "I've been thinking about what you said—about the traitor. If someone reported unusual activity, it means they've been watching you for a while. It couldn't have been a random suspicion."
Eren exhaled slowly, his eyes narrowing. "That means it has to be someone close to the academy. A student… or a professor."
Lilia frowned. "The question is, why would they do it? If they were after you, why not expose you directly? Why involve the Seeker?"
Eren's mind raced. There were too many unanswered questions. But one thing was clear—whoever was behind this wasn't just throwing out a blind accusation. They had a reason.
And he needed to find out what that reason was.
Lilia suddenly pulled out a parchment, spreading it on the table. "I did some digging. The Seeker's arrival was arranged three days ago. That means the report about 'an anomaly' must have been sent before that."
Eren's eyes locked onto the parchment. Names were scribbled across it—students, professors, faculty members—each with small notes beside them.
He immediately noticed a few names with red markings.
"…These are people who could have sent the report?"
Lilia nodded. "More specifically, these are people who were near you or interacted with you around that time. The timing of the report is too precise for it to be a coincidence."
Eren's gaze darkened. If the report had been sent three days ago, that meant whoever the traitor was had already made up their mind before the Seeker even arrived.
This wasn't a spontaneous action. It was planned.
---
A List of Suspects
Eren scanned the names carefully.
Three stood out immediately.
1. Professor Aldric – A strict instructor of magical theory. Known for his deep respect for order and law. If he had noticed something unusual about Eren, he wouldn't hesitate to report it.
2. Rayne Velhart – A noble student from a powerful family. Arrogant and entitled. Eren had humiliated him in a duel once—a perfect motive for revenge.
3. Serena Vaelis – A mysterious scholar with a habit of watching students too closely. She was always lurking in the background, silently observing.
Eren clenched his fists. If any of them were responsible, he needed proof before he could act. Accusing someone blindly would only make things worse.
Lilia's voice pulled him from his thoughts.
"There's one more thing." She hesitated before continuing. "I overheard something strange near the library today. Two professors were talking about an upcoming purge."
Eren's blood ran cold.
"…Purge?"
Lilia nodded, her face pale. "They said the Seeker wasn't just here to investigate a single anomaly. He's looking for something bigger."
Eren's grip on the parchment tightened.
If the Seeker wasn't here just for him…
Then who else was he hunting?
---
Shadows Watching
The sound of distant footsteps broke the silence.
Eren and Lilia immediately tensed, exchanging a glance before snuffing out the candle on the table. Darkness enveloped them.
The footsteps grew closer.
One person… no, two.
Eren held his breath, pressing himself against the stone wall. The door to the study chamber was cracked open just enough for him to see a glimpse of the hallway.
Two figures passed by. One wore the robes of a professor. The other…
His stomach twisted.
It was the Seeker.
Eren's eyes narrowed as he listened closely.
"…We'll begin the first stage tomorrow night," the professor whispered. "We've already marked the targets."
The Seeker's voice was colder than the winter air. "Good. We cannot afford to be merciful. If there's even a trace of corruption, we eliminate them."
Eren's pulse pounded in his ears.
A purge was coming.
And the Seeker was going to kill anyone who showed signs of forbidden power.
That meant—
There were others like him in the academy.
---
Unseen Enemies
As soon as the footsteps faded, Eren turned to Lilia, his voice barely above a whisper.
"We need to move fast."
Lilia's expression was grim. "What do we do?"
Eren's mind worked quickly. He had two immediate objectives.
1. Find out who the other targets were. If there were other people being hunted, it meant he had potential allies—or at least, people in the same danger as him.
2. Uncover the traitor's identity. Whoever sent the report to the Seeker was still watching. If Eren wasn't careful, his every move could be predicted.
"We start by watching the Seeker," he decided. "Where he goes, who he meets. If we follow him, we might find out who else is in danger."
Lilia hesitated but nodded. "And the traitor?"
Eren's eyes darkened.
"I'll find them."
And when he did—
There would be no mercy.