The Sunnyvale Town Hall is located right in the heart of Sunnyvale. A large place, it can easily accommodate a hundred people if there is a need for a meeting or an emergency gathering. The town hall has many huge windows that can be opened to let the light or the cool air in, but right now only a few of them are open, making the giant room seems to be a bit stuffy and dim.

At the end of the town hall, a group of men have gathered to discuss the fate of certain headmaster from a certain school. Seven men that makes up a Disciplinary Committee are sitting in line behind a long table while in front of them are two smaller tables as well as a couple of chairs.

On the right side, an empty chair sits behind a bare wooden table, its occupant nowhere to be seen. On the left side, a similar table and chair can also be found but there is a single man using them. Master Haithur is currently occupying that side, a solemn air about him. Both his hands are interlocked on the table he is sitting behind.

Although he would occasionally nod at the various people sitting in front him when their eyes meet, the male teacher seems to be preoccupied with his thoughts, almost like in a daze.

To the people who know him, or think they know him, Master Haithur’s strange behaviour is a bit odd and worrying. Usually, the man would spend his time smiling or making friendly conversation that would leave the party at the receiving end with a warm fuzzy feeling, but none of his charming trademarks are displayed here today.

“He’s late...”

“Extremely. It’s a bit rude to be late for his own sacking, isn’t it?”

“Now now. We don’t know the whole story yet. Let’s give the man a chance to explain himself.”

“Well, if he’s not here yet in the next ten minutes, I’m calling it a day.”

“Me too, my back is killing me from all this sitting. I’m not going to waste any more of my time waiting for him.”

“Master Haithur, are you sure Headmaster Joss received the summon for today’s hearing?”

“Huh?”

Master Haithur is brought back down to earth by the sudden question directed at him. The male teacher is trying his best to hide how startled he is, all the while silently cursing and admonishing himself. Master Haithur regretted not paying attention and allowing his mind to wander even for the briefest of moment.

“I’m sorry. I mean, yes, Headmaster Joss did received the summon from the messenger yesterday. I saw him opening and reading the letter before tossing it casually aside on his desk before he began resuming drinking again.”

“...”

Master Haithur silently curses himself again. Idiot! Don’t use too many words when a simple “Yes” would have sufficed.

“Headmaster Joss does like the occasional drink or two.”

“Nothing wrong with a little wine now and then.”

“One or two? Try several. I like drinking as well but he should learn about moderation.”

“The man would have made a great headmaster if it wasn’t for his weakness to liquor.”

“That, and his tardiness. Seriously, where is Headmaster Joss? He should have been here by now.”

Master Haithur secretly heaves a huge sigh of relief as he watches the seven men sitting in front of him idly chatting amongst themselves. He has gotten away with the error he made just now. Using too many words is usually a sign of when a person is lying. Embellishing your story with interesting details may sound tempting. But it would only be hassle if you need to recall important information when asked.

“So what did you two talk about?”

“Excuse me?”

Fuck! I did it again! Master Haithur may look calm and compose on the outside but he is secretly kicking himself under the table.

“You saw Headmaster Joss threw the summon onto his desk. I assume you were in his office when he received the letter.”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“So what were the two of you discussing in his office yesterday?”

“I was... airing my disagreement regarding his handling of the Joze Acanthus case.”

“Ah, yes. The noble boy who got injured by a commoner student yesterday morning. The reason why we are all here today.”

“Wait? Joze Acanthus? Heir to Ser Derek Acanthus, owner of the mercenary group The Darkthus Company?”

“That’s the one. You didn’t read the briefing documents in front of you?”

“I wondered why the name sounds familiar. And no one reads those things. I just came here because they told me too.”

“Back to the matter at hand, you were voicing your disapproval to Headmaster Joss?”

“Yes.”

“What about exactly?”

“Well... I couldn’t condone with Headmaster Joss’ decision to let the person responsible for Joze’s severe injury walk free without any punishment. He should have been expelled for what he did.”

“I agree with your assessment as well, Master Haithur. Headmaster Joss’ conduct in this unfortunate incident is disgraceful and borders on alarm.”

Master Haithur secretly heaves a huge sigh of relief again as he takes his hands which are interlocked this whole time off the table and rests them on his lap. The male teacher begins massaging his pale fingers underneath the table, trying to restore blood circulation. He had gripped them a little too tightly just now.

