Chapter 215 - All About Faustina (Skippable Author's Thoughts)

WARNING: Character appreciation post. Can be skipped!

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01: Death of her master

"Faustina," says Eula in a very weak voice, "I don't think I am going to live much longer."

"Don't say that," Faustina softly said, as the ladle touched the dried lip of her master. Eula's fair complexion was now pale. Her red hair was unkempt, although Faustina combs it every day.

"Is the medicine working?" Faustina asked, "are you feeling better, Master?"

Eula unleashed several fits of cough. Blood trickled at the side of her lip.

"Months have passed," Eula said weakly, "maybe it's finally the time..."

Faustina feigned a smile, "You're going to be better, Master. Just wait for the medication to take effect. I've added a hundred percent concentration of the herb, and I went to the forest to search for those mushrooms the book was referring to."

"You have been researching night by n—" Eula coughed, "—ight. It's not working. You have been pushing yourself too much, Faustina... but I don't think I..."

"Don't be pessimistic... please." Faustina's last word broke. She clenched her jaw and tried to smile. "You're going to be okay."

Faustina stared at her master. She knew Eula was suffering. She could not even sit down, let alone lift a finger. Her body rejected the ingestion of food a month ago, and now it does not even react to any medicine. Her body is filled with spasms of agonizing pain by dusk to dawn.

"Faustina." Eula says, "y-you have been my apprentice for so long. For seven years of practicing medicine we have been through our own battles and the like,"

"Master...?"

"I've taught you everything I could teach. Our home... this small cabin in the mountain have kept you safe from the traders..."

"Master, don't try to speak—your condition is worsening!" Faustina says as Eula coughed several times once more.

"I want you to leave this cabin when I die. I want you to go and see the world..."

Faustina kneeled before the bed and held the hand of her master. Her mother. Her only family. For years they have been together and now Faustina can feel it—this is the day. Like it has been predestined. It felt so surreal now.

Eula says, almost tentatively, "from this day on your battle will be harsh... to escape those traders is one of them... to survive..."

"Master..."

"I..." Eula's green eyes shined with tears and sorrow, "I'm sorry..."

Faustina cannot hold it any much longer. Her strong front broke into smithereens; its fragments are tears coming from her eyes. Her sobs were slowly breaking into loud cries of agony.

Holding the limp hand of her master was like hanging into her sanity. No, she does not want Eula to go. She doesn't want her mother to go. She does not want to be alone.

"If you see the trader... run..." Eula says, her voice was getting smaller, "if you see the king..."

Faustina stared intently as Eula mumbled a breathless whisper.

A final breath.

Faustina shattered into a loud lament, mourning her master's death. She embraced the lifeless corpse of her only mother. Her only family.

"If I may intrude..."

Faustina froze. It's as if time stopped. Her heartbeat slowed and grew loud, as she turned around slowly from the door. The moon was shining brightly against the silhouette of a smiling man.

"I am deeply sorry for what sorrow you have experienced." He says, sympathetic. "Such sadness has befallen your heart, such crestfallen melodies from your cries."

"Wh-who are you?"

"Oh, you may call me Jonathan," he says as he bowed. "I am a Warlock and a Doctor."

The man smiled. "I have come to collect, oh—I meant... to acquire something special, my dear."

02: Capital

Inside the capital beamed a lot of colors—music from instruments Faustina never knew existed, even livelier stalls—it was as if there was a festival taking place around the city. Unlike the outskirts, the capital brimmed with thousands of colors Faustina can never describe—they were different from the history book she knew—on the surface, the capital was a lot more beautiful in its own being. Music, the lingering smell of food, the happy chatters of people; this was Feuer Capital in its entirety.

"We will be staying in an inn reserved to us by Father," Lucas exclaims as they walk through the crowd. "The inn is exclusive for the nobility, so it will provide you the greatest comfort from our journey, Sister."

