The Azuin university: Professor’s exam

«So, what’s the matter with the investigator,» I reminded. The alcohol ran through my veins, causing a pleasant tingling sensation throughout body. A relaxing mist enveloped my head.

«Oh, yes! Screw him!» She leaned back on the couch and stretched, shaking off her irritation. «There are three of them, plus a dozen assistants, but one is clearly in charge. Captain Wolfrock, as he introduced himself. A donkey with a conceit!»

«Well, why don’t you leave the animal to conceit?» We both puffed and coughed.

When she came to her senses, she continued:

«All right, let it be. But not so inflated. Suspect everyone? Suspect me?! Just because I’m a demonologist… Of course. What kind of bias, tell me? He stared at me with those blue eyes and thought we would all go soft at once, huh.»

«So, they think it’s a demon too,» I muttered.

«Yes, yes… reasonably. But what made him think that I would help such a demon or, worse, summon him?»

«Summon? Did he say that?! " I was surprised. «Why did you summon a thief?»

«No, of course not,» Adiree grimaced, «he didn’t do anything like that directly. But how he formulated the questions! Hinted, bastard!»

«Come on, you just misunderstood. That’s their job.»

«His job is to piss everyone off.»

«In a way,» I agreed, «to throw people off balance, yes, to understand better, to make the criminal make a mistake. We had a couple of lectures on this topic in psychology.»

«Phew! You never know… lecture. I had them too, so what?»

«Well, you piss off both humans and demons professionally, there would be someone to complain about.»

«That’s always how you are. I’m me,» she shook her hair. «But some kind of policeman… not even a mage. How dare he?»

«You’ve taken it too personally.»

«You’ll get to him yourself, you’ll find out how he’s trying to turn you inside out, to dig out all the little things, all the dirty things.»

«I don’t think there’s any need to worry too much: our personal affairs are not in his competence, only theft.»

«And how do you manage to stay so calm?»

«It’s all absinthe,» I nodded at the half-empty flask, «we’re getting carried away, huh?»

Laughing again, we forgot for a while about the abductions and the investigators.

And today I had to go for interrogation.

It’s a piece of cake, if only my head didn’t spin like that. Yes, Saul’s gift does not let go for a long time. However, I slept like a baby. And the skin just glows now.

It’s okay, I can handle anyone with a big ego.

After breakfast, I quickly got dressed: a wool pantsuit the color of milk chocolate and a turtleneck the color of cream that looked austere and were practical and warm enough to get to the main building in the incessant rain.

Throwing on my favorite dark cherry coat, I grabbed my purse and umbrella and walked outside from my small cottage near the east wall of campus. Standing on a magnetic platform hidden under a canopy, I flew to work. An investigation is an investigation, but no one has canceled ordinary educational cases, especially for the dean.

Chapter 4

To be honest, the wait was infuriating.

From the beginning of the day, I managed to review and correct some of the documents for the upcoming inter-semester certification, hold a short but intense meeting with the heads of the graduation and pre-graduation groups, finish my presentation on crop production for the first year, and even fly to an experimental greenhouse to check the first results of using a new nutrient solution for agmarates. There, looking at the dark green of the curly bushes, I forgot the folder with the papers, so I had to go all the way from the university and back again. And all this under the rain that shrouded the entire town in a gray shroud.

I waited and waited again. The first to be interviewed today were all the teachers of my faculty. Apparently, they decided to leave the dean for dessert.

So, I didn’t even have time to take a bite of my little afternoon dessert, a chocolate cupcake the size of a ping-pong ball: just as I was putting it to my mouth, there was a knock at the door, and the assistant investigator came in to say that Captain Wolfrock was waiting for me in Vice-Rector Roginis’s office in ten minutes, and left. I shook the sugar powder off my fingers, looked regretfully at the cake, got up and walked over to the mirror. Satisfied with what I had seen – in the reflection I seemed quite confident and business-like serious – I went out, closed my office, and slowly made my way to the fourth floor.

