Chapter 108: Interrogation
(Rodova Military Academy, Leo's Dorm Room– Midnight Emergency Alarm)
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
A shrill, mechanical alarm ripped through the silence of the academy, jarring Leo awake from his deep slumber.
His sharp instincts kicked in immediately, his body tensing as he sat up, his senses on high alert.
And then—
"Criminal on the loose—"
"Attention, Criminal on the loose— All students are instructed to remain inside their dormitories until further notice."
A voice blared over the speaker, as Leo's stomach twisted.
A deep, unsettling feeling settled in his chest, one he couldn't shake.
'No way…' he thought, his pulse steady but alert.
'Severus?' He wondered as the timing seemed too perfect.
The way Severus had smirked, the way he had casually handed over that poison formula today—it was all too convenient.
Had he known?
Had he planned this from the start?
Leo swung his legs over the edge of his bed, resting his elbows on his knees as he ran a hand through his hair, processing the situation.
'That bastard… he must have planned his escape for today.' Leo realized, as now that he thought about it, Severus's entire demeanor had felt a little too relaxed during their last meeting.
The ink swap, the half-joking theatrics, the way he had whispered Shhh… after filling the bottle with poison instead—
That wasn't a man who planned to stick around.
That was a farewell.
And perhaps because he was unsure of whether or not he would make it out alive, he had given Leo the potion formula, since it was his only shot at passing his legacy on to someone who might use it notoriously someday.
*Sigh—*
Leo let out a slow breath, his fingers curling into his palm as he leaned back against the headboard.
'Whatever happens… this isn't my problem,' he concluded.
He wasn't foolish enough to involve himself in whatever escape attempt Severus was attempting.
The academy's security was airtight, and if anyone thought they could outmaneuver it, they were either suicidal or insane.
And knowing Severus…
He was probably both.
'I hope sleep finds me again—' Leo thought, as he closed his eyes shut yet again.
The alarms continued to blare, the academy's defenses undoubtedly mobilizing at full force to handle the situation.
But it wasn't his concern.
Not his fight.
Not his problem.
With that final thought, Leo forced himself to block it all out—the alarms, the chaos outside, the questions burning in his mind—before letting his body sink back into the bed.
Whatever happened tonight—he'd find out in the morning.
And with that, he fell back asleep.
---
(Rodova Military Academy – Leo's Dorm, Early Morning)
BANG! BANG! BANG!
A sharp, impatient knock rattled his door, startling Leo awake for the second time that night.
Frowning, he forced his eyes open, still groggy but already sensing whoever was behind that door wasn't here for pleasantries.
With a quiet sigh, he rolled off the bed, stretching lazily before moving toward the door.
As he opened it, his expression remained neutral—until he saw who was standing there.
Professor David.
The very sight of the man instantly soured Leo's mood.
David's expression was exactly as he expected—twisted with disgust and disdain, his lips curled like he had just stepped in filth.
"Skyshard," David sneered, his tone thick with contempt.
"You've been summoned to the principal's office."
Leo raised an eyebrow, unfazed.
"And why is that?" he asked, his voice completely devoid of emotion as David's lips curled even further, his eyes narrowing with unhidden resentment.
"I think you know why, Skyshard, don't try to play innocent with me, I won't buy your act–" he spat, stepping aside as he urged Leo to follow him.
"Get moving." He instructed, as Leo didn't move immediately.
Instead, he took a long, slow glance at David, scanning his expression.
The man looked particularly pissed off. More than usual.
'Should I even ask what this is about?' Leo thought for a moment, but then decided against it, as deep down he already knew.
Severus had probably done something.
And now, Leo was being dragged into the aftermath.
—--------
(Rodova Military Academy, Principal Alric's Office)
Leo stepped into Principal Alric's office with David right behind him, as the Professor seemed ready to grab him by the neck if necessary.
Once inside, Leo's gaze fell on the principal, who sat behind a long and large desk, while signing a few dozen documents.
