Chapter 133: Quinn’s Problem

He placed a hand against his chest with exaggerated pride.

“Besides, they don’t call me the Veiled Summoner for nothing. I can handle myself, and I won’t let a bully frighten me away before I’ve even met him.”

Robin’s eyes widened.

“Wait. You’re the Veiled Summoner?”

Derek raised an eyebrow.

“That depends. What have you heard?”

Robin quickly got to her feet, her cloak shifting around her legs.

“You’re the one who defeated one of the strongest people in the King’s Domain, aren’t you? I’ve heard stories about you. People said you were incredibly strong, but I didn’t know you were the same person!”

Derek gave her a knowing wink.

“Exactly.”

Robin stared at him for another moment, seemingly trying to reconcile the confident student in front of her with the stories she had heard. Then her expression brightened, and some of the fear that had weighed on her face began to disappear.

“So you’re really willing to help me?”

“Yes. But I need you to understand something first.”

Her smile faltered slightly.

“What?”

“We aren’t going to charge into a confrontation without knowing what we’re dealing with. I want to learn more about Barry, his behaviour, and the people who might be protecting him. If we’re going to do this, we need to be smart about it.”

Robin nodded slowly.

“I understand.”

“Good. And if he threatens you again, don’t feel that you have to handle it alone. We can look for people who are willing to give an honest account of what they’ve seen.”

For the first time since Derek had approached her, Robin seemed able to breathe without struggling to hold back another wave of tears.

She gave him a warm, appreciative smile.

“Thank you. I honestly thought nobody would care.”

Derek’s expression softened.

“I care enough to listen. That’s a start.”

Robin lowered her gaze for a moment before looking up again.

“Then I suppose you’ll want to meet him.”

“Of course.”

Derek turned toward the school buildings, his earlier plans already pushed aside by this unexpected encounter.

“There’s no point waiting around if we want to understand what’s going on.”

Robin followed beside him, keeping her red hood lowered this time. She still looked nervous, but the presence of someone willing to hear her out had given her a little courage.

As they walked, she began explaining more about Barry’s habits, the places he usually visited, and the way he behaved when other students were around. Derek listened carefully, occasionally asking questions when something seemed unclear.

He did not yet know what sort of person Barry truly was, nor how dangerous his summon might be.

But he was determined to find out.

Meanwhile, in one of the administrative rooms of Amstral High, a different kind of discussion was taking place.

Kai entered the room with measured steps, his gaze moving across the people gathered around a long table. The administrative block was quieter than the main school buildings, and the room’s formal atmosphere made it clear that this was not an ordinary student meeting.

Arnold sat near the head of the table, with Goro and Thalia seated beside Tyga and Panthos. Harry stood to Arnold’s left, while an empty chair waited on the opposite side.

The arrangement appeared deliberate.

Kai recognised several of the people present, although he did not often have an opportunity to sit with them in such a formal setting. Their expressions varied. Goro looked composed and observant, Thalia seemed impatient to get started, and Tyga and Panthos were quietly waiting for Arnold to speak.

Harry, meanwhile, stood beside Arnold with the relaxed confidence of someone accustomed to being involved in important discussions.

Kai approached the empty chair and took his place at the table.

He settled into the seat, then glanced around at the others.

“So, what’s this meeting about?” he asked. “I was told it was important, but nobody gave me the details.”

Arnold folded his hands on the table.

“That is precisely why we’re here.”

He looked around the room, making sure everyone had his attention before continuing.

“I believe you all understand the purpose of this gathering. However, Kai is here for a slightly different reason.”

Kai raised an eyebrow.

“Am I?”

Arnold gave him a measured look.

“I invited you because I want you to understand how we organise and regulate matters within the school. You are the only student I’ve personally given this opportunity to because you’ve expressed an interest in becoming the next king to occupy my position.”

The room grew a little quieter.

Kai leaned back in his chair, considering the significance of Arnold’s words. He had expected the invitation to involve school administration, but he had not realised that Arnold intended to give him a closer look at the responsibilities associated with the position.

Arnold continued.

