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A tree told to have seen the beginnings of Tempest, now, the Withered Tree, as some would say, faintly showed signs of regrowing leaves as the trunk did not look pale these days. Perhaps a result of all the havoc and scattered mana residues coursing around the air of Tempest caused this strange regrowth. Nevertheless, Mika Torri sat on a bench glancing at the withered tree, the circular stone teared down showing its deep-seated roots.

 Kan then walked in front of Mika giving her a cup of tea as they both sat on the bench.

“Is it weird that I feel it has been ages since we have been together under the withered tree?” Mika took a sip, as her eyes trail off the now seemed distant memory.

“It was here that we first talked to each other. You were pretty quirky and strange back then, haha.”

“Was I? I just thought you were easier to talk to than some of the students.”

“Well, you caused that scene back at the cafeteria. Likewise, it felt like talking to you about my problems and worries seem second nature even though we were just strangers that time.” Kan sat upright as the breeze signify the coming of winter.

“Shinra is at your temporary dorm resting right?” Subtle memories of Shinra back at the grass plains filled their mind.

“Yeah, he insisted that we should share the same room.” There was a slight smile from Kan as he remembers Shinra’s pout face. “Shinra as well as you Mika, are still recovering, so you should keep it slow for now.”

“Even though there is only a few weeks left before the First Trial, the teachers and students did not want to postpone the event just because of the likelihood that Vanque might come back.” The security around Tempest started tightening and became stricter than it was the past years. Famous figures that graduated from Tempest are all slowly coming back for the Foundation Festival. Surely these preventive measures would keep chaos from entering Tempest so easily.

“I think that you both should rest for the time being.” Kan was persistent about his suggestion. “What about you, Kan?” Mika glanced at Kan hoping to see something.

“I’ll train.” In fear of what she thought, Mika felt Kan being distant despite being a few meters close from him. “See you later, Mika.” Kan stood up heading towards the main building.

“Wait!” It was a small cry, but Mika gathered the courage to call Kan. “We’ll be waiting for you, Kan.” A bittersweet smile came from Mika as she looked at Kan’s back slowly walking far away.

.

.

.

Heading into the main building, the students from different royal schools were getting ready to leave. It seemed that students from Tempest are still taking some of their classes, although Kan, Shinra, and Mika are suspended for two weeks, reasons were not given to the public, but because the First Trial is near, most of the 1st year students were given time to prepare having only two classes a day, as ordered by Principal Cainne.

Kan aimlessly walked towards where Secretary Inerva’s office was.

“Excuse me, you’re Kan, right?” She was dressed in a Dawness uniform.

“Yeah, umm...”

“Oh, I’m sorry for not introducing, I’m Mariko Chiba, Professor of Marigold, Frea, and Reina.”

Kan was distracted by Mariko-sensei wearing a Dawness uniform.

“Sorry for asking but is the teacher’s uniform the same as student’s, in Dawness?” For a moment Mariko-sensei was confused until her face was beet red.

“Mariko-sensei, there you were.” It was Frea.

“Ahh, umm...” Mariko-sensei could not form proper words.

“Looks like I was right, you did wear my uniform.” Frea took a deep breath and noticed a figure.

“Did you perhaps tell Mariko-sensei?” She looked at Kan perplexed, as she put things together.

“Y-yeah...”

“Come on, Mariko-sensei let’s go.” Kan then looked at Frea who was wearing Mariko-sensei's outfit. It kind of suits her, he thought.

“I, ummm....” Mariko-sensei then recomposed herself. “I have something to say to you Kan Uolo about the coming First Trial. If you could come at the main grounds later.”

“Ahh, okay Ma’am...” The thought of the First Trial happening a few weeks now, resurfaced once again.

“Frea would get you later so be somewhere she can easily find you. Now then let’s go.” Mariko-sensei then hastily took Frea’s hand and steer clear from the passerby's until they left the main floor.

“What a weird encounter...” The image of Mariko-sensei and Frea in reverse uniforms burned in Kan’s mind as he cluelessly look for Secretary Inerva’s office at the main floor.

 

After a bit of looking, he then saw Sheila Neru or Cecilia Merue now in his knowledge also wandering around the main floor.

“Yo, kouhai!” Sheila then greeted Kan with the familiar smile he never wanted to see again.

“Umm, how can I help you?” A timid response came from him, clearly avoiding any hopes of conversation.

“Hmm, I see you are not fond of me anymore, is it because now that you’ve found out?” Kan could only nod and remain silent.

“Is that so? Anyway, what are you doing here in the main floor?” There was a brief moment before Kan could say he was looking for Secretary Inerva’s office.

“Oh, so I’m not good enough for you, now that you know my other persona. You already plan to replace me?”

“T-that’s n-not...”

“Hahaha, come on I’ll show you.” Unaware of it there was no choice but to follow Sheila.

“You know, it might not be right to say or true coming from me, now that you know I am Cecilia, but I do enjoy having you as a kouhai even if this is all an act in your eyes.” It was relatively hard to understand even if the person is sincere about it. After all, this is not the first time Kan had been lied to.

