These past few weeks, I noticed the awkward actions of Aunt Calla, Uncle Carob, and Collin. They all become busy and have no vacant time. At first, I understood. However, as I learned about something from Headmaster Hades last week, I've started observing my surroundings.
Last night, I just realized that I did a great revision on the prophecy. I still can recall Celeste's words to me when we, students, went to Thalia.
“A woman will come after the two hundredth full moon. She has extraordinary strength and power. During the first five days, she will know what she can do. When the two hundredth full moon comes, she will know who he is. Two months later he will perish. In the third month, the people of Dreich will sow evil and prepare everything for it. When the second full moon arrives in the fifth month, Enchanted will begin again. War on female leadership has come. And the woman, is the Mystic Princess, the granddaughter of Geminid Schiz.”
The night I arrived here, the moon was shining so bright and is bigger than usual so the first sentence is correct. Secondly, that's also right because that's when I learned that it's not just the wind I can control. On the 221st full moon, that was the time I met Headmaster Hades for the first time and there he elaborated things to me before I went to Aurora to confirm.
And this is where I changed everything. Ten days ago, it's my first month here so I've been staying here at Schiz Academy for a month, a week, and three days. Seven more days, then I will be damned. If the first event is different, there is a big possibility that the time of the happening of the next events will also change.
Past decisions reflect the present situation which results in future possibilities. Take note of that.
If something bad will happen to me a week from now, then I must continue preparing and constructing plans in case the first one fails which is the one I told to Sorceress Halina as we met before.
I wore my princess coat and teleported going to the Training Chamber. As I appeared here, the lights automatically turned on. It's only 4 AM and no student is awake by now except me. Maybe there are but I bet they are still in their respective dorms.
As I motioned my hands, my black magic staff and a white magic sword appeared on each of my hands. I took a deep inhale and started training on my own.
“You did great.” I faced Crimson who had just entered TC. “Didn't I tell you not to train on your own too much? And this early?”
“For no one to notice and for me to be able to concentrate more,” I reasoned and smiled. “By the way, good morning.”
“Oh, trying to avoid? You know that I'm pissed so you're starting to be clingy?”
“My goodness, Crimson, you're in a bad mood early in the morning!”
“Who doesn't get in a bad mood with what you're doing? You haven't slept for eight hours after you've been training.” I pouted at him. A couple of seconds passed, and he frustratedly messed his hair and sighed. “Okay, fine! But please, before you train, eat first without passing out.”
I smiled at Crimson and planted a kiss on his cheeks. His eyes widened and even blushed. “Yes! I will eat on time and before training.” He just nodded. “You're cute to blush." Then he glared at me. “Why are you angry? You're really cute to blush!”
“Let's go, let's have breakfast first.”
Here in one of the Academy towers, we decided to eat. I first took off my coat and then started eating the breakfast foods he took from the Dining Hall earlier.
While looking at the peaceful place, he spoke. “What are your plans?”
“Plans for?”
“Plans for your future.” I faced him. “After your Academy life, do you want something to do?”
“After my Academy life?” I echoed. Actually, nothing really since my mind is focusing on the Wielders of Charms and the possible events that happen linked to that competition. “Nothing yet.”
“Ahh...”
“But...” He diverted his gaze to me. “I want to be a mother.”
Crimson shot a confused yet surprised face. “You want to be what?”
I just smiled and faced the scenery before us. “I said I want to be a mother of my kids. I want to have a family. That's what I want to happen. But I think, that's unlikely to happen. My life's at stake here. I can't guarantee whether I will return here alive or already in a coffin. Many things can happen when I leave the Academy, in my comfort zone, to you...to you.”
I looked at his hand holding mine and hers. “Can you just not leave?” I bit my lower lip. “Can you just not leave me?”
“Crimson...”
He smiled a little, bitterly. “Why am I even asking? I know that's not what you want.”
