Solomon was seated behind a wide desk with a near-death expression. But what she found weird wasn't his expression but the things on his desk that seemed to decorate the entire room as well.
On that wide desk were mountains upon mountains of papers that can be twice as tall as a human being. But it doesn't stop there. There were more bundles of paper of the same height by the floor. In fact, there were so much that it covered most of the floor in the room.
Solomon barely glanced at her because his hands and tired eyes were relentlessly scanning and signing multiple papers in the speed of light.
"Master?" Inna called out softly, the word seemed natural despite coming from herself.
They once had an argument of how they would address each other. She wanted to just simply call him 'old man' but he blew a fuse at that. He complained that since she was a disciple, it would be rude towards society if she were to call him by anything other than 'master'. After all, he is her teacher in the end. So, she had no choice but to agree and get used to it.
"Inna? You're here? What's wrong?" He asked weakly.
This time he lifted his head to look at her. His face looked like he just faced death and barely survived. His hair was unkempt and his elegant and strong aura was nowhere to be seen. His eyes had bags underneath and his cheeks are sunken. His complexion is deathly pale and his gaze sometimes becomes unfocused.
"I should be asking you that. What happened here?" Inna eyed the paperwork and his haggard look.
He placed down his pen with a sigh and covered his face with his hands. Then, he furiously rubbed against his face to try and wipe off the fatigue he is feeling.
"It's my work. The school year is starting and I'm looking through all eight hundred thousand of applicants that are entering the academy. So, I'm terribly sorry for not being able to teach you much this time. Looks like I'll be busy for a few more weeks." He sighed.
"School year? Academy?" Inna furrowed her brows in confusion.
It's her first time hearing this.
In fact, it's her first time hearing that he had such a serious job. She always thought he was one of those creepy researchers who made money from their discoveries and fully devoted their lives in researching.
"You don't know?" Solomon leaned back against his chair as he looked at her in confusion. "Was I not able to tell you where you are?"
"Nope."
"Really?" Solomon widened his tired eyes in disbelief. "Sorry, it completely slipped my mind. Still, I can't believe you wouldn't ask something like that. Two months ago, you were technically taken in by a stranger but you actually never asked where you were." Solomon looked at her like she was stupid.
Well, even if Inna asked, she felt that it really wouldn't make a difference to her anyways. After all, everywhere is a foreign land for her.
Inna simply shrugged nonchalantly, like she didn't care.
"So, where am I?"
Solomon sighed again.
This kid is too naive. She actually didn't question him all this time!
What if he was a wicked man?
Hah~ No wonder those Losers were able to fool her easily.
"You're in Eldora Academy's school grounds. Specifically, we are in my private lodging, the Sun Breeze Mansion."
"If we're in school grounds, why do you have a private lodging?" Inna furrowed her brows deeper.
"I'm the founder, owner, creator, and current headmaster of the academy." Solomon said weakly. He wanted to brag about it but his energy is too drained to even speak smugly.
"What is this Eldora academy?"
"It's the most famous Academy in Anemoly." He muttered.
"Are you not even ashamed of saying that?" Inna snickered.
"It's true!" Solomon groaned weakly. He's not really in the mood to bicker at a child. "Look at these student applicants for the new semester! These are just the applicants for the first week! And application lasts for two weeks!"
Inna saw the worn out look on her Master and decided to tone down on the teasing.
She knew his attitude by now.
Usually he acts like a child around her, and she normally thought that's how he usually is. But she found out, by sneaking around, that his attitude is actually different towards others. She realized that he would sometimes act like a child just so that she can actually feel comfortable in talking to him and being around him. But on most of the times when he's not with her, he regains his regal and powerful aura as he assumes a cold and domineering attitude towards other people.
Inna was actually touched by his thoughtfulness. He knew that she was a bit uncomfortable in the new environment so his acting of being goofy made hear unknowingly relax and made her express herself more freely.