Chapter 106 - Goodluck Spell

"Faustina, how are you faring? Here I am, on the third doc.u.ment signage. Are you sleeping properly?"

The king crumpled yet another piece of paper and then exasperatingly—sighed. His sapphire-blue eyes darted towards another blank paper looking back at him like a haunting piece of nothingness reflecting his incapability to write a proper letter.

The study was filled with crumpled paper that spoke of multitudes.

The king was trying to write Faustina a letter.

A real one—to be exact. One made by paper enclosed by the royal seal. Not a fire message. A fire message containing only questions about her well-being would be odd. He tried to—and after thinking for hours of what he was going to say, he finally sent her with a single question.

How are you faring?

Really. What a joke. There wasn't any reply from Faustina, so the king assumed it was a translation of—

The king stopped as a mystic fire appeared right in front of him, flaring with a purple hue atop his desk.

A fire message.

"From Faustina," the king utters the moment his fingertips reached the flame.

"I will report immediately if there is any information we can find, Your Majesty," says Faustina from the fire message. "Glory to the Feuersturm Empire."

"Aah," the king sighs. Right. Of course, this would be her reply.

This is why he didn't want to send a fire message with these types of questions.

"That's not what I meant . . ." the king mutters.

"Your majesty?"

The king raised his head and then sees Elliot Wainwright standing before the doors. He bowed. "Glory upon the Feuersturm Empire."

"Elliot." The king exclaimed. "What is it?"

"It seemed like the archives were missing doc.u.ments . . . worse, they are from the hidden archives," says Elliot. "The Feuerfalkes had sent an investigation force to retrieve the missing files."

Noah narrowed his gaze. Feuerfalkes. A flashback made its way back to his mind—that bloodshot look of Axkell Feuerfalke when he ascended to the throne, along with the indifferent look of the Feuersoldats when he was crowned as king.

"They raised a concern to the palace because . . . there was a witness of who the thief was." Elliot says. "And . . . they said he carried an insignia of the Knighthood."

The king narrowed his eyes.

"The reports were made. He had a paper-white hair and demonic red eyes . . ." Elliot exclaims anxiously.

"I see." The king says, and then rose from his seat.

"Your majesty—you don't think the Vice-captain did this, right? Sir Abe isn't the type to steal doc.u.ments . . ." Elliot says. "Elvis and I discussed about it and a large group of knights agrees that there must be some kind of misunderstanding . . ."

"What did Axkell Feuerfalke say about this?" Asks the king and began to saunter outside of his chambers. As he passed to the corridors, the maids bowed their heads as a sign of respect.

"He criticized you."

The king remained silent as he walked, with Elliot trailing behind.

"He said it was a mistake for assigning an assassin a high ranking position," Elliot says. "The boards in Feuer also seemed to agree and the public is embracing the statement he made as a fact."

"I see." The king utters, "summon the high knights. A discussion will have to be made."

**

"Are you finished sending His Majesty a fire message?" Asks Orwell.

"Yes," Faustina answered. "I'll try to send him another one if we find something useful."

They stopped by to buy a few things along the way whilst Faustina took her time sending a fire message and changing to her uniform, which was a white blouse matching with dark red collars. The blouse was paired with a grey vest that had Magierstadt's insignia that symbolized a firefly entrapped into a hexagram, and a dark-red skirt and thigh-high black socks and boots to finish the look. (and peculiar as it seems, there are numerous stalls along the way made for students-to-be to change to their Magierstadt uniform).

And at first, she was worried about how people will think of her sending a fire message in the middle of the street. But as she looked around—others were also doing the same thing. In fact, the purple hues of the fire message being sent looked like fireworks and shooting stars drifting to the skies.

"Fire messages are common here in Magierstadt," says Orwell. "Anything powered by magic is what you consider typical in here."

Faustina nods, and then took a deep breath. They were getting nearer to the academy. Every step she took matched the loud thumping on her heart.

"Magierstadt . . .!" Gasps several student-to-be.

"We're finally here . . ." Maddie says, "M'lady?"

Breathtaking.

That word did not do the academy justice.

Faustina didn't know how to describe the place. Its opened gates were ginormous— the place itself had intricate motifs of firefly insignia proudly instilled in the gates as its design. Vines with flowers also climbed at Magierstadt's walls. The academy itself looked like a castle—an enormous fortress standing proudly with a distinct look that spoke of the academy harboring magic inside its walls.

The enormous fountain in the middle of the academy's entrance served as another great view. There were already students present in the academy frolicking around and talking. Faustina glanced at the students rushing into the fountain. She noticed several students dropping their coins to the fountain.

"That's the Fountain of Wishes," says Orwell. "It's rumored to be a granter of only one wish. Many freshmen dump some coins in that and wish to pass as a sort of passage."

"Did you wish to the fountain, Lord Orwell?"

"Well, when I was a student-to-be, I wished to pass," says Orwell. "And I did!"

"Wow! Then it does grant wishes?" Asks Maddie with her eyes sparkling.

"Unfortunately, if it did really grant wishes, Ianua I should have been chockfull of students from the moment it was built," says Orwell. "It's not enchanted, but there's no risk in trying to wish. Even Lucas did it and he was fortunate enough to be on Ianua I. Oh, also you can wish when you graduate, so you have an option."

The three of them walked near to the fountain. Faustina sees her reflection on the water looking back at her. She also sees several coins on the fountain.

"Anyway, Faustina." Orwell exclaims. "This is how far we can go. The exams are starting soon."

Orwell messed Faustina's hair with a smile in his face. "But I will be returning at a few days' time to inquire about the things we need to investigate."

"M'lady!"

Faustina blinked several times as Maddie wrapped her arms around her.

"Oh—where are my manners," Maddie then parted away and sniffled.

Faustina smiles and hugged Maddie.

Orwell smiles as he sees the two ladies embracing each other. Faustina met his eyes, and he just smiled and ruffled her hair again.

"Please be careful, M'lady," says Maddie. "Don't strain yourself too much! The duchess said you can give up when you can't do it anymore!"

Faustina smiles. "I'll be alright, Maddie."

[Magierstadt's gates are closing. I repeat. Magierstadt's gates are closing.]

"The doors will open soon," Orwell exclaims, patting Faustina's head. "Maddie, go on ahead. I will say discuss a few things with Faustina,"

Although hesitant, Maddie nodded as she sniffled. She then turned to the opened gates and joined the others who were leaving.

"Orwell?" Faustina tilted her head.

"Be careful out there," Orwell utters, and then leaned gently, kissing Faustina's forehead.

He drew away with a smile. "There."

"Wh-what . . . was that?" Faustina asks, her face a deep red.

"A protection mark," says Orwell. "It's my own spell. A good luck spell."

Faustina blushed. "I-I see."

"Do your best," Orwell said. "And don't just stand there! The doors are opened. You have a mission!"

Faustina nodded. "Yes!" and then scurried off to the large, opened doors of the academy.

"Your mission!" Orwell shouts, "is to learn!"

Faustina turned, and then gave Orwell a grin before she ran inside the academy with her silhouette disappearing to the light.

Now this begins Faustina's journey.

Orwell then reached to touch his lips. He was a liar now. But strange as it is, he didn't dislike it.

He chuckles. A good luck spell, huh?