The male teacher could feel the golden wedding ring he wears on his left hand. On his right hand, Master Haithur wears another ring made from platinum. If one could observe the ring on the male teacher’s right hand, one could see a carving of a snake devouring its own tail. Truth be told, Master Haithur treasures the platinum ring more than the golden wedding ring (actually, he cares more about the platinum ring more than his marriage itself).

The reason for this is because the ring he is currently wearing on his right hand was given to him by the Elders, the grandmasters of Ouroboros, proof that he is the current leader responsible for the organization’s wellbeing and future.

No doubt the troubles I've been facing the past few days should have reached their ears by now. I need to do some serious damage control in order to contain the situation, Master Haithur worriedly contemplates as he caresses the platinum ring he is wearing on his right hand.

We’re halfway through here, just a little bit more to go before that old fart is kicked to the curb and I’m free to do what I want with that boy...

“About the commoner boy...”

“Wha-“

Master Haithur immediately put his hands back on the table with a slam and nearly shouted out when he hears the boy being mention but the male teacher manages to stop himself. But his odd behaviour didn’t escape the notice of the seven people sitting in front of him. All of them are watching Master Haithur closely now, wondering what’s been eating the male teacher lately.

“The commoner boy...”

“He’s no one of importance!”

“...”

“I mean, he is just a mere commoner.”

“I beg to differ, Master Haithur. But I think a person who injured the sole heir to the most distinguished mercenary group in the Grandiel Continent is pretty godsdamn important.”

“...”

“Who is he? What is his name?”

“I don’t know... I think he’s an orphan.”

“From which Kingdom does he hail from?”

“I’m not too sure...”

“You don’t know from which part of the Grandiel Continent he comes from?”

“...Yes.”

“What about the events leading up to the altercation between the boy and Joze Acanthus? Do you know what they were arguing about?”

“I am not privy to that knowledge.”

“It seems there is a lot going on in the school that you are not privy about.”

“Why are you treating Master Haithur like a hostile witness? He’s not on trial here!”

“I’m just trying to get the facts straight. I don’t want any unknown information that could come back and bite us just because we didn’t pay enough attention to it.”

“Bullshit. You’re just trying to cover your own asses because Headmaster Joss is one of your own, a knight from the Order of Enahel!”

“That was out of line and you know it!”

Master Haithur watches the men in front of him squabble amongst themselves, glad that the spotlight is no longer on him. It was no secret that the knights in the order of Enahel and the nobles that managed to hold a position on the Whiteford Academy’s school board have no love for each other.

Both sides viewed each other with disdain. The knights think the nobles who managed to worm their way into the management of the Whiteford Academy as... well, worms. While the nobles see the knights as extinct dragons, a relic from the past, unneeded and unwanted in this current age.

“Is the boy still alive? Do you at least know that?”

“I think so...”

“Curious. I wouldn’t think a person who managed to injure someone as important as Joze Acanthus would survive to this morning, even if he is under Headmaster Joss’ protection.”

“Agreed. Knowing the reputation of his father, I’m surprised Ser Derek Acanthus allowed him to live through the night.”

“What are you insinuating?”

“I’m just saying we don’t have the entire story here. I propose we reconvened this hearing to another day, maybe hold it at the Whiteford Academy, and perhaps this time make sure Headmaster Joss attends it as well.”

“Cut the crap. You’re just trying to save face here even when your old friend Headmaster Joss has screwed up.”

“And you’re just taking advantage and trying to undermine the Order of Enahel’s authority.”

“Stop! This petty squabble has gone long enough!” declares Ser Firenzo Rayze who has been quiet since the start of the meeting. A retired general and former commander in the Kingdom of Nurani grand army, his presence commands great respect from the nobles and knights alike (and his booming voice managed to shut them up as well).

“Regardless of whether Headmaster Joss is present or not, it is undeniable that his track record and leadership history is far from admirable. He not being here even when given the chance to explain himself just gives us further proof of the man’s ineptitude.”

The rest of the six people sitting on either sides of the former general continue to hold their silence. The red hair on the battle-hardened veteran's head seems to lit up in the midday light as he continue to speak, as if signalling the annoyance that could also be heard in the man’s deep voice.

