It has been a brutal walk from where Mika had initially made that bewildering announcement about out first mission. I tried prodding him for answers, but what little he gave was vague and was only willing to give out answers that furthered my general understanding of this world.

  So what I had grasped so far was that we were currently in the Northwestern part of the biggest continent of this world, Aegis. And the kingdom we were heading towards was called Feuille. And those were the only helpful info I could discern in the sea of his witty remarks.

  "No more questions?" he eventually asked after an unnaturally long period of silence. Curious, but there was an undercurrent of mockery to it. But when he finally turned around to scrutinize the state I was in, his need to make fun of the situation became more apparent. "Realized why we don't enforce a strict dress code the hard way, didn't you?"

  I had no real way to argue against that. It was a clear mistake on my end. Who could've foresaw that a formal attire would not go well when scaling steep hills every now and again? Certainly not the girl who expected her first day on the job to be pushing papers and running small errands around an office.

  "Seriously though, formalities aside, what makes you think dressing up as an office worker would make for a good look in hero business?"

  "I didn't think I'd be sent on a mission immediately. I would've changed into something more comfortable had any one of you told me you already had a mission for me."

  It wasn't the sun above that was the issue. I mean, if he still wore that trench coat despite it, I wouldn't have a problem wearing a goddamn suit.

  No, it was a combination of small yet noticeable increments to the steepness in the path we've walked on, added with the restrictive amount of leg movements I could get from these pair of dress pants and I've got myself a recipe for a hellish walk.

  And don't get me started on the poor choice of footwear. The rough leather had been digging into my skin with every step on an uneven patch of grass.

  Luckily for me, I didn't have to bear the discomfort for long as we stumbled into a path down the hill we have been trekking on. Even managed to spot a trader's caravan who agreed to let us hitch a ride for a price.

  The moment of respite the arrangement gave meant more time for me to dig deeper into the matter. But as if he had already anticipated it, he pushed a packet of gum towards me.

  "No thanks—"

  "I'm not asking, I'm telling you to pop one into your mouth."

  I really should fought for my pride here. At least the four seemed like they were ready to pounce at him, and would've had I not passed them a warning look.

  I needed answers right now, not an argument. So I did as he said and put a piece of the cube gum into my mouth. It was chewy as expected, but lacked any sweetness. Or any flavor at all really.

  "It's not a treat, but something that disrupts the translation blessing slightly," he explained while continuously chewing. "You and I—and even the guests you've brought—we can still understand one another. But to the natives here, the only thing they will hear out of our mouths is gibberish so long as you chew on it."

  "Seems a little unnecessary to me."

  "Then you really should've paid more attention to how societies in these worlds run instead of progressing through the main quests only."

  A piece of gum got stuck in-between his upper right set of molars, and he paused to wedge it off before continuing.

  "Every sentence ever spoken is usually treated like a story here. Even a conversation between two outsiders can spread far and wide like wildfire given the time. And the trader up front? If it's not obvious enough by now, his lips can also be bought for the right price.

  "So a word of advice: just because we're a bunch of nobodies here doesn't mean we can't be dragged along into this world's mess. The fewer threads they have to connect you to, and the less questions they ask, the better."

  It was another piece added to this jigsaw puzzle of a role. A piece which only served to emphasize just how convoluted the bigger, completed picture could be. That was to say, it challenged everything I've known about what he and Double does so far.

  "There's something I don't get," my voice came out muffled from the mouthful of gum. "You're implying to stay off the radar, but like when I almost died, you have no problem revealing yourself. So laying low like this, does that mean our target isn't in any grave danger?"

  "We have a winner," he halfheartedly announced. Flashing that smirk of his, but this time it felt less mocking and more appreciative. Or perhaps I was starting to lose my goddamn mind.

  But that answer would explain the lack of urgency.

  He spat his gum out and I took it that meant he wasn't interested in resuming this conversation right now. So I leaned back against the back of the carriage and enjoyed the view as we past them by.

  Eventually, we parted ways with the caravan at the kingdom gates as traders get special privileges while travelers like Mika and I had to go through another entrance for screening.

  He handled all the talking and I couldn't focus on anything they said as I was too engrossed in taking in the sight before me. And what really stand out was the people.

