The sound of footsteps in the corridor was light, measured, not hurried, but not idle either. Haku heard them anyway.
He sat in silence, thinking. He was running out of ideas. Soon, he'd have nothing left to teach. Maybe it was time to leave.
A knock echoed once, sharp, formal, pointed.
"Enter," Haku said, voice smooth but without invitation.
The door creaked open, and in walked a tall, narrow figure draped in dark academic robes. Vice Principal Bernard Van Keunen.
His presence turned the warm lamplight cold.
Bernard entered the room like it already belonged to him. His eyes scanned the desk, the walls, the half-finished notes scattered like a storm of ideas, and finally, settled on Haku.
"You're still here. It's late," Bernard said, his clipped tone always pretending to be casual, like a dagger dressed as a question.
Haku didn't rise. "Discovery doesn't punch a clock."
Bernard offered a tight, humorless smile. "No, but rules do. And so do boundaries."
Haku closed the notebook in front of him with deliberate calm. "Then I suggest you speak plainly."
Bernard moved toward the window, clasping his hands behind his back. He always delivered veiled threats like this, as if he were simply commenting on the weather.
"There's been talk," he began, "about your methods. The liberties you've taken with students. You've ignored the standard curriculum. You've introduced unapproved theories. You've encouraged them to question sacred frameworks."
"I teach them to think," Haku said coolly. "That's my job."
'Really now, old man, what do you want? There's nothing left to teach.'
"You teach them to dismantle," Bernard snapped, turning sharply to face him. "You've created a faction. A wedge. The board has noticed. The alumni whisper. Some of the old families… well, they are not pleased."
"Are you uncomfortable?" Haku finished. "It's just information I give."
Bernard stepped forward. "You are clever, Haku. But clever men become dangerous. Especially when they start believing their own myths."
'Myth? Didn't all my students perform better than expected?'
Haku studied the man. Bernard's robes were lined with gilded thread, a symbol of board sponsorship. His brooch gleamed under the lamplight, likely inscribed with subtle enchantments. A surveillance sigil, no doubt. The man never trusted anyone but himself.
"I'll take that as the warning it's meant to be," Haku said, rising.
"I don't issue warnings," Bernard replied, voice flat. "I offer reminders. You are a guest here. Remember who holds the key to the door."
And then he was gone.
Silence returned, thicker now, almost heavy. Haku moved to the window, watching the moon cast claw-like shadows over the east courtyard.
Something had shifted.
'I suppose it's time I deal with that old man before anything happens.'
He began packing his notes and tools. He was almost out the door when black smoke coiled suddenly around him, cold and silent. In an instant, he was gone from his room, transported elsewhere.
When the smoke cleared, he found himself standing in the Headmaster's office.
A soft voice greeted him, warm but strange.
"Hello. We finally meet, my dear professor."
Al-Malik sat at the great desk, childlike in appearance but unmistakably ancient in presence. Standing beside him were Lyra and, to Haku's surprise, Duke Maris and Kaelen.
"It's been a while, Ser Haku," Kaelen said, his tone laced with unexpected respect.
"So it has, Ser Kaelen," Haku replied coolly.
'What now? I was almost done with this school. Don't tell me something bigger is about to unfold…'
He narrowed his eyes, thoughts flashing. 'I let the jealous teacher thing go. Eight months of peace. Should've known better.'
Al-Malik studied him with patient eyes. "The Duke and his knight are here to vouch for you. As you may know, the Empire has always kept an eye on outliers, especially powerful ones. This empire has many kingdoms within it… But all of them belong to the Emperor. That is why it has no name. The founding Emperor named it simply The Empire to signify there would be no empires after it."
Haku looked at Duke Maris in mild surprise, then at Lyra, someone he'd considered a friend.
"Why are you telling me this?" he asked the Headmaster.
Lyra stepped forward, trying to soften the edge. "Haku… when the Empire was founded, there was a battle between the first Emperor and the branch leader of the Demonic Cult. I only learned about it recently, but after connecting the dots, I think… I know who you might be."
Al-Malik raised a hand, cutting her off before she said too much.
"I've heard of your past," he said calmly. "The Duke has shared pieces. While we do not yet consider you an ally, we no longer see you as a threat. In fact, we've come to inform you of something important."
He stood up, though his height did not grow, and waved his hand through the air. Mana shaped itself into a glowing symbol, an ancient and jagged scorpion.
"This," Al-Malik said, "belongs to an organization long buried in shadows. We know little about them. It's believed they're responsible for the gaps in our history… and for the secrecy surrounding the founding of the Empire."
He paused, letting the weight of the revelation settle before continuing.
"They've always hunted people who come from beyond the Stormy Ocean. Whenever one made contact with our shores… they were killed."
Duke Maris spoke then, his voice firm. "We knew they would come for you eventually. That's why we placed you at this academy. We suspected the Vice Principal might be one of them, and we needed bait."
Haku's brow twitched. "So I'm bait? That's your grand plan? Do you really think that's smart?"
Al-Malik didn't flinch. "We've observed you. You're not the kind of man to abuse power. That much is clear now. And frankly, we never believed for a second that you were in danger."
He gave a knowing look.
"Even if you made no move at all, you still have the Saintess as your assistant."
Haku's eyes narrowed at that. "You knew?"
Al-Malik nodded. "Don't worry. The Duke made sure to block all information regarding her. And we've ensured no one else knows. We don't want to scare the prey."
'At least they still see me as powerful… What now? I suppose helping them is the safest route, now that I'm a target.'
"So," Lyra said softly, stepping forward again. "Will you help us? I promise when your true battle begins, we will help you in return."
Her words drew sharp glances from both the Headmaster and the Duke, as if she'd spoken too freely.
Haku exhaled.
"Hmph. Fine. That man's annoyed me long enough anyway. And I might already have an idea who's helping him."
He crossed his arms, mind spinning through possibilities.
"I'll help. So, what's your plan?"