Chapter 209 - Continuation

Faustina slowly opened her eyes, only to see a ceiling and fireflies ahead. She slowly sat down, mind still up in the clouds.

"Oh, you're awake,"

Faustina blinked as she sees a young man walking towards her.

"It's already sunset. Classes have ended a while ago. Here,"

Ezekiel then handed her what seemed like a piece of a peeled apple. "Here. You're asleep for the whole day."

Faustina then bit on the apple.

"It's not good conjuring a spell while having no sleep at all."

Faustina stares at her forearm. The veins weren't protruding anymore.

"Healers came to let your mana flow more naturally," Ezekiel exclaimed. "Do you feel better now?"

Faustina nodded, but she was still in a haze.

"Faustina,"

She turned towards Ezekiel.

"Why did you hold your magic back earlier?"

Faustina blinked.

"You're not unleashing your full potential," Ezekiel said. "You held back your magic that's why you've had your mana being suppressed."

"That's not it," Faustina murmured as she clutches the blanket around her legs.

Ezekiel only stared at Faustina, who looked both troubled and anxious. He only smiled. "I see."

Faustina did hold her magic up. But it wasn't that she wasn't unleashing her 'full potential'... it's just that she can't.

Her control.

Faustina knew from the exam that when she tries to create large scale magic attacks, her mana would flow continuously and would be unable to stop. If she does that in the arena, then she might spur unnecessary attention.

However, given the fact that Ezekiel noticed such a thing, then it wouldn't be too far-fetched to assume professor Ramsha noticed it too.

Faustina was still feeling hazy. It was the feeling she gets whenever she falls into a long sleep—and it has been a while ever since she took a night of sleep for so long. She felt refreshed, and ten times better than before. Perhaps, it was because of the sleep, or the healers as well. All fatigue in her body seemed to be gone.

"By the way..." Faustina exclaimed as she turns towards Ezekiel who gave her a gentle smile.

"Where's Anakin?"

Faustina doesn't know if it was her imagination, or Ezekiel's smile became different.

"Oh." Ezekiel only stared at the opened windows in the infirmary, which had a view of the sunset.

"He went on ahead earlier." He exclaims.

"I see..." I should thank him later, Faustina thought.

"By the way, Faustina," Ezekiel's amethyst eyes then met hers.

"Are you free tonight?"

Faustina tilted her head. "I think I am...?"

"Great." Ezekiel then sat beside her. "Do you want to go to town?"

"To town?"

"Yes," Ezekiel gently smiled again. "For dinner."

**

Anakin and Lilliane were walking to the streets of Magierstadt's town. It was already evening, and the fireflies were already drifting around the place, illuminating the dark. Lilianne was wearing a dress which had the finest silk their father could ever fathom to gather—it was the color of red, which contrasted Lilianne's blond hair beautifully. The dress was indeed gorgeous, but his sister was given credit for her appeal and looks.

If it wasn't only her patience and her brain, then she should have been perfect.

"It's weird for you to join me, Brother," Lilianne said. "Usually you would tell me to go back to Feuersturm, or at least attend to my studies. What's with the change of mind?"

Anakin stared at Lilianne, who was still looking at the shops and the magical items that can only be seen in a magic country.

Lilianne came to Magierstadt without any prior notice—he only knew when she sent a letter saying she had arrived. This was how Lilianne is; to expedite her social circle, she would go as she pleases to different places (and in this case, a different country). This should be a big deal, given Lilianne only gone to different places in Feuersturm.

However, it's not like she doesn't have a good reason. Both her brothers—Ruenti and Anakin—were students of the said country. Coming for a visit passes as an excuse to their father.

But Anakin knew better.

"I want to see Ezekiel, brother..."

"You should stop whining and get it together. You're going to be Feuersturm's next empress. You shouldn't be too infatuated with him."

"Huh. The king's pretty much sickly, anyway. And I haven't seen his face since his ascension—plus it's not like I can remember it when I'm pretty much a child myself back then."

"So?"

"So he's probably not my type," Lilianne said. "So, what's the place in Magierstadt that is suitable for a noble lady, such as I?"

