The old walls of Clais' Upper Academy cracked and peeled in their old age. Fewer students and professors walked in the halls at the height of the academic year.

Veera and Alexandre moved through the halls on their way to the faculty of biology; she was silent, and his hooves clip-clopped on the stone. They found a few students on their way who greeted Alexandre warmly and then gave Veera space. The wise pupils were the ones that, upon spotting the approaching party, veered off into the maze of corridors before they met Veera's glower.

Alexandre looked at Veera thoughtfully, studying her expression.

"The pupils avoid me, and you worry about my wellbeing," she observed.

"They will get used to your presence here and—"

"It is of no concern," she interrupted.

"You could come over more often," Alexandre suggested. "These students are good people. They will get used to you."

"It is of no consequence. Their reactions are within predictable boundaries." After a thoughtful moment, she added, "the biology students scrutinise me."

"Point them out and I shall dock their grade," Alexandre joked. "They mean no disrespect, I am sure. They are only interested in you. If you talked to them, you would see they are bright and respectful."

Veera puffed air out of her nostrils, imagining several overly excited pupils surrounding her, asking her inane questions, and speculating loudly about her species. The look in her eyes was enough to dissuade Alexandre insistence. He would wait for the next time they were together at the university to continue insisting. He always did.

The trek through the university continued undisturbed into an inner garden, in view of the dean's office. Unseen by the outside, surrounded by offices like a castle's bailey, a group of labourers renewed the golden decorations that framed the windows.

Veera heard the hasty shifting of a uniform; someone was approaching from behind. She turned, placing herself between the interloper and Alexandre.

It was a green lizard, a meter in height, dressed in the university's robes with the brand of a second-year pupil on his blue cape and a veil of black knots covering his face. He panted, dropping a large (relative to his size) bag on the ground, oblivious to Veera's defensive stance. Seeing that he was no threat, Veera relaxed and stepped aside to allow Alexandre to speak to the pupil.

"Excuse me," he said between hurried breaths, "I was held up in class."

"I will prepare the instruments while you speak to the pupil," Veera said, ready to leave.

"Wait, Master Enchantress!" The lizard called, taking a step toward her. Surprised, Veera stopped. "I wish to speak with you, if the Duke would allow it."

Alexandre nodded cordially and stepped back, and watching the interaction from a few paces back. Veera could not read his expression, but she felt something was amiss.

"You have confused me for another. We have nothing to converse about," she said.

The lizard chuckled at the apparent joke — Veera could hardly be confused with anyone. But her dismissive stance did not falter. It was no joke.

He cleared his throat as he adjusted his robes. "I am not confused, Master Enchantress Veera. I want to know more about your research!"

Veera had no questions to ask and did not know (or care) where the lizard was going with the conversation. She stared quietly. After a few seconds, he realised as much and continued speaking, "I was surprised you have only authored one paper, but it was very intriguing even if I could not understand all of it! You coauthored with Duke Alexandre — your name is credited for some of the modelling — so I reached out to him to find you." He drew a deep breath. "I would like to request your sponsorship and tutorship for my graduation research!.

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"Denied," Veera answered, then motioned to Alexandre for them to continue their way.

"W-what?" the lizard said, looking back and forth between Alexandre and Veera. "Master Enchantress, please, allow me to make a case for myself first."

"Your request is beyond the scope of my duties. Request help from one of your professors."

"They've filled their tutorship quota with other students that aren't..." The lizard drifted off, looking at the ground. "I tried, and I have been rejected..."

"Then you cannot complete your research."

"Unless you help me," he offered a meek smile.

"Which I will not."

The lizard's smile turned back into a frown. His eyes were watery and pensive as he held back tears. "Master Enchantress, you are admirable; your work speaks for itself. But surely you must have faced the same... difficulties I have. We—I thought you would sympathise with my plight and see that I am more than my scales. Even my headmaster, the only professor who has defended me — the only reason I stand before you as a pupil! Even she cannot help me."

"You will have better luck insisting to them rather than me," Veera said, trying to terminate the conversation once again. She motioned to Alexandre to leave with her, but he was staring at the pupil with a visible effort to ignore her. It left her wondering what interest the Duke had in this conversation.

"No, I won't have better luck." The lizard insisted. "My headmaster is the Arch Enchantress Celara, and she is far too busy as is. I have already asked on multiple occasions."

Veera paused briefly, then turned her head halfway toward the lizard. "What class does Arch Enchantress Celara teach you?"

"Multiple Variable Calculus II."

Veera faced the lizard fully. "Why is it that a physicist teaches you mathematics?"

"Most professors have gone to more lucrative fields. We have had budgetary issues for some years," he answered quickly. "The Arch Enchantress would not be teaching pupils were it not for this shortage. In fact, it is quite admirable that she has taken up teaching roles. Perhaps if she was more interested in my field of study, I could have convinced her to accept the tutorship. But when I asked her she said that 'the field of Complex Analysis is a triviality that Natural Philosophers should not waste time pondering, for its applications, as well as its domain, will forever remain theoretical.' But the university has already approved my subject! I cannot change it now."

Some feathers on Veera's back moved. She continued to stare at the lizard. "What is your research topic?"

"It's about classifying singularities. I studied the holomorphic functions you have put forward, but I'm struggling with the derivation of your complex integral theorems. That's I am asking for your tutorship! I believe there is very exciting mathematics waiting to be discovered," the lizard said in a well-practised manner.

"What experience do you have with enchantments?"

The lizard took a moment to answer. "None. We have not filled the hole the Guild left after it dissolved."

Veera considered the proposition. The young pupil maintained a nervous eye contact, ready to drop his tail and run, but he stood his ground. Compared to some lectures, a giant, predatory reptile was not that scary.

She spoke, "What is your name?"

"I am Pupil Maslin. No titles, honorifics, or family name."

There was movement under Veera's cloak. She held a tiny piece of parchment, wrote something on it, and handed it to the lizard. "Two days from now at the following location, date and time, Pupil Maslin. Bring your full proposition and questions. We will discuss the matter further."

The lizard grabbed the parchment, holding back his excitement. He seemed to memorise the contents before pocketing. "Thank you, Master Enchantress. I promise not to disappoint you." Alexandre coughed suddenly, eyeing the lizard. "Ah yes, I almost forgot—" He reached into his bag and grabbed an enormous chunk of cake. He offered it to Veera. "Home made. As gratitude for accepting my proposal."

Veera took the cake presently, then said, "I have not accepted it yet. I also expect you to have time to assist my work if I am to oversee your research." She turned to leave, and this time Alexandre followed without hesitation. They left the pupil in the garden, a determined smile plastered on his scaly face.

Once they were out of Maslin's earshot, Veera stopped and said, "Tell me, is what he said about Celara true, or did you advise him to mention it so that so I would listen to his proposition?" Veera asked.

"Me? I had nothing to do with it," Alexandre poorly disguised a coy smile. After a glare from Veera, he continued, "Fine! I'm Busted! But I only told him where to be to find you. And to bring something sweet in case you rejected him."

"You suggested he bribe me with pastries," Veera said as she inspected the cake before tossing it whole into her mouth. "You should have told him to start with that. It would have taken less convincing."