Chapter 44: Meeting with the Director
Godric was used to prying gazes.
Being part of a Great House came with exactly that. But being part of a Great House which had fallen from grace brought even more eyes to him than to others.
After all, there was one thing people loved more than seeing someone climb to the top. It was to see them fall from it.
But even that was not comparable to the number of gazes locked onto him right now.
Walking through the academy corridors draped in pristine white uniforms reserved for the Great Houses made it seem as though life came to a halt. Every single pair of eyes stopped at him. Students, teachers, even visitors stopped in their tracks to stare at someone wearing a uniform they deemed wrong.
Of course, Godric wasn’t surprised.
He knew that wearing it was equivalent to blowing a war horn, but he wore it anyway.
As important as keeping a low profile was, that part of his plan began falling apart when a dungeon gate opened right in the middle of the academy and swallowed him whole. It made every single survivor a small celebrity, including him.
That’s why, when he learned the director of the greatest academy decided to get involved, Godric made the calculated decision to follow through with whatever game the man was playing.
As troublesome as wearing a uniform reserved for a Great House might’ve been, the statue of his grandfather was still out front. A constant reminder that the heir of House Blackstar was right where he belonged.
Instead of going to his next class, Godric navigated toward the main building’s top floor, where the director’s office was. Or rather, the receptionist’s office a few steps before it.
"I’m here to see the director," Godric said as he reached the large desk.
Behind the desk, a young woman, either in her late twenties or early thirties, with amber brown hair and eyes, typed quickly across the computer keyboard.
Without even taking her eyes from the computer screen, she asked: "Do you have an appointment?"
"Yes," he lied, realising quickly that the woman would try to get rid of him if he didn’t. "The director is expecting me."
While he did lie, what he said probably wasn’t far from the truth.
After all, the man leading the academy did go out of his way to put Godric in uniform that was certain to bring attention. Assuming he was expecting Godric to visit was a fairly safe bet.
The young lady raised her brow before lifting her gaze to look at Godric.
She studied him for one long moment before asking: "Name?"
"Godric Blackstar."
In an instant, the receptionist’s face lit up.
"Yes! Of course!" She basically sprang to her feet. "Director said you’d come. Please, this way!"
The girl escorted him exactly five steps before they reached the old wooden door.
She knocked twice, then swung the door open and announced: "Godric Blackstar is here to see you, sir."
The director’s office was surprisingly small.
The left and right walls were lined with shelves overflowing with books. At the front of the room, beside its only window, stood a small oak desk. Behind it was the back of a large, brown leather chair.
The chair slowly turned, revealing a middle-aged man with long blond hair and striking amber eyes. A gentle smile rested on his face as he looked toward the receptionist.
"Thank you, Annabelle. That’d be all."
The receptionist nodded with a smile and closed the door softly behind her as she left.
"Please, sit." The director said, gesturing toward an empty chair beside the desk. "I’ve been meaning to find you, but it seems as though you already caught on."
Godric sat down before replying. "I was surprised to see the academy’s director try to meddle with the business of the Great Houses."
As he leaned back in his chair, Godric noticed a name plaque sitting on the desk.
On it was a title and a name he somewhat recognised.
Director.
Magnus Seabourne.
If Godric recalled correctly, the man commanded a beast called Sea Snake, a Legendary Tier 8 summon, putting him as one of the strongest people not just in the entire city but the entire continent.
But his strength alone wasn’t why Godric had heard of him.
Joining a Great House brought fame.
After all, there were only a few people talented enough to be scouted by one of the Great Houses. It took luck, charisma and absolute strength to even get on their radar.
But among those few, there had never been a person who joined a Great House, only to leave a short while after, until Magnus Seabourne.
"Meddle with the Great Houses..." Magnus murmured the words, more to himself than Godric.
His gaze drifted around the room before turning back to Godric.
"That’s right," he said, his voice absolutely calm. "That’s exactly what I’m trying to do."
Godric’s gaze narrowed.
As impressive as the man sitting in front of him was, a legendary summoner who had already reached a tier only a few ever do, the only reason why he even managed to leave House Sinclair in the first place was that he was allowed to.
Defiance was one of the few things the Great Houses punished. And the only form of punishment they knew was death.
You could slaughter an entire town, kill hundreds of innocent people and face no consequences as long as your loyalty lay with the right people.
"That seems a little above your pay rate," Godric said, trying to stay respectful while making sure the man’s fantasies didn’t go too far.
A silence settled inside the small office.
Magnus studied Godric for a moment before asking: "Do you know how exactly I was about to leave?"
Godric shook his head, though he didn’t seem to find the question relevant.
"Battle to the death," Magnus said, his expression darkening slightly. "I had to kill... and I did. I killed everyone they put in front of me."