[Samael Ashwood's POV]
"PROFESSOR LINCOLN! THIS IS NOT YOUR HOUSE!!!"
A tall, imposing figure strode through the open doors with the confidence of soone who rarely t opposition. His deep crimson robe, adorned with gold and silver runes, flowed around him as if moved by so unseen force.
His silver locks fell on his shoulders and his deep sapphire eyes burned with an intensity that demanded respect. Professor Lincoln, one of the most feared and respected individuals in the entire rlin Academy, had arrived.
The council mbers straightened in their seats, and even Grandmaster Alaric's gaze sharpened as Lincoln made his entrance. His re presence commanded attention, and the tension in the room thickened.
"Professor Lincoln," Alaric greeted, his voice steady, though a hint of surprise laced his words. "We did not expect your presence here today."
Lincoln's gaze swept across the room before landing on . For a brief mont, our eyes t, and I felt a ripple of energy emanating from him. This man… he was on an entirely different level from anyone I had encountered so far. .
"I wasn't planning to attend," Lincoln responded, his voice deep and smooth like a flowing river, "but when I heard the accusations being thrown at one of my students, I couldn't just sit back and watch."
My heart skipped a beat. One of his students?
Alaric raised an eyebrow. "You claim Samael Ashwood as your student?"
Lincoln stepped forward, his gaze unwavering. "I do. And if anyone has a problem with that, they can take it up with ."
The room fell silent, the weight of Lincoln's words hanging in the air. No one dared to challenge him, not even Alderman, who looked as though he had just swallowed sothing bitter.
Grandmaster Alaric folded his hands, his expression thoughtful. "Professor Lincoln, while your reputation precedes you, this matter still concerns breaches of academy conduct. Your student—"
"My student," Lincoln interrupted, his tone firm but asured, "acted in accordance with what any true mage should do. He defended soone in danger. But this pig instead of handling the matter with justice in mind, chose to take out his personal vendetta against Samael and nearly cost the academy its future top mage."
The council mbers shifted uneasily, their eyes flickering between Alderman and Professor Lincoln. Alderman, clearly uncomfortable under Lincoln's gaze, opened his mouth to speak, but Lincoln continued before he could.
"Let make sothing very clear," Lincoln said, his voice lowering, becoming more nacing. "If there are any who believe they can abuse their power in this academy for personal gain, they will answer to ."
A cold silence filled the room, the weight of his words suffocating any resistance Alderman might have had. The council mbers, once filled with doubts and questions, now seed more cautious. They understood that to go against Lincoln's judgnt was to invite trouble far beyond the scope of this hearing.
Grandmaster Alaric leaned forward, his piercing blue eyes narrowing as he considered Lincoln's defence. After a long pause, he sighed and spoke, "Very well, Professor Lincoln. Given your endorsent and the information brought forward today, the council will reconsider its stance. But this does not absolve Samael of all responsibility. There will be conditions moving forward."
He turned to , his gaze steady. "Samael Ashwood, while Professor Lincoln's defence holds weight, your actions in the trials cannot be completely overlooked. You are a student of rlin Academy now, and with that cos adherence to our standards."
I nodded slowly, waiting for him to continue.
"You will be placed under a probationary period," Alaric declared. "During this ti, any further breaches of conduct will result in severe consequences, regardless of circumstance. Additionally, you will be closely monitored by Professor Lincoln, who has now taken full responsibility for your conduct moving forward."
A murmur spread across the council, but no one objected. It was clear that they wouldn't oppose Lincoln's influence, at least not directly.
"As for Instructor Alderman," Alaric's voice grew sharp as he turned to the man in question, "your actions are unbecoming of soone in your position—"
"I personally will thro—take him to the deepest level infernal furnace."
"CHRIS! This small mishap doesn't guarantee such extre punishnt," Grandmaster Alaric almost forgot to breathe as Professor Lincoln, also known as Chris, shot a cold, calculating glance at the Grandmaster, his lips curling into a faint smirk. The weight of his presence suffocated the chamber, leaving no room for anyone to argue.
"Perhaps you're right, Alaric," Chris said, his tone calm yet nacing. "But I believe that when an instructor violates the very principles this academy stands for, it warrants a lesson. Sothing more… fitting than a slap on the wrist."
