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I remained silent after that until the afternoon classes were already over. I stopped thinking about the results of the practical test earlier.
“That’s why, we should hold a study group. Is that ok with you Kan?” Shinra called out to me complaining of a long-written test given to us with little notice.
“It’s fine it would be a first to have a study session with you guys.” If it is just about remembering details and stuff that would not be a problem. After all---
“Let’s walk across the campus, Kan!” Mika was quick to suggest an idea. Without giving me the time to reply, I followed them as we looked to explore some parts of Tempest we haven’t gone through yet.
“Look at all those buildings. They’re all from different squads.” Students were busy training and practicing with their senior and juniors.
Stalls that are kind of stores were scattered around. Clubs were also present in Tempest as they vary in the types of activities they would specialize to. A food research club were handing out free samples of food with ingredients gathered and grown in the campus. It felt like a small society being here in Tempest.
“Hey, it looks like there would be some celebratory festival across the campus. Apparently, it was just accepted by the principal.” Mika quickly walked to us holding a few pamphlets and was brimming with excitement. Shinra asked when the event would be happening reading through one of the pamphlets.
“It’s this Friday it would start at 5:00pm and ends at 9:00pm. We should go, guys!” Mika shifted her gaze towards me who appeared to be not having a good time to her eyes. “Yeah lets! Thank you for cheering me up, Mika.” She was silent but I could tell Mika appreciated it.
“Stop leaving me behind you two! We still have to study remember.”
“You mean, you have to study because you’re screwed haha.” I lightly teased Shinra as payback for his usual teasing. “That’s right, there are still many chances I can do my best towards!” Psyching myself, I accepted what I could only do in the present and aim to work on it. I’ll do even better in the next practical test.
“Hey, we should eat first. By the way, in case we haven’t decided yet where would we study?” Completely forgetting Mika pondered as Shinra suggested for my room. “Don’t worry about getting home Mika. Kan would escort you back.”
“You better get a good score in your test Shinra, I’ll be teaching you throughout the night!” In an attempt to stop Shinra from getting his way, I stacked dozens of books atop the table after we had dinner. I then tried to assess how far he already know about the contents of the test tomorrow.
“You…Shinra I mistook you for a good student. Across all the subjects you’ve barely passed all of them. Were you really attending classes?”
“I mean, I am attending but it’s not like I need to learn everything right?” What a poor choice of reason, Shinra tried to argue his way out of this.
“Look here, even if you don’t feel the need to listen through the lesson you should at least try to find some use of the knowledge you’re learning here in Tempest.”
“Is that how you view learning then, Kan?” Scurrying through the conversation, Shinra was curious about my approach to learning.
“To some degree, yes.” If you are learning something, why would you not want to find a reason how to use it, so that it won’t be useless.
“How about you Mika?” Stretching the subject at hand, Mika looked to give her take on the matter.
“For me, I was already taught to always seek knowledge and it is just second-nature to me now.” I guess at an early age Mika was taught about forming a good habit of learning.
“Hmm, I see. Well, it’s not that I don’t like learning. I just feel that I have better things to do than learn all of this.”
“As long as you are a student you have to learn the lessons, Shinra. I guess you need to advance read the contents so that you’ll have more time to do what you’re interested in.”
“Haaah, is that really the most efficient way? Fine, I’ll listen teach me Kan.” After going through this whole topic Shinra finally calmed down and appeared to be more focused.
“Great, then read through the past lessons you’ve learned and write what you remember.” As it was getting dark, I walked Mika back to her dorm leaving Shinra who for a change of pace is serious about passing the test.
“If I could ask Kan, you seem a little down earlier. Why is that?” Mika was still worrying about that, I thought.
“There was a practical test I was preparing for, and it was today.” Slowing down my pace, the matter I tried to forget slowly resurfaced. “We were tasked to master a spell we could choose from the given set. I picked the spell Tempest. As it is an advanced spell, I had a hard time practicing.” She noticed it was because of the injury I got after fighting Hawklight.
“When it was my turn for the test, luckily enough I passed. But barely passed because I only followed the procedures. The professor commented that my magic was like a textbook that there wasn’t anything unique into it.” Mika stopped walking and aimed her eyes at me.
