“Alright, alright,” Adion said, sitting down exhausted. “That has to be it for today. I don’t want to be completely useless when I meet Dean Lukas later.”

Sell didn’t argue, as she tumbled to the ground herself.

“I’m getting better at it,” Sell said as she breathed heavily.

“Are you?” Adion questioned.

They were practicing together in one of the private fighting pits, and they had both agreed to finish it up with Adion freezing Sell in space and her trying to break free.

Adion didn’t notice anything different, but it was only the fourth time they were practicing together, so he wasn’t expecting Sell to improve any time soon. He was also getting stronger with each session, after all.

Sell looked at him with a pondering expression. “I might not be able to get out of your space quicker, but it feels like I’m getting closer to something.”

“Closer to something? Like what? Is there a way to escape my space besides getting a stronger Will?” Adion asked.

“I’m not sure,” Sell said carefully. “Either way, I’m going to be immune to that power of yours sooner or later.”

“Is that so?” Adion asked with a grin.

“It is,” Sell nodded with a smile.

Adion couldn’t help himself when she smiled like that, so he got up on his feet and went to sit down next to her.

Sell blushed when Adion leaned in for a kiss. But since that had been the usual routine for the two for the past few days whenever they finished practice, she wasn’t surprised.

After a while, Sell broke free from the kiss. She looked at Adion with a flushed face. “You’re going to be late.”

“It’s fine,” Adion said resolutely.

“Haha,” Sell laughed and got up to her feet, “This is important, Adion. You should make sure to be there on time.”

Adion looked up at her with a mournful look on his face. “Damn that Elder Kilth. I’ll remember this.”

“This is what upsets you?” Sell asked with a smile.

“Everything else I can handle,” Adion said with a serious expression, causing Sell to laugh.

I suppose the sooner I solve all this, the more time I can relax with Sell later.

Adion got up to his feet and headed to the gate together with Sell. He made sure to hold her hand on the way.

“We can’t be seen holding hands, you know,” Sell said.

“Just to the gate,” Adion said.

The gate in question was just 20 feet away from them, so this line caused a smile to appear on Sell’s face.

At the gate, Adion let go of Sell’s hand and reached to pull the gate open. As the gate opened, Sell sneaked in a quick kiss before hurrying outside.

How did I get this lucky? Even with everything going on, I feel excited to wake up every morning because of her.

Adion smiled and hurried out after Sell.

“Do you think he’ll be able to do something?” Sell asked as they walked toward the Old Academy together.

“I don’t really know,” Adion said hesitantly, “I doubt even the dean holds much sway over a Council member. But at the same time, surely he will understand that this can’t continue.”

“He better. This is embarrassing for the whole Academy,” Sell said angrily.

It had been three days of continuous harassment from the different professors and faculty members who were controlled by Elder Kilth. He now didn’t have a single credit to spend. And it would be well into the negatives if that had been possible. But he had been informed that you couldn’t have credits deducted into the negatives without a special reason.

Sell had asked her sister for advice, and she had told Sell that there were a few options that she could think of. Adion could try to placate Elder Kilth somehow, perhaps by agreeing to join the Shields. He could also try to get the support of someone who carried equal or more weight. But that was easier said than done. Not even Rellitha knew how to get into contact with a Council member of the Hard Soul stage.

The final option she could think of was the one Adion had opted for. He had scheduled a meeting with Dean Lukas to see if he could solve the problem somehow.

I have to make sure he takes this seriously. I can’t possibly continue like this.

“Anyway,” Adion said, deciding to change the topic, “I have two options in mind for our date.”

“Go on,” Sell said excitedly.

“Either we go to an auction together. I have looked one up and can arrange a private booth for us. We can have dinner before at a restaurant in the same building,” Adion laid out the first option.

“That sounds amazing,” Sell said, “I want to go!”

“Oh, okay,” Adion nodded with a smile.

“Wait, what was the second option?” Sell asked.

“Never mind,” Adion said while shaking his head, slightly embarrassed.

“No, tell me,” Sell urged.

“Well,” Adion hesitated, “I looked into it a little and found a bard that is supposed to be very good.”

Or, well, Perk and Tib looked into it for me.

“It’s nothing fancy at all, though,” Adion continued, “He just plays in regular bars around Cyalis. I just thought it might be nice. A little like how it was when we were at the Outskirts together.”

“That’s even better,” Sell said with a smile, “I choose the second option.”

“Really?” Adion asked.

“Of course,” Sell nodded, “That’s what we said we would do back then, after all.”

