NOVEL NEXT Chapter 97: The Incident That Made Alaric Suspicious
Class had finally come to an end. The professor closed his book, and the sound of chairs scraping across the floor echoed throughout the room as students began to rise from their seats.
But Alaric remained frozen in place, his gaze locked on the exam paper in front of him, faintly marked with his handwriting. It felt less like a test and more like a piece of a puzzle he needed to solve amidst the chaos surrounding him.
His thoughts returned to the system that had just been activated—temporary memory erasure. It sounded like a solution, but only for a limited time. Once the effects wore off and he still hadn't found proof to counter the accusations, everything would come crashing back down on him even harder.
He could already picture the hostile stares and twisted expressions of his classmates, the whispered rumors in the hallways, and possibly even more severe sanctions from the university.
Alaric closed his eyes briefly, gripping the edge of the desk. "I have to move. If I wait until tomorrow, the system might be gone by then. I don't even know how long I have—maybe days… or even just hours. I can't just sit here."
He swallowed hard. "Where do I start?" he asked himself, trying to mentally map out his next steps.
"The evidence they showed me yesterday was already printed. A copy, not the original. It came from that company, XBShs… That's where it all started. If I can get my hands on the original documents, not the altered or reprinted versions, maybe I can prove something's off."
But, could it really be that simple? There was no way they'd just let him walk in. Would he have to disguise himself as a staff member? Or maybe reach out to someone on the inside?
His thoughts spiraled, tangled in a web of hypotheticals. He knew there were no quick answers. Every scenario he imagined only led to more doors, each one with its own set of traps.
He dragged his hands across his face. "Damn it, there's no way I can fix all this in one day. I need more time. But the system isn't going to wait around for me. If I'm too late, everyone's memories will return. The accusation, the shame… everything."
The idea of marching into the company. The most logical place to start and demanding access to confidential documents seemed laughable. He didn't even have a valid reason to step inside, let alone ask for something that could potentially be key evidence.
Just as his mind was closing in on itself, the sudden vibration from his pocket snapped him back to the present. It buzzed repeatedly, long enough to shift into a ringtone.
Drrrt... Drrrt...
Alaric lazily reached for his phone. But the second he saw the name on the screen, his attention sharpened in an instant. "Mom."
He quickly hit the green button.
"Hello, Mom?"
Her voice on the other end was laced with panic. "Alaric! Our second house… it caught fire!"
For a moment, Alaric's brain completely froze. A high-pitched ringing filled his ears. He thought he'd misheard.
"W-what? The second house? It... burned down?"
"Yes! The second house! The fire's out now, but half the building is gone. Thank God no one was inside when it happened. I just got the news from a neighbor."
Alaric was speechless, his mouth slightly open but no words came out. *Second house.* The phrase echoed in his mind. He had nearly forgotten they even owned a second home. A modest place on the outskirts of the city. More old than luxurious, but still worth something. No one lived there regularly. There weren't even any valuables inside.
Why that house?
His brain lit up with questions, one after another. His jaw tightened, veins on his neck showing under the strain.
"Mom… do they know what caused it?" His voice trembled.
"They're saying it was an electrical short. But… I don't know, it all feels so sudden. That house hardly ever gets used."
Alaric stood still. "An electrical short?" The coincidence was too much. At the same time he was being dragged into a major accusation at school, now this? Another problem, conveniently timed. A house that seemingly held no value, but had still been targeted.
"Why that house? Could this be connected to the accusations? Or… is there something I don't know about that place?" His instincts screamed in every direction, alarm bells ringing loud in his head.
He rubbed his temple. His head felt like it weighed a ton. Two major problems, both crashing down at once. The fire might not have been an accident after all.
...
Alaric pedaled as fast as he could, his breath ragged. The late afternoon streets were bustling. Car horns and the hum of engines mixed with tires skidding along the asphalt. But it all faded into white noise in his ears.
He nearly clipped a pedestrian, hastily muttered an apology, then sped off again. One thing was clear. He had to get home.
When he finally reached the front yard, he slammed the brakes hard. His back tire lifted slightly from the force. Sweat poured from his brow, his chest heaving as he quickly swung his backpack off his shoulders, tossing it onto the nearest chair and rushing into the living room.
There, he found his mother sitting on the sofa. Her expression still carried traces of worry, even though she was trying to stay calm. In her hand was a phone, the screen glowing with photos.
"Mom… how bad is it? Was anyone hurt?" Alaric asked, unable to keep the tension out of his voice.
She looked up, her gentle eyes meeting his for a second before shaking her head. She lifted the phone and showed him the screen.
On it was a photo of a half-burned house. The walls were blackened, the roof on the right side had collapsed, and the yard was littered with charred debris. The house had once looked stately, with its classic columns and warm design, though it was smaller than their main home. Seeing it like this made Alaric's chest tighten painfully.
"No one, dear. The housekeeper and the gardener only come by once a week. And today wasn't their scheduled day. So… no one was there."
Alaric swallowed hard, still restless. He stared at the image for a long time, as if trying to spot something hidden in the ruins.
"But… Mom," he finally said, "was there anything important in that house?"
She lowered the phone, her eyes on Alaric. After a moment, she let out a quiet sigh. "If you're asking about my things, just some old clothes, bags, a few small furnishings, photo albums. Nothing too important." She paused. "But… I don't know about your father. I have no idea if he kept anything valuable there."
That made Alaric fall into deeper thought. The second house wasn't just any place. It was their first home. The place they lived before the family found success and moved into their current house.
It was full of memories. A place where his father had once worked day and night to build their future. If he had kept something there, it might be more than just old belongings.
Alaric clenched his fists. The fire could have been more than just a random accident.
He looked at his mother, his voice firm with resolve. "I'm going to report this to the police."
She looked back at him, hesitating for a moment, then gave a resolute nod. "That's a wise decision, son. I support you. We need to find out what really happened."
Alaric knew he couldn't stay still anymore. There was a connection between the fire and the accusations at school. Whether it was real or just a gut feeling, he couldn't ignore it.
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Alaric hurried to the police station, though deep down, doubt still lingered in his heart. Ever since he was a child, he had rarely dealt directly with law enforcement. But this time, he felt like he had no other choice. He needed answers, and he couldn't stand the thought of this incident being brushed aside and forgotten.
Because it was just too much of a coincidence.
As soon as he stepped into the police station, he was greeted by its familiar atmosphere: the strong aroma of black coffee, the clacking of a typewriter from one of the officers' desks, and a few people sitting anxiously in the waiting area. A neatly dressed officer was attending to a citizen at the front desk.
Alaric waited for his turn, then stepped forward when he was called.
"Good afternoon, Sir. I'd like to file a report… about my house that caught fire."
The officer looked up at him, then gave a small nod while picking up his notepad.
"Alright, please tell me the address of the house, the time of the incident, and how you found out about it."
Alaric gave the details carefully, from the address to the time his mother had called to inform him. He added that the house was rarely occupied and only occasionally visited by the caretaker.
The officer took quick notes, then asked,
"Were there any witnesses? Anyone who saw what happened?"