The night was dark. After some thought, Twilight decided to follow him after all.
It was easier to operate at night, and following Karen to the records room would be more efficient.
He pulled a black shirt from the wardrobe and quickly changed into it, tied his tie with meticulous care, then put on his coat and straightened his clothes.
He adjusted his hair in the mirror, then turned and called to Yor, "The hospital just called. An important client needs a counseling session, so I might be home late."
Yor, who had been about to do the laundry, answered, "All right, Mr. Loid. Be careful on your way."
Twilight grabbed his briefcase and opened the door, then turned back to remind her, "Don't stay up waiting for me tonight. You two should go to bed first."
With that, he disappeared through the doorway.
Twilight hurried downstairs and hailed a taxi. "Take me to Eden Academy, please. Hurry!"
The driver was a middle-aged man with a full beard and a cigarette dangling from his mouth. He gave a lazy yawn. "Heading to school this late? You're not planning anything shady, are you?"
Twilight had no patience for him and simply tossed out two banknotes. "Drive. As fast as you can."
The driver's eyes lit up. He immediately took the money and slammed his foot on the accelerator. The taxi shot forward like an arrow, racing through the night, its tires screeching against the pavement.
Twilight watched the streets rush past the window, his fingers unconsciously tapping his knee as he silently calculated the time.
Karen had left three minutes ahead of him. At an ordinary taxi's speed, he would already be at least two kilometers ahead.
Eden Academy was fifteen kilometers from the Forger home. He had to arrive before Karen and alter the class assignments to ensure Anya ended up in the same class as the second son.
The plan sounded simple, but carrying it out was fraught with risks.
According to Miss Yor and Anya, Karen was very strong and had easily taken down four delinquents. Based on Twilight's experience, Karen could handle at least ten opponents at once. Fortunately, Karen was drunk right now. Twilight could only hope his vigilance had diminished along with it.
He also hoped Karen wasn't like Miss Yor, who stopped recognizing people when she was drunk.
Then there was Eden Academy's tight security. The archive room holding student records was certain to be a heavily protected area, with plenty of guards patrolling nearby. According to the intelligence supplied by his handler, patrols made their rounds every ten minutes. His timing had to be precise.
An opening-he had to seize the right opening.
As Twilight gazed out at the night, an idea had already formed in his mind.
The taxi finally reached the entrance to Eden Academy. The driver sighed in relief and pulled over. "Here we are. Eden Academy is private property, so this is as far as taxis can go. By the way, why are you in such a hurry?"
Twilight quickly took out his wallet and handed the driver another banknote.
"I have to make the right connections so my child can get into Eden Academy."
With those words, Twilight hurried inside.
The driver glanced after him and took out the three banknotes he had just received. "No wonder he was in such a hurry to get to Eden Academy-and so generous, too. This one fare earned me half a month's income."
"So he's trying to get his kid into Eden Academy through special means, huh? Heh. Eden Academy isn't going to change its rules just for you."
With that, the driver turned the car around and left.
Twilight emerged again in the darkness. Only once the taxi had vanished from sight did he relax.
Working as a spy in Ostania's capital, he had no choice but to be cautious.
The intelligence agency had eyes everywhere. Even a taxi driver could be one of its informants.
He took off his coat, packed it into the briefcase he had prepared, then hid the briefcase in a secluded patch of bushes.
Now wearing the black shirt beneath his coat, he took the sunglasses he had prepared from his pocket.
He was now dressed almost entirely in black, blending perfectly into the night.
Twilight walked briskly. The night was silent except for the occasional chirping of insects.
His steps were light and quick as he slipped through the darkness.
Before long, he came within sight of a familiar building.
It was where they had taken the entrance exam a few days earlier. Several teams of security guards were now patrolling the area.
He studied their routes for a while, then seized his chance and nimbly climbed onto the roof of an outer building. With its clear view and ample cover, it was an ideal place to watch for Karen.
Only school buses and cars dropping off students could pass through the school gates. Ordinary taxis could only drop passengers off here. By his reckoning, there was more than a ninety percent chance Karen would enter Eden Academy from this direction.
After about three minutes, a slightly unsteady figure approached.
The patrolling guards noticed the figure and came over with their flashlights raised. Only when they drew closer did they realize it was Karen.
"Mr. Karen, you look like you've been drinking. Would you like us to take you home?"
Karen waved them off, his head swaying slightly as his gaze discreetly took in everything around him.
Up on the roof, Twilight had the feeling Karen had seen him, but he couldn't be sure.
Maybe he's just drunk and happened to glance this way. I need to be more careful.
"No need. I still have to check the student records room. A few of the other teachers told me that people sometimes try to slip records in to muddy the waters. I'm going to take a look."
The guards exchanged glances, then went back to their patrol.
They had seen what Karen was capable of. During the animal rampage at the entrance exam, he had taken down that enormous cow in a single blow. He was far stronger than any of them.
Karen swayed as he walked, scanning his surroundings from time to time. Only after confirming Twilight had followed did he continue.
Soon, he reached the playing field. It was a wide-open expanse with no buildings, so Twilight had to leave the rooftops.
Then, following Karen's route, he reached the floor where the student records room was located.
Everything around him was pitch-black, with only faint moonlight filtering through gaps in the high windows.
The lights in the student records room were on, and Karen was inspecting it. To make things easier, he deliberately opened the window.
He then left the room. He would return in three minutes to close it again; otherwise, his pay would be docked.
Well, if you can't get it done in three minutes, Twilight, you're pretty pathetic.
Forger climbed up outside and took a look. The records room window was half-open. He quickly climbed higher, pushed himself up with both hands, and slipped lightly through the window.
Once Karen's footsteps had faded into the distance, Twilight moved quickly. He climbed up outside the window, braced his hands on the sill, and slipped lightly into the room.
The archive room was packed with filing cabinets. He quickly found the class assignment records, pulled out the second son's file, and changed his assignment from Class 5 to Class 3. Then he chose a Class 3 student's file at random and switched that student to Class 5.
With his task complete, he returned the files to their original places and retraced his route. A second-floor drop was nothing to him. He took a deep breath and jumped.
Just as he landed, he suddenly heard hurried footsteps.
He whipped his head around and saw Karen appear a short distance away. Twilight's heart sank. He knew he was about to be exposed.
Karen seemed to notice Twilight as well. He stopped, tilted his head slightly, and narrowed his eyes, as though trying to confirm something.
Twilight's breathing nearly stopped. He held his breath, trying to blend into the darkness.
"Mr. Forger?"
Before you continue