He looked calm—too calm for someone whose academy had just suffered a security breach, however, in stark contrast to his calm mood, David seemed to be fuming.
Behind Leo, David stood rigid, his arms crossed, his expression twisted into a look of deep contempt.
Leo didn't even need to hear the words to know exactly what was about to happen.
And he was right, as the second they were alone, David began with his rant.
"It's far too suspicious, Principal." David said, wasting no time, as he glared at Leo like he was a plague that needed to be eradicated.
"Severus tries to escape the same night he summons this boy? You don't find that convenient?" David asked, as he pointed in disgust towards Leo.
"This student is hiding something."
David's voice grew sharper, more insistent.
"He should be put under psychological evaluation immediately. We need to find out what he and Severus discussed. If there's even a slight chance he aided in the escape, we cannot afford to ignore it—"
David went on, as *THUD*, Alric slammed his pen down.
"That will not be happening, Professor" Alric declared, as David's mouth opened—then shut in frustration.
"Leo Skyshard is one of our most promising students and I will not be sending him to the psychological evaluation ward over baseless paranoia."
David clenched his jaw, looking ready to argue, but Alric's gaze hardened.
"Unless you have concrete evidence of his involvement—which you do not—this discussion is over." Alric issued an ultimatum, as David's fists curled at his sides, his face darkening with frustration.
Leo, meanwhile, stood in perfect silence, watching the exchange like an outsider rather than the subject of discussion.
'So this is how they fight for power in the academy.' Leo thought, as he enjoyed watching the show of how David lost.
It was obvious from David's face that he hated Alric, however, he had no option but to accept his decision on the matter, as after a few tense seconds, the professor finally exhaled sharply through his nose, stepping back with an irritated scoff.
"Fine," he muttered, voice dripping with dissatisfaction.
But Leo could already tell—David wasn't going to forget this.
Not anytime soon, atleast.
—--------
Once David had settled into silent brooding, Alric turned his attention to Leo.
His expression remained unreadable as he spoke.
"Severus has been neutralized." He informed, as Leo met his gaze, completely unfazed.
"He killed seven Grandmaster level guards while trying to escape." Alric said, his voice turning deep and remorseful as silence filled the room.
Leo said nothing, his face betraying no emotion whatsoever.
But inwardly—
'Seven, huh?'
He wasn't surprised.
Severus was many things—insane, unpredictable, theatrical—but weak?
Never.
The fact that he managed to take seven trained guards down before they finally got him only proved just how lethal he truly was.
Severus had never belonged in a cell.
And he had no intention of dying in one either.
"Tell me, Skyshard—" Alric said, his voice controlled.
"What did Severus discuss with you when he summoned you?" He asked, as Leo's response came without hesitation.
"Nothing special," Leo said smoothly.
"He gave me some advice on how to perform well in the Circuits and handed me a potion formula that he considered to be his legacy as a reward for my excellent performance in his class today" Leo said in a calm voice, which betrayed nothing.
And from the way Alric's gaze lingered, Leo knew he was being carefully evaluated.
After a few seconds, Alric finally leaned back in his chair.
"I see." He said before shrugging his shoulders as he said nothing more on the matter.
No further interrogation.
No further questions.
"Very well, Skyshard," Alric finally said, picking up his pen again, signaling the end of the conversation.
"You're dismissed." he said, as nodding, Leo turned towards the door without another word.
However, David seemed to lose his mind.
"WHAT? THAT'S IT? YOU WON'T ASK TO SEE WHAT SEVERUS GAVE HIM? YOU WON'T PRESS HIM FOR MORE ANSWERS?
WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?
I WILL REPORT THIS TO THE ETHICS COMMITTEE—" David went off, as Alric laughed in the face of those complaints.
"Do your worst David…. You're not getting my chair no matter how hard you try.
I'm a Dainhart, you're a nobody" Alric snapped back, as Leo's eyes widened from the entertaining banter before he stepped out of Alric's office.