Chapter 39
Vice-Principal Foras was a neat woman who didn’t look older than her mid-thirties. She was very different from what I had expected. She probably didn’t become vice-principal because of experience—was it skill, or connections?
“Welcome, Elphini. You’re here asking for remediation?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
It was Irix again. I gave up and pointed at Irix. The vice-principal looked that way as well.
“Then why did you just leave last semester? Unless you couldn’t even take the exam, if you attended and submitted a blank paper, there was nothing we could do. If a student lacks ability, we can teach them—but what you did was a blatant disregard for the school’s authority. That’s why we took it seriously.”
Her gentle eyes looked at me. It was something even Irix couldn’t explain. There was genuine pity in her gaze.
“Tell me why you did that.”
I wanted to speak, but there was a problem. I couldn’t explain anything—my memory was gone.
I wonder myself. Why did Elphini do that?
At that moment, Irix suddenly spoke.
“I’m sorry.”
Why you…? Ah, fine. You handle this.
“I’m sorry. Elphini, during that period…” Irix paused for a moment before continuing. “She was going through a mental wandering.”
Irix had no way of knowing Elphini’s situation, and of course, it was a lie.
“What kind of wandering?”
“…I’ll find out.”
There’s no way Irix could know, since even I didn’t.
“Please give her remediation first. I’ll make sure she studies.”
Wait, you’re going to do what?
“But… that’s not possible.” The vice-principal looked troubled.
“It’s just failing. There are many subjects, but she could make it up if she studied.”
“Yes, that’s true. But she failed every single subject. There’s an awful lot to catch up on.”
Irix looked at me. Right, you should have passed at least one subject! …her eyes seemed to say that.
Once again, my inner Aither boiled (probably), and Irix should have grabbed my shoulder immediately.
The vice-principal spoke.
“Elphini, you’ll have to retake the entire semester.”
What?
Irix’s face brightened, and I just wanted to drop out. One remaining semester had just become a full year. I might as well go to hell. They’re holding onto someone who almost died—what do they want me to do? Go to school?
Vice-Principal Foras smiled.
“Still, it’s fortunate you haven’t given up on your future. I hope you work hard from now on. Elphini, you’ve done well so far, so I trust you. You seem to have had a tough time recently, but since you’ve always been diligent, you’ll be able to recover.”
Her kind eyes were on Irix. Why is she praising Irix when I’m the one who can’t give up?
“In fact, Elphini’s guardian requested that as long as Elphini had the will to continue her studies, she could always register for the semester. They even paid all tuition in advance.”
Wait, guardian?
Irix looked at me. His eyes were asking. Senior, what’s with this guardian?
Right, what guardian? With that, the theory that Elphini was a wealthy girl was discarded. She was a child supported by a rich benefactor. But if she was being supported, why would she try to quit school like that? It’s a decision you couldn’t make lightly when someone else is paying.
“Go to the academic office as soon as you leave here, register, and pick up your timetable. And—” The vice-principal pointed at the snake peeking out of my pocket.
“That species isn’t allowed in school, I believe. It’s pretty, though.”
“It’s not being kept as a pet,” Irix said.
“But it’s in Elphini’s pocket?”
“It’s a species that lives in human pockets.”
“Huh?”
The vice-principal tilted her head. It sounded like nonsense.
“It’s a wild snake that lives in human pockets. Like spiders building webs on windowsills or bed-dwelling bedbugs.”
Even though it was already a deadly venomous snake that had killed two people, now it was compared to spiders and bedbugs.
“Neither I nor my senior can forcibly take its home. It’s the way of nature.”
The “black curtain” is nature… Right. I didn’t break natural law, just human law. Natural law: buildings collapse if you hit them hard, people hurt if you hit them.
“I’ve never heard of a snake like that. Living in a human pocket?”
“Neither have we. That’s why we’re studying it together.”
“Ah… okay…” The vice-principal looked at the snake again. Its black, bead-like eyes blinked, and its tongue flicked. It really looked harmless. Who would think it was a deadly snake?
“Study it well. Irix’s thirst for knowledge and curiosity are always impressive.”
I had to look back and forth between the teacher and Irix. The teacher was genuinely impressed, and Irix looked indifferent, like he was used to praise. What exactly is he—model student or troublemaker?
“Now, we need to talk about Irix. You don’t need to act as Elphini’s guardian anymore.”
Only then did Irix realize he had been called, and his face stiffened.
“You know Irix’s father came, right?”
“Yes.”
Irix’s eyebrows tensed, his jaw protruded. He really hates this.
“He’s waiting nearby.”
Irix jumped up. I was surprised. Even the snake flicked its tongue in shock.
“I heard there was a huge accident on the way. It could have been disastrous.” The vice-principal put her hand on her chest and sighed.
“Irix’s father is very worried right now.”
Irix’s expression said it all. Worried? No way! Other fathers might, but not mine.
“Why did you come here? You could have waited at home.”
I saw Irix’s expression and realized—he had no intention of going home. His father knew him well enough to come to the school.
“I see. You couldn’t wait at home. Irix, you’re quite something. Even after such an accident, you came straight to school. No matter how important academics are, you should still take care of your father.”
I think it wasn’t about academics; it was that he didn’t want to see his father. Besides, Irix ignored his father’s orders to go to the podium and came to school. This wasn’t a situation where he wanted to meet his father.
Foras knocked on the side door. Why are there so many side doors in this school? Are they on every wall? Two men in uniform stood at the opened side door.
“I’ve been waiting, Irix.”
A languid, soft voice came from inside. It made me twitch just hearing it.
“Come here. And bring your friend too.”
I heard someone stand and footsteps approach.
“I’ve never seen you help someone else so diligently before.”
Irix glared past the door. A man of similar height to Irix stood there.
“You always went alone, so I worried, but finally you have a friend. This father is so happy.”
The hair on my neck stood up. Did he just say… “fa-ther”?
I saw Duke Berckart standing before us. Tall, broad-shouldered, and bearing striking features similar to Irix. Anyone could see the familial resemblance. But—he looked more like a famous artist or writer than an imperial chancellor. Even dressed neatly, he gave off a flashy, slightly inappropriate vibe.
“When did you make this friend? I’m curious.”
“You’ll hear later.”
“I want to know now.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“I’m too busy.”
A student on break was speaking to the empire’s chancellor.
The duke’s deep eyes turned to me—blue with a hint of violet.
“I’m so curious what kind of child my son’s friend is. You don’t even have time for that?”
“Yes.”
“What keeps our Rixy so busy?”
Irix bit his lower lip, and I pressed my forehead with my hand, holding back. Hold on… hold on… I wanted to bolt immediately, my hands and legs trembling.
This time, Irix didn’t care about my Aither flowing or not. Naturally. He probably couldn’t control it either.
“Studying.”
“Haven’t you earned all the credits for graduation?”
“Not yet. I need to learn more. Even now, I need to keep learning, so I’ll go.”
The duke chuckled.
“Then I suppose I must meet with this Elphini separately later.”
“Don’t.”
I heard it as “Don’t!”
“Why?”
“Because my father is too immoral to introduce to a friend.”
“What part of me is immoral?”
“If you read gossip papers, you’d know. They use initials, but everyone knows it’s him.”
“That’s all lies.”
“Mostly true, though.”
Even as the conversation flowed like this, the duke kept smiling.
“Elphini, am I making you uncomfortable?”
Yes, very. Please just leave. See that window over there? You could leave quickly through it. But the duke didn’t. He sat on the couch and gestured ahead.
“Both of you sit there.”
