'You can do it, I believe in you.' Darius patted his student on the back. 'Don't worry about anything.'
'I'll try, master.' Draco seemed to be trying to smile, so the Earl pretended that the boy had succeeded.
'I'm afraid, my dear, that today you are your own worst enemy.' Gizel got out of the carriage, holding Bleist's hand. 'I saw you fight this morning, so I can guarantee that you can do it, and you've mastered practical magic at a level even higher than required.' The elf approached the dragon and gently adjusted his collar. 'Believe in yourself, because we believe in you.'
This time, Draco smiled sincerely. Darius breathed a sigh of relief, reminding himself to thank Gizel later. He may not have wanted to admit it, but he admired the fact that the elf always knew what to say, could find the right words and reach everyone. This was one of the reasons for her success in the intelligence service, at least until she had to take over the duties of Grand Duchess.
'I'll try.'
'Then go, so you won't be late.' Bleist was surely sending his student to an exam.
Draco said nothing, just nodded and quickly headed for the entrance to Solvein. Darius watched the dragon until he disappeared behind the door. Today, the exams were to begin in the arena, so no one was waiting at the entrance. More carriages arrived and departed, dropping off students who had to take their exams. Many of the coats of arms were familiar to the Earl, but there were quite a few that he did not recognise. It seemed that everyone knew the carriage from Ed'heer. This was hardly surprising, since Bleist was probably the only one who harnessed besses to his carriage.
'Maybe we should go too?' Gizel took the mage's arm more firmly and looked suggestively up at the Tower of Light.
'We have an appointment, I assume the duke will send someone to meet us.' Darius glanced at the familiar walls. He had spent nine years in Solvein, so he always thought he knew the Academy inside out. However, very often someone would prove him wrong. The buildings and the surrounding area hid many mysteries, puzzles and secrets. He could even say that there was no one who knew them all.
'Always optimistic.' The elf wanted him to think she was reprimanding him, but the stronger squeeze on his arm revealed more than she intended. It also caused the earl's heart to beat a little faster.
Darius did not have time to respond, because a short, slightly stooped man with a pale, slightly yellowed face, narrowed eyes and a hooked nose emerged from Solvein. He immediately headed in their direction. When he stood in front of them, he was breathing heavily. He did not seem to be accustomed to physical exertion. His appearance suggested as much. He was thin, with tousled hair and long, bony fingers with ink-stained fingertips. A clerk or scholar deeply immersed in his work.
'Good morning, Colonel, Your Royal Highness.' Bleist had to revise his assessment, because the voice he heard belonged to a rather young boy, not a mature man. He must have misjudged the messenger's age based on his appearance. 'The rector invites you to his office. Allow me to show you in.' He bowed again and, without further ado, turned towards the entrance to Solvein.
Darius followed the boy with Gizel at his side. He had been to the rector's office several times before, but that was years ago, when he was still a student. At that time, Duke von Konlah did not hold his current position, but taught practical magic in the military department. His classes always gave Darius food for thought. The senior mage's approach to the practical application of magical abilities often defied the rules described in books or common practice. Thanks to these classes, Bleist developed somewhat unconventional reflexes and habits, which in turn proved helpful during real combat.
They passed through the door in silence and immediately headed for the nearest spiral staircase leading upwards. The pensive guide kept his eyes fixed on the steps in front of him, but he did not seem to see them, only automatically climbing them one by one. In the atmosphere of stillness and silence that currently prevailed in Solvein, it was difficult to speak. The emptiness in the corridors was also unnatural for this place, but according to tradition, only students taking exams and instructors supervising the tests were allowed on the Academy grounds during exams. Therefore, an invitation to talk on the day of the exams was, no matter how you looked at it, quite unusual.
