Chapter 68 - The Interview

“Would you like some tea?” the Headmaster asked, pulling out two empty cups from a glass cabinet to my left.

Seeing as he had already answered for me, I nodded in agreement, saying, “I wouldn’t be against it.”

“They say that a cup of tea solves everything,” he chuckled, beginning to pour us some while my eyes were busy exploring his office. It bore a resemblance to my room, with shelves aligned across each wall apart from the one to my right, which had a round window overlooking the school grounds. Books, scrolls, relics and trinkets of all sorts were spread throughout the room. One would need hours to explore the whole place. “Here you go,” the Headmaster said, setting the cup on the table for me.

“Thank you, Headmaster,” I said, patiently sitting in a chair, waiting for the interview to begin, although I felt it already had.

“I hope it’s to your liking. Valvela’s tea is by far a favourite of mine.” He smiled and walked around the table, sitting down in his chair before leaning to the side and pulling out a small vial of honey. “Would you like some?”

“Since I’ve never tried it, I’ll put some in if you’d recommend it to me.”

He turned his head to think before looking back at me, pouring me some. Giving it a taste, I could honestly say I was pleasantly surprised, immediately understanding why it was his favourite.

“Delicious,” I complimented, taking a second sip before setting the cup on the desk.

“I’m glad you like it. Madam Erendana down in Hamlet grows it in her garden, so if you ever wish to have some, I advise going there. She owns a shop right by the fountain.”

He sighed, staring at his tea, smiling as he took a sip. The atmosphere was so relaxing that it almost made me forget why I was there in the first place. Despite his sharper features that made him look strict and perhaps even grumpy, his personality showed to be quite serene, matching his sleepy gaze.

“Headmaster–”

“Feel free to call me Professor Magnus if you’d like. I still teach at this school.” He chuckled, leaning into his chair with his back somewhat arched.

“Of course, Professor,” I said, reaching for my pocket. “I was told to give this to you during the meeting. A letter of recommendation from King Elwyn Kelthyra.”

He reached for it as I offered, taking a quick glance before setting it to the side. His lack of effort to even take a proper look made me think I had made a mistake showing it, but I held onto my trust in Elwyn.

“A copy of the letter arrived about a month ago, saying he had a talented student who is going to keep me on my toes as he once did. At first, I thought he was talking about his daughter Alice but was pleasantly surprised when I heard he took on a student and a human no less,” he explained, setting his cup down. “I’m afraid I’m at a wit's end, knowing he and his daughter are quite alike. Even after all these years, he still found a way to make me earn my keep.”

“Wait. Were you his professor?” I asked, accidentally showing an awed grin.

“Syphena’s too. But honestly, the lovebirds can’t be compared.”

I couldn’t hold back my laugh, feeling slightly flustered that I was so relaxed.

“Excuse me, Professor.” I took a deep breath before taking another sip of the delicious tea.

“No need. Laughter is good for the soul,” the Headmaster said, chuckling to himself. “Despite all the headaches he gave me, going as far as convincing his now wife to skip my class so they could run off together and explore the forest, I truly had a wonderful time when they were around. To think barely two centuries passed.”

“Two centuries?” I furrowed my brows. “Did Grimhold have different rules regarding age of enrollment?”

“No?” He looked at me, puzzled.

“But doesn’t that make her parents two hundred years old?” I asked, disregarding the stunning fact they were the same age.

“Two hundred twenty-seven,” he corrected me. “Do you find that surprising?”

“Admittedly, I do. . .” I said, learning they were pretty young compared to other elves. “Elwyn has quite a reputation and Sylphena rules as a beloved queen. Not to mention, they’re both ninth-circle mages.”

“They were their generation’s talents. Even more so than some of our professors, I must say.” His eyes narrowed, and a sly grin appeared. “And it seems they took quite a liking to you. Elwyn, sure. But not everyone gets away with calling the Queen of Thysa by her name.”

“Pardon, Professor.” I smiled, getting carried away by the atmosphere.

“How you refer to others has little to do with me, so long as you show proper respect to those deserving. Grimhold is more than just a school of magic. It is a home,” he said, standing up. “This place was built over six hundred years ago, a stronghold for those in need of shelter during what we mages knew as the dark age of magic.”

