Matin stood in a familiar room. It was one he had spent a good portion of his youth studying within. Once, it would have been filled with bright-eyed young learners and tired but proud teachers. Now, it lay in ruins. They weren't the kind of ruins that suggested centuries of abandonment but rather a hasty exodus of its occupants.
Daily objects one would normally find at a school lay strewn across desks and shelves as if they had been left there mid-use. The room was dark and gloomy, its tall windows nestled in pointed arches allowing only a dim gray light to shine in.
Matin could not move, paralyzed by fear. It took him a moment to notice, but there was another horrifying aspect to the classroom. Some were lying beneath desks or against the dark corners of the room. Students, their eyes staring sightlessly as their wounds continued to spill blood onto the classroom floor. The bodies of two adults lay at the front of the room, near the teacher's desk.
Matin took a step backwards, but no matter where he went, the bodies were there. He tried running for the exit, but the door was locked. He desperately banged at the door, pulled at it and even kicked it to no avail. Sobbing, he fell to his knees.
"My, my. How very convenient for you, is it not?"
A voice rang in his ears. The voice of a young woman. He looked around but couldn't find the speaker anywhere.
"This is, I suppose, one way to reach the top," the voice chuckled. "Though even I think this is in very poor taste. How does it make you feel, Matin? Has the stress gone away?"
Matin tried to retreat in upon himself. He hunched his shoulders and hung his head. Faced with the truth, he could only cower in fear and hope the contents of his stomach remained still.
Fear, guilt, hopelessness. They all assaulted him. He wanted to make it stop. He wanted to get out of here.
At that moment, the door opened, and he heard slow, confident footsteps approach him. Was this person here to kill him? Were they going to punish him for being here? Matin had to swallow the bile that threatened to come up.
Then, there was gentle pressure. A softness. The person who arrived was holding him tightly. He looked up only to see his mother. She looked back at him with a reassuring smile. Despite the surroundings, she looked self-assured and in control. The light shone from the open door, keeping the gray gloom away.
"Don't you worry about a thing, dear. Mother will make this go away. Just close your eyes and rest now. When you awake, this will all be but a dream."
Her voice was slow and calming. He felt himself take a deep, slow breath.
"But I-"
"Hush, it's alright. You but need to focus on your dream. Don't worry about the rest. Just leave it to mother and it will all be ok."
Matin was surprised at how quickly she had calmed him. Knowing that he needn't say anything more, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, safe in the knowledge that his everyday life would remain untarnished.
*
"Matin dear?"
A distant voice reached Matin's ears as his consciousness slowly returned to him. He felt something hard press against his cheek but disregarded it, his mind still in a haze.
"Matin, wake up, please! Something grave has happened."
That was the voice of his mother. He felt his body being rocked from left to right as somebody shook his shoulder. He opened his eyes and blinked.
"Whu is it?" He drawled, lifting his head from the hard study desk. The side of his face that had been pressed against it ached. The paper below him was wet with drool, and he quickly wiped it away in embarrassment. His mother didn't seem to notice or care.
"Oscar's decided to pay a visit to the Monastery. Goddess above, why was I not informed? Quickly, we need to get ready to meet him!"
"Oscar?" Matin mumbled incoherently.
He looked back at his desk, noticing the immense pile of books in front of him, and felt a shock.
"Wh-what time is it?" He said, jumping to his feet.
"It's ten in the morning, dear. Now hurry and get washed up. You look like you just crawled out of a grave."
Without waiting for a reply, Marianne grabbed his arm and yanked him over to the far corner of his room, where the washbasin was situated. Having no choice, he splashed some water on his face as his mind raced. An entire night of study completely wasted. How could he have been so careless?
"Now brush your hair. You can't meet the emperor himself looking anything less than your best." Marianne said, shoving a comb into his hands.
He had started combing his hair automatically when the realisation hit him.
"I'm meeting the emperor?" He asked in a high-pitched voice.
"I've been saying that since the start, dear. Do hurry up and awaken. This is no time to dawdle!"
Meeting the emperor. His muscles stiffened, and he felt a sudden surge of panic build up in his chest.
