Chapter 5 - Disappointment

"Wake up Aaris, it's morning already!"

I opened my eyes and saw my mother Cara.

"Get ready, hurry up! You know that we can't afford to be late, it will leave a bad impression in front of the school board. You are already nine years old, it's time for you to start elementary, so hurry up!!" she said while shaking me tremendously.

Even though a mother already, Cara Ralkier, looked quite young. She had jet black hair and a face so beautiful that everyone misunderstood us both as siblings. Her eyes were scarlet red like mine, with a gaze that leaves an impression that she could see inside your soul.

"Cara!!" A scream.

"Yes, my lady?"

My mother Cara hurried immediately in the direction of the voice..

"Why aren't you in the mansion today? How dare you bother me by making me come here! A good for nothing slacker like you should work hard, but look at you! It's past 11, and you are dawdling here?!"

Lady Erza, the wife of Lord Husre eldest son of Lord Nulim, was a blonde-haired woman with blue eyes. She envied my mother so much that she never miss a chance to draw out faults from her.

I was living in Keious, a domain of Tresguys since I was born. We lived in a humble cottage in the yard of their mansion. Lord Nulim Tresguy, Lord Husre, came from a clan that was excellent in illusion and other magic that deals with people's senses. They played an important role in the investigating unit called "Ravens" of the kingdom which acted as their trump card for spying or investigation.

Lord Nulim Tresguy was an extremely prideful man. He will do anything to eliminate anyone or anything that would threaten the reputation of their name- Tresguy.

Despite being the weakest, my mother was intelligent and clever. From the books that she wrote for me, that helped me learn to read and write, to study magic, spells, and many other things, sometimes, even I was shocked how could someone be that smart.

She helped Lord Nulim to reign his domain without any flinch. She acted as an advisor to him and was trusted so much by the lord more than he trusted his sons. In exchange for her service, he gave my mother shelter and food.

My mother was a hard worker, but still, everyone resented us. There were many reasons why; one was because the name Ralkier was unheard of. They thought we were the lowest class in the domain.

"I apologize for my insolence but I already asked lord Nulim for a day off. Today is my son's interview at the school of the domain, my lady," she said while bowing down to Erza.

"Hmph! Just because you are close to Father, you think you can do anything that you want. Hmmm... but since father has permitted you to do it so very well then. I won't go against Father's will. I know that you have stayed with his side after Mother's death, you must've taken care of his happiness since then as well, I assume."

I didn't know what Erza was saying but by the expression on her face, while looking at my mother, I was sure she was insulting her. With her head still lowered, I could feel that she was not happy.

"Go do whatever you want I don't care, and good luck to your useless son!" she said before she strutted away from our cottage.

"Mother?"

"Don't listen to her Aaris, there isn't an ounce of truth in her words. Neither you are useless nor I have something to hide," she said with a consoling smile, then turned quickly at the clock.

"Oh my! Look at the time, hurry up or else we are going to be late."

After getting dressed we went to the domain school for elementary education for the children.

In this world, everything is driven by magic, and its principles even if it is cooking,

detoxification of ingredients,

labor use telekinesis, and earth magic,

even writing something requires basic knowledge and techniques of scriptwriting and encryption of it by magic.

If there is anything to study that doesn't need using of spell then it would be perfect for me.

Until now my mother taught me to read and write, when I turned six she introduced me to the beautiful world of sorcery,

On my sixth birthday, we spent in the cottage, she brought a talisman with weird markings on it, I was curious and I asked about it to my mother, she just smiled and said

"Follow my lead and you'll see, I am sure you'll love it!"

At midnight, we went to the forest behind the mountain,

I was walking with her holding her fingers then we ended up at the cliff in the forest, she told me lay on the ground, then

She fused the Talisman with light stone,

I was feeling the grass tickling my nape, and I was staring at the night sky the delicate cold and flickering stars, I wanted to stay like this forever, my mother came running to me and laid beside me and held my hand,

"Now don't look anywhere or you'll miss the show!"