“Are you perhaps referring to the witch hunts in the south?” I asked, watching as he walked over to the window.

“Well read, I see. But saying it’s only in the south is a far cry from the truth.” He crossed his arms while his gaze cast at the courtyard narrowed. “We weren’t as united, and the world wasn’t ready to face the greed of those in power. Titles, race, gender– we were far too split.”

“Excuse me, Professor, but weren’t the witch hunts something only humans did?”

“Unlike humans, elves are known for their longevity, and each has the ability to form a mana core regardless of age thanks to our mana breathing, something we cannot teach others. Wars waged against elven kind were glorified witch hunts they referred to as crusades.” He turned to look at me before letting out a sigh. “Although it’s all in the past, it is important to remember that history tends to repeat given enough time.”

“So that’s the true purpose of this test, huh?” I asked, lowering my gaze.

“I’ll admit, you’re not the first person to question it, but you are the first to write it on paper. Certainly a unique approach.” He chuckled, walking back to his chair. “Now tell me, why do you believe the exam to be a personality test?”

“Quite a few reasons, honestly. Although until now, I couldn’t be certain,” I admitted.

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“What changed?” He asked, leaning forward with his interest piqued.

“I know more about Grimhold than before,” I said, crossing my hands with both tucked under my arms, feeling oddly cold. “But would you like me to elaborate further?” He nodded to my question. “Very well.” I set my arms to the side, sitting properly. “First, there were the questions. Fairly easy at the start, even for someone like me, but they were oddly vague on what you wished for our answers to include. Especially the second one about gifts, which those who have one could write significantly more. It’s a good way to figure out who potentially has a gift without directly asking.”

“Those with a gift would know well to hide it,” the Headmaster reminded me.

“I’m well aware, but. . . then there was the third question. Seemingly harmless, but it tells quite a lot about a person. Many would pick elements seeing as they are the basic runes, and the three they’d put would likely be the ones they know best, showcasing what they focused on the most. We tend to cling to that which is familiar in a time of need, and the entrance exam is quite stressful to some.”

“Then what of the next question? How does asking what divination magic does tell about one such as yourself?” the Headmaster asked, refusing to give even a subtle hit that I was right.

“It doesn’t. Well, maybe if they were a–” Creep was what I wished to say, but had stopped myself just in time. “–student.” I sighed. “But I believe the question to be just a mask, making the test more believable.”

“And so was the fifth question?” He furrowed his brows.

“Ah, but there’s a difference. What does conjuration magic do?” I scoffed. “The term is self-explanatory.”

“Why do you think that is?” he asked.

“I’m not sure I understand your question, Professor. Are you asking me why the question was easy or why we call it conjuration magic?” I asked, assuming he meant the former, but the Headmaster surprised me by simply shrugging. “Well, I believe it’s called that because, as I’ve said, it’s self-explanatory. As for why the question was simple, it’s to help us relax.”

“Then was your answer to question six vague because you thought it would be too telling or because you didn’t know the answer?"

He caught me, I’ll admit. But I knew I had to trust my guts.

“You’re right, Professor. However, isn’t learning about magic why I came here?” I asked, refusing to let my confidence waver. “Question seven was where the real test began. What type of spells are hardest to cast?”

“You answered healing,” he said, glancing at my paper lying on top of the desk.

“I have yet to cast one successfully, so we could say that’s true for me. Besides, that was what you were asking about, wasn’t it?”

“What if I told you there was a correct answer?” He leaned back, smirking subtly. “And that perhaps you just didn’t just know it?”

Naturally, I knew little about magic when compared to Penelope or Alice, let alone the Headmaster, so his argument was sound.

“I’m sure there is, but if all the questions are purely theoretical, then why all the secrecy?” I asked.

“Perhaps we deem it necessary to keep the students motivated. After all, each generation is different, and how much they know varies. But to find those rare talents among so many, we are forced to keep adjusting the difficulty of our tests. Many would come to regret being born late if they learned the truth.”

His argument left me on my toes.

“Then why hold the practical before showing results of the written exam if the results mattered so much?” When I asked, I was practically standing up, getting a bit too excited to prove my point.

“Efficiency.”

One word had me sit right back down in silence.

