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Walking around the campus of Tempest students were giving strange looks towards an unusual group.
“Hey, senpai it looks like you brought some guards to protect you, haha. What kind of 3rd year asks for 1st years to help her? Puhahaha...!” What looked like a 2nd year student walked forward in front of Lumie.
There were crowds from open hallways as they were at a crosswalk.
“How much did she pay you or did she beg in front of you, hahaha... Aauagh...!” Shinra lightly flickered his index finger with condensed lightning that effortlessly pushed the 2nd year hitting his head bluntly against the pole of a streetlight.
“I didn’t expect you to be the one to hit him, Shinra.” Mika praised Shinra in awe of his power.
“Oh, was it a senior student? I thought it was some fly getting into my eyesight.”
“Y-you don’t have to do that...” Lumie felt a bit worried not about her own safety but for the 1st years.
“Do what? I didn’t necessarily do it for you Lumie-senpai. I just hated his presence that’s all.” Shinra started walking ahead of them.
“We are the type of people to do what we want, at least the one that we were influenced by always do what he believes to be right. Now, we won’t force you or anything but if you don’t want to remain the same then take a step forward at this moment whether it’s small or not.” Mika followed Shinra sparing no glance at Lumie-senpai if she would catch up to them.
Giving it some thought, something seemed to chain Lumie’s entire body unable to do anything.
There is a particular background story that caused this situation in the present.
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Lumie Mistraeso, part of the Mistraeso family under contract between the Allair family. Although her mother bore the lineage of Allair her father was a part of the Mistraeso family that serves the Allair. In short, Lumie was an anomaly in the system of Allair and Mistraeso’s relationship. A master and servant can never be of equal status, let alone have an intimate relationship, close to an eros kind of love. Stripped from her royal status since birth, there was very little to nonexistent support from the parents' family for Lumie’s childhood and future.
“...”
“Are you all, right?” How much Lumie wanted for someone to utter those words at this very moment. Although what lies in front of her is a new path uncharted, if choosing to stand up and gathering the courage to follow Mika Torri and Shinra Mavirus would help her take a step forward. In that moment, she had resolved herself unbeknownst amongst the crowds. Lumie Mistraeso, in her own accord, chose to change.
Receiving a light push from her past self she desperately caught up to Mika and Shinra, following them willingly.
“After seeing both of you act earlier even with those crowds, I realize I was wrong for easily trusting rumors. Sorry and thanks for earlier, Mika and Shinra.”
“You’re welcome, Lumie-senpai.” Shinra replied while Mika nodded before Shinra pestered her to be more appreciative.
“It feels like I’m losing my status as a senior towards you guys.” Lumie let out a sigh after finally arriving at Shinra and Kan’s room.
“Well, we have one senior that turned out to be something else, so in our eyes you are a good senior to us.” Shinra put her senpai at ease as Mika opened the door.
“Please, make yourself at home you can sit anywhere you like, Lumie-san.” Shinra took off his coat and placed it neatly at a chair.
“Yo, you’re back already.” Kan was fiddling with the ring he got from Inerva.
“Pardon the intrusion.” Lumie meekly voiced out.
“Oh, it’s no big deal. Feel free to take a seat anywhere, I’ll prepare some tea.” Kan abruptly stood up and politely gestured Lumie-senpai to take a seat from the couch.
“I’ll help.” Shinra cheerfully added asking Kan where’d he had been to.
“I’m sorry for coming unattended like this.” Lumie seems to regret her decision for coming surprisingly.
“You don’t have to be. I told you right, it’s your choice if you choose to take a step forward or not.” Mika sat at the far-end of the couch.
As if remembering what her reason for coming here, Lumie immediately smiled.
“Looks like you’re getting along.” Shinra placed down cups and the pack of crackers earlier.
“I’m Kan Uolo, you can call me Kan ummm.” Kan took a seat as he grabbed a nearby chair.
“It’s Lumie Mistraeso, Lumie is fine.”
“Lumie-senpai then. It’s nice to meet you.” Mika finds Kan’s attitude a bit too irritating as she thought he was easily accepting of other people.
“I’ll get the teapot.” Mika pouted as she stood up. Kan tried to help but Mika quickly declined his offer.
“Umm, what brings you here then senpai?” Completely in the dark Kan dared to question.
“Oh, actually some 2nd year students were giving Lumie-senpai here a hard time and Mika ended up chasing the 2nd years away.” Shinra quickly surmised the events relinquishing the smell of the tea.
“Is that so? If you have any problem, we’ll be happy to help you.” Lumie finds it a bit hard to say anything against the cheerful smile of the 1st year student Kan Uolo.
Mika laid the teapot a bit strongly harboring their attention. “Anyway, we need to tell you something, Kan.” Shinra remarked as he fills the cups with tea.
