I Own the Evolution Domain

"In summary, several dozens of students are injured and still need medical attention, more than half of the staffs who were sent to protect and monitor the progress of the students had gone rogue, most of them captured."

"How about the casualties?"

"There are... thirteen confirmed student deaths, and twenty-seven are still missing; however, given that the reinforcements from the Orionis and Heavenblade clans stopped the rogues’ escape in time, we highly suspect that those twenty-seven are..."

"They’re gone as well..."

"Yes, Vice Headmaster Runia, and in addition to that, among the staff who remain loyal, there are three casualties, all of them apparently from helping the students escape from the rogues."

"Monitor the staff closely and report all suspicious movement from anyone of them..."

"Yes, Vice Headmaster Runia"

A couple of days had passed since Novus discovered what seemed to be the objectives of the rogue academy operatives during their sabotage of the exam, the arrival of several high-level reinforcements neutralizing the threat and allowing the surviving students to return in peace, knowing that they are safe now.

Of course, even with the majority of the students being safe and rescued, the consequences of negligence will not disappear altogether, a proof to that being the fact that the Vice Headmaster is hearing right now.

"Their families have the right to know, Headmaster..." taking a look at the old, wise-looking man sitting on a chair near her right, the Vice Headmaster said with a tone of conviction in her voice, said wise old man nodded his head too, as he is the very person who feels responsible for the incident the most.

"I agree with your sentiments, Vice Headmaster Runia; however, the academy’s reputation will take a hit once we decide to go with it..." another person, sitting on the rightmost part of the room, the other Vice Headmaster of the academy, expresses his thought with genuine concern in his voice.

Looking at the figure who appears to be of the same age as her, Runia couldn’t help but wonder what was going on in the mind of this individual, the figure, a mixture of both asexual and effeminate complexity, appearing to her like the most unpredictable existence known to man.

Yet, she knew that she could, at the very least, trust his words, for the reason?

"...Still... I can’t help but want to fuck those bastards over for doing something like this..." rage spreads all across the room as the other Vice Headmaster clutches, then eventually crushes the handle of his seat, showing an inhumane strength only possible for either irregularities like Novus or mages who stand at an extremely high level.

"Rigel, calm yourself down... you’ve progressed the farthest among their ranks, we can’t lose important information now that they are making their move..."

The wise old man opened his lips, a calm, serene voice flowing out of him, yet the unmistakable tone of wrath coats his words ever-so-thinly, making the two Vice Headmasters realize that it is not only they who hold extreme anger for what happened to the students under their watch.

"Looks like the number of rats had grown from my being lenient..." standing up from his seat, the wise old man requires a cane in order to even walk; however, with each of his steps, each of his motions made mana dance for himself, the subconscious influence of a powerful being over the world being shown in full.

With his emotion, the movement of mana seems to seethe in rage as well, his words still serene, yet nonetheless holding a sharpness that made him seem like a volcano prepared to erupt anytime, rather than a peaceful towering mountain watching over anything beneath it.

"Runia, continue smoking out the rats that infest our academy from the inside, as for Rigel, try to get the list of those rats from ’them’, if you can, I’ll take a bit of a stroll..."

"Yes, Headmaster Vereas."

Runia Leona al Veritas, and the other one, Rigel Betelgeuse van Antares.

Two of the most authoritative figures in academic magic bow not out of fear, but due to respect for this wise old man, who singlehandedly built the foundation in which the academy is created, watching over the students, the future of the world, for hundreds, if not thousands of years, without wanting anything in return at all.

The Sage of Truth and Transience, Kyrios Vereas Vanitas.

One of the Ten Great Mages who stands at the very pinnacle of this world’s magic, beings who are closer to becoming gods than anyone else, and right now, one of them appears to be boiling in rage as they realize what sort of ruthless things are done to the students of his academy under his watch.

The figure fades as soon as he hears the acknowledgement of his order from the two Vice Headmasters, leaving them with a nod showing his trust in them.

"So, what about the deceased now? Should we tell their families?"

"You have a point, Rigel. Still, it doesn’t sit well with me to just sweep it under the rug."

"I never said we will, but let’s be discreet about it, I’ll go and tell them personally... please get some staff to prepare compensations for me to bring those families..."

"You don’t really have to personally—"

"We, no, I have to, Miss Runia, it’s the least I can do for not even being present when you were dealing with the situation all on your lonesome."

While the two Vice Headmasters discussed among themselves, the only issue truly swept under the rug was the most unexpected individual right now.

"You’re quite calm even with my visit, child of Argenta." sitting on the young man’s bed as he sips tea that he himself prepared, the wise-looking old man stares at the calm face of the student in front of him.

There is no façade to that calmness, that he can say with certainty, hence exactly the reason why he thinks what was written on the Orionis Family’s reinforcement is all the more believable.

’Impressive, not only for his age but just among mages in general...’ he remarked to himself as he observed the young man’s every move, his body, despite not being stiff, remains in his position, unmoving, constant, like someone who has trained themselves physically and has full control over their own body.

"I take it that Miss Irinia also included me on her report, Headmaster." A wry smile appeared on the young man’s face as soon as he saw the old mage enter his own dormitory room. The information Medea told him about the abilities of the Orionis Family allowed him to at least have an educated guess on the reason why the academy’s headmaster was in his room right now.

"Indeed..." the old man nods, pausing for a while before he continues with his words, asking something out of nowhere.

"...we plan on suppressing the news about your heroic deeds for the sake of your safety, child of Argenta, but that would be unfair for you who shouldered a lot more than anyone else in this incident... choose, child, anything that you want, so long as it is in my capacity, I will grant..."

The old man reveals a patronizing smile, basically giving the young man a wish that he can use to make one of the Ten Great Mages give him anything he wants once.