The Novel's Professor

Rio expressionlessly listened.

That was a given result. Archdevils, unlike demons, were spiritual beings. They don't have the massive physical strength of the demon but they in return they have their highly evasive forms and mind-shattering powers to compensate.

"How interesting..." Guinevere said. "It couldn't have been tampered happened outside the academy either. In the records, the student never gone outside during the time period. What about the nobles?"

"Don't underestimate yourself, Director." Larkinson pursed his lips. "I'm sure even if those noble elitist hate civilians... they wouldn't dare to do something as drastic as this to some average civilian student. Also, your formation isn't that easy to tamper with..." 𝗳𝘳𝒆𝘦𝑤𝐞𝚋𝗻𝚘𝘷𝘦𝙡.𝑐𝐨𝘮

"That's fair." Guinevere slowly nodded. "But then, that begs the question... who was the one that tampered with the formation?"

"...Are you sure this isn't just a mistake on the formation?" Larkinson asked, his brows rising.

Guinevere answered. "It shouldn't be. It's the same formation used last year. Besides, from the glyphs alone... It's obvious enough someone tampered with it. If it was a natural mistake, the glyphs shouldn't be reversed."

"I see... but without a hint of the suspect and any clue, then we're at a dead end, huh?" Larkinson pursed his lips.

"Not exactly." Guinevere chuckled. "Since its impossible that it was a natural mistake, therefore it must have had been tampered with by someone. If we're sure it was tampered with by someone else, then the question.. 'when did it get tampered with?' rises. The formation was inscribed in the weekends. Then that means it was tampered with either during this week or in the weekends."

"But it can't be during this week because the examination and classes had started. If they were going to tamper with the formation, it would take them tedious amount of time and the exam or the classes wouldn't allow them for that because a lot of people are watching. That means it happened in the weekends, right after the formation was inscribed in the watch, when the students were staying in their dorm."

"But the security cameras..." Larkinson frowned. "They didn't show anything."

"And that's your answer." Guinevere smiled.

"Huh? What—" Larkinson suddenly dawned in realization. "—Oh, oh, oh! Are you saying that they also tampered the security cameras...?"

"Deputy Head of Security, Larkinson." Guinevere hummed. "I'm sure you know the answer to that question, since you're the head of security."

"...Right." Larkinson nodded. "If that's the case, I'll ask my men to verify the camera's. In the meantime, I'll personally go interrogate the student himself."

Beside them, Rio listened quietly. Internally, he was amazed at the Director's deduction and observation skills.

In another note, this was bad for Ali. They were reaching the truth far faster than he had imagined.

This couldn't continue, or else it would be the same as what happened in the novel... he had his own plans for the student.

Rio lowered his head, deep in thought.

"Thanks for your input, Director." Larkinson said, bowing slightly. "I'll be going now."

"You're welcome." Guinevere nodded, waving his hand in dismissal. "Go on, I'll handle the outrage of nobles myself... so do your best, Silver."

"Wait." Rio suddenly exclaimed, stopping both the people from moving.

Guinevere slightly smirked.

"...Is there a problem, Professor Rio?" Larkinson asked.

"Well, no." Rio shrugged. "But you two are jumping to conclusions too early. Verifying the cameras and interrogating the student wouldn't do result in anything."

"...Pardon?" Larkinson tilted his head.

Beside him, Guinevere raised his brows in curiosity.

"What I meant is that what you're going to do is useless," Rio explained. "Because you forgot one of the most important aspect in this case... the motive."

Larkinson frowned. "How is the motive important to this?"

"It's as important as knowing who the suspect is and why what you're going to do is useless," Rio sharply replied. "The motive is equally important as anything else. If we already know when the tampering happened... then, 'why did they tamper with the formation?' is a key question."

"If the formation was so tedious and hard to crack, then why did the suspect bother to even tamper with it? Especially if the student was an average one in the academy. They would be risking themselves stupidly, if that's the case."

"...That is strange." Larkinson squinted his eyes. "If they were going to do something as risky as this to harm a normal average student of the academy... then from the suspect's position, it's not worth it at all."

