The atmosphere grew dense, unbreathable. An invisible pressure pushed against William's chest, as if the very air refused to obey. If he could see, he would notice that Professor Aurus Remus's eyes burned with an electric blue glow, like crystals lit from within, giving him a hypnotic but supremely dangerous sensation.
William fell to his knees, blood still dripping from his ears and nose. He barely managed to raise his voice.
"I am sorry! It was not my intention! That language... I know it, but not as much as it seems..."
The professor's eyes drilled into him, weighing every word.
"How is it possible that you speak it?"
William lowered his gaze, trying to control his breathing while improvising a half truth.
"I come from a noble family... or what is left of it. It was ravaged by our enemies. My grandfather, before he died, used to teach me ancient languages. He had an old, very damaged book, where symbols like those on the parchment appeared. I did not understand much... just some phrases he repeated to me. That one stuck with me."
Aurus Remus observed him in silence for several seconds. The pressure began to decrease. The air began to move again. Slowly, the glow in his eyes faded, and his energy retracted like a receding tide.
"I believe you... in part," he finally said. "I do not know if you are lying to me completely, but that phrase in Volgaris... is not something that can be overlooked."
William wiped the blood with his sleeve, not daring to get back up, remaining kneeling while he caught his breath.
"I do not know what it means. But if you do, perhaps we can share knowledge. I just want to... understand."
The professor crossed his arms, thoughtful.
"I have been studying this language for three years, and what I have are fragments. Loose words. This parchment... I could barely translate a few lines. If you are truly interested, you could come after your training sessions. Work with me on this."
William nodded quickly. The risk of the professor investigating too much was real, but access to ancient knowledge was a price worth paying.
"I accept."
"Good. Don't be late. I hate waiting. Also, don't worry, I won't let you work for free. If you help me with this, I assure you your reward will be quite generous."
Aurus carefully rolled up the parchment and put it away with the other parchments he had used during the class.
"This building is under my supervision. My office is on the top floor. It is the only one, so do not fear getting lost. I will be waiting for you tomorrow to begin."
William bowed slightly as a sign of respect while nodding before leaving the classroom. His legs still trembled when he went down the stairs, but he found his companions waiting outside. Thom greeted him with a slight nod. Dixon crossed his arms, watching him with an raised eyebrow.
"Did he eat you alive or offer you a job?"
"Something in between," William replied with a wry smile.
"Come on. I'm starving," Theo muttered, rubbing his stomach.
They walked together towards the cafeteria. As they approached, the murmur of the crowd became more evident. The commoners were waiting outside, as if something invisible forced them to keep their distance. The tension in the air was palpable.
Their gazes showed hope and gratitude. It was obvious that everyone had heard what had happened the day before, so they were motivated, but also nervous. The clash between them would decide their life in Stone Academy in the future. If they failed, they would have to endure all the wrath of the nobles. On the other hand, if they won... they dared not even think about what would happen if they won.
William did not stop. With firm steps and a straight gaze, he crossed the threshold. His companions followed without hesitation, like determined shadows. None smiled. None looked sideways. They just advanced, defying the silent judgment of all the nobles who were already inside.
The dining hall looked like a war room. Many of the nobles present were bandaged, with bruised faces, arms in slings, or walking with difficulty. The scars of the last battle still fresh, still bleeding. The gazes they directed at them were pure venom.
But William did not avert his gaze. He walked to the food line, loaded his tray with as much as he could, bread, meat, soups, fruits, devouring everything with an almost animal hunger. His companions imitated him, taking their places at the same table as the day before, as if nothing had changed.
And yet, everything had changed. Now there were no taunts, only hatred.
While eating, William did not take his eyes off the nobles. One by one, he looked at them with fierce calm. The commoners ate quickly, almost nervously, without saying a word. Only the five wolves seemed to be completely at peace within that storm of hostility.
When he finished, William stood up. His tray completely empty. He walked between the tables, saying nothing, his gaze fixed on a group of particularly wounded nobles who followed him with their eyes.
He stopped a few meters from them. The silence became absolute.
He looked at them with the same calm with which one looks at a chained beast, one that still does not know whether it will bite or flee.
"Did you like it?" he asked with a twisted smile. "Or what the hell do you want with me?"
William's phrase was the spark that ignited the gunpowder. All the nobles stood up and walked towards him. Some had already taken chairs, sticks, even knives.
The situation threatened to get out of control at any moment, so no one dared to make the first move. Yesterday's battle was a demonstration that they would not come out unscathed if they fought. Twenty two nobles had been wounded, more than half of whom had suffered multiple fractures. Even with their families' medicines, they had not fully recovered.
Among them all, the most angry, but also the most scared, was Jasper of the Mor family. He had been on the verge of death. William's bite had opened an artery, even tearing off a lot of flesh from his neck. If it had not been for the magical potion administered to him, he would not have survived. Furthermore, to top it all off, his family had to cover the cost of more than five thousand gold coins, which represented five years of tax collection, causing his father to be furious and beat him black and blue.