"Why am I going to meet him? Surely he only needs to talk to you?" He asked his mother quickly.
He had to study. He couldn't waste a single moment. Yes, meeting the emperor was important, but that was supposed to happen after the exams. He could only focus on one vital matter at a time!
Marianne sighed in exasperation.
"It's because he needs to see you, dear. Don't tell me you've forgotten what you're studying for in the first place?"
He knew what she was talking about. It was the thing she had desired of him ever since he was a young boy.
"Oscar has no legitimate heirs, only that bastard Nicolas. If he sees how far you've come, we are sure to make progress in convincing him."
This could not have come at a worse time. He had been told that all he needed to do was score the highest on the final exams. There was never any word about a direct meeting with the emperor. His chest tightened as it became hard to breathe. He felt his knees weaken and grabbed the nearby table to keep his balance.
"Matin dear? Matin?"
Marianne grabbed hold of his shoulders, steadying him. His short, shallow breathing only continued.
"Matin dear, listen to me. Everything will be ok. Just leave it to mother and it will all be ok."
She drew him into an embrace, and he felt himself calm down a little. Those same words. How often had he heard them up until now?
"It's alright, it's alright. Remember that mother knows best. You don't have to worry about a thing."
After a few moments, his regular breathing pace returned, and he could continue getting ready. A painful feeling in his stomach remained, but he could hide it relatively well.
Marianne had taken out his finest robes and had laid them on his bed. Soon after, he was presentable enough to go outside.
"They should still be outside the cathedral. Let us hurry." Marianne said once he stepped out.
Given no time to react, he was dragged from the dorms and brought outside. The courtyard was full of people — students, monks and townspeople flocked together to see the emperor of Talabas meet the young Priestess.
"Good, they haven't entered the cathedral yet," Marianne said as they walked through the throng. A soldier she had summoned rudely pushed people out of the way, making their journey through the crowd much easier. Snow had been falling throughout the night but had since been packed densely enough by the crowd to make walking less difficult. Matin wondered if it would remain that way for much longer.
As they approached the center, the crowd dispersed, revealing Oscar himself. He was shaking hands with Methaeus and whispering in his ear. A serious expression marked both their faces. Addi was standing nearby. She had a polite, if slightly forced, smile on her face, and Dean was standing next to her. He was talking to a tall middle-aged nobleman Matin knew well; Dean's father, Duke Morgan Kasanagh.
Not slowing down for even a moment, Marianne approached Oscar.
"A pleasure, Your Highness. Though your visit has been quite sudden." Marianne said a little too loudly as she bowed formally to Oscar.
Having his conversation interrupted, Oscar scowled as he turned to face Marianne.
"If it is sudden, then that is because I intended it to be so," he answered gruffly.
Marianne's eyebrows twitched slightly, but she maintained her smile. She looked over at Matin and nodded. Feeling Oscar's unbearably heavy gaze upon him, Matin followed his mother in a bow.
"Your M-Majesty," Matin said as he bowed, forcing the words from his trembling lips.
Oscar gazed at him silently with an unimpressed look. Matin felt like less than an ant at the man's feet. It was clear as day that Oscar thought very little of him. It didn't matter how much he studied. He was weak to his very core and he was sure the emperor could see that.
"I presume you're here to inspect the examination. If so, then you'll be happy to…"
"Enough, Marianne." Oscar said. "We'll continue this inside. Follow if you must."
Oscar nodded at Methaeus who spoke to some nearby guardsmen. Marianne glared at Methaeus but said no more as Oscar turned his back on her and walked towards the cathedral alongside Addi and her guards. Marianne followed not long after, looking back to make sure Matin was keeping up.
"Looks like everything's got a lot more complicated, eh?"
Surprised by the sudden voice, Matin looked to his left to find Dean walking next to him.
"You don't look so good," Dean noted. "Though I suppose that can't be helped with what's going on," he finished with a short laugh.
"I'm fine, really. I just didn't know the emperor himself would be visiting today." Matin replied honestly.
"No kidding. Only found out because I happened to overhear it. This really changes things," Dean said with excitement.