"It may not be for you, but it may be worth it for the suspect." Rio smiled. "For example... a motive of hatred, grudge, or pride—those are enough to forsake logical thinking and act drastically. But to make them hate the student so much and also find it worth it to go through drastic lengths to harm the student... a factor you forgot to include; the student isn't merely an average student in the academy."

"The student we're talking about—Ali is also known as a key figure in the civilian faction among the students. Now, imagine if that key figure falls into the faction... then the civilians, by proxy, will also suffer. By that thought process, it isn't farfetched if..."

"...Someone from the opposing faction, the nobles, was to target him personally!" Larkinson continued, his eyes widening. "They are the only ones who would benefit from it. If Ali is really a key figure among the civilians...then it changes everything. But then how did they tamper with the formation—? Not only that, but how did they also mess with the camera records?"

"They are heir of noble families... kids with too much vanity in their minds. Give them some power, and results should be obvious, " Rio stated. "..And this is the Arthurian Kingdom. If they wanted to, nothing is truly impossible for them. For the formation... It isn't impossible to crack through it if they have a test subject to experiment on constantly, such as the last year's smartwatch formations. And for the cameras... a simple bribe or threat is enough to solve that."

Larkinson frowned. "Are you implying the security was bribed or threatened...?"

"Perhaps, or perhaps not." Rio shrugged. "Or else, there's no other explanation for the messy camera records."

Larkinson quieted down, his head lowering as he sunk into a state of deep thought. "If you what you said is true, then the cameras and the student shouldn't offer anything..." 𝘧𝓇𝒆𝗲𝓌𝙚𝙗𝓷o𝘷𝒆𝘭.𝐜𝚘𝒎

Rio glanced at Guinevere.

Guinevere noticed he glanced and nodded.

"... That is highly possible. Salem made a good point." Guinevere frowned, his voice turning cold. "Larkinson, I want you to focus the investigation on the suspicious nobles first."

"...Very well, Director." Larkinson nodded.

"Nobles, huh? They can do whatever they want outside the academy..." Guinevere coldly said, turning his back. "But in my own academy... they hold no power over here."

Rio stared at them quietly. Internally, he was sighing in relief... It was good he was able to convince both of them by the narrative he created. In truth, if one would carefully analyze his words and verify it then they would discover the flaws within them.

All his words; they were all false. Ali wasn't a key figure in the civilian faction, but he was betting on their ignorance over the student factions to convince them. In the academy, the factions were only significant among the students and teachers, but for the deputy head's and others... It was basically non-existent.

Also, the nobles had no part in the tampering... the actual suspect who messed with the formation was the Archdevil. The only reason he had managed to convince them with his words was because the situation was plausible and convincing, also because Guinevere believed in him.

A large factor in his narrative involved Guinevere's trust. If Guinevere didn't trust his words at all, then it wouldn't have worked at all. In this short interaction, he had masterfully used the advantage of trust between him and Guinevere to craft a fake scheme.

He had created a fake narrative — a scene where Ali, as a key figure of the civilian faction, was torn down and schemed against by the noble faction without being able to do anything.

Rio closed his eyes. It was a risky gamble, but that was the only thing he could think of in this brief moment.

In any case, with this... he would be able to delay the discovery of the Archdevil longer. Consequently, it would also give some time before Ali would personally accept the contract. During that time, he would act on his plans for the student.

...In the novel, Ali didn't sign the contract until the very last moment—the moment of his sudden expulsion from the academy. Without someone stopping Eugene or someone delaying the investigation, his mind would eventually snap from thinking about his expulsion.

In desperation and unwillingness to get expelled, he signed the contract of the devil. After that, he caused mayhem in the academy... but in the end, with the assistance of Maria Skye, they were able to easily kill Ali.

Rio grimaced. It was a tragic end for an innocent person. However, that was not yet the worst part. That scene in the novel originally wasn't supposed to happen—this kind of plot wasn't supposed to exist.

But as the editor of the web novel, he offered many plot-points and advice that could help the book be more marketable. That included tropes and clichés.

...In one of the many plot points, one was about a minor antagonist, an innocent student falling in the hands of the devil and dying later on.

The student—Ali.

And the one who thought to add that plot was him. That meant the one who was responsible for this whole mess... was also him.