Chương 16: Two options.

Ch. 16- Two options.

The golden key nestled inside the box, bigger than the one Crow held but unmistakably similar; the same glow with the same faint pulsing energy. Beside it was a folded parchment, yellowed with age.

"Paper and another key…" Ash said with both shock and disappointment in his voice.

"Is this some kind of joke?" A heavy silence fell over the room. All eyes focused on Crow as he stood motionless, staring at the contents of the box. His breathing had become shallow, almost imperceptible, and the muscles in his jaw worked silently beneath his skin. With excruciating slowness, Crow reached into the box. His fingers trembled slightly—something Amy had never seen from him before—as they hovered over the second key. The dim light caught the subtle sweat that had formed along his brow.

"Crow?" Lyra whispered, her voice uncertain. He didn't respond. The tension in the room grew with each passing second. Crow carefully lifted the second key. It was larger than the first, with more intricate patterns of small roses etched along its surface. He turned it over in his palm, examining every detail, every curve and notch. As he studied it, the veins in his temples became more pronounced.

His knuckles began to whiten as his fingers curled around the key, and his shoulders rose with each increasingly labored breath.

"All this time," he murmured, so quietly they had to strain to hear him.

"All this searching, all the risks we've taken..." The others exchanged worried glances. Lain took a cautious step backward, as if sensing what was coming. Crow stared at the key in his palm for a heartbeat, then another. The silence stretched to an unbearable point, broken only by the sound of his increasingly ragged breathing.

"A key," he said, voice flat and dangerously quiet.

"Just... another... key." Amy could see it coming now—the way his entire body coiled with tension, how his eyes had darkened to stormy gray, how a vein pulsed visibly at his throat. She braced herself, yet even knowing what would happen couldn't fully prepare her. Suddenly, his fist slammed into the wooden desk with such force that for a moment Amy thought he had broken it. Whoah! Amy flinched despite herself. She knew it was coming, yet she still got scared. She saw it in the manga, after all.

"Crow—" Lyra started, reaching toward him. But before she could get to him, Ash grabbed her arm with a shake of his head. What followed was silence as no one moved. Amy shifted uncomfortably. When she'd read this scene in the manga, she had actually laughed out loud. It had seemed like such a blatant plot device: build up tension for a big reveal, only to extend the mystery further. Classic serialized storytelling, giving just enough to keep readers hooked while withholding the real payoff.

She'd even made a singular post about it, thinking the author had gotten lazy or was just stalling for time. But standing here now, watching the genuine devastation on Crow's face, the humor drained completely from the situation. This was real disappointment etched into the features of someone who had been searching for answers, perhaps for years. The dramatic build-up followed by the anticlimactic, somewhat lazy reveal, now it felt cruel rather than clever.

Crow's fist remained pressed against the desk, trembling slightly with barely contained emotion. Amy swallowed hard, a knot forming in her throat. And I was looking forward to this reveal… She remembered having so much fun during this chapter that she forgot that her enjoyment had been at the expense of these characters, who now were real people. It was only now that she remembered. Thinking back, it wouldn't have been that different even if she knew they were real people back then...

Lyra stood frozen, her hand still half-extended toward Crow. Ash's grip on her arm had loosened, but neither of them moved, as if afraid that the slightest motion might cause Crow to shatter completely. Even Lain, usually so collected, seemed unsettled by the intensity of Crow's reaction. Eventually, Ash stepped forward, his movement slow and careful. He didn't speak, didn't try to touch him, just positioned himself where Crow could see him. His golden eyes held his gaze steadily.

The wordless exchange seemed to pull Crow back from the edge. He inhaled deeply, his shoulders rising and falling as he visibly struggled to regain his composure.

"The note," Ash finally said quietly, nodding toward the folded parchment still in the box. Crow's eyes flicked to it, then back to Ash's face. After a moment, he reached for the yellowed paper with his uninjured hand, carefully unfolding it. His eyes widened as he scanned its contents. After scanning the parchment, Crow's expression shifted noticeably. A complex mixture of emotions played across his face—shock, disbelief, and something deeper that made him look momentarily vulnerable.

"It's..." Crow began, then stopped, his eyes darting briefly to Amy before returning to the others. Ash stepped closer.

