Extra's Descent

The two abruptly rushed towards the committee room.

The reason the delegate called was because he was already here a few minutes ago.

But according to the delegate, someone else received him. He was currently on standby in the committee room.

If they didn't show up in the next minute or so, he would leave and it would greatly impact the Constantine family name.

Rushing their steps, the two had finally made their way to the committee room.

"..."

But their steps were halted as a familiar figure stood by the doorway.

"What took you so long, Amelia—"

Noticing her arrival, Adrien greeted her. But soon paused as he noticed the man that stood beside her.

"I see."

He frowned. But fixed his expressions shortly after he met Brandon's indifferent gaze.

"I'm not going to ask where the two of you have been. But please be professional."

Hearing his words, Amelia sported a frown as well and stayed silent.

She entered the room followed by Brandon and Adrien shortly after.

Creaaaak….

What greeted their sight was a man with black hair, sporting the familiar Imperial Army uniform. He stood poised with an air of authority surrounding him.

Noticing that they had finally arrived, he looked back to meet their gaze.

"Finally."

The man's deep heavy voice reached their ears. He walked around before taking a seat on Amelia's desk.

"I'll let this slide under the request of Sir Frost over there."

"Apologies, Sir Hall."

She gave him a light bow.

"No worries. But there won't be a next time—Hm?"

His gaze landed on the figure that stood behind them.

He was taller than the rest of them. With pale-white hair and ice-blue eyes, adorning an elegant blazer that was of the similar hue as Amelia's white dress.

"Why is an outsider here?"

"He's not an outsider."

Amelia stepped forward and shook her head.

She then turned around and looked at Brandon. Signaling with her chin, Brandon stepped forward.

"Good evening, Delegate. My name is Brandon Locke."

The delegate pinched his chin and seemed to ponder. But his expressions betrayed his hesitation and he spoked up as if it took him a while to recognize him.

"Locke, I see. I was wondering where Lady Locke was. But you seem to have come as her proxy."

The delegate nodded and introduced himself.

"Very well. This is our first time meeting each other."

The delegate stood up.

"I'm Field Marshal Louise Hall. Your Father and I have known each other for a long time. Pleased to have you join us, Sir Locke."

Brandon nodded respectfully at Louise's formal introduction.

"Good, you know your manners. At ease now, young cadets. I've let the matter slide, so take a seat."

Maintaining their proper decorum, the three sat down on each couch. Adrien sat at the couch in front, while Brandon sat beside Amelia.

"Kuhum…"

Louise cleared his throat.

He was about to speak before the door opened abruptly.

Clank—!

A figure emerged from the door.

It was Belle. She adorned a similar elegant dress as Amelia. But her pale-white hair wasn't fixed up as it flowed freely down her back.

"Pardon my intrusions."

She lowered her head respectfully before Louise waved her off.

"Take your seat. We were just about to start."

She nodded at that. But shortly after, her gaze landed on the figure that sat beside Amelia.

"Brandon…? What are you doing here?"

Belle spoke with a raised voice.

Louise waved her off once again and asked.

"Hm? So he wasn't a proxy."

He shook his head.

"Doesn't matter. A member of an Imperial Army officer's family is a cadet."

Belle seemed anxious. But eventually relented and sat beside Brandon.

For a second, Brandon could hear Adrien mutter, 'No one wants to sit next to me?'

But as soon as Adrien met his gaze, he straightened his back and shook his head.

'How peculiar.'

Adrien was definitely wary of him. For what reason, he didn't know.

With the confusions out of the way, the meeting began.

All eyes fell Louise as he spoke with an air of authority.

"As you all know, the Headmaster has been missing for a year. But finally, the Imperial Army has decided to share with the public about the cause."

Brandon's ears perked up. I didn't know that.

But it wasn't the same as everyone else who listened attentively without changing their expression.

He was the only one left in the dark about the Headmaster's current predicament.

But there was one thing that he did know.

The rift incursion.

It was an event that he was familiar with in the novel.

However, he didn't know what happened after its revelation. It was supposed to happen a bit later, and Raven was supposed to participate in the incursion.

In other words, it was in the later chapters he hadn't read. Therefore, he didn't know the conclusion of that story arc.

He was snapped out of his thoughts as Louise continued.

"A year ago, a crack appeared in the Delta Region and a small rift opened up. Officers had tried to find the cause of the rift, but it was to no avail. Initially, we wanted to observe it first before diving in to see where the Headmaster had left off to."

As soon as the revelations left his mouth, the others gasped in unison.

The first one to speak up was Adrien, who spoke anxiously.

"So this rift was the reason the Headmaster disappeared?"

"Correct."

Louise nodded.

"It was all coincidence. But the crack formed just at the spot where the Headmaster stood. Unlucky, I'd say. Due to this, we've taken proper precautions to avoid another incident where someone would enter the rift."

He sighed.

"But after preparing for a full year. The Imperial Army has finally decided on an incursion to take place next month."

'As expected... They really were about to start an incursion...'

His thoughts were broken as Louise abruptly stood up to continue.

"I'm here on behalf of the Imperial Army to inform you of your respective Family's participation in the incursion."

And he lowered his head.

"We don't know what will happen during the incursion. Please rest assured as the Army will do everything to avoid casualties, and…"

He peered his eyes open to look at Adrien.

"Sir Lucian will be participating as the Guild's representative."

Brandon's eyes lit up at that.

This…

Lucian wasn't supposed to be part of the incursion. It was supposed to be Raven instead.

Truly, the storyline was changing.

But if Lucian was participating, then that meant the incursion's success rate had increased up a notch.

No one else would be strong enough to replace Raven besides Lucian.

Right.

The storyline was progressing differently and he was well aware of that. But at least some aspects stayed the same.

The strongest was still present.

A tentative silence gripped the room as everyone tried to digest all of the revelations.

But the gesture was well appreciated. The Army did not neglect informing the children about the matter, and for that everyone took the news better than what should have been expected.

"I understand."

Amelia broke the silence and nodded.

She looked at Louise with a serious expression and added.

"Sir Louise, I wish the entire Imperial Army the best of luck."

Everyone seemed to feel the same way as they nodded after Amelia.

They stood up and lowered their heads as they all spoke in unison.

"May the sun find its way to shine down on the Imperial Army."

***

Despite the fact that Brandon decided to let go of the matter…

Raven and Reinhard didn't.

After working on the case for a week, they had finally gathered substantial evidence that points to the fact that the secretary was the perpetrator for the crime.

It seemed like Class A's booth wasn't the only target.

Companies that the other classes reached out to were targeted as well.

It was all one big crime.

Clearly, someone was trying to obstruct the festivities.

The secretary was arrested, as well as the other perpetrators.

The motive for the crime was still unknown.

And it stayed unknown until the secretary finally had enough.

"I was coerced…!"

He spat out.

Deep inside the Special Force Headquarters, there was a cell that held most of their criminals.

Raven, Reinhard, and Reina stood by the cell as they peered down on the chained secretary.

"Elaborate?"

"They… They suddenly appeared before me…"

He shook his head and blood splattered on the floor.

"I don't know their identities. But if I didn't do what they asked, they'd kill my family…"

Skeptically raising her brows, Reina looked at Raven.

"What do you think?"

Pinching his chin, Raven continued to look at the beaten up secretary.

"He seems to be telling the truth."

He sighed.

"This is a lot more complicated than we thought."

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