12

Chapter 12

Central Plaza, Cornell Academy, City: Three Prongs Fork, Republic of Shantu, Continent: Barat, Year 2050, Planet: Grimoire

Meanwhile, Director Moline, Commander Darmono, Probation Officer Brinton, and Lamberton were in a conference call with the board of directors of Cornell Academy. None of the officers were in the mood to put up with any accusations or threats and demands to get the eight siblings or Tinroy expelled from the academy.

Instead, they flipped the scenario that the board of directors envisioned into something else entirely. As a result, a new board of directors was immediately implemented, and the original board of directors was expelled and arrested before they could escape from their various abodes.

There was a complete shakeup in the academic community. Later, Brinton learned that it wasn't only the Cornell Academy that had gone through a similar shuffling. All of the learning institutions were cleaning out the corrupted officials, instructors, and students from their enrollment registries.

"What made this possible?" Brinton was honestly shocked.

Darmono, Lamberton, and Moline glanced at each other before shrugging.

"In a word, Sapphire Payne." Director Moline stated. "She's kept her ability under wraps, but she's got a powerful precognitive skill."

Brinton winced because he could just imagine what might happen if she wound up in the wrong hands. "Is that why she and her sisters were being harassed?"

Darmono shook his head. "No, that harassment was just greedy lustful males looking at them with temporary seduction in mind." He folded his arms. "At least that is what was commonly spread around."

Brinton sighed because he felt a headache beginning to build in his temples. "I don't know what to do about those renegades." He muttered in exasperation. "This reminds me too much of Tinroy in his earlier years."

Moline and Lamberton coughed, hearing that, and Darmono rolled his eyes.

Darmono addressed the subject with amusement. "Well, regarding that matter. It seems they have a common sire, and for once, it isn't me." He grinned. "Yes, they're dragons, but they aren't purebloods."

Brinton threw his hands up into the air. "So, who is their sire?" He sighed. "Or should I put it another way who was it?" It did occur to him that the sire wasn't alive.

Lamberton exhaled slowly. "My younger brother, Sonrisa Monte Lamberton." He folded his arms. "He was the only chameleon born in the family that survived to jump four times and kept following Davina Glasson around."

Brinton frowned. "So, the last time was?"

Director Moline closed his eyes. "Amos Denbigh."

Lamberton nodded in confirmation. "The previous times were Tinroy, Frost, and Payne. Therefore, the fourth time was Denbigh." They all grimaced at that name.

It was infamous for having been part of a piracy group that ran rampant in the oceans of the Mediterranean and Caribbean portion of the seas of the western and eastern oceans. Lately, they have even active in the northern and southern areas as well.

Commander Darmono grimaced with regret. "Huh, no wonder she was cursed in the end." His gaze was somber. "Not even Aryx Payne was willing to acknowledge this mishap as partially his fault."

All the men frowned and sighed, shaking their heads. "Well, the past is that." Director Moline regarded all of them. "My main concern is these three individuals." He pushed a folder that was the same as what Harper carried with him. "How are we going to explain to Grifton about their actual circumstances?"

The other men looked at the names and faces before wincing in realization. "So, they are all related in truth?" The fact that the three had been illegal conscripts hadn't set well with any of them.

The fact that they were related to eight of the strongest known young adventurers and hunters who'd entered Cornell after disdaining both Fremont and Fang's Cliff academies? That would create a world of trouble no one wanted to address right now.

Unfortunately for these four men, they would have to come up with a good explanation for Grifton who thought that his quadruplets were dead this entire time. The fact that they were, but were actually very much alive, but unaware of his existence now that was troublesome.

"So, they still haven't recovered their memories, hmm?" Commander Darmono frowned over that discrepancy. "I find that exceedingly suspicious because now I'm wondering if they're under some kind of compulsion that isn't allowing them to remember."

"I did learn who their mother was after a while." Director Moline told all of them. "She was from a very distinguished noble family who'd participated in a series of illegal breeding experiments."

Brinton was shocked. "So, what was their criteria to even do that to someone?" He demanded in horror.

Commander Darmono grimaced. "It is a common enough ending for such unfortunate young women, and occasionally men too." He waved a hand when Moline glowered at him.

Even Lamberton grumbled. "Just let Moline continue. I want to hear this as well." That finally shut the other two up and they merely thinned their mouths in ire.

Director Moline's eyebrows lowered in anger as he calmly explained. "Evidently she was viewed as only fit for breeding because she'd disappointed them in being a null, and completely void of magic, latent or even recessive."

It was indeed just as Commander Darmono predicted. All four men frowned in disgust. "What a mess."

"Do we know anyone who could unravel such a nasty compulsion spell?" That was something that had all of them confused and uncertain if they knew anyone or not.

Darmono shook his head. "No one, not in the general area right now that I can think of." He shrugged dismissively. "Do keep in mind that we're dealing with someone who has decades of experience doing this crap."

The men sat in glum silence. What a way to reach an obstacle that didn't have an obvious hurdle they could overcome.

"This is going to take some extra investigation," Lamberton murmured. "Do we even have the resources available?"

Darmono shook his head. "Well, officially not there isn't a reason to investigate, yet."