Nanomancer Rising: Divine Alchemist Reborn as Academy's Worst Teacher
Chapter 47: Spreading news (Cascading Collapse - Part 2)

Chapter 47: Spreading news (Cascading Collapse - Part 2)

Tap, tap, tap.

Nate’s finger rhythmically bashed against the small coffee table he sat at.

Located in the open garden of one of the popular cafes, it fulfilled all the criteria for an office of his two jobs.

The relatively more important one, of Tesh’s official secretary, and the legacy one, of her spymaster.

As a quasi-public figure of Tesh’s limited faction, he was the main link between her and any other elite that wanted anything to do with Tesh. That’s why he happily enjoyed the open outdoors in everyone’s view, making himself easily accessible and seen at all times.

Which made it the perfect cover for his second job, constantly providing him with alibis... and an inconspicuous way to get the information.

By now, Nate had long since left his small organization to grow and work on its own, adopting the mindset of going as hands-off with them as he could, trusting in the structures he had painstakingly established over his first two years at the academy.

Which is why, exactly a minute after his three taps, one of the cafe’s servers approached with a cup of fresh brew and a small handful of letters and the most recent newspaper.

On one hand, today was supposed to be another, relatively calm day.

Nothing out of the norm was supposed to happen, and there were no movements detected at any other faction that could indicate some trouble brewing. By all means, today was supposed to be another delightfully mundane day.

The news in the paper had nothing alarming in them either. Not even the general and informational periodic hidden within the newspaper hinted at any reason for potential worry.

And yet?

’Something is brewing.’

Turning his eyes away from the news, he took a sip of the fresh brew and heaved a bored sigh as he looked down the street, gathering his mental strength before proceeding to open the two tiny letters hidden within the intelligence report from the academy’s prime information guild.

The news one could buy was only good enough. And Nate, to his dismay, belonged to a rather middling faction, with no more than a few elites making up the bulk.

By all means, Tesh was the one leading the group... but while not a force to be exactly trifled with, they were nowhere near the level of the truly monstrous factions of the few student powerhouses.

Without the backing of a powerhouse, Nate could only buy up to a certain level of information anyway.

And it was in those two small letters that his organization passed on the news, including the daily summary of the news.

"(Raised by direct relation to the Lady) Due Process: There are news of infamous teacher Theo getting arrested and brought over before a tribunal. Related: Reported a considerable number of the teaching elites to be missing from their routine."

’That’s...’

Nate quickly glanced over to the other piece, soon to furrow his brows.

"Notice: Unusual stir in the Dreydarh faction, big/contained event to be expected. A huge number of faction overseers involved."

"Young Sir?"

Only when called out did Nate realize one of the cafe’s servants now stood a few steps away, nervously hooking her fingers against the edge of the empty platter she pressed against her chest.

While originally the employees at the cafe belonged to Nate’s organization, they had long since been replaced by the staff only aware of Nate being their regular client with a particular inclination towards receiving his factional correspondence at this exact spot.

And given his relatively public persona, while they had no clue about Nate’s other job, they were there to help him arrange the meetings with other factions.

"A young master from the Buhia’s house is requesting an urgent meeting," the girl nervously reported, clearly new to the job.

"An urgent one, huh?" Nate paused for a moment. "Well, invite him in and offer him something to drink," Nate smiled, hoping to dispel some of the girl’s nervousness with a simple, easygoing smile. "I will join him as soon as I’m done with stuff here, be sure to tell him that."

"Yes, young sir!"

Brightening up a little, the girl nodded before turning on her heel and skirting off to the cafe’s main building.

’She ain’t half bad,’ looking after the shy girl, Nate smiled. ’Maybe I should partake sometime later...?’

Despite his pristine age, Nate was more than just aware of his charm. And while he mostly used it purely for the sake of benefiting his cousin, he knew other means of putting his face and overall good looks to a much more relaxing use.

’Yeah, I’m stupid,’ Nate quickly laughed off his momentary desire. ’You don’t screw where you work!’

With that thought now gone, he stretched his hands out before scribbling a few words on the paper and then leaving it on the table, held down by the now empty cup of the brew. He then stood up and walked back to the inn, leaving the note to be discovered by one of the staff constantly on the lookout for any of Nate’s signals.

He knew what to look for, and the moment Nate left, another servant rushed to collect the note and then read it, before folding it back and, after giving his replacement a knowing look, opting to leave in the direction opposite to the cafe’s main building before breaking into a hurried jog in the direction of the students’ dormitory.

//\ //\ //\ //\ //\

"He..." Julius hesitated.

But...

The way he escaped with his eyes, turning as if to use his own body to block anyone’s line of sight towards his face, the way he squirmed while standing still...

It was all too over the top for it to be real.

’Another trap?’ Theo thought, his brain already analyzing various possible factors and ways in which the situation could go from this new point.

"When I came to find him, he wasn’t in his quarters," Julius shrugged his shoulders, his anxiety suddenly all gone as if it was never there to begin with. "I bet he will be back by midday for our training, but I can’t even fathom where he might be until then."

Surprisingly, this off-handed remark earned Julius a wave of acknowledging murmurs.

It was a vibe Theo really didn’t want to see.

The vibe of the crowd sympathizing with the other side!

’Must be something related to teaching, I guess?’ Theo thought, opting not to waste time asking about the issue, not when every word that came out of his mind had to be pretty damn perfectly measured and aimed.

This wasn’t just a conversation of two friends that happened upon each other on the market, it was a damn trial! And one that could greatly affect his future to boot!

"Then, allow me to give you back the very words you offered me just a few moments before," Theo sighed out before speaking out while shaking his head. "The person who reported about the crimes that I’m now accused for, the only one who in any way or form links me to whatever it is you say I’m guilty off... can’t be found?"

Theo shook his head, only to then allow the fatest of smirks to flower on his lips.

"How very convinient, isn’t it?"