Walking down the main gallery, I turned into a long gut corridor that led to the service staircase, narrow and old, and therefore ignored by many. I just didn’t like to make an extra detour to the central front door.

I walked this way so often that I didn’t expect a trick, and in the first seconds I didn’t even think to scream. Then it was too late: a strong hand clamped over my mouth, while the other dragged me into the darkness of the dusty curtained niche.

A moment later, I found myself in a tiny utility room, with my back against a large, warm body. The arms around me were definitely masculine.

As soon as I came to my senses, I jerked, trying to break free from the strange embrace, but it only tightened more. I shook my head, trying to open my mouth and bite the palm that wouldn’t even allow me to breathe normally.

The hot breath and the light touch of his lips close to my ear made me throb harder.

«Wait! I’m not going to rape you, Zulina. Just don’t scream, okay? It’s just me,» Erchin’s voice struck me so suddenly that I froze.

«Here we go. Just stand still and don’t say anything. Shh…» He lowered his hands, releasing me.

I immediately turned to face him, not hiding my indignation. But it didn’t matter in the darkness: we could only dimly see each other’s silhouettes.

«What the hell?!» I hissed, trying to move away at the same time, but I couldn’t because the room was too small. «What do you do, Professor Mavinus? What kind of joke is this?»

«Wait. Listen,» he put a finger to my lips, strangely finding them in the gloom, «I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you, I just didn’t have time to think of anything.»

Struggling to resist the untimely urge to lick the palm pressed against me – now, knowing that it was him, I could not drive away the swarm of uninvited thoughts, especially when he was so close, almost pressing me with his body against the wall – I said again through clenched teeth, but with less irritation:

«What happened that couldn’t wait? What can’t be discussed in my office? Just ask in the hallway? By the way,» I suddenly remembered, «I need to go to the investigator, and you’re detaining me.»

«Yes, yes, that’s why,» Erchin removed his hand from my face and moved, obviously trying to give us some space, but the attempt was not very successful: it was easier to breathe, but our thighs were now almost rubbing against each other, "I needed time to talk before your interrogation…»

«Not really interrogation. Just conversation…»

«Oh, you shall believe me!» He snorted in exasperation. «The captain doesn’t waste time talking. Okay, it’s not about your interrogation, in the grand scheme of things.»

«So, what’s the deal?»

«It’s about me,» Mavinus sighed. «About Azuin, to be exact. More precisely, in their suspicions… against me…»

«Suspicions?!» I gasped. «Do they suspect you too?»

«Too?»

«Well, Adiree said she was hinted to, too…»

«Hah, they hinted! No more hints! They’ve already searched my office…»

«Like most of us,» I interjected.

«And now they’re on their way to my house to turn it upside down,» he growled in displeasure, moved again, touching my chest, which sent hundreds of hot lights through my body. «I have nothing to do with it. Why the hell are they going to get into my life?!»

«Ahem,» I shook my head, focusing on the topic of the strange conversation, «it’s just their job. They’re checking everyone, why are you so excited? You know,» I finally protested, «this trick of yours,» I waved my hand, circling the space around us, «it’s not in your favor. Why do you have this kind of behavior if you have nothing to do with it?»

«Do you think I…»

«No, I don’t think so. Why do you need such a headache as the snake Azuin? Only a crazy person will voluntarily make contact with it. But why did you drag me here?!»

«It was necessary that no one saw me talking to you before the interrogation. They may draw the wrong conclusions…»

«And so they’ll draw the right one, of course! Squeezing into dark, dusty corners is exactly the right conclusion that the dean and his teacher need, yes.»

Erchin shifted from foot to foot, wheezing strangely.

«No, of cause. Sorry… It was awkward. But you’ve already gone there, and… I did it faster than I thought…»

«Men… Pff…»

«I just… Anyway, listen,» he took me by the shoulders, «help me.»

«Help?! But with what?»

«Just don’t take for granted everything Wolfrock tells you. And remember, I had nothing to do with it. And you’re the dean, and…»

«Do you think,» I said, «that I’m going to help you get away with it because I’m your boss? What the heck…»

«Oh, no. Think so… More precisely, not to go out, but simply not to get bogged down deeper. You see, if my boss is going to have doubts, then these bloodhounds are even more so. It’s just that believe me, I have nothing to do with it.»

