Aldritch didn't even think of looking back as he made his way to the train station. Thinking of the fact that he also had a peculiar look, Aldritch wanted to be out of there as fast as possible. He never accounted for the fact that there would be someone present who would be able to see through his hypnosis and even undo it, it was totally unexpected.
'I feel like such a coward running away like this, but what good would it do me to stay there and fight? That would be completely stupid. Anybody that can undo someone's skill is just as powerful, at least more powerful than the person who owns the skill.' He thought to himself.
"Hey, get me a ticket to the inner wall, fast." Aldritch ordered as he reached the train station where he would buy the tickets.
The lady stationed there took one look at Aldritch's sour expression, and without any words of complaint prepared the ticket.
Unlike the inner wall or outer wall, there was close to no lines here, as not many people wished to visit outside. Luckily, the train arrived before a minute was up and Aldritch boarded. He already had it in mind to use his skills to get in if there was any delay, but there turned out to be none.
Once Aldritch boarded the train, he felt a little safer and the tension from earlier was greatly reduced. Even though they would want to chase him, they wouldn't have been able to make the train, as he maintained vigilance all through, trying to pick out anyone who looked suspicious to him.
It took some time, but the train brought its passengers, Aldritch included, to the inner wall in the same amount of time it took for Aldritch and Maggie to arrive at the innermost wall.
Once he came down from the train, he made his way towards Gavik's mansion to meet with Lada.
...
While Aldritch and Maggie left for the academy, Lada had been busy with other things.
Even though she proclaimed Aldritch to be her one true master, she couldn't help the feeling of something being amiss, and if there was one thing she had learned throughout the years, it was to trust her instincts no matter the situation she found herself in.
Once she observed Aldritch and Maggie leaving from a window while within the house, she made her way to the secret chambers below the house, going to an enclosed room where she alone was allowed. Once in there, Lada pulled down her clothes to reveal a necklace with a small green gem attached to it.
The gem shimmered with a dull greenish hue, the intensity of the luminescence rising and falling in faint motions.
She found Aldritch waiting for her in the study within the house. Even though this enormous mansion had this sturdy, Gavik never used it, instead it was used once in a while by his children as not even his wives were interested in whatever was inside.
"Master... why did you return so early? Did you change your mind?" Lada asked as she held herself in a respectful and subservient manner. This was mostly because she felt a sense of guilt after her previous action, the ritual she was about to conduct before Aldritch returned.
"I ran into a little problem. There was someone within the academy who was able to see through my skill, magic."
"The academy does have powerful people, so it is expected for such a thing to happen, master." Lada responded, not quite sure what Aldritch was getting at, what he had just stated was something obvious.
"Yes, but I am talking about magic that shouldn't be detected by just anyone, unless that person was at a much higher level than any regular academy teacher."
There was the fact that the headmaster of the academy was strong, but most people, even those that had special magical powers, they were all fighters, and magicians were very rare... even those that leaned towards spell casting, they were not so much in number, especially not within the academy, and this was something Lada knew very well of, since she had been collecting information for a very long time.
"If that is the case, then I'm afraid you must have encountered a witch, and a powerful one at that." Lada said apprehensively.
"I thought as much."
"If that is the case, considering your level of power, master, it would only make sense to assume that you ran into the former primordial dame of purple, Labra. If that is the case, master, then I suggest covering up all your tracks because there's no doubt she will be able to find you."
Aldritch listened to Lada carefully, but the problem was that he had no means of doing what she just suggested, and from how she looked at him, he could tell what she was thinking, she totally expects him to be able to do such things without effort! He couldn't!
Swiftly, Aldritch came up with an excuse to save his image.
"The thing is, Lada, I have lost most of my power, as you must have noticed, that is why I still need to go through such corners to achieve my goals, if not, I wouldn't need to think of enrolling into any academy, I would be able to crumble this entire kingdom single handedly." Aldritch said with a somewhat bitter expression, the best he could muster.
'I see, I didn't even notice... even though master lost his powers, the aura of a great warlock still remains all around him.' If only Aldritch could read her thoughts, he would face palm at the fact that she completely omitted the fact that she couldn't feel that aura when they first met, but alas, it would mean his brain washing was working well... even though it wasn't exactly so.
"I have a mystical item that can help with that, master, let me get it right away." Lada said before leaving the room after Aldritch waved her to it.