  I had thought at first that our clothes would raise suspicion, but from what I could see, the people here wore a rather... exotic taste in clothes with bold colors that made our own seem bland in comparison. But I suppose that's good when the goal was to keep a low profile.

  And frankly, I think it was impossible not to. This kingdom thrived on the freedom to express creativity. The houses and streets were their canvas; painted in a myriad of vibrant and mismatching colors that somehow worked. The people themselves were eccentric, not only in regards to their fashion, but also in the ways they expressed themselves.

  Nowhere was this more apparent than in the way love was conveyed. With opposing musicians vying for the same woman with their lyre and that old medieval guitar respectively. Creating a beautifully chaotic melody, that showed the depth and differences in their respective personalities.

  Or the rows of stalls selling paintings which carried the melancholic feeling of heartbreak. People who yearned for the love of another who was out of reach, thus they immortalized their gaze in canvases. A gaze that would never be directed at them. At least that's what one woman was rambling about.

  But a lot of people here found solace in these type of artistic pursuit. Which got me thinking that perhaps this whole matchmaking shtick had some proper basis to it. How it was or why it mattered was unclear, but I won't be getting any answers soon unless Mika decided to lay it out.

  We stopped at a tavern and head for the table at the very heart of all the hustle and bustle. After ordering our drinks, Mika slid the packet of gum across the table and I didn't question it this time.

  "So my mission?" I asked, assuming he wouldn't pass the gum for no reason unless it involves that to some capacity.

  He a produced an envelope from the inside of his coat and handed it to me alongside a pair of glasses.

  "That should help you read it."

  One of the limitations of the translation blessing; it couldn't appropriate what you see. So written language was something I had to learn in my spare time.

  But the glasses that he gave rearranged the foreign characters into something more familiar, and it read,

  "School admission...?"

  It was hard to believe at first, but the expensive feel of the parchment stored within and the wax seal spoke of its legitimacy. Though I found it strange that the letter was addressed to me.

  "The Feuille Royal Academy to be exact. The best school to nurture your children into a bunch of narcissistic, eugenics driven, douchebags."

  "What?"

  "If the name isn't telling enough, it's a school for the elites of Aegis. Heirs of nobles, politicians, merchants, and even the royal family."

  "And I'm assuming our target is a student? Or is this just one step in some really convoluted plot?"

  "The former."

  A long line of text then appeared on the lenses, and figuring the controls out took only a couple of seconds with his help. It was simply a matter of digesting every last bit of information afterwards, and Double was very comprehensive in that aspect. Not only info regarding the target, but also the false identity I'd have to assume.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  I'd still be referred to as Karin, but would have to alter my surname to that of a merchant's from the eastern continent who mostly travel back and forth between the two continents.

  "Again, I think you're going little overboard."

  "Heh... And here I thought it would take a while before we agree on something. But it was the old man's call to add an extra layer of protection, just in case someone goes snooping around."

  Can't say I didn't completely understand his decision. It was around late autumn here and an awkward time for a student to suddenly transfer schools. If the enemy were cautious and chose to dig deeper, it'll ultimately be traced back to the false identity; the niece of a traveling merchant. A tangible lead, but not something interesting enough to pursue.

  And the enemy themselves...

  "If we know who our enemies are already, then why not just nip them in the bud?"

  "Because this isn't our story to tell, and the ending isn't up to us to decide. We're here to avoid the worst outcome for these heroes. To guide them to the good ending. And while we may manipulate events to play out in a certain way, our involvement ends outside the border of that metaphorical spotlight. We step in only if we have to, and since you've experienced it first hand, I think you already know when."

  We spent the next four hours with going through my cover story while drinking stale ale and chewing on gum until my jaw grew sore. Most importantly, how to circumvent around lie detecting magic. It was all in how you chose to word your answers, not how to convince yourself to take on the false persona.

  And that trick immediately came in handy the moment we executed our mission, as I have to pass through a checkpoint before I could step into campus grounds proper.

  First round of security was a background check. Even when I showed them my admission letter, they still demanded one.

  "State your first and last name."

  "Karin... T-tojou, as stated in my admission letter."

  I briefly cast a glance at the guy in the back towering over an orb, which should be the lie detector Mika mentioned. A bead of cold sweat ran down my forehead as I waited for it to change color. Red if it's a lie, and vibrant green if it's the truth.

