"Welcome, Austin."
"Good evening Headmistress Stehlmacht."
"No need to be so formal, you can just call me Professor Edel."
"I understand. Hello Professor... Edel."
The Headmistress smiled and nodded elegantly. She gestured for Austin to the seat before her desk. "Please, sit."
Austin hesitated for half a second before complying.
As he settled in, she leaned forward slightly, resting her chin on her hand. "You've made quite the impression, you know."
Austin raised an eyebrow. "Have I?"
She chuckled softly. "Perfect marks on the Placement Exam, a flawless duel performance with Aidan, and now, the sole student to have yet bond with a staff. You certainly know how to make things interesting for us."
Austin internally groaned. "I didn't intend to cause trouble," he replied flatly.
"Good," she said, amusement flickering in her gaze. "That means you're not reckless."
A moment of silence passed before she continued. "Tell me, Austin. What do you think of the academy so far?"
Austin thought for a moment. "It's… challenging, but fair. There's a lot to learn, and the competition is fierce. I'm also curious about the riddles all over the campus."
She raised her eyebrow and nodded approvingly. "That's how it should be. This academy is designed to push students beyond their limits—to forge them into something greater than what they were before."
"..."
Her eyes sharpened. "And what about you, Austin? What do you hope to become?"
Austin frowned slightly. "I haven't really thought about it except about living a perfectly normal life."
"Oh?" she tilted her head. "Then let's rephrase that. What drives you?"
Austin hesitated. What did drive him? He never put it into words before, but deep down, the answer was clear.
"…Strength," he admitted. "I want to become strong enough to protect the people I care about. That way I could live in peace with them."
A flicker of understanding passed through the Headmistress' gaze. "Is it because you've lost someone before out of conflict?"
Austin's jaw tightened.
The Headmistress sighed. "Seeking strength to protect your loved ones after losing someone you care so much—It's a noble reason. A painful one."
"..."
She leaned back in her chair. "And yet, you also claim to want a peaceful life. That's quite the contradiction, don't you think?"
Austin looked down at his hands. "Maybe. But I don't want to spend my whole life fighting. I just want to be strong enough that I won't have to fight all the time."
The Headmistress smiled faintly. "You sound like someone who hasn't yet figured out his place in the world. But why do I feel like you're hiding something from me?"
Austin exhaled. "Maybe I haven't, and no I'm not."
She tapped a manicured finger against the desk. "Alright, I trust you. Then allow me to give you some options."
Austin looked up as she continued.
"With your skills, you could easily become a student council officer, apart from being an Archon, being a student council officer means that you have the power to keep the Archons in check to avoid misuse of authority. You'd have access to resources and connections that could guarantee your future success."
"…No thanks," Austin said immediately.
The Headmistress raised an eyebrow. "That was fast."
"I don't like politics," he answered simply.
She smirked. "Alright. How about joining the Academy's Elite Combat Division? You'd be given special training, missions, and—"
"No."
With an irritated smirk she said, "Your bright mind can contribute to the The Academy's Arcana Research and Development Division. You'll be given—"
"No."
Another smirk. "You really don't like attention, do you?"
"I don't."
She leaned back, amused. "Then let me guess. You just want to graduate quietly, get enough merit points to gain an exclusive room, and move on?"
Austin nodded.
The Headmistress exhaled dramatically. "How boring."
Austin shrugged.
She chuckled, shaking her head. "Alright, I won't force you. But don't be surprised when life throws you into situations you can't avoid, no matter how much you crave peace."
Austin smirked slightly. "I figured as much."
The Headmistress studied him for a long moment before sighing. "You're an interesting one, Austin."
"Thank you for the compliment, Professor Edel."
She stood up, signaling the conversation was coming to an end. "I won't keep you any longer. But know this—no matter how much you avoid the spotlight, greatness tends to find those who are meant for it."
Austin stood as well. "If such things happens, I'll deal with it accordingly."
She laughed softly. "Yes, you will."
As he turned to leave, the Headmistress's gaze lingered on him for a moment longer. "That suit looks good on you," she remarked, her tone purely objective. "It suits you well."
Austin glanced down at himself, brushing a hand over the fabric. He simply nodded in response, not wanting to reveal anything more.
Just as he reached for the door handle, her voice came again, this time more deliberate. "Have you visited the Magian's Tower yet?"
Hand pausing on the knob, Austin turned back, eyes narrowing slightly. "No."
The Headmistress smiled, an mysterious glint in her gaze. "Since the sun has already set, be sure to visit it before the sun sets tomorrow."
He studied her for a long moment before asking, "Is this another one of those riddles?"
She merely smiled, effortlessly shifting the topic. "Enjoy the Academy's Evening Ball."
Austin let out a quiet sigh, deciding not to press further.
As he stepped out into the hallway, his mind buzzed with lingering thoughts. But before he could focus on them, a faint prickle ran down his spine.
Someone was there.
He turned sharply but there was nothing except for the majestic hallway. It stretched empty before him, silent.
After a brief hesitation, he shook his head, brushing the feeling aside. There was no use dwelling on shadows. He had somewhere to be, so he started walking—when the door leading to the Headmistress's office behind him began to glow.
---
"I stand in place yet open wide,
Through me, you'll step to what's inside.
A path to secrets, high and old,
Through me, new journeys will unfold.
What am I?"
---
Austin read the first two lines carefully. "I stand in place yet open wide, through me, you'll step to what's inside."
His mind immediately went to a door, but the riddle wasn't that simple. His gaze drifted to the next part. "A path to secrets, high and old..."
The first two lines clearly describe a door, but the answer isn't just a door. It also reveals where the door leads.
"High and old…" he muttered, tapping his fingers against the desk. "A tower?" His heartbeat quickened as he pieced it together. Taking a deep breath, he answered, "A door to a tower?"
As if confirming his answer, the riddle vanished.
He couldn't help but wonder about the purpose of these riddles, which only appeared at specific times and places.
He considered going back inside to ask the Headmistress, but feared it might lead him down a complicated path, so he decided against it.
Instead, he turned his way toward the Grand Hall, where the Academy's Evening Ball awaits.