“If you need to talk about something I can go now.” Lumie immediately suggested reading the atmosphere.
“Oh, thanks Lumie-senpai but it will just take a few moments you can stay here.” Shinra responded and the three 1st years walked inside Kan’s room.
“Why my room in particular?” Kan scratched his head in confusion.
“We made a deal with Cecilia.” Ignoring Kan’s question, Shinra stated.
“Shinra and I talked about this earlier and it seems there is something going on behind our backs. Do you remember when Tania-sensei or Principal Cainne mentioned the word continent?” Mika cross-armed explained further.
“I vaguely remember it, why?”
“It apparently correlates to the reason why they want to train us.” Shinra added recollecting that time.
“Which we decided to gather information but because there are limited options we had to go to Cecilia.” Mika snickered as she hated their decision.
“And the only way we can learn more is if we agree to Sheila’s deal?” Mika clicked her tongue.
“It’s Cecilia, Kan.”
“Oh right, I’m sorry.”
“What do you think?” Filling the silence, Shinra questioned.
“What is the deal about?”
“We get a place in the First Trial, get an above average score in the Founding Festival, and we must win against her in a mock match.” Mika took notes.
“That seems like a tall requirement, but if there’s no option anymore, I say let’s take it until we have the chance to do so.” Kan shared his thought process.
“Then that’s settled. Let’s head back in the living room, Lumie-senpai might be feeling a bit lonely.” Shinra cued to end the discussion to which Kan and Mika nodded.
Taking a moment to let it sink in, Kan was silent for a while.
“Are you feeling comfortable for the meantime, Lumie-senpai? If there’s anything you need or find trouble with, you can just ask.” Shinra sat on the sofa next to Lumie.
“I’m fine thank you.” Lumie responded calmly.
“So, what do you want to talk about?” Mika sat on a chair closely to Kan.
“Since when did the three of you became friends with each other?” Lumie pondered lightly.
The three first-years were a bit quiet not because of the question rather that they had been reminiscing about the past months most of the time, just the thought exhausted them greatly.
“If it’s too much to ask, I can just ask another one.” Lumie thought it was an insensitive thing to ask when the first years didn’t react happily.
“It’s fine, Lumie-senpai. To be honest, we have been looking back of our time here in Tempest recently.” Shinra politely commented.
“Our encounters with each other and everyone we have come to know here in, Tempest was extremely extraordinary.” Kan looked at the ceiling recognizing his journey so far.
“It felt like things were happening one after another even if we only had come to know one another these past few months.”
“You’ve all gone through so much, haven’t you?” Lumie abruptly expressed with a deepened face, it was visible to everyone that could see as of this moment, the 1st years were put through a lot.
Mika could not have guessed Lumie’s response.
“It seems like the three of you haven’t experienced what a normal school life is here.” As if something made sense, Shinra faintly smiled.
“I know you all have been tensed ever since coming here in Tempest. I want for the three of you to experience what a normal school life here in this place.” Seeing her reflection to them Lumie resumed. “You’ll worry then cram for tests and deadlines, strive for a good result during practical exams, hoped to do well in extracurricular activities or events, and most importantly, you’ll be able to have fun living here.” For a moment, the first-year students experienced a safe haven, a peaceful quietness where they can drop their guards down and be vulnerable.
“We truly haven’t experienced a normal school life, haha. My opinion of you Lumie-senpai has skyrocketed.” All of a sudden, Lumie became a true senior figure for Shinra.
“I didn’t expect for Lumie-senpai to care about us deeply despite only meeting us today.” Kan lightly remarked, with a hint of smirk in his face.
Both Kan and Shinra looked at Mika waiting for her answer.
“It truly is a bliss to have this kind of time, thank you Lumie-senpai.” Mika thanked in a formal tone, to which Kan and Shinra joked about.
“I have been told I can be a great listener and a good comforter, I guess in one way I am now a proper senior to you guys, haha.” Lumie smiled in reply, as she began to care about this particular trio.
“I guess we can start telling our first encounter with Lumie-senpai up until now.” Kan lay down his cup and sat uprightly.
Mika and Shinra nodded in reply as Kan told his side of the story coming in Tempest.
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Then Mika continued with her side of the story after meeting Kan.
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Lastly, Shinra shared his side of the story ending just after the incident with the intruder from the grass plains at the back of the campus.
Afterwards, an hour passed, Shinra refilled the teapot as Lumie tried to process everything that her juniors have told so far.
“So, Kan came from an unsuited environment for learning magic and managed to decipher the code no one has even done before. Mika is a princess from the Auriora Kingdom and adept at fighting even against high-rank magicians. Shinra is looking for her sister and also adept at fighting but able to use lightning and great magic as well.
“Wow, you guys have clear goals and ambitions. I’m proud of you.” Lumie admired her juniors.
