Inside the house, Fey Scaffold fidgeted while nervously watching Elias who was sitting on the couch casually.

Without a slight care to Fey's presence, Elias made himself comfortable like it was his own house.

Very calmly, he sipped the tea on the table like there was nothing wrong. He nodded slowly, as though admiring the teamanship behind it.

"..."

A long silence remained between the two of them before Fey Scaffold finally couldn't take it anymore and opened his mouth.

"So... can you promise me you won't report me to the SSG?"

Hearing that, Elias shifted on his seat. He gently put down the tea cup on top of the table before turning his gaze to Fey.

His gaze was cold, and piercing. Fey thought as he shifted uncomfortably. But beneath all that, there was a trace of amusement.

Elias smiled, as though impressed.

"You're a committed actor. I admire that, but you can drop the act now."

"...Sorry?"

Fey, unable to understand, tilted his head in confusion. He seemed to be genuinely baffled.

But Elias seemed to be not satisfied with that respone.

"I'll spread the word around that the inheritor of the Secret Sorcerer is staying in the academy if you don't stop acting,"

Fey's expression immediately changed. He immediately rose from his seat as shock took over him.

While looking at Elias, his eyes suddenly widened in disbelief as anxiety and panic filled him.

'Have they caught on to me? How?! Did I leave a trace somehow?! Shit!'

Taking a step back in panic, Fey accidentally hit the vase on the walls, causing it to fall and break.

Crack—!

But he didn't seem to notice, or perhaps he noticed but couldn't afford to give a damn because of his current situation.

'I have to act—Now!'

At that moment, Fey's eyes turned cold and resolute. He decisively made a move as his eyes flickered in determination.

Without hesitation, he snapped his fingers and caused several guns to come out of the walls and point at Elias sitting on the couch.

Snap!

However, despite being surrounded, Elias was unfazed and didn't seem to care about the weapons pointed at him at all.

The lack of reaction from Elias both served anxiety and reassurance to Fey—the man was too confident for his liking.

However, on the other hand, the man didn't seem to be in a rush to eliminate or take care of him.

Taking a deep breath, Fey sized up Elias cautiously. He opened his mouth and finally spoke after a while.

"You... who are you? Are you from the Secret Palace?"

"If I was, I wouldn't be here talking to you. I would've already dragged you away, or perhaps killed you, don't you think so?"

Elias shook his head calmly, but Fey was unconvinced.

"Fool me all you want, but I know that bastard Anti-Mage... he's still looking for master's inheritance."

"Anti-Mage wouldn't do that."

Elias replied casually. Fey seemed confused, and Elias was more than willing to clarify what he meant.

"Anti-Mage is in a tight situation right now. He's fighting against the Ice Palace, so he can't afford to pay attention to you at the moment. Furthermore, he found a better inheritance."

"...A better inheritance?"

Confused how the man knew all this, Fey calmed down slighty and asked with furrowrd brows.

Elias suddenly raised his hand, causing Fey to turn alert. But he simply grabbed the cup of tea on the table and took a sip.

"That's the reason he's fighting the Ice Palace in the first place,"

That didn't answer any of my questions, Fey thought with more confusion. But the man's answers had indeed temporary alliviated his worries.

'Thankfully it wasn't the Secret Palace.'

Thinking of that, Fey dropped his guard down for a moment and sighed in relief.

"Nevermind all that then, who are you? How do you know me... no, more importantly, why are you here then?"

"Didn't I introduce myself to you already?"

Elias seemed amused. He took out his Student ID Card and threw it to Fey in a nonchalant manner.

"I'm Elias Corleone. Call me Elias or Corleone, I don't mind. But no nicknames. I hate nicknames. It's a pleasure meeting you, Fey Scaffold."

Impressed by how the ID Card spun in the air like a card, Fey caught it in time and looked at its contents quietly.

Then, it struck him. He had been feeling overtly familiar of the name Elias Corleone since a while, but he simply dismissed it—

But only now did Fey remember.

"You're that first year! The one who made headlines before the classes even started."

"It seems you know me already,"

Elias smoothly replied, hiding his pissed off smile behind the cup of tea. He had suddenly remembered that obnoxious Felix.

Ooh, how much he wanted to have a nice talk with that man. But what was done was done anyways.

It was not good to get his irritationality affect his judgement. In a certain angle, what Felix did helped his eventual ascent to fame.

He was just the type to not like unpredictable and random variables being inserted to his plans.

