C3 I Won't Take the Blame

Odin finally came to the realization that it was those people who had discovered Leo had turned into a demon.

It made sense that they would think this way. According to the game's lore, the Six Gods' control over the Whitehawk Principality was merely superficial. In reality, the original deities of the land, referred to by the Six Gods as the Old Gods or Evil Gods, were the true rulers in the shadows.

These gods didn't possess the boundless power of the Six Gods, so they only granted their followers minor benefits, such as using certain methods to stimulate their bodies and induce a berserk state.

Those who underwent this stimulation experienced an irreversible transformation and were thereafter known as Demons.

Yet, Odin harbored doubts. Ivywood University was under the domain of the God of Wisdom, and most people there were either his followers or students who had faith in science.

It was puzzling how there could be Demons who worshipped the Old Gods in such a place.

While Odin was lost in thought, a man burst out from the nearby crowd.

"Odin, why are you still here? Did you hear that something's happened to Mentor Carte?"

Odin turned to see that it was Bud, his good friend from Ivywood University.

He quickly approached Bud and briefly explained the recent events.

Bud listened intently, then finally spoke up, "So you're saying you stayed here for over an hour for some reason, and then Leo came out, wondering why you hadn't shown up on time?"

Odin nodded, about to share his thoughts on the matter, when Bud suddenly exclaimed.

"Odin, someone's got their sights set on you. Don't you see? Leo laid a trap at Mentor Carte's, telling you to be there on time. He tipped off the police beforehand. I bet if you had arrived on time, you would've walked right into the scene of Mentor Carte's death.

"Regardless of what you did next, you'd be pegged as the murderer. Luckily, you felt dizzy all of a sudden and sat down here, with plenty of students around to witness it. Otherwise, no matter how much you protested, no one would believe you."

Grateful to find someone who understood his predicament, Odin nodded vigorously, "Exactly. I think it was sheer luck. If I hadn't been fortunate enough to feel dizzy and sit down here, who knows what might have happened?"

"Yeah, but you need to figure out whether Leo just came up with the idea to double-cross you on the fly or if he's been planning it for a while. How long has this been in the works?" Bud's persistent chatter caused Odin's brow to furrow gradually.

The Bud standing before him seemed off. The Bud he remembered was a man of action, who would settle matters with his fists rather than talk in circles. But now, here he was, going on and on.

Unaware of Odin's thoughts, Bud gave his shoulder a reassuring pat and advised, "This is dangerous business. Nobody knows what problems might be lurking. You'd better do some digging to avoid falling prey to the Evil God's schemes."

With that, Bud cast a casual glance towards Carte's laboratory, as if he was hinting at something.

Odin looked towards the lab, puzzled. He noticed a flicker of satisfaction in Bud's eyes as he shifted his gaze. Odin didn't commit to anything right then, simply responding, "I got it. I'll find a way to look into it."

Bud, hearing Odin's noncommittal answer, didn't press further, only remarking on Odin's good fortune.

Odin, however, wasn't focused on Bud's comments. His mind was busy recalling the contents of Carte's laboratory.

Ivywood University was under the domain of the God of Wisdom. As one of the Six Gods, the God of Wisdom had his own exclusive classes: Mages, mechanics from the Science class, and the God of Wisdom's own scholars.

Despite the refined demeanor of Ivywood University's students and faculty, they were formidable in a fight, potentially outmatching the followers of the other gods.

Odin had been at Ivywood University for four years, silently delving into the affairs of the meta-human world, and he was well-informed about certain matters. Places like their classrooms and dormitories were safe enough, but Carte's laboratory was often rigged with magical traps.

Entering without caution was tantamount to a death wish. The proper way to enter was to schedule a visit and walk in through the main entrance.

Because of this, although Odin had been inside the lab, he hadn't explored it thoroughly. He didn't know the specifics of the ongoing research, but he was aware of a project referred to as "Authority."

Odin couldn't help but scoff at the penchant for grandiose names at Ivywood University's laboratories. It seemed that no matter the project, it would be christened with an impressive title.

Take the water purification experiment, for instance, which was ambitiously named Sea King No. 1. Or the aviation trial, dubbed Wings of the Gods. The research project known as Authority likely had a similar origin.

As for the rest, Odin couldn't think of anything else that merited attention.

While pondering these matters, Bud prepared to take his leave, making a pointed remark on his way out. "You'd better hurry up and check things out. Leo was just taken away, and the black dogs haven't sniffed out anything yet. If they do, any evidence that's left might vanish."

Once Bud was gone, the smile gradually faded from Odin's face. "Do they really think I'm a fool?" he muttered to himself.

It was clear to him that Bud was subtly urging him to rush to Carte's laboratory to dig up something—anything. But Bud didn't actually care if Odin found anything; his true aim, much like with Leo, was likely just to find a fall guy.

But was Odin truly that naive? Why did it seem like everyone was pinning their problems on him? This left him somewhat perplexed.

After Bud's departure, Odin clutched his book and, with his doubts in tow, chose not to head to Carte's lab as Bud had anticipated. What kind of place was it anyway? Beyond the complex magical protections, it was now a crime scene swarming with police. Venturing there would be tantamount to a death wish.

Odin was no fool. He didn't even glance in that direction. Instead, he gathered his belongings and headed straight back to his dormitory.

The day's events had been overwhelming, and he needed time to reflect on the connections between them. He also had to figure out what had gone wrong and why he was being targeted as the convenient scapegoat.