Professor Aldric Malcris believed most students were honest in the same way fresh ink was honest.
Useful while wet.
Permanent only after pressure.
The first recording crystal showed Cedric Valdrake standing in the debrief chamber with burned hands folded calmly on the table.
The second showed Aiden Crest hesitating before contradicting him.
The third showed Seraphina Seraphel lying with a saintess's perfect voice.
"A collapse in the corrupted thread pattern," she had said.
Malcris replayed that line twice.
Then a third time.
Not because the wording was impressive.
Because she had chosen it too quickly.
A sheltered saintess did not improvise concealment language that cleanly unless she had already decided the truth required protection.
Fascinating.
