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Sumeru was in shambles.
Well, to be more precise, Akademiya was in shambles.
With the former Grand Sage Azar being overthrown, four of the Darshan sages being dismissed, it was a lot of work for Nahida to make Akademiya more stable. The only thing that she could think of in that situation was to hire people she could trust to do the groundwork until the system could be established perfectly.
The person she could trust the matter on was Al Haitham, the former scribe.
His intelligence was exceptional even among Sumeru students. There was no doubt that Al Haitham was the one who fit the criteria that Nahida wanted. It was a position that most people want to have. Apparently not for Al Haitham.
"Have you read my resignation letter?" Al Haitham said to Nahida as he gave her the documents she was supposed to review.
Nahida nodded before she stopped her hands and looked at Al Haitham. "I'm sorry that it's been really rough lately… But can I please ask you to stay at least until I find another replacement?"
Al Haitham hummed at her words. "Do you have anyone in mind?"
Nahida shook her head. "Not at the moment." Nahida sighed as she stretched out her limbs, working hours must've been taking out on her. "Cyno is looking for one as we speak. I'm really grateful he's helping me even though his job is only judging people as the General Mahamatra."
It was no surprise for Al Haitham. If anything, it's Cyno who always overworks. Definitely not a life that Al Haitham wanted.
"I've heard that your relationship with Cyno has improved since before." Nahida gave a knowing smile. "I guess I didn't need to worry about Akademiya's internal affairs that much. I appreciate that."
Al Haitham was dumbfounded. "Oh… we kind of talked it out between ourselves." It was clear in everyone's eyes that Al Haitham and Cyno got closer after the whole Saving Lord Kusanali Project . Especially when they're the Acting Grand Sage and General Mahamatra, communication wasn't something that could be avoided.
Nahida smiled at Al Haitham, but then looked at the papers that she needed to work on while giving a melancholic look. "You should talk to Cyno about your resignation. I know I hold the utmost decision, but since the one who communicates with The Acting Grand Sage the most is The General Mahamatra so… I shouldn't take the last decision."
Even if Nahida said that, Al Haitham couldn't help but feel troublesome with all of the unimportant affairs. Applying for resignation wasn't supposed to be a tiring task but why did Al Haitham need to go through all of this…
"You're going to resign…?" Cyno carefully repeated Al Haitham words as if he didn't believe what he had heard. "Any… reason why?"
Al Haitham shrugged his shoulders. "Being a scribe suits me more."
Cyno squinted his eyes towards Al Haitham, definitely doubting his words. He then sighed, knowing that he couldn't really debate with Al Haitham regarding matters about his ideals. "Fine. Do what you want."
Al Haitham raised his eyebrows. "You're not going to refuse?"
"Even if I do, you would apply to resign again." Cyno sighed. "It seems that searching for another Grand Sage should be a priority." Cyno mumbled as he took out some documents and lists out of his locker.
"You look a little reluctant."
"Good eyes." Cyno said. "But it's a personal matter."
"Personal?" Al Haitham questioned. "About my resignation?" As Al Haitham saw Cyno's nod, he started to question more. "Why would my resignation affect you in any kind? It's not like I'm leaving the Akademiya or anything."
Cyno put his documents on the desk and stared at Al Haitham's eyes. He sighed before speaking properly to Al Haitham, with a more composed stature. "Should I tell you the truth then?"
"Is it something meant to be hidden?"
Cyno shook his head. "As I said, it's a personal matter so it has no correlation with formal affairs."
Al Haitham put out a really curious, yet confused expression. "Do tell then." Personal matters were a rare occurrence coming from Cyno, who worked as a General Mahamatra to judge people fairly and objectively.
Cyno sighed and took a seat on his desk. "It's… I think it's easier to communicate with you. Although we have disagreements, you would lay out the facts and easier to know which one has the better option." Cyno's fingers unconsciously grazed on the documents on his table. "Even if… you resigned from being an Acting Grand Sage and went back to work as a Scribe, we wouldn't even have any chances to ta… discuss."
Al Haitham hummed thoughtfully. "I understand where you're coming."
