The Exchange Teacher - Welcome to Dyntril Academy

A light, misty rain fell on the onlookers as they watched the Hianb ship raise anchor and head out of the port. Wrapped in some of his thicker robes and an ankle-length overcoat, Basque stood next to Eder as they watched the ship depart.

"Thanks for your report, Basque."

"A deal is a deal."

"Are you going to miss her?"

"Who?"

Eder turned his head and looked at Basque. "Rakelle, of course."

"Oh." Basque shrugged. "She makes good company."

"Didn't you follow her here?"

Basque nodded. "I did. And thanks to a certain someone, our relationship ended when someone volunteered me to be left here."

"You're not going to miss her?"

Basque put his hand on Eder's shoulder. "I've known Rakelle for ages. I'll miss her as much as she misses me."

Eder frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Turning and putting his hands in his pockets, Basque walked away from Eder. "Well, how long did it take for you guys to have sex after she and I broke up? Rakelle's not the most long-term girl out there. So, don't get your hopes up."

The head of the Hianb delegation followed Basque. "What's that mean?"

"You wouldn't be asking me about her if you hadn't fallen for her."

"Are you jealous?"

"I was pissed when I first realized she was using you in particular, but I wasn't surprised, nor was I jealous."

The cold ground crunched under their feet as they headed back to where the carriages were parked. Eder's was horse-drawn, while Basque's was horseless. Eder had the bad habit of picking up the bad habits of Kruamian nobility.

"That's…"

"That's what, Eder? We don't like each other."

"Why did you follow her in the first place, then?"

Basque stopped and turned to the other man. "Because she and I have been friends forever. I liked being with her. She said she was going to break up to go, but we'd stay together if I went. Observing a different school system sounded fun."

"Then why are you staying? You know I'm the one who extended your deployment. You could have ignored me and gone back with her."

"This is one of the differences between a tiger and an eagle. Tigers respect their commands. They don't abandon their post for personal reasons." Basque resumed his trek back to the carriage.

"You sure it's not because of the lilly-haired Kruamian?"

Basque stopped again. "I won't say she plays no part in it, but I still would have stayed for just the kids, even without her. This place is a shithole, Eder."

Leaving Eder standing there, Basque got in his carriage and had the driver take him back to the school. Since he spent most of his time at Dyntril, and not at the embassy that the delegation had been given, Basque didn't feel much different now that of the one hundred or so countrymen who'd come with him, only fifteen were left.

He was sure that the others probably felt completely surrounded by the Kruamians, and he wondered if that was why only he and Eder had shown up to see the ship off. He would have thought Xelac would have come, but the studious man hadn't been there.

The port was at least a forty-minute ride from the school, and let Basque see a good portion of the city. Duchess Norellia ran the area by the port. The streets were well maintained, and the clothing of the commoners walking about the street was of higher quality than that of the surrounding counties and baronies.

Depending on the governing individual, the areas the carriage passed through ranged from well-kept to dilapidated. It made Basque wonder what the so-called "king" did for governance if the citizens' lives were so dependent on the noble directly above them.

Despite the weather, smoke billowed up in the distance. Its darker color whipped and whirled in the wind. Basque frowned at it. "Do you know what that is?" he asked the driver through the comm port.

"No, sir. I'm afraid I don't."

"Do you know where it is?"

"It's be coming from the northeast, so that's be up in Duke Jorellen and his supporters' area."

Basque watched the smoke, but it didn't dissipate as the mist turned into actual rain. Eventually, too many buildings got in the way, and Basque lost sight of the smoke. Sitting back, he planned on asking Sophia about it.

An odd number of city guards loitered around the gates to Dyntril. Normally, just two stood by the entrance, and only two had been there on his way out to the port, but now Basque counted over a dozen lingering around in the large brick courtyard in front of the gates.

All of them wore rain slickers, so he couldn't see their arms insignia, but the two guards at the gate, whom Basque recognized, stood straight at attention and eyed the others. Whomever those city guards belonged to, they weren't the same faction as the schools' guards.

Once back at the school, Basque thanked the driver and headed inside. The Grand Entrance Hall was deserted, but considering it was class time, it made sense that no students were there. However, the lack of servants was ominous.

He'd left his class with Natt and the supplementary teachers, so he wasn't worried about them, but all of the oddities were making the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Instead of going to the classroom as he planned, Basque went up to his room.

Again, there were no servants on the stairs. At other times, when he'd gone through the Grand Entrance Hall or back to the dorms during class time, there'd always been a maid or servant cleaning. Today, there were none.

Basque's stomach sank. He couldn't shake the feeling that the lack of servants, the collection of city guards outside the campus, and the fire further away in the city were all related.

Had Sophia tried something? Now that the majority of the Hianb delegation was gone, and more wouldn't be back for another half year, had Sophia used it as an opportunity to attack a weakened territory?