“Then what happened next after the incident back at the grass plain?” Lumie was brimming with excitement.
“The truth is, we have not yet talk about the two weeks after the incident as we mostly did not want to talk to anyone including one another.” Mika explained in a low tone.
“I’m sorry.” Once again, there wasn’t anything Lumie could say but apologize.
“It’s alright, Lumie-senpai.” Shinra hastily responded.
“No, it’s my fault for asking many things. I had a fun time talking with you guys, I hope we can continue to have a good relationship.”
“Likewise, Lumie-senpai"
“I think I’ll go for now, thank you again, Kan, Mika, and Shinra. I’ll see you later.” Lumie stood up and so did the three students, it seems to the 3rd year that she had impose for longer than what she thought of.
“Be careful on your way back, senpai.” Kan reminded as they were at the front door.
As the front door closes so did their deepest desires. It felt as if they were avoiding something that needs to be looked and talked about. For, Shinra this is what scares him the most.
“Mika, Kan, I want to tell you what I’ve been doing those past two weeks and my goals. I have things I had left out because I thought I cannot trust you. However, now that I’ve realized many things, I want to put my trust to you two.” Shinra took a deep breath and faced Kan and Mika.
“So do I.”
“I too would like that.”
Worrying that their reaction would be different immediately faded from Shinra's mind.
“Should we talk about this in a different place?” Shinra suggested nervously thinking the conversation would end in a different place.
“Let’s go at the withered tree. I’ll take my coat you guys can go first.” Kan walked inside his room.
“I’ll be going on ahead then, Mika.” Shinra left as Mika cleaned the table in the living room for a moment before leaving as well.
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Catching up with Mika, they had just exited the main halls.
“Shinra sure walk fast.” Kan commented while slowing down his pace.
“Yeah.”
“Hey, you know I have learned that there any many ways a magician can fight.”
“I see.”
“Yeah, many things that I hadn’t thought about and-”
“I’m afraid.” Mika placed both of her hands near her chest. “I’m afraid, of what’s about to come after this day. It feels like many things I had hoped to do would cease to happen. You know, lately I began thinking that even if our goals and paths diverge, we can all remain together and achieve it together. I must be selfish for not wanting you guys to go, haha.” It became evident for the three that it is not too long before they go on their different paths. To someone who had only begun having a friend for so many years, for it to be taken again was a nightmare.
Kan took a step back and shifted his gaze at Mika.
“As much as I would like to say that we still have time to get to know each other and have fun together. I also dread the bleak future I have been thinking for some time.”
Just as Mika wanted to speak her thoughts, they eventually reached the withered tree. Shinra Mavirus, at a glance had a firm and determined look that could be seen from him.
He then gestured for them to sit but no one did.
“I’m glad you guys came and did not run away. It has always been like that to any friend I had made along the way since coming here.” Shinra walked back and forth as to how would a performer do in a show. “I said that I want to place my trust in you guys. Do you know why I wanted to be the first one here? I had thought of running away, yet as soon as I reached this place your faces flooded my thoughts.”
It was unnaturally cold especially for this day, winter had yet to come.
“I don’t have any plans to finish three years here in, Tempest. As soon as I learn more than enough about magic, I plan to leave immediately.” What Mika had never wanted to hear seemed to get closer and apparent.
“I told you before, right? I need to find the countless masks because my sister was taken by him, even if I had to sacrifice everything, including my future and my friends. I will find The Nazarick of Oden.” There were faint blue hues of what seemed sparks of lightning.
Mika and Kan knew there was nothing they could say that would change their friend’s mind. This is what Shinra Mavirus is and decided to be.
No one urged her to say anything or told her, but Mika Torri switched her gaze up above the cloudy sky. It was clear that she treasures their relationship the most.
“I plan to finish my three years here in Tempest. Even though I want to go and find Vanque immediately I know that I’m still weak enough. As long as I can get stronger here, I don’t mind graduating here in Tempest. At this point, I am only Mika Torri, yet I want to avenge and fight for my people as the princess of Auriora Kingdom. I will fight and win.”
Drops of snow aimlessly fall down the sky with droplets of black possibly smoke from nearby constructions.
Mika Torri soon crumbles unable to maintain her composure any longer.
“It’s not fair... why does it have to be this way...?”
“...”
“We had only managed to be together again...”
“…”
“Why...?” Mika already knew that no one could sacrifice their goals and ambitions not Shinra nor Kan. Tears continue to pour out of her eyes and heart. Shinra helped her sat on the vacant bench.
“My goal is to be a great magician. I want to continue studying here in Tempest but as long as I can learn magic it doesn’t matter where I go. Making my parents proud and proving to people that I also can be a great magician despite not being suited to be one, is my goal.
