What do you mean, I was going to be expelled anyway?
Luce thought his grades were adequate, and the All-Seeing Eye was light enough when he returned it to the fountain. He couldn’t think of any reason why he should be expelled. However, asking Mikhail again would seem strange, as he had always acted indifferent towards Adrian.
So, Luce chose to remain silent. Mikhail, however, broke the silence first, seeming impatient with the situation.
“Adrian might have known he was going to be expelled. In retrospect, it all makes sense. If he was a dragon, it would have been possible.”
“Really? Being expelled after just one year is surprising.”
Luce was eager to know the details and agreed with Mikhail’s statement.
“Is there a reason for that?”
He casually asked the question he was most curious about, but his expression remained calm and composed.
Mikhail’s eyes narrowed as he noticed Luce’s indifferent demeanor, despite trying to probe for information.
“It’s because students whose All-Seeing Eye is too heavy cannot advance to the next grade. That’s the school rule.”
“Really? That’s quite an… unusual rule.”
Luce muttered, having been a victim of that peculiar rule for a year. He noticed Mikhail sitting on the couch opposite him, arms crossed.
“I found out too late that Adrian was not on the promotion list. I assumed there would be no issues with his promotion and didn’t check for a long time, which I now regret.”
Of course, Adrian had gone missing even before the list was announced, so there was no time to leisurely check the notice. Mikhail didn’t want to make excuses in front of Luce, but he couldn’t help feeling a wave of regret. He liked him, so why didn’t he notice sooner? Just like at the academy…
Mikhail bit his lip in frustration.
“If I had known just a little earlier, things would be different now.”
Exhausted from the long search for the missing person, he had believed the dragon’s words without suspicion. If he had been in his usual state of mind, he wouldn’t have accepted the lies so easily.
Thinking about it now, there was no reason for the great dragon to appear with ‘the face the summoner desired.’ The face of Adrian, with his distinctive golden eyes that resembled the shimmering scales of a dragon, not ordinary brown eyes. He should have suspected sooner. If he had, he might have realized the truth as soon as the dragon was summoned in the royal palace.
As Mikhail looked at Luce with a strange expression, Luce tilted his head and muttered,
“Really? What do you mean by ‘this situation’?”
Luce seemed puzzled by Mikhail’s cryptic words. They were on their way to Hildeke Mountain in a carriage to find Adrian’s body. Mikhail’s meaningful tone made Luce uncomfortable.
“At first, I thought he was just missing during the school term-“
Mikhail’s mouth froze as he tried to say the last word, then finally continued. He was the last person to accept that Adrian was dead. Everyone around him had advised him to stop searching for Adrian. But Mikhail never gave up. He continued to search for Adrian, who was now sitting right in front of him.
“I thought he was excluded from the promotion list because he was missing, but that was my biggest mistake.”
Mikhail’s red eyes stared straight at Luce. Adrian’s exclusion from the promotion list was not simply because he was missing.
After discovering Mirkint, Mikhail personally contacted Basamiel. He had just received the results through the magical device in the restaurant lobby.
“Yes, Your Highness. I just received the records from Basamiel. Is the reason for Adrian Heather’s promotion omission what you were looking for?”
“Yes.”
“As you said, Adrian Heather did not advance to this grade. However, the reason for Adrian Heather’s expulsion is not his disappearance or death, but ‘failure in Basamiel’s Judgment.’ It seems that the Judgment is a kind of entrance exam, and Adrian Heather failed that test.”
Basamiel’s Judgment, indeed.
Mikhail’s gaze sharpened as he listened to the familiar voice through the communication device. He had found another piece of evidence to support his suspicions. The All-Seeing Eye, which was light for most ordinary people, was heavy for Adrian. This could only mean that Adrian was far from ordinary.
This confirmed that Adrian was a dragon. Mikhail leaned back on the sofa, resting one arm as he contemplated his next move.
“This is all the information confirmed by Basamiel. May I ask what specific information Your Highness is looking for?”
The attendant’s cautious question prompted Mikhail to make a decision. There was one more thing he wanted to verify.
“Can you send me a few necessary items right away?” Mikhail’s soft voice filled the lobby.
“You liked him a lot, didn’t you?” Luce murmured, his expression sour.
Mikhail, who had been lost in thought, looked up. “Pardon?”
Luce nodded as if he understood, though he clearly did not. “That Adrian. You searched for him this much, whether he was a dragon or human.”
Mikhail’s lips twisted slowly. “Is that what you’re curious about?” His voice was cold.
Luce, taken aback by Mikhail’s sharp gaze, fell silent. They stared at each other for a moment before Mikhail broke the silence.
“I’m sorry, but the answer to that question is something only Adrian can hear.”
“Ah, I see,” Luce replied, nodding in agreement.
They remained silent for the rest of the journey to their lodging, only speaking when they stopped at the inn and the restaurant.
***
As they arrived, Mikhail paused before exiting the carriage, noticing a clothing store next to the restaurant. He remembered something he had forgotten.
“Why the pause?” Luce asked from behind.
“You haven’t put on your robe. We should stop by the clothing store,” Mikhail said.
“Ah, the robe,” Luce replied, closing his eyes briefly to sense the surrounding mana, but it remained still. He sighed, frustrated that he still couldn’t use magic. Whatever Ordinas’ intentions were, its influence was clear.
“Let’s do that,” Luce agreed wearily.
Mikhail nodded and headed to the clothing store. Luce, who had no particular interest in fashion, quickly chose a robe. Mikhail suggested looking around more, but Luce declined and left the store.
Mikhail smiled faintly, amused by the similarity between Luce and Adrian in their disinterest in clothing.
After experiencing hunger in his human form, Luce made sure to eat with Mikhail. As they entered the restaurant, all eyes turned to them—a striking pair with Luce in his new robe and Mikhail with his rare silver hair. Mikhail, accustomed to the attention, led the way to their table and pulled out a chair.
“Please, sit here,” he offered.
Luce stopped in his tracks, puzzled. “There?”
He tilted his head, not understanding why Mikhail would pull out a chair for him when he could do it himself. It seemed inefficient to walk around the table just to sit in the offered chair.
“Why bother?” Luce asked.
Nearby diners glanced at them, curious about the exchange.
