Lin squeezed Ren tighter, as if wanting to protect him from the tense atmosphere that had formed.
But quickly they felt their bodies relax... Breathing in the atmosphere that the mushroom had created.
"Fascinating," Selphira commented, feeling the atmosphere. "Well, since you insist on staying then you can wait..." she turned to Victor. "What were you saying about teaching lessons to my future protégé?"
"Your what?" Victor blinked in surprise, his composure slipping for the first time.
"Oh, didn't you hear me?" Selphira smiled sweetly, though steel lurked beneath her gentle tone. "As leader of the Ashenways, I'm taking a personal interest in this future young noble's development."
Wei groaned audibly, slumping further in his chair. Julius hid a smile while Zhao watched with evident amusement, clearly enjoying the show.
"You can't simply..." Victor began, his authority crumbling before the elderly noble's presence.
"I can't?" Selphira arched an eyebrow, her smile never wavering. "How curious. I wasn't aware that a single prince, one whom I taught as a child, could dictate whom I may or may not protect."
Victor choked on his own indignation while Lin finally released Ren, who took a dramatic gasp of air.
"Now," Selphira sat gracefully in a chair that no one had offered, commanding the room's attention with effortless authority, "why don't you tell me exactly what's happening here?"
After the director explained the situation, Sirius's face showed genuine interest for the first time.
"The ring has been released?" his eyes fixed on Ren with predatory intensity. "And these children know where it is?"
"Apparently your daughter also participated in the incident so you should ask her directly," Selphira commented casually, though her words carried a sharp rebuke. "In fact, since I'm here, I should make use of my visit to see Liora. Perhaps she knows something more..."
Sirius frowned at the mention of Luna but didn't respond, his cold demeanor growing more rigid.
"Where is the ring?" Victor pressed Ren again, but the truth remained unchanged.
"As I said before, it disappeared," Ren responded with the same tranquility. "Poof."
"Maybe we should focus on his strange creature," Wei suggested nervously, fidgeting in his seat. "Something tells me it must have something to do with all this... What we saw before..."
"Ah," Selphira interrupted, exchanging a meaningful look with Lin. "That would be in very poor taste."
"Poor taste?" Victor arched an eyebrow, his voice dripping with skepticism.
"Of course," Selphira smiled kindly, though her eyes glinted with challenge. "After all, how many here freely share their beast cultivation secrets?"
An uncomfortable silence fell over the room as her words hit home.
"The royal family's Qilin," she continued, "can any student find information about its cultivation in the academy library?"
Julius and Victor exchanged looks, unable to counter her point.
"The high ranks of wolverines either, the director's phoenix..." Selphira continued listing, each example another nail in their argument's coffin. "Are there any books about the final ranks of Victor's eagle? Or about Sirius's White Celestial Tiger?"
Sirius tensed visibly, his shoulders going rigid at the mention of his beast.
"Even I," Selphira smiled, "would never share with you the secrets of my family about cultivation of my Black Turtle."
"That's different," Victor began, but Selphira raised a hand, silencing him effortlessly.
"Is it?" her smile turned sharp as a razor. "Wei and Zhao are the only ones here whose beasts have publicly available cultivation information. And that's only because researchers were properly compensated for it."
"The situation requires..." Victor tried to argue.
"What?" Selphira interrupted softly, her gentle tone carrying more force than any shout. "That a child reveal his cultivation secrets without compensation? Without even being properly asked permission?"
Lin, Zhao, the director and Julius nodded silently, acknowledging the truth in her words.
"If you're so interested," Selphira continued, her logic inexorable, "you should make a proper offer. Negotiate appropriately. Not interrogate a child with threats to steal secrets that might as well be familial."
"Familial?" Sirius snorted derisively. "He's barely iron rank... he's far from even being the lowest noble rank and…"
"And yet," Selphira smiled, triumph gleaming in her eyes, "he already has secrets that all of you are desperate to know. Fascinating, don't you think?"
Lin, who had remained close to Ren throughout, hid a smile.
"But the ring is more important than any cultivation secret," Sirius tried to redirect the conversation.
"Ah, yes," Selphira nodded sagely. "The ring that, according to all testimonies, simply disappeared. Shouldn't we stop bothering children to fix our problems and start looking for our lost things ourselves then? Like adults."
"This is ridiculous," Victor complained, though his authority continued to crumble. "We can't simply..."
"Can't what?" Selphira interrupted again, her voice sharp. "Respect the same principles we demand for ourselves? Or do rules of humanity only apply when they're convenient?"
Ren watched the exchange with fascination while his mushrooms pulsed softly.
"Cultivation secrets are one thing," Victor crossed his arms, trying to regain ground. "But this is different. The boy is too suspicious."
"They found a Yino spy in the school," Sirius added. "Victor is right, Selphira. We can't ignore the coincidences..."
Selphira exchanged a look with Lin, who nodded almost imperceptibly. The Ashenway leader sighed with resignation before turning to Ren.
"Very well," she smiled while leaning toward him. "Let's make this simple. Just answer yes or no. Understood?"
"Were you born in Yino?"
"Have you ever been to Yino?"
"Do you work for someone from Yino?"
"Do you have contact with people from Yino?"
"Have you received training from Yino?"
"Have you been offered anything from Yino?"
"Have you considered living in Yino?"
She asked him dozens of questions...
Each answer was clear and firm while the adults analyzed for lies.
"You know what?" Selphira straightened, satisfaction evident in her bearing. "I think we can conclude this interrogation."
"Just like that?" Victor stepped forward, disbelief coloring his voice.
"Just like that," Selphira nodded with finality. "You can maintain surveillance on the children without interfering with their academic life or basic privacy."
"But..." Sirius began.
"But nothing," Selphira took Ren's arm gently. "We're leaving."
Victor advanced, his Qilin manifesting partially. "You can't simply..."
Selphira stopped at the door and turned slowly. Her smile turned dangerous, decades of power radiating from her slight frame.
"Want to test that, Victor?" her voice softened to almost a whisper. "Or would you prefer everyone to know about that little boy I so fondly called 'little bird'?"
Victor visibly paled. Julius had to cough to hide a laugh while Wei looked between them with horrified fascination.
"That was decades ago," Victor protested, though he took a step back.
"And you think I've forgotten?" Selphira arched an eyebrow. "My memory works perfectly. Want to test it?"
"That won't be necessary," Julius intervened, clearly enjoying the moment. "I think we can all agree that respectful surveillance is sufficient."
"But the ring..." Sirius insisted.
"Look for it if you want it," Selphira responded calmly. "Or don't. Either way, torturing a child with interrogations won't make it magically materialize."
"We weren't torturing..." Ignatius began.
"No?" Selphira interrupted. "Five powerful adults intimidating a first-year student. What would you call it?"
The silence that followed was eloquent.
"That's what I thought," Selphira smiled. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm taking this young man with me. And Victor..." her smile widened, "remember that birds are adorable creatures and qilins are so benevolent they avoid stepping on grass."
As they left, Ren couldn't help but ask in a low voice: "Did you really call him 'little bird'?"
"Oh yes," Selphira laughed softly. "It's his worst fear that others will learn why."
"Because of ego," Selphira winked at him, "but sometimes princes need to be reminded that power comes in many forms. It's not always the strongest or loudest who wins."
Behind them, they could hear Victor muttering something about "manipulative old witches" while Julius and Zhao laughed openly.
"Besides, back then," Selphira added as they walked away, "he sang surprisingly well."