The library of the Academy was quiet and serene, without any commotion occurring inside as if this was a calm that occurred before a storm.
Rows of shelves lined themselves with a spacing of at least one meter.
And , each and every shelf stretched so high that they disappeared into shadows above.
On the shelves ancient books sat in neat rows, glaring down at visitors with the judgmental energy of elderly relatives at a family reunion. Dust floated through beams of sunlight like tiny spirits gathering to witness someone's downfall.
And today, unfortunately, that someone was Sam.
Sam stood in the center of the room trying very hard not to sweat.
Across the room sat the headmaster of Royal Magic Academy, Great Mage Theon.
Sam stared at the prominent figure with quiet respect.
The old man wasn't speaking.
Which usually in his experience was a bad thing.
His eyes scanned the intimidating man with pitful eyes.
Sadly that didn't seem to work.
The old man had folded his hands together atop a massive oak desk. His face looked as if someone had carved the word disappointed into granite and then brought it to life.
Sam swallowed hard as he waited for the words of his execution.
And the sound actually echoed throughout the quiet room.
Upon hearing the sound of his own swallow, Sam couldn't help but snicker inwardly at the serenity of this library.
Then his eyes began to dart around the room, desperately looking very hard avoid looking directly at the mage.
To his left, he saw a shelf dedicated entirely to magical botany. Hundreds of books lined its rows.
And they carried eccentric titles like.
"Mushrooms That Can Legally Be Eaten."
"Mushrooms That Should Absolutely Not Be Eaten."
"Mushrooms That Eat Back."
'Interesting.'
To his right stood a glass case displaying magical artifacts.
A floating crystal.
An enchanted quill.
A skull that appeared to be reading a book.
The skull slowly looked up from its page.
Then his eyes and its empty sockets met.
The skull suddenly shook its head.
It appeared that even the decorative skull knew how doomed he was.
Wonderful.
Sam then looked away redirecting his gaze back at his executioner.
Hedmaster Aldric remained silent for long and uncomfortable while.
And Sam felt his heartbeat beat faster with each moment.
At the same time his mind on reflex began its attempt of reassuring him.
'No need to be nervous.
Perhaps this has nothing to do with Sophia.
Maybe it's something else.
Maybe they have discovered what l did to the eastern training field.
No.
That had been ruled out as a natural explosion.
Mostly because nobody had managed to prove otherwise.
Maybe it's because of the illusion charms that l had been selling to the students making them appear attentive during lectures.
Or perhaps it's the incident involving the headmaster's statue and the flock of enchanted pigeons.
That had been purely a misunderstanding.
The statue looked lonely and those pigeons had looked motivated.
Who knew the that the outcome would be so catastrophic .
That had not been my intention at all.
Headmaster Theon slowly cleared his throat.
This almost made Sam jump out of his skin.
"Do you know why you're here?" he asked.
His voice carried the weight of an executioner's axe.
"No."Sam replied flatly with a poker face.
The headmaster's eyes narrowed.
"I see,"
Silence then returned.
And at that moment Sam considered the option of diving through a window.
Unfortunately for him the nearest window was four stories above the ground and was protected by anti-suicide enchantments.
Apparently previous students had reacted similarly to conversations withthe headmaster Theon and attempted suicide.
The old mage leaned back in his chair.
"You seem nervous."
"I'm always nervous."
"You are trembling."
"It's cold."
"It is summer."
"I have a medical condition."
"What condition?"
Sam opened his mouth not sure what to say next.
He hadn't expected him to ask follow-up questions.
The headmaster sighed.
And Sam's gaze wandered once more.
The library truly was magnificent.
The headmaster tapped the desk bringing Sam's wandered attention back to the topic.
"I spoke with Sophia yesterday."
There it was.
His execution had begun.
"I see," he managed to keep his poker and oblivious face.
"Do you?" The headmaster inquired with a questioning look.
"No."
"No."
The two stared at each other for a moment.
A clock somewhere in the library ticked.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
Every second felt like another nail being hammered into Sam's coffin.
The headmaster then opened a drawer.
Sam instantly froze as he suddenly turned vigilantly.
His brilliant mind began to speculate the object that the headmaster was reaching for.
Was there a weapon in there?
A magical contract?
Perhaps a letter of expulsion?
Or maybe a dragon?
One could never tell with mages.
Then to his surprise the headmaster withdrew a pair of spectacles.
Sam' panic had reached such heights that he actually felt relieved when he saw the harmless glasses.
For a moment.
Then the headmaster wore the spectacles.
And somehow the old man looked even more intimidating.
That shouldn't have been possible.
Yet here they were.
"You and my daughter have become... close."
The words hung in the air.
Sam then mmediately remembered approximately about seventeen decisions he shouldn't have made.
Twenty-three if he were to count the balcony incident.
Well thirty-one if he included the boat.
And the boat definitely counted.
"I respect Sophia greatly," he began his sentence carefully.
The headmaster nodded slowly.
"And the kissing?"
Suddenly Sam performed an impressive feat of chocking on oxygen.
The skull in the display case covered its eye sockets.
While Headmaster Theon waited patiently for his answer.
"I can explain." Sam defensively said.
"Can you?" Calmly asked the headmaster.
"No."
"Thought so."
Sam began to stare at the desk.
The desk seemed very interesting.
Beautiful craftsmanship.
Excellent wood grain.
Maybe if he focused hard enough perhaps he could live inside the desk forever.
The headmaster folded his hands.
"I want you to understand something."
Sam could only brace himself.
This was it.
The threat, the lecture, the magical disintegration.
"I care about my daughter." The headmaster continued.
"I understand." Sam replied with his head lowered.
"She is precious to me."
"Of course."
"If anyone hurts her—"
"I'll be destroyed?"
The professor blinked.
"What." The headmaster asked with suprise.
"What" Sam also asked in surprise.
"I was going to say I'll be disappointed."
Sam stared in puzzlement.
The headmaster also stared at him.
They both stared.
'That wasn't what I expected. Not even remotely l would say.'
"You... won't destroy me?" Sam inquired with a shocked expression.
"Why would I destroy you?"
Sam opened his mouth and closed it.
Then opened it again.
"You're one of the most powerful mages alive."
"Yes."
"And she's your daughter."
"Also yes."
"And you found out I kissed her."
"Correct."
He waited as if he had just outlined the reason for his puzzlement.
And the headmaster also waited, waiting for the reason for his puzzlement.
Finally he sighed.
"Young man."
"Sir?"
"If I destroyed every person who kissed Sophia, this Academy would have a severe enrollment problem."
Sam suddenly blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
"...What?"
The headmaster pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I said—"
"I heard what you said."
The library suddenly felt much larger and much colder.
Much more dangerous.
"How many students are we talking about?"
The professor looked away.
A guilty look appeared on his face.
A deeply concerned father look.
"A statistically alarming number."
Sam's confidence evaporated instantly.
Somewhere nearby a book fell off a shelf.
It sounded suspiciously like laughter.
And for the first time since entering the library, he realized something horrifying.
He might not be the only one.
And with that thought. The execution from the headmaster seemed to be a lighter punishment than what he was experiencing.