When Al was led by a D-Department teaching assistant to the conference room in the college's administration building, the rectangular conference table was already filled with people, some familiar and some unfamiliar.

The stars outside the floor-to-ceiling windows in front of them shine in the night sky, and the sparse lights in the teaching area of the college complement each other, and the soundproof glass separates the birds and insects, making the world outside the window look more like a quiet oil painting, reminiscent of Van Gogh's famous painting "Starry Night".

A few minutes earlier, Al had been working with Snow on a book called "General Knowledge" in the castle in the D-Department teaching area, and the yellowed vellum was covered with vigorous characters, all of which had been created by the first head of D-Department.

Just as the two of them were intoxicated with the strange things recorded in the book, the door of the book room was pushed open, and Professor Russell, with a heavy face, walked in, with a faint smell of wine on his body, he must have gone to drink again before coming.

Professor Russell was followed by two young teaching assistants, these two people Al knew, the taller one was the "big man" Yodel, and the other shorter one was the "mouse" Feynman, both of whom had their own "comic" attributes, so they quickly became acquainted with them after Al came to the D department.

"Professor Russell, what's the matter with you at this late hour?"

"Al, put aside the matter at hand, and you come out with me first. Professor Russell hurriedly threw down a sentence and walked out the door.

Al looked at Yodel and Feynman, thinking that he could find the purpose of Professor Russell's trip from them, but the two shrugged their shoulders and said they didn't know.

Then it was Professor Russell who asked Feynman the "Mouse" to take Al to the direction of the administration building, but Professor Russell didn't say why, while the "big guys" Joddle and Snow stayed in the castle bookstore, as if Professor Russell had something to say to them.

The atmosphere in the conference room was a bit solemn, and everyone's faces were tense, as if they had their own thoughts

There was a man sitting at the innermost part of the conference table, this person Al knew, the guy who had spoken out to Professor Russell on the day of the freshman party, Hook, who was currently the acting president of the Imperial Military Academy.

Other familiar faces are Director Savoy, Director Elisabeth, Aunt Portis, and Andre, who is sitting next to her.

After noticing that Al was also in the conference room, André nodded to him first.

"Feynman, why are you?" Hook's words were full of displeasure, "why didn't Russell come, didn't he know the importance of this meeting? ”

The originally somewhat dreary atmosphere suddenly became tense, and everyone could feel that this was a disadvantage from Hook to Russell.

"Principal Hooke, you can dissipate your anger first," Feynman immediately smiled in a low voice, "Originally, Director Russell was going to come, blaming me for being clumsy and having some problems when I was doing the experiment, because it was a special project required by the royal family, and I couldn't make a mistake, so Director Russell was dealing with the affairs over there, and I was temporarily in place of the director to attend the meeting." ”

"High, really high!" was what Al really thought in his heart at this time.

Al threw an approving expression at Feynman, saying that he was worthy of being a "mouse" Feynman, but in a few short words, he hid a knife in his smile, which was to get Professor Russell rid of responsibility, and to use the hat of "royalty" to press Hook's head, so that he had no place to spill his anger.

Feynman also raised his eyebrows at Al, as if to say: This is where to go, don't worship brother, brother is just a legend.

Sure enough, Hook's face immediately gloomy after hearing Feynman's explanation, of course he was very angry, but he couldn't have a seizure, after all, the affairs of the royal family were above all else, even he couldn't stop at will.

Hook snorted coldly, and didn't continue to speak quickly, he made a gesture to the assistant next to him, and then the assistant took out a document from the folder and put it in front of Hook.

"Now that everyone is almost there, I won't talk nonsense anymore. Hook loosened his tie.

Al and Feynman also sat down at the other end of the table, all waiting for what would be announced at the first group meeting chaired by "Acting Headmaster" Hook after taking office.

"I know that some of you may have a deep prejudice against me, even hostile toy," Hook leaned his palms crossed on the table, sweeping the crowd meaningfully, "but now that I am the interim headmaster of the Imperial Military Academy, I am the supreme leader of the Academy, and all of you must obey me, yes, what I say is an order!"

Hook's palm fell heavily on the table, and the solid wood table made a strange noise, and he still had some strength after many years of crawling and rolling in the barracks.

None of the participants spoke, as if they were acquiescing noncommittally, and as if they were silently resisting, and everyone's mental activity was different.

