"It's hardly that important right now though, we'll be able to beat our frustrations into those lazy brats next semester when we're in the Honor Class."
"Yeah, you're right." Is what Arthur said, but he was really drawn more to the fairy sitting across from him several tables away.
"You know, that really takes me back to the night of the first day of classes, when we made that pact together to get to the Honor Class together." Derrick continued in the background.
"I actually believed you were trying to use me for something, but it turned out that you really just wanted a friend, who you could lecture on philosophy, which is humorous looking at it from the perspective of the lesser, but I greatly appreciate your teachings."
There were no thoughts in Arthur's mind for the last ten seconds. Or was it twenty? He did not even comprehend time. Even after she noticed him, and looked into his eyes, he did not look away until another couple of seconds passed.
She was a friend; but someone I regarded as a child, even though we were of the same age. She was ignorant and immature.
She awakened mana one day, not too long after me and Cedric received ours, but they moved away a week later.
What could've changed in her in the year since her family moved?
What has happened to me to start thinking so deeply?
His eyes answer his question for him.
Oh, right. What a stupid question.
…
It was 06:55. Since his outburst four weeks ago, Arthur had left every day before the morning bell rang at 07:00 to avoid Cedric, but today, they had both woken up, and begun to leave at the same time.
While putting on his leather boots, Cedric smiles while humming to himself.
"Are you excited for the guest lecture from the Judicial Board representatives today? It's too bad that the first years are the only ones that won't get to meet the Commissioner, but we're supposed to get a lecture from his deputy Vice-Commissioner, the youngest one to ever be appointed! Every other year we just get a free day, but for the first time, we're getting a lesson as well! Isn't that exciting?"
Arthur heard all of it, but it didn't appear as if it took away from his focus of straightening his uniform.
How could you speak so casually like nothing happened?
"I heard from my friends that the staff in charge of monitoring students will all be drinking alcohol down in Varethal because the two guests will be awake the whole night!"
Is this forgiveness?
"Do you want to sneak out of the Academy and stroll around the city with me?" Cedric asked, half-joking, continuing to smile his innocent smile.
I never apologized. I never apologized…
"Don't speak of useless things to me ever again. You've wasted my time. We are not friends. We will never be friends. Leaving the Academy is an extreme offense. Mention it again, and I'll report it to your Instructor. I could easily tell my Magic Engineering professor to bring it up in their next meeting, I could just inform him after class, and you would be expelled just like that. I'll do the same if you aren't already asleep by the time I get back from my supplementary class tonight."
He stepped out of the room with an uncertain expression.
"Well, since we're already here, let's talk about the history of this domain. If you didn't already know, we are currently in the Varethal, the civilian capital city of the Viera Kingdom's only Archduchy. I say that this is the civilian capital of their domain because their real seat lies in Frostgate, the fortress city furthest north. But regular people aren't allowed there. The Iskandars are the Lords of the Frostlands, protecting every other human nation from the Northern Barbarians with their family's powerful Sword Style, possessing one of the most destructive attacks to ever exist. Their history is rich, and they were originally part of the Viera empire before its division, and afterwards, the Viera kingdom, before the Civil War that resulted in them partially seceding from the Viera Kingdom, and forming their own Independent state."
"Now, you will all be given some text you must analyze about the Civil War I just mentioned. Please answer the questions attached, and turn in the assignment at the end of class."
Arthur's cheek pressed against the cool desk he sat like that for a long time until he felt the vibrations from incoming footsteps. A voice followed when the footsteps ended.
"Have you completed the assignment?"
"Yeah." Arthur weakly replied, weakly lifting up his hand from underneath, and sliding the paper up the desk for the instructor to collect.
"Thank you." He said before continuing to make his rounds around the classroom.
It was an interesting topic, I suppose.
"See you tomorrow." Derrick said.
"Yeah."
Arthur looked up at the dark sky once more after entering the First Year sector again. It was the routine he did every night after finishing his favorite class to calm himself. It was at this time where he would release all his joy, excitement, and anger so he could maintain his stoic demeanor during the day. For the last few weeks however, it wasn't the same. There was no joy to hide anymore. He was empty. And tonight especially, with the clouds above him, he felt small. But he refused to admit it.
As he walked through the halls, there was no sound, not even a change in light. Everything was still.
Entering his room, the stillness continued. Cedric was in bed, his blanket pulled up to his mouth. His eyes were gently closed, peacefully at rest, yet perpetually emanating radiance. He possessed the beauty of a god, anyone could see it. There was truly no one in the academy who questioned his popularity.
Arthur felt the same way now as he did looking upon the pendant his mother gave him, and the sword his father gave him, a standard, but sturdy longsword made of fine steel, leaning against the wall, next to the far side of his bed, and a gemstone tied to a string that they had made together. He felt loneliness, emptiness, fear.
He thought back to his mother's words.
"When it comes time for you to leave home, make sure you stay together. You are a team—help each other when the world feels too heavy, and lift one another when one stumbles. No matter where life takes you, remember that you share the same roots, the same love that raised you. Stand by each other, protect one another, and never forget that family is your first home, no matter how far you roam."
Why was he only recalling it now, after all this time? He thought some more, and realized it was not the content of her that he cared for, there were few lessons he actually remembered. But her voice, and her love, her kindness.
How gentle she was when patting his wounds that day, she made all the pain go away.
At that moment, he began to finally think.
"How pathetic. How pathetic I was for acting like that. How pathetic I am for thinking like this."
"I swear I'll fix all this tomorrow."
"24:59" The clock read when he closed his eyes, but the hands of the clock would never turn again after "01:00".
"BOOM!" Another closer, but less deafening explosion immediately followed.