Climbing several floors was demanding, especially for Gizel, who did not want to show that it affected her in the slightest. Darius regretted that the Academy did not have such amenities as the lifts in the Emerald Pagoda. They had to grit their teeth and keep going. When they finally left the staircase, they found themselves in a corridor running in both directions, directly opposite a double set of polished doors. Bleist recalled what the rector's office looked like when he was last here. It was a huge, oval room with a dome-shaped ceiling made entirely of smooth white stone. Along the walls were marble busts of previous rectors, stretching all the way to the window that took up the entire space opposite the entrance. In the centre of the dome was an alchemical crystal glowing with a bright white light. The only furniture in the room was a pearl desk and a marble armchair, or rather a throne with a nearly four-metre-high backrest in the shape of a spearhead split vertically down the middle, with an Atlantis star made of pure gold placed in the middle. The empty space was sterile and bright to such an extent that one's head began to ache just a few minutes after entering. This was the kingdom of Rector Ivan Roswarat, a man of great ambition, powerful ego and royalist views. He also possessed magical abilities and was one of the most powerful chaos mages known to man. However, he was completely devoid of charisma and the ability to win people over. He went down in history for his participation in the Tsarist wars and the battles with the orcs for the northern enclaves as the direct cause of Mortis' victory. He held office in Solvein almost until his death twenty years ago. Darius was curious to see what the office looked like now.
The guide opened the door and quickly disappeared to the right without saying a word. Bleist did not pay any attention to this and went inside. Much had changed here. Most of the room was taken up by shelves filled with books. Busts of former rectors were scattered randomly between the shelves. To the right of the entrance, the boy who had brought them there had set up a corner for himself. He had a desk covered with papers, smaller bookcases for reference books, writing utensils scattered in disorder, and various types of ink. The scholar was already sitting in his place, oblivious to his surroundings, leafing through a volume.
The floor between the bookcases was covered with a soft, light grey carpet. One large alchemical crystal had disappeared from under the dome and was replaced by a mass of smaller crystals floating in disorder, casting a pleasant, warm light. A passageway was marked out through the middle of the room to a dark red desk, from behind which Duke Karl von Konlah was just rising with a broad smile.
'Gizel! Darius!' The rector spread his arms wide to welcome his guests. Despite his large frame, he quickly found himself in front of the desk, heading towards them. 'How nice to see you!
'We're glad to see you too, Karl.' The elf offered him her hand, which he immediately kissed, and then shook Bleist's hand firmly. 'Sorry for coming so late. Unfortunately, our duties prevented us from coming earlier.'
'I've heard a thing or two.' The duke gestured for them to come in further.
When they passed the bookshelves, they entered a separate part of the room, which served as a study. There was a desk and a comfortable, soft armchair, visible from the door. On the right and left, almost by the window, there were round tables and four chairs each. Everything was decorated in shades of red. They turned to the right, and the rector waved his hand and placed sweet snacks and tableware for three people on the table. They had not yet taken their seats when a servant in a crimson livery, whom Darius had not noticed before, began pouring hot tea into cups.
'Thank you for receiving us, especially under the circumstances,' Bleist bowed gratefully. "As Gizel said, business matters delayed our visit. We would like to thank you for your help during the ball at the Crystal Palace, and I would like to thank you personally for taking care of the formalities related to accepting my apprentice.'
'In both cases, it was my pleasure.' The duke laughed kindly. 'General Leigher owed me a meeting anyway, so don't worry about that. As for your student, Darius...' He looked around as if to make sure no one could hear them. 'He is an extremely interesting person. The documentation of his course of study is... in many ways... ' It was clear that the duke was searching for a neutral term. 'Disturbing. So I took the liberty of asking around here and there to fill in the gaps and correct inaccuracies.'
'I'm afraid the Dragon Academy has omitted many things.' Gizel signalled that she knew everything and that they could talk openly.
'Yes, unfortunately, many things have been omitted or distorted.' Von Konlah sighed heavily, seemingly for show. 'As I said, I took the trouble to correct the files.'
'I'm surprised that any were created at all.' Darius had no doubt that there was not the slightest mention of Draco's situation in the official documents. And for good reason, since the dragon himself had said that the instructors had threatened to expel him before he finished his training and received his military licence. 'And even if there are any, apart from the name, there is little truth in them.'
