The Whisper of the Nightingale

Chapter 71: Dealing With . . . Stuff

Nestled in their armchairs around the fire pit, Raven and Headmaster Swan sat in silence for quite some time. Their thoughts were immersed in the problem at hand, reviewing it from different angles.

Eventually, Raven broke the silence, bringing up a subject she had been concerned about for quite some time. "Headmaster, is there anything we should do to hinder Gadwall from attempting similar assassination plots in the other empires? If he put together something like this here, there is no reason to think he wouldn't attempt it elsewhere."

Headmaster Swan looked up from the flames and gave Raven a wry smile. "Under these circumstances? Nothing really. . . ." he sighed. "I've been in contact with my counterparts at the other imperial academies - don't worry, I haven't said anything too directly, but I have warned them that someone is acting behind the scenes, trying to push our three empires into war. I am confident they will keep an eye on things on their ends; the three of us have known each other for as long as I can remember and I would trust them both with my life."

Raven gave the headmaster a scrutinizing look. "Like you would have with Gadwall, three years ago?"

The headmaster sighed again. "That's why I haven't told them anything straight out. . . ."

The two of them once more sat in silence, but it didn't take long before Swan stood up with a frustrated grunt. "This is so vexing!" He started pacing behind his chair. "If it was only the Talon Clan stirring up trouble it would be no large issue to deal with them - taxing, perhaps, but doable - yet with Gadwall . . ." Swan stopped in his tracks; he had caught sight of Raven, who looked at him with wide eyes. "What?"

Raven shook her head. "Nothing. It's just so rare to see Headm-. . . Senior Swan get so emotional."

"Ah." Swan coughed and reclaimed his seat in the armchair. His checks flushed a bit - an odd look for such a refined man, seemingly in his sixties. "Regardless, Gadwall is a problem. Although his cultivation level appears to be that of a peak Champion, who knows if that is truly it. Considering all this dark spirit essence you have been witnessing I doubt that's the case.

"There is also the issue with why he is here. If Gadwall has come on his own volition then simply informing the representatives of the multi-realm tournament should be enough to have him removed. However, if he is sent here on someone else' mission, then it's important that we tell the right people of his presence."

The headmaster continued to list all the problems surrounding their main enemy while Raven listen quietly. Everything the Headmaster Swan brought up were things she had already considered and, just like him, she was not sure of how to get around them. As for how she wanted to deal with the Talon Clan, that plan had been formulated years back, but all the mysteries and hidden dangers around Gadwall kept her from acting freely on them.

"It shames me to admit it, but our insight into the other realms is simply too lacking," Swan leaned back in his chair. "Additionally they don't even care to answer simple questions. . . ." He glanced over at Raven, and a sense of excitement was burning deep within his eyes.

Two years ago, when the representatives of the Multi-Realm Tournament had arrived at Sky Academy to make their mandatory delivery of the invitation, Headmaster Swan had met their conventional disregard with extraordinary politeness, all in hopes of learning something more about them and the realms they came from. It had, however, failed.

It had been just after five in the morning when two middle aged men popped out of nowhere in the headmaster's chambers. They had been slightly surprised when they found the former not asleep but wide awake, with a minor feast set out on his dining table.