Chương 27: Chapter 25 ~ Easy Exemption

05/11/1111 EotTS 16: 39 Yldhi pulled open the door to the Headmaster's office, letting the warmth of the hearth spill out into the chilly antechamber.

The Headmaster and Tithrynn were already in the office and seated: Tithrynn was in the right-side chair, his right leg rested on his knee and the foot was shaking; the Headmaster sat in his high-backed chair, with his elbow propped on the desk, and his fingers knit into a cradle, upon which rested his chin, but for such a serious man, in a serious position, his bottom lip was hidden below his upper lip and he looked like he was trying not to laugh. Her papers were sitting on the desk next to Tithrynn.

"Take a seat, Gysel," said the Headmaster.

"All right," answered Gysel, and she crossed the threshold into the office, softly padding across the carpet, to the desk. Sitting down in the left chair, Gysel's view of the Headmaster was partially obstructed by his desk lamp—it is also extremely annoying not being able to sit in the same place as last time, Gods... the anxiety of having to be here is already enough, now this? well, it does not hurt to ask, now does it?

if the final is to be passed, as it likely will be, then Tithrynn will never have to be seen again, and if the final is failed due to some sort of misconduct on behalf of Tithrynn, he still will never be seen again.

"Can we switch seats?"

"What? Why?" asked Tithrynn.

"Because that was where I sat last time in this office, and I would like to sit there again. Furthermore, I cannot see the Headmaster because of the lamp. I believe that it is only right that I be allowed to sit in the seat that provides me with the view of both people in the room as I am the topic of discussion." Tithrynn pursed his lips and stood.

"Fine."

"Thank you." Gysel took a seat in the familiar chair; it was very warm. Gysel looked to the Headmaster, and took a long breath in, preparing to ask the question that had been festering, causing a doubtful twist in the pit of the stomach.

"Did I pass?" Tithrynn took a deep breath and opened his mouth, but the Headmaster spoke first: "You did. With a perfect score. I am surprised."

"I am not," answered Gysel, and with a smile, she stood, "Goodbye."

"Please stay seated, Gysel," said the Headmaster, with a slight chuckle, "We still have much to discuss." Keeping her smile, Gysel sat back down, looked at Tithrynn: he did not bear the same expression. She turned to the Headmaster, and asked: "What else is there to discuss?"

"I, for one, have a few comments to make in light in you passing this. But I will save those for the end, as I think Professor Tithrynn has something on his mind."

"Quite right. I do," Tithrynn said.

"You made me look like a fool, Gysel." He wagged a finger at her.

"How?" asked Gysel.

"How! You humiliated me in front of everyone. That is a question you ask during office hours.

"You said, 'Are there any questions?' and I asked my question." This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. His face pinched and twitched; his hands moved in front of him making strange circles, then he ran them down his reddening visage.

"You don't ask questions like that."

"I did. Why should I not have?"

"Because you don't." The Headmaster's chair creaked as he leaned back, showing no intent of getting between Tithrynn and Gysel—Tithrynn does not seem to notice, and the defendant does not care, for the defendant did nothing wrong and will be acquitted.

"That was not written in the syllabus," said Gysel, "There is no list of prohibited questions. And if there was, you failed to cover it."

"It does not need to be written in the syllabus—or anywhere," Tithrynn retorted.

"It is disrespectful to ask what you did."

"How is it disrespectful to you? It would be disrespectful of my time and the Academy's resources to be in your class and learn nothing. I could spend the time studying other subjects." Tithrynn's face was quickly turning a shade of pinkish-red, with the wrinkles around his eye, he was turning into a pickled beet.

"It is disrespectful to my dignity as a teacher and a scholar."

"I do not care. I was not invited here to learn about your dignity as a teacher and a scholar. I was requested here to study the principles of the Royal Arts. As far as I am concerned, caring about your dignity as a teacher and a scholar would prevent me from completing the reason I am here."

"Did your parents not teach you manners?" This was confusing; of course, they had: say 'thank you' when people hold doors and wave when greeting people.

"How is that relevant?"

"It is relevant because you clearly have none!"

"I have manners." The door to the Headmaster's office opened, and Yldhi stuck her pale head in.

"Please refrain from yelling, Tithrynn; I am very busy." Tithrynn's right eyebrow was twitching. His bottom lip curled under his upper teeth, and he bit into his lip until blood started to trickle out of the small lesion and down his chin.

"You're bleeding," Gysel said. Tithrynn did not reply to the genuine concern; he only took a sharp breath in, and looked to the Headmaster.

"You may leave now." The Headmaster said. Gysel stood and reached for her paper, but the Headmaster stopped her, holding the papers with a hand.

"Not you, Gysel." He looked to Tithrynn.

"We can talk more later; I have matters to discuss with Gysel."

"What could you possibly say to her—""Tithrynn, with all due respect, you were incapable of marking the paper. Please leave." Tithrynn left with no more argument.

"Sit," the Headmaster said with a smile as he gestured to the chair. Gysel sat for the third time.

"You fascinate me. So close yet so far, so, so indescribably far." He took his chin in his hand, and rested his elbow on the desk.

"As I know it, you were trying to make the Gahlyntimæ when you burned your school down, were you not?"

"Yes," answered Gysel—more, the Headmaster needs to say more, how far, in what ways, what is missing? but, he deems the distance indescribable, so there is no point in inquiring into something, if someone as intelligent as the Headmaster deems it indescribable.

"I figured..." The Headmaster trailed off with a chuckle.

"I'm very impressed. It is not often I have the pleasure of marking a chrysopoeia that gets it about right."

"Tithrynn did not mark the paper?" Gysel asked.

"No," the Headmaster said, with the shake of his head.

"I did."

"Why was he not able to mark it?"

"One needs to know the answer to something in order to deem it correct or not, do they not?"

"Yes... that is true. Who was the last person who got it right?"

"Hleenska, of course, but that was forty years ago."

"Why did you tell the school he was on absence if he is missing?"

"Because they do not need to know."

"Why did you tell me?" asked Gysel.

"Because you are here at his request, so you have the right to know. I expect you have not told anyone."

"I have not."

"Good. Keep the truth to yourself."

"All right," Gysel said.

"May I leave now? I have no more questions."

"Certainly, yes." Gysel stood, took her papers, and headed for the door.

"Gysel," the Headmaster said, as Gysel was turning the doorknob.

"One last thing: do not let anyone see that besides yourself. Hide it away where only you will know where it is."

"All right," said Gysel, glancing down at the papers—where could they be put where no one would be able to find them? inside Kawvel is a good choice, but that would be cruel, and a betrayal of trust, that could not be done to him, and anyone will be able to tell that there is rolled paper sewn away inside him... the best option was perhaps the simplest one, putting it back in the book, and never telling a soul it is there.