Kathleen pushed open the office door with zero finesse, letting it slam shut behind her with enough force to make Libel glance up, if only briefly, from her notebook. The woman seated behind the broad, polished oak desk, surrounded by piles of files and scrolls, gave her a smile that was equal parts amused and mocking.
"Well, Kathleen, as charming as ever, I see!" she quipped. "What brings you here today, along with that lovely mood of yours?"
Kathleen pressed her lips together, not replying immediately. She marched forward with stiff shoulders and finally dropped a stack of files thick enough that the wood of the desk creaked slightly. Then, without another word, she took a seat, arms crossed, fixing Libel with an intense gaze.
"So?" Libel arched an eyebrow. "Are you going to tell me what's going on, or did you just come to redecorate?"
"You knew, didn't you?" Kathleen finally spat, her voice as sharp as a blade.
Libel blinked, feigning an exaggerated innocence that fit her all too well. Adjusting her glasses with a sly smile, she replied, "Whatever do you mean?"
Kathleen's gaze hardened, a mix of reproach and frustration in her eyes.
"Big Sister... You know exactly what I'm talking about. Nash. I'm not going to beat around the bush. Why didn't you tell me?"
Libel's smile widened, and she shook her head, laughing softly. "That's amusing," she noted. "With me, you call him by his name, but the minute he's around, it's all 'Magister this,' 'Magister that.' Like a schoolgirl trying to impress her teacher."
Kathleen clenched her jaw, straightening in her seat, her eyes narrowing with anger.
"That doesn't answer my question, Big Sister. Why did you hide it from me? You know this is important to me!"
Libel sighed, leaning back in her chair with a relaxed, almost exasperated posture.
"Look, Kathleen... I told anyone who cared to listen that the Magister is remarkable. Isn't that all you needed to know?"
Kathleen shook her head, fists clenching on her lap.
"You're always so... superficial, Big Sister. Everyone knows you as that, but I needed to know more about Nash… Couldn't you be honest with me for once?"
Libel shrugged, completely unfazed.
"That's exactly it, Kathleen. Isn't it better to find things out for yourself, to form your own opinion, instead of having everything handed to you?"
Kathleen let out a deep sigh, rubbing her forehead.
"Whatever. The council is thrilled with his performance," she finally said, her tone resigned. "That's enough for them to justify his appointment. Apparently, he managed to win everyone over."
Libel's eyes sparkled with satisfaction, a mischievous smile dancing on her lips.
"Well, that's news the Magister would love to hear. If only he knew how much he's appreciated…"
Kathleen fell silent for a moment, letting her words linger. After a long breath, she raised her head.
"Elder… I need to understand what's really going on with Nash. Tell me what you know, tell me what you're still hiding."
Libel narrowed her gaze slightly behind her glasses.
"You're getting bold, Kathleen," she remarked, her tone hovering between amusement and reproach. "Very bold."
Kathleen swallowed, realizing she might have crossed a line. She stayed quiet for a beat, eyes cast down, before standing, clearly ready to leave without pressing further. She took a few steps toward the door, but then stopped abruptly. Without turning back, she added,
"Whatever the case, I'm not about to let that slacker get off easy. I'll find a way to get him moving, with or without your help."
Libel couldn't suppress a laugh, a gleam of amusement flashing in her eyes.
"You have my full support, Kathleen. And honestly... good luck."
---
The dining hall buzzed with life, every corner packed. Voices rose, laughter echoed, and the clatter of cutlery against plates punctuated the lively meal. The air was thick with the aroma of stew and fresh bread, and the animated conversations seemed to intertwine, creating a symphony of cheerful chaos.
Suddenly, a shout cut through the noise, casting an unexpected hush over the room.
A man, now standing on a table, had raised his voice, capturing everyone's attention. His bright eyes fixed on a figure framed at the entrance. Piper had just walked in, a tray of food balanced in her hands, her calm stride contrasting with the commotion around her. All eyes turned to her, and a heavy silence fell, the whispers vanishing instantly.
"Hey! Here comes young Piper, already playing in the big leagues!" the man shouted with a wide grin.
Applause erupted almost immediately, spontaneous and loud, and Piper suddenly found herself at the center of attention she hadn't asked for. She cast a quick glance around, a barely-there smile on her lips, then moved calmly through the hall. She chose a table by the wall, a bit out of the way, and sat down without haste, placing her tray in front of her with a disarming composure.
