Summoned with an SSS-Rank Portal Skill-Chapter 344: Late Night Visit

He didn’t know what to say to the Headmaster, but William knew he couldn’t refuse his request.

"Of course I can take command, but won’t this interfere with my investigation?" he asked.

The Headmaster gestured with his hand and said, "Don’t worry. Classes are being canceled anyway, and no student will be leaving the academy. In other words, the most you’ll need to do is talk to them if any trouble arises."

If any trouble did occur at the academy, it wouldn’t be William who had to stop it—that was the guards’ job. But as the one in command, he would have to speak with the students.

William sincerely hoped no trouble would come. Enough problems were already heading his way. He didn’t want another.

"I’ll do my best to keep the academy in order," William said.

The Headmaster smiled. "If you manage well, you can be sure I’ll grant you a generous extra payment for your services. Not only for this favor, but also for the investigation you’re conducting. You could live several years without working if you wished, haha."

William wasn’t doing this for the payment, of course. The headmaster had left, leaving him alone in his room, deep in thought.

What had seemed like a stroke of luck with the headmaster’s departure had, in truth, turned into something far worse. William now had to face a mysterious mage who was on his way—and the chances that this was the very mage the Lich had spoken of were dangerously high.

"What now? How should I proceed?" he wondered, pacing restlessly across his chamber.

Brian and that enigmatic mage were now within the school’s walls. That made it even harder to extract the information he needed from Brian.

Knowing this, William realized he might have to act that very night. The plans had shifted. He couldn’t risk confronting Brian and the other mage at the same time.

And so, once more, William slipped out of his room under the cover of night.

Deep down, he knew he had to act before things became impossible for him. Yet, the plan would have to change.

The Lich had told him that the best way was to strike Brian inside the tunnels that led to the place where the Lich was imprisoned. That way, William could attack Brian in secret and avoid drawing the attention of any guards.

However, that would be impossible if William wanted to act that very night. Brian was inside his quarters. William would have to go there and attack him directly. That certainly made things far more difficult than they should have been.

"Should I really try this?" William reflected, unable to decide, "What if the mage arriving tomorrow isn’t the one I’m thinking of..."

In the end, it was a gamble. It could be the mage the Lich had spoken of—or not. Knowing that nothing ever came easy for him, William chose to act.

He went to Brian’s dormitory. Unlike most of the "ordinary" teachers who taught regularly, Brian lived in an isolated place.

The area wasn’t guarded. That was good. Since Brian preferred to remain discreet, having guards stationed near his quarters would only draw unwanted attention.

It had been the headmaster himself who ensured Brian stayed in that secluded location. Students had asked about Brian more than once, but the headmaster and the other teachers always dodged the subject, unwilling to reveal the real reason for Brian’s isolation.

When William finally reached the small cabin hidden deep within the academy’s wilder woods, he noticed a magical barrier surrounding it.

"I won’t be able to break into this cabin," he thought. "I’ll have to be invited in somehow."

The two were anything but close. The only thing they had ever done was exchange a few glances during breakfast, each trying to figure out exactly who the other was. But that was all.

In other words, it would be nearly impossible for William to show up at his cabin door without it seeming strange.

"I need to at least make this look as natural as possible..."

William decided to turn back and head to the bar. The courtyard of the magic academy was vast, and since both students and teachers essentially lived there, the place offered all kinds of restaurants and leisure spots.

One of those places was the bar, well-known among the guards who weren’t on duty.

As soon as he arrived, William spotted a few guards drinking. Since he was a familiar face at the school, they immediately recognized him.

"Well, if it isn’t Professor William coming for a pint," one of the guards said, raising a wooden mug brimming with beer. "Sit with us. We’ll buy you a round."

As much as William wanted to sit with them and drink, he had an important mission. He refused, which made the guards grumble a little, but nothing serious.

Everyone at the table was practically drunk, and the only thing that mattered to them was the alcohol. They quickly forgot about William.

William stopped in front of the bar counter and looked at the shelves behind it, seeing all the drinks they had for sale. The bar was quite versatile in that regard—after all, it had to ensure that everyone in the academy was satisfied.

"I’ll take that bottle of wine, please," William said, pointing to one of the many bottles lined up on the wall.

With the bottle in hand, William headed once more toward Brian’s cabin. When he arrived, he knocked on the door.

It would have been strange to knock during the day. Now, in the middle of the night? That was even stranger. He didn’t even know if Brian was awake. At least the lights were on.

It took a while before Brian finally answered the door. William was already beginning to think about leaving because of the delay. The intrusive thought of breaking into the cabin crossed his mind more than once, but of course, he did nothing. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Brian looked irritated as soon as he opened the door, which was understandable. However, the moment he saw who it was—and the bottle of wine in William’s hand—his expression brightened.

"William? Did something happen?" Brian asked, his brows furrowing.

Even without direct contact, both of them knew each other’s names. Brian was simply surprised that William knew where he was staying.

"Sorry to bother you, but may I come in? I brought a bottle of wine," William said, raising the bottle to show him.

It was sheer madness, what he was trying to do. William wasn’t confident at all that this would work. What he didn’t know was that Brian was practically addicted to good wine. The moment he saw the bottle in William’s hand, he couldn’t refuse.

"Come in," Brian said. "I’ll prepare two glasses for us."

William stepped inside, observing the interior of Brian’s cabin. It was simple, quiet. It felt as though, upon entering, all the noise from outside had vanished.

"Maybe it’s the magical formation he set up?" William wondered.

He placed the bottle of wine on the wooden table in the dining room.

"Did something happen for you to show up out of nowhere?" Brian asked. "Actually, how do you even know I live here? Practically no one knows this cabin exists."

At that moment, the atmosphere seemed to heat up, growing tense.