"What do you mean by gone?" The old man's voice carried a tone of disbelief.
"Just like I said, it's suddenly gone—poof, just like that," replied Victoria, her words laced with an almost playful nonchalance. Her demeanor, however, seemed to find this situation amusing.
Haiter, the wise and wondering sage, observed Principal Victoria closely. It became evident to him that she wasn't taking the matter as seriously as he believed she should. He cast her a displeased look, his eyes expressing a mixture of concern and disappointment.
Sensing Haiter's disapproval, Victoria ceased her playful demeanor and adopted a more serious tone. "Like I told you, it's gone. Even though I hid it in the academy's deepest vault, it disappeared all of a sudden."
"You think I'll believe that? What did you do, Principal Victoria?" Haiter's skepticism was apparent, and he didn't seem willing to accept such an extraordinary explanation without further clarification.