“And another one of my goals is to protect the people I care about. That’s why I want to be with you guys for as long as we can do so.” With a resolute face and determined resolve, Kan Uolo once again promised himself that he will not become an incompetent magician.
“Likewise, I too want to be with you guys for a while.” Shinra seemed to agree very deeply.
“Mmm...” Mika wiped her tears away.
“I’ll get us something to drink, Kan stay with Mika for now.”
Small amount of snow continues to pile up as the coldness of the air seeps through the warmth of their clothes. There wasn’t anything left to be said that would change their minds. If one were to back down now, then that only means their goals and ambitions were only strong to that extent. Mika Torri could not ascertain what holds more to her.
Perhaps because of the fluctuations of different elements from the past week, that caused this bizarre snowfall. It only fuels the coldness and solitude of every person inside the campus of Tempest. Taking a seat beside Mika, Kan continued to remain silent.
'What could have been going on inside Mika’s head?’ Such thoughts crossed Kan’s mind. It reminded him of his own powerlessness to do anything as his past self, sacrificed many things to be where he is right now. Ideas of cruelness and unjust often clouds a person’s train of thought faced with inevitable doom, yet for Kan Uolo there was only one option; to press on and keep walking forward.
An option that would not always amount to anything.
“Back when I was in my hometown, I was always the talk of the town, whether it be a good or bad thing. I had continued to interact with such people who only saw me as a failure or pity my state. One thing I had learned from all those years, that they drilled into me, that I was a failure and a disgrace.
“That’s why I was happy even if at first we were just tagging along with each other and eventually we have become friends. Mika and Shinra you guys will always be my friends.” It was just then Shinra showed up holding a tray with cups of tea.
“Here take some, Mika and Kan.” Shinra placed down the tray at his legs as he sat beside Kan and smiled happily in response to Kan’s appreciation towards him.
“Let’s see, I have been doing research after the incident on the grass plains. It seems there wasn’t any record about the Countless Mask in the library, instead I focused more about strengthening my magic. Remember my Great Magic? I learned that back then.” Shinra pointed out that there were many books about different elements and all sorts of magic.
“I mostly looked up about the name Cecilia Merue, and I was able to understand when you explained to me Shinra what Inerva-san asked you about.”
“How about you, Mika?” Kan nervously asked as Mika wasn’t responding for a while.
“I was mostly thinking about my past back in the Auriora Kingdom.”
It became hard to converse with Mika as every second passes on.
“You should drink your tea it does not taste good if it’s cold.” Shinra reminded Mika who just nodded and took a sip.
“We have been drinking lots of tea today, huh?” Kan lightly chuckled as if to ease the atmosphere a bit.
“Yeah, we have drank how many cups now, haha?” Shinra went along with Kan’s remark.
“I guess, so.” Mika stood up shrugging the pile of snow atop her head. “Let’s go, I think we have reached the conclusion that we’ll agree with Cecilia Merue’s deal, right?”
“Yeah, I think we have killed more than enough time.” Shinra agreed, dropping the cups to a nearby thrash can.
Heading over at the back of the campus as the dusk soon fades. Where the grass plains span far and wide, the walk was quite silent. Everyone kept their thoughts to themselves and silently glance at the horizon beyond the steep hills and mountains. It was quite clear they were anxious, yet no one wanted to worry each other.
They were basically agreeing to a deal that would take a lot of their time here in the campus. Essentially this agreement would impact their goals and ambitions ever since coming in Tempest
Traversing for almost half an hour, a figure not quite far from the back of the campus can be seen. What shocked them greatly was the scenery of what seemed like a battlefield told in history books. Kan and Shinra never made it this far back when they were looking for Tania-sensei and Principal Cainne, probably no one wanted to see this wrecked of a scenery.
Trails of magic and subtle hints of the battle between Inerva and Cecilia were still lingering around. It wasn’t apparent for the three first-years that this occurred, although they have some ideas, not one of it was right.
“I’m sorry we’ve kept you waiting, Sheila-san.” Shinra was the first one to take a step forward.
“It’s Cecilia this time.” Merue wore a different attire from the usual 3rd year uniform. “I assume you have your answer?”
Before Kan or Shinra could nod in reply, Mika went ahead and contained hints of growl in response, “We accept your deal.”
“I see, very well.” Cecilia extended her right hand as the three students lie in anticipation. “Now then, I’ll give you insights for you to improve as a magician whether you accept this or not is up to you. Consider this as a guide to help you accomplish your goal about the information on continent.”
“Can I reject your insights and ask for a favor instead?” Mika Torri walked forward towards Cecilia bearing a strange air around her.
“Sure, so what is the favor, Mika Torri?” Intrigued by Mika’s response, Cecilia’s eyes suddenly changed the same as earlier, a striking dark red violet color.
“Fight me, right now...”
