Supreme Magus novel Chapter 3661

The rest would be kicked out of the Academy, and their shortcomings would become known to the entire magical community.

"My children? Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Vastor put the pen down, studying the color draining from the youth's face.

"You said you didn't want to be disturbed." Number Three sounded like a beaten puppy, even the pitch of his voice was the same. "And I wouldn't have done it if… You know… It's better if you see it yourself, Professor."

"Thanks, Number Three." Vastor's interest was piqued.

For some reason, the youth was more scared of what lay on the other side of the door than of the short man behind the desk.

"Take a break until I deal with this." The Professor literally jumped off his chair and reached the exit of his office with the quick strides that his stumpy legs needed to reach the speed of everyone else.

'This is weird.' He thought, his hand signing the air in front of him due to muscle memory. 'Filia and Frey don't come here often, and they are not the kind of spoiled brats that would bully a post grad. Sure, Tezka is with them, but he knows better than-'

The answer to all of his questions lay right behind the door.

Filia and Frey were sitting on a couch on the left side of the antechamber. What only appeared to be two big magical beasts, one red and one blue, sat on either side of the couch like silent sentinels.

Zesor and Quifar Vastor, instead, were sitting on a couch on the right side of the antechamber. The sons from Vastor's first marriage glared at their adoptive siblings, who in turn stared at their father's door, waiting to be rescued.

Tezka completed the triangle, looking at Zesor and Quifar like a spider would two fat flies buzzing near his web. The older Vastors had brought several servants and even a couple of magical knights with them, yet those people stood huddled in the farthest corner of the room.

It was always easy to separate those who had met Tezka's gaze from those who had not. The former would always keep themselves away and do nothing that might turn the Fylgja's glare into something much worse.

Vastor had no idea how Tezka could make everyone feel like he was the one looking down on them despite the short body of his disguise, yet the symptoms of his silent threat were unmistakable.

Nervousness, shortness of breath, increased perspiration, and the inability to say a word due to panic gluing the tongue to the palate. All symptoms that Vastor's older children were exhibiting, just with better self-control than their servants.

'Pride has always been their strength, but one day it will be the cause of their downfall.' The Professor knew Zesor and Quifar would never be so quiet while sitting so close to two commoner-born if not for Tezka's presence.

Their stubbornness allowed them to hold their ground as long as they avoided the Fylgja's gaze, but keeping such an attitude when their lives were on the line was more foolish than brave.

"My sons." Vastor spoke to the grown-ups first, giving them a polite but formal nod.

The sound of his voice broke the tension in the room as Tezka went back pretending to be a magical beast.

"Father." Zesor and Quifar stood up and bowed, knowing that any disrespect to their noble parent in public would have sullied the Vastor's name and achieved nothing but making the two young men objects of public contempt.

Despite all of his flaws, Zogar Vastor was an Archduke, an Archmage, and the Head of the White Griffon's Light Department. There was no noble who didn't respect his achievements and wouldn't have been caught dead badmouthing the Professor.

Not with the risk that their words reached Vastor's ears and he cut them off from the expansion business of his newly promoted Archduchy.

"What a nice surprise, children." Then, the Professor turned to the younglings. "What are you doing here?"

"Dad!" Filia and Frey jumped off their chairs and ran to hug him, leaving their step-brothers horrified by their lack of etiquette. "We miss you so much. When are you coming home?"