Chapter 296: A chat with Esmery

A week had already passed and Brandon finally found himself standing before the tall double doors of the Headmistress’s office.

Brandon adjusted his academy blazer and pushed the door open.

The hinges gave a soft creak, and a faint scent of polished wood and parchment wafted out.

Inside, the office looked exactly as he remembered, with some intricate diagrams of ether formations pinned neatly across one side, while a massive window let in the warm morning light.

At the center, behind a wide desk,

Esmery Verneuil

was sitting.

Her long silver hair cascaded down her shoulders and the neat blue coat she wore contrasted with the white shirt beneath, buttoned yet still leaving a glimpse of cleavage exposed.

She sat with her legs crossed, her chin propped up slightly by one delicate hand.

The corners of her lips curved as her eyes met his. "Ah... Brandon Kael. It’s been a long while since we last spoke."

Brandon showed her a faint smile and sat down across from her desk, "Yes, Miss Esmery. It really has been a while."

Her silver eyebrows arched slightly at his formality, and she looked at him for a moment.

There was no mistaking it. The boy who was once in the dead end by the government now sat before her as someone... untouchable.

In a few months, he has grown so powerful in both strength and influence.

"I’ve been told," Esmery began, "that you haven’t been attending classes for quite some time."

Brandon gave a dry, almost sheepish smile, "I was caught up with training under Naevora... and with matters concerning the Church."

Esmery leaned back in her chair slightly and her fingers tapped against her crossed knee as she regarded him. "Hmm... understandable. Naevora has always been... unconventional with her methods, and the Church, of course, does not extend courtesy in waiting."

She leaned forward slightly now, "Still... you remain my student, Brandon. And as your Headmistress, I cannot simply overlook your absence."

Brandon’s lips quirked, "I know. I didn’t intend to disrespect the Academy. It’s just... things have been moving quickly."

Esmery exhaled and tilted her head, her long hair sliding over her shoulder "It’s not only about attendance. You’re aware of what’s approaching, aren’t you?"

Brandon gave a faint nod "The Rankings. And the Tournament."

Her smile returned, "Exactly. The Academy Rankings are not simply a game for prestige. They are the Academy’s way of placing its brightest stars into the eyes of the world."

"Students from other academies will be watching, influential Houses will be watching, and even foreign delegates. For you..." she let her gaze sweep over him, "the attention will be unavoidable."

Brandon shook his head helplessly "As if I don’t already have enough eyes on me."

That earned him a soft chuckle. "You’re not wrong. But, Brandon, understand this... eyes are not inherently a curse. They can be leveraged."

She tapped a finger against the desk for emphasis "How you perform in the Rankings, how you stand in the Tournament... it won’t simply reflect on you. It will reflect on this Academy, on your mentors, and on every institution that touches your name."

Brandon leaned back slightly in his chair, "What if I choose not to participate?"

Esmery’s smile widened "Then the world will ask why. They’ll whisper that the Herald... was too afraid to stand among his peers. That he couldn’t be measured by the same standard as the rest."

Brandon gave a soft nod "Well... I am joining the tournament since my girlfriend asked me to."

Esmery couldn’t help but giggle and pressed a hand lightly against her lips, "Hahaha..."

"Hmm," she hummed as she slowly rose from her seat and let her arms fall behind her back, clasping her hands as she tilted her head.

"Your girlfriend... I didn’t think I would hear that be your reason for entering something as large as the Tournament."

Brandon’s expression softened slightly, "She wanted me to... and I couldn’t say no."

Esmery smiled gently "Eira... A strong girl. Diligent. And, perhaps most importantly... she isn’t afraid to stand at your side, even when everyone else is watching."

Brandon blinked at her choice of words, and Esmery’s smile widened even more as she circled slowly around her desk, her heels clicking softly against the floor.

"Do you realize how rare that is?" she asked, and her tone lowered.

"Most would cower under the weight of your name, Brandon. You are the only male awakener, the Herald of the Rheanne Church... your name has so much influence."

"The moment you step onto that stage, it won’t just be your strength they’ll see... it’ll be hers too, by the simple fact that she dares to call herself yours."

Brandon’s brow furrowed slightly at that.

He hadn’t thought of it that way... what Eira’s presence at his side meant beyond their personal bond.

