"Okay." Hesta set down the report in her hands. "I'll take you there."
The two left the study, crossed the corridor, and headed toward the room where Teacher Boheng was staying. As they passed through one of the halls, Jahadorei brushed past them.
"Wait!" Jahadorei turned around, and Xia Yixue and Hesta stopped at the same time. "You're headed this way... Are you looking for Teacher?"
"Mm." Hesta replied, "Did you just come from his room?"
"He's not there," Jahadorei said. "I guessed he might have gone out. I knocked for ages, but no one answered."
"Did he leave without saying goodbye?" Xia Yixue asked.
"No, probably not. Maybe he just went for a walk," Jahadorei replied. "I was planning to come back this afternoon—but why are you looking for Teacher?"
Hesta and Xia Yixue exchanged a glance.
"Uh, there's something you might know about too." Xia Yixue walked over to Jahadorei. "Last night, I saw him take you and Eunice out of the auditorium midway through, and none of you came back after that..."
Jahadorei listened to Xia Yixue with a frown. From both her tone and what she was saying, it seemed like she had come looking for trouble.
"Yes," Jahadorei answered curtly and firmly. "What about it?"
"Was Eunice beaten?" Xia Yixue asked. "Because I saw—"
"You don't think Teacher beat him, do you?!" A flash of anger crossed Jahadorei's face, but she quickly realized that the suspicion was understandable—after all, with Eunice's skills, who besides Teacher Boheng could have beaten him?
"You've got it wrong." Jahadorei exhaled. "Eunice hit himself."
"...Hit himself?" Xia Yixue was utterly astonished. "But he was hurt so badly—"
"How is that badly hurt?" Jahadorei said dismissively. "He had a little argument with Teacher last night, got so angry that he slapped