— This… explains a lot, huh? — murmured Lycandor, slowly rising from his chair.
Aertharion raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the statement.
— Explains a lot? What do you mean, Lycandor? — he asked, leaning slightly forward.
Lycandor let out a heavy sigh, crossing his arms as he turned his gaze toward the large window in the office, staring at the scenery outside. However, his mind seemed deeply immersed in thought.
— Sigh… The truth is, I have been receiving numerous complaints from Kyrion's professors about his behavior in class. The school term has barely started, and yet, every single professor has already come to me with concerns about him. — he said, pinching the bridge of his nose as if trying to stave off an oncoming headache.
Aertharion chuckled lightly, shaking his head.
— Hah… Let me guess… They complain that he does nothing during class, either sleeping through the lessons or not showing up at all. But when questioned about something highly specific, he answers perfectly, doesn't he? — he asked before bringing his teacup to his lips.
Lycandor turned his serious gaze toward him, confirming his words with a nod.
— Sigh… Yes. Even among us gods, from time to time, there are those born with exceptional talents, capable of surpassing their peers by absurd margins. Geniuses like this emerge only once in millions of years. I can count on one hand how many of them have passed through Aeternal… — he said, lost in thought.
— However, what's the point of possessing such extraordinary abilities if he simply refuses to use them correctly? In fact, I would say even more… If Kyrion put in just a minimal amount of effort to participate in school activities — even if he already knows everything being taught — he would avoid many of the problems he gets himself into. If he had even a shred of dedication, he wouldn't be caught up in so much trouble right now… — Lycandor concluded, casting a glance at me, who was still fast asleep on the couch.
Aertharion closed his eyes and simply nodded, taking another sip of his warm tea.
For a few moments, silence settled in the room, broken only by the subtle sound of the wind outside. Lycandor continued gazing at the view through the window, seemingly deep in thought, until he finally spoke again:
— Sigh… If things continue like this, I fear he will get himself into more and more trouble, and eventually, everyone will turn against him. Or worse… he might end up completely alone, isolated from everything and everyone until the day he ceases to exist. What happened with Aurëalis was merely a superficial issue. If it weren't for Keltherion being such an overly protective and distrustful father, he wouldn't have paid this incident much attention at all. — he explained, his expression darkening slightly.
— Still… Sigh… this is something I can handle without Kyrion being directly affected. — Lycandor affirmed, turning toward Aertharion with a resolute look.
Aertharion blinked, slightly confused.
— You can actually resolve this for us, Lycandor? That would be fantastic! You have no idea how much of a headache it is dealing with someone as stubborn and primitive as Keltherion… — he began to say, but Lycandor promptly interrupted him.
— However… — Lycandor said, a faint, enigmatic smile forming on his lips.
— In order for me to do this, I have a request to make, Aertharion.
Aertharion's expression hardened slightly.
— A request? What kind of request? — he asked, narrowing his eyes, anticipating that it might not be something so simple.
Lycandor clasped his hands together on the desk and calmly explained:
— The truth is, one of our professors, Myllien, recently took leave as she is about to give birth. As a result, we currently have no one teaching the subject History of the Lower Dimensions.
— When you told me about Kyrion's abilities — his exceptional intelligence and mastery of knowledge that allows him to excel without effort — I started considering a possibility… What if we conducted a test to assess his skills? If he passes, he could serve as a substitute teacher until Myllien returns.
Aertharion furrowed his brow, surprised by the proposal.
— Kyrion… a professor? — he murmured, trying to picture the scene.
Lycandor smiled slightly and continued:
— If he accepts this role, he will receive the same privileges as an official professor, which means he will be protected under the neutrality laws signed by all the races present in Aeternal. This would prevent anyone, including Keltherion, from attempting to harm him without an extremely valid justification.
— Moreover, taking on this position would keep him away from unnecessary trouble. He would spend more time among the professors and with me, drastically reducing his chances of getting involved in conflicts. And, to top it off, this would also solve an administrative issue that has been troubling me for quite some time — finding a suitable replacement for Myllien. But obviously, this would only happen if he passed the test, whose judges would be some of our best teachers. — Lycandor finished, closely watching Aertharion's reaction.
Aertharion remained silent for a few moments, processing the proposal. Then, Lycandor delivered his final argument:
— Lastly… If he accepts and performs well in this role, I will grant him permission to graduate before the others and return home without needing to complete the remaining school years. He will be free earlier than expected — something that, let's be honest, would be a true gift for someone so averse to responsibilities.
Aertharion's eyes widened slightly, and for a few seconds, he simply stared at Lycandor. Then, his serious expression melted into a burst of laughter.
— Hahaha… You'd really do that? You have no idea how much of a burden you'd be lifting off my shoulders, my old friend! — he exclaimed, laughing as he stood up.
He grasped Lycandor's hands, shaking them firmly in a gesture of gratitude.
— You didn't even need to ask for permission! Go ahead with this plan without hesitation. This will be perfect for Kyrion! You have my full approval to proceed with this test. — he declared enthusiastically.
Lycandor blinked, slightly taken aback by such eagerness.
— W-What…? You seem way too excited about this, don't you think? — he asked, as Aertharion continued shaking his hand firmly.
— Hahaha… It's because you have no idea how big of a headache you just saved me from! — Aertharion replied, visibly relieved.
Lycandor sighed and shook his head, now understanding his friend's joy a little better.
— Sigh… So that's why, huh?
Before they could continue their conversation, a subtle sound interrupted the moment.
