Reporting

"These are the data that each mage has checked. Time was a bit tight, so they probably only checked about half of them."

Fran picked up the reports she had checked. Each wall was now piled with more than a dozen reports. Although she hadn't finished checking them all, Fran could already see quite a few clues.

"Those mages who wanted to cover something up were quite clever; they knew that if some of their data didn't match the data of many others, it would be easy to find the problem."

Fran knew this and intended to use it for something, but Owen was clearly no pushover either; he manipulated the data, but who said he'd manipulate the problematic parts?

"In the normal data, there are occasionally some mages whose data is slightly abnormal, used to attract attention, while the data that truly points to problems is written down exactly as is, just like the other mages, in order to cover it up..."

"Moreover, it was done in a half-realistic way, with some problematic parts deliberately altered to make it even more difficult to find the truth."

At this point, even Fran had to admit that those mages who did what in the Propulsion Department were incredibly clever; no wonder they dared to do illegal things in such an important place.

Looking at the messy data, she understood that even with her expertise in Magic Inscription, it was unlikely she could find any evidence by using shortcuts like checking different places.

"In the end, we still need to honestly look at the data from the beginning."

Fran picked up the examination form made by the sorcerer Henry, and she believed that the form was genuine.

Moreover, the other party is currently the one with the fastest progress in the examination, Fran feels that she is very likely to find what she wants on the other party's examination form.

However, this was quite difficult. Each wall of Magic Inscription contained more than a dozen data points, and the Magic Inscription in the Propulsion Department were too vast, making it difficult for her to find any evidence from them.

"So, did you find it?"

Iris watched Fran with longing eyes. She was neither a technician nor could she become one, so she could only watch Fran search and see if she could find any evidence.

Fran simply kept her lips tightly closed, shook her head at Iris, and showed no joy in finding a clue.

Seeing this, Iris sighed and then calculated the time.

"Alright, Fran, it's getting late. I'll report this to higher authorities and have them send a professional Investigation Group over."

This is the only option left. Given the importance of this project, it's natural to ask higher-ups to send professionals to investigate whether there are any problems here.

However, this would likely force Iris to relinquish a significant amount of power, which would hinder Fran from obtaining any information.

Furthermore, Iris herself didn't want to seek help from the mages above her. She had finally gained control of such a crucial department, and what else did she want to do with that identity?

If Fran hadn't understood Magic Inscription, Iris would probably have already given up and reported all the information to the Alchemy School Council.

However, Fran happens to know Magic Inscription, which gave Iris a glimmer of hope that she could resolve the matter with Fran's help.

How did you get here?

Upon hearing the familiar voice, Iris turned her head and saw her mentor standing there with another mage. She raised her eyebrows.

Once the two had approached, Iris finally spoke and asked in return:

"Mentor, what are you doing here?"

Roderick hurried over, a slightly strange idea swirling in his mind. Looking at the Alchemy School emblem on Iris's chest, he finally revealed the general purpose of his visit.

"I'm here to inspect the Propulsion Department, Iris. I think you know the specific reasons."

He didn't even utter the words "top secret mission," because he knew Iris probably did, since Iris was the one who brought her into this top secret mission.

However, he initially only intended for Iris to participate, to be in charge of some peripheral Alchemy Device crafting tasks, and did not plan for Iris to be involved so deeply.

How did Iris end up in the Propulsion Department?

A smile appeared on Iris's face. When she received this mission, she knew this day would come, but it was just a bit unexpected that it had actually happened.

Iris lowered her head slightly, took out the special identification tag from inside her mage robes, and handed it to Roderick.

"Mentor, I'm the temporary person in charge here, for a reason I can't reveal."

Roderick's expression was quite interesting. He didn't know why Iris had gotten this position, but he remembered the specially marked Fourth Order Mage, combined with her identity as the person in charge of the top-secret mission...

Only Ms. Lexi would make such a mistake. Iris's bad reputation in the Alliance hadn't been spreading for very long. Lexi probably didn't know anything about Iris when she woke up last time.

That's why this kind of blunder happened.

