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nThe temperature of the room suddenly dropped as it was suddenly filled with draconic energy from Aersus—the Soul Eater Dragon.

nAt this time, he fixed his molten gaze upon Rowena, the unsuspecting curator.

nHis draconic form, now humanoid, bore the weight of countless years, and a mere human could not receive such a gaze.

nRowena’s breath hitched.

nShe had spent her life unraveling mysteries, but this—this was beyond her capabilities. 𝘧𝓌𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦.𝒸ℴ𝑚

nWith a mere glance from Aersus, he ignited her very essence!

nThe room trembled.

nRowena’s scream curdled in her throat, but before it could escape, her skin blistered, her bones turned to cinder.

nShe crumbled in the blink of an eye, proof of the Soul Eater’s hunger, his wrath, and the abyss that churned within him.

n***

nOn the next day, the morning sun crept over the rooftops of Veravale, casting long shadows across the cobblestone streets.

nThe city stirred as the people woke up and started preparing for the long day.

nHowever, at this time, the museum, nestled in the heart of the district, seemed to be very busy even before the sun was up.

nApparently,?Rowena’s death was immediately known because of the guards who had been looking for her the whole night.

nAt this time, the investigators that had been called by the first responders arrived promptly…

nEach one bore a distinct aura, their expertise etched into their very beings:

nOne of them was Paranormal Investigator Priscilla Hoffman. Her black hair framed a young face similar to Aubrey’s age…?Well, she was in the same batch as Vale and the others in the Dark Arts Academy. This time, she was no longer with her twin brother and was working alone as a Paranormal Investigator.

nPriscilla’s eyes scanned the room, attuned to the subtlest disturbances. She sensed lingering energies—the remnants of Rowena’s demise.

n“She died without entering her Mystic State…” She muttered. Mystic State was the equivalent of Phantasm State in the Mystic Arts.

n“I can agree to that… This is intriguing… Whoever stole that Dragon Scale is definitely dangerous.”

nBeside her was Arcanist Bureau’s Special Agent Thorne Blackwood. His tailored suit belied the arcane tattoos that crawled up his arms. Thorne’s gaze swept the room, assessing magical anomalies. His fingers twitched, ready to invoke protective wards or offensive spells.

nHe couldn’t help but sigh as he didn’t expect that a powerful criminal was lurking in his city.

nIn the meantime, Occult Consultant Professor Noah Featherstar, the previous Club President of the Battle Arena Committee, where Vale belonged, agreed to their statement.

n“The criminal must be a Master Class Arcanist. I can’t find any clues as to how he escaped after killing the curator.”

nHis scholarly demeanor masked a fascination with forbidden knowledge. Noah adjusted his spectacles, examining the ashen remains.

nThen, if one looked closely, the book in his was filled with cryptic symbols. It was actually a mysterious Dark Grimoire that helped him in such investigations.

nHe then nodded at Priscilla since they somehow knew each other in the Academy.

nAside from these three, there were also other experts in various fields who were called to look into this matter.

nArtifact Expert Dr. Isolde Stone. Her gloves traced the edges of the Dragon Scale’s pedestal.

nIsolde’s eyes gleamed with reverence. She could tell that the Dragon Scale didn’t get taken away so easily. It seemed to have been triggered by some sort of Spell to activate.

n“The Scale was taken by hand, at the very least. A spell took it out, or perhaps someone activated it to take it away.” She explained.

n“That’s also my guess… The Sealing Formation Arts surrounding the treasure wasn’t forcefully destroyed from the outside but from the inside. The robber… or murderer, seemed to be capable of controlling the Dragon Scale.

nExorcist Sister Miriam spoke up. Her rosary clicked softly as she murmured prayers. She didn’t sense evil or malevolence energy, so she was sure that it wasn’t done by a devil or demon. Nonetheless, she could tell that the surroundings were filled with the aura of the dragon.

nFinally, Police Inspector Victor Hawthorne spoke up after writing all of their findings.

n“I noted it all. Is there anything you can find, or can you provide more clues? Perhaps about the identity of the culprit if you have something in mind. It would also be great if you could tell us Rowena turned to ashes.” Victor asked.

nHis trench coat, or perhaps his whole body, smelled coffee, and he seemed to have just woken up as well…

nHe didn’t seem enthusiastic about this case either.

nNonetheless, he knew that he had to get as much information as he had to get a decent report that he could show to his boss.

nHe listened to their replies once and noted everything down.

nFinally, he surveyed the room—the shattered glass, the slightly scorched floor, and other details to ensure that he didn’t miss any important detail.

nHis notebook documented mundane details—the mundane footprints, the clean surroundings, and others.

nAt this time, Noah, the Occult Consultant, adjusted his spectacles.

n“The Dragon Scale,” he mused, “held immense power. But why would someone target it? Is it to gain a new weapon or, perhaps, a ritual sacrifice?”

n‘I don’t like where this is going…’ Priscilla thought as she considered backing out on this one. Anyway, this doesn’t seem to be a paranormal case.

nMiriam also didn’t speak, and there weren’t any Demons or Devils involved, just like they initially thought.

nDr. Isolde Stone, the Artifact Expert, also crossed her arms as she knew that her task here was over.

nVictor’s pen scratched against the paper.

n“And how do we proceed?” he asked, his voice gruff.

nThey exchanged glances, their collective expertise converging.

nBut it was Miriam who spoke next. “I suggest that you seek guidance from the Dragon… of the Shadow Immortal,” she said.

nThe room fell silent. The Shadow Immortal—a name whispered in fear and reverence.

n“But,” Noah hesitated, “they rarely intervene. Well, you can probably try.”

nPriscilla squared her shoulders. “This crime involves a dragon scale,” she said. “We have no choice.”

nVictor could only agree, but looking at it, he could tell that the investigators he called were no longer interested in this case.

nHe tried to convince the Bureau’s Special Agent, the Paranormal Investigator, and the Occult Consultant to help him with the case, but they all refused!

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