Alex walked unhurriedly through the corridors of the Academy, enjoying the quiet that surrounded him. At this hour, most students were in class, so the wide halls and passages were nearly empty. The sound of his footsteps echoed softly against the marble walls, creating an illusion of calm rarely felt in this place.
“Master,” Sirena’s voice suddenly rang in his mind, “someone is trying to contact you.”
He stopped for a moment, opened his inventory, and took out a small communication artifact—a gift he had received not long ago. Inserting it into his ear, he infused the device with mana, then said briefly:
“Listening.”
A familiar gentle voice sounded from the other end—Elizabeth.
“Hi, Alex. I hope I’m not interrupting?”
“No, I’m free right now,” he replied, smiling in a relaxed way.
“Perfect,” she said with clear satisfaction. “Because there’s a guest who wants to meet you—someone you’ve been waiting for these past few days, if I remember correctly.”
Alex immediately understood who she meant.
“I’m on my way.”
And in the next moment, his body was enveloped in the glow of teleportation magic.
When Alex appeared in Elizabeth’s office, he saw that everyone was already gathered. Elizabeth herself sat at her desk, as always, with a light, focused expression. Opposite her, comfortably settled in an armchair, was Rogan—his posture relaxed, though his eyes observed every movement attentively. Behind Elizabeth stood Astarion—silent and watchful, as always.
And standing a little to the side was a man Alex had never seen before.
This was Gornorax Brungard—Rogan’s father. His presence was impossible to overlook: a powerful frame, broad shoulders, and muscular arms spoke of strength forged in hundreds of battles. His dark red hair was thick and wild, sticking upward like the mane of a predator. His brown eyes glimmered with a lively fire that revealed youth and vigor. His face—strong, with sharp jawlines and short stubble—only emphasized his fierce nature.
Gornorax stepped forward in silence, his heavy footsteps thudding through the office. Stopping in front of Alex, he carefully studied the young man from head to toe, not bothering to hide his seriousness. His gaze was stern, almost threatening, his expression carved from stone.
Suddenly, the air around Gornorax seemed to thicken: the beastkin unleashed his magical aura. A powerful wave of force filled the space, pressing down on body and mind as if trying to break them. A flicker of anger flashed in his eyes—wild, primal, real.
Alex didn’t flinch. Instead, a calm, almost defiant smile appeared on his face. He accepted the challenge. So this is how he evaluates me? the thought crossed Alex’s mind.
In the next heartbeat, he allowed a portion of his own aura to slip free. Just enough to match Gornorax’s pressure. The air stirred, their forces clashing in an invisible collision—and neither side yielded.
A few seconds of silence hung between them, thick with tension and mutual assessment.
Then a smile slowly spread across the beastkin’s face. It was fiery, sincere—filled with thrill rather than hostility.
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“Now I’m more inclined to believe,” Gornorax said, “that a student really could take down Lorenzo and all his scum on his own.”
His aura dispersed, returning to normal. Alex likewise calmed his own.
“Glad to finally meet you,” the beastkin said and extended his massive, scarred hand.
“Likewise,” Alex replied, shaking it. Gornorax’s grip carried strength, but without challenge—more like acknowledgment.
“I hope you’re not holding a grudge about that little test,” Gornorax said with a grin.
“Not at all. I fully understand your reasoning.”
“Hm. Looks like you and I will get along,” Gornorax noted with satisfaction.
“That would be nice,” Alex smiled.
“Hey,” Rogan’s voice suddenly came from behind, tinged with mild irritation, “are you two done yet?”
Gornorax turned toward his son.
“Yes, yes, we’re coming,” he muttered, then walked with Alex to Elizabeth’s desk. Both took the free seats across from her.
Elizabeth smiled warmly.
“I’m glad to see you two managed to understand each other,” she said, glancing at Alex with the slightest, almost invisible hint. Her eyes seemed to say: It’s time.
Alex nodded and opened his inventory. A dark leather folder appeared in his hands. He looked at Gornorax.
“Here are all the documents required to transfer full ownership of all ‘Rays of Hope’ facilities to you,” he said calmly.
Gornorax glanced at the folder, then at Alex again, raising a brow.
“And what—you're just handing it to me?”
“Yes,” Alex replied firmly. “Because I have no better candidate. And I want the orphanages to go to someone with a good heart—someone who’ll care for the children properly… and someone strong enough to protect them.”
He paused briefly, letting his gaze rest on Rogan before turning back to Gornorax.
“Judging by your magical aura, the second requirement certainly won’t be a problem. And for the first—well, just look at how Rogan turned out. You clearly have a good heart. So for me, you’re the ideal choice.”
He offered the folder to the beastkin. Gornorax accepted it carefully, opened it, scanned the first document, closed the folder again, and looked at Alex with a sincere nod.
“Thank you. I’ll live up to the trust you’re placing in me.”
“I hope so,” Alex replied. “But before we go any further, I want to clarify something, so there’s no misunderstanding. I didn’t exactly handle Lorenzo’s underlings entirely on my own.”
He paused briefly before continuing:
“When I arrived in the dungeon, the corridor was already filled with corpses. Moving further, I saw a man finishing off another group of bandits. You all know Lorenzo spent several days before his birthday gathering mercenaries in his gambling house. All of it was to kill that stranger.”
Gornorax frowned thoughtfully.
“Interesting… Sorry for interrupting. Go on.”
“When he saw me, he attacked immediately. But I managed to defend myself and explain my purpose. After that, we continued onward together. Along the way we found a cave where slaves and orphans were kept. We saved them. They’re under that man’s protection now. And he was the one who reached Lorenzo with me. After a short but difficult fight, we defeated him. I took the necessary documents, and Lorenzo stayed with him. Then I returned to the gambling house.”
Alex shifted his gaze to everyone present.
“I’m telling you this so no one makes me out to be a lone hero. Without that man, I might not be sitting here right now.”
“Did you manage to learn anything about him?” Astarion asked.
Alex shook his head.
“No. He barely said a word. He wore a black cloak, his face hidden behind a mask. I don’t know his name, his appearance, or even his race — he didn’t use magic, only a sword.”
“So Lorenzo really did die in his own underground lair,” Gornorax muttered, the last words spoken with barely contained fury. “A shame. I was planning to finish him off myself.”
“You don’t have to worry,” Alex said. “That stranger promised that Lorenzo’s death would be… far from easy. And judging by how he handled those bandits, I believe him.”
Gornorax smiled.
“That’s better. And what happened to those you rescued?”
“As I said, they’re with him now. He should contact me soon, after which he’ll hand the orphans over. Though he set one condition: I have to come alone. Otherwise, he won’t give them back.”
“I see,” Gornorax nodded. “Well, looks like I have a lot of work ahead of me.”
He rose from his chair.
“Once again, thank you, Alex. Every second counts now. I need to restore the Rays of Hope as quickly as possible and prepare for the children’s return.”
He turned his gaze to Astarion and Elizabeth.
“It was an honor to meet you.”
“The feeling is mutual,” Astarion replied.
“Hope you’ll visit again someday,” Elizabeth smiled.
“I will, as soon as I find a free moment,” the beastman said with a nod.
He looked at Rogan.
“You’ll see me out?”
“Of course,” Rogan answered shortly, standing up. He politely said goodbye to Astarion and Elizabeth, and exchanged only a short glance and a nod with Alex.
Gornorax waved his large hand.
“Take care!”
Then he turned and left the office together with his son.