Seeing the flicker in his eyes, Esmery smiled "You should treasure her, Brandon. Knowing the risk of being beside you... she still chose to stay by your side."

Brandon looked down, exhaling slowly and a faint smile tugged at his lips "...I know."

Esmery looked at him for a long moment, then chuckled again, softer this time "To think the Herald, the Church’s shining enigma, one of the most influential figures... and what anchors him most is the request of a girl he loves."

She tilted her head, her silver hair brushing across her cheek "There’s poetry in that."

Brandon glanced at her and smiled wryly "...You’re teasing me, Miss Esmery."

"Of course," she replied without hesitation.

A beat of silence followed and she spoke "Oh, by the way... I heard what happened in the rupture."

"You are already A rank..."

Brandon was about to answer, when suddenly-

crack.

The sharp snap of something delicate breaking echoed faintly in the room.

Esmery’s heel wobbled, shaking her balance as one of her stiletto heels gave way beneath her weight.

"-Ah!"

She lurched sideways before she could catch herself.

"Woah!" But before the headmistress could fall, Brandon’s one hand shot out to steady her arm, while the other hand slid instinctively around her waist, pulling her close against him.

The faint rustle of fabric filled the quiet office as her long coat brushed against his uniform.

Her floral perfume brushed over him in that moment.

Esmery blinked and her composure cracked for the first time.

"Brandon..."

He steadied her gently, "Careful, Miss Esmery. Are you hurt?"

She let out a soft laugh, but it was thinner than usual, showing a faint embarrassment.

Her silver lashes lowered as she glanced down at the broken heel "Tch... of all times. I suppose even headmistresses aren’t immune to poorly made shoes."

Brandon’s hand lingered at her waist for a moment and he could feel the taut line of her abdomen beneath the coat.

’What the hell is she hiding underneath there... seems like she has some insane abs.’

Esmery tilted her head slightly to look up at him "...You’re quick," she said softly.

"Training," Brandon replied simply with a boyish smile.

A quiet hum escaped her throat, somewhere between approval and amusement "Mm. Perhaps it’s more than that."

Finally, she straightened, though her balance remained uneven due to the broken heel.

Brandon’s hand shifted naturally to support her again.

Keeping her dry smile, she muttered "I should apologize. It seems I’ve disrupted our talk by nearly falling at your feet."

"You don’t need to apologize for something like that, Miss Esmery. It happens."

Her gaze softened a little further "Thank you."

With a soft exhale, Esmery bent her long legs gracefully and slipped her hands down to her ankles.

The faint sound of leather sliding against silk stockings filled the quiet room as she removed one heel, then the other.

She let both heels drop to the side with a muted clack.

Straightening slowly, she planted her bare feet against the polished wooden floor, curling her toes once as if reacquainting herself with solid ground.

"Uff..." she murmured, rolling her shoulders and her blue coat shifted loosely around her figure. "Much better."

Her silver hair slipped forward as she brushed a strand behind her ear, and she let her arms fall lazily at her sides.

She glanced at him with a crooked smile, as if catching his stare. "Surprised?"

Brandon blinked once, then gave a faint smile. "A little."

"They betrayed me," Esmery said dryly, nudging one heel lightly with her bare foot so that it spun on the floor. "That makes them useless."

She walked away from the desk and came to stand near the tall windows.

She leaned one hand against the sill, gazing out at the sprawling Academy grounds bathed in the glow of the afternoon sun.

"Do you know, Brandon," she began, her tone quieter now, almost thoughtful, "people tend to forget that am also a regular human."

She flexed her toes faintly against the wood, almost absently. "The title of Headmistress, the power, the posture... It becomes a mask. Something you wear so often that even a stumble from a broken heel feels like sacrilege."

Hm? Brandon looked at her in silence, noting the way her shoulders dropped slightly, freed from the rigid expectation of her role.

Finally, he spoke softly, "But masks slip sometimes. That doesn’t make you any less strong."

Her silver eyes shifted to him over her shoulder and for a moment, the faintest curve of her lips betrayed her. "You really do have a way with words."

"Well, Herald," she said smoothly, her voice once again laced with authority, "consider this a rare glimpse you’re not likely to see again."

Brandon chuckled faintly "I’ll remember it. Also... you can be a little free around me and talk to me casually."

She looked at him for a moment and then sighed "Continuing on the topic..."