«We’ll see who’s what,» I stepped to the side, pulling back the curtain and shaking his hands off my shoulders. «I’ll draw my own conclusions…»

«I just wanted you to understand…»

With a grunt, I slipped out of the alcove, dusted myself off, and began to go up the stairs.

Perhaps it seemed to me, but at some point the professor wanted more than just understanding…

***

John’s office faced west, and the sight of the sun beginning to set shocked me. It’s not that I’m new to such sights, but as long as I’ve been studying and working here, I’ve never seen the windows and the whole this office so free of clutter.

Well, not garbage, just miscellaneous furniture – cabinets, chests of drawers, bookcases, tables, chairs, stools and stepladders, equipment – appliances, cones, sets of chemicals, artifacts of all kinds from different parts of the world, thousands of books and hundreds of gifts. Today, the holy of holies of Vice-Rector Roginis seemed almost empty. The carved three-dimensional maps of our Enthuaria, Bergar, and other states of the Core World, which occupied the entire far wall, were now especially striking: magnificent works of art, after all.

«Damn! I thought only the Emerald Azuin had been stolen, but I see it’s more serious. The thieves did their best,» the smile on my face quickly faded as soon as I met the man sitting at the huge desk. Yes, the joke failed, it seems.

The captain – evidently, he was – was not a bilious old man at all, but a young man of interesting appearance – not particularly remarkable, at first glance, but for some reason not allowing you to take your eyes off.

He was of medium height, as far as I could tell, with wheat-brown hair, a little longer than is customary for civil servants, a sharp, well-groomed goatee, and penetrating eyes as blue as mountain lakes. A blue shirt and a dark jacket… The guy was handsome, if you look closely: he was spoiled only by tightly pressed lips and strictly knitted eyebrows. However…

That «however» I didn’t think of: he finally deigned to introduce himself.

«Greetings, Dean Chimer. I’m Captain Christophe Wolfrock, Senior Investigator for Special Cases at the Azuin Office for the Supervision of Magical Phenomena. I am glad that I can talk to you.»

Neither «hello» nor «sit down» for me. He didn’t even deign to get up from the table. Yes, politeness is clearly not taught in these detective universities, or whatever it is. Pff…

Without asking permission, I sank into the chair opposite him, carelessly straightened my hair, and, putting on all the sternness of which I was capable, addressed the man who had so intimidated my friends:

«Good afternoon, Captain. I’m ready to answer your questions.» I wasn’t going to get nervous and take the situation too personally. To be honest, I hadn’t recovered from our little close encounter with Erchin yet, so I had a lot to worry about other than this question… or interrogation, judging by the stories.

He leaned forward slightly, looked at the papers on the tabletop, pulled out a small colored card, and pushed it toward me.

«Here. Do you recognize it?»

The photo was small and old, I did not take it in my hands, but only bowed my head a little lower, peering at the image.

«Yes and no,» I shrugged and looked directly at the investigator; strangely enough, he was silent, asking no further questions and giving me a chance to speak myself; knows how to play these games, ahem. «Yes, it’s Emerald Azuin, obviously. I’ve seen paintings – not photos, really, – and I’ve read something about the symbol of our university, like everyone else, I think, who has anything to do with it. No, because I’ve never seen him «live’, so to speak. That is, I did not see the figure itself, not to mention the snake…»

«A snake…» He slammed his fingers on the table. «So, you think the serpent exists.»

«That’s what I used to think. But, of course, I can’t vouch for it. The statuette is a little over seven hundred years old, you know. I’m a little bit younger,» I smiled, but Wolfrock was serious.

«Tell me what you know about this sculpture and about the dragon.»