"So, I've heard you have been cozying up to the priestess. You just might have more guts than your old man."
The suave voice delivered in a humorous tone belonged to Morgan Kasanagh. He was rather thin and tall, with sharp features. His long black hair flowed over his shoulders, giving him a regal bearing where his slightly scuffled clothing did the opposite. He resembled Dean quite closely, though Dean's long hair was a lighter brown color.
"Nonsense," Dean said with a forced smile. "I rather like my head still attached to my shoulders. We're just good friends."
"The fear of death shouldn't keep you from a woman's embrace, son." Morgan said as he clasped Dean on the shoulder. "I say, pursue her. You could do worse than having the priestess herself in your pockets."
"That's not what you said when she was naught but a street urchin." Dean retorted, a rare hint of anger in his voice.
"Street urchin? Is that what she was before being chosen? Well, of course. We're Kasanagh's boy! Our time is better spent on women of finer stock! You understand, don't you, young Evelyn?" Morgan asked, turning to Matin.
Matin's mind instantly brought up images of Sophia. Even with his hundreds of meetings with noble ladies, he had never met someone who shone so brightly. But to most, she was nothing but a commoner.
"Indeed. It's important to keep noble bloodlines pure." Matin said flatly.
"See! He understands! Now come, the emperor awaits us." Morgan said with a laugh as he walked forward, leaving the two younger men behind.
"Always the yes man." Dean muttered, looking at Matin.
Matin could hear the disapproval in Dean's voice. He didn't think he deserved it. What good would it do to argue with one of the most powerful men in the empire over such a trivial topic? His words were never going to convince the man to change his mind anyway.
"Sorry. I just don't think anything I say would change his mind."
Dean didn't look convinced but let the topic go.
"I'm going to ask Oscar to remove your mother from the monastery," Dean said suddenly.
"What?" Matin asked, not believing what he had heard.
"What do you mean 'what'? This is the only chance we have to end her reign of terror. You're feeling the brunt of it more than anyone, right?"
Matin remained silent for a moment as he tried to process his friend's words. He was going to make a formal request of the emperor himself and in doing so challenge the authority of his mother, who was almost equally powerful.
"Dean, I think you shouldn't. Mother will not take that lying down, and you'll just end up losing reputation with the emperor and nobility. It's only another week until the exams. I can manage, really."
Dean's excited expression fell somewhat.
"The entire student body is miserable. It goes way beyond just you and me. What about Sophia? Are you just going to let her future be ruined just like that?"
It was a cruel thing, bringing her name into the conversation. Dean was right, of course. But he was mistaken if he thought to appeal to Oscar's sentimentality.
"I suppose so," Matin replied slowly.
"See? If it's about me, then don't worry. I don't care a whit about my reputation among those vultures."
But I do, and so do Addi and the others.
Matin bit back those words and remained silent. What Dean was proposing was impossible in Matin's eyes, but Dean had always managed to come out on top with this sort of thing. Maybe he could trust him. It wouldn't change much for Matin personally. Whether his mother was at the monastery or not, he still had to claim the top position in the class following the exams. That was the only thing that mattered.
"We can do this. Not just for us but also for the other students who are also going through a rough time and can't make their voices heard."
Dean flashed one of his confident smiles, which always seemed to affect others around him, including Matin. He felt reassured by that smile. If anyone could do it, Dean could.
The large meeting room could be found in one transept of the cathedral. A large wooden double door on the right of the nave had been left wide open, allowing them entry. Oscar was already sitting in his place at one end of a long, finely carved wooden table to the right of Addi's seat, which lay at the very far end. Methaeus sat to her left and Marianne to Oscar's left. The further down the table you went, the lower the rank of the person sitting in that chair.
This meant that Dean and Matin had to separate for this meeting. As the firstborn and heir, Matin was afforded a seat to Marianne's left, whereas Dean, as the fourth son, had to sit near the very bottom.
Matin didn't like this arrangement. Dean would clearly have more to say here than he ever would. Why couldn't he have the courage to speak his mind? If he did, then maybe he'd be able to take control of his life for once. He tried to quell a brief flare of jealousy.
