The Hidden Heir At Valaris Academy

Chapter 3: The Principal Office

As they reached the principal’s office, Kael noticed the smooth brass plate on the dark wooden door. It read: Principal, Valaris Academy.

The woman stopped in front of it, arms folded.

“That’s the office. Go in,” she said curtly, then turned on her heel and walked away without another word.

Kael hesitated only a second before knocking gently.

A voice came from inside. “Who’s there?... Come in.”

Kael pushed the door open and stepped into the office.

Inside, the room was spacious, warmly lit, and tastefully furnished. A large glass window behind the principal’s desk revealed a quiet courtyard. Seated at the desk was a man in a dark suit, clean-shaven with streaks of gray at his temples. Across from him sat two other well-dressed men, deep in a quiet conversation.

Kael gave a respectful nod. “Good morning.”

The man behind the desk, presumably the principal, looked up, ready to return the greeting, but the moment his eyes met Kael’s face, his words caught in his throat. He stared, stunned, then slowly stood up.

“Kael?” he murmured under his breath, as if confirming to himself.

Then, in a heartbeat, he turned to the other two men.

“Gentlemen, please give us a moment.”

They exchanged confused glances but quickly stood and exited the office without question, closing the door softly behind them.

The principal moved around the desk at once, his demeanor shifting completely. He walked up to Kael with wide eyes, his voice filled with respect.

“Young Master Kael... Master Danaru, welcome, welcome!” he said quickly, almost stumbling over his words. “I was expecting you!”

Kael raised an eyebrow, confused by the man’s sudden familiarity, wondering how he knew his name already and was even addressing him as a young master.

“Principal?” he asked, cautious.

“Yes, yes,” he said, motioning to the seat in front of his desk. “Please, have a seat, young master.”

Kael sat slowly, scanning the room. The nameplate on the table matched: Principal A. Vaughn.

The principal returned to his seat, folding his hands tightly, still visibly rattled by Kael’s presence, though in a respectful, almost reverent way.

“Young Master Kael,” he said again, voice softer now. “How’s your grandfather?”

Kael blinked. “My grandfather? You know him?”

Vaughn let out a quiet chuckle, like someone revisiting a long-held secret.

“Know him?” he repeated. “Your grandfather, the old master, Midas Danaru, is one of the silent founding benefactors of this school, the biggest even. Without the Danaru trust, Valaris wouldn’t even have this building.”

“Oh really?” Kael muttered, not expecting that.

His grandpa, Midas Danaru, was the founder and patriarch of the Danaru family legacy and also the king of Berylan village, a man known for turning untouched land into one of the most valuable rural holdings in the country.

He built an empire quietly through land ownership, mining rights, and equity in several major corporations; he owned a gold mine in Berylan, but even with such wealth, he stayed away from the city, living in the village that he considered his kingdom.

Kael was the only grandchild of Midas Danaru, and despite being the heir to enormous wealth, he was raised with modesty and was trained to grow into a strong, grounded man and not a spoiled heir.

He knew his grandpa was rich, but in a village where most people owned land and lived without struggle, it didn’t seem extraordinary. What Kael never realized was that his grandfather’s wealth wasn’t just local, and it wasn’t just comfort. In the city, it was the kind of wealth that made headlines. The kind that built skyscrapers, owned boardrooms, and made even billionaires bow in recognition.

When he expressed his idea of going to a university, his grandfather personally signed and made arrangements for his documents to be submitted.

The school’s principal already knew who Midas was. The 10M+ net worth requirement was easily surpassed by Midas’s holdings, and the family trust also happens to be a hidden donor to the school.

That’s how Kael received the High Clearance Legacy sticker.

Kael nodded politely. “My grandpa is very healthy.” He replied.

Principal Vaughn smiled with visible relief. “That’s good to hear. If he had informed me you were arriving today, I would have made arrangements to personally receive you.”

Kael gave a small smile. “Thank you, Principal. I’m fine. The madam at the registration center asked me to come see you. I tried to explain that my form wasn’t forged, but she wouldn’t believe me.”

He reached into his bag and carefully brought out the registration file, placing it on the principal’s desk.

“All of it is correct. My grand—”

“Ah! That was you?” Principal Vaughn cut in, his face suddenly tightening with guilt. “I’m so sorry, truly. I didn’t realize it was you they spoke about minutes ago. That was just a misunderstanding, Master Kael; please don’t take it to heart.”

Kael gave a slight nod and let out a quiet breath of relief.

“It’s fine, but please… just call me Kael, not ‘young master.’ I’m just a student here and want to live comfortably like everyone else, so I don’t want any constant premium treatment from you because my grandpa is a donor or anything like that. It's my first time hearing of that, and honestly I just want to live peacefully… like everyone else.”

There was a pause.

Then Principal Vaughn nodded, slowly and respectfully. “Of course. Sure… Kael.”

He leaned back in his chair, folding his hands with care.

“Your grandfather raised you well.”

Kael said nothing, but a quiet pride flickered in his eyes.

Just as Kael adjusted in his seat, the principal suddenly reached for the telephone on the edge of his desk.

“Just a moment,” he said quietly, lifting the receiver and dialing with speed.

He waited only a beat before someone on the other end picked up.

“Yes,” he said, voice low but firm. “Come to my office. Quickly.”

There was a pause, a response Kael couldn’t hear.

“No, not later. Now,” the principal repeated, glancing briefly at Kael. “It’s important.”

He placed the phone back into its receiver gently, then sat up straight, the polite smile returning to his face.