I lowered the sandwich I was holding and faced him. “Crimson, I'm leaving but I won't leave you. I'm just leaving for a while, and I'll be back here at the Academy. I'll be back with you too. It's only a matter of time.”
He bent down and pulled me to hug me tightly. “I don't want you to leave my side, Ahrina. As much as possible, I don't want you out of my sight because I'm afraid of what might happen. But, I want you to do what you want. I don't want to limit you. So even if I don't want to, I'll allow it. that you leave.”
This is so difficult! Why is it that when I have to leave, I can be attached to a man emotionally and romantically? So annoying!
“Hey.” I stopped stroking his back. “Are you crying?”
“I'm not,” he answered immediately and slipped out of the hug.
He averted his eyes and just ate. “Hey, are you crying?”
“No way.”
I laughed and cupped his face. When I saw his red and wet eyes, I laughed at him again. “God, you're crying!” He slapped my hand softly away and averted his gaze. “Hey, why are you crying?”
I heard him sob and hugged me again. It was there that he began to burst into tears as I caressed his back as he calmed down.
This is the very first time, actually. The very first time I saw him cry. And, the first time I also see a man crying...in real life. In dramas, I have watched men cry. But never in myself have I experienced myself seeing one, until now.
When he was relatively quiet, I spoke. “Are you calm yet?” I felt him nod. “I have to leave, Crimson, but I'll be right back. I'll be right back. I can't promise, but I'll do everything I can to get home alive.”
I just really hope my first plan doesn’t happen because when that happens, there will be another Enchanted War in no time. And my chances of survival will be smaller.
She slipped out of the hug again and I wiped away her tears. Sh*t, I'm crying too. “You have to go home alive. I'm going to marry you.”
I smiled suddenly at what he said. This one is too future-oriented. “I don't know if I'll be happy or laugh at what you said.” I laughed as he pouted. “Are you sure you're the one I'm going to marry?”
“Even if I'm not the one to marry you. But I'll make sure I'll be the father of your children.”
“Crimson!” He started laughing mildly. “You're really crazy.”
When I arrived at the dorm, the three were already awake and preparing to enter. “Oh, where have you been, witch?” Lia asked me a kind question.
“In the Training Chamber,” I replied and entered our room to get ready.
“Did you train alone again?” I nodded to Freesia. “Goodness, you're a woman. Are you really serious?”
I turned my back to her and opened the bathroom door. “No turning back.”
I was about to go to the bathroom when she spoke again. “Have you already been allowed?”
“Of course.”
“By Crimson?" I stopped talking and went into the bathroom. “That's hard, Ahrina.” I heard her say. “But I'm not going to interfere with what you two talked about.”
“Thank you,” I just replied and started taking a bath.
Leaving the dorm, we only saw Blake leaning on the gate post. “Oh, where are the two?” I immediately asked.
“Suddenly, the Headmistress called them,” he answered. “I don't know what's going on around here right now. Do you feel it? The ambiance of the Academy suddenly changed.”
Marina shrugged. “We noticed.” Then she faced me. “Can't you still talk to them, Headmistress?”
I shook. “Even if I ask the butlers to help, there won't be any.”
“What can there be?” Lia mumbled.
“All I can say is,” they all gazed at me, “I have a bad feeling about it.”
The classes have started, but they still don't have Crimson. He was my classmate in two subjects this morning but not even his shadow made sense. I was even more nervous and pissed off, I don’t know why.
“Girl, are you okay?” I confronted one of my classmates, Ophelia, a lava mage.
I smiled at him and nodded. “Yes, I'm okay.” She just nodded and focused again on what our Communication Arts teacher was teaching.
Blake was the only man with us again this lunch. He was able to uplift my mood, in case I couldn't help but worry.
“Crimson, Thoreau, where have you been?”
I just kept quiet while Lia, Marina, and Blake continued to tease me because the other one didn't have a boyfriend yet. Freesia was also quietly eating next to me. I patted her a bit. “Are you okay?”