"It's not something you should care about. This is my personal opinion as Cyno, not as The General Mahamatra." Cyno said sternly and looked straight at Al Haitham. "If you decide to resign anyway, report to Lord Kusanali as soon as you can. I need time to look for your replacement."
Al Haitham started to ponder Cyno's words. Definitely, his decision was clear. He wanted a calm and peaceful life, going to work and home as per working hours without any overtime. He wanted to read his books, chill at home, not even caring what happened to the whole Akademiya as long as he got a stable pay.
He was sure.
"I've talked with Cyno about it. He said to do what I wanted." Al Haitham said briefly about his talk with Cyno, not even elaborating what other stuff that Cyno told him to the archon in front of him.
Nahida gave him a questioning look, but she didn't say anything about the matter. "Very well. I'll process it in 2 days. Until then, you can dismiss and continue to work as a scribe."
Al Haitham stayed quiet for a while before he nodded. He was sure that this was the most logical step to achieve the most comfortable phase in his life. "Lord Kusanali, why did you tell me to ask Cyno?"
"I think I've told you that it's because you, as the Acting Grand Sage, communicate with Cyno the most." Nahida said as she gave a confused look.
"No." Al Haitham shook his head. "I'm sure that's not the only reason."
Nahida was dumbfounded at first but she chuckled it off eventually. "As expected Al Haitham, you're truly perceptive." Nahida stretched out her hands and took a more comfortable position. "Cyno told me once when we were talking about the future Grand Sage."
"Lord Kusanali, I've brought some names for the sages for each darshan. I've written some backgrounds and each record so that it'll be easier to review them." Cyno said as he put a stack of paper on Nahida's table.
"Good work, Cyno." Nahida smiled at him. "Any updates for the Grand Sage?"
Cyno shook his head. "I tried to curate a few names but some of them didn't seem to convince me…"
Nahida sighed. "It couldn't be helped. I wanted to avoid what happened to the Akademiya before so I properly wanted to select them…"
"Is Al Haitham out of the list, Lord Kusanali?"
"Sadly, yes." Nahida forced a chuckle. "He doesn't seem to be interested in being a Grand Sage so I asked to be the Acting Grand Sage instead."
"Ah… I see…" Cyno looked so dejected. "It's a shame…"
"Oh? Did you expect him to be the Grand Sage?" Nahida teased as she eyed Cyno's reaction.
Cyno let out a sheepish chuckle instead. "No… it's just… a personal opinion of mine."
"That's why I personally think at least you should hear Cyno's thought before deciding." Nahida said as she smiled at Al Haitham. "If somehow talking to him didn't change your mind, then I assumed that even if I tried to convince you, it would lead to unnecessary problems instead."
Al Haitham stayed quiet.
Nahida's way of thinking wasn't wrong. Definitely Al Haitham, no, everyone knew that he was more than capable of being a Grand Sage. However, with Al Haitham's personality and his lack of attendance on meetings or discussions, it should be clear that he's not the kind of person who would be a higher ranking.
He was sure that being a scribe is better…right?
"I understand." Al Haitham finally said. "I hope you can find a suitable person for the Grand Sage."
In the end, Al Haitham picked the one he wanted the most.
A comfortable life.
Or… was it?
Weeks after that, the Akademiya was getting busier by each day. Some darshans who just got their sages needed a lot of adjustments for their policies. They couldn't really do much since Al Haitham was going to resign soon so they had to postpone their meetings until the new Grand Sage was being appointed.
Technically, Cyno's workload, as the General Mahamatra, was getting tougher each day by the new sage's insistence. Various people were interviewed, background checked, and consulted. In the end, Cyno couldn't find a suitable person to be the Grand Sage.
Al Haitham, on the other hand, was doing his job as usual. Arriving at his office and going home as working hours. Going to the bar for a quick drink or visiting the eatery for lunch.
However, ever since then, Al Haitham felt something was different.
Cyno, who used to accompany him during lunch, wasn't there.
Cyno rarely showed up to drinks with the other boys since he had a lot of appointments with the Grand Sage's selection.
When Tighnari and Kaveh brought the matter up to Cyno, he just brushed it off with a joke while saying, "Well, we need a Grand Sage so it couldn't be helped…"
Something tugged at Al Haitham's heart.
