what I used to think. But, of course, I can’t vouch for it. The statuette is a little over seven hundred years old, you know. I’m a little bit younger,» I smiled, but Wolfrock was serious.
«Tell me what you know about this sculpture and about the dragon.»
«I’m sure you’ve already been told. As far as I know, you have already interviewed most of our teachers, including specialists in zoology, monster studies, demonology, and others. They’re definitely more competent at it. I’m on the plants…»
«I understand. But I would like to hear from you as well. I need to put everything in my head very accurately, without gaps, collect all the crumbs of information. Even in the capital, they are very concerned about what happened, as I was informed. It’s all pretty strange…»
«Oh, I see,» I nodded, «that sounds like an old fairy tale to a no-mage, doesn’t it?»
«Something like that,» he looked at me for the first time with real interest. «Will you tell me?»
«Of course, there’s nothing to hide. What should I start with… In general, about a hundred years after the foundation of our university – at that time there was only a tiny village here – a celestial serpent appeared in the area, that is a dragon named Azuin. The beast was as old as the world itself, and, as it said, tired of life, but at the same time its magical aura was so strong that it interfered with any practices of local sorcerers. It even directly undermined their health. And it, the serpent, lay down there on the hills,» I waved my hand toward the window, where beyond the waters of the Farinech I could see the waves of the evergreen foothills of Ney. «Well, it didn’t want to fly anywhere. Farther… the then heads of the university somehow came to an agreement with it. In short, dragon went into hibernation, hiding its strength, and the mages promised to keep it safe and peaceful. And the continuation of the practices in this place, next to the statuette, preserved its strength. Or even multiplied, no one can say here. So, it slept until now…»
«Do you think it’s awake now?»
«I don’t know that. It doesn’t feel like it, and if it does, it’s not here, it’s somewhere far from here, otherwise we would have felt it. But on the other hand, why steal it if not for liberation?»
«Will the one who frees it get something?»
«I don’t know. But he probably expects to get it. To be honest, the thief doesn’t bother me too much: he probably won’t be able to cope with what he’s done. As for the serpent itself,» I shook my head, «if the legends don’t lie, the entire Core World will be shaken.»
«But there are dragons now. Other…»
«That’s exactly what the others are,» I rolled my eyes, amazed at his ignorance. «The entire tribe of Azuin’s, the ancient primordial dragons, is gone. Just like it, to artifacts, to the Dark World, or wherever. And those that do exist are side branches. Drakens, of course, are similar to those first serpents, but smaller and nowhere near as strong. Again, they nest far from our cities and settlements, so there is almost no problem from them. Well, sheep are dragged sometimes. Minutiae. And the dracomen are pretty much like us. It is now believed that it is even possible to interbreed with humans, both magicians and ordinary people.»
Wolfrock grimaced at my words.
«Oh, come on. Are you really so squeamish? Compared to those found in the Dark World, the dracomen are just cuties, for example, the families of demons and mages are no longer much surprised. But the experts will tell you about it better. I guess, Saniel Bo – she teaches sociology, or Adiree Quintianu – she teaches demonology… You’ve already spoken, by the way…»
«Yes,» he pursed his lips again and strained, «Dr. Quintianu… with hair… hmm… scarlet, if I’m not mistaken.»
«She is.»
«And who is about the dragons? This is the diocese of your faculty, isn’t it?»
«Well… you could say that. Although, as I said, they are studied in different specializations. From a biological point of view in my department. There is also monstrology, anatomy of species, etc.»
«Monstrology is about the magical powers of various creatures, right?» His blue eyes sparkled.
«Yes, in general terms. Habits, habitats, strengths, weaknesses.»
«I see. And you have a new teacher of this subject, Professor Mavinus, don’t you?»
«That’s right. He moved from the capital this year.»
«Ahem… from the capital? Curiously.»
«Why is that?» I straightened up and narrowed my eyes, trying to figure out what he meant.
«Why would a successful scientist transfer from the capital to the provinces? What could have interested him so much? Not at all…»
«Money,» I interrupted Wolfrock, «a very tidy sum. Our accounting services are probably available to you. So, we chased him for three years and, believe me, when he agreed to cooperate, the offer was more than generous. And Azuin, after all, is not just a province, but one of the most prestigious universities in the entire Core World. Moreover, Professor Mavinus was given the entire department of monster studies here.»
«It’s clear.» He looked at me again. "I think you take his appearance at the university to heart?»
I tried not to blush.
«Me?! Well… Yes, to some extent. As a dean, valuable talent also adds value to my faculty by allowing me to take on projects that were previously difficult to tackle.»
«I see. Let’s change the subject. Where were you on the alleged night of the artifact’s theft?»
I squirmed in my chair.
«At home. In my cottage. Alone. You can check my locks – the opening and closing times are fixed, the data is stored for a week. And then there’s the cameras on the college grounds.»
«Good. Did you know exactly where the artifact was stored?»
«Of course,» I glanced behind him, at the map of Enthuaria in the lower left corner of the wall; the glass waves of Lake Sol cast small rainbows from the rays that penetrated the window, «over there, behind the map. It wasn’t a big secret, you know. Especially considering the Stamp of Rennes…»
«What is the Stamp of Rennes?»
«Oh, it’s a body of spells cast on a material base – here it’s that prism that depicts a lake – very complex, set by the strongest masters.»
«And it can’t be opened?»
«Most people can’t. First of all, it requires a high level of strength – not lower than the fifth, like mine, or even higher, secondly, knowledge of such security systems, thirdly… well, when opened, the stamp burns… on an intangible level. Few people have protection against this kind of influence.»
«Are there such people at the university?»
«Rector Tahoni, Vice-Rector Roginis, of course, of the other seven vice-rectors, I think there are five for sure. As for the teachers, I’m not sure. It’s a very, very serious and rare skill.»
«Can anyone who isn’t from the university possess something like that?»
«Some royal mages for sure, other scholars, I don’t know exactly. And demons, of course.»
«Demons?»
«Yes. In the Dark World, this is a common feature.»
«The