From the couch, I began to stir slowly, mumbling something incoherent as I gradually regained consciousness.
— Agh… D-Damn… my head… What happened? — I muttered, waking up sluggishly, feeling dizzy and completely disoriented.
— Hah… Speaking of him, look who finally decided to wake up. — Aertharion commented, crossing his arms and watching me with a smirk.
My vision was still blurry, but little by little, I began to recognize the figure in front of me.
— Aertharion? Agh… What happened? And… where am I? — I asked, blinking a few times, trying to make sense of my surroundings.
— Well… the last time this happened, you were just as confused, so I don't blame you. — Aertharion replied, setting his teacup down on a small table beside him.
— You're in the headmaster's office, Kyrion. — he added, his expression turning more serious.
My brows furrowed in confusion.
— What? The headmaster's office? But… what am I doing here? — I questioned, desperately searching my mind for answers, but nothing came to me.
Lycandor, who had been silently observing the conversation until then, turned to Aertharion.
— He… doesn't remember anything? — he asked, studying me with an intrigued expression.
Aertharion let out a deep sigh.
— No… — Aertharion responded, his voice carrying a hint of exhaustion.
— But I already expected this. The last time it was the same. The only difference is that, back then, it took him days to wake up because the incident was much worse. — he explained, taking another sip of his tea.
— Hmm… Truly intriguing. — Lycandor murmured, now observing me more intently, as if analyzing a rare and fascinating specimen.
— Lycandor? — I asked, finally realizing his presence in the room.
He smiled slightly and stood up from his chair.
— Hello, Kyrion. Looks like we have a lot to talk about, don't we? — he said, his sharp and curious gaze fixed on me.
I frowned, still struggling to comprehend the situation.
— What? We have a lot to talk about? — I repeated, my confusion only growing.
— Agh… What are you talking about? Can you guys please explain what's going on? I don't remember anything… — I added, running a hand through my hair as a mild discomfort settled in my head.
Lycandor and Aertharion exchanged glances before proceeding.
— Sigh… Alright. — Aertharion began, his expression becoming more serious.
— You… were turning into that again. That destructive thing you became millennia ago. — he said, watching my reaction closely.
My eyes widened slightly.
— When I sensed the waves of power you were releasing, growing stronger and stronger, I realized it was time to intervene before what happened back then repeated itself. — he continued, extending his hand to reveal the Orb of Dawn, the artifact that had sealed me away in the past.
I swallowed hard.
— So, I went to where you were, used the Orb again, and after you lost consciousness, I brought you here.
— We were already planning to summon you here anyway, as there were important matters to discuss. But since you forced me to intervene earlier than expected… I decided to bring you along, even unconscious, so we could have this conversation right away. — he concluded, tucking the Orb away once more.
My hands clenched into fists involuntarily.
— What…? I… was losing control again…? — I murmured, feeling a cold shiver run down my spine.
— B-But why? Who was I fighting this time? — I asked, my apprehension growing.
Aertharion shook his head, his expression remaining impassive.
— Don't worry. You didn't seriously injure anyone. Well… at least not significantly. — he stated, without hesitation.
— You were fighting against a boy with short, light-colored hair. I didn't ask for his name. — Aertharion added.
— A boy… with short, light-colored hair? — I muttered to myself.
At first, nothing came to mind, but then, like a sudden wave, fragmented memories started to surface.
— Agh… now I remember… I remember what happened… before I lost consciousness. — I murmured, clenching my fists tighter.
Aertharion and Lycandor's eyes narrowed slightly, watching my reaction closely.
— That bastard… — I muttered, feeling my blood begin to boil.
— He said our race should be wiped out… That we only exist because the Light Dragons allow it… Agh… just remembering those words… my anger is… coming back… — my voice came out filled with fury, and I felt my body begin to heat up involuntarily, the energy within me bubbling.
Before I could let my rage take over, however, Aertharion stepped closer and lightly knocked on my head with his clenched fist.
…toc…
— Ouch… — I groaned, wincing in pain as I raised a hand to my head, massaging the spot where Aertharion had just struck me.
I looked up at him, indignant.
— Aertharion, what was that for?! — I asked, still rubbing my head.
He crossed his arms and looked at me seriously.
— Sigh… You were fighting him over something so meaningless? — he questioned, his voice filled with disapproval.
My frustration returned.
— Meaningless?! MEANINGLESS?! BUT HE- — I started to argue, my voice rising, but Aertharion interrupted me before I could lose my temper completely.
— Listen to me, Kyrion. — he said, his tone firm yet patient.
— What he said… Do you actually believe it? — he asked, looking me directly in the eyes.
— What…? — I furrowed my brows, confused at first, but then, without hesitation, I responded:
— W-What? Of course not! — I stated firmly.
Aertharion gave a small, satisfied smile.
— Then everything's fine. — he said simply.
— What? How can you say everything is fine?! — I questioned.
— As long as you know and understand the truth, the words of others are nothing more than empty words. They hold no power over you. — Aertharion declared, his voice filled with conviction.
— What truly matters is what you believe. If you know their words are nothing but lies, then what they say about us… is irrelevant. — he concluded.
My hands slowly began to relax.
I took a deep breath, still feeling the lingering anger burning inside me, but… somehow, Aertharion's words had a calming effect.
I closed my eyes for a moment and let out a long sigh.
— …Understood. — I murmured, now calmer.
Aertharion smirked slightly.
— Good. Now that you've finally woken up and calmed down… we have a lot to discuss. — he said, crossing his arms.