The door creaked open.
The figure that stepped in was… almost comically out of place.
A tall, lanky old man with wispy white hair tied loosely behind his head, a slightly oversized robe with tea stains down the front, and slippers—actual slippers—on his feet. His spectacles drooped halfway down his nose, and he held a steaming mug in one hand, the other tucked behind his back like he was out for a midnight stroll.
For a moment, the room just stared.
"…Dean?" Seraphina was the first to speak, her voice dipping into a tone far more respectful than she used with most.
The man gave a small, lopsided smile and lifted his mug. "Good evening, Professor Seraphina. Children."
Everyone blinked.
Even Luca—who knew exactly who this was—took a second to process it.
Grandmaster Erion Asterhold.
The Dean of Arcadia Academy.
One of the five strongest living beings in the world.