Her neighbor, a young woman, couldn't help but stare, amused by Piper's calmness amidst the lively atmosphere. She leaned closer, her mischievous smile contrasting with Piper's neutral expression.
"Hey, you okay? Looks like everyone's talking about you today!"
Piper shrugged, a quiet smile playing at her lips, and casually speared her fork into her plate. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I didn't do anything special, really."
At a few tables over, the man who'd called her name shot another look her way, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "Nothing special, you say?" he laughed. "But don't forget, you teamed up with the great Mira and the unshakable Griffin! That's no small feat—that shows what you're made of!"
The murmurs picked up again around them, with several people nodding in obvious admiration. Another man, his hair tousled, leaned in, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"So, what was it like with the Magister?" he asked, squinting slightly with a smile.
"According to the report, he's the one who neutralized the Malefic, right?"
Piper opened her mouth, ready to respond, but a female voice cut in from another table before she could say a word.
"Come on, it's obvious that Piper handled everything, and they just gave the credit to the Magister, as usual!" the woman declared, crossing her arms with a skeptical expression.
A stifled laugh rippled through the hall, and the man who had first shouted shook his head, mildly annoyed. "You're being a bit hard on our Magister, don't you think?"
Another man, sitting a bit farther away, chimed in, a wry smile on his face. "Oh, we all know the Magister's there more because the former Magister wanted him, not for his skills."
"Yes, but the Elder still said that…" tried a young woman, sounding a bit hesitant.
Another woman, more assertive, cut her off almost immediately. "Yes, yes, the Elder only said that to keep up appearances—we all know that. It was just for show, nothing more."
The discussion was lively, opinions clashing, but everyone kept glancing back at Piper. A man, this time with a softer voice, looked at her intently.
"So, Piper, you were on the mission with the Magister… Is it true, all this? Did you handle the Malefic?" he asked calmly.
Piper remained silent, lowering her gaze to her plate as if she hadn't heard him. She distractedly picked at a piece of meat, taking her time chewing, while the stares around her grew increasingly persistent.
Inwardly, Piper repeated the question she'd been asked: "Did you handle the Malefic?" The murmurs and curious glances seemed to press around her, but her mind was elsewhere, far from the noisy dining hall. She drifted into her memories, reliving every moment of that mission with striking clarity.
She remembered running at full speed, tension gripping her muscles as she approached the location where the Magister had already arrived. She hadn't known what she'd find when she got there, but she knew the Malefic would be waiting. She was ready to fight by his side. But what she found upon arrival left her speechless.
The Malefic lay on the ground, inert, completely drained of power. Stripped of its ether, it no longer resembled the fearsome creature she'd heard so much about. Its features, now defenseless, looked almost human, ordinary, as if this feared figure had been nothing but an ordinary, vulnerable woman. The contrast struck Piper deeply: the enemy she had heard so much about was nothing more than a broken silhouette, lying still in the dust.
And there, in front of her, stood the Magister, calm, his gaze resting on the scene with an almost distracted air. His hands clasped behind his back, he stood tall, without a trace of fatigue or a drop of sweat.
Piper felt as if he had just performed the most natural act in the world, as if defeating the Malefic was nothing more than a simple exercise, a formality hardly worthy of his attention. She had come to a halt, staring back and forth between the figure on the ground and the Magister, her expression remaining impassive, as if it were just another day.
She had wanted to ask him a thousand questions, to understand how he could have accomplished such a feat, but words had failed her. In that instant, she felt a blend of admiration and bewilderment.
Back in the present, Piper could feel the eyes on her, and the murmurs around her reached her, blurred yet persistent. Some spoke with laughter, others feigned concern for her, but most made barely veiled jabs and jokes about the Magister.
A faint smile appeared on her lips. She could hear the insinuations, the disguised criticisms. To them, the Magister was simply a mystery they'd solved in their own way, a man they had judged by their own standards.
But she knew none of this affected him. Those who criticized him, those who thought him incapable—they didn't understand the truth. Piper knew the Magister paid no attention to rumors, to a reputation that meant nothing to him. She knew he had never sought to be liked or even understood. He acted as he saw fit, and what others thought didn't matter in the slightest.
All of this almost made her smile. She lowered her eyes to her plate, slowly spearing another piece of meat, her thoughts drifting. She took her time chewing, savoring this moment of calm she allowed herself amid the uproar.
She felt at peace, and, despite the incessant murmurs, a certain serenity filled her. She didn't need to justify herself, let alone defend the Magister. Her silence already said far more than any words could.
To be continued!
Next Chapter: Guildmasters' meeting