The headmaster of Hailing Academy hummed as he took a sip of the amber liquid in his glass. In the corner of his office, Raea’s cocoon was covered by layers upon layers of red chains. The black threads could no longer be seen underneath the metal. On his desk was a half-solved kudosu puzzle. There was a knock on his door, and he raised his head. “Come in,” he said. He knew it was going to be his secretary. After Raea formed her cocoon in his office, he forbade anyone else from entering even the top floor of the academy.

As expected, his secretary walked inside, holding an envelope that had already been opened. The headmaster’s expression darkened as his secretary placed the envelope on top of his puzzle. “What did I tell you about reading my mail?” he asked. His face was redder than usual.

His secretary rolled her eyes and said, “If I recall correctly, your exact words were, ‘I don’t want to read this shit. From now on, read all my mail for me and respond appropriately. If something serious comes up, then you can give it to me.’”

The headmaster blinked. “Did I really?” he asked. A frown appeared on his face, and he took another swig from his glass. “I guess I did. This is serious then?” His hand trembled as he picked up the envelope and pulled out the letter within.

“Are you sober enough to read it?” his secretary asked as he held the letter upside-down in his hands.

The headmaster’s brow furrowed. “I’m always sober,” he said and righted the paper. His eyes roamed over the curvy script, and his expression changed from shock to fear to annoyance and, finally, to disdain. He tossed the letter into the fireplace behind him. “I’m not going. Tell those bastards I’m visiting my family.”

“You used that excuse last time they called for you,” his secretary said.

“And it worked, didn’t it?” the headmaster asked and laughed. “Use it again.”

“It isn’t going to work again.”

“Have you tried?”

“Please don’t. I already know what you’re going to say,” his secretary said and sighed. “I’m telling you, that excuse will not work. Not for a demon trespassing over the checkpoint wall.”

“I’m an archangel of knowledge and wisdom,” the headmaster said and snorted. “Do they really think I can fight? What’s my title? It’s headmaster, not general. Those blithering idiots. Tell them to send Headmaster Snow.”

“You know it isn’t just about the demon. Those rumors of the army being defeated are true.”

“Once again, I’m not a general,” the headmaster said and crossed his arms over his chest. “What am I supposed to do? The smart students have already fled back to the capital.”

“You don’t seem very concerned over our impending destruction.”

“Aren’t you a bit too concerned?”

“What do you mean?”

“Think about it,” the headmaster said as he stood up and took a bottle of liquor out of his cabinet. He was about to pour it into his glass when he changed his mind and drank directly out of the bottle. His secretary waited in silence. The headmaster placed the bottle down and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “If four archangels of the council went to fight an army, the army is going to cease to exist. It’s as simple as that. Since the rebel army is still on the move, then clearly the council members haven’t engaged in combat yet. I suspect those old fogies are afraid of dying and want us to fight first. Then they’ll swoop in at the last minute and steal all the credit like always. Those assholes.”

“Even if that’s what they are going to do, are you going to ignore a direct order?”

“What order?” the headmaster said. “I never received it. I’m visiting my family after all.”

“Sir,” the secretary said and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Please.”

“Do you see a letter with orders?” the headmaster asked and looked around with wide eyes. He stopped and made eye contact with his secretary. “I don’t.”

“That’s because you burned it!”

“Minor details,” the headmaster said and leaned back with the bottle in his hand. “Point is, I’m not going. I have more important things to watch over.” His eyes flit over the mound of red chains in the corner.

“Can you give me something to tell the higher-ups that isn’t as insubstantial as visiting family?”

The headmaster rolled his eyes. “I hired you so I didn’t have to deal with the higher-ups,” he said. “Alright, how about this. Send an announcement to the students. Extra credit for whoever participates in catching the demon that trespassed. Everybody loves extra credit. If they go, they’ll probably get caught up in the fight against the rebel army too. Those bastards won’t be too upset about that.”

“Are you really a headmaster?” the secretary asked and sighed. “Shouldn’t you be protecting your students instead of sending them out into danger? We still haven’t mended our relationship with those families who had their children die in the borderlands. They didn’t accept the excuse of eaten by direwolves.”

“I’m here to teach them, not hold their hands,” the headmaster said. “They’ll learn about the harshness of war and how screwed up our society is that we’re willing to sacrifice students.”

“It’s just you who wants to sacrifice the students.”

“And I’m part of the society. In fact, I hold a really high position,” the headmaster said. “You can say I’m one of the representatives of the angels.”

“Their families will never forgive you.”

“Sure they will. The council just needs to spit out some propaganda, and next thing you know, I and the students are heroes. So either send that announcement or tell those fogies I’m on vacation.”

“I’ll tell them you’re visiting home,” the secretary said and sighed. She was about to leave when the chains in the corner trembled and clinked. Her footsteps paused as she waited next to the mound. It trembled again before the top sank inwards. “Sir.”

“I heard,” the headmaster said as he stood up and ran over to his secretary’s side.