CHAPTER 122: ZENON’S ORDER

{Elira}

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The princess stilled, her smile faltering at the edge.

"You will explain to me," Zenon continued, his tone cutting through the air like a blade, "on what grounds you and your council saw fit to humiliate a student publicly, then assign punishment despite her compliance."

I sat frozen, my heart thundering so loud I was sure both of them could hear it. I had never seen anyone speak to Kaelis like that. Not a professor. Not anyone.

I didn’t even think it was possible.

Kaelis’s fingers twitched where they rested on her knee, but her smile slid back into place like a mask. "Perhaps the council simply felt Miss Shaw needed... a reminder of her place."

Zenon leaned forward slightly, his presence filling the room like an invisible force. "Her place is in this academy, as a student under my instruction. Not beneath your heel."

The silence pulsed between them like a live wire. Kaelis smirk wavered, just barely. She adjusted her sleeve, but it was only to mask the stiffness in her shoulders.

Zenon’s voice cut through the air, low and merciless. "The punishment is void. Effective immediately."

Kaelis’s eyes narrowed. "You cannot simply override the authority of the Student Council—"

"I can," Zenon interrupted, his tone like frost, "and I will."

The finality in his words silenced her. Even the faint hum of magic in the air seemed to hush.

He leaned forward, folding his hands on the desk. His eyes were locked on hers, unflinching.

"You and your council will not pick on Elira Shaw again. In fact, you will not unjustly harass any student under my care. If you, or any of your members, attempt this kind of power play again..."

His voice dropped, sharp as a blade’s edge. "I will personally see to it that the Council is dissolved and a re-election is held. Do you understand?"

Kaelis’s composure faltered for the briefest heartbeat. Her chin lifted a fraction higher, but the sparkle in her silver eyes had dimmed.

"...Yes, Professor," she said tightly, the sweetness stripped from her tone.

"Good."

Zenon leaned back, dismissing her with a mere glance toward the door. "You may leave."

Kaelis rose gracefully, though I caught the tension in her hands as she smoothed her skirt. When her gaze flicked to me on her way out, it carried venom, silent and glittering, like a curse whispered without words.

I swallowed hard, my pulse a wild rhythm in my ears, and stared at my knees until the door clicked shut behind her.

Only then did I release the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.

Zenon hadn’t just defended me. He had shielded me like a wall of stone, unyielding, daring the storm itself to come closer.

But with Kaelis’s parting look still burned into my memory, one truth lingered cold in my chest—

This wasn’t over.

The echo of the door’s latch still hung in the air when Zenon finally shifted his gaze back to me. His expression hadn’t softened much, but the storm in his eyes was quieter now—contained, measured.

"You should have told me sooner," he said.

I blinked, startled by the quiet reproach in his tone. "I... I didn’t want to bother you. It felt like my problem to handle."

His jaw tightened, and for a moment he looked as if he might argue. Instead, he exhaled slowly, leaning back against his chair.

"When a student is wronged, it is not theirs to carry alone. Especially not when the injustice comes from those abusing their authority."

The weight of his words sank into me, and for a second, my throat tightened. No one had ever said anything like that to me—not about my struggles, not about the weight I carried.

"I’m sorry," I murmured, lowering my eyes.

There was a pause. Then, unexpectedly, his tone softened—not gentle, not warm, but less cutting.

"Do not apologize for what is not your fault. Save your apologies for mistakes you actually make. Understood?"

I nodded quickly. "Yes, Professor."

The corner of his mouth twitched, almost imperceptibly, before he reached for a paper on his desk.

"Your punishment is lifted. You will no longer report to the kitchens. I will send word to ensure the cafeteria staff is informed. From tomorrow, your schedule resumes as normal."

Relief rushed through me so fast I nearly sagged in my chair. I pressed my hands together in my lap to keep from showing it too openly.

"Thank you," I whispered.

Zenon didn’t reply immediately. His eyes lingered on me for a fraction longer, unreadable again, before he turned his attention back to the papers in front of him. "You may go."

I rose carefully, my chair legs scraping softly against the polished floor. I picked up my backpack, but as I reached for the door handle, his voice came once more, low and firm.

"Elira."

I froze, glancing back.

His eyes met mine, steady and unwavering.

"If the Council bothers you again, you will tell me. Immediately."

A lump formed in my throat. I swallowed and nodded. "I will."

"You can leave. I will inform the kitchen regarding this."

"Thank you, Sir," I said, holding back a smile.

He inclined his head slightly, then lowered his gaze back to his work.

I slipped out quietly, the door closing with a muted click behind me. But the echo of his words stayed with me, heavy and strangely grounding, even as my steps carried me back down the hall.

But soon, my mind was replaced with thoughts of my friends.

They had volunteered to help me out with dinner preparation in the kitchen, but now, there was no longer a need for that sacrifice.

I quickly headed for the kitchen, aiming to rescue them before they would get too deep into work.

---

The scent of roasting meat and simmering broth hit me the moment I stepped into the wide, bustling kitchen. Pots clanged, knives chopped against wooden boards, steam curled up into the enchanted vents overhead.

The space was alive with movement, but my eyes went straight to the head of staff—the same stern woman with rolled-up sleeves and an apron tied neatly at her waist.

I approached her quickly, clutching the strap of my backpack. "Excuse me ma’am... Professor Zenon said he would inform you about my punishment being lifted."