"What is it?" Crow hesitated again, clearly wrestling with whether to share it in front of her. His jaw clenched as he weighed his options. But finally, something in him seemed to give way. With a resigned exhale, he looked up at the group.

"It's from my father," he said, his voice lower than usual, carrying a weight that filled the room. Ash and Lyra exchanged significant glances while Lain's eyes narrowed slightly, focused intently on Crow's face.

"Your father?" Lyra repeated softly, her earlier suspicion forgotten in the face of Crow's obvious distress. Crow nodded once, sharply.

"Yes." He glanced at Amy again, a flicker of wariness in his eyes, but continued nonetheless.

"My father... who disappeared when I was little. This is his signature." He tightened his grip on the parchment, as if afraid it might vanish if he loosened his hold even slightly.

"What does it say?" Ash asked. Crow looked down at the parchment again, his expression hardening into something more controlled, more like his usual self. He didn't answer right away. Instead, he continued reading the parchment.

"It's written in Old Vernacular," he said after a moment, his brow furrowing.

"Can you read it?" Crow nodded, his eyes scanning the ancient script.

"Yeah..." Amy watched as Crow puzzled over the ancient text, his lips moving slightly as he translated the Old Vernacular. In the manga, Crow's ability to read ancient languages had been presented as just one of those convenient skills protagonists often possessed without explanation. Some readers theorized about it while most simply accepted it and moved on, herself included.

But standing here now, after seeing his outburst and reminding herself of how real he was, watching his fingers trace the strange symbols with such familiarity, the question burned in her mind. Why, and how? In addition, what was his father's box doing there? Because in the published chapter of the manga, it had never been explained. This looked like the kind of thing that would bring trouble in the future… The room was silent as Crow studied the text, his expression growing increasingly troubled.

Finally, he looked up, meeting their expectant gazes.

"It's a warning," he announced, his voice tight.

"And directions."

"To what?" Lyra asked, leaning forward. Crow reached towards the big golden key still in the box and took it in his hand, then turned it over in his palm.

"To something called The Library." Crow's fingers traced the word on the parchment.

"The text speaks of a place where all answers are found... This key… It unlocks the path to a chamber beneath the Academy."

"Beneath the Academy?" Ash straightened up, surprise coloring his voice.

"Like, right under us? How the hell has no one found it before?"

"Because, according to this," Crow tapped the parchment, "The entrance is hidden within the fourth floor of the Eastern Wing, which is strictly off-limits..." This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Amy shifted uncomfortably. She remembered skipping pages to the point where they reached the library since nothing really game-changing happened on the way there.

If only she had known that one day she would find herself needing that information… At least she got something from the headmistress' introduction to the Academy. That was the part of the Academy that she had especially warned students not to go in because of some weird temporal displacement, though she didn't specify what it was for. [Secret chambers, ancient warnings, forbidden areas... Are you ready to continue the first Act of the second Arc, Amy?] Act 1.

Amy trembled at the mention of it, but she quickly composed herself. The "worst" part of Act 1 was over. There were no more dangerous rituals with living humans to bring some eldritch horror into the waking world. Sure, it would still be quite scary, and there would be some fights, but they were more psychological in nature. The real horrible horrors wouldn't start until act 3, which is where Lain's death would take place… From now on, I won't fail…

The journey to the Library wouldn't be simple, but it wasn't the nightmare they had just come out of. She repeated herself that.

"The Eastern Wing..." Lyra's voice had dropped to a whisper.

"You mean the place Vanheim specifically warned us to stay away from?"

"Yes, that Eastern Wing," Crow replied, his voice steady despite the implications. His dark eyes remained fixed on the parchment as he continued reading.

"According to this, the warnings are... partially true. My father's notes say the displacement is real, but controlled. A defensive measure."

"Controlled by what?" Ash asked, leaning forward with interest. Crow's finger traced a line of the ancient text.

"He doesn't specify. But he does provide instructions on how to navigate it safely." The silence in the room stretched as each of them processed the implications of Crow's words.

"So..." Ash dragged out the word, breaking the tense silence.

"Are we actually considering this?" He crossed his arms, leaning against the wall.

"Just checking where we stand on the 'getting ourselves killed or worse' scale today." Crow didn't respond immediately. His gaze moved from the parchment to the key in his palm.