With a large number of ambassadors around, she couldn't have been sure that Hianbru wouldn't side with the official government. Rather, she could have been sure they would. Hianbru wouldn't want to get involved with rebels if they lost.

Hianbru's arrival would have delayed any plans she had. Working with Basque, she would have confirmed Hianbru's impartiality; she would have learned that only a handful would remain after six months; she would have calculated this time to strike while she had a chance.

After all, she knew Basque wouldn't help the government, and she would have known he was her strongest threat. His room was empty when he barged in. No Yesenia—no Sophia— to greet him.

"Yesenia!"

"Yes, Master Basque?" she asked from behind him.

He jumped and turned around. He'd not sensed her approach in the slightest. She didn't make a sound, and even looking at her, he could see how well she masked her presence.

"Can you get Sophia for me?"

Yesenia frowned. "I'm sorry, Master Basque, but Head Maid Sophia is currently indisposed."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"Yani!" Basque couldn't help but wonder if she was out there lighting the fire with the others, but at the same time, he didn't think so. Her relationship with Natt and position in the school's hierarchy pointed to her being one of the ringleaders, someone who told people where to set the fires, not light them herself.

Basque ran a hand through his hair. "Where is she?"

"I was making sure my people are safe and trying to find somewhere for this child."

Again, Basque spun on his heels. Sophia walked into his room behind a girl who looked to be about Yesenia's age with slate-blue hair.

"Belinia!" Yesenia said. "Where were you?"

Sophia grabbed her ear. "Taking a nap in the laundry's drying room."

Belinia ducked her head. "It's warm in there."

Basque eyed the new girl. Sophia had taken Yesenia with them when they disposed of Wendina's body, but he didn't know how much the other girl knew. "What's happening?"

Before Sophia could answer, someone knocked on his door. "Gerenet-Shr, are you in there?"

It was Reianna.

"Yes, come on in."

Reianna came into his room, but when she saw the gathered maids, she stopped, leaving the door open. "Oh! I can come back later…"

"No, it's fine. Is everyone back?"

"Yeah, Natt said we needed to go straight back to the dorms after class, but wouldn't tell us why."

Basque frowned and looked at Sophia. He knew Natt would have told him if Sophia had planned something, so the maid must have warned Natt after he'd left for the port. "Where is Natt?"

"She went to the teachers' room."

"Okay. Thanks. What can I help you with?"

"I was wondering if we'll be able to practice on the grounds today or not."

Basque looked over at Sophia.

Someone banged on the dorm hall's door. BAM! BAM! "CITY RAID! OPEN UP!"

Though her expression didn't change, Basque had learned to read Sophia's expressions well enough to know that she was scared. She grabbed the slate-blue-haired maid by the shoulders and pulled the maid to her.

"Is this you?" he asked her. Sophia shook her head.

BAM! BAM! BAM! "OPEN UP!" BAM! BAM! BAM!

"Reianna, go back to your room. Sophia, you all stay here."

"Yes, Gerenet-Shr."

Basque waited until he saw Reianna disappear into her room before he opened the door.

A man wearing a pointed metal helmet and carrying a pike stood on the other side. His hair was hidden, but he had a big, bushy, orange mustache. Two more guardsmen stood behind him. "Step aside! We have authority from the crown to search for the late Duke Jorellen's daughter, Banca."

"Has she done something wrong?"

"Stand aside!"

"Are you here to arrest her?"

"Stand! Aside!"

"Answer my questions."

The guardsman pushed Basque, but Basque didn't move. The guardsman took a step back and readied his pike. The other two men spread out and raised their weapons as well. "I have authority here, outwaller."

Basque raised an eyebrow. "Are you threatening me?"

"I must search these premises for the late duke's daughter!"

"No."

Krill weaved his way through the men and put his hand on the lead guardsman's shoulder. Pulling him away from the door, Krill put on that smile that made Basque want to punch him in the face.

Basque's stomach plummeted. The other shoe had fallen. These weren't guardsmen coming to arrest a revolutionary-turned-terrorist. No, these men were the perpetrators.

"Master Basque, we've been getting along so well, recently. Let's not throw our newfound understanding for each other away over a little brat."

Basque narrowed his eyes. "Was this you?"

"No, my friend, it was us! You and your wonderful little pupil helped me gain my dukedom. Straight past marquess and right into the territory I'd always dreamed of. You didn't think I helped that little gutter rat out of the goodness of my heart, did you?"

"Watch yourself, Krill."

"Just…step aside and let us look for that lilac girl. We won't bother your precious little commoners."

Basque kept his grip on the side of the door and didn't move. "I'm not from here. Explain what you've done."

Krill sighed. "Well, it started when you helped me get solo credit for that Yani in the cafeteria. That gave me the kill count I needed to rise to duke. However, all the dukedoms were locked in with strong support."