“Good,” Adion said, “I’ll take you to another auction at a later date. One that will be talked about all over the city.”

“Oh? What auction is that? Is there something special being auctioned?” Sell asked.

“Nothing you or I would need,” Adion said, “But I’ll tell you about it later.”

“Why?” Sell questioned.

“Because it’s a surprise,” Adion said.

“That’s just your new way of saying ‘secret,’” Sell said with a pout.

“It’s a secret with a time limit, I suppose,” Adion said.

“Aren’t all your secrets ‘secrets with a time limit’?” Sell said with a laugh.

“I thought we already established that you’re not one to talk,” Adion countered.

“I don’t even come close to being as bad as you,” Sell argued with a smile.

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“I’m not sure about that,” Adion said with a grin, “You blushing at every mention of us being together is a dead giveaway that something is going on.”

“That’s…not fair,” Sell muttered with a blush, causing Adion to laugh at how cute she was.

After walking and talking for well over half an hour, Adion and Sell reached the North Wing. Dean Lukas had his office in this substructure of the Tower of Cyalis, and it was just 10 minutes before his meeting with him was scheduled.

“I’ll sit down here and meditate while I wait,” Sell said as she stopped and sat down beneath a tree a bit away from the entrance.

“Okay,” Adion nodded, “I’ll try to be quick.”

“No hurry,” Sell said with a smile, “Good luck. And don’t go easy on him.”

“I won’t,” Adion nodded.

Adion was led to Dean Lukas’s office by a faculty member as soon as he entered the North Wing and showed his Academy badge.

It wasn’t very far, and as Adion approached the office, he saw that the doors already stood open.

“Adion,” Dean Lukas said as he looked up from his papers and noticed him approaching.

“Dean Lukas,” Adion greeted him with a small bow as he stepped inside the office.

“Hefta, would you close the doors, please?” Dean Lukas instructed the faculty member.

The woman named Hefta left and closed the doors behind her.

Dean Lukas looked at Adion with a tired smile. “I imagine I already know what you’re here for. Why don’t you take a seat?”

“Thank you,” Adion said with a nod and took a seat in a comfy armchair opposite the dean.

“It’s about Elder Kilth, right?” Dean Lukas got right into it.

“Yes,” Adion nodded, “I guess you know that I’m being approached by groups of professors who deduct credits from me without cause? Not just once but every time I go out. In just three days, I must have lost close to 2000 credits. That’s not even talking about how other random faculty members have treated me. I even got banned from entering the library. I can’t help but find it all a little ridiculous. Just what am I supposed to do here?”

“Haaah,” Dean Lukas sighed, “I understand that things haven’t been easy. But why didn’t you just take Elder Kilth up on his offer? Surely you knew that there would be consequences?”

“Of course, I did,” Adion nodded, “But that doesn’t mean that this is my fault. I doubt I have broken any rules in declining to join the Shields. But the rules here don’t seem to matter as much as I thought.”

“The rules do matter a great deal,” Dean Lukas said with an awkward smile, “And while you didn’t break any rules in declining to join the Shields, Elder Kilth has not broken any rules either. Every professor who has deducted credits from you did so completely within the rules. Normally if I noticed a petty professor targeting a student like this, I would simply have a talk with them and sort out the matter. But this time, it is far from only one professor, and they all have the support of a Council member. That makes it very hard for me to do anything about the situation. Even if I am the dean, I am still only a Diamond mage, after all.”

“So what? Nothing to be done? I’m just supposed to go on like this?” Adion questioned.

“I’m sure things will settle down eventually,” Dean Lukas said.

“I’m not so sure,” Adion said, “Is there really nothing to be done? Doesn’t any of the other Council members have a problem with this?”

“This is probably below the notice of most Council members,” Dean Lukas said while shaking his head.

“Well, maybe they should start taking notice,” Adion said, “Because I can’t go on long this. If this is what the Academy entails for me, I might as well head elsewhere instead of wasting my time here.”

“Surely, that is taking it too far,” Dean Lukas said, “There are still classes here that are not available anywhere else. And far from the bulk of professors have anything against you. In fact, most of the professors here are very interested in you. I think the current situation has blinded you a little to the whole picture. Understandably so.”

Adion stared at the ceiling in thought for a while.

It’s not like I actually plan on leaving. As much as this is bothersome and far from what the Academy could be if I didn’t have Elder Kilth in my way, I still have valuable protection here. And the classes I plan on taking are far from useless. And that’s not even mentioning getting to spend every day with Sell.

But no one will take me seriously if I don’t threaten them a little.