"I'm going," he said finally, his voice firm and resolute.

"Next week." He paused, looking at each of them in turn.

"And I want all of you to come with me. Even you, Amy." Amy blinked, momentarily caught off guard.

"Me?" she asked, keeping her tone carefully neutral.

"Why?" Crow's expression was unreadable.

"Because you've proven yourself capable in a crisis. And because... your unique powers might be valuable in this specific situation." His jaw tightened slightly.

"And if what this note suggests is true, then I might need all the help I can get."

"... and why should I go?" She had many reasons to go, but they didn't need to know that. The less they knew how much she needed to get there to prepare for the next acts, the better. This way she would get stuff for free. Maybe she could even get another favour from Crow. Lain, who had been quietly observing the exchange, suddenly stepped forward. Her silvery eyes fixed on Amy with unsettling intensity.

"... you are bluffing," Lain stated calmly, her timid voice cutting through the tension.

"... you would come regardless of what any of us say." What!? The directness of Lain's statement sent a jolt through Amy. Her heart skipped a beat, but she managed to keep her expression neutral, fighting the urge to react visibly. [She read you like a me. Hah! Get it?] Crow's eyebrows rose slightly as he shifted his gaze between Lain and Amy.

"Is that so?" he asked, his tone more curious than accusatory. Amy carefully composed herself, allowing a slight, noncommittal shrug to mask the surprise she felt. An uncomfortable silence stretched between them. Amy could feel the weight of everyone's penetrating gazes. The tension in the room thickened with each passing second. Eventually, Amy let out a dramatic sigh, breaking the silence.

"... I'll go." Crow stared at her with both a confused and thoughtful expression, saying nothing for a while before eventually nodding, seemingly satisfied.

"Good. Then, is everyone else coming too?"

"I'm in," Lain said quietly, drawing everyone's attention. Her silver eyes met Crow's with silent understanding.

"Me too," Lyra added quickly, straightening her shoulders as if preparing herself. All eyes turned to Ash, waiting for his response. He remained silent, still leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. His usual easy smile was absent, replaced by an uncharacteristically annoyed expression.

"Ash?" Crow prompted, his eyebrow raising slightly. Ash sighed dramatically, running a hand through his short hair.

"Am I seriously the only one with a functioning self-preservation instinct here? The fourth floor of the Eastern Wing… We seriously are going there…?"

"No one is forcing you to come," Crow replied, his tone cooler than before. Ash's golden eyes widened in mock offense.

"Oh, I see how it is. Trying to get rid of me already? After everything we've been through?" He clutched his chest theatrically.

"I'm wounded, truly wounded." Lyra rolled her eyes.

"Can't you just respond to the question?"

"Besides," Ash continued, ignoring her, "even if I wanted to go—which, to be clear, I don't, but obviously will because someone needs to make sure you all don't get yourselves killed—how exactly do you plan on getting onto the fourth floor of the Eastern Wing? The security around the Academy has been insane since the whole Building B nightmare thing." Right. After the blood ritual incident, patrols had increased significantly.

Teachers and security staff were constantly monitoring the grounds, particularly around restricted areas.

"There's another way." Crow's expression shifted, a mixture of determination and something darker settling over his features. He took a deep breath before opening his mouth once again.

"Through the headmistress' office."

"What?" Lyra gasped, her eyes widening in genuine shock.

"The headmistress' office? Are you completely insane?"

"Possibly," Crow admitted, the ghost of a smile flickering across his face before disappearing again.

"But with my ability, I've been studying the Academy's architecture for months. There's a hidden passage that connects directly from the headmistress' private study to various sections of the Academy, including the Eastern Wing."

"You been studying the academy architecture? For what?" Crow's fingers tightened around the key.

"My father is clearly related to this place. His fate... was closely involved with whatever happened here from what we know of his studies… I've seen the sealed entrances. Three of them. One in the library archives, one beneath the old observatory, and one..."

"One beneath the headmistress' office," Lyra finished for him. Crow's suggestion about using the headmistress' office hung in the air, creating a tense silence that no one seemed eager to break. [Many moments of silence lately here, no?] Eventually, Ash broke it with a low whistle.

