Chapter 44: They Called Me Out, But I Had No Name
On the day news broke of Dean Hellmaine’s dismissal...
Professor Memphis couldn’t sit still. She taught like she was on autopilot, her thoughts drifting far away—only to return, again and again, to him. The Academy’s halls buzzed with whispers.
"Professor Memphis looks so down..."
"They say Dean Hellmaine saw something he shouldn’t have..."
"It won’t be easy for her now. They seemed like... the perfect pair."
But no. They weren’t a couple. Never had been. Yet they were closer than anyone knew.
Five years ago, Memphis graduated alongside Elise il Ataraxia. Together, they applied to the Grand Archives—the most prestigious place any scholar could dream of. But standing in their way was him.
Dean Hellmaine. A young man with an icy gaze and flawless posture. Barely twenty-five, yet already a legend within the Archives. And a nightmare for rookies.
"Dean? That lunatic genius? Nobody knows how someone so young ended up as an examiner. He cuts down candidates without mercy."
"You girls drew the short straw. The Archives tolerate him only because he’s too brilliant to argue with."
On exam day, Memphis’s heart pounded. Everyone whispered that failure was inevitable. And yet, against all odds, they passed.
He saw something in them. Whether by luck or raw potential, Dean gave them a chance.