“If you intend to take my place one day, you need to understand more than the authority that comes with the title. You must learn how decisions are made, how disagreements are handled, and how we respond when the school faces a serious problem.”

Kai nodded.

“That makes sense. I wouldn’t want to take a position without understanding what it involves.”

“Good. Because leadership is not simply about giving orders. It requires you to understand the people affected by your decisions and to recognise when the rules themselves need to be reviewed.”

Arnold briefly glanced toward the other members.

“Now, let’s discuss the reason for this meeting.”

He opened a folder on the table and looked through the papers inside.

“We’ve been receiving an increasing number of reports concerning the students. The most obvious complaints involve the growing pressure from homework, class tests, and assignments. The workload has increased to the point where it is interfering with other activities, and the number of complaints has become difficult to ignore.”

Kai leaned forward.

“Are the students saying they have too much work, or are they struggling to keep up with the curriculum?”

“Both,” Arnold answered. “Some believe the amount of work is unreasonable, while others argue that the balance between theoretical and practical learning has become increasingly poor.”

He placed a document on the table.

“There’s another concern. The school’s general report book has been stolen.”

Kai’s expression changed.

“Stolen? The entire report book?”

“Yes. We have yet to determine who took it or why. Its disappearance is serious enough on its own, but it has happened at a time when we’re already dealing with several other issues.”

Goro frowned.

“That could complicate matters considerably. Depending on what the book contained, we may have lost access to information that would help us understand the current situation.”

“Exactly,” Arnold replied. “That’s why we need to examine the problems carefully instead of treating each complaint as an isolated incident.”

Thalia crossed her arms.

“Still, I don’t think we should pretend that all the complaints are unreasonable. Some of the teachers have been assigning so much work that students barely have time to recover between tests.”

Tyga nodded thoughtfully.

“There’s also the question of what the students are supposed to gain from it. If they’re too exhausted to concentrate, then giving them even more assignments won’t necessarily improve their understanding.”

Panthos, who had remained quiet until then, leaned forward.

“We should find out whether the workload is consistent across all classes. If certain subjects are responsible for most of the complaints, we could begin by reviewing those.”

Arnold listened to each suggestion without interrupting.

Harry then cleared his throat.

“Well, if you ask me, I think we need to understand why the students are reacting this way in the first place.”

Everyone turned toward him.

Harry stood with one hand resting against the back of his chair.

“Many students believe that they enrolled here to learn about their powers, talents, and skills. They expect to develop their abilities through training and practical lessons. When they spend most of their time preparing for theoretical tests, some begin to feel that they’re being held back from the very things they came here to learn.”

Kai nodded slowly.

“That sounds reasonable. A summoner might understand the theory behind a technique but still struggle to use it properly in practice.”

“Exactly,” Harry said. “Theory is important, but it shouldn’t completely overshadow practical development. If the students believe that written tests matter more than the abilities they’re supposed to develop, then we need to examine whether the current balance is working.”

Thalia gave a small nod of approval.

“At least someone understands what the students are complaining about.”

Harry glanced at her.

“I wouldn’t go that far. I’m not saying we should get rid of theoretical tests. Students still need to understand the principles behind their powers. I’m saying the school should make sure that practical training receives the attention it deserves.”

Arnold tapped the edge of the folder.

“That’s an important distinction. We cannot simply abandon academic standards because some students dislike examinations. However, we also cannot ignore legitimate complaints about the way the workload is organised.”

He looked around the table.

“Does anyone disagree with Harry’s assessment?”

No one immediately objected.

Goro considered the matter before speaking.

“I agree with the general point. We should review the balance between theory and practical work, but we need evidence before deciding which changes are necessary.”

“Agreed,” Panthos added. “We should also determine whether the increase in assignments was intentional or whether individual departments have been setting additional work without considering the overall burden on students.”

Kai rested his elbows lightly on the table.

“If the workload is becoming excessive, we should speak with the teachers and students before making a decision. Otherwise, we might end up solving one problem by creating another.”

Arnold looked at him with quiet approval.