  I watched with bated breath before letting out a quiet sigh of relief once it flashed that bright green hue. But the questioning was far from over. Fortunately for me, these subsequent questions required no sort of complex wording to proceed. Simply there to cross-checked what I know with the information from their end.

  "You're transferring to which program?"

  "The "Chevalier" program."

  Though from time to time, a tricky question would pop up.

  "...You're proficient in both close quarter combat and magic?"

  She's probably expecting a simple yes or no for an answer, and even I myself almost blurted out a yes until I reassessed the question.

  Would I be considered proficient in both those things if it was the spirits doing their bidding through my body? Or is it asking about me specifically, and therefore the answer would be a no? Which one would the orb considered the truth?

  If I remember correctly, what Mika specifically said to do in a situation like this was: "If you ever found yourself in a pinch where you're uncertain about what to say, then—"

  "I have my ways..."

  "—just be vague about it"

  The guard raised a brow, skeptical and mildly confused.

  "We have a strict zero-tolerance policy regarding the misuse of magic tools and cheating Ms. Tojou."

  "If you're talking about academic misconduct, then know that I don't have any magic tools in my bag that would assist me in any of my examinations, ma'am. That's what you're worried about right? I've heard of the scandals happening in other academies before coming here. I just don't feel comfortable sharing my secrets, it's rather... embarrassing."

  We both turned to the orb, and it flashed green. A close call. Had Mika not demanded the glasses be returned to him for safekeeping beforehand, it would've definitely shown a completely different color.

  "Alright, that concludes the first round of examination," she sighed. "Now please hand over your belongings for a brief inspection."

  I handed her my pre-prepared knapsack through the booth. She and her colleague began to rummage through its content in the back. Still visible, but far enough to prevent me from intervening.

  Clothes, writing utensils, blank notebooks. Each item was unceremoniously pulled out one by one. Treated like absolute garbage compared to treasure buried deep: a handful of miscellaneous magical items, which they inspected much more thoroughly. After determining their legality so to speak, they marked them with a magical sigil before storing everything back in the knapsack.

  The guard returned my belongings and asked me to extend my hand to finally give the sigil that would let me go through the magical barrier protecting the school.

  "It's only usable once and then it'll disappear," she said. "You should immediately head over to the girl's dormitory, take the left path and keep walking until you see the sign. The dorm mother there should have your student card ready."

  After that frantic experience, taking in the sight of the large main school building with its gothic architecture and the orange sky above was almost therapeutic. There were still some students roaming around campus at this hour, and I could even hear cheering from the distant; most definitely those participating in extracurricular activities.

  How nostalgic...

  But this wasn't the time to reminisce on the past. So I followed the guard's instruction and made my way to grab my student card and get to my assigned room asap.

  ??????

  The dorm mother unlocked the door to the one person dorm room and held it open for me. She held a proud smile as she waited for my reaction.

  "It's... something."

  Her smile faltered and twitched, trying her damnedest to hold back a frown. The room definitely breathe splendor through every corner of it, something that definitely took a lot of effort. But it was just a little too over the top for me to truly appreciate.

  "Just... do remember that we conduct routine inspection once a month. Curfew's at 9, and you have to prepare a special slip from one of the faculty members—and then signed by yours truly—if you wanna head off campus."

  And with a final warning to simply stay out of trouble, she left and closed the door behind her. I rushed and pressed my ears against the door to hear her muffled footsteps which slowly grew distant with every step. And once it was finally gone, it was time to execute the next step of the plan.

  I lowered the knapsack from my shoulders and flipped it upside down to throw out all of its contents onto the bed, and picked out all of the magical items that had been marked.

  Once marked with a sigil, the entirety of each individual item can pass through the protective barrier without being destroyed. It didn't matter if some of its parts didn't even belong in it or did absolutely nothing, as long as the person who marked it consider it to be whole then everything can pass through.

  So I disassemble everything and pick out the necessary pieces to reassemble the camera. And the process was very simple since it was designed to be easily taken apart and assembled by operatives in the field.

  "Now if I remember correctly..."

  I aimed the camera and snapped a picture, trying to fit the entirety of the dorm room inside of the lens thinking that perhaps it had an effect.