“I'm nervous,” she replied and stopped eating. “I don't know why but I'm nervous.”
I smiled at her and patted her shoulder. “Everything will be fine, too.”
“I hope so.” Hopefully, everything will be fine.
After lunch, I went straight to CR. When I came out of the cubicle, I saw Julianna standing in front of the sink and washing her hands. I don't know what the status of these two women is but she has been quiet these past days.
When she turned off the faucet, she spoke. “Aren't you wondering?” I stopped rinsing my hand. “Aren't you wondering why Crimson and Thoreau were suddenly called and never came back?”
“What do you mean?” Julianna laughed annoyingly. “Julianna, answer my question. What do you mean by what you're saying?”
“Are they really hiding everything from you now because of what you know? Or maybe they're hiding everything from you to put you even closer to danger?”
It was too late when I noticed that I was harassing him. But I don’t regret that. I want an answer. I need an answer. “What do you really want to say, huh, Julianna?”
“Whoa, whoa, slow down there, little lioness.” She smirked. “Don't you really know? I pity you, Ahrina. You're pathetic. You're being made stupid, you don't know yet.”
I tightened my grip on her collar. “Answer my question, Julianna Sutton! What do you know? What do you know!”
“Crimson and Thoreau were just sent again to spy not on the Hesperia boundary but right inside Dreich.” I glared at her. “I'm serious, Ahrina. That's exactly what I heard from Headmaster Mildred earlier.”
“F*ck you.” I pushed her hard and quickly headed towards Aunt Calla’s office.
When I got to the door, I was immediately stopped by two butlers. “Lady Ahrina, you can't come in.”
"Let me in.”
“I'm sorry, Lady Ahrina, but in—“
“I do not care!” I quickly pushed open the door and rushed inside. They were in a meeting, but I merely care. “What do you really want to do? Gradually the elemental mages in this school?”
Aunt Calla and Mommy quickly stood up. “Ahrina, it's not like that.”
“Not like that? For f*ck's sake, you sent Crimson Torren and Thoreau Whistler inside the city of Dreich which is outside of anyone's jurisdiction! I don't f*cking understand what's really going on and becoming like this All of a sudden! And wow, I found out about it from others!”
“Watch your words, Ahrina!”
“I'm not talking to you, Sir Collin.” I faced Aunt Calla again. “What? Don't you have anything to answer? Are we all fooling around here? Hiding secrets like that?”
“Ahrina!” Mommy shouted. “I don't like those words coming from your mouth!”
“Then send Crimson and Thoreau out of the Dreich now!” I thundered to all of them. “I don't f*cking care if this is part of the agreement between the Committee and Schiz Academy. Just send Crimson and Thoreau out now!” However, no one even made a move. “No one?”
“Ahrina, please,” Uncle Carob begged.
“None of you are really going to send them home today?” I faced Tita Ruby and Tito Vermillion. “No one?” I took a deep breath and diverted to Tita Calla. “Well then, I can send them home now.”
“Ahrina, you can't do anything about this!”
I paused from walking and faced Aunt Calla. “Of course, I can. I am the Mystic Princess and I know lots of secrets that all of you don't know. I'm just asking, you send them both home. But no one did what I am asking for. So I'll do it. Be strong there.”
But before I could leave the office, a male student rushed in and wounded him. “H-Headmistress, all student mages are being attacked by necromancers now.”
I immediately went to the guy and strangled his neck. “Where is their exact place?” He didn't speak and just looked at Aunt Calla. "Where!”
“Inside Dreich! N-Near the boundary of Hesperia and Dreich!”
I quickly marched out of the Academy. But opening the door, I was overwhelmed by the two fainting men by the fountain. “Crimson! Thoreau!”
“Ahrina.” I turned to Lia. “The doctor said that Crimson and Thoreau are stable. In just 48 hours or so, they will wake up.” I nodded. "Let’s go inside?”
Going inside, they were Mommy I saw along with Marina, Blake, and Freesia. I approached Crimson’s bed and sat down to heal his wounds one by one.