"What sho-"

A light went up straight surging through the curves of the sky and turned into beautiful hues, like it sketched a castle with a glistening dome with stars and colors, there was no sound but an echo filled inside me.

"It's beautiful isn't it!"

"It is!! is the-

is this"

"Yes, it's magic, didn't the starry night sky was beautiful enough, it was right? but it can be more beautiful and still it can be much more gorgeous, exploring beyond the impossible and to make your dreams come true and hope to that never let you give up, that's what magic is!".

I couldn't avert my eyes from the sky, I was grinning like an idiot,

"MOTHER!"

"HMM?"

"I want to become a mage, One day I will become one of the greatest mages!"

"Hmm... I don't want that!" and now she was pouting!

"what? but why-"

She put her hand on my head, "because I think you'll become The Greatest mage of all time!"

Her smile lived as one of the prettiest I ever saw, more than the colorful sky.

Since that day I practiced every day, to strengthen myself, she wrote few books for me, on basic magic and about this world, she was the reason I never gave but I never was able to use the simplest of spells, but the day I used voodoo doll spell was the best thing that happened to me.

That day I didn't know that she lied or I really used the spell.

"Miss Ralkier please submit your ink gem and documents and wait here." A lady in a uniform came and took us to the hallway,

"Please, submit the locket I give you three days ago."

My mother took the locket she gave me, I knew I have to return it at some point but now I don't want to, but she took it.

"I am sorry we can't admit your son to our school."

The Head Mage of that school, a middle-aged man with an irritable look on his face.

"B- But why?" Her anxiety made me feel uneasy too.

"The locket We gave you 3 days ago, It is the gem that glows according to the Mana of the one who wears it, and your child was like a firefly caught in a glass ball, I mean it was same as any amber, He won't be able to keep up with others

there are so many children nobles and commoners in other classes that can become great mages in the future,

If we admit a child like him it will tarnish our reputation,

I hope you understand, we are saying for your and your child sake, there isn't any hope for him, So I suggest-"

"THANK YOU!!" She stood up banging the table with both of her hands,

"You said my child was like an amber, then just wait to turn it into blazes, I believe in him, and as a teacher, you should've done the same,

I am not (whisper) sorry for my rudeness, now we shall take our leave,

Let's go, Aaris."

With a gentle smile on her face, my mother and I walked out of the Head Mage room. But we were not yet far when she suddenly looked up, as if she had remembered something, She forgot my documents.

"Yes absolutely lady Erza I rejected her son straight away. Nah, don't worry about the excuses. How can we admit such a useless kid in our school? So please don't worry, we will not let down a Tresguy in his domain....yes I am really happy to be useful to you-"

"Excuse me."

The Head Mage was talking through an Intercom Gem utilized with a talisman when we arrived in the room. Surprised, he lifted his face and saw us standing in front of the door.

"Can we have our documents back?"

He handed the documents horridly,

"I-

I-" his voice started trembling,

"I don't blame you are not any different from them, just like a sweet fruit given his flavor after eaten,

you are living up to the name of the teacher of nobles."

"I think she called you Shit-" The receptionist

"I KNOW!!" I heard him yelling.

We walked out of his chamber she lifted me and held me close,

Hearing everything that he said, I knew that my mother was burning in rage now, despite of that the smile on her face remained.

She was already consoling me,

"That old jerk, who he thinks he is, I bet he is a corrupt scum lied-" She probably heard me crying now,

I started sniffling already when I heard him say that they won't admit me. When we were out of school premises, my mother turned to me with the same smile she had since we first went inside the school.

"Hey, don't think about it much...

Hmm..... Aaris I just thought of a good idea. Since it's our day off, why don't we go to a park or somewhere fun? You always wanted to right?"

I knew that my mother was consoling me and so I suddenly broke into tears. Crying hard, I grabbed her hand.

"Mother am I useless? Am I really such a loser? It's okay, you don't have to lie anymore I know...

I am a disappointment to you-"

And she slapped me.