“Maybe you’re right,” Adion said, “I’m only 17, after all. But I’ve always done things myself so far. And that didn’t turn out too bad. I was looking forward to learning runes, true, but there are other academys for that. I imagine I’d be a lot more welcome anywhere else but here.

“And wouldn’t it be a great embarrassment for Cyalis Academy if people find out that a Council member pushed away the first-ever Silver mage just because he didn’t join his preferred House? Word has already started spreading, and that’s without me making a big deal out of it and leaving the Academy. ”

“Is that a threat?” Dean Lukas asked without anger.

“Not a threat,” Adion said, shaking his head, “Just a bit of motivation to get the situation under control. I don’t want to leave. But I don’t want to stay if it’s going to be like this. And I don’t think you can fault me for that.

“And even if not for my sake, for the Academy’s reputation. If this is allowed to go on, everyone will know about it eventually. Suddenly, people wouldn’t see the Academy as a safe haven of knowledge and fairness. It would be obvious that you have to comply with the wishes of the powerful or get crushed. I sure wouldn’t send my children to an Academy like that.”

Dean Lukas was silent. He stared deeply at Adion for a good minute before finally speaking.

“You are correct, of course,” Dean Lukas said, “You might not believe me, but I have tried very hard to find a solution to this problem ever since I heard about it. I even went to see Elder Kilth, but it was useless.

“This is a rather peculiar situation. Never has something like this happened, which is why I’m slightly at a loss. You have a special value as the first Silver mage to enter the Academy, but you are also the first to manage to anger a Hard Soul Council member. Even with all that, it could be easily solved in other circumstances. But the other Hard Soul Council members I know of are all unavailable.”

“What about the Headmaster?” Adion asked curiously.

“He doesn’t care about these things,” Dean Lukas said with a regretful smile, “I’m afraid I might be the only one to take this issue seriously. But I’m only a Diamond mage for now, and can’t do much about it.”

“The Headmaster doesn’t care about his own Academy?” Adion questioned.

“At least not about something so silly as a reputation. You see…” Dean Lukas hesitated slightly, “Never mind.”

“So that’s how it is,” Adion slowly nodded, “Well, I at least appreciate your help, Dean Lukas.”

Adion got up and gave a quite genuine bow of gratitude, as the Dean actually seemed to be trying.

“But it seems like this Academy isn’t big enough for both me and Elder Kilth, so I’ll move on.”

Why did I say that? Was there a reason for such a gamble? It’s going to be very embarrassing if he calls my bluff.

“Adion, wait,” Dean Lukas held up a hand and stopped him from leaving. “Please sit down again. I have a suggestion.”

Adion didn’t show any outward expression but was extremely relieved on the inside.

“What is your suggestion?” Adion asked as he took a seat again.

“Haah,” Dean Lukas sighed, “I have a way to get the Headmaster involved. That should take care of everything.”

“Just like that?” Adion questioned.

“Just like that,” Dean Lukas nodded with a smile, “I should have done it from the start.”

“Oh…Thanks,” Adion said hesitantly.

“Hehe,” Dean Lukas chuckled, “I hope you can hold out for a while longer, though. The Headmaster has been…well, he is not to be disturbed. But it should only be a few days at most before he becomes available again. I’ll get in touch with him as soon as I can.”

“I suppose I can wait if it’s only a few days,” Adion nodded.

“Good,” Dean Lukas smiled, “I have another proposal for you. It concerns the experiment with the sparkless children that we talked about briefly the last time we met. I will need some help in conducting it, and I could think of no better aide than the one who gave me the idea and who actually managed to form a core as a sparkless himself.

“I will pay you in credits, of course. Perhaps nothing much to a rank 1 student, but 100 credits for every hour you help. If you agree, I will also reimburse every credit you have lost to Elder Kilth’s actions.”

“Really?” Adion questioned. “Then I agree.”

“Good, good,” Dean Lukas said with a tired smile as he leaned back in his chair.

It’s solved? This easily? Did he help me just because he wanted me to help with his research? That makes me feel a little bit guilty that I made it all up.

Adion thanked Dean Lukas for his help and made his way out again, a pleased smile on his face.

I can’t believe it actually got resolved. Thank Ganta that Dean Lukas seemed really scared of losing me. I wonder how he will get the Headmaster to act and why he was so hesitant about doing it.

Am I missing something? Does Dean Lukas have some hidden intentions? I guess it doesn’t matter as long as everything gets back to normal.

If he truly did all this for me out of kindness, I’ll find a way to repay him in the future.