“How did you get the book?” Erica asked.

“I do not honestly know.” came the answer from Merlin who looked a little frustrated at the question.

“What do you mean?” Erica asked equally as flabbergasted and confused.

“I checked our records, there has been no evidence of when it was put into our libraries. And before you ask we are still using our best psychics to get to the bottom of this problem. But we have found absolutely nothing so far. It was as if it simply appeared in our library this year.” Merlin genially answered, but Simon could see the frustration that marred his face at the answer.

Erica huffed asking.

“Aren’t you like one of the greatest minds on the continent?”

“Who do you think I am?” Merlin asked. Then before she could reply.

“First, we must have gotten it this year because I do monthly catalogs of every book that comes into the library. Okay, then it must have entered our library this year. So, I had our Psychics do a deep dive into every new book we attained this year. 12 total, mostly new but some old historic texts also jumbled in. Nothing there. So instead I had them see any large transactions over the last year. The only thing I have gotten from that rabbit hole was surprised at how monolithic the economics of our university truly is. Then I switched to finding out if any new or returning students might be the culprit and short of doing a deep mind read, I have done everything else possible on that front, and still nothing.”

Merlin said all of it as if he was venting a particularly annoying fact.

Erica and the rest including Simon looked at the headmaster in surprise.

“So, before moving along I would like to ask, were any of you responsible for this?”

Everyone shook his head including Simon. He had a small urge to raise his hand but a gnawing sensation at the back of his mind stopped him from doing so. Instead, of a buzzing, it was instead very sharp and very painful.

Merlin sighed as if he was expecting this answer before Erica asked.

“Why are you not performing a deep mind read?”

Merlin looked at Erica.

“What do you mean?” Merlin asked raising an eyebrow.

“Why are stopping yourself from fully exploring their minds?” She asked again.

“Why would I go against a rule that I made and enforce?” He asked.

“Because this is [the self-sacrificing fool] we are talking about! The bastard..”

Before Erica could speak any further Merlin boomed.

“DO NOT CALL HIM A BASTARD!!! THE MAN HAS SACRIFICED MORE THAN YOU CAN EVER IMAGINE!”

Simon felt Merlin’s power then. His instincts did not even tell him to run. No, it told him to lie down and accept his fate. Because there would be no victory against this monster, not even escape was possible, only the acceptance of the inevitable.

Erica looked very cowed at this as she raised her hands in surrender, looking very frightened at the breadth and ferocity of his anger.

“I have spoken out of turn, O great archmage!” She said frantically.

Merlin took a deep breath as if expelling the rage that built up in himself as he looked much calmer.

“I am sorry, dear Erica. Living for so long has made me forget myself at times it is I who should be sorry.”

He turned his gaze to the students as he said.

“I am sorry you had to witness this debacle. While I had a grander plan to make this announcement, other plans have made this rather hard as you can imagine.”

Everyone in the room other than Erica and the speaker himself nodded. He pointed at Erica who looked slightly frazzled before shaking her head and saying.

“Ahem! We are proud to announce the 67th installment of the [Most Promising Young Tamer] held every year. This time it is the royal family who is sponsoring this event and I have been given the honor to personally invite Planar University to the event being held in six months.”

The group of young Tamers all nodded as if they realized what was going on all of a sudden. Except for Arsalan and Leone who seemed to not show any reaction to the announcement.

Simon had been thrown into a loop for pinpong of the topic being thrown around. Out of everything he had thought was going to happen this was not it. After that random out of nowhere they were allowed to leave the presence of the two super-beings and all the young tamers very promptly did so. Unaware that their minds had been subtly messed with.

The moment they had left the room the two began talking amongst themselves.

“So… Did you find anything?” Erica asked her voice much more subservient than before

“Nope, none of them had any information about Victor in their brains, they are all clear.”

Merlin lost his jovial nature, replaced with a cunning playfulness in his voice.

“Not even the one with three epic monsters? He was extremely suspicious.”

Erica asked.

“Most of the Ruby’s was directed at him but still it had come up empty.”

He started with a bit of amusement in his tone

“So we are back to square one.”

Erica sighed in exasperation.

“It would appear so.”

Merlin said his eyes gleaming.

“Shit…”

Erica and Merlin had come up with this plan to mind read the most likely culprits for Victor’s journal. And she was sure it had worked, mental manipulation was an extremely complex artform but Merlin excelled at it, it was the reason for all the theater. But even that brought up nothing in the end.

“But, I did dig up some juicy details on the church and ‘other’ things.”

He said.

“Are you going to tell me?”

Erica’s ear perked up, maybe she did have some interesting news to bring back after all?

“Nope. But I will say that the tournament this year is going to be very fun. Also, look out for Simon, he might surprise you in the tournament.”

He immediately replied.

“Why?”

Erica immediately deflated. Of course, she would not be told. Merlin loved his games.

“If I told you, it would no longer be a surprise now, would it?”

He said with a heavy dose of mischief laden in his voice.