Witch, Fireball and the Evil God of Steam

The scholars' body was carried away from the stargazing chamber by the magic masters, and the rotted food in the front hall was cleared out as well.

Ethan could tell that ever since he was called out, Mr. Silver Fox was restless. If it were Mouri Kogoro he would have already determined—the culprit was the anxious Silver Fox!

This might eliminate an incorrect answer for the deduction.

He signaled Silver Fox to sit opposite him, the scholar's front hall turned into a temporary detective agency, and this place would remain vacant until the next scholar took over the mage tower's mess.

Ethan once again questioned the person opposite, "Mr. Silver Fox, when was the last time you saw the scholar?"

"...Last night."

This time, Silver Fox finally managed to stammer out a reply.

"Where was it?"

"It was in the stargazing chamber; I had to submit a report to the scholar."

Silver Fox kept his face composed, his hands clasped on his knees moved anxiously. He knew this made him the prime suspect, yet after he returned injured to the mage tower, perhaps considering their family's reputation, the scholar assigned him the task of overseeing the promotion exams, a crucial but low-profile job.

Compiling lists, formulating test questions, organizing proctors and review teams—all of this held substantial power, and there would be people currying favor with him when the time came.

Of course, all of this built upon the premise that the scholar hadn't been murdered and everything at the mage tower continued its regular operation.

While submitting the report, he encountered many people; it was during the post-dinner rest period.

"Can you describe the situation at that time?"

"The scholar let me in, and had me place the materials for the promotion exam on the table."

Silver Fox averted his gaze as he spoke.

There was practically a "criminal suspect" label on this man's face. Ethan found the written materials mentioned by Silver Fox on the table, a thick stack showing no signs of having been touched.

"So, you came into this room last night."

"Yes."

"Then you must have seen the rotted pumpkin pie on the table. Don't you find it strange that a person who had just spoken to you would have food rotted for several days in their lab?"

Upon hearing this, Silver Fox's body tensed, his mouth opened, but he couldn't utter a word.

A short while ago, he had found the vice president and gathered all the great mages, intending to leverage the vice president's hatred towards Rowena to shift the blame onto Rowena.

However, this wasn't any well-thought-out plan, especially since, until today, he didn't know Ethan and Rowena would visit the mage tower.

Silver Fox felt he must have overdosed on magic potion, impairing his mind, slowing both thought and reaction, and occasionally hearing echoes from nowhere. Sometimes, those echoes made decisions for him; by the time he snapped out of it, his body was already acting accordingly.

It was particularly severe these past few days.

His memories had many gaps, sometimes he was in the lab one second, and in another place the next, and during these jumps in time, he couldn't recall whom he met or what he did, having to roughly deduce his actions through conversations with others.

Rationally, he knew he shouldn't keep taking the focus magic potion, but his body and mind were as if addicted.

So, could these facts convince Ethan?

Thinking about this question made Silver Fox even more agitated.

Though they had a past conflict, he believed Ethan as the victor probably wouldn't see him as a thorn in the side, but definitely wouldn't have any goodwill towards him. Plus, paired with his own actions and those of the vice president, Ethan might just pin the crime directly on him—just like he did!

Yet at this moment, Silver Fox desperately hoped Ethan was discerning and wouldn't clumsily accuse someone, unlike the vice president.

In the Astrology Guild, nothing was more serious than the crime of murdering a scholar.

Before death comes, the perpetrator of such a crime would undergo brutal torture.

"Answer me, Mr. Silver Fox, what are your thoughts on the rotted pumpkin pie on the table?"

Ethan once again asked, pulling Silver Fox back to reality.

"I... It wasn't me, I didn't do it!"

Silver Fox suddenly became agitated, and at the final moment, he heard the familiar echoes again; a voice from somewhere playful in tone reminded him not to harbor unrealistic fantasies.

Ethan would definitely use this matter to kill him!

Escape was his only chance.

Silver Fox suddenly burst into action, clutching the wand hidden in his sleeve, he swung it towards the ceiling fiercely, and it emitted a cyan lightning bolt which struck the bookshelf behind Ethan. Books and artifacts immediately fell toward Ethan, almost simultaneously, Silver Fox's body transformed into a billowing black smoke, drifting toward the door.

This all happened in a split second, the magic masters waiting outside for interrogation were frozen in place, the only one who reacted was Rowena, who had been observing Silver Fox all along.

A chasing red lightning struck Silver Fox, interrupting the displacement spell once more mid casting, Silver Fox's body was jolted several meters through the air, falling heavily against the wall.

Silver Fox didn't have time to use the protective wand, as a physically weak magician, the blow was enough to incapacitate him.