"So our options are sneaking into the headmistress' private office—which, by the way, is probably the most heavily warded room in the entire Academy—or trying to get through the main entrance of the Eastern Wing, which is the second most patrolled part of the building?" He threw his hands up.

"Fantastic choices. Really stellar."

"Both sound equally impossible," Lyra muttered, twisting a strand of her hair around her finger—a nervous habit Amy had noticed in the manga but seemed much more natural in person.

"... not necessarily," Lain said softly, drawing everyone's attention. Her silver eyes were distant, calculating.

"... security patterns can be predicted. Guards make mistakes. This is something I learned after a long time of dealing with my family. Even wards have weaknesses..."

"So what are you suggesting?" Crow asked, studying her with interest. Lain's gaze refocused.

"... we should vote. Analyze both options objectively."

"A vote?" Ash raised an eyebrow.

"What is this, a democracy?" Despite his sarcastic tone, he shrugged.

"Fine. Let's hear the arguments." Crow nodded, his expression serious.

"The way I see it, the Eastern Wing's main entrance will be heavily guarded. The headmistress' office is more dangerous to access, but might give us a clearer path once we're through."

"The front entrance is at least familiar territory," Lyra offered.

"We've all passed by it before. The patrols are predictable."

"Yes, but there are more of them now," Ash countered.

"And they're specifically looking for students trying to sneak in there after what happened in Building B." Amy watched the back-and-forth silently, her mind racing. In the manga, they had gone through the front entrance—it had been a whole chapter of narrow escapes and close calls. They'd managed to get in but were caught on their way out. The punishment had been severe; a suspension, a fine, and a lot of extra work. But the headmistress' office... that was uncharted territory.

The manga had never explored that path… Moreover, she didn't know if she could follow them through the main entrance with her current capabilities. If only her powers could see that far, she would be able to make a more sensible decision. But she had a feeling—thanks to her mastery—that she wouldn't even get close to knowing what the better option was. A week was too much time. Some readers already speculated she knew things from the future, but they didn't know how.

She would have to make them believe it was part of her ability... But for now, though, she needed to take a path.

"I believe the office is the better option," Crow stated firmly.

"I've studied the wards. They're complex but focused mainly on keeping people out, not detecting movement within."

"And how exactly do we get past those wards in the first place?" Ash challenged. Crow held up the small golden key, the one he'd been carrying before finding the box.

"This isn't just for show. My father's notes mentioned that it can temporarily disrupt certain types of ancient wards—including those around the headmistress' office." Lyra frowned.

"You didn't mention that before."

"I didn't know before," Crow replied simply.

"The new parchment explained it."

"... we should vote now," Lain suggested, her quiet voice somehow commanding attention.

"... front entrance or headmistress' office."

"I vote for the headmistress' office," Crow said immediately.

"... office," Lain added with a small nod. Ash groaned.

"This is insane, but... front entrance. At least we know what we're dealing with there." Lyra hesitated, looking between them.

"Front entrance," she finally decided.

"Sorry, Crow, but breaking into the headmistress' office feels like asking for expulsion." All eyes turned to Amy, who suddenly realized she was the tiebreaker. The weight of their gazes felt heavy, expectant. Of course, last vote, what did I expect…?

"Well?" Ash prompted.

"What'll it be?" Amy took a deep breath and thought. A long long time passed of her just thinking, until she finally reached a conclusion. Let's just trust the MC, plot armor will help. Moreover, he is broken, as long as he is there…

"The headmistress' office," she finally said. Crow smiled, a rare satisfaction evident in his expression.

"Then it's decided."

"Great," Ash muttered, running a hand through his hair.

"Breaking into the headmistress' office, it is. Should I write my expulsion letter now, or wait until we're caught?"

"We won't get caught," Crow said with such conviction that even Amy almost believed him.

"Not if we follow my plan."

"And what exactly is this plan?" Lyra asked, crossing her arms. Crow's eyes gleamed with determination as he placed both golden keys side by side on the desk.

"First, we need to understand exactly how these work. Then, in a week or so, we begin." Amy felt a flutter of both anticipation and fear in her stomach. She'd changed the story already—steered them away from the path she knew led to trouble. But what awaited them in the headmistress' office was a complete mystery, even to her. This was uncharted territory now. Smart or dumb? Only time would tell. For now, though, she had other things to worry about. First divination class, and then Zayd.