They sat silently for a few moments as the seats were slowly filled. Marianne constantly barraged Oscar with questions relating to local politics as they waited for Addi's arrival. After some time had passed, the priestess entered with four honor guards and calmly took her seat at the front of the table. There was a short moment of silence as she looked around at those gathered.
"Begin," she said eventually in a tone of disinterest.
Marianne stood up immediately, hardly waiting for Addi to sit down.
"Before anything else, I would like to make clear the abhorrent situation in which the monastery's academy currently finds itself." She said in a loud voice that reverberated around the room.
She gazed across the room, and when her eyes fell upon Matin's, she gave him a quick reassuring smile. Speaking up before the emperor himself was a risky move, but thankfully, Oscar didn't seem to care.
"Discipline has fallen to the point where the students would rather stand around chatting than studying like they should. Also, common-born rabble who have been allowed into those halls have been cheating their way to the top of the class and taking opportunities from our sons and daughters. We cannot allow this to continue."
Marianne looked at Oscar as she spoke. Oscar's stoney expression gave nothing of his thoughts away. Slowly, he leaned forward, joining both of his hands together.
"And how do you suggest we do that, Duchess Evelyn?" He asked in a flat voice.
"A change in leadership is necessary. Methaeus has grown old and, despite valiant efforts, can no longer control the students adequately. We can try to find a new headmaster, but until such time as one is found, I will oversee the day-to-day operations here."
As Marianne spoke aloud her wishes, Matin could see Dean shake his head. He could guess what he was thinking. There was no way Oscar would let Marianne take over from Methaeus. The two men had been working together for a long time, and Matin suspected the two were friends despite both being enemies in the previous war.
Indeed, upon hearing Marianne's words, Oscar narrowed his eyes slightly and spoke.
"What of your own holdings, Evelyn? Surely they will require your supervision during these busy times."
Marianne waved her hand in a dismissive gesture.
"House Evelyn did not become the most powerful house in the empire without talented subjects. I have delegated my duties to trusted councilors. That aside, my attention will only be here for another week, until the exams are finished."
Oscar looked Marianne in the eyes as she finished speaking. She stood firm and confident, meeting his stare with one of her own. Eventually, Oscar turned away and looked towards Methaeus. Methaeus gave him a nod before Oscar returned his gaze to Marianne.
"Both Methaeus and I see no issue with your request. You may do as you please until the end of the exams, but after, you shall immediately return to your lands."
"What?" The word came unbidden from Matin's mouth in his shock. However no one heard him as another person had shouted the very same word, slamming their hands on the table for good measure.
A little way down the table, Dean stood on his feet with a furious expression. Everyone at the table looked over in shock. After all, it was rare for someone to speak out so loudly after the emperor's words. Matin felt a deep sense of dread well up from the bottom of his stomach. It was too late to fight back now. Dean surely knew that, so why did he still decide to contest the emperor's words?
"As a student studying here, I reject this idea in its entirety." Dean shouted, looking between Oscar and Marianne. "First of all, she has no experience in education to begin with. How can you even consider such a thing at this important time?"
Dean stared directly at Oscar, who looked back without any particular expression. After a moment he leaned towards Methaeus.
"Why is Kasanagh's fourth son sitting in on this audience?" He asked loudly enough for everyone to hear.
Methaeus shook his head, apparently not knowing the reason, though he did cast a quick glance towards Addi, who returned his look with an innocent smile.
"Sit down, lad," Morgan said to his son with a condescending smile. "His Majesty the Emperor doesn't appreciate being contradicted, even when he is wrong."
Dean gave his father a withering look and remained standing.
"None of you are aware of this, but this academy has become a prison in all but name under Marianne's influence. Students are being punished for the smallest of transgressions, and some are being punished for nothing at all. She's been nothing but a tyrant! What the academy needs is the right of free thought and expression. Otherwise, what is even the point of education? Academic excellence does not come from burying yourself in a book as a slave driver keeps a close eye on you for hours on end!"
Dean delivered his speech clearly and with confidence, surprising most at the table, including Matin.