“Your magic is unique Kan. Although it is very showy and a bit bland, yet your magic has a sense of fiery resolve within it. Seeing you cast magic whether it was an advance spell or a basic spell, you always give it your best. That to me is the magic of Kan Uolo.” I was happy. She could see it that way.
“What about your magic? You have a very strong magic that is unlike anyone else. It is too prideful and bright so much that it blinds me. Whenever you use magic, I would find myself looking at you.” Feeling a sense of genuine through our words, Mika cheekily smiled.
“Haha, what is this? I was trying to cheer you up, but I was the one who got motivated in the end. Jeez, you’re so unfair Kan.” I chuckled as I question how unfair I am.
“The moon is very pretty tonight.” Brushing her deep brown hair, Mika’s amber eyes sparkled like a diamond through my eyes. “Let’s go to the festival tomorrow.” I exclaimed.
“Yeah! Of course, we should go! It’s a promise, ok?” Eventually reaching her dorm it was time to get back to my room. “It’s a promise.”
“Good night, Kan.” Her sweet words guarded me as I venture off through the campus.
Wandering, Shinra was outside of the dorm and appeared to be waiting for me.
“Now then that’s done, follow me Kan.” His expression completely changed as I followed him.
Not familiar with the place we were going to, we turned over to a shady alley of the buildings a few blocks away from our dorm.
“Show yourselves.” Illuminating the surroundings, I casted a light spell in a form of an orb to give light to this dark place.
“Hey, where are you?” It was the 2nd year when I first met Mika at the cafeteria. “Tell me who told you to target Mika Torri?” He’s all bruised and he clearly feared Shinra who had just asked him.
“I swear I don’t know him. He just talked to me one time when I was walking alone back to my room. And he mentioned that Mika Torri was a nobility somewhere and that if I got rid of her, I would be able to get a large sum of reward.”
“This man, were you able to get a view of his face or figure?” Giving Shinra some time to cool off, I proceeded to question the 2nd year.
“It was very dark at that time, but I did see his shadow. He looked to be six foot tall with a mysterious air around him.” So, an adult then.
“I see, then do you have anything else?”
“I’m not sure if this is important but when he knew that Mika Torri was here in Tempest, I could sense that he was excited for some reason.” That’s not good news is it...
“If that is all then you can go and remember if he gets in contact with you again you have to tell us.” Shinra followed by casting a small lightning through his hands to instill fear against the 2nd year. He quickly nodded before running off.
“How did you know he had that sort of information, Shinra?” There’s still something he had not told me when he called me earlier.
“I was tailing him after what happened the last time I got out of control. At that moment, he mentioned another person. What do you think, Kan?” I could tell Shinra does not want to act on impulse and instead think this through.
“Let’s gather more information and look for any irregularities around Tempest. He might be a professor, student, or a faculty member. Although we should not disregard the possibility of someone breaking in the campus. If we tell this to the professors, we might create unnecessary trouble and may do more harm than help us. So, in conclusion we should keep this to ourselves.” It’s too risky to involve someone else in the matter and the information might leak out and cause worry to people.
“I see, I’ll be monitoring my surroundings and around Mika for a while then. What will you do?” What could be the reason, the 2nd year mentioned the man wanted to get rid of Mika.
“I might ask other students I know of and try to figure out who could possibly target Mika.” Maybe, Sheila-san could help me about this.
“Seems like we’re keeping this a secret to Mika then?” Shinra’s tone lowered a bit, is it because he does not want to keep a secret or something else?
“Yeah, we’ll tell it to her once we get concrete evidence.”
“If that’s sorted, I’ll be getting back to your room. How about you?” Idly strolling around there weren’t any students outside.
“I’ll take some time to think things through for a few minutes. You can lock the door once you’re done studying. I have the key with me.” Remembering the scene back at the back of that dorm when Shinra spiraled out of control, I never want that to happen again.
As I looked at Shinra’s back I could only see his eyes that time. They weren’t the least bit rational and instead looked to be filled with sadness.
“One after another, we cannot seem to catch a break, can we?” Stroking the ends of my hair, I was then reminded about the promise earlier with Mika.
Not long after I went back to my room, to see Shinra had left already.
