The Old Scholar

With the Emerald Palace cleansed of traitors and now back in the hands of Sultan Aman IV who came back to the city with a regiment of his loyal Sultan Guards, Prisma returned to the Tower after wishing the Sultan good luck, turning the reanimated puppets back into corpses and the sand golems returning to the sand. Appearing back into her chamber, she saw her grandmother waiting for her while Martha was slumbering peacefully on the couch. The two of them shared a nod before moving over to the table in the chamber and then setting up a soundproof barrier around them as they sat down. 

"So, how did it go?" Leilani asked 

"Pretty well, I was able to learn a lot from the trio, I gave all the information I obtained over to the Sultan, I think he will make good use of it" Prisma replied with a nod 

"He will, Aman is smart like his predecessors. Unlike the rest of the continent, the Sultanate of Ghabir is the only nation here that sends its children overseas to attend Imperia. All the others are under the thumb of local schools that are manned by the Order of Sigismund, hence why I slightly find this continent a pain to deal with" Leilani stated as she nodded in reply 

"Do you wish for me to tell you what I have learned?" Prisma asked with a curious expression 

"Sure, let's compare notes" The Old Scholar replied with a smile 

"For starters, it seems that Crown Prince Akubar of the Chassan Kingdom to the east was the one who orchestrated this entire thing. He had bribed High Scholar Falkon who took residence in his kingdom to help expand his nascent homeland" 

"What did this crown prince offer?" 

"Prestige for the Order of Sigismund and the proposal of having access to the treasure trove of knowledge that is my Tower. It was the same words he used to win over Azanha and her mother, promising them a much higher status and more glory than being simply the wife and daughter of Sultan Aman IV" 

"So the promise of power and prestige, a common casus belli, anything else?" 

"Hmm... the Order of Sigismund also agreed since they wished to test out the prototype of a weapon they are developing, this thing called a 'Nullification Cube' which is apparently a weapon that can turn someone powerful into nothing"

{!}

Prisma then dropped the meticulously carved black cube on the table before the two, with Leilani's eyes widening as she gazed upon the thing 

"To think they would finally create it" She remarked as she held it in her hands 

"You know of this thing?" Prisma asked, a surprised expression on her face 

"Mhmm, this was a design made by Sigismund and me back when he was alive, its original purpose was to be used to defend small villages and towns that lacked skilled adventurers or were too far out in the countryside to be defended by local militia...to think that they would finally develop the damn thing. Even if it is a crude prototype" Leilani answered as she placed the thing back on the table 

"Was it supposed to be strong?" Prisma asked, a hint of caution in her voice 

"No, the original model was made to simply counter lower strength monsters such as goblins, kobolds, and other small fries, if they were against stronger opponents such as Ogres or the more powerful monsters of the world, the cubes would be useless" 

"But what if they developed a stronger version of this?" Prisma asked, this time the worry in her tone coming out 

"They wouldn't be able to. The calculations of the Nullification Cube were very specific, if any were altered, it would cause the cube to explode. Even if you just upscaled the thing, it would explode due to the calculations being too complex for those who lack the higher mathematical, magical, and mechanical understanding such as me. It's also the main reason why our project failed to get off the ground despite making the blueprints for it as no one else besides me could make it, hence why we just chose to shelve the project together plus Adventurers were becoming more common anyway" Leilani answered 

"But they were able to make this Grandmother! This must count for something" Prisma stated 

"I get the concern Prisma, but please trust me. They would have only been able to build this single one as the blueprint had a spell on it that once the main prototype was completed, all records, notes, and memories of how to build it would be destroyed. I placed it there when Sigismund died, knowing that this could be used for war, despite its low power threshold" The Old Scholar replied, her calm demeanor reassuring her granddaughter 

"I see...so there is really nothing to fear?" The Tower Master asked 

"Yep, no need to be afraid. Anyways, with all of that aside, I think we will call it a day here. You have a lot of work now and I would hate imposing on you by staying any further" Leilani stated as she stood up

"Aww, you're leaving already? Won't you stay for dinner Grandmother?" Prisma commented as she too stood back up

"It's still the middle of the afternoon here but back home it's already late at night, and I wouldn't want to burden my lovely granddaughter any further" The Old Scholar said as she patted the left cheek of the Tower Master 

"Pleaseeee, can you just stay for dinner" The Tower Master asked as she put on a pout and tried flashing her puppy dog eyes

"Hayss, fine, fine...I can never say no to that look" Leilani relented as she gave a small smile before kissing her daughter on the forehead and patting her head, leaving Prisma smiling with happiness inside her 

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In the early morning hours back on the continent of Kalani, Leilani teleported back with a still very sleepy Martha after they had too many drinks and food for a small 3-person dinner before they left the Tower. She arrived in Teleportation Town to the sight of Partoban Paladins who were surprised at their arrival, they were at first cautious but when the lead Paladin saw it was Leilani, they all stood down and just let her pass with the unconscious Martha being carried princess style. 

