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 skill…»
«No, this is really a feature there. We here have been learning this skill for a long time, but the inhabitants of that world have this innate property.»
«So, the demon…»
«I think so.»
«And why would a demon do that? Theft.»
«How do I know?! They’re demons.»
«No assumptions?»
I sighed loudly.
«Well, to hurt Azuin, university, I mean: we don’t have the best neighborly relations with them. To get the power of the serpent… Damn them.»
«Okay, I get it. That’s all for today. If I need clarifications, you will be called additionally. Try not to leave town unless absolutely necessary,» he stared at the documents in front of him again, abruptly ceasing to pay any attention to me.
Silently rising, I took one last look at the card still facing me, with a small, shiny lacquered emerald-colored figure taken against a plain white wall. The dragon seemed to wink at me with its round yellow eye. I nodded goodbye and left the room.
Chapter 5
Mixing the substrate in the experimental greenhouse the next morning, I went back to the thoughts about stealing. It’s the main news of the semester, or even the year, especially if Azuin will not found.
A chill ran down my spine. If the dragon will not be returned, even more so if he’ll manage to release it from this insignificant shell… devil, what will happen then? How will the force react to such tremendous disturbances in its field? And what if the prisoner himself will be «out of sorts», to put it mildly?
We all take it for granted that the dragon closed itself in the sculpture voluntarily. But what if it’s not? What if it was locked up, forcibly imprisoned? Too many years have passed for the available information to be indisputable. In fact,