He slapped his cheek with his right hand and sighed deeply. He shouldn't have dragged Iris into this top-secret mission; otherwise, Lexi would never have thought to ask Iris to take charge of the Propulsion Department.

Looking at Iris and hearing Iris use of the word 'mentor,' Alva finally understood Iris's identity and how inappropriate Iris presence was.

Faced with this unexpected situation, he didn't know what to do, so he turned to Roderick and asked.

"Roderick, what do you want to do now?"

He was at a loss for what to do in this situation, because appointing Iris as the temporary head here was procedurally sound.

Iris is Fourth Order Mage in the Alliance, very capable, and competent enough to handle the demanding work in the Propulsion Department. Her appointment process was also in accordance with regulations; otherwise, she wouldn't even be on the list of top-secret missions.

However, all the members of their council knew that Iris was actually not very suitable for such a top-secret mission.

Iris's stance was so prominent that almost no Fourth Order Mage dared to support her. Even her mentor, Roderick, remained neutral and urged those opposing mages to exercise restraint.

Moreover, Iris's current status in the entire Floating City is somewhat delicate. She is the Society President of the Northern Lands Society, and she came to the Floating City to accompany the mages of her academy to receive awards.

However, to this day, no member of the Alchemy School Council has publicly revealed Iris's identity or explained Iris purpose in coming to the Society.

None of them, including her advisor, would receive her in their office.

In this situation, Alva didn't know what to do either.

After a moment's thought, Roderick realized that although this was unexpected, the fact that things had progressed to this point was actually beneficial to the lineage of Miracle Alchemy.

This is at least a chance for Iris to come into contact with important matters of the Alchemy School. If she makes good use of it, it can give Iris more opportunities and strengthen the lineage of miracle Miracle Alchemy.

Furthermore, the cause of this matter was Lexi, the mage who conducted Eternal Vessel Experiment. She could be said to be loyal only to the Alchemy School, and it was difficult for other mages to criticize her decisions.

So in the end, Roderick tacitly agreed that Iris would serve as the temporary head of the top-secret mission's Propulsion Department.

He raised his head and then slowly said:

"Let her continue doing this. Changing her at this point won't be good for the final outcome..."

Alva knew Roderick would most likely say that, and he accepted it gladly; there was nothing he could do if he didn't.

Iris's expression remained unchanged; perhaps she already knew that even if the council understood that she had taken over the task in the Propulsion Department, no one would fire her.

This is, after all, a top-secret mission, and all the meticulous procedures are to prevent any unforeseen circumstances. She will not be easily replaced.

However, she needed to explain the current problems in the Propulsion Department to her mentor so that she could lose less power.

"Mentor, I have something to report to the inspector and need to request technical assistance."

Fran blinked to the side, knowing she couldn't participate in this matter, and could only stand obediently to the side.

"So far, no problems have been found during the inspection, and the initial assessment is that all functions are still operating normally."

"However, during our inspection, the mages in the Propulsion Department showed signs of resistance... We also later discovered some mages whose skill levels did not meet the department's requirements..."

"In conclusion, I believe we should request technical assistance and conduct a thorough investigation into the personnel situation within the department."

After listening, Roderick's face lit up with joy. He didn't know if Iris was telling the truth, but there was one thing he thought was crucial, and it was one of the things Iris had done well this time.

That means knowing when to concede and delegate your power. Sometimes, holding all the power in your hands can actually create a hidden danger of losing it.

Moreover, now that only he and Alva have discovered this matter, although Alva cannot decide whether Iris can continue to serve as the head of the Propulsion Department, he can also tell the other council members about it.

Furthermore, if Alva is dissatisfied with Iris afterward, he can use his information advantage to join others in finding fault with Iris, which will ultimately cause Iris to lose all power and be forced to return to the Northern Lands Society.

Iris's decision to concede here greatly reduces the likelihood of Alva making such a decision, because as a mage who unexpectedly gained control of the Propulsion Department, it's time for her to appropriately delegate her power.

He considered this an extremely clever tactic, knowing how not to easily treat other mages as enemies, but rather to win them over and make them his friends.

"If only Iris's affair at the Northern Lands Society could be handled this way," Roderick thought with a touch of regret.