"I don't know. This place isn't the same as Feuer Capital, Lili. Magierstadt is the home for scholars. Do you expect scholars to party for a week?"

Lilianne rolled her eyes heavenwards. "Are you stupid? Of course, I know that."

The two were walking onto the streets, finding a good place 'good enough' to pique Lilianne's interest.   Anakin himself looked around. Many seemed to be equally attracted to Lilianne like the ones in the country. She was, after all, a very charismatic lady that their mother educated as early as she learned to walk.

Upsides were that Lilianne became very graceful and a renowned lady in the society. She built her connections at a young age, which then called the attention of the castle itself. They saw Lilianne as a suitable empress due to her being a graceful, educated, and sociable lady.

But that was the surface. Anakin knew her to be similar to some villainess in a fantasy romance novel written by commoners. She harbored a short temper like their mother and a selfish and domineering attitude. Once she becomes the empress, she would surely indulge in whatever she sees fit.

"But seriously, Brother... what brought you here?" Lilianne asked as she crossed her arms. "You don't usually spend some time with me."

Anakin only walked alongside her, unsure of what to say.

Why did he come here, indeed?

Anakin thought of the reasons. He was in his room back then—the classes have finished and he headed straight to the dorm after checking on the sleeping Faustina who was with Ezekiel. For some reason, he doesn't remember the events that happened before he had come back to his room. Perhaps it was because he was feeling under the weather or the fact that his head was on the clouds.

On the clouds.

Anakin stared at the ceiling. Magierstadt was big enough to provide students their very own rooms... at least, noble students. Commoner students — at least two, share one room.

"Magierstadt's next schoolmaster, huh..."

—

"You did many horrible things to her at the exam. I wondered why that was the case. It was too unnatural. You could have easily passed the exam by simply abiding by the rules. Perhaps you would be in the second Ianua if you did so." Ezekiel said as he stares at the sleeping Faustina. "Yet you tried to harm this girl instead. The professors let it go, given the fact that my mother gave you pardon."

Anakin thinned his lips as he averted his gaze.

"I was with this girl, in the capital,"

Anakin's eyes widened.

"Lilianne met her, too," Ezekiel exclaimed. "I danced with her at the festival. She left her shoe as we danced. Truly an odd girl,"

Anakin felt his heart clench as he hears this. "So you've met before."

Ezekiel smiled. "Yes."

"So why did you bring us here? To talk about this?" Anakin asked, maintaining his composure.

"No," Ezekiel exclaimed. "I brought us here because I want you to back off," Ezekiel said with a smile.

Anakin's expression gradually became grim.

"And who are you to tell me what to do?"

Ezekiel smiled.

"The next schoolmaster."

Anakin stared at Ezekiel who was still smiling ever-gently. Anakin returned the smile with a cunning smirk.

Of course.

He had a title, and he would flaunt it easily at the most convenient time. Even if they say Magierstadt had no noble standards, this clearly does not seem to be the case.

"I see," Anakin smiled. He then sauntered closer to Ezekiel. "So you're saying you're the next to rule."

"Next to rule," Anakin emphasized with a smile.

"But what about now? What power do you hold—? The ability to use portals?" He asked, leaning against Ezekiel's ear. "You take me too lightly, Ezekiel Unsterblich."

And as Anakin leaned away, his eyes met Ezekiel's amethyst ones. Ezekiel did not, in any way, look pleased.

"It will take you a while before you could call yourself the schoolmaster," Anakin exclaimed. "And by that time, who knows what'll happen?"

Ezekiel only stared at Anakin.

"Nngh... Eul...a..."

Both Anakin and Ezekiel glanced at Faustina who had stirred and brows furrowed. It looks like she was dreaming.

"I'm taking her to the infirmary," Ezekiel exclaimed, walking past Anakin.

"Go back to class."

"And you're staying here?" Anakin sarcastically scoffed.

"I've got permission," Ezekiel said as he opened the door.

"Permission?"

Ezekiel then smiled gently.

"Tummy ache."

**

Chain's corner: stay tuned.