I'm sorry, I'm unable to tell you the details. However, I must drop out from the academy." Lilia looked at Ford seriously and said, "My father has also agreed to it."
Since Fang Xingjian was going to nurture Lilia, there would be many top secrets involved. This was also why he did not want to let others know.
"Even your father has agreed...?" Ford was no fool after all. Seeing how serious Lilia looked, and after knowing that even Kirst's City Lord had agreed to this arrangement, he knew that he was unable to stop her. He pat Lilia on the shoulder and said, "I still think that nothing is as important as becoming a Knight. However, since you guys are decided, I won't stop you either."
Ford shook his head and let out a sigh, then he said, "You may leave."
Lilia nodded and left. At that moment, Kite, who had been hoping that Ford would be able to convince Lilia, grabbed onto Lilia's shoulder and said, "Wait, Lilia... You mustn't leave just like this..."
However, he had just completed this action when a gleam of cold light flashed in Lilia's eyes. Pa pa! Two sounds rang out, and Kite could only see black shadows darting about before his eyes as he flew out and landed face down on the ground.
At the next moment, he felt a tremendous pain in his stomach and chest.
He lifted his head and stared at Lilia while saying, "Lili, you've completed your job transition?"
For Lilia to have closed off the gap between the two of them within just a short period of time... Kite could think of no other possibility except that Lilia had already completed her job transition.
"I haven't completed my job transition. I've only gotten a little stronger. Kite, it's impossible between us. So, don't bother me anymore. Goodbye."
Looking at Lilia's departing back view, Kite struggled to stand up. However, the pain in his chest and stomach was so bad that he was unable to stand up even after a long while.
Kite bellowed inwardly, "This won't do... I can't let Lilia leave just like this. For her to give up a future of becoming the Empire's Knight and join some other faction... What kind of joke is this?"
As Teacher Ford watched Kite walk out slowly with a shaky gait, he shook his head. "Lilia has made up her mind. You should know her temper and that she won't change her mind easily."
However, Kite clenched his fist and walked out, little by little. He had made up his mind that he was going to get Lilia back.
Ford shook his head again and sat down, feeling increasingly curious about which faction it was which could be so amazing that both Lilia and her father, Kirst's City Lord, agreed to her dropping out from the academy.
'But what kind of faction could be compared to being an Empire's Knight? Lilia's talent isn't bad, and she would have no problems with the Prefectural Selection this year. It's really such a pity for her to give up just like this.'
Half an hour later, a group of men dressed in black entered Ford's office. Ford stood up and said, "Who are you guys? Who gave you permission to enter?!"
However, just as Ford finished speaking, the several black-clothed figures flashed over consecutively and grabbed onto his limbs, pressing him down onto the table.
Being suppressed by this absolute power, Ford had no means of resisting.
'These few guys are all Knights? And each of their strength is in no way weaker than mine...' Ford immediately came to a realization.
The leader of the men dressed in black said calmly, "Miss Lilia is more polite. We're different. I'm only going to ask once. Where are her records?"
Within a mere ten minutes, all information Lilia had left behind in this academy was wiped out. Aside from the students who had truly gotten to know her, there was no other information in the academy which was related to her.
Ford recalled the killing intent on those couple of Knights, as well as the way they had worked together with such great teamwork to suppress him... He thought to himself, 'This is definitely something that only experienced soldiers can do.
'And to think that you're able to mobilize such people who are at the pinnacle amongst Knights... Lilia, what faction have you joined?' Thinking of this, Ford stood up and headed for the direction of the Headmaster’s location. "We can't leave this be. The organization which Lilia has joined is far too dangerous..."
After they left the academy, one of the black-clothed men removed the black veil from his face, revealing an appearance of black hair and eyes. He said, "Just this will do?"
"What else is there? One of the board members in this academy is Young Master Li. We'll let him handle the rest.
"As for the other matters, there's Zhou Xingwen who'll be in charge."
Teacher Ford entered the Headmaster's office. Without bothering about the formalities, he said anxiously, "Headmaster, some people barged into my office earlier. I brought them to Lilia's file, and they took it away."
"Haha, Ford, since when did you start liking to joke around?" The Headmaster was an amiable-looking middle-aged man. He looked at Teacher Ford and said with a smile. "No security alarms were set off, and the guards didn't make any discoveries either. No one barged into the school."
Ford was stunned and said, "It's because these people are all experts, each of them being a pinnacle Knight who is no weaker than me. They are all experienced in battle and thus were able to get past the academy's security system."
"Headmaster, if you don't believe it, you can head down to the Archives. The person in charge has been knocked out, and Lilia's records are no longer there."
"Lilia?" The Headmaster smiled and said with a soft expression, "I don't remember having a student by that name in our academy."
"It's Lilia, the one I was instructing..." As Ford spoke, he gradually came to a stop and looked at the smiling Headmaster, saying, "Headmaster, you no longer remember Lilia?"
"I remember each and every Knight apprentice in our Knight Academy, but Lilia... We don't have such a student, right?" The Headmaster's eyes were fixed on Ford as he asked, "Right?"
A powerful pressure gushed forth, and the warning gaze in the Headmaster's eyes seemed to turn into something substantial. Behind that warm and gentle smile was a blatant coldness.
A hint of understanding immediately flashed in Ford's eyes as he smiled bitterly and said, "Oh, look at me. I've gotten myself confused. That's right, our academy doesn't have a student by the name of Lilia. No one came to threaten me earlier either. It's just me dozing off and spouting rubbish."
The Headmaster stood up, pat Ford on the shoulder, and said, "Ford, you're too tired. Go back and have a good rest. I'll approve of you taking paid leave for a month."
Half an hour later, Ford walked out slowly from the Headmaster's office, and a hint of solemnity flashed in his eyes. The entire incident was shrouded in mystery, but one thing was for sure. There was a someone with great power behind this, and their influence was far beyond his imagination.
Just then, Kite walked over anxiously. "Teacher, are you able to contact Lilia's family?"
"What's wrong?"
Kite said, "We went to Lilia's residence earlier, but it’s already being occupied by someone else. Even the furniture and interior decorations have all been changed. The landlord is no longer the same person as before either. All the neighbors are saying that they don't know someone by the name of Lilia."
Ford frowned. "Kite, Lilia probably hasn't gone missing. It's probably that her Master's great power is beyond your imagination. It's best for you all to forget about her."
To be capable of mobilizing such a great effort, almost completely removing the traces Lilia had left behind in the Great Western City... Ford understood this meant that the influence of Lilia’s master was beyond his imagination.
With that, Ford turned to go, leaving behind Kite, who was still in a daze and had eyes filled with obstinance.