“As the chairman of the Disciplinary Committee and member of the Whiteford Academy’s school board, I hereby declare a motion to remove Headmaster Rykell Joss from his position. Each of you will declare your vote openly in favour for or against Headmaster Joss’ removal. Starting from the left.”

“I vote yes for Headmaster Joss to be removed from office.” says the noble sitting on the far left of the table.

“I vote no.” declares the representative from the Order of Enahel.

Master Haithur for the life of him couldn’t remember the knight’s name, even though the male teacher makes it a point to remember the names and information of people, anyone who could be a friend of foe, before he entered the town hall for the hearing this morning.

“I vote yes.” says Ser Gilbert Faerwald who is sitting to the left of Ser Firenzo.

Master Haithur smiles faintly at the noble sitting in front of him, not because Ser Faerwald has always been a staunch supporter of the male teacher, but because Ser Faerwald happens to be Master Haithur's father-in-law as well.

Ser Faerwald notices Master Haithur faint smiles and nods briefly back at him. You can count on me, son.

Ser Firenzo who is sitting in the middle of the Disciplinary Committee looks to his right side to continue counting the vote.

“I vote no.” says the elderly aged knight who is also an old friend of Headmaster Joss.

No surprises there, snorts Master Haithur.

“I vote yes.” says the noble sitting next to the elderly knight, his voice thick with glee. Master Haithur makes a mental note to send him a fruit basket after this as a thank you gesture.

“I would like to abstain from voting.” says the last man sitting on the far right, a representative from the Order of Enahel.

A ripple of surprise moves across the six men sitting to the left of him.

Well this is a pleasant suprise, grins Master Haithur inwardly. It looks like not everyone in the Order of Enahel viewed Headmaster Joss favourably. The male teacher studies the knight who is sitting in front of him. Perhaps he felt the old fart was giving the Order a bad name and wanted to cast him out as well, Master Haithur continues to ponder.

No matter, the male teacher allows the smile he has been hiding inside him to creep up to his face. With this, Headmaster Joss’ fate is pretty much sealed.

3 votes in favour of Headmaster Joss’ removal, 2 votes against, 1 vote abstained.

It all comes down to Ser Firenzo, and the male teacher is absolutely confident which way the former general will vote. Master Haithur is quite familiar with Ser Firenzo, the male teacher is good friends with his daughter (and then some) and has even been to their manor a few times.

Master Haithur knows that there is no way in hell Ser Firenzo would cast his vote to save Headmaster Joss’ career, not after the male teacher has tried his hardest to discreetly tarnish the old fart’s reputation and standing in the eyes of the former general.

“I vote-“

Just as Ser Firenzo is about to cast his vote, the large doors at the front of the town hall are swung violently opened.

“Objection!” shouts a boy as he points his index finger to the Disciplinary Committee.

Before anyone could say anything, the long haired boy with his right arm in a sling strides down the middle of the town hall, his bare feet carrying him quickly to the place where the seven stunned men (and one particular male teacher who has started to sweat heavily) are conducting their meeting.

“Sorry I’m late.” smiles the boy when he finally arrives at the long table where the seven members of the Disciplinary Committee are seated behind. Ser Firenzo is about to open his mouth to speak when the boy turns his back to face Master Haithur who is sitting on the left side of the hall.

“Oh, and Master Haithur...” the boy takes out a small bag he had kept hidden in his sling.

“In case you’re wondering what happened to the men you hired to impede us from arriving here sooner...” the boy throws the small bag onto the wooden table in front of Master Haithur.

“I had a hard time convincing them they should be visiting a dentist instead of harassing us.” the bag falls onto the table with much force, the rope that is used to keep the mouth of the bag closed becomes untied, spilling its content across the table and over to the sides.

“Shall we begin your trial now?” smiles the boy as the shocked male teacher stands up and tries to clear away the various bits and pieces of teeth (complete with bloody and torn muscles still attached to them) that has fallen on his lap.

********************************************************************************************

This chapter is dedicated to readers saielvisseng and KnightOfXentar as well as the countless, blessed others who are kind enough to leave a review.

I wanted to give you a comic too but I'm up until 3 am trying to finish this chapter. And I still have to get up on the next day to go to work.

Didn't manage to proofread this so much because I'm tired. If you do see any glaring grammar mistakes, please feel free to point them out.

As usual, leave a review or a comment if you want to show your appreciation.