The clanking and creaking of weapons and armor preceded three more guardsmen, who came up the stairs and took position behind the first three. Their rain slickers were gone, and their feet were dry. That had to have been an order from the fastidious Krill. No dripping water in his school.

"Is that where Jorellen comes in?" Basque asked.

"How astute! There I was, sitting on enough kills for promotion to duke, but no way to get there. Then you bless me again with your amazing teaching abilities! You get the smallest child in your class to not only take down a duke's daughter, but take her down in a way that gets Jorellen to call for a mage hunt!"

Krill spread his arms out. "Oh, I could have kissed you! And here I was thinking your invasion was the worst thing to happen to Kruami."

"Why wait till now, though? Why not when you betrayed Natt?"

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. I wasn't the one who betrayed her—that was her team. No, I just helped them find the opportunity and rewards for it."

"But you got nothing out of it."

Krill folded his arms and leaned back. "What would I have gotten out of it? I didn't have enough kills to be a duke, and I didn't want those trash lands Olithan got from Natt, anyway. If I had moved up to marquess when I helped get Olithan into Natt's spot, all the dukes would have been wary of me.

"No, staying an earl and getting those men and women to be on my side when the time came was what I needed from that."

Basque's fingers dug into the door, and the wood groaned in protest. The causal tone he used when talking about hurting Natt made him wish it was Krill's neck his hand was squeezing. "Why are you burning the city?"

"Burning? Oh! I guess you must have seen smoke on your way back. Jorellen couldn't read the room, unfortunately. Along with a number of his servants, the house needed to be cleared."

Basque ground his teeth over the jovial way in which Krill boasted about murdering countless men and women. "What do you need Banca for?"

"Like I said, the house must be cleared. I had her parents and siblings killed. Despite losing to your brat, Banca is strong. I can't have her graduating with dreams of revenge."

"Are you saying you're going to kill her?"

"What do you think these men are here for, Basque? To escort her for ice cream?" Another group of three soldiers joined the other two. The outcropping in front of the dorm hall was getting crowded.

"Why would you think she's here, though?"

"We've already checked her room and the little nurse's office she's been sneaking off to over the last week, and she's not there. Madam Julvie told us that she returned to the dorms, and her maid is also missing. That bleeding heart Head Maid Sophia probably would have brought them here."

Basque shook his head. "Sophia hates Banca, just like the rest of my class. Banca would never come here for sanctuary."

"Well, it doesn't harm to let us look, does it?"

"It does, in fact. I do not want you disturbing my students."

"Basque."

"Good day, Deputy Headmaster Krill." Basque closed the door, but Krill stuck his foot in the way.

"Move your foot."

"I need that child."

"She's not here, and even if she were, I still wouldn't hand over a child for you to murder."

"Basque." He put his hand on the door.

"Krill. Congratulations on becoming a duke. I hope you rule your dukedom more justly than you've run this school. Now move your foot or lose your foot." Basque swung the door open wide and slammed it shut. Krill pulled his foot back just in time for it not to be smashed.

Someone banged on the door again. "Basque! We'll break this door down!"

Opening it, Basque stepped outside. The men surrounding the door backed up, and Basque pulled his arms out of his sleeves.

"Don't make this an international incident, Basque."

"Oh? Is that why you waited until the others left? Afraid of some sort of retaliation?"

"I don't need a Yani-load of outwallers seeing our politics at play."

"Just me?"

"You don't care."

Basque cracked his neck. "Yeah, but when it comes to killing children, I'm kind of peculiar about it. So, you've got two choices. Your men can walk down the stairs on their own, or I can help them down by giving them a little toss."

"There are ten of us, Basque."

Basque raised his hands and got in a fighting stance.

Krill looked at him hard. "Fine. How will you compensate me if she is in there?"

"You've orphaned her, correct?"

"Yes."

"So, if she stays, she has to take the commoner exception thing that Sanya could have done. Which means she would be my student if she takes it. I'll train her. I'll give your country another Yani hunter five times more powerful than your strongest active hunter."

"Ha! And what makes that good compensation for me? I told you she will want to kill me, and your solution is to give her the skills to do it?!"

"She won't want to by the time she graduates. I guarantee it."

Krill stared at Basque for several heartbeats, then raised his hand. He waved in the direction of the stairs, and his guards moved down them. "I'll hold you to that, Basque."

Turning, Krill followed his men down the stairs, and Basque put his robe back on. He watched the deputy headmaster vanish down the stairs. He felt guilty about blaming the incident on Sophia. Instead of being the agent of chaos, she was trying to protect people. The slate-blue-haired maid had to be Banca's.

Maybe that maid would know where Banca was; Krill seemed to think so. Wherever Banca was, Basque had to find her before Krill did. He wouldn't stand by and let a child be murdered.