Chapter 85: A Romantic Relationship

Chapter 85: Chapter 85: A Romantic Relationship

Xavier felt the entire structure of the fountain humming beneath his feet.

A moment later water erupted from the nozzle, shot high into the sky, and cascaded back down into the pool. Xavier stepped out as the basin rapidly filled. The fountain continued to pour in a steady, graceful arc.

"Do you think all of this was just so the fountain would start working again?" Xavier asked.

"No. There’s no way," Elena replied.

The pool was functional once more. Water glittered under the sunlight as it rose and fell, yet nothing else happened.

Elena scanned the basin for any remaining clue. She refused to believe this was the end of it. Then her eyes caught the surface beneath the water. Words were inscribed on the stone floor, visible only when the light struck them just right.

Don’t lose hope, do not fear.

On the night of deepest shadows, the true way opens clear.

To anyone else the lines might have sounded like a simple motivational quote. To Elena and Xavier, they meant only one thing.

"The moonlit hallways," both said together, voices overlapping.

"Shadows only exist where there’s light. The brightest light creates the deepest shadows, and at night the light is brightest under a full moon."

"And the moonlit hallways only open on the night of a full moon."

Elena fell silent, remembering what had happened the last time they entered those corridors.

"We barely escaped with our lives," she said.

"But now we know the danger that waits. We’ll be prepared this time," Xavier answered.

Last time a deadly Cerberus had chased them through the hallways. This time they had exactly seven days to learn how to deal with it.

By the next morning the news that the roundabout fountain was working again had spread through the entire academy. Students gathered there throughout the day just to see it with their own eyes. Even some of the staff still could not believe it. They had tried every plumber and every spell they could think of, and in the end, they had given up. Now everyone was astonished and curious about how it had simply started on its own.

On Monday the second-years had not yet returned till late evening, and most of the first-years were resting in their rooms. Elena and Xavier had been alone at the roundabout; no one had seen what they did. That worked in their favor. Otherwise, the whole academy would find out about their little treasure hunt.

Tuesday morning Xavier sat in the diplomacy classroom with Elena on his right and Melli on his left. The second-years had returned the previous evening. Tuesday was still an off day for them, but Melli was taking the first-year subject and had to attend. Exhaustion was plain on her gelatinous face; her usual bubbly smile was nowhere to be seen—until she sat down beside Xavier. The moment her shoulder touched his, her lips curved into a bright smile. Her thick thighs pressed warmly against his.

Professor Jean Woodburn arrived and delivered another four-hour, theory-heavy lecture on basics of diplomacy. He glanced toward Xavier more than once, though he was more discreet about it this time. Xavier still had not spoken with Lilith, so he had no idea what was happening between her and her husband.

When Professor Woodburn finished and was about to leave, Professor Freya entered the classroom. She exchanged brief greetings with him, then turned to the class and pointed directly at Xavier.

"Xavier, you need to come with me."

He left Elena and Melli and followed Freya out. He already had a good idea why she wanted him. She had told him they would discuss the demons he had encountered in the Red Forest once they were back at the academy.

"Professor, where are we going?" he asked as they walked.

"You’re going to report everything you saw, heard, and did when you ran into those demons to her eminence, Dean Milfias. We’re going to her office right now."

Xavier felt a small spark of excitement. The Milfias had the biggest tits and ass he had ever seen, and he was not about to miss another chance to look at them.

Freya led him through the main atrium, past the dean’s throne, until they reached a magical circle set into the marble floor. It was large enough for about ten people. They stepped onto it together. Freya chanted a short spell. The circle glowed with the familiar white light of teleportation. When the light faded, they stood on an entirely different floor.

"Professor, where are we?" Xavier asked.

"The fifteenth floor—the top floor of the main building. This entire level is the dean’s personal residence."

The space was enormous, almost the size of a small castle. Luxurious sofas, elaborate decorations, and huge chandeliers filled the halls. Floor-to-ceiling windows looked out over the entire academy and the land beyond.

"Isn’t the teleportation spell exhausting?" Xavier asked.

"Only as exhausting as the distance requires. For short jumps like this—from the ground floor to the fifteenth—runic arrangements and mana crystals are enough. Only a few people are permitted to use it, and only with the dean’s approval."

Freya led him deeper through the living area until they stopped in front of a pair of massive double doors.

"This is the dean’s office. Good luck," she said, already turning to leave.

"Wait—you’re not coming with me?"

"This is as far as I go. From here, you’re on your own. When you’re finished reporting, the dean will teleport you back to the ground floor, so don’t worry about that."

"Any advice for talking to her for the first time?" Xavier asked.

Freya tapped a finger against her chin. "She lacks a little common sense. Don’t overreact if she does something out of the ordinary." With that she walked away.

Xavier pushed the heavy doors open and stepped inside. Dean Milfias sat behind a huge desk, crimson hair falling around her face, plump red lips set in concentration as she worked through a stack of documents. She looked up when he entered.

"Oh, you’re here."

Xavier bowed slightly. "Greetings, Your Eminence. You called for me?"

"No need to be so formal. You can just call me Auntie," Milfias said.

Xavier blinked raising eyebrows. He was not sure he had heard correctly.

"Did your father never mention that he and I are close friends?" she asked, noticing his surprise.

"I think he forgot to mention that part when he sent me to the academy," Xavier answered.

"We’re very close. In fact, he was the one who recognized my potential and helped me leave my village when everyone else was against it."

A man visits a village, notices a beautiful girl, and takes her away claiming she has great potential. To Xavier it sounded exactly like the beginning of a love story. The words left his mouth before he could stop them.

"Were you two in a romantic relationship?"