Feeling her body back in control, Zara gave a deep bow and apologized. "I will not repeat the mistake, pleae fo—"
"You're demoted until further notice. Work with the staff for the competition. Someone will replace you as the head of the Dominion department." The dean waved his hand and she was carried out without even having a chance to show any resistance.
"That's a bit harsh of you, isn't it, Dean Ankh?" The woman in formal clothing asked with a puzzled expression.
"Even though Zara still hasn't recovered, she was still the head of Punishment Order. She was also close to the…Princess." When she uttered the word 'Princess', grief and unwillingness flashed in the woman's eyes.
"Why do you still cling onto who's already gone, Miss Calamity?" Dean Ankh shook his head. "I am not a divine ranker. I am likely even weaker than you. But what I have is experience. And my experience says, if you really want to take that step, your mind must be firm."
Miss Calamity showed a wry smile. "Perhaps. I don't know when I can cross the wall. Sometimes, I feel like I can do it in a year. And the others, it feels like it would take a millennia."
"The best advice I can give is don't try. Empty your mind. Experience the state you're currently in. Let nature take its course. You'll eventually find a way." Dean Ankh said before shaking his head.
"But treat my words as you please. Those are just the ramblings of an old man who has nothing better to do in his twilight years."
"No. I was indeed planning to relax for a while and unwind for a bit." Miss Calamity shrugged. "That's why I'm at the academy instead of seclusion."
"Hahaha, that's obvious. I'm getting really old, aren't I?" The Dean shook his head and turned to the woman exuding noble temperment.
"Professor Catherine, I called you to ask about the competition. Are the security preparations going well?"
Catherine nodded lightly.
"It's not that I'm being paranoid but we're getting news that there is some abnormal movement at the border." The Dean lightly slapped his own cheeks, as if he's tapping a table. "In the worst case, I'll have to rush to fight them off. The power vacuum created here could be exploited."
"Rank 9s can't infiltrate into the kingdom. The rank 8s that might slip wouldn't survive a move from me." Catherine said with a smirk.
"Haha, I just keep worrying a lot." The Dean said and his expression slowly hardened. "There are rumors coming out. That the reason Jai is mobilizing against us and us alone is that a powerhouse from our kingdom poked them in the eye."
Since the information was tightly controlled, the officials of Pala weren't too sure about what's exactly happening.
On the other hand, Jai wanted to avoid embarassing themselves by telling the public that a duchy was attacked and nearly got destroyed.
"Do you fear another war, Dean?" Miss Calamity raised an eyebrow.
Even though he seemed fine, there was some tension in the old man's behavior. He must've been worrying a lot.
Perhaps that's also the reason Zara Woz got a much harsher punishment than she otherwise might.
"Should I say what my logic says or my feelings say?" The Dean shook his head.
"The war 500 years ago was a tragic one. We lost too many lives. And I…I lost too many friends. There are a few people I cherish. I want them to live. But if there's another war…I don't know if they'll survive. And even if they might, I certainly won't."
The old man said with a chuckle but there was a heavy sadness in his eyes. He ended fighting very difficult battles last time and got injuries that permenantly affected him. No, not just the last war but almost every war in the last three thousand years.
The reason he fought so hard was to achieve more military merit and seek more resources of the academy.
It was a noble act. But the price he paid was permenant damage to his being to the point he could never hope to reach the divine rank.
After all the battering he recieved, he didn't have the confidence to survive another war.
Miss Calamity pursed her lips and looked up at the grey dome covering the subspace. There was no sky here. A depressing feeling filled her chest.
If war was coming, she wouldn't have to participate. She's technically not from the kingdom.
'But…'
If she reached the divine rank, the leverage she'd have would increase greatly.
Then the Dean discussed a few academic issues with the two, but mostly concering with the steps they would have to take in case emergencies occured.
The more she listened, the more Miss Calamity frowned.
It's almost as if the Dean was prepared for death and was trying to hand over the duties.
She's just a visiting professor here. It's not the mantle she'd pick up. So it was for Professor Catherine.
Miss Calamity glanced at her with a neutral expression.
Before the Princess' rise, Catherine was the number one genius of the kingdom. But Isadora rose so fast that she was quickly overshadowed.
There was a huge divide between them that she wasn't even seen in the same range as Isadora.
After Isadora's 'end', Catherine slowly got back into the spotlight. But she never enjoyed the same fame.
Those shoes were hard to fill for anyone. Catherine tried hard. But reality eventually hit and she withdrew from the spotlight.
However, the resources she got before and after Isadora was certainly a change no one could deny.
'In 500 years, she went from peak rank 7 to low rank 9. A genius that would've shone brilliantly at any other time.'
But under Isadora's dazzling brilliance, even the brightest of stars paled.
"…And if something happens please look after the academy. This is the only thing I have. In return, I will…"
Isdaora walked out of the meeting shortly. Even though it just a mention, her mental state got disturbed.
She moved in the campus in a simple disguise, trying to feel better again.
'Instead of keeping my mind empty, I want to do something. Anything. But everything is boring…what should I do?'
Even though she walked into a garden absentmindedly, the figure of a man passing by alerted her senses.
He looked perfectly normal.
But there's something off. Something very, very off.
'It's a disguise!'