«I’m sure you’ve already been told. As far as I know, you have already interviewed most of our teachers, including specialists in zoology, monster studies, demonology, and others. They’re definitely more competent at it. I’m on the plants…»

«I understand. But I would like to hear from you as well. I need to put everything in my head very accurately, without gaps, collect all the crumbs of information. Even in the capital, they are very concerned about what happened, as I was informed. It’s all pretty strange…»

«Oh, I see,» I nodded, «that sounds like an old fairy tale to a no-mage, doesn’t it?»

«Something like that,» he looked at me for the first time with real interest. «Will you tell me?»

«Of course, there’s nothing to hide. What should I start with… In general, about a hundred years after the foundation of our university – at that time there was only a tiny village here – a celestial serpent appeared in the area, that is a dragon named Azuin. The beast was as old as the world itself, and, as it said, tired of life, but at the same time its magical aura was so strong that it interfered with any practices of local sorcerers. It even directly undermined their health. And it, the serpent, lay down there on the hills,» I waved my hand toward the window, where beyond the waters of the Farinech I could see the waves of the evergreen foothills of Ney. «Well, it didn’t want to fly anywhere. Farther… the then heads of the university somehow came to an agreement with it. In short, dragon went into hibernation, hiding its strength, and the mages promised to keep it safe and peaceful. And the continuation of the practices in this place, next to the statuette, preserved its strength. Or even multiplied, no one can say here. So, it slept until now…»

«Do you think it’s awake now?»

«I don’t know that. It doesn’t feel like it, and if it does, it’s not here, it’s somewhere far from here, otherwise we would have felt it. But on the other hand, why steal it if not for liberation?»

«Will the one who frees it get something?»

«I don’t know. But he probably expects to get it. To be honest, the thief doesn’t bother me too much: he probably won’t be able to cope with what he’s done. As for the serpent itself,» I shook my head, «if the legends don’t lie, the entire Core World will be shaken.»

«But there are dragons now. Other…»

«That’s exactly what the others are,» I rolled my eyes, amazed at his ignorance. «The entire tribe of Azuin’s, the ancient primordial dragons, is gone. Just like it, to artifacts, to the Dark World, or wherever. And those that do exist are side branches. Drakens, of course, are similar to those first serpents, but smaller and nowhere near as strong. Again, they nest far from our cities and settlements, so there is almost no problem from them. Well, sheep are dragged sometimes. Minutiae. And the dracomen are pretty much like us. It is now believed that it is even possible to interbreed with humans, both magicians and ordinary people.»

Wolfrock grimaced at my words.

«Oh, come on. Are you really so squeamish? Compared to those found in the Dark World, the dracomen are just cuties, for example, the families of demons and mages are no longer much surprised. But the experts will tell you about it better. I guess, Saniel Bo – she teaches sociology, or Adiree Quintianu – she teaches demonology… You’ve already spoken, by the way…»

«Yes,» he pursed his lips again and strained, «Dr. Quintianu… with hair… hmm… scarlet, if I’m not mistaken.»

«She is.»

«And who is about the dragons? This is the diocese of your faculty, isn’t it?»

«Well… you could say that. Although, as I said, they are studied in different specializations. From a biological point of view in my department. There is also monstrology, anatomy of species, etc.»

«Monstrology is about the magical powers of various creatures, right?» His blue eyes sparkled.

«Yes, in general terms. Habits, habitats, strengths, weaknesses.»

«I see. And you have a new teacher of this subject, Professor Mavinus, don’t you?»

«That’s right. He moved from the capital this year.»

«Ahem… from the capital? Curiously.»

«Why is that?» I straightened up and narrowed my eyes, trying to figure out what he meant.

«Why would a successful scientist transfer from the capital to the provinces? What could have interested him so much? Not at all…»

«Money,» I interrupted Wolfrock, «a very tidy sum. Our accounting services are probably available to you. So, we chased him for three years and, believe me, when he agreed to cooperate, the offer was more than generous. And Azuin, after all, is not just a province, but one of the most prestigious universities in the entire Core World. Moreover, Professor Mavinus was given the entire department of monster studies here.»

«It’s clear.» He looked at me again. "I think you take his appearance at the university to heart?»

I tried not to blush.