Gently putting down the Student ID Card, Fey finished looking through the contents and turned his attention to Elias.

"So... what's a hotshot like you doing here? how do you know me? I don't think I left my traces somewhere...?"

"Fey Scaffold. You're an interesting one,"

Elias sized up Fey from bottom to up, causing Fey to shift uncomfortably. But before the latter could speak, he continued.

"You possess one of the greatest innate talents of humanity [Savant]... not to mention, you also have the inheritance of the Secret Sorcerer,"

"Fey Scaffold, a once-in-a-generation master of Thaumaturgy. Although your talent as a sorcerer is lacking, it's compensated by your unparalleled accomplishment in various branches of Thaumaturgy."

"Then, there's the matter of the inheritance of Secret Sorcerer. If used well, you can be one of the best sorcerers in this generation. You're a gold mine—no, you're a diamond in the rough, waiting to be uncovered."

Elias lips curled into a confident smile. Fey was not exactly sure where the man was going with this, but he simply listened.

"You see, I have a goal. I want to create a club and rule this academy. Overturn it from inside. I want to break the tradition that no single power can rule this place,"

"I already have two helpers, both of them supernovas of this generation. They have their own agendas, but they're willing to assist me in my goal. I'm confident in their strength,"

"With all that said, Fey Scaffold. Join me and we'll rule this academy together. I'll grant you whatever you want and desire—I swear on that. Accept my hand, the future of this academy... is ours."

After saying that, Elias put his hand forward as he stared at Fey silently.

Now, it all hinges upon Fey's decision.

A long silence came up. Fey looked at the hand in front of him before raising his gaze to Elias in awe.

"...You're attempting to demolish the noble's rule in the academy, you're crazy."

"They're merely pebbles on the road. It's a necessary step for conquering this academy altogether,"

Elias replied succintly.

Thinking of something, Fey quieted down. He gazed at Elias in what could only be described as amazement or awe.

But behind that superficial awe he showed, he was thinking deeply——analyzing what could happen in the future if he accepted.

Using unknown means, Fey's mind worked in inhumane processing speed before his eyes suddenly narrowed.

'The future is strange... it's moving between the thin line of positive and negative. I can't get a good read. It's essentially unknown but...'

A slight feeling was all it took for him to know it was incalculable. Fey prioritized analyzing his advantages and disadvantages instead.

'Nevermind. This deal doesn't seem to pose a great risk to me, but gives me a lot of benefits instead.'

'If we put things into perspective, I still don't know who this man is. But I'm certain he's dangerous. Extremely dangerous. He also knows my identity and the Anti-Mage...'

'Considering all that, I'll have to accept his offer. Like the saying goes, keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer. Whether he's a friend or foe, I need to keep an eye on him.'

'This deal is the perfect opportunity for that. If he's a friend, I have an helping hand. If he's an enemy, I have him under my thumb.'

'Elias Corleone... I can use you.'

After a couple of seconds, Fey snapped out of his strange state. His gaze that was filled with awe finally returned to normal.

To an outside perspective, it seemed as if nothing had happened at all, it was only a split second after all.

But at that small time frame, Fey had already came to a decision.

"I saw your Student ID Card, I say you're a horrible liar. You cause a great commotion like killing a baron demon and you try to convince people with that fraudulent card of yours? Nevermind... I'll join you as long as you owe me a favor,"

"That could be done immediately. But I'm not just going to grant you a favor, you think too little of me. I'm going to support every project of yours too, including that."

Elias nodded slowly.

Fey's eyes shone and immediately shook the hand in front of him in a speed that could only be described as instantm.

"Deal."

"..Hahahahaha."

Elias couldn't help but let out a chuckle. He lowered his gaze and stared at Fey with a calm smile.

"Welcome to the club, Fey Scaffold."

***

After settling a deal with Fey Scaffold, Elias went outside of the house and looked at vast sky that overwhelmed the earth.

So far, everything is well according to plan.

'Oh, Fey Scaffold...'

Elias lips curled into a smirk. He was all too familiar with Fey to know what the man was up to, and he was more eager to play along with it.

'Fey Scaffold. I will be the one to use you, not the otherway around.'

While thinking of that, the wind suddenly blew and softly fluttered the coat that was draped over his shoulders.

Elias looked over the busy society before turning his gaze to the academy.

Thinking of Hajin, Ragna and Fey...

"Cheers," he muttered under his breath. "For a great and eternal partnership——tomorrow we start to conquer this academy."

"Let's do our best, shall we?"

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