Brainheart Academy (2)

The Brainheart Academy had no students there. Kai could only see the guards and a few members of the academy's staff, assigned to keep the place clean and organized.

He leaned near Jane's left ear and whispered, "Where is everyone?"

It was Jane's turn to lean next to his right ear and whisper back, "Classes haven't started yet, remember? There are only guards, a few teachers, and those who work here."

Kai understood perfectly and was disappointed that he hadn't noticed the obvious. They followed the guard, passing through the exterior part of the academy.

The courtyard was vast, with places for students to sit to either study or just catch some air, an open arena for duels and other sports, a garden with flowers and magical herbs, and much more. It was gigantic and beautifully made.

But they had to follow the guard into the building. Exploration wasn't possible at that moment, so Kai didn't see many things the academy had to offer. Once inside the building, they made their way up to the last floor.

"The principal stays on the last floor," the guard said. "I know it's a lot of stairs, but it is what it is."

They didn't talk on the way up. None of them did. Kai didn't mind this at all, using the silence to observe every aspect of the academy.

He noticed every detail of the nearly perfect walls and the gorgeous paintings that looked like bestsellers. He could've sworn he saw one of the paintings move, but dismissed it as a trick of his mind.

The academy had many floors, so the journey took a while, but neither Jane nor Kai were tired. After climbing the mountain to reach the academy, a staircase like this was nothing to them.

"This is the principal's room," the guard said, pointing at a wooden double-door.

At first glance, the place looked rather simple. The only reason Kai knew it was the principal's office was because of a sign hanging above it.

"I'll knock and you can enter," the guard said as he approached the door and knocked a few times.

It didn't take long for a gentle voice to come from inside the room, "You can come in."

After that, the guard left while Jane and Kai moved forward, pushing the door open. The first impression was the smell that came from inside – herbs. It was a pleasant fragrance.

The principal's office had a couch near a fireplace, presumably where the principal relaxed and read books by the fire. As for the principal himself, he was an old man with a thick long beard and hair.

'This man has the looks of a wizard,' thought Kai.

The principal wore a purple robe and reading glasses. He was looking at some papers scattered on his desk, which he quickly put away after seeing Jane and Kai.

"I assume you are Jane, the new teacher," the principal said with a smile, "but what about this one? The classes haven't started yet."

Of course, the academy's director knew Jane was the new teacher. It was he who decided who would teach there.

"Hello, Director Finley. It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person," Jane said as she bowed.

She then glanced at Kai from the corner of her eye, realizing he wasn't bowing, so she gently kicked his foot. Kai then bowed and said, "It is a pleasure to meet you."

Finley laughed, "You don't need to be so polite."

Jane then explained Kai's situation and how he was essentially alone. Classes would start in two months, but Jane would have to be at the school in one month to start preparing her first classes and learn more about what the school wanted her to teach.

The director listened intently and was deep in thought. "This situation is quite peculiar. Let me check with the other teachers to see if we can allow Kai to stay here. But he will probably have a few restrictions if that happens, like not entering the library, for example."

Kai wasn't surprised by this. Brainheart's academy library was one of the best. The knowledge there was vast, and students couldn't read just any book. With years of study, they would gain access to books on more advanced or restricted subjects.

But the librarian wasn't there. The library was essentially closed, with only the teachers using it.

"We have a dining hall with food for you to eat while you wait. I'll go talk with the other teachers," Finley said.

They bowed and left, allowing Finley to proceed with his meeting. On the way, Kai asked, "Is this a good thing or not?"

Jane had a smile on her face, "Yes, this is a good thing. Didn't you hear him talking about restrictions? If he was saying that, then it's practically a certainty he'll let you stay. But let's not talk too much about it to avoid attracting bad omens."

Kai nodded and followed Jane into the dining hall. A staff member from the academy came to talk to them and quickly returned with a variety of food.

They weren't alone in the dining hall. Someone else was there. It looked to be a teacher, but one who didn't say a word and only stared at them from afar, like a creep.

"I think that's Luke. He teaches about beasts," Jane said, "I got some information about the other teachers before accepting to come here."

Kai and Luke exchanged glances for a brief moment, and Kai felt a shiver run down his spine. 'I don't like that man,' he thought.

By the time Finley returned, Kai and Jane had eaten their fill, and Luke was nowhere to be seen. Finley returned with good news.

"Kai can stay, and he will have something to do tomorrow. Luke wants someone to help him in the forest. Follow me; I will show you to your quarters," Finley said.

The news were great, and Kai should be happy because of it, but there was something about Luke that was causing him fear.