Charisma 100: My Academy Life As A Heartbreaking Commoner Chapter 251: Names

Starcaller Manor continued its operation smoothly, even without Aegis’s direct supervision. Extensive renovations had transformed the main hall; its walls freshly painted, its floors gleaming. This was unmistakably Evelyn’s doing. She managed the manor with military precision, ensuring that each visit from Aegis revealed new improvements.

Tonight, the dining room had been repurposed as a command center. Aegis occupied the head of the table, with Scarlett to her right. Scarlett’s boots were propped on the table until a sharp look from Evelyn made her retract them. Kanna sat opposite, maintaining a rigid posture with her arms crossed. Evelyn stood by the door, a ledger in hand – Evelyn was never far from her ledgers. Rosalie occupied a corner seat.

The twins were positioned at the far end, a single, folded piece of parchment resting between them.

"Alright," Aegis began. "What’s the situation?"

Kai’Lin slid the parchment forward. Aegis unfolded it, revealing a single name, scrawled in Kai’Lin’s distinctive handwriting, accompanied by a brief description:

Fenn Arlo — Second-year, scholarship student.

Known to arrive late for meals and disappear for one to two hours after the last class. He has met with Sylceris Wynne privately on two occasions this past week. Resides in the East Wing, third floor. No other known faction affiliations.

"Just one individual?" Aegis inquired.

"One confirmed, nya," Kai’Lin confirmed. "We are monitoring others, but Fenn is the only one we can directly connect to Sylceris."

Mei’Lin leaned forward, her white hair cascading over her shoulder. "He’s cautious. They avoid public interactions. Their meetings occur in different, empty classrooms after hours. If we weren’t actively searching for this pattern, we would have missed it."

"What do we know about him?"

"A commoner," Kai’Lin stated. "Quiet, keeps to himself in class. His grades are average, nothing remarkable. The type of student who goes unnoticed."

[The perfect candidate for the Umbral Blade, the kind they’d recruit – invisible, overlooked. Possessing the anger to instigate change, yet cautious enough to avoid open conflict.]

"What about his combat capabilities?" Kanna asked. "If he’s with the Umbral Blade, he must have received training."

"Difficult to ascertain, nya," Kai’Lin replied. "He avoids any optional sparring and never participates in extra drills with Korvo. He might be concealing his abilities, or he might not be a combatant."

"Or he fights in a manner not taught here," Mei’Lin added. "Shadow magic doesn't require swords."

[A valid point.]

Aegis studied the name for a prolonged moment before folding the parchment and placing it in her pocket.

"Excellent work. Continue to monitor him. Avoid any contact or engagement, and do not reveal your awareness of him. I need to know who else he interacts with, his movements, and if there are any other connections we might be overlooking."

"Understood, nya."

Scarlett, who had been listening with her arms crossed, spoke up. "So, what’s the strategy? We have one confirmed mage who threatened you, a suspected mage hidden among the student body, and likely more we haven’t identified. Are we waiting for them to make a move, or will we initiate action?"

"We wait," Aegis declared. "For the time being."

Scarlett’s brow furrowed. "I’m not comfortable with that."

"Nor am I. However, if we act prematurely, the unidentified members will disperse, and we’ll lose them. I require more names before we proceed."

Kanna nodded in agreement. "She’s correct. Eliminating one or two targets achieves nothing if the others disappear. We need the complete picture."

"Furthermore," Aegis added, "Sylceris is beginning to believe I sympathize with their cause. As long as she holds this belief, she will continue to lower her guard around me, allowing me greater insight with each lapse in her defenses."

Evelyn, silent until now, looked up from her ledger. "And what if she realizes you are manipulating her?"

"She won’t."

"My lady, with all due respect, these individuals infiltrated a royal academy under the watch of the Headmistress, the church, and the Noble Consortium. They are not unintelligent."

"No," Aegis conceded. "They are not. But I have been manipulating individuals more astute than myself since my arrival, and so far, it has yielded success."

Evelyn met Aegis’s gaze for a brief moment before returning to her ledger. "As you command, my lady."

[She’s concerned, and rightfully so. But this is my only viable option at present.]

Aegis stood and stretched. "Everyone understands their assignments. Twins, maintain surveillance. Scarlett, Kanna, continue your training and remain observant. Evelyn, ensure the manor functions smoothly. Rosalie, continue preparing the potions."

"And your role?" Scarlett inquired.

"I have a shadow mage to cultivate as an ally."

---

The following morning, before classes commenced, Aegis sought out Sylceris, finding her seated alone on a bench near the training grounds.

With a book resting open on her lap, she directed her attention not to its pages, but to the martial arts duels unfolding in the early morning light. A cadre of students practicing combat techniques under the watchful eye of one of Korvo’s assistants caught her focus.

Aegis took a seat beside her.

"Morning."

Sylceris turned her gaze towards Aegis.

"Morning."

"Enjoying the display?"

"Evaluating," Sylceris responded, her eyes fixated on a student fumbling a parry, subsequently taking a practice sword to the ribs. "The majority of them expose their left flank after executing a combination. It's quite predictable."

"You engage in combat?"

"Only when necessary."

"And are you any good?"

Sylceris regarded Aegis with a steady look.

"Yes."

[Such modesty from this one.]

Aegis observed the sparring session for a brief period. Two students circled one another, one pressing forward with jabs while the other retreated excessively. Korvo would have been displeased with such footwork.

"I've been seeking a sparring partner," Aegis stated. "Scarlett's strikes are too potent, Kanna meticulously corrects my form every few moments, and the rest are hesitant to truly strike me due to my marriage to the princess."

"Is that meant to make me feel singled out?"

"It's an invitation. Spar with me tomorrow morning, before our first class. Right here."

Sylceris closed her book, her gaze sweeping over Aegis deliberately, from her boots all the way to her face.

"Very well. Endeavor not to disgrace yourself, Lady Starcaller."