Faustina nodded as she continued to look around. And then as they sauntered towards the cobblestone paths, she realized that there are people's eyes fixated upon her company—no, they were looking at her. The first thing she noticed is their hair color: mud-colored green hair, some with red and a dirty yellow—the plebeians, or the common folk; and then from another spectrum are people with glossy hair, fair-skinned, and attire that spoke of grandeur—the nobility. Both eyed her with fascination and the look of confusion, then as they passed more of the straight path they were taking, the attention seemed to shift more towards them.

Their eyes were inquisitive—asking, probing, taunting. The nobility's gazes were looking down at her as if they KNEW something, but they kept a smile on their faces. The commoners, on the other hand, were a lot more honest in Orwell's opinion. He instantaneously noticed the gazes laid upon them even on the outskirts of the capital. Not only the son of Duke Feuerlon was here, but he was also a Lotheringwood—a quite popular mage in his opinion. Moreover, there is a single entity that may have caught their interest; like a diamond surrounded by gems.

Faustina.

"Look at her grey hair," whispers one. "She's with duke Feuerlon's son, too..."

"Is that Orwell Lotheringwood?"

"The two rivals of Magierstadt, together?"

"Who's that girl?"

"Her hair... doesn't that ring any bell?"

"What do you mean?"

"The same traits as the duchess!"

"Then she's..."

Faustina bit her lips.

"Relax," Lucas whispers. "Smile, little sister. You have to be confident. You haven't even gotten your debutante, it's normal, people would be confused why you got out to society too early."

"H-huh?"

"I know you're nervous. You never attended tea parties because you are too fragile and sickly, and now you came out to society before you eighteenth; that would be a surprise to people, of course."

Faustina slowly nodded. The nobility had a tradition of having noble children interact with each other at gatherings and parties at the age of five and so on and forth, and then at their eighteenth, their 'debutante,' they would come out to social parties, balls and official gatherings of nobles. In the altered memory, Faustina could not attend the tea parties due to her bad health. That was the 'excuse' they came up with—and she could not even discern the possibilities of people finding out it was just a trick.

Orwell explained to her that the spell would also take effect to those whom she interacts with—they would get a familiar feeling around her, and that would let their guard down; the spell would trick the people to believe that she was indeed a Feuerlon daughter with a sick body—she doesn't understand an ounce how it works, but indeed it does to the majority of the population.

Except for the ones with powerful mana.

Faustine slipped her hand through her pocket, feeling the necklace slither through her fingers. She also has a duty to do here in the capital. The duke told her that the man named 'Orwell' was already informed beforehand and would meet her in a popular restaurant in the town. She was told to go with Lucas to the restaurant with the guise of touring her.

'the meeting place would not be inside the restaurant.' says the duke. 'you will be led to him; he is a trustworthy fellow.'

"We will be having dinner alone." Says Lucas as they kept on walking. "Hear that, Lotheringwood?"

"Yes, yes," Orwell says. "I have a few things to buy near the capital anyways. Take your time later, 'big brother'."

"You..."

"Oh, we're here!" Orwell says.

Faustina lifted her gaze and saw an enormous building, unlike any others, inside the large gates made from a fence embedded with intricate patterns and beautiful structure. The building alone told of how it was different from the inns around it, and from the carriages in front of its gate went down people wearing dresses with a conspicuous grandeur.

"This is the Feuer Manor." Lucas says, "this is the inn where we'll be staying."

Faustine gawked in amazement.

"This will be a lot peaceful than being in a ship with those rocky waves!" Maddie says, intertwining her hand together.

"That's right," Orwell exclaims, smiling. "How I missed a peaceful rest."

03: Magierstadt

Faustina had walked east as per Magierstadt's map. The dorm of the sixth Ianua was the farthest among all of the other dorms. It was near the 'Magi Forest' which was located north. Fireflies, magic lamps, and the bright half-moon served as the light of the students. The entire academy was still lively at night. Many students were still scattered, searching for their 'Houses' or their Ianuas. Some are chattering and were sitting into the grass as they peer through the night sky and the place surrounded by the warm glow of fireflies.

