After seeing Larsen's core, Maya ran straight toward the Charred Pavilion, seeking an audience with Maureen, the Village Club's queen of information. Although Maya didn't think it through, rushing ahead while classes were in session, surprisingly, she was able to meet with her right away.

'Does Maureen not go to classes?' Maya suddenly wondered.

However, there was no time to ponder such things. Rushing toward the most picturesque part of the pavilion where Maureen sat with tea already prepared, Maya slammed her hands on the dainty table and breathlessly made her request.

"I need the identities of students who had lasting effects from the corrupted beast attack. I'll give you Elena's cup size."

Although Maya felt dirty for selling out her friend, she was also acutely aware that such information was strangely in demand. The issue held precedence, and Maya knew that by coming directly to Maureen, she could skip doing her own tedious investigation and checking the credibility of rumours which were spreading like wildfire around the academy.

Maureen had her cup close to her lips and smiled. "Welcome, dear guest," she delivered her usual greeting. "I'm pleased to see you understand the business model, but, dearie, I have that one already."

Maya blinked. Instead of blurting out how she would already have such information, Maya calmed herself down and tried to think of another offer.

"How about Elena and Keith's status?" Maureen suggested. "What's going on between them? Are they on a break, broken up, something else? Many people wish to know."

Maya nodded in agreement.

It was a list of names Maya asked for, but Maureen went above and beyond, organizing a tea party with a peculiar set of guests the very same day.

During the lunch break, she revisited the beautiful Charred Pavilion for tea and biscuits. At the table sat Maya, Maureen, Larsen, Vito—a senior from Keith's lunch squad who seemed to be there only to support his downcast girlfriend Nerea, Muna—the Tachde-tu team captain, and a freshman student named Lucas.

Maureen diligently introduced everyone and opened up with some light conversation. Larsen and Nerea looked pale and drained, their shoulders slumping forward as if the air was pressing down on them. The rest of them seemed oddly on guard, as if they were in a dentist's waiting room instead of a tea party.

Lucas sat quietly, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the edge of his teacup. When Maureen introduced him, he flinched slightly before offering a thin smile. "Nice to meet you all," he murmured, his gaze flickering around the table.

"I've guessed you'd want to stick your nose into this eventually, Maureen, but why is she here?" Muna crossed her arms, her gaze firm on Maya.

Muna made a keen observation. Aside from Vito, who came as a plus one, and Maureen, the host, Maya was the only guest who hadn't been injured during the attack. Given the party's obvious theme—the recent panic—Maya stood out as an outsider.

"Now, now. You know the rules," Maureen smiled gently while making rounds, pouring tea for everyone into beautiful teacups. "Perhaps a thesis paper written by a young academic mind interested in the subject would emerge soon, discovering a way to solve your problems."

Though Maureen already knew of Maya's interest in corrupted beasts and strange oddities plaguing Amellan, she had never asked why Maya was so interested in the matter. It seemed she had made her own assumptions. For someone who wasn't privy to the secrets that were kept from them, an academic pursuit was a logical conclusion.

"It strikes me as curious," Maureen added. "You all faced danger together, but it seemed like you weren't even familiar with each other."

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They continued to discuss various subjects, not all related to the incident or the aftermath. Maureen worked well to keep the atmosphere pleasant and engaging. After sipping some tea and relaxing, Maya finally mustered up the courage to use her Soul Vision.

Maya didn't have to be told which of the students were the ones evaluated to have impaired magical abilities. It was all written on their elemental cores.

Muna, the leader of the counterattack, and the one who had the most injuries at the time, was surprisingly unscathed in the magical sense. Her core was strong and healthy—robust even.

Larsen's core, which she had already glimpsed at, and now confirmed again, that something was wrong with it.

Maya wondered what could have caused damage to the very source of magic of a mage. Did he overexert himself during the attack and strain it? Is something like that even possible?

She knew from Erik that one could directly cause damage to their own core, but also that Erik had extensive knowledge about the nature of magic that students here simply weren't accessible to. One's own body would suffer and start to break apart before their magical core could be affected by overexertion.

Lucas was in a similar situation to Larsen. Maya knew something had to be done about the loss of their magical essence, but simply didn't have enough knowledge to even imagine a solution.

However, Nerea's state was the one most concerning to Maya. The damage wasn't only on her core, but almost as if her very soul was grazed.

No. All of their damages were nothing like Erik's. It was like they were infected by malignant rot that simply wanted to consume them. Maya had an inkling that their states would continue to worsen, and no one could know what could follow.

As if Maya's unease called for her, Anastasia suddenly walked into Maya's view, her expression grave while looking at the students with damaged cores. It seemed Maya didn't have to explain her findings as she grasped the situation alone.

Maya wondered if Anastasia had a similar ability to Maya's Soul Vision, or if ghosts even needed it.

"This place… It's oddly quiet," Lucas whispered to Larsen while his eyes darted around the pavilion.

"What do you mean?" Larsen was confused, just like the rest of them who overheard.

"I don't feel their presence."

Nerea, who, until now, barely participated or lifted her gaze from the table, suddenly shifted her attention to Lucas and looked at him wide-eyed.

"Now, now, guys. It's rude to whisper in company," Maureen interjected. "Lucas, do you have some concerns?"

He shook his head and tugged at his collar, as if trying to free himself from an invisible constraint. Lucas refused to elaborate, and the rest of the tea party was uneventful.

Maya did her best not to pay attention to Anastasia as she walked around, observing the students at different angles, seemingly lost in her thoughts. Fearing others would notice if her eyes trailed someone who wasn't there, Maya focused on the living.

Fortunately, Anastasia's distracting presence didn't stay long, and she gently touched Maya's shoulder, telling her to meet her later.

The guests left, and Maya offered to help Maureen clean up. The tea party was incredibly insightful for Maya through the eyes of her secret powers, but she was curious why Maureen was so keen on helping her.

"You know I'm not researching or writing any paper, so why did you agree to organize this tea party?" Maya inquired.

"You know I love tea parties," Maureen chuckled, shrugging. "I'll use any pretence to gather groups of people who wouldn't naturally come together. It is always a great source of intel."

"So basically, I was being used," Maya concluded, disappointment painting her tone.

"I wouldn't say used," Maureen disagreed. "This was a tea party I was going to host anyway. Your commission came as a perfect excuse, but I also wanted to pick your mind on the subject." Maureen looked down, suddenly seeming rather gloomy. "You see, Maya, I like you because you seem more interested in unveiling the academy's secrets than in regular gossip. It makes me feel less insane not being the only one noticing strange patterns."

Maya's eyes widened slightly, unable to fully contain her reaction. "What strange patterns?" she asked cautiously, careful not to reveal too much.

Maureen stopped and stared at her strangely as if she was caught off guard by the question, a flicker of something unreadable in her gaze. Then a soft smile returned to her face. "Ah, what patterns indeed," she shrugged it off. "I guess I'm just blabbing nonsense. It seems I drank too much Veracillum tea today."

Maureen proceeded in a light-hearted tone, brushing past the subject, never to touch on it again.

"It's unfortunate not all guests showed up," Maureen added thoughtfully. "I think we would've been able to see something interesting if they did."

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