“Ahrina, you don't have to do this, please,” Blake told me. “They will also recover immediately.”
I do not care.
After I healed Crimson, I went to Thoreau. Someone took my arm and I quickly took away that hand that was Mommy's hand. “A-Ahrina...”
When Thoreau's last wound on his forehead had healed, I stood up and faced them. “Mind explaining to me these sh*ts?”
“A-Ahrina, my daughter...”
I saw Aunt Calla move her head, gesturing my friends to leave the room so I spoke. “No one will leave this room.” My right hand moved, coating the doorknob with ice, and faced them again. “Now, please tell me, what is happening and why you, senior mages, have to bring those students' lives including Crimson and Thoreau in danger?”
“Headmaster Hades wants us to give you to him.”
“Then give me to him.” I let out a bitter laugh. “It's as if you don't know what happened in the past, that's how you are. Protecting me from that Headmaster doesn't validate you from risking those students' lies. If he needs me, you give me, not the lives of innocent students whose only desire is to learn and graduate. They are not puppets for you to control. They have minds, let them decide what they want to do with their lives!”
Aunt Calla closed her eyes tightly. “Ahrina, you don't understand!”
“Because you’re not explaining those to me!” I shouted back. “You never told me anything even though I deserved to know! I’m learning about this world through others! In a world where there is no justice, no peace, and no freedom! And f*ck, you’re making yourselves a slave of this rotten system!”
“Ahrina!” I bit my lower lip as tears pooled in my eyes after Aunt Calla's palm landed on my cheek. Mom immediately went to check on me. “Calla, that's unnecessary! You don't have to slap my daughter!”
I smiled at Aunt Calla. “Why? Were you hit by what I said? It's true, isn't it? You fed the system even though you knew it was against everyone's rights. He's right, it's deadly to live in this world,” I said and left.
“Cry it all, so you can feel better,” Freesia told me and continued stroking my back to calm me down.
Later on, I stopped crying and drank water. I saw Blake going there with a white envelope. He sat down in front of me and handed me the envelope. “Letter from the Royal Family.” I immediately opened the envelope and read what was written.
Addressed to: Ms. Ahrina Tantiana Regalia
Good day, Ms. Regalia.
Due to your superior magic control and incomparable abilities, the Royal Family of the Kingdom of Demetria is inviting you to be the representative of the Schiz Academy for the upcoming magic competition Wielders of Charms which will be held on Monday, 17th of August year 2020. The day of the departure will be two days before the competition which is on Saturday, 15th of August year 2020. As representatives arrived at the hotel, all will undergo tests, orientations, and counseling as preparation for the competition. The said competition will last until Friday, 28th of August year 2020.
We hope that you will respond to this letter through your school head or the city governess.
Regards,
Representative Meighann Snowdrop
Royal Palace of Demetria Representative to Aurora
“You’ve already received an invitation letter about Wielders of Charms,” Marina stated. “You’ll really participate?”
I nodded. “I will do it.”
“Ahrina.” I looked up at Blake. “The ones you can compete within those Wielders of Charms are a year of preparation.”
I smiled at him. “Blake, I'll win, I'll get the trophy, I'll come back to you, and I'll come home here alive. Even if they have a few more years of preparation, that is the least of my concern. A lot can change over time and we can't say what can happen.”
“That's the point there, Ahrina,” Freesia said. “We can't say what can happen with each passing second. Even if you say you can come home alive here, will you still live as before? Ahrina, you won't just get a trophy for winning that competition, as well as responsibility. You don't even want to be Aurora's successor and then compete in a competition that you almost don't know about?”
“I know everything about Wielders of Charms. Except I've seen past battles, someone told me and explained about it. So I know something, Freesia. I'm not ignorant.” I smiled at them. “I will accept this invitation. No buts.”
When I stood up, Blake spoke again. “Does that mean you're going to submit to the world system as well, Ahrina?”
