"Did you hear? Last week, all the professors holding posts in the Magic Department were summoned to the Royal Palace for questioning. Apparently, the punishments were pretty severe."
The students at the Black Castle no longer thought of it as a frightening place. They affectionately called it "school." After all, apart from officially calling itself a school and dividing them into classes, it had left nothing out.
"What? Seriously? What for?" "I heard the Nobles' Council accused the professors of dereliction of duty."
Early that morning, some students checking the course board in the little square outside the main teaching building were whispering among themselves. Similar clusters had gathered elsewhere, too.
Of course, the students could not have learned about the missing Holy Relic right away, and might never learn about it at all. But a great many came from noble families and knew something about the possibility of an Investigation Team being dispatched.
Jenny and Hathaway were there, too. Since Marlin had advanced to the supernatural tier, it was often just the two of them together, though a few new junior girls were always tagging along. They had also heard the rumors.
"An Investigation Team? No way! That's really serious!" One junior girl covered her mouth as she spoke, looking at Jenny and Hathaway.
"Is it true?" Jenny frowned and hesitated before finally speaking.
"I'm afraid so. Last week, I was in a special Secret Realm and saw the professors heading to the Royal Palace in a group. That must have been when they went in for questioning."
Hathaway spoke with a worried expression as well.
"I've heard something about it, too. Apparently, it's because of the school's reforms. The reforms Professor Jonester is leading have run into resistance, and the Nobles' Council wants to intervene."
"What?" "Would Her