However, he could feel the pit of his stomach twist into knots. It would have been possible to challenge his mother at any point before Oscar had given her his permission. Dean should know that once Oscar had given an order, it would be nigh on suicidal to challenge him regardless of whether it was right or wrong.
"Dean-"
"A prison, you say?"
Oscar's voice, like two large boulders grinding together, cut Matin off before he could try to calm his friend.
"Naturally, this place is a prison. Its only purpose is to provide the necessary knowledge for one to become a useful subject of the empire. There's no need for the freedoms of youth here, Kasanagh."
"So his excellency is saying that this is nothing but a foundry used to create useful pawns for the empire?" Dean countered, not backing down even in the face of Oscar's clear impatience.
"I think I've heard enough!" Marianne shouted, slamming her hands on the table.
She pointed a finger at Dean.
"Not only have you gone against me at every single moment, you have also challenged the authority of the emperor himself. Have you no shame, boy?"
Marianne's words froze the atmosphere within the meeting hall.
Matin looked over at his friend. Dean was gritting his teeth as he kept his eyes locked on Marianne.
"Please let it go," Matin said, though it came out only as a soft whisper. He wanted to speak up, to say something, anything at all.
Dean laughed, his face twisted in anger.
"So this is the truth, isn't it? Well, I did have my suspicions before, but seeing it all laid out like this truly is disgusting. So, this place is but a factory used to churn out good little obedient nobles for your vast empire. You don't give a whit about the people inside or the potential you could foster in them if only you tried! Does it not shame you to waste such talent?"
Dean looked around at the gathered nobles, most of whom completely avoided eye contact with him. Morgan regarded his son with a small smirk while Marianne and Oscar glared with open disapproval. If this went much further, Dean would be severely punished.
"I-I think he's right…in a sense."
Before he knew it, Matin had found himself standing, the eyes of the nobility fixed on him.
"Matin, dear?" His mother asked, voice quiet.
Matin felt his throat tighten and words fail him. Why were they all looking at him like that? He wanted to run.
"Dean only wants what's best for the students. There are those who could be of great help if they are allowed to flourish. That's all he's arguing for." Matin said his words coming quickly and at a much higher pitch than usual.
"Matin dear, sit down and keep silent!" His mother said, grabbing his sleeve. Other nobles began muttering to each other, creating a soft din in the meeting room.
Had he said too much? Even if he hadn't, his words probably wouldn't help Dean, anyway.
"I'm in agreement."
The voice that had cut through the din, quiet yet firm, belonged to Addi.
"As someone raised from the common folk myself, I believe everyone should be given the opportunity to study unmolested. As the priestess, I ask that this problem be addressed promptly."
Oscar, who had had his face in his hands in evident frustration, looked over at Addi. The pair locked eyes, his blue meeting her red.
"And how would you propose we address it?" He asked.
"Allow Methaeus to have the same amount of authority as Marianne. They can run the academy together." Addi said.
Methaeus shook his head.
"That will not be possible, Your Holiness. I must assist the emperor in the coming days. I will not be present at the academy. In fact, the discussion of that plan was the actual reason we had planned this meeting"
Addi raised an eyebrow at this sudden news and turned to Oscar.
"No wonder you were so quick to give Marianne such authority. There's something else you want," she accused.
"My previous decision stands." He said coldly. "However, I will allow Methaeus to appoint a second, to ensure your standards are met, if only so we can move on from this pointless topic."
Matin felt his muscles relax significantly. Surely this would be enough to keep everyone happy. He could return to his studies and do what needed to be done. A compromise was more they could have hoped for.
"A second? Nonsense, that will just complicate matters!" Marianne shouted, once again getting to her feet.
"Marianne will simply walk all over whoever he appoints. She needs to be removed!" Dean added.
Oscar looked ready to erupt, his face red and eyes wide.
"My decision stands, and I will hear no more. Guards, escort this man from the meeting." Oscar said. "I have no time to entertain the complaints of an emotional child."
Dean slammed his hands on the desk again.
"So you'll banish me rather than give my words honest thought. You really did lose your edge after the civil war, didn't you, Oscar?" Dean shouted as the guards approached him.