I confronted him. “I'm not a foolish woman to submit to a system that doesn't matter. If the prophecy changes me, I can do the same with the system and governance of this world. And I won't return to Earth when the Magic World is in turmoil.” Their eyes widened. Before they could call my name again, I left immediately.
While in the hallway, I met Mommy. “A-Ahrina, can we talk?”
In Aunt Calla's office, we talked. Since there is no one else here but Mom and me, it's okay for me to talk to you. I also want an explanation of why I have to keep everything I need to know from me.
“Son, I heard you have already received an invitation from the Royal Family,” Mommy begins.
I nodded and showed him the letter. “I'll agree to what they want.”
“Son—“
“I'm going home alive.” Mommy turned to me. “I don't care about the responsibility I face after the competition. All I want is to win and change the system in this world.”
Mommy took my hand and spoke tearfully. “My daughter, I understand if you're mad at us all for keeping you a secret. But you don't have to do this.”
“I want to join, Mom. Please, allow me.”
“Ahrina—“
“Allow me, Mom, please. This is what I want and I think, it is only right for me to do such a thing.”
Mom burst into tears as I remained standing and had no reaction. I’m not numb, I just don’t want to show intense emotions right now. “My daughter, I'm sorry.”
“Except you can't allow me, I still have a lot to learn, can't I Mom?” There she stopped. “Who am I really? What is my purpose in this world? When I came, then everything went awry? What if I wasn't born, will everything still be okay? Are secrets also inherent in people here in this world?”
“Ahrina, my daughter,” Mom cupped my face, “don't say that. I was happy when I gave birth to you—“
“But are those around me, happy too? If I'm just in trouble, why are you still happy, Mom? Shouldn't you be rejecting me as your child and let me wander around until the necromancers?”
“Son! Please, don't say that. Yes, the magnitude of my sin is because I have so many secrets to keep so that you will not become aware of evil.”
“But Mom, you're the ones who get bad.” Mom kept crying in front of me. “I want an explanation, Mom. But for now, please allow me to join Wielders of Charms. You give me what I want, don't you? I hope you do the same in this situation.” I smiled at him and hugged him. “I love you, mom.”
When they arrived at the hospital room, Aunt Ruby was still there. “Ahrina—“
I cut Tita Ruby's statement. “I only have one thing to ask.”
They all looked at each other. “A-All right.”
“Can you convince Mom to accept the Royal Family's invitation to me to join Wielders of Charms?” Their eyes widened. “I want to join there not to be under the system and increase my responsibilities but because that's what I have to do. Please, let's put aside what you have to tell me first. I want to focus on that competition.”
“Ahrina, you don't know what you're getting into!” Sir Collin exclaimed.
“I know, Sir Collin. As I told you before, I know many secrets that you never knew. It doesn't mean I'm asking for an explanation from you, I don't know the events. I just want to know. That's why you have to keep everything from me because...you're bringing me closer to danger. Please, this time, do me a favor. And please, leave me here first.”
When the door closed, I sat down next to Crimson and held his hand. “Wake up, there are many waiting for you.”
“Is this your plan, Your Highness?” I paused as I heard Sorceress Halina's voice. I looked to my right and saw her gazing at Thoreau. “This is your plan. At first, I didn't understand, but now, I know. Do you want a guide?” I nodded. “Do what you want. But, you must accept the possible consequences of every action you take.”
“I will do.”
She smiled at me and touched Thoreau's forehead. “Good.” She approached here and also touched Crimson's forehead. “They'll wake up in a minute.” Good. “You only have a week left. Remember my advice to you. Your life is at stake here, Your Highness. When you die in that competition, there is a good chance you will never live again. And you know that is where your soul will go.”
“Thank you so much, Sorceress Come on,” I just said and just looked at Crimson. “In case I ever die in that competition, give this man the letter I gave you.”
“I will, dear Mystic Princess. I am leaving, may your grandmother bless you on your journey.”