Seed of Titan-Chapter 101: Entering Ravi’s Mansion

After three knocks, Samara paused and waited, but nobody answered.

’Is the professor really gone?’ Drai worriedly asked himself. He turned his head and surveyed his surroundings, but everything looked normal just like Paul said.

’I hope he’s just asleep or working in his lab...’ Drai thought as he turned to the front doors once more.

After waiting for half a minute, Samara tried knocking again, a bit louder this time around.

"Professor Ravi! It’s me, Samara!" she loudly announced before pausing once more.

While she was waiting for a response, Samara noticed that Paul looked a bit anxious.

’Does Paul really hold Ravi in such high regard? I thought he was just acting earlier. He really should mingle more. After being here for so long, how could he not know that Ravi is quite notorious among the staff?’

Although Paul was a friendly guy, Samara wasn’t really close to him. This was partially due to the minor gap between theoretical and practical lecturers who had their own circles.

The other reason was because Samara had only been here for a couple years after transferring from another academy. This meant that she had ended up here as Paul’s junior despite being quite a bit older than him, which made their interaction rather awkward, especially considering their different personalities.

After a brief wait, the group finally heard muffled sounds coming from inside. Soon, the sounds became clear; they were footsteps that were slowly approaching the entrance.

Finally, the front doors opened. Jack was standing there with a lantern in his hand. Based on his appearance, he seemed to have just woken up from his sleep.

Upon seeing this unusual group of people, Jack furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"What are you doing here this late, Professor? And why is there a blackout?" Jack asked Samara before shifting his gaze to Drai. "And why are you here too, kiddo?"

Scratching his head awkwardly, Drai replied, "Uhm... It’s a long story, Uncle Jack."

Luckily for Drai, he didn’t have to do the explaining, as Samara immediately said to Jack, "Let me explain." She then proceeded to summarize the recent happenings, including the bit concerning Ravi who was suspected to be one of the targets of this whole operation.

"...And that’s why we’re here," Samara finally concluded.

After hearing Samara’s explanation, Jack became baffled. He found it hard to believe Samara’s words, especially since the details had been left out.

Jack doubted that such a group would brazenly attack the academy regardless of their thorough preparations. After all, their rector was Zar Augra, one of the most powerful people in the whole continent.

Jack took a glance at Drai and saw the boy nodding at him, indicating that Samara was telling the truth.

"Come in first," Jack eventually said, letting the group enter the house. He led the four people to the sitting area where Ravi usually conversed with Drai when they weren’t in the basement.

After lighting a few candles on the table, Jack said, "Make yourselves at home. I’ll go get the professor." He then left in a hurry, heading upstairs to Ravi’s bedroom.

Samara, Paul, and Smith sat down on the chairs. Meanwhile, Drai went to the nearby pantry and grabbed some snacks. He then opened the mini fridge beside it and took a few cans out.

The other three raised their eyebrows when they saw Drai return with a bunch of pastries, chips, fruits, and drinks.

After setting the various items on the table, Drai took a seat beside Smith. He opened a can for himself and took a large gulp before grabbing the bowl of chips in front of him.

Looking at Drai who was casually snacking, Samara couldn’t help but comment, "I think you’re taking Jack’s words too literally, Drai."

"Hm?" Drai looked at Samara in confusion amidst his munching.

Samara sighed and shook her head. "Forget it," she said before grabbing her own drink.

Paul, who was seated next to Samara, leaned closer to her and whispered, "Won’t it be rude if we treat ourselves when we haven’t even met the host?"

"I’ll just blame Drai if he gets mad," Samara replied with a shrug as she opened her can, chugging the refreshing beverage.

Paul, who looked unsure, refrained from following his colleague’s lead. Smith also didn’t touch the snacks or drinks. In fact, he seemed a bit dazed.

Right when Drai finished his bowl, he heard the sound of quick footsteps coming down the stairs. Shortly after, Ravi and Jack arrived at the sitting area.

"Jack has told me about the matter. Is it true that we’re under attack?!" Ravi asked directly, not bothering to greet his guests. His loud voice jolted Smith from his daze.

"Yes, Professor. I came here after the intruders at my dorm were dealt with. This is not a normal blackout either since our comms also can’t be used. And you can check outside if you want to see the crimson dome," Drai quickly answered. He noticed that Ravi also looked like he had just woke up. But compared to Jack, he looked more haggard.

Ravi checked the comm on his wrist and saw that it truly wasn’t working. Following this, he walked to the front doors and checked the sky as per Drai’s suggestion.

"Holy shit... it’s really happening," he mumbled upon laying his eyes on the eerie sky. It wasn’t until a few seconds later that he finally returned to the others.

Since there was no empty seat left, Drai stood up from his chair.

"Please sit here, Professor," he said, offering his seat.

"Thanks, boy, but keep your seat. I’ll just grab another chair," Ravi replied while waving his hand. However, he immediately furrowed his eyebrows and lowered his eyes, looking at the hand that he was waving. A second later, Ravi tried waving again... and again... and one last time.

"Fuck! My spell isn’t working!" Ravi finally shouted after failing to telekinetically fetch his chair for the fourth time, shocking Drai and the others.