Who Said A Necromancer Can't Be A Priest?-Chapter 50: The Gathering Storm (2)

"Nothing can beat fresh air."

Once outside, Aaran stretched his hands. Although he didn't stay long inside the hospital, he did not like the stuffy feeling it gave him.

"Your Highness, if you'll please," Donovan pointed at the carriage.

"Of course."

Unfortunately, he was being escorted to an even stuffier place: the headmaster's office.

Despite Amara's intervention, Igor wasn't interested in letting the kid rest. In his eyes, the three days he spent in the hospital were more than sufficient. Besides, he had questions he needed answers to.

The two of them got into the carriage, and off they went.

As they entered the room, Aaran noticed the strange hooded figures. He had thought Igor would interrogate him alone. That's why the priests being there came as a surprise to him.

"Don't mind them," Igor said, pointing at a chair. "Sit down."

Aaran followed. As he sat down, each priest stood by his side, their hands pointed towards his head.

"It's a measure to ensure you don't lie in our presence," one priest commented.

"If you tell a lie, we'd know. So I suggest you answer the questions truthfully," the other chimed in.

Aaran looked at Igor, who shook his head. It seemed he didn't want those priests there either. Then it must have been the Emperor's doing.

Oh well, it's not like anyone can question his decisions.

It wasn't unexpected either. Thankfully, he knew how truth-seeking magic worked and had already prepared himself. It was like a polygraph test, so as long as he believed his words were true, the priests wouldn't know the difference.

"I have no reason to lie, but it's reassuring to know it's being taken care of," Aaran smiled.

As a brainwashed fanatic of the empire, Aaran couldn't question their decision. If he did, then the five years he had spent fooling everyone would crumble in an instant.

"Before we begin…" Igor mumbled. "It's good to see you're doing well. You got us all worried there for a second."

"My apologies, Headmaster."

Igor nodded before taking out a list of questions from the Emperor's ministers. Donovan stood beside Igor to ensure he asked everything on the list, as it was the Emperor's wish.

"Let's begin. Why were you in the deep forest despite explicit instructions to remain within the boundary?"

Aaran took a deep breath before answering.

"I was setting up a camp when I noticed some strange men around," he said. "So I went to ask the knights for help. I found one and told him about it. Instead of helping, the knight hit me, and I blacked out."

He continued, "When I woke up, I was in the forest, bound to a tree in the clearing where you found me."

Igor raised an eyebrow before turning towards the priests, who nodded. There were no changes in the child's heart rate or other factors, meaning he was telling the truth.

"Who was that knight? Can you identify him?" Igor asked.

"Yes. I remember his face."

Aaran knew the hypnotized knight was collaborating with the cultists, so he saw no reason to let him be. He'd pin the blame on him. The knight would naturally deny the crime; however, to please the Emperor, the knights would force a false confession from him.

"Fine, we'll have a sketch drawn later. For now, let's focus on the questions," Igor nodded. "What did you see after waking up?"

"I saw the man who called himself the abbot… He was praying to a structure made of bone and flesh. He said I was an offering to the demons."

"What else?"

"…That's about it. He kept chanting for a long time and then untied me for the sacrifice. I knew that strange tower was something evil, so the moment I was freed, I used a mana blast on the structure, destroying it."

Aaran continued, "The abbot tried to stop me but lost one arm in the incident. The structure disappeared, and I tried to run away, but he caught me. That's when I remembered the flare and used it. You know what happened after that."

Once again, the priests nodded. Igor was skeptical again, but with the priests agreeing to Aaran's version, he had no reason to question his version of events.

After that, Igor kept asking many questions, primarily about the abbot and whether there was anything he said or did that stood out. But Aaran had no answers for that.

***

While the interrogation went on, Amara and Analeis waited outside. Amara paced back and forth, arms crossed over her chest. She hated this. She hated not knowing what was happening inside.

She had argued against the interrogation from the start. Aaran was just a child. What could he have possibly done? But she was more worried about those darn priests.

She didn't trust them and was worried they'd somehow find out about Aaran's necromancy. The sole reason she sent him there was to get rid of the priests, yet they were closer to him than they had ever been.

It wasn't until Aaran stepped out of the room that Amara let out a sigh of relief and hugged him.

"Are you alright? Did they hurt you anywhere?" she asked.

Her hands moved over from his face to his arms and shoulders, checking for any signs of injury.

"I'm fine, Mother." Aaran chuckled, shaking his head. "Really."

Before Amara could say anything else, Igor stepped out of the chamber.

"Your Highness, I might look like a monster, but I'm not one," he said. "I would never harm the one who saved hundreds of lives while putting his own at risk."

Amara scoffed. She didn't believe a word. After all, she had fought alongside Igor before and knew how ruthless he could be. But then something happened that changed her perception of him.

Igor bowed to her.

"I failed to protect your son," he said. "And for that, I apologize."

Amara's breath caught in her throat. Igor had always been a proud man. Yet here he was, lowering his head before her.

"I will resign from my position as headmaster," he continued. "And I will request the Emperor to appoint you as the next headmistress of the academy."

"No, I can't let that happen," Amara said, shaking her head. "You are the best teacher Aaran could have asked for. And I won't let you take the easy way out. If you want to apologize, make Aaran strong so he never ends up in such a situation again."

"It wasn't your fault, Headmaster," Aaran admitted. "It was my curiosity that put me in danger. If anything, I should be expelled."

At this, both Igor and Amara smiled, but before they could say anything else, a voice interrupted them.

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"How cruel of you, young hero, to ask for your own expulsion," a masculine voice roared. "Especially when I came all this way to recognize and reward your bravery."

Instantly, everyone was on their knees, even Aaran. Only Donovan raised his head, welcoming the man.

"Welcome, Your Majesty."

Emperor Runedral had arrived.