"Like you, I have a lot of respect for Headmaster Nolan and Vice Principal Douglas," Hook's face gradually softened, and it seemed that he was satisfied with the effect of the warning words just now, "Therefore, we are obligated to protect the Imperial Military Academy until the two principals return to office, so during my time as acting president of the academy, I don't want anyone to violate the rules I have set." ”

As he spoke, Hook looked in the direction of Al and Feynman, his eyes shining with a sly light.

"By the way, if you have any grievances against me, you can directly report to the royal family, and you are always welcome to criticize and correct my work. ”

"What an old fox," thought Al, "to set up a disgrace for the people, and then to pretend that he is under supervision, is to play with the psychology of the masses, like the ugly faces of some imperial politicians." ”

"With all that said, let's get down to business. ”

Hook pulled out a letter from the inside pocket of his jacket, and when the envelope with "Wings of Freedom" was exposed to the light, Al and Andre's bodies tensed at the same time, the letter they had seen was exactly the same one that Douglas was holding when he left a message for them.

Al vaguely sensed that the truth behind Douglas's strange messages seemed to be slowly emerging, and Al and Andre glanced at each other, and it seemed that Andre also realized something.

"'Imperial Secret Letter', most of the people present have heard of it, right?" Hook placed the letter on the table, the "Wings of Freedom" pattern under the light seemed to flutter its wings, "The highest level notice issued by the royal family to subordinate departments, only the highest leader is qualified to open it. ”

"It was supposed to be opened by Vice Chancellor Douglas himself, but unfortunately there was an explosion in the Armed Forces," Hook's face did not show any regret, "so I had to call it, and this is the fundamental reason why I summoned you all to this meeting." ”

"Is there any important instruction from the royal family?" Elizabeth, who had not spoken for a long time, was the first to ask.

Al also noticed Director Elizabeth next to Hook, I haven't seen this strong woman for a few days, there is a little more haggard around the corners of her eyes, and there is a girl sitting behind her, after finding out that it is not that girl, Al has an indescribable little loss in his heart, and the figure of a girl wearing a cat face mask slowly emerges in his heart.

"That's right, look at this. Hook pushed the document in front of him to the middle of the conference table.

"This is?" a white-bearded old man with glasses pulled out of it, "what looks like the Raven Order's outfit." ”

On the other side of the conference table against the door, Feynman was muttering to Al.

"Brother 'Mouse', I don't seem to know who this old man is. ”

"How many times have you said it, don't call me by my nickname in public," Feynman flicked Al's head, "He's the head of the Academy's information department, and he hardly goes out, and even I rarely see him, but this old man is very powerful, and he has a good relationship with the Anglo masters." ”

"I didn't expect your information department to be very comprehensive?" said Hook with a smirk.

"Houston is right, these are the basic information about the evil killer group 'Raven', and they are the target of this operation. ”

Feynman may have deliberately opposed Hook, and he pouted and whispered "science" in Al's ear.

"Al, don't listen to this guy's nonsense, the 'Raven Organization' is a group of professional killers, where is there any difference between good and evil, they are just a group of people who exist in the gray area between white and black, there must be some bad water in this guy's stomach. ”

"Hmm. Al snapped, his brain spinning, trying to find the connection between known clues.

"Are you going against the Raven?" Director Sava frowned slightly, "As far as I know, these professional killers aren't that easy to mess with, and they don't seem to be that evil. ”

"Savoa, are you questioning the royal family's decision?" Hook squinted at Savoie, "This group of killers has been attacking prisons all over the empire in the recent past, and two prison wardens have unfortunately died in the line of duty, isn't this kind of guy evil?"

Sava looked worried, and he removed his broad palm, and the document was marked with the symbol of the Raven Order—a crow feather, black as ink, with a golden wire wrapped around its end, and every time it fell silently, it would always be accompanied by the loss of life.

"What does this have to do with us?" Elizabeth put down the papers, "this kind of terrorist attack should be in the hands of the military, and besides, it is a prison for felons in remote areas." ”

"According to credible sources, the raven's next target is the 'Sea Prison' in the imperial capital, and their main assassination target is most likely Cook Warden," Hook said.

"Do you think it makes sense to have the Crusaders search the city for suspicious people, or do you want to sacrifice the economy of the imperial capital to lock down the entire city for a few killers?"

After a long time, no one answered.

"In order not to cause panic among the citizens, it is most reasonable for only the Imperial Military Academy to take over this matter. ”

Hook's fingers tapped slowly on the table, and it seemed that he had prepared this set of words.