The highly decorated wooden double door in front of me is as imposing as I remember.

We are once again standing in front of the Headmaster's office.

Both of us swallow at the same time. Standing next to me is Yermen Caliser, my best and only friend in this Academy.

The last time I've been here was after I fought with the Hobgoblin and almost died.

Calming myself down, I knock lightly on the door 3 times.

"Come in," a deep, magnetic voice invites us in.

Pushing the door open, I am greeted with a strange sight. The impossibly large man that is our Headmaster is in the process of delicately placing a miniature mast on a scale model of a ship within a bottle. His large fingers, thick with callouses from holding a sword his entire life, move with such precision that is unexpected from such a brutish looking man.

Not wanting to interrupt his concentration, I waited until the man finish what he was doing before greeting him.

"Good afternoon, Headmaster," I said, bowing with respect.

Turning his head to regard us, his eyes that were previously sharp with concentration light up immediately.

"Ah! If it isn't the young Hero? What can I help you with today? Not another monster I hope." His voice is booming and he ended his sentence with a hearty laugh.

I feel heat rising up to my face.

After we reported to the Headmaster about the incident, he has been calling me Hero ever since, whenever we accidentally cross paths. It always makes me feel embarrassed and uncomfortable. I think he knows that and does it anyway to tease me.

The Headmaster's name is Varier Dawn. Yep, the same Dawn as Prof. Seris Dawn.

The Dawn house is a Ducal house that is known far and wide to be the Sword of the Kingdom. I think they are supposed to be uncle and niece or something like that, but when asked about their relationship, other Professors would say that they are more like father and daughter. Well, certainly the resemblance is quite high.

Though he is also blond, his hair leans more towards gold than wheat color and is cut short. The intense blue eyes are the same, but his are softened by deep laugh lines and crow feet, making him look more approachable than the frigid ice that is the Professor's eyes. His thick mustache wiggles slightly when he laughs, further emphasizing his smile. Square-faced, a strong jaw, and a muscular body make him look dependable and commanding. He must be even taller than Prof. Dawn by a couple of inches.

But that's only the surface. The man is actually a veteran Knight, having fought in countless wars and skirmishes in defense of the Kingdom. On the battlefield, he is known to be a perfect soldier and commander, cutting down his opposition with ruthless efficiency. Even though he had retired from the military, choosing to nurture the future generations of the Kingdome instead, if the kingdom is ever in need, he wouldn't hesitate to jump into the fray.

The Kingdom forces have only ever confirmed that he is at least A-rank, so no one knows his true strength either. I think he might have gotten past A already.

S rank beings are extremely rare, because the higher the rank, the more exponentially difficult the process of ranking up be. An S rank being can be considered a trump card of any moderate size kingdom. Their strength can rival an adult dragon.

That's one of the reasons why speaking with him is so nerve-wracking.

When the person speaking to you can make you disappear with a single snap of a finger, it's hard to keep completely calm, even if you know they mean you know harm.

"No sir, I have a different important problem to report, sir."

"Now you have me curious. Tell me, what problem that our little Hero had run into that needs to be reported to me directly?" He asked, amusement in his voice.

Glancing at Yermen for one last time, seeing his relaxed posture fills me with extra confidence. Taking a small breath, I unwrap the bandages that have been hiding the Stigma all this time.

===

Headmaster Varier's usual jovial and approachable facade faded away after hearing about the situation.

His eyes and face are now stone cold, making his emotion unreadable.

"And this just happened this morning?"

"Yes, sir."

"Why didn't you report this immediately."

Hearing his question, I unconsciously turn my head to dodge his eyes. The blame in that question is apparent, making me feel like I want to dig a hole and hide in it.

Yermen suddenly speaks out. "I told him to wait, sir."

The Headmaster's head snapped towards the voice. "And why did you think that was a good idea."

Even under the scrutiny of the imposing man, Yermen seems unaffected. No, wait. His clasps hands are shaking and his body is slightly tilted. He speaks up again, though his voice is surprisingly calm.

"Sorry, sir, I was afraid that the mark might be dangerous."

"So you decided to hide it instead of reporting immediately?"

Yermen head lowered. "I was afraid that Alean might get captured and hurt, so I wanted to learn more about the Stigma before reporting. I wanted to have some evidence that he is not under some evil God's influence, that he won't be a danger."

Hearing this, the Headmaster's expression softens somewhat, before hardening again.

"That doesn't change the fact that not reporting is more dangerous. An unknown Stigma can be very volatile. By not reporting, you not only endangered your friend but other students as well."

This time it's Yermen's turn to turn bright red in shame.

Varier sighs. "This is a serious matter. When such things happen, you need to report this to your elders immediately. You are still young and inexperienced, don't try and solve the situation by yourself if it's too hard. This place is an Academy. There are professors and instructors that are hired to answer your questions and guide you, so don't hesitate to ask for help if you needed it."

I didn't think Yermen's face could ever get this red. It's kind of cute.

"S-Sorr-y, H-Head-m-master." He stutters out. He seems so flustered.

Varier's tone softens.

"I understand that you are worried about your friend, but putting so many other students in danger is not right, do you understand?"

Yermen nodded, too ashamed to even speak.

The Headmaster turns towards me again, this time his eyes are kinder.

"So, have you tested out what this Blessing does exactly yet?"

I shake my head, "No, sir. I was afraid of what kind of effect it might have, so I haven't touched it yet."

"Sigh. Good. At least you did not do something impulsive that can't be fixed."

His eyes now take on an inquisitive glint as he regards my Stigma. "A blessing based on music and wine? How unique. In all the years that I've been alive, this is the first time I have ever seen such a thing."

He scratched his chin a little in thought before he quickly reached into one of his desk drawers and pulled out an empty glass bottle.

"Shall we test this right away?" He asks with anticipation.

I was dumbfounded. "Huh. Are you sure? Didn't you just say it was dangerous?"

He let out a deep chuckle. "I was just giving you a hard time to teach you two a lesson. From what you've told me, the Blessing seems quite harmless, even if it's A-ranked. Besides, aren't you curious about the power that will be part of you for the rest of your life?"

"But, what if I had lied?"

The man looks at me with an incredulous expression, as if he has heard some kind of joke.

"Are you serious?"

"I mean, yes?"

When he learned that I was serious, he bursts out laughing, doubling over. His laugh was so loud that it seems to shake the foundation of the entire room. The echoing laugh rattles both me and Yermen as we both plug our ears with our fingers.

"HAHAHA..haha...Haha... That was one of the best things I've heard this entire year."

He seems quite refreshed, his earlier seriousness completely gone from his face. Wiping a tear from his eye, he said.

"Trust me, kid, if you ever lied to me, I'll know."

Sheepishly, I ask "Is it a high-ranked thing?"

"No, it's a me thing. And what that is, is a secret." He winks at me in a mischievous way while grinning slightly.

"And besides, I'm the most powerful person in this school, so if there is any danger, I'll just deal with it. What do you say? Aren't you curious?"

His hand reaches out, holding the empty bottle towards me.

Looking at the empty bottle, firming my resolve, I reach out towards it. Since I can't run from this, the only thing to do is move forward.