The room seed to shrink in on itself as tension thickened the air. Grandmaster Alaric's sharp gaze flickered between Chris and Alderman. He clearly recognized the precarious line they were walking, one that could easily tip into a confrontation of power.
"I acknowledge the gravity of Instructor Alderman's transgression," Alaric spoke carefully, seeking balance, "but this council is tasked with maintaining order and justice, not personal vendettas. Instructor Alderman will be suspended from his duties while an internal investigation is conducted."
It wasn't the harsh punishnt Chris had hinted at, but it was enough to make Alderman visibly pale. His trembling hands were barely concealed by the folds of his robes.
"As you wish, Grandmaster," Chris said, his tone still brimming with unspoken threat. He turned to face , his sapphire eyes gleaming with a strange intensity. "Samael, follow . We've wasted enough ti here."
I followed without hesitation, feeling the eyes of the council burning into my back as Chris strode ahead with the confident swagger of a man who knew he held all the cards. Whatever punishnt the council had intended was now a distant mory, swept away by the overwhelming force that was Professor Lincoln.
The grand doors of the council chamber swung shut behind us with a soft thud, and we were left alone in the marble hallways of the academy.
But I didn't notice as my mind was burning with questions, Professor Lincoln's personality. In the original novel, he was shown as an upright and rule-respecting man for whom rules always co first, and he had that personality when we t at the entrance exams sight.
But just now he showed a side I had never expected. His cold, domineering presence, the ruthless way he shut down Alderman, and the absolute authority he wielded — none of that matched the upright image of him in the novel. Was this a side of him that only revealed itself in extre situations? Or was there sothing deeper at play that I had missed in the story's original telling?
As we walked through the academy halls, I stole a glance at Professor Lincoln, trying to gauge his intentions. His expression was unreadable, his strides purposeful and unhurried. He didn't speak, and neither did I. The silence between us was heavy, but not uncomfortable. It was more like the calm before a storm, an unspoken tension building with each step we took.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, we reached a secluded part of the academy grounds — a quiet courtyard surrounded by towering stone walls. Lincoln stopped, turning to face with those piercing sapphire eyes.
"You're probably wondering why I stepped in back there," he said, his voice low but clear, cutting through the silence.
I nodded, eting his gaze directly. "It crossed my mind. You didn't seem like the type to bend the rules so easily."
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips, though it didn't reach his eyes. "I don't bend the rules, Samael. I break them when they no longer serve their purpose."
His words hung in the air, and I felt a chill run down my spine. There was a sharp intelligence behind his calm facade, sothing far more calculating than I had anticipated. I realized then that I was dealing with soone who wasn't just a respected professor — but soone who played a different, more dangerous ga behind the scenes.
"You're not like the others here," he continued, stepping closer. "You see the cracks in the system, the flaws in the way things are run. That's why you've already clashed with the academy's authority. You question things, push boundaries. That makes you valuable."
"Valuable?" I echoed, raising an eyebrow. "You're saying this is all because you see potential in ?"
Lincoln's smile widened, this ti reaching his eyes. "Potential, yes. But more than that — you remind of myself."
His words caught off guard. For a mont, I wasn't sure how to respond. Was he saying that he saw sothing of his own past in ? Or was this just another manipulation, another way to keep in line?
"You've got power, Samael," Lincoln continued, his tone more serious now. "But power without purpose is a double-edged sword. If you want to survive — and thrive — in this academy, you need to learn how to wield it with precision."
I frowned slightly, considering his words. "And I suppose you're going to teach how?"
Lincoln chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that didn't quite match his usual composed deanor. "Oh, I'll teach you, alright. But understand this — the path I'm offering you isn't an easy one. You'll have enemies. You'll face challenges that will test your limits. But if you succeed…"
He paused, his eyes gleaming with a strange intensity.
"You'll be unstoppable."
A part of bristled at the idea of being molded into soone else's image, but another part — the part that craved power, that hungered for control over my own destiny — couldn't deny the allure of his offer. Professor Lincoln wasn't just offering to help survive rlin Academy; he was offering a way to transcend it.
I weighed my options carefully, knowing that whatever choice I made now could shape my future in ways I hadn't yet foreseen.
"I'm listening," I finally said, my voice steady.
Lincoln nodded, satisfied with my response. "Good. Then let's begin."
.
..
...
[To Be Continued]
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Stone !, I can take it.
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