Supreme Magus novel Chapter 181

When dinner time came, Lith was surprised no one had come to pick him up. He wasn’t worried though, he just thought that his teammates had fallen asleep and didn’t wake up in time.

After going to their rooms and no one answering him, no matter how much he knocked, Lith understood that something had happened. He tried using the communication amulet, but no one answered his calls.

- "I told you to check on them! Why you didn’t listen?" Solus scolded him.

"I’m sorry, okay? Let’s be rational, four people cannot disappear into thin air. Linjos must know their whereabouts. Nothing gets in or out without his permission."–

Much to Lith’s surprise, the door to the Headmaster’s office was open.

Broken to be more precise.

Lith started conjuring several spells at once, fearing that somehow the one behind the boxes and Velagros’ death made an attempt on Linjos’ life.

The room was a mess. The Headmaster’s desk was cleaved in half, the glass windows were broken at multiple points and several documents were scattered on the floor. Linjos seemed to be all right, though.

Professor Marth and Professor Vastor were tending to his remaining wounds, none of which appeared to be life threatening. From Lith’s experience those were the kind of injuries that would inflict the most pain while doing very little damage.

The kind of injuries he was a specialist at inflicting on others.

"What happened, Headmaster? Seems like a cyclone trashed this place."

"Close." Linjos sighed.

"An angry parent didn’t agree with my methods and decided to explain it to me how much, up close and personal." Linjos could have stopped Orion at any time, but his sense of guilt prevented him from doing so.

He was the kind of man that would always learn from his mistakes and be ready to suffer from their consequences, instead of hiding behind his title.

Also, a little mean voice in his head told him that it was better not to add the Ernas household to the ever-expanding list of people that hated his guts.

- "Thank the gods Archmage Deirus after threatening to gouge out my eyes and force me eat them, just presented a formal complaint to the Queen. I don’t know if I can take another beating of that magnitude." Linjos thought. –

"If you are going to ask me about your companions, they have all left the academy and gone back home hours ago."

- "Hours? Since when does it takes hours to recover?" Lith thought. "Either Linjos fainted and called for help only recently, or that parent really knows his stuff. Wish I could ask him for some lessons." Lith mind-sighed in envy.

"You monster!" Solus scolded him with renewed vigour. "How can you appreciate such violence when your friends are hurting or worse? How could you not flinch when Linjos just called them ’companions’?"–

Her rage was genuine, and so was Lith’s indifference.

"Because he was in the ball park. I like them, but not like-like them. Also, they may or may not have killed someone. Big deal! They’ll get over it, just like I did. Don’t you agree?" -

Then Solus gave a solid demonstration of her vocabulary by yelling at him all the insults she had learned over the years.

Solus’ words struck a nerve, Lith didn’t know how to answer without being even more of a jerk. Lying to Solus was impossible like lying to himself, also it was something he would never attempt to do. He could only try to be a better person.

"Don’t tell me that any of them actually did it?"

"Friya and Yurial." Linjos replied with a sigh.

Hearing those words, Lith remained stunned.

Not only because of what they had done, but also because of how he felt. Or to be more precise, what he didn’t feel. Lith honestly didn’t care, killing had become such a big part of him that he couldn’t bring himself to consider it a problem.

The realization stung hard at him and so did Solus.

- "Wow, your friends... oh, I’m sorry, I mean companions had a traumatic experience and your first reaction is feeling sorry for yourself? That’s a new low, even for you."–

It was hard to determine what hurt the most, the sarcasm in her words or the truth they held. Lith turned around and walked away, feeling emptier than ever.

"Wait." Linjos stopped him. "Since you are already here, you can give me your report."

"My report?"

"I need to know how your group performed before the last part of the test, otherwise I cannot evaluate their progress."

Lith told Linjos everything that had happened in the dungeon, skimming only the parts where they needed his help the most, letting the Headmaster know their struggles and suffering.

***

Meanwhile, at the Ernas household, Orion and Jirni were having dinner alone. Their eldest sons were still away with their units and the girls had preferred to remain in their rooms. Even Lucky was absent, choosing to console Phloria over its beloved roasted chicken.

The big rectangular table in the dining hall had never been so cold and empty. The Lords of the mansion sat at the opposite ends, at the two heads of the table. Given the sensitive nature of their conversation, the servants had been forced to stay outside of the room, entering only when summoned with the bell.

"Did you really have to assault Linjos? He’s the Queen’s favourite right now, it could harm our interests in the acquisition of the Solivar’s household." Jirni’s tone was placid.

She loved her husband and knew that something serious was upsetting him, but she couldn’t help being herself.

"He’s free to challenge me to a duel or issue a formal complaint with the Crown, for what I care." Hearing Linjos’ name almost made him choke on the food, spitting some back in the plate.