I Reincarnated to Another World as a Woman-Chapter 264: Pieces in Motion

True to his word, Ethan begins collecting every piece of information available on Rhaenas. When they were established. How they were established. How many dungeons they have cleared. A deeper look into each member’s background.

Most of it is surprisingly easy to find. Almost all of them are public figures.

Except for Maeve.

That anomaly only sharpens his interest.

How does someone with almost no public footprint form a team with names like Montrose and Monfort?

The question lingers in his mind as he makes his way to see his teacher, Isabelle Crowley. If anyone can tell him more about Maeve Collins, it will be her.

Meanwhile, Hawk is venting his agitation in the training arena.

One by one.

All eighteen Hunters are being dragged into one-on-one sparring matches.

One by one.

They fall.

"What the hell, Hawk?" Taylor groans, down on one knee. There is a burn wound across his left hand and another licking at the side of his neck. He concentrates, extinguishing the fire still clinging to the injury.

Hawk sneers.

"Haven’t you guys read the news?"

He addresses the whole room.

"There’s a team in Concordia called Rhaenas. They claim they cleared a mutated level eight dungeon in less than five days."

Silence falls.

"They only have five members."

A wave of disbelief spreads across the sparring room.

"You said claimed," J.C. points out. "You don’t believe it?"

"I’ll believe it when I see it," Hawk replies sharply. "All of us here know how hard level six was. And some of you were with me for seven. You remember how that went."

Several Hunters nod furiously.

"Like I said," Hawk continues, "I do not believe anyone can clear a mutated level eight with only five members. Especially when one of them is a sixteen-year-old girl who just woke up from a coma a few months ago."

"Whoa," J.C. mutters. "Sixteen? Coma? That’s insane."

"That’s exactly what I thought," Hawk says, satisfied.

Taylor, still irritated from being flattened, snorts.

"And what does that have to do with you torturing us?"

Hawk’s gaze turns cold.

"They made the news. That means there’s truth behind it. And you need to know who their leader is."

He pauses deliberately.

"Who?" Taylor asks.

"Arthur Montrose."

The name drops like a stone into still water.

Gasps ripple through the arena.

"The Arthur Montrose?" someone asks.

"You know another one?" Hawk shoots back.

"Are there any other Arthur Montrose?"

"And that’s not all," Hawk raises his voice over the noise. "The rest of the members are Liam Monfort, Julian Montrose, Thea Montrose, and Maeve Collins. I’m sure at least one of those names rings a bell."

"Liam Monfort," J.C. says quietly.

His jaw tightens.

"I used to be with Monfort Sentinels."

All eyes turn to him.

"They’re strong," he continues. "I’m not bragging. You all know how strong I am without magic."

No one contradicts him. J.C. is one of the strongest among them.

"And yet," he exhales, remembering, "Liam is stronger than I am."

The memory is not pleasant.

"That guy is insanely strong. Do not underestimate him."

Murmurs spread.

"And he’s working with Arthur Montrose?"

"They must be monsters."

"Guys, guys." Hawk claps his hands sharply.

Attention snaps back to him.

"Fine. Arthur and Liam are extremely strong. Arthur might even be stronger than Liam as a Sentinel."

He pauses.

"But aren’t you forgetting something?"

A pillar of orange fire ignites in his hand, solidifying into the shape of a staff.

He spins it with practiced ease.

"We have magic," he says.

The staff slices through the air.

"We are stronger than them!"

Cheers erupt across the arena.

Hawk smirks.

We are far stronger.

------------------------------

"So, Maeve Collins is an apprentice like me, and her teacher is now missing?" Ethan asks, confirming the information directly with Isabelle.

Isabelle nods slowly. "Yes. But I believe Victor knows where he is. He is simply not telling the rest of us."

She studies Ethan carefully, eyes narrowing just a fraction. "Why do you want to know?"

Ethan does not answer immediately. Instead, he takes out the tablet and shows her the article.

"Because of this."

Isabelle takes the tablet from him and reads half a sentence aloud.

"Rhaenas has become a global phenomenon."

Her brows lift slightly.

"Yes. This is Maeve’s team," she says after scanning the article. "She even told them about the word ’rhaenas.’ It means warrior. It is from the magic language."

She lowers the tablet and looks at Ethan.

"Maeve told them about her Custodian world. Something she swore an oath to keep secret."

Ethan blinks.

The hypocrisy almost makes him laugh.

Aren’t you doing the same thing, Teacher?

He keeps the thought to himself.

He knows very well Isabelle is not supposed to teach magic to Hunters either. And yet she did. Because Arcanus wants a private army. Because power always bends rules when it wants to.

Scolding Maeve Collins for breaking her oath while standing on broken promises herself.

Ethan laughs inwardly.

But outwardly, he remains respectful.

"Is Maeve Collins strong?" he asks calmly. That is the real reason he came.

Isabelle snorts without hesitation.

"Not at all."

Ethan’s expression does not change, but he does not fully believe her.

Bias is a dangerous thing.

"Again, Ethan. Why do you want to know?"

Ethan offers a small smile.

"I would like to know about my competitors, Teacher."

Isabelle laughs.

"Competitors?" Her voice is laced with sarcasm.

"Maeve Collins is not strong. She is weak. The last time I saw her summon a fireball, it was tiny. No bigger than my fist. One single flame."

She shakes her head and laughs again.

"So I will repeat myself. No. Maeve Collins is not strong at all. Satisfied?"

Ethan nods politely.

"Yes, Teacher."

He exhales softly.

"It is just that my men are getting stronger. Very strong. And I do not want them to become arrogant and blinded by it later. I suppose I am looking for someone... or something... that can humble them."

Isabelle smiles, clearly pleased.

"And that is why you will always surpass them. You do not let power climb into your head. Good, Ethan. Keep that mindset, and you will continue to grow."

She grows quiet for a moment, thinking.

Then she speaks again.

"I believe... I may know someone who could help you and your Hunters grow even stronger."

Ethan’s eyes light up.

"But I must ask her first. I truly do not know whether she will agree. Her personality is... unusual."

"She?" Ethan asks.

Isabelle nods.

"Yes. She."

A faint smile curves her lips.

"Baroness Maristella Voss."