'Yes, Director Luister made sure that nothing important appeared in them.' The Duke shook his head. 'However, I found out everything I needed to know anyway. The subsequent formalities were only a matter of time.' He took a sip of tea. 'Of course, the official files from the Dragon Academy... were lost. Solvein's documentation contains what I myself have confirmed.'
'Thank you.' Bleist was grateful from the bottom of his heart. Previously, he hadn't really thought about what was in the official documents, which had to be exchanged between Dagos and Atlantis, and now that he thought about it, he didn't even want to guess how many falsehoods they contained. 'In light of all this, Gizel and I thought we should express our gratitude in some way.' He reached into the inside pocket of his coat and pulled out a thin, oblong box. He carefully handed it to the duke, who accepted the gift without a word. 'I am well aware of your passion for the history of lost civilisations.'
The rector opened the box and carefully removed a thin, glass dagger covered with intricate decorations, which refracted the rays of light falling on it. It was a small, very intricate weapon, astonishing in its precision of workmanship.
'A dagger from Al'Arad is a rarity.' Von Konlah looked at the weapon with almost childlike fascination. He turned the small blade, watching the multicoloured light fall on the tabletop.
It was clear that the rector liked the gift. This was exactly what Darius had hoped for when he chose one of the trophies brought back by his father from his military campaign in Africa. This type of weapon came from the city of Al'Arad, located in the Tulkon enclave near the Eye of Africa. More precisely, from the Shehed ruins stretching along long underground corridors. Historians had different theories about the destruction of the original fortified settlement, but they agreed on the time of its demise, comparing it to the disappearance of Arayse. In any case, artefacts made with the magic of sand and heat lost centuries ago were sometimes discovered in the ruins. Among the specimens found, glass objects imbued with lost magic were extremely valuable.
The Duke smacked his lips with satisfaction and put the weapon back in its box.
'Thank you very much for the gift, although it was not necessary.' The Rector smiled broadly. 'I only did what I had to do. In both cases,' he added, turning to Gizel and Darius.
Von Konlah looked around and then uttered a few quick words. Bleist did not have time to react before the passage between the shelves was blocked by another shelf, and the glow of the activating barrier rolled over the furniture.
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Draco quickly passed through the Tower of Light and headed towards the arenas. Surprisingly, many people were heading in the same direction, and only now did the dragon realise how few examinees had managed to take the interrupted practical exam. Fortunately, today was to be free of speeches and unnecessary delays. After the magic part, they were to go to their assigned training room for a combined combat exam, both armed and unarmed. Draco had written down that he had to report to room 4 in the Tower of Earth. He hoped he would have time to ask someone how to get there.
The dragon hadn't even made it to the bottom of the slope leading from Solvein when he saw Aidan sitting on a small wall at the lowest arena, waving frantically at him. He returned the gesture and quickened his pace.
'How are you feeling?' Aidan asked as soon as they greeted each other.
'Could be better, but it's not bad either.' Draco looked up with mixed feelings. Most of the students were already climbing up to the arenas surrounded by magical shields, gathering on the terrace above the one used recently. 'How are you doing today?'
'I'm lucky that all my exams are today.' The boy dusted off his trousers, trying not to look around too much. However, seeing the momentary lack of understanding on his interlocutor's face, he decided to elaborate. 'It was my last calming potion, and in Solvein, life comes to a standstill outside the academic year.'
'In that case, you are indeed lucky.' The dragon tried to understand his friend's situation, but he didn't quite succeed. 'I hope it will work long enough.'
'It should last until evening.' The redhead fixed himself up again. 'Have you heard?'
'Heard what?' Draco wasn't sure he was interested in gossip right now.
'I thought you knew something.' Aidan seemed a little disappointed. 'I heard that after... the last incident in Solvein, members of the Amethyst Guard showed up.' The boy seemed excited about it. 'What's more, they're going to be present at our exams.'
The dragon glanced once more at the arena and the upper terraces.
'It'll be a chance to show ourselves in a good light...'
'Maybe we should go upstairs first, and we'll think about showing anything when we get there.' Draco didn't know whether the news about the observers surprised or worried him more. It certainly didn't leave him indifferent as he made his way up the stairs.