Chapter 360 – The Sound of Truth

Chapter 360 – The Sound of Truth

“Please, wait here.” The stiff-backed man gestured toward a row of velvet chairs set beneath a tapestry depicting a battlefield. Threads of mana glimmered within the embroidery, tracing the hawk banners, drawn swords and armors. “The Dean will be ready to receive you shortly.”

With a formal bow, the attendant sat at a lacquered desk in the far corner of the waiting hall. The ruffling of papers and the scratch of a quill filled the brittle quiet.

Kai sat rigidly on the blue velvet seat, unwrapping his scarf and folding it with deliberate care, then loosened his collar.

Why did they heat the interiors so much?

The measured tick of a clock marked the wait. He dried his palms on his knees, aware of his hands and unable to rest them without feeling awkward.

It’s probably nothing. Like… what reason would the dean of the most prestigious academy in the Republic have to suddenly summon a nobody? Maybe some bureaucratic nitpick. Or does he just enjoy unnerving random students?

Foresight steered his thoughts away from darker scenarios and anxious spiraling, with no concrete answers.

Why did he always feel guilty when an authority figure looked his way?

I did nothing wrong. They’re the ones who screwed up the Trials. Unless… are they finally addressing the accidents? But why directly to the top?

To the relief of his mental sanity, the engraved door on his left soon swung open. A familiar figure walked out—effortless, imperious posture, uniform crisp and unwrinkled.

Alden paused long enough to glance at him, face composed with no hint of surprise.

Before Kai could speak, the clerk stood over his chair, obscuring the view of his roommate. “The Dean will receive you now, Mister Veernon.” The man motioned at the open doorway, each movement elegantly studied.

“Yes, alright.” Kai pushed himself to his feet. Remembering his scarf, he pivoted to grab it, only to cross a pair of deep purple eyes.

Alden gave a slight blink, the gesture only noticeable against the impassive canvas of his features. Without a word or further twitch in his expression, he strode out of the waiting hall.

Hey, what does that mean? What did you talk about? Come on…

Under the attendant’s gaze, Kai stilled his fidgeting hands and stepped toward the waiting threshold.

The faint scent of parchment and wild grasses greeted him—a breath of untamed forest before the door shut behind him with a muted thud. Dark wood shelves lined the room. Tomes with weathered and cracked spines arrayed beside freshly bound covers, sealed scrolls, and artifacts glittered like stars.

The air thrummed with mana—yet his gaze remained ahead.

Fading sunlight streamed through the arched windows, gleaming off the brass fittings of an imposing mahogany desk across the office. The man seated there idly drummed his fingers over a crystal scryer. A dull sheen played over his tight-fitting robes, dyed in shades of violet, from pale lilac to hues that verged on black. His presence hung like a whisper through the chamber. An authority that needed no demonstration.

Blue.

Kai found himself holding his breath without meaning to. Everyone knew the dean’s alleged grade, yet that did nothing to blunt his awe.

The man turned his hand toward the empty chair. “Take a seat, Matthew.” His measured tone offered an illusion of choice.

Alright, he’s just another guy.

Kai took a step on the marble flooring before remembering the proper protocol. “At your permission, Dean Astares.” His waist bent a small degree, left arm loose at his side, right hand below his sternum, palm open in obeisance.

The gesture felt stiff and awkward—an actor performing the lines from the Students’ Codex he learned through Mnemonic Mastery.

Caught up in his own nerves, Kai almost missed the aura pressing on him as he approached the desk and sat. Had Virya’s presence been stronger? He believed so, though too much time had passed to draw an accurate comparison.

Is he waiting for me to speak first…?

The dean had set aside the dimming scryer to study him, lilac eyes nearly matching the paler shades of his robes. A neatly trimmed goatee framed his jawline; the dark blond hair, neatly combed back, reflected an almost metallic sheen where the light brushed it.

Up close, he looked younger than Kai had expected, barely thirty, though appearances meant little at Blue.

So… are we having a staring contest?

Kai blinked. When that failed to earn a response, he dredged up the chapters on uptight decorum. “May I inquire as to the reason for my summons, Dean Astares? Not that I’m ungrateful for the honor.”

Not like I should be enjoying fancy food with my friends right now.

“Te-whoo.” A bleak note cut through the study.

What—

Kai turned, frowning at a songbird of brass and blue enamel that perched atop a thick tome.

Did that bird just chirp at me?

The dean observed him for a few seconds longer. A faint smile tugged at his lips, his gaze still unreadable. “I’m aware certain professors have a passion for formal protocol, though I confess I never shared it. Addressing me as dean or High Mage Astares is sufficient. As for the reason I called you here, I understand you’ve received the results of your Mid-Term Trials. Allow me to congratulate you on the exemplary showing. I look forward to watching your future at Raelion. Results merit fitting rewards, though there is one matter to address first.”

His fingers laced above the desk, thumbs pressed together. “The core matrices for the first-year Trials experienced certain irregularities during testing. We’re already investigating the arrays and the runesmiths involved. I must apologize, the interference hindered the assessment of some participants. Despite the supervising committee’s corrective measures, I saw it as my duty to verify the performance of the highest-ranking students.”

Kai nodded along. Saving the speech for later perusal, the words took a moment to catch up with his brain.

Wait… does he think I cheated?

Not only had the fizzled seals that unleashed the Pale Stalker nearly gotten him killed—now he had to prove what happened? How many other challenges had they botched? Why assign him the points at all? His inked certificate was already safely tucked in his ring.

Questions spun through his mind, tangled with mounting indignation—none of which he could voice to the Blue mage at the head of Raelion.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Breathe and smile. Calm and pleasant.

Fairness wouldn’t save him if he snapped at the dean. On the bright side, the summon gave him hope the professors hadn’t seen his Spatial Shift.

Is this even about cheating? Or about covering up the accidents during the Trials? Dead students never make for good publicity…

“If it helps, I’m happy to answer any questions,” Kai said politely. Why had he not spent more time getting his story straight with Alden?

“Te-whoo,” the bleak chirp repeated.

His smile strained, jaw clenching not to glare at the brass bird.

Why is that thing even here? Is this guy some weird bird enthusiast?

Sparing no glance for his squawking artifact, the dean withdrew a thick folder from a spatial storage. “If you can indulge a few questions, we’ll confirm the accuracy of your evaluation.” He cracked open the first page, though his eyes remained on him. “In the eleventh chamber of the Door Maze, you encountered a mana riddle based on Tylenna’s Balancing Paradox…”

Uh? What is he on about?

Brows furrowed, Kai took a moment to grasp what the man meant—and longer to come up with an answer that sounded smarter than: I poked things around till the runes cracked.

“I wasn’t aware of the specific paradox.” He picked his words. “When I traced the mana flow, I noticed the poor arrangement of the array to make it fit the doorframe. So I temporarily linked the poles to create a cycle that escalated the imbalance.”

“Twee.” The brass menace sang a merrier note.

The dean drew a thumb over his chin. “Quite an unorthodox approach. Resourceful.” He turned a page—his eyes still not lowering. “In the fourteenth chamber, you encountered…”