Strangers with Known Faces

Thankfully, at this time of the day, the public baths were pretty deserted. And although it was called "public", each shower partition was actually quite closed off. Sure, the partition walls were way lower than I would have wanted, but at least there was partial cover. I was pretty much safe, all with the steam and all.

So, I finally had a good look around it. It had a lot of spaces, probably enough to house a score of students all at once. No wonder the other students would usually go bathe at the same times. But, it worked well for me, too.

'Maybe I should just take my baths between my long breaks...' I thought, while I used the school-issued shampoo to clean off the clumps of mud.

There was a huge hot water tub a few ways away from the showers, and I was pretty sure the boys would all go to it after showering, but... I decided not to go for now. Who knows? There might be a lone figure who would prefer bathing in the late mornings as well.

I already had most of my clothes on when the door opened. Hastily pulling down my clean shirt, I turned back to find myself staring at an unexpected sight: a girl.

"Are you lost?" I found myself asking the nervous creature.

"Ah, no," she murmured. "I came to bath..."

"At this time of the day?" I asked yet again. "And why here?"

Unexpectedly, she showed a bout of anger. "Why can't I take a bath here when you're here as well?"

'What does she mean? Does she see that I'm a girl too?!'

"Well?" she asked, stepping a foot forward, her porcelain face bright with her view of justice. "Just because you're here, I can't use the public baths?"

Finally, I muttered, "Don't you know this is the male dormitory?"

Her anger turned into confusion. She tilted her head to the side. "So?"

For a moment, we simply blinked at each other. After a while, I managed to ask, "You're not a girl?"

Her cheeks blushed redly. "Wh-Why does everyone think I'm a girl?! I'm a boy! A BOY!"

Then, she... he stormed off out of the baths. I couldn't even apologize at all. Sighing, I made my way out as well and back to my quarters. Minutes later, I found myself seated joyously at the corner of a classroom, just made it in time for my next class.

I felt bad about my mistake earlier. I mean, it would be more than just a little weird to find a student become lost in her own dormitory. The female and male dormitories were almost at opposite ends in the network of castles, so it was quite impossible to mistake them as each other...

I sighed yet again, letting my head fall onto my desk. It was a familiar scent that had woken me up from my depressed heap. My body reacted before my mind had even placed the scent. I had stood up swiftly in a blink of an eye, startling the student right in front of me. But I didn't have much time to apologize, because across the room, still walking with her back turned from me, was a familiar figure.

My heart raced, but I molded my entire being into a state of calm. Without missing too much of a beat, I turned forward to the startled classmate and apologized for my sudden movement. He took it graciously and I had to force myself to sit back down, and tried not to stare too much at her figure.

'Why is she here?' I thought, my heart still beating fast. 'I thought it was only Zepherin who had received the mission?'

But as though the world wanted to simply drive me up a wall, the professor walked in, and walked in he did with his sleazy smile. Assassin Vincentus. I haven't seen his ghostly visage since my intrusion at the ceremony. But I could never forget his face. In fact, being friends with Zepherin almost made sure that I wouldn't forget him.

Our eyes met, but his was as dead as a rotting tree branch.

My heart was ready to explode by now. Assassin Vincentus. Assassin Trainee Leila. And of course, Assassin Zepherin.

Three people from the Order, and one of them a high official, were right here in the Academy. If I counted myself as a part of them, then there would be a total of four assassins inside an academic institution. All for a single mission...

'Who are they supposed to kill?' I found myself thinking amidst the panic. 'Was this mission far more important than I