He was right. It made sense not to waste time between tests.

“Let’s argue that true and assume each test has a set number of points otherwise it wouldn’t make sense. Where would you draw the line? Equal value?” When I gestured to my paper, asking if I could have it, the Headmaster gave me an approving nod. “If someone did perfectly on paper but were to do poorly on the Levitate spell, would you fail them, or the person who cast and controlled Levitate perfectly but did poorly on paper?”

“Such a student would hold mastery over the basics and wouldn’t struggle to get into the top hundred,” he argued.

“We both know that’s not true, Professor. Talent, knowledge, and experience are all different, and Rosaline, my sister’s familiar, is one such talent that’s hard to ignore.”

“Have you considered the possibility that she has all three?” he asked.

I paused to think.

“Question eight gives us a situation in which Rosaline and I would have answered differently based on experience.” I looked at the paper, taking a glance at it. “Are you telling me it’s scored based on rational thinking?”

“Why not? Rational thinking is our strongest ally,” he said, refusing to elaborate.

“Then why was the exam rushed?”

“Rushed?”

I smirked while looking at the paper again.

“You gave us no time to ask questions, yet Professor Tessa still tried reassuring us there was more than enough.” It still felt weird calling her by her first name. “It left many confused, and I’m sure it affected their thinking capability.”

“Staying calm under pressure and being quick-witted could make the difference between life and death.”

“Exactly! But that’s only true if you’re fighting for your life.” Excitement had me smiling the entire time. “I believe you said Grimhold wasn’t the place if one sought how to become a war mage.”

“Defending yourself is not the same as being a war mage.” He sighed and dropped his gaze, but I caught him peeking. “Is that all you had to say?”

“No,” I answered immediately but went quiet a second after, humming to myself. “I’ll be honest, Professor. Earlier when you asked me if I considered the possibility of Rosaline being knowledgeable, talented, and experienced. The truth is – I did. But she wasn’t the one I was thinking about.” Taking a deep breath, I questioned my confidence again before saying, “Maybe I’m being presumptuous, but you’ve already made your decision regarding my enrollment. I’m new to magic and likely know less than most in that hall, but I fit your criteria.”

“And which criteria were you exactly referring to?” He asked, pinching his chin with his arms crossed.

“I’ll treat this place as my home. Somewhere we’re safe.” My gaze dropped to my fidgety fingers as I began to smile. “My paper happened to have no markings, meaning you weren’t scoring it while we were showing off our control. You were carefully observing– watching to see who fit your criteria, whatever it may be in the end. But I know you wish to uphold the safety of this place, meaning not everyone fits with so many consumed by greed or already have their minds controlled by their parents’ ambitions. So you prepare.” I sighed. “Some of them you let join, meanwhile gathering funds for when dark times come.”

“You’re well-spoken but still have a long way to go. Regardless, talking to you has been a pleasure. But before I let you go and allow you to ponder the truth, I wished to ask you something.” He looked to the side at three banners hanging on the wall: a red Dragon, a blue Kraken, and a white coat Unicorn. “The three great founders, Lucius, Fiona, and Laféa, all had a house dedicated to them within Grimhold. House of the Dragon represents Lucius for his bravery, power, and adventurous spirit. House of the Kraken represents Fiona for her intelligence, calm, and curiosity. And House of the Unicorn represents Laféa for her embrace of nature, travel, and peace.” He looked back at me. “If you could choose, which house would you wish to join?”

“Dragon,” I said without a hint of hesitation. “I’d pick Dragon.”

“Why?” he asked as he leaned back with one hand still on the desk.

“It just feels right,” I said.

His gaze narrowed as if looking if I were lying before he let out a sigh.

“The rankings shall be pinned on the board down by the entrance hall after the interviews are done.” He stood up. “You are free to go, Alexander.”

“Thank you, Professor.” I got up and bowed before slowly making my way out.

It wasn’t what I had expected from our conversation, but he showed me there were plenty of mysteries around Grimhold to explore.

“Oh, Alex. . . before you go,” I heard the Headmaster speak while I was one foot out the door, so I turned. He was holding my paper with markings all over it. “A magician never shows his secrets.”

I smirked. “Have a good day, Professor.”

Chapter End.

Thank you for reading.