  It didn't take a moment later for a portal to appear with Mika stepping through from the other side, which seemed like he had travelled back to HQ. There was a large stack of heavy duty cases behind him, but just as I was about to ask what it was, he placed his index finger over his lips and dropped four black marbles from the palm of his hands which rolled automatically to each corner of the room. They then erected a magical barrier that covered all four walls and even the floor.

  Only afterwards did he stepped over and we both carried all those heavy cases over to our side. There was no tremor or even sound as we dropped one box after another. And only after it was complete did I start asking questions.

  "Did you soundproofed the room?"

  "That and the floor has shock absorber, and the windows now acts as a one sided mirror with a few minor adjustments."

  "And that has to do with all this stuff?" I gestured to the neatly arranged pile in one corner.

  "Yeah, I'm using your room as a makeshift command center," he walked over to unpack his equipment but he suddenly gone stiff mid step. "Crap, I forgot about your fanny pack. Be right back in a minute."

  Just like he had promised, it only took a while for him to go back and forth to find and retrieve my waist bag, which had all of the spirits' mementos.

  "Unbelievable," Caldwell shook his head in disappointment. "As a senior, he ought to have a higher sense of responsibility."

  He continued to hover in one spot, his mood soured after almost being left forgotten. Finn sighed at the knight's antics, but deep down I knew he couldn't help but agree with him on his assessment.

  The other two paced around the room. Phae examined each item and decor briefly and then moved on to the next shiny thing that caught her attention. While Evelynn took it slow, with a wistful smile and a nostalgic gleam in her eyes. Looking out the window and the campus grounds below.

  "The security is no joke," Evelynn marvelled to herself. "That magical dome is impressive... Despite being stretched so thin, it could probably withstand a high level spell. Even my school never go this far."

  "Really? With the notoriety the School of Kindling gets, I'm surprised they didn't put more effort into keeping the crazies in,"

  "This fucking cow—" she began to slowly flare up from Phae's offhanded comment. "You're lucky you're dead already."

  I expected Finn to step in and break the ensuing fight, but...

  "Tell your ghosts to behave," Mika looked past his shoulders towards me, but for a split second I swore his eyes flicked to the window exactly where Evelynn was. "Especially when you're attending classes."

  It had to do with more than the simple fact that their erratic possessions have and would make a spectacle out of me if left uncheck.

  "Remember what I said earlier. You need your ghosts to get you through practicals, but make sure they don't go overboard with their strength or personality. A huge shift in both those things is gonna lead to people asking questions."

  "I get it already," I sighed as I could already tell how mind-numbingly stressful it was going to get.

  He gave me a stern look one final time before heading over to the pile and pulled out a garment bag that was laying on top of them all.

  "Your uniform," he simply said while pushing it towards me. "You're supposed to get one from the school, but I think you'd find ours a lot better."

  I unzipped the front of the bag and pulled out the blazer for a quick fitting. It hugged my upper body just right while still being stupidly flexible and breathable. The kind you'd usually find in something like spandex, without actually being made of it. Not too dissimilar to the casual clothes Erin gave me back then.

  "It has no fancy features— Well, except for one. See if you can find it."

  He straddled the chair and rested his arms on the top of the backrest as he watched in amusement, while I awkwardly pat around trying to find a bump or anything that would seem out of place. I then searched through all the pockets and still found nothing.

  "It's the blazer itself, not anything I've put inside."

  I then pulled each lapel away from my torso to see if there was something underneath, and while moving my hand around to feel for something, I suddenly felt it plunging into... somewhere. And quickly pulled it out.

  "Wha—"

  "Yup, dimensional pocket. Because that fanny pack is an eyesore."

  "It's not that bad," I rebutted half-heartedly.

  Sure it looked a bit... rough, but that was a testament to its durability. Three years of rough handling and it was still in one piece, or so I tried to logically argued. It had definitely seen better days, but it had some sentimental value to it.

  "But I see your point."

  "Good. Now back to the dimensional pocket, it has the same principle as your old bag, so I think an explanation is unnecessary. But there are still a few more things that I have to tell you for tomorrow, so let's head back to the HQ and—"

  "Wait. We're not staying here?"

  "I mean... Do you want to?"

  The room was definitely nice, I'd give it that. Nicer than any inns I had the displeasure of sleeping in. But the decor was definitely a little too much for me.

  "No, I'm coming."

  "Good. Cause we're having the full briefing over some proper drinks this time."