Chapter 206 Raghnall's Story 3

"So... When I was just about ten years old, something… happened and it reached a point where I just ran away from home. I hid inside this academy and stayed in the Lily dorms for almost a year. And throughout that whole year, I literally just leeched off the dorms. I took a room for myself, took food whenever I liked it, and basically just boldly pretended that I belonged there. But despite my shamelessness, the prefect of the lily dorms didn't protest much. Well, after knowing who my father was, the prefect really couldn't voice out his thoughts so it was not that surprising. Oh, and if I remember correctly, the prefect at that time was the one assigned before Ulima. You were very lucky that that old prefect wasn't the one in charge now."

He patted Inna's head gently as he reminisced.

"Unlike Ulima, that old man was greatly apathetic towards the happenings and the emotions of the students in his dorm. That's mainly the reason why the lily class students were quickly seen as easy targets. I think all the trouble started when he became the prefect. Now knowing that the prefect didn't care for the lily class students anymore, some saw it as a chance to get rid of the 'weaklings' in the academy while using their self-righteousness as an excuse."

"I had to admit that it was pretty horrific. No one was able to stop the numerous students from their acts because the Headmaster was far too busy, most likely buried in his paperwork, while the rest of the professors took the neutral ground. They were afraid that they might offend a noble's child. Some secretly agreed towards the sentiments of the students wherein they believed that the 'weaklings' of the academy should be kicked out of the school instead of being given a second chance."

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"And so, the whole academy became a really frightening place for those who were underachieving."

"But despite the danger, I still hid in the Lily dorms because it was the most inconspicuous place my ten-year-old brain could ever think of. And while I was there, I made a… friend. He was about nine years older than me at that time and it during his first week being transferred to the lily class that we became friends. Well, actually, we didn't really start off as friends. We were more like… forced roommates?"

"His original roommate at that time was actually a well-known 'punching bag' in their dorms. In fact, every night, students from higher classes would just barge into their room to fight with him or beat him up. And only when they were finally satisfied that they would leave. After experiencing it once, my friend, Aril, didn't want to get caught up in such a troublesome situation again so one day, he snuck out before night time would come. He figured to just discreetly occupy a room that was empty and stay there until the students leave. But he didn't know I was staying in the room he thought was available. So, we both got the biggest surprise of our lives when I teleported straight inside the room, right in front of him."

Raghnall chuckled lightly as he recalled Aril's freaked out expression.

"Both of us screamed at the top of our lungs, each thinking that the other was some kind of ghost. The students who were beating up Aril's roommate got freaked out by our shrilly and frightened screams that they hurriedly scrambled out of the room. And because of that incident, an absurd rumor was being passed around, saying that my room held a malevolent ghost, and so everyone steered away from it."

"Taking advantage of the rumor, Aril happily imposed himself in my room. He proclaimed it as his 'safe place' and he made sure to sneak inside every night. Though, if someone noticed him back then, it would certainly give out the wrong idea."

Raghnall smiled with an amused expression as he stared at the pond in the distance.

"At first, we minded our own business. I didn't mind him staying because I understood his predicament. And truthfully, I wanted to help them out. But I knew that if I tried to save his roommate, there's a chance that they'd recognize me. Then, my whereabouts would be leaked to my father. I couldn't let my father know so I figured that the least I could do was to help one of them."

"Then, I went on with my own life, holed up in my room reading all the books I could read about anything related to either combat or magic. I remembered that back then, I only had one goal in mind. And that was to be stronger in every possible way. So, while I was busy reading and doing some self-training in my room, Aril was busy doing his own thing as well. After all, he was still a student in the Academy so he busied himself with homework and the like. And we continued that silent agreement of being unofficial roommates, neither invading each other's own world."

"But, as days passed, we began to get closer. It started with Aril curiously asking me what I was doing while I was training to him asking help for his homework. The more we talked, the more I got to know him better. I always thought he was a timid guy who was hell-bent on self-preservation from the way he latched on to my room. But turns out, he was a very cheerful and funny guy. He's always full of energy as he talked and he can always think up of these absurd jokes that can make me laugh for days. He's very optimistic as well. Despite the bruises he gets from people hitting him, he can always smile it off. He can always make light of his situation, as though it was just nothing for him."

"Chatting with him was very enjoyable and truthfully, I felt healed whenever we talked. Because of him, I was able to learn to smile again and I realized that sometimes, a little smile can really help lighten all the heaviness inside even if you're in a bad situation."

Then, just as he finished saying it, he smiled at her before gently ruffling her hair.

"So smile, okay?"