"Happy birthday, Al Haitham!!"
Kaveh and Tighnari barged into his office, bringing a lot of food and drinks to be shared.
Al Haitham couldn't help but notice the number of people. "Where's Cyno?"
Tighnari shrugged his shoulders. "He had a discussion with Lord Kusanali about a promising candidate for the Grand Sage. I tried to convince him to at least come and surprise you but he got into an argument with one of the sages."
Kaveh rolled his eyes. "Since a certain someone didn't want to be a Grand Sage!" He sneered.
Al Haitham squinted his eyes and made an unpleasant look at Kaveh. "I'm pretty sure I had the choice to decline."
"And you had the choice to accept!!" Kaveh argued. "Cyno was working like crazy these days and he still needed to judge scholars in between them being a Mahamatra and all! You're just making everything worse."
Al Haitham hated to admit it, but Kaveh was right.
He contributed to Cyno's workload.
However, if he wanted to argue, he was just taking what's right. What he deserved to have.
…or so he thought.
Al Haitham pondered it a lot for a whole day.
He was thinking the pros and the cons of each decision of being a Grand Sage. Everything that he could think of told him to not accept the offer of being a Grand Sage.
It will disrupt his comfortable life.
However, something… was tugging his heart.
Something that won't even leave even when he tried to distract himself with books.
He didn't know what it was.
But, he knew why.
"Eh? You'll be the Grand Sage?" Nahida exclaimed as her eyes and mouth widen from Al Haitham's words. "I-I'm not dreaming, am I?!"
Al Haitham nodded. "I apologize I just accept the offer now… I had a lot to think about."
Nahida jumped from her chair and skipped happily around Al Haitham. "Oh gosh!! Better late than nothing!! Cyno has heen so harsh on himself to search for the Grand Sage!! Not only that, the sages just won't stop complaining." Nahida smiled so widely and faced Al Haitham. "Why did you change your mind?"
Nahida's smile was mischevious. She knew what he's thinking but Al Haitham answered her anyway. "It's a… personal matter."
Eventually a lot of procedures were getting cleared up. The work that was given to Al Haitham to prepare himself to be a Grand Sage was no small feat. However, Al Haitham weirdly didn't regret it, especially when Cyno came to his office after he talked to Nahida about the matter.
"Y-you really… want to be the Grand Sage?" Cyno's mouth widened up. He held his breath, as if expecting the worst outcome possible coming out from Al Haitham's mouth.
However, Al Haitham smirked it out and teased him. "Do you not like it, my General Mahamatra? You're going to work under me now."
Cyno chuckled as he let out a sigh of relief. He dropped himself to the chair near him and closed his eyes. "Finally…"
Al Haitham couldn't help but smile at the sight of Cyno. He crossed his arms and laid back on his chair. "Well, you should take a rest, Cyno. It's important to take breaks. I'll handle what I could for now on."
Cyno looked at Al Haitham and let out a relieved smile. "Now you're so into your role." He chuckled and walked towards Al Haitham while tugging something from his pockets. "Here." He put out a small box in front of Al Haitham.
Al Haitham raised his eyebrow. "And this is?"
"It's your birthday present…" Cyno said in a small voice. "It's nothing much but it's a bookmark. I know you have a lot but I tried to make it suitable for you. I'm sorry I couldn't give it to you during your birthday."
Al Haitham opened the package to reveal two bookmarks. One of them was more of Cyno's color, purple with small doodles of jackals. The other was a book themed with green and vermillion undertones, just like his eyes.
"O-OH!! I'm sorry!!" Cyno took the one with the jackal out of Al Haitham's hands. "I must've placed this wrongly. T-this one was supposed to be a test product–"
Al Haitham took it again from Cyno's hands. "It's my present, Cyno. I'll be taking this."
"B-but… your…"
Al Haitham gave a small smile at the nervous Cyno. "So, isn't there something that you should say to me?"
Cyno pursed his lips out of frustration. In the end, he sighed with a smile as he looked at Al Haitham.
"Happy birthday, Al Haitham."