The atmosphere in the courtyard suddenly fell silent. There were no sounds from the soldiers who had been so fierce moments ago. All the soldiers under the command of the man in golden armor stood still, afraid to speak, as if they were terrified of the consequences of their previous actions. The tension in the air was thick, making their steps feel as if they were frozen in place.
They knew exactly who the man in the golden robe was—a tall and formidable knight feared for his terrifying reputation. But now, in the presence of Exafanos, the man in golden armor seemed as insignificant as a mere insect. The knight could do nothing. He could only tremble, holding back the fear and shame of having humiliated himself in front of someone who was far beyond his reach.
Exafanos, after briefly showing a glimpse of his mysterious power, turned and casually walked back into the house, as if the earlier incident was nothing more than a passing breeze. Bella and Rose, who had witnessed all of this, quickly took charge of the situation. With remarkable decisiveness, Bella ordered the soldiers to take the man in golden armor away and warned them never to return to this place, not even to come close.
The soldiers, without any objection, simply nodded in obedience. They swiftly carried away their humiliated knight and hurriedly left the place, like a swarm of rats fleeing from a raging fire. They knew that staying longer here would only invite a disaster that they were not prepared to face.
Once they had left, Bella and Rose entered the house. They found Exafanos calmly seated in his chair, looking as relaxed as ever, enjoying a cup of warm tea with a fragrant steam rising from it.
Rose slowly approached him and sat next to Exafanos. Her face turned slightly red, and her eyes were lowered. She spoke softly, thanking Exafanos for what he had done. There was a deep sense of admiration and respect in her voice.
Meanwhile, Bella gazed at Exafanos with an expression that was hard to interpret—a mixture of curiosity, admiration, and perhaps a bit of disbelief. She took a deep breath and then asked in a soft yet meaningful voice, "Tuan Exafanos... who exactly are you?"
The question hung in the air. Exafanos did not answer immediately. He simply smiled faintly, staring blankly at his teacup. There was a brief silence. Then, in a calm yet firm tone, he replied, "Everyone has their own secrets, Bella. You don't need to know who I really am. What you need to know is that I am just Exafanos—an ordinary man."
The days that followed passed peacefully. There were no disturbances, no threats. A bright morning greeted this new, calm life. One morning, Bella was preparing to go to the academy. As usual, she looked cheerful and full of energy.
Before she left, Exafanos asked her, "Is being a teacher at the academy enjoyable?"
Bella smiled casually and replied wisely, "It depends on our intentions, Tuan. If we do it with a sincere heart and truly like the job, then it's enjoyable. But if we don't like it, of course, it won't feel enjoyable."
Then Bella turned the question around, "Are you interested in becoming a teacher at the academy, Tuan Exafanos?"
Exafanos, taking another sip of his tea, answered softly, "I've never been a teacher before... But it seems interesting."
A small smile appeared on his face, as though imagining something he had never experienced. Bella smiled in return, enthusiastically saying, "In that case, I can personally recommend you to the academy head."
Exafanos simply nodded lightly. He didn't seem to care much about it, but there was a hint of curiosity in his voice when he asked, "Are all the lessons there about magic?"
Bella shook her head slightly and replied, "Not all of them. There are magic lessons, of course, but there are also other subjects like mathematics, physics, chemistry, and other general lessons."
After their light conversation, Bella said her goodbyes. She activated her flying magic and soared into the sky, heading toward the Dracosta Academy—where she taught.
---
Inside the now quiet house, only Rose and Exafanos remained. Rose sat across from Exafanos, looking a little hesitant as she spoke.
"I'm leaving tomorrow morning," she said. "My father contacted me yesterday... he said he wouldn't pressure me to marry Prince Leandro Barias anymore."
Her tone sounded relieved, but also a little emotional.
"And my mother... she misses me so much. I don't want to make her sad any longer. I want to go home."
Exafanos sighed softly. He looked at Rose and said in a calm yet attentive voice, "Be careful. This world is not a friendly place, even for someone like you."
---
In the afternoon, Bella returned home. She looked happy. She greeted Exafanos and Rose warmly, then immediately shared important news.
"Tuan Exafanos, tomorrow you can come with me to the academy to register as a teacher."
Bella explained that she had personally sent a request to the academy head, asking for Exafanos to be considered as a teacher at Dracosta Academy. At first, the head of the academy had politely rejected it, considering that they did not accept teachers just like that.
But Bella insisted. She even told the head of the academy that Exafanos was far stronger than the academy head himself. Her words made the head of the academy feel slightly offended but also curious.
In the end, the academy head agreed to one condition—Exafanos had to take a test to prove his qualifications. He would not be accepted immediately but had to demonstrate his abilities that were equal to or even superior to the existing teachers.
Bella accepted the condition happily. For her, it was not a difficult matter. She knew that Exafanos's abilities far surpassed anyone in that academy.
---
To be continued…