Magierstadt was indeed a large academy. In the center of the map was the main castle. There was also the greenhouse located north. On the western portion of the academy was the dormitories for Ianuas I, II, and III. On the east was for Ianuas IV, V, and VI. The southern part was the academy's entrance where the Fountain of Wishes was located. There was also a vast array of forest located on the far north, which the greenhouse was located as well. The floating islands are on the sides of the map where the research laboratories are situated. The Colosseum, where the Grand Magic Games is being held, is also on the floating islands. The dormitories are castles that are located near two cliffs where the ocean can be viewed. 

This… is the place where Eula had studied.

Her alma mater.

Faustina still couldn't move on from the fact that Magierstadt was beautiful. 

It was truly a spectacle to behold.

After walking through the cobblestone paths, some sheds, and even passing by flower gardens, Faustina finally reached her dorm.

The sixth Ianua was yet another castle. It had a Romanesque motif. Faustina had passed through several other Ianua dormitories, which had different looks and distinction from each other. The sixth Ianua was the same size as the other castles, but the others seemed to have more design and sophistication the higher their class is.

But no one could deny the fact that even the sixth dormitory was amazing on its own.

The gates were opened wide, and many students were outside chattering to themselves, going to the large, opened doors, and simply lounging around getting to know their fellow students. Faustina looked around, hoping she could see people that she recognizes—but to no avail, there was none.

Faustina took a deep breath as she walked forward.

'Watch over me, Master.' Faustina then took a step into the light. 

**

Upon stepping to that light, Faustina was welcomed with a crowd. Mages of different kinds gathered inside the lobby of the castle and the place seemed to be akin to the streets. Chatters surrounded the entirety of the lobby, and the masses were just too many. Faustina was only able to fit through by excusing herself several times in order to reach the reception area.

The people around the lobby and outside the Sixth Ianua were just too many. Back at the Armillas Ceremony where they were given their corresponding Houses, Faustina had noticed that Ianua VI held the most numbers of students.

Faustina already passed through the other Ianua castles. They looked fancier and were more sophisticated than theirs, but they were just the same size. She wondered if their dorm wouldn't run out of rooms considering their numbers.

Faustina looked around as she gets shoved and have her feet stepped with. She winced in pain but she had endured until she reached the reception. The receptionist was another mage—who looked like a student—except she had a badge around her right arm. The badge was a red-color cloth that had a firefly emblem inside a magical hex enclosed to it. There was also a 'VI' that was etched onto the badge, which Faustina had guessed to pertain to their House or their class.

They were all wearing the same uniform, nonetheless: a dark-red skirt that fell above her knee. It was also paired with a white blouse and grey vest, and around the collar was a dark-red ribbon. Faustina had worn dark boots also. Acting as a cherry on top was the additional dark robe. Other students had already removed their robes and used minimizing magic to be able to conceal it to their duffel. But Faustina preferred the robe on. It gave her the feeling of security.

"What can I do for you?"

Before Faustina could answer the student receptionist, she spoke again.

"Ah. Faustina Feuerlon, huh. You're on the East Wing, which is for the girls. Room number would be Room 359." The student receptionist exclaimed. "My name is Wen. Your senior. You have your key already, right? Just survive the crowd and you'll be able to go to your room."

Faustina nodded. "T-thank you."

Wen only smiled.

"Ah, and don't forget. There's a welcome party later at midnight," she says. "Make sure to go to the Dorm's Main Hall dressed properly."

Faustina nodded, and then she went off. 

~

Chain:

So far these are the three phases that marked important for our dear character Faustina. It had shaped her into who she is now. As for the current time, she's just turning seventeen, and it wouldn't be long before the warning tag will apply. She's quite a weak and unnerving protagonist who, in all her life, was reliant to Eula. Watch her as she slowly becomes a powerful magician never seen before.

Please be with her until the end of her journey.

Thank you very much for reading!