Once she arrived at Imperia, she was greeted by the sight of her two arachnia creations awaiting her arrival, with Botswell and Feisha bowing at their creator before assisting in bringing Martha to the professor's quarters on campus. However, she wished for her beloved to sleep with her tonight, Martha had to teach later in the day. She too had some work to file through as Feisha informed her that 2 pairs of parents and their children had scheduled a meeting with her personally today regarding some kerfuffle while she was away. It seemed that the Prefect of Imperia supported the decision. 

"Hmm, the fuck is this about?" Leilani asked as she glanced at the report before putting it down and deciding to just read it later after she slept 

She quickly dressed into her sleepwear and dropped down onto her bed, falling into a deep sleep in moments as she began to snore. Dreaming about her beloved and her family whom she missed dearly, although she would never admit it to them because of how old she was. 

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Leilani awoke from her slumber around noon as it began to rain hard with drool in her mouth and with her bed all messed up, it took her a few more minutes to actually get off her comfortable paradise as her internal self kept trying to get them back to sleep and just not go to work, something she struggled with as she rose up and sat on the edge of the mattress. 

"Fuckin....haaa....c'mon, let's get going" She muttered to herself as she stood up and began stretching, 

She quickly took a shower, ate some toast with butter that she manifested with her magic and then got dressed into her standard black slacks, black shoes, her long-sleeved polo, and her iconic black vest and the black overcoat that rested upon her shoulders. She adjusted her hair and her glasses in the mirror while also applying some light makeup on her fair skin to bring it out. 

"Right, back to work then" She said to herself as she used the door to teleport back into her office 

Stepping into the office, she saw Feisha standing in front of her desk with a slightly worried expression on her face, something that Leilani picked up and then was cemented when her arachnia creation saw her enter and then rushed over to her. 

"Master! Those people who scheduled a meeting with you are waiting outside right now" Feisha stated with a concerned tone 

"Right, that...very well, let them in, and why are you so jumpy?" Leilani asked as she patted the head of her creation before moving over to her desk, hanging her overcoat on the chair and then sitting down 

"Ah, I am trying Botswells new tea concoction. It's supposed to increase my efficiency rate and make me faster" Feisha replied with a smile 

"Does it make me look jumpy master?" She asked with a head tilt

"No, no. You are just fine, I just woke up so maybe I am seeing things" Leilani replied with a smile as she gestured for the people outside to be let in

As Feisha nodded and turned away and scurried towards the door, she quickly turned back down to her desk and looked at a report about what the meeting was going to be about or at least the incident report submitted to her by the Prefect's Office.

"Right, let's get this over with" She mumbled as she gazed back up at the door, her usual unreadable expression forming on her face 

 

Stepping into the office were two pairs of parents followed by two young undergraduates and by the looks of it, they were Second Year students. The pairs of parents were people Leilani had not seen before, nor recognized their names, meaning neither of them were her former students but the two young adults who followed them in were, and these students were looking mighty uncomfortable and looking at one another with regretful glances. The first of the students was a young man with blonde hair and pale skin paired with a lean body figure, he wore the blue and white uniform of the academy and had a golden crest with the letters CMA emblazoned on his left breast. He looked like his parents who were taller than him however and both of them were blonde, his mother was busty and curvy and dressed in alluring mage robes that showed off skin while the father wore a set of mage robes she had recognized from a mage tower in the Kingdom of Carnilly on the continent of Vlekhardt. The second student was a tall young woman with brown hair that cascaded down her back, her brown skin was paired with a curvaceous body just like her tanned skin mother who came in before her, while her brown hair matched that of her father, both of whom were as tall as the first pair of parents but were much more muscular, with said muscles being shown due to them being dressed in adventurer gear. The young girl wore the school uniform that covered her muscular build and had the letters CB emblazoned on the golden crest on her left breast.  

"I would like to!-" 

"Shush, take a seat first before you try and yell at me kid" Leilani interrupted one of the mage parents, flicking her wrist and creating 6 chairs before her and gesturing for them to sit down

Although being taken aback by the interruption, the parents of the CMA student nodded and sat down, with their child in between them, with the CB student and her parents doing the same and following the same sitting arrangement. 

"Right, before anything else. Both of you, names and college" Leilani stated as she looked at the two undergrads 

"Umm...Markus Riley, Majoring in Magical Advancement, College of Magical Arts, Second Year...Ma'am" The young blonde man stated as he looked at her 

"Tanna Kalahad Ma'am, Majoring in Warfare Studies, College of Battle, Second Year" The young brunette woman added 

"Right...I will just read the report here and see what the problem is then" Leilani said as she opened up the report on her desk 

{!} 

Reading it, Leilani's brows slowly furrowed as she read the report, a cold feeling was felt across the room and the students exchanged looks with one another while their parents were confused as to why they were suddenly feeling chilly. Placing the report down, Leilani took a deep breath before letting it all out in an annoyed sigh, looking down at the floor before fixing her gaze back up and switching between the two students. 

"So. Mind telling me, why this report says that the two of you are the ones who started a fucking brawl in Sigismund Hall between your fellow batchmates?" Leilani asked with an intimidating voice that hid her growl 

"It was just a friendly-"

{!}

"Bullshit! If it was a friendly spar you would have done so in the Sigismund training hall where the barrier field could stop anyone from getting severely injured, but no. you all chose to fight in the fucking hallways and it spilled out into the field behind the hall" Leilani interrupted Tanna by slamming her fist onto the table, something that made the 6 people before her flinch in their seats 

"The teachers who were caught off guard had to use special spells and tactics to get more than a hundred second years from CMA and CBA subdued and sent to the Prefect. They all said the same thing, that the two of you started it. Now tell me who started it before I do something that will make you regret existing" She added with a growl as her eyes narrowed on the two students who were now sweating bullets 

"If I may interrupt your inexcusable accusations against my son, I would like to ask you to present proof that my son was indeed involved in the start of the brawl as you have said" Mr. Riley interjected as he looked furious at his son accused of such 

"Indeed. We refuse to believe that our son was responsible for the start of the fight, that's why we scheduled an appointment with you to clear his name" Mrs. Riley added 

Leilani let out another annoyed sigh as she placed an azure magic crystal on her desk and tapped it, the crystal shone brightly before displaying a recording of the scene, with all eyes on the recording. It showed Markus and Tanna running into one another and shoulder-checking each other in the hallway, and due to Tanna having a stronger body due to her build and her training in the CB, she knocked him into the wall. Quickly afterwards, Tanna tried to help Markus up but was sent flying into the opposite wall after Markus fired a small fireball that struck her abdomen, a few moments later, all hell broke loose as CMA and CB second years who shared Sigismund Hall started brawling one another, with a clear depiction of Tanna and Markus dueling it out in the center of the hall before making their way out into the field in the rear of the building. 

Leilani stopped the recording and then returned her gaze to the pair of parents looking down at their kid and the now slightly shaking students who were keeping their gazes on the ground. 

"So. Is that enough proof for you?" The Dean asked as with a subtle smirk 

"Umm...it was clearly the girl's fault! She was the one who shoved our son into the wall!" Mr. Riley stated as he looked over at the other pair of parents 

"How dare you! It's not our daughter's fault your son is so weak!" Mrs. Kalahad shot back, her expression like her husband being of disgust 

"You take that back! I will not tolerate the honor of my family which has been part of the Carniilly Magic Tower for decades, stepped on by some no-good, gruff-looking bastards!" Mr. Riley added as he stood up, with his wife following him and the other two parents doing the same, all of them raring to go and fight 

[SILENCE] 

{!} 

Suddenly, Leilani's voice boomed across the room and sent a terrifying shiver down the spines of everyone before her, freezing the two pairs of parents in place, their heads turning to her unreadable expression and sharp gaze. 

"I will not have children fight in my office. And once more, I am not finished with questioning these two right here. If you 4 so much as cause a ruckus, I swear you will not like your pride being the reason your child will be an orphan. So, Sit. Back. Down. Now" She ordered as her gaze slowly shifted between the pairs of parents  

The parents looked at one another and there was a shared agreement to do as the Dean said since neither party could accurately measure the power of the woman who was commanding them, but since she was able to give them a scare, they were going to listen to her for now. 

"Right. So, Markus and Tanna...care to explain yourselves?" Leilani asked as she leaned back into her chair 

"Umm...." 

"Uhhh..."

"I do not have all day you two" Leilani added, her tone sharper than earlier 

The two students exchanged glances and nodded, straightening up their posture and then recollecting themselves in order to drown out the nervousness in their body. 

"Well? Do you have an answer?" 

"We...were indeed horsing around Ma'am" Markus began, his expression still sort of scared 

"But we didn't mean for it to get out of hand on purpose" Tanna added, her expression also the same 

"Hmm? Explain."

"We, are friends. Close friends. We met during our freshmen year and our friendship is doing great. We usually do those shoulder-checking actions as part of a little inside joke between us, but on that day, we, well I, got carried away and shot off a fireball as a response to Tanna shoulder-checking me into the wall...I am sorry " The blonde mage confessed, with his parents surprised as they looked at him 

"He's right. We got a bit too carried away, we like messing with one another, and uh...I must admit and apologize for what we have done"

The two students then stood up and bowed their heads, their parents looking at them in shock as neither of them had expected such a thing, their eyes turned to Leilani who was silent as she looked at the duo troublemakers before her. Her chest rose and fell as she slowly breathed, her eyes still narrowed, and she gave off a sharp gaze that the two students before her dared not meet. 

"Hmm...a part of me wishes to let you go scot-free because of the confession of fault and accepting it...another part of me however...wishes to punish you for the damage you had done to Sigismund Hall, so instead, I will just give you this. You will be helping the cleaning staff clean up the ENTIRE campus for the next three months" The Dean ordered 

"Understood Ma'am" 

"Thank you so much for your forgiveness" 

The two students bowed a bit deeper than before and Leilani was satisfied to leave it at that, thankfully no one got any lasting serious injuries in the fighting as the clinical staff of Imperia were top-notch and unmatched except by her in terms of medical magic. But while the two students were very satisfied with the outcome, both pairs of parents were unfortunately not. 

"Hey! Why is my daughter getting punished!" Mrs. Kalahad stated as she rose to her feet 

"What do you mean "why is she getting punished?" did you not clearly see her strike our child?!" Mr. Riley replied as she got up and stood got closer to Mrs. Kalahad

"I swear to the Gods if you do not settle down right now I will do something that makes you sit down for the rest of your lives" Leilani interrupted, her patience wearing thin 

Her threat caused the two parents to stop what they were doing and turn their attention back to her, all of them sharing the same unnerved expressions as they could feel some intense aura and bloodlust in the air. The sharp gaze piercing through them and scaring them into their souls. 

"Mrs. Kalahad, your daughter has confessed to already doing it, I fail to understand why you cannot comprehend and accept it" Leilani stated as she looked a the buff female adventurer 

"I....I...I am sorry for my actions" Mrs. Kalahad relented when she locked eyes with Leilani, a sense of intense fear from every single cell of her body screaming out to her not to do something she will regret 

"Mhmm...good. Anyways...with all of this sorted, you are all free to go now. Markus, Tanna, if you both fail to complete your punishment or if you start shit like this again. I will show you a true punishment, the same warning goes to your parents as well...if they start trouble on Imperia's grounds, I will make them leave their children behind. Do you understand that?" 

"We understand, Ma'am" The students replied 

"We understand....Ma'am" The parents added

"Mhmm. Ok, you are all free to go now" The Dean finished as she gestured for them to go out 

The two students and their parents slowly filed out of her office, and once they were out of sight and closed the door, Leilani sighed as she stood up from her chair and walked to the window, looking at the rain pouring down outside, she glanced down and saw several combat classes still in play and while she respected the grind to educate, she was still concerned for the kids, although kids would be an incorrect term given they were all college students. But to Leilani who had lived for so long, all of them seemed like kids to her, and dealing with situations like this were part of her life now and way before. 

"Back to work then"

A/N: Here is another chapter woooo After this, there is going to be a small extra chapter starring Leilani yay! I hope you all enjoyed this one and if you got questions or reactions, let me know in the comments for me to read and as always, Stay Safe and Enjoy Your Day