Oscar's eyes flashed in anger, and he was about to speak, surely to dispense punishment, when another voice interrupted them.
"Stop this now!"
It was Addi. Upon hearing her voice, the guards paused and looked hesitantly between her and Oscar.
"I brought Dean to this place, so it's my responsibility. Dean, I'll talk to them, so can you please leave for now?" Addi said, a look of deep concern etched on her face.
Oscar took a deep breath while Dean looked at Addi with a pained expression.
"It matters not. I will do what I came here to do, and anything else can be solved amongst yourselves. Leave now, Kasanagh, and be thankful to the priestess that your head is still attached to your shoulders."
Addi looked over at Dean, her eyes pleading.
"I know you mean well, Dean but please save this for another day. The emperor and Methaeus have their own concerns. We'll discuss this soon, I promise."
Dean's anger dissipated a little, and it looked like the strength had been sucked right out of him.
With one last bitter look at Marianne, Dean turned from the table and left the room accompanied by two guards. Thankfully, they kept their hands off him. A polite escort and nothing more.
"Don't forget, lad. The academy serves to work to the advantage of the empire and nobility. It is a place to show off and put on airs. Not a legitimate educational institution," Morgan said loudly before Dean could leave.
"Morgan," Oscar warned, giving the man an icy stare.
"My apologies, Your Majesty. Just educating my son," Morgan replied with a laugh.
Oscar grunted as the large doors closed behind Dean and the guards, returning the room to silence.
"Marianne Evelyn and Methaeus' second will be in charge of the monastery from this point forward. Methaeus will be joining me in the cathedral for the next couple of days as we address important matters of the empire. I trust this is to your satisfaction, duchess?"
Marianne nodded, though with a complicated expression on her face.
"I have no complaints, Your Majesty."
Oscar nodded.
"Very well, moving on. As Methaeus and I will be preoccupied over the next couple of days, I'd like Duke Kasanagh to oversee matters of state until we are finished."
"So I will be taking on the role of emperor? You honor me." Morgan responded with a smile. "Do I get a fancy silk cloak too?"
"You'll be a steward, no more than that." Oscar responded, not entertaining the possibility of a joke. Priestess, as tradition dictates, we need your permission to enter the catacombs."
The meeting continued for some time after that, but neither Matin nor Addi had much interest in it. Dean's appeal had made him many powerful enemies, and despite getting what she wanted, Matin could tell his mother would not leave Dean be after being directly challenged like that.
He should have said more. Perhaps if he had supported Dean from the beginning, then they could have made a change.
Not likely.
Matin's doubts ate away at him, and it was clear that no matter how hard he struggled, things would go the way his mother wanted, just as they always did.
Deep in his heart, he worried for Dean and Sophia both.
*
Following the meeting, as Matin was stepping out, Addi rushed over to him and stopped him.
"That could have gone better," she said with a small smile.
Matin nodded, not trusting himself to speak or look her in the eyes. He didn't want to sound weak in front of the Priestess.
"Hey Matin, look at me," Addi demanded.
Her voice was deep and commanding, completely unlike what he was used to hearing from her. He realised he had been completely avoiding eye contact and forced himself to look at her. Her smile was kind, but there was a hardness, a desperation, in her eyes that almost made him flinch again.
"I know things are difficult now, but you mustn't give up. I'm sure Dean needs your support more than you think, so please go speak to him."
"But I did nothing to help him. I was just deadweight again, just like always, and now he's going to end up being punished," Matin said, unable to hide the sadness and worry in his voice.
Addi took his hand.
"Dean did this for you. I'm sure he said something about a punishment being no big deal, right? Show him that he wasn't wrong. Sometimes even a simple thank you is enough."
There it was. That kind smile that he remembered. It was so like Dean's in a way, yet softer. It didn't completely absolve him of his dark thoughts, but it did help, just a little.
"I should just thank him?" He asked.
Addi nodded.
"He wouldn't have stuck his neck out for just anyone, you know. So go find him now. Your Priestess commands it."
Addi gave him a stern look, but there was a hint of mischief in her voice that put him at ease. Smiling, he nodded back to her.
