Aiden had just entered the Grand Magus’s chambers carrying the demon child.
Thamoryn looked up from her desk and adjusted her glasses to see who had stepped in. However, she was instantly taken aback when she saw Aiden carrying a child into her chambers.
"What are you doing? Why are you carrying a child in the Academy?"
Aiden adjusted the clothing covering the child so that she could see it properly.
This immediately forced Thamoryn out of her seat as she walked closer to be sure she was seeing correctly. "Is this..."
She recognized it almost immediately. You don’t see those tiny little horns and pointy ears on any other creature that wasn’t a demon.
"Yes," Aiden replied quickly. "This is a demon child, well, part demon."
He went on to explain how it all happened. The Grand Magus actually knew already, given that she had invaded Ingrid’s mind at some point. But she didn’t think it would ever have this as a result.
"For some reason, when I saw the child come out of that woman, I couldn’t bring myself to take the life of something that hadn’t asked to enter this world. But you? I could totally see you doing it, so here..."
He moved the baby towards the Grand Magus, who couldn’t help but take it from him.
"The mother has no use for it, and I believe as Grand Magus of the Kingdom, this is every bit your problem, more than it is mine."
He then turned away and used the transport magic spell to leave her chambers in an instant.
A devious smile ran across her lips, and she instantly summoned her messenger, The Crow, which appeared on her shoulders.
She said to it, "Tell Conrad I said he should come to my chambers at once. I think he’s going to like this one."
The crow flew away from her shoulders and outside her windows, making its way to deliver the information as given.
Conrad was the Head Scholar at the Research room. The scholars at the research room were charged with all magic experiments and magic item creation in the Kingdom.
...
Meanwhile, Kayden had just stepped into the throne room of his father, Lord Oberon. He made his way to the palace right after the guild’s return from the mission that never happened.
Ever since Arianna ended things with him, he hadn’t really been himself. There were times he blamed himself, and there were times he needed something or someone else to blame.
This was one of those times when he needed someone else to blame, coupled with the fact that the Grand Magus was clear when she said his father knew of the very methods that caused Arianna’s body to be taken over.
Perhaps if her body was never taken over, maybe things could have still worked better for him.
"What are you doing here?" Lord Oberon asked. The expression on his face was cold and expressionless.
"Father..." Kayden began but stopped after seeing Lord Oberon raise a finger.
"When you’re in my throne room, you will address me the way my other subjects do. Offspring of mine or not," Oberon demanded.
Kayden took a deep breath, as if trying to hold back his frustration.
"Your Grace," he began again, already knowing his preferred choice of title.
He explained why he was here, to make absolutely certain that his father knew of Thamoryn using some form of magic to have another soul possess the bodies of mages.
Then Oberon said, "Whatever Thamoryn does is done in the interest of this Kingdom. In that, I have no doubts."
Kayden was taken aback by this realization. His father indeed knew of this and had no problem with it.
"A woman I love and care about was a victim of her vile machinations, and you tell me you knew all along and you’re okay with it?!" Kayden questioned, his angry tone raised pretty high.
His father chuckled slightly and said, "Love? What nonsense? You think I married your mother because I love her? When I was half your age, I already understood the basics of ruling a Kingdom. You disappoint me greatly by standing here to talk about love."
"Your Grace, I..." Kayden wanted to argue back.
But his father interjected quickly, "Shut your mouth, I wasn’t done talking. Now you will leave my presence and return to the Academy at once. And next time you’re in my presence, you will do well to remember your tone. I’ll have you know that people have died for less."
Kayden went mute. He gritted his teeth in annoyance and then simply said, "Your Grace..." with a bow, before turning to leave.
He was brimming with so much anger and frustration right now. He had somehow expected that his father wouldn’t be in the know so that the Grand Magus would face full punishment at once.
He had hoped to bring Thamoryn to justice. That way, he would have made amends with Arianna for not being the one to have figured it out and saved her.
...
Aiden was currently along the general wing’s corridor, pondering his thoughts. "System, do you think I did the right thing?"
He was very much certain that Thamoryn would have no problems dispatching the demon child.
[I cannot give an answer to that, but I can say that demons are inherently creatures of evil]
Aiden shook his head and sighed, looking forward only to see Ambrose coincidentally walking towards his direction.
The very moment they both crossed paths, Ambrose fell on one knee from extreme exhaustion. He turned back towards Aiden with such a grim expression and stretched his hand out to cast a spell in retaliation, but unfortunately most of his mana had been drained, leaving him unable to do anything.
Meanwhile, Aiden had a smile on his face after he walked past Ambrose.
He had re-enacted the exact same theft spell that was used earlier today on his teammate as payback. Now Ambrose knew how it felt to have a taste of his own medicine.