Gara was already inside the new headmaster's office.
However, the person facing him was not the elderly man who had given the welcoming speech in the great hall earlier. Instead, it was a middle-aged man who looked energetic, composed, and wise.
The man smiled.
It felt… familiar.
That was when Gara realized how closely this man resembled the headmaster.
Before his confusion could deepen, the man spoke.
"This is my true appearance. The elderly form you saw earlier was merely to reassure the students."
For a moment, Gara's mind failed to process his words. Then it clicked.
When he had seen the headmaster as an old man, he had instinctively felt safe. As if Gyakarta Academy's legacy would remain secure in those hands.
Magnus gestured for Gara to sit on the guest sofa, then took the seat opposite him.
Gara couldn't tell whether it was nervousness or the sheer weight of the aura emanating from the man in front of him, but he felt short of breath even while sitting still.
