A tense silence filled the grand office, broken only by the quiet ticking of an ornate clock on the wall. The three boys stood frozen, their minds racing for an excuse- or at the very least, an escape plan.
Headmaster Kairos, however, did not look the least bit furious. He didn’t even look surprised.
His sharp, calculating eyes studied them with the kind of curiosity one might have for an interesting puzzle. His arms were loosely folded behind his back, his posture relaxed, as if he had been expecting them.
His lips curled into sothing between a smirk and a knowing smile.
"What an unexpected visit," he mused, stepping forward.
His shoes barely made a sound against the polished floor. "Tell , gentlen, what exactly are you doing in my office at this hour?"
Adrian recovered first. He straightened his back, placing a hand over his chest with a dramatic sigh. "Ah, Headmaster! Can’t students simply drop by for a friendly conversation?"
Kairos lifted an eyebrow. "By crawling through a hidden passage?"
"…In our defense, the front door was locked," Sevan muttered.
Aiden shot them both an exasperated glare, resisting the urge to groan.
Kairos chuckled softly. "I must say, I expected soone to find that tunnel eventually. I just didn’t expect you three to be the ones mapping it."
Adrian blinked. "So… you knew about it?"
"Of course." The headmaster turned slightly, gesturing toward the very desk they had been standing beside.
"It would be foolish of not to know about the hidden pathways beneath my own school." His golden eyes glinted in the dim candlelight. "The question is- why are you so interested in them?"
The three exchanged glances.
Telling the headmaster the truth, that they were searching for tunnels leading outside the academy, felt like a risky move. If he wasn’t already suspicious, he would be now.
Adrian laned slightly against the bookshelf, giving a casual shrug. "Well, you see, we’re simply… enthusiastic students of architecture. Nothing wrong with a little curiosity, right?"
Kairos humd in amusent. "Curiosity is one thing. But few students have the boldness to explore tunnels that should have been long forgotten." His gaze flickered over them, unreadable. "You’re looking for sothing."
Sevan tensed, and Aiden remained still.
Kairos tilted his head. "Or rather… soone."
Aiden’s breath hitched.
Kairos’s gaze landed on him now, sharp as a knife. "You think there is a connection between these tunnels and what happened to Savion Ilmari?"
The way he said it- calm, assured- made it clear that he already knew what they were after.
For a long mont, none of them spoke.
Then, finally, Aiden exhaled and gave a slow nod. "Yes," he admitted. "We think he might have used these tunnels. Maybe there’s a way outside. Maybe that’s how he got to the forest."
Kairos studied them carefully, as if weighing their words, before he let out a thoughtful hum. "Interesting."
He turned, walking toward his desk. With an elegant motion, he picked up a quill and dipped it in ink. "And what do you plan to do if you do find such a path?"
Sevan hesitated. "…We don’t know yet."
Kairos set the quill down, then leaned against the desk, his hands resting on either side.
"I will say this: Savion Ilmari was a resourceful student. If he did use the tunnels, he would have been careful. That is, until… he wasn’t." His gaze darkened slightly. "If you three intend to follow in his footsteps, you must understand that his path ended in death."
Aiden clenched his fists. He knew. They all knew.
Kairos continued. "You are not the only ones searching for answers. And so… will not be as forgiving as I am about trespassing where you do not belong."
That sent a chill through the room.
"Does that an…" Adrian hesitated. "That you’re allowing us to keep looking?"
Kairos smiled slightly.
"I am simply stating that I have not stopped you yet."
The implication was clear.
Aiden swallowed.
"So… we should be careful."
Kairos’s gaze flickered with amusent. "Yes. That would be wise."
There was a long pause before the headmaster sighed and straightened. "It’s late. You should return to your dorms before soone less lenient finds you."
Adrian grinned. "Less lenient? You nearly gave a heart attack."
Kairos chuckled. "Then perhaps you should work on your nerves, Mr. Caleena."
Aiden gave a respectful nod. "Thank you, Headmaster."
Sevan exhaled in relief and muttered, "I thought we were done for."
Adrian, smirking, clapped Sevan on the back. "Don’t worry. I had it mostly under control."
Kairos shook his head, amused. "Goodnight, gentlen."
With that, they quickly stepped back toward the hidden door. Aiden took one last glance at Kairos before ducking down into the tunnel.
"Headmaster… we think we might know how Savion got out. There could be a tunnel leading outside. If that’s the case, and if soone knew about it…" He trailed off, not needing to say the rest.
Kairos humd, tapping his fingers against his desk. "A tunnel leading beyond the walls." His voice was thoughtful, as if he were considering a puzzle piece he’d been waiting to place.
Adrian narrowed his eyes. "You knew about it, didn’t you?"
Kairos’s smile was unreadable. "I know many things, Mr. Caleena."
Aiden frowned. "Then why-"
"If I gave away all my answers so easily, what fun would there be in searching for them?" Kairos interjected, his voice light but deliberate.
Sevan hesitated before speaking again. "If he was found outside, that ans soone else knows about the tunnels."
Kairos regarded him with sothing almost like approval.
"Yes," he murmured, "that does seem likely."
A beat of silence.
Aiden exhaled sharply. "Do you think that Karro guy from the duel killed Savion?"
Kairos’s eyes flickered to him. The firelight made them glow, but there was sothing else there, sothing unreadable beneath the warmth of his gaze.
"He is certainly the most obvious suspect," the headmaster admitted. Then, with a faint smile, he added, "But you will find, Aiden, that truth is rarely obvious."
There was sothing in the way he said it that sent a chill down Aiden’s spine.
Kairos sat forward slightly, clasping his hands together. "If you three continue down this path, you will see things that others do not. You will learn things most do not dare to know." His voice, though still friendly, carried weight. "But knowledge is a heavy burden. Once you have it, there is no returning to ignorance."
Aiden clenched his fists. "We just want to know what really happened."
Kairos smiled. "Then I won’t stop you."
They blinked.
Adrian raised a brow. "You’re… not going to tell us to stay out of it?"
"Would you listen if I did?" Kairos chuckled, his tone light.
They didn’t have an answer to that.
Kairos leaned back once more, regarding them with that sa unreadable amusent. "If you ever confirm sothing," he said, his voice turning quieter, "co to first."
Aiden frowned. "Why?"
Kairos’s smile didn’t waver. "Because it is better to have an ally who listens before you step too far into dangerous territory."
The room felt heavier.
Sevan, ever perceptive, nodded slowly. "You know more than you’re saying."
Kairos chuckled. "Naturally."
Adrian huffed. "Why do all powerful people speak in riddles?"
Kairos’s eyes glinted with sothing akin to laughter.
"Because answers are far more interesting when you earn them."
Aiden exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "So if we find sothing…"
"Co to first," Kairos repeated, his voice gentle. "And I will tell you whether or not you are truly ready for the truth."
That… was both reassuring and unsettling.
Kairos smiled, tilting his head slightly. "Good evening, gentlen."
As they made their way back, Adrian whispered, "Well, that wasn’t how I expected our night to go."
Sevan snorted. "At least we didn’t get expelled."
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