Chapter 150: VOL 2 - 95: Maybe Erik is a little better.
The issue of a possible traitor had been a constant concern for the three girls. After all, it was too much of a coincidence that the three students who ended up eliminated were the strongest in the group below them, the direct disciples, and also the most loyal, as they were part of the same fraternity at the university.
Although the students weren't particularly talented—since they were all around 300 years old and only one, the water-affinity mage, was an Ascended-Expert, while the others were merely Ascended-Advanced—they were still a force to be reckoned with in their current situation, as they had good technique and vast combat experience.
Moreover, since they belonged to the same fraternity—a social group that represented high status and great opportunities at the university—it was unlikely they would commit betrayal. If they did, they would be automatically expelled, and it would be difficult for another fraternity to accept them, as the most valuable asset of any fraternity was its direct disciples. Losing them had been a heavy blow.
But since they had imagined that something like this could happen, especially with that blue-haired fox competing against them, the girls had remained cautious from the start, refusing to fully reveal their plans. Not even to Ethan, who was the new direct disciple of the Order thanks to his master recently joining and the director granting him recognition. As a result, they were the only ones who knew the location of the refuge, which could only be accessed through tunnels created with the help of several magical artifacts, primarily from Liliana and Elara.
The magical artifacts not only created complex tunnels that prevented ethereal projection beyond their walls but also, without the key, the marks left in the tunnels would disorient anyone who tried to navigate them. This ensured that no one could find the path to the refuge, even if they knew the way beforehand, allowing them to maintain relative calm despite the suspicion of a traitor in their ranks.
"Yes, although until now it was just baseless suspicion, some strange things happened in the last fight, so it's better to be even more cautious and control the information we reveal." Liliana commented with a dark expression similar to Zoe's, to which Elara added with a serious look.
"But we also have to consider the possibility that it's just a coincidence, as being overly cautious could backfire, especially when we're in a race against time with people searching for us everywhere."
"You're right about that too. Maybe we're just being a bit paranoid, but it's better to stay cautious, as we have been so far. This is a delicate moment, and we could fall victim to an ambush at any time." Zoe added seriously, elegantly sipping her cup of tea, at which point Liliana asked in a calm tone.
"I completely agree, but what are we going to do about the three openings we have?"
At Liliana's question, Zoe and Elara could only sigh heavily, as it was a truly complicated problem. Elara then commented in a slightly tired tone, bringing her teacup to her lips.
"It's a tricky issue. At this point, it will be hard to replenish our numbers. Almost all the other participants are already organized, especially those with strength similar to the members we lost. Besides, at this stage, it's hard not to be suspicious of any new person who joins."