Inverse System

"How did you know about Checkmate's involvement? It wasn't even reported in the news, nor was it ever leaked to the public," Core inquired, looking at Julianne with great suspicion.

"Oh, I actually didn't know about that until recently. You see we have wiretaps in the luxury room…"

"Invasion of privacy. You're spying on high school kids. I'm calling the authorities," Rein stated, unamused imitating Sahprilla's way of speech.

"Wait wait wait! We turned them off okay? You don't have to worry," she reassured, Rein breathing out in relief.

"So if that's the case, you know everything that happened afterward? How some nobles in Orthlys spun the story to trick the king into declaring war?" Rein asked.

"Yeah. And that brings me to the second reason I called you here. Melina Alister, it is to my understanding that she is your aunt?"

"... Yes."

"And both Core and Clyde here have met her?" Julianne re-iterated.

"Yeah, I met her 6 years ago when we were finalizing our deal. She looked and acted like a normal woman on the outside, but I could feel the sheer malice leaking from the pores of her skin," Core informed.

"And I met her briefly during our last mission. I still do not understand why I was called over as well though. I have nothing to add to this conversation," Clyde commented.

Julianne stood up from her desk and walked over to the large window that oversaw the city, glimmering in the cavern with colorful lights. As she gazed out into the colorful city, she began pacing back and forth in front of the window, eventually stopping and turning around.

"You were in Crypt before and after the war started, weren't you Clyde?" Julianne asked sternly.

"Huh? Yes, though I already told you about this… I was in Crypt up until about a year after the war, but why are you asking?" Clyde began sweating slightly, feeling a little nervous recalling his past.

"A few weeks before the attack on Lifah, we got word from an anonymous tip that Crypt was advancing through the Orhtlys region, setting up a base near the Econican border in wait to attack a village. Over the next few days, we monitored the area and intercepted Crypt as they tried preparing for an attack.

After that, we continued patrolling the area, and after a few days of silence, we lightened the patrol. Then, we heard about the attack. At first, we thought it was Crypt, but upon further investigation, we found out that they had nothing to do with it. Until recently, we didn't know who had taken the job from them after we stopped their advances, but now I know that it was Checkmate.

There must have been quite a large fuss within Crypt after the incident. The main problem is, we don't know who gave us the anonymous tip. Clyde, do you remember when that happened? Do you know if anyone could've betrayed Crypt? Was it you?" Julianne posed a barrage of questions and revealed some key things, Rein's eyes widening as he listened to Julianne's info.

"It… was not me. If one person would do that within Crypt, it would be Galo, but I don't believe that was made aware of the red squad's advancements in the Orthlys region, so it couldn't have been him. I was actually part of the group set up on the borders, and I remember the guild somehow catching on to our movements. Thinking back now, it's scary to think that I could've been the one to attack Rein's village. Whoever made that anonymous tip has my deepest gratitude," Clyde exclaimed, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Hey Core, you have a member of Crypt in your possession. Let him out so we can 'talk' to him," Rein smiled, snapping Core out of the trance he was in.

"Huh? Oh, yeah I have Riskel the Cardinal in custody…" Core looked distressed as if he didn't want the group to question Riskel. He shook his head and released his unease, summoning D8 into the room with a marble from his pocket.

She complied, summoning the sleeping man into the room, talking in his sleep as he rested soundly.

"Hey! Wake the hell up!" Core yelled into his ear, which startled the man to consciousness.

"Wah!!" He crawled to the back of the room and sat there, handcuffed.

"I-It's you! The battle isn't over yet! Soldiers! Atta… Huh… HUH?!? WHY AM I IN HANDCUFFS?!! AND WHERE AM I?!" He freaked out loudly, jingling the chains connecting the handcuffs as he tried to brute force himself free.

"Damn you're loud. Listen, pretty boy, I'm gonna need you to tell us everything you know about the Lifah incident 6 years ago. Who sold out the red squads advances? Tell us everything you know," Julianne commanded, exuding her crushing aura on the man who was cowering in the corner.

"The Auburn Dawn..? Ha… Hahaha! I will not sell out my organization! I'd sooner die than betra—"

"Alright guys, strip him and burn his robe," Core threatened, making Riskel shriek out of fear.

"EEK! No, please! Anything but that!" He hugged his robe with his binded arms, trying to protect it desperately.

"Oh no! My hands are muddy! Man, I wish there was something nearby I could wipe it on…" Rein held out his muddy hand as he approached Riskel, who shivered in uncontrollable fear.

"O-okay, okay! I'll talk, just please don't touch my robe," he begged, making Rein smile and turn around, his job done.

"Wow, he really is just a neat freak… Maybe it was dumb luck I figured out his Spring…" Core thought to himself, dumbstruck by Riskel's stupidity.

"Well? Get on with it," Clyde hurried him, making Riskel recognize him.

"Huh? Wait, aren't you Clyde? I thought I recognized you before! How've things been?" Riskel conversed, for a moment, forgetting about the situation he was in.

"Hurry up and talk, I'm losing my patience," Clyde threatened, tapping his feet in haste, making Riskel jolt in sudden fright, bowing down in apology.

"I'm sorry!" He bowed, then sat up straight, coughing to begin his recount.

"A little bit after the red squad's blunder, there was a meeting held with all the Captains and Lieutenants of each squad. Red squad, blue squad, green squad, and the grandmaster all gathered to discuss what had just transpired.

Immediately as the meeting began, master Roki blamed master Galo, who of course denied the false allegations. Master Roki continued insisting that master Galo was to blame, but master Galo continued denying his baseless accusations with facts and logic. This continued escalating, master Roki eventually losing his cool, attacking master Galo.

That was when the grandmaster interfered. They called out to both of them, making them stop immediately. The grandmaster hides their face and distorts their voice, so most in Crypt don't know how they look or sound. I don't even know if the three captains have seen their face.

But anyways, the grandmaster claimed that somebody outside of the group somehow knew about their plans ahead of time and cut them off. Who it was was still unknown, but the grandmaster suspected that it was a member of Checkmate, who then stole the job a few days later…" Riskel finished his explanation.

Everyone's attention turned to Core, whose eyes couldn't be made out under the shadow cast by his hair. They stood there staring, waiting for an explanation...