"Thanks, Addi," he said.
Dean stepped out of the cathedral in search of Dean. He was likely back in the dorms by now, but Matin knew Dean liked to find hidden corners to hide away and read when he was in a bad mood. Therefore, there was a single room in the cathedral he wanted to check before going all the way back to the dorms.
Behind one of the many doors on the second floor corridor was a small room used to archive old texts and records not housed in the library proper. It had a few armchairs to sit and read on and a single desk. Due to its nature, the room was hardly ever visited, making it one of Dean's favored hideaways.
Matin pushed the door open and immediately heard a voice coming from the other side.
"The water tank will be opened, all you have to do-"
The voice belonged to his mother.
"Quiet, someone's here." Interrupted a male voice.
Panicking Matin closed the door and turned away, but too late, the door swung open and Mitch appeared. He grabbed Matin by the arm and dragged him into the archive.
"Matin, dear?" His mother asked in surprise, hiding something in her dress pocket.
"This complicated things." Mitch murmured. "If it were anyone else, I'd suggest silencing them but…"
Mitch awaited Marianne's response.
"Oh nonsense. You didn't hear anything, did you, dear?"
Matin gazed at Marianne's pouch as Mitch let him go and walked towards the door, closing it.
Matin found it incredibly difficult to speak. He hadn't seen or heard much of anything, but it didn't take a genius to know that something terrible was being discussed here. Something about the academy's water supply. He felt his muscles grow stiff.
"N-no, I didn't see anything." He said eventually.
Marianne slowly closed her eyes and sighed.
"See Mitch? Nothing to concern yourself with," she said.
Despite what he had said. Matin felt a wave of worry crash into him and with it, an intuition that something terrible was going to happen. Should he ask for the details or go so far as to beg her to stop whatever she is planning? No, surely it was nothing important.
"If it's about the exams, I'll get the top score, I promise! Just don't…" He spluttered.
"Are you completely sure you can get top marks with that commoner bitch about?" She asked coldly.
Matin's tongue froze as his mother pierced him with her glare.
"I-I will. Just please don't kill her or anyone else, please!"
"Kill? Oh, Goddess above Matin, I don't intend on killing anyone. That wouldn't do for our family's reputation at all. That aside, there is no need to go that far."
"What do you mean?" Matin asked.
Marianne gave him a soft smile.
"She's a commoner dear, and those other nobles nipping at your feet are not much better. We needn't fear insects so much as to dirty our hands killing them," she said.
Matin allowed himself to feel a little relief. Even so, he could not dispel the disquiet in his heart. The upcoming exam, as well as its results, could make or ruin someone's life. This held especially true for the common folk who had been awarded the honor of taking the exam through a scholarship. Students like that, students like Sophia, would never be permitted to take the exams again.
"Can you promise you'll let her take the test at least?" Matin asked.
"Of course, dear. You can trust mother."
Matin looked away for a moment. Evidently, there was still a complicated expression on his face because Marianne looked him in the eye.
"What is it, dear?"
He thought of all the work Sophia and everyone else had put into their studies. For his mother to take all that away filled him with nothing but shame. He had to get her to stop. He had to pass on his own merit.
"I want to show you that I have the ability to overcome anyone who stands in my way without resorting to cowardly tricks. You don't need to sabotage others. I will score the highest, I swear," Matin said in a stern tone, a rarity for him when speaking to his mother.
Marianne looked at him blankly.
"Matin dear. Let's not put on airs. You cannot afford to fail the exam, no matter what. You know what will happen if you do, don't you?" Marianne asked him, casting a quick, uncertain glance at Mitch, who was still standing by the door.
What would happen if he failed? If he let all his years of hard work go to waste? He knew what she was talking about. An image of death and fire flashed within his mind. He had to be perfect. There was nothing else he had to be. Just perfect.
"You are the perfect boy, Matin," Marianne said as if she had read his mind. "You always have been. All you need to concern yourself with is the exam. Leave everything else to mother."
Matin was visibly shaking at this point. He had to score the highest, for Sophia's sake most of all.
"Yes, Mother," he responded quietly.