The silence then filled the rest of their time walking towards Secretary Inerva’s office, yet they were heading in the other building.

 

It was a two-story building with four rooms at the second floor and two spacious rooms at the first floor.

“Um, I thought that Secretary Inerva’s office is at the main floor?” Kan tried to feel a bit more comfortable with Sheila and still his whole being tells him otherwise.

“Yeah, her office is at the main floor, the last room at the farthest hallway in the right. However, that is not where she spends most of her time. She’s here doing the paperwork's for everything that is going on in Tempest. Let’s go in.” Curious and filled with questions Kan did not hesitate to walk forward.

 

Taking a short look from the room as he opened the door it was a large area; spacious without the mountain of paperwork's blocking the view.

A sound close to a thud caught their attention, a worried voice suddenly gasped at the thought of people coming into the room. “W-wait...!” Another sound of someone tripping was heard as plenty of piled paperwork’s started to lightly quake. “Aahh... uuwahh...!”

“Hey, we’re just coming in.” Sheila could not help but walk towards the buried Inerva.

“O-oh...  Sheila and Kan Uolo.” As Inerva arranged the paperwork’s lying in the ground Kan then helped.

“Thanks, you can sit in the couch there I’ll just scoop these.”

Taking a seat Kan couldn’t help but look at the paperwork’s that caught his attention.

“Ancient Magic...”

“Yeah, it is a magic once used by the first mages or the ancestors of our time.” Inerva then took a seat to the opposite chair.

“I’m sure that Sheila might know more about it than me.” Both Inerva and Kan glanced at Sheila who was taking a bite of a biscuit.

“Oh, Ancient Magic? There’s nothing special about them. It’s just a forgotten magic that was buried due to its power. These biscuits are quite good, Inerva. Want some, Kan?” Sheila sat next to Kan placing the food at the table in front of them.

“I was planning to save those for later...” Secretary Inerva could only sigh and asked them if they want tea to which Sheila nodded in reply.

Kan was deep in thought not replying much.

“What are you thinking junior?”

“It’s just that there is an unbelievably amount of pressure between the two of you.” He couldn’t help but notice the strange tension.

“Hahaha, quite perceptive of you. I’m not the one to talk but I think you have more important things to talk about Inerva than that right?” Inerva finished making the tea and Sheila hurriedly took a sip.

“So, what seems to be the reason you’re here?”

“First of all, I’m sorry for saying some unnecessary things back then when we were taking Mika to her room.” Kan politely bowed.

“Raise your head. It’s fine, in fact, I’m more than happy to see that you care about them.”

As if waiting for this moment, Kan took a deep breath before asking Inerva.

“What I wanted to ask is that someone from Professor Goodwill, Tania-sensei, Principal Cainne, and Sheila-senpai used some sort of spell that caused Mika to feel weak back then.” Kan was referring when they were questioned by the mentioned people.

“How did you know?” Inerva carefully looked at the student in front of her.

“Then you are not denying that someone did use a spell?”

“Haaah, yes, I am not denying that someone used a spell that might have been related to Mika Torri acting strange.” Inerva then thought what seems to be happening inside the mind of Kan Uolo.

“Was it the Head Librarian, Tania-sensei?” Inerva then nodded and asked. “How did you come to this conclusion, Kan?”

“There was only one reason why I thought it would be Tania-sensei. Professor Goodwill most likely did not know the intervention you guys planned back then. Principal Cainne might have been the one but it’s unlikely now that I could see that he values each student, it seems a bit naïve to use it as evidence. However, once you add Tania-sensei being the one asking questions and being the neutral party of that one-sided conversation. It’s more likely for her to be the one using the spell.” This moment in time was strange for Inerva. Not because Kan Uolo managed to find out about what happened rather her image of the student in front of her was wrong.

“What about me, junior?” Sheila butted in.

“You agreed to a deal with Principal Cainne to not harm the students.”

Sheila felt excited looking at Kan’s determined face.

“Secretary Inerva you seem awfully quiet.” It was Sheila who is now interested in the outcome of this conversation.

“I’m assuming that was not all that you wanted to talk?” Inerva asked as she sat upright.

“Yes, regardless of what happened back then. Please help Mika and Shinra in their training.” There was still a soft side in Kan’s heart, Sheila immediately noitced.

“Hmm, I see. How about you then?”

“I’m not particularly good at wind magic and I have a hard time having a good grasp of advanced spells. I think it’s better for me to train tactics and such to have a chance at winning.” The image Inerva saw Kan a moment ago seemed to crumble. ‘He can do his best for others but not for himself,’ Inerva thought.

“I’ll train you Kan.” Sheila remarked.

“Eh?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll just give you things to work on and you can train by yourself after that.” Sheila then stood up and aimed for the door.

“Meet me tomorrow before dawn at the library. I’m bored, so I’ll be going now.”

Just like that Sheila exited the room as she thought, the rest of the conversation would be boring.