“That is a sensible approach. We need to understand both sides before deciding what to change.”

For a moment, the discussion seemed to be moving in a productive direction. The members were considering the concerns carefully, and Kai was beginning to see how much thought went into managing the school.

Then a sharp sound interrupted them.

The door suddenly banged open.

Everyone turned toward the entrance.

Quinn stepped into the room with steady, purposeful strides. Her expression was colder than usual, and the tension in her face suggested that she had not come to participate in a discussion about homework or examinations.

She did not apologise for interrupting.

Instead, she walked toward the table, her gaze moving from one person to another before settling on Arnold.

Thalia leaned back in her chair and sighed.

“Oh, great. Is she going to turn this room into a refrigerator again?”

Quinn ignored the remark.

She stopped near the table, her eyes sharp and unwavering.

“Where is Mia?”

The question fell into the room like a stone dropped into still water.

For a moment, nobody answered.

Kai’s eyebrows rose. Goro looked toward Arnold, while Tyga and Panthos exchanged a brief glance. Harry straightened beside the headmaster, his earlier relaxed expression disappearing.

Arnold studied Quinn carefully.

“What do you mean, where is Mia?”

Quinn’s jaw tightened.

“I mean exactly what I said. Where is she?”

Thalia’s annoyance faded as she noticed the seriousness in Quinn’s voice.

“Wait. What’s going on? Has something happened to Mia?”

Quinn looked at her.

“That’s what I’m trying to find out.”

Arnold closed the folder in front of him.

“Quinn, take a breath and explain what you know. When did you last see her?”

Quinn’s fingers curled at her sides.

“I haven’t been able to find her, and nobody I’ve asked seems to know where she is. I’ve checked the places she usually visits, but she’s nowhere to be found.”

Kai leaned forward.

“How long has she been missing?”

“Long enough for me to stop assuming she’s simply avoiding everyone.”

The room fell quiet again.

Arnold’s expression grew more serious.

“Has anyone contacted her directly?”

“I’ve tried. I haven’t received a response.”

“Have you spoken to her classmates?”

“Yes. None of them could give me a clear answer.”

Harry exchanged a look with Arnold.

“Then we need to establish when she was last seen and whether anyone noticed anything unusual.”

Quinn turned toward him.

“Do you think I haven’t considered that? I’ve been asking questions all morning, and I’m still getting nowhere.”

“I’m not saying you haven’t,” Harry replied calmly. “I’m saying we need to organise what we know before we can decide what to do next.”

Quinn looked away, visibly struggling to contain her frustration.

Arnold rose from his chair.

“All right. This meeting has changed. Mia’s disappearance is now a matter we need to take seriously. We’ll discuss the other concerns afterward.”

He looked around the table, making sure everyone understood.

“If she is missing and nobody can establish where she went, we need to find out what happened. I want everyone to share any information they may have, no matter how insignificant it seems.”

Kai nodded, his earlier interest in the administrative discussion replaced by concern.

“I’ll help where I can.”

Goro folded his arms.

“We should also check whether her absence is connected to any other reports. If there are other missing students, the situation could be more serious than we realise.”

At those words, Quinn’s expression tightened.

“Other missing students?”

Arnold looked at her.

“Have you heard anything?”

Quinn hesitated for a moment before answering.

“I’ve heard that some students have been absent, but I don’t know whether their situations are connected to Mia’s.”

“Then we’ll need to verify that,” Arnold said. “No assumptions, and no rumours treated as facts. We will investigate what we can confirm.”

Quinn drew a slow breath, but the tension in her shoulders did not disappear.

“I just want to know where she is.”

Arnold’s expression softened slightly.

“So do we.”

Outside the administrative block, students continued moving through the school grounds, unaware that a serious discussion had begun behind the closed door.

Derek was heading toward a confrontation with a student known as the Big Bad, determined to help Robin stand up against the harassment she had endured. Meanwhile, Arnold and the others were beginning to recognise that Mia’s absence might require their immediate attention.

Neither situation had been resolved.

And as the afternoon continued, the questions surrounding Amstral High only grew more troubling.