«Me?! Well… Yes, to some extent. As a dean, valuable talent also adds value to my faculty by allowing me to take on projects that were previously difficult to tackle.»

«I see. Let’s change the subject. Where were you on the alleged night of the artifact’s theft?»

I squirmed in my chair.

«At home. In my cottage. Alone. You can check my locks – the opening and closing times are fixed, the data is stored for a week. And then there’s the cameras on the college grounds.»

«Good. Did you know exactly where the artifact was stored?»

«Of course,» I glanced behind him, at the map of Enthuaria in the lower left corner of the wall; the glass waves of Lake Sol cast small rainbows from the rays that penetrated the window, «over there, behind the map. It wasn’t a big secret, you know. Especially considering the Stamp of Rennes…»

«What is the Stamp of Rennes?»

«Oh, it’s a body of spells cast on a material base – here it’s that prism that depicts a lake – very complex, set by the strongest masters.»

«And it can’t be opened?»

«Most people can’t. First of all, it requires a high level of strength – not lower than the fifth, like mine, or even higher, secondly, knowledge of such security systems, thirdly… well, when opened, the stamp burns… on an intangible level. Few people have protection against this kind of influence.»

«Are there such people at the university?»

«Rector Tahoni, Vice-Rector Roginis, of course, of the other seven vice-rectors, I think there are five for sure. As for the teachers, I’m not sure. It’s a very, very serious and rare skill.»

«Can anyone who isn’t from the university possess something like that?»

«Some royal mages for sure, other scholars, I don’t know exactly. And demons, of course.»

«Demons?»

«Yes. In the Dark World, this is a common feature.»

«The skill…»

«No, this is really a feature there. We here have been learning this skill for a long time, but the inhabitants of that world have this innate property.»

«So, the demon…»

«I think so.»

«And why would a demon do that? Theft.»

«How do I know?! They’re demons.»

«No assumptions?»

I sighed loudly.

«Well, to hurt Azuin, university, I mean: we don’t have the best neighborly relations with them. To get the power of the serpent… Damn them.»

«Okay, I get it. That’s all for today. If I need clarifications, you will be called additionally. Try not to leave town unless absolutely necessary,» he stared at the documents in front of him again, abruptly ceasing to pay any attention to me.

Silently rising, I took one last look at the card still facing me, with a small, shiny lacquered emerald-colored figure taken against a plain white wall. The dragon seemed to wink at me with its round yellow eye. I nodded goodbye and left the room.

Chapter 5

Mixing the substrate in the experimental greenhouse the next morning, I went back to the thoughts about stealing. It’s the main news of the semester, or even the year, especially if Azuin will not found.

A chill ran down my spine. If the dragon will not be returned, even more so if he’ll manage to release it from this insignificant shell… devil, what will happen then? How will the force react to such tremendous disturbances in its field? And what if the prisoner himself will be «out of sorts», to put it mildly?

We all take it for granted that the dragon closed itself in the sculpture voluntarily. But what if it’s not? What if it was locked up, forcibly imprisoned? Too many years have passed for the available information to be indisputable. In fact, I have always doubted the explanations offered. Why would a monster shut himself up, limit himself, if he was satisfied with everything then? We are told that we have «agreed» or «come to an agreement», but these are all just words. No paperwork for you. For example, there is no stone stele with runes of the treaty and claw marks (or whatever dragons sign).

On the other hand, I wasn’t so interested in the symbols of the university to study all the sources. Maybe there’s something somewhere.

And what if, after all, it was imprisoned?

Oh!

He is able to destroy half the country if anger freezes his eyes.

Stop! Stop. Dragons are wise, aren’t they? Wise. Even the drakens are said to be very pleasant conversationalists, thoughtful and thorough if they deign to condescend to ordinary mortals. So, dragons even more so. But did Azuin keep that wisdom in prison? Maybe he has dragon Alzheimer’s.

I giggled and shook my head: stupid thoughts. Wiping the sweat dripping from my forehead with my hand – agmarates grew only in a real steam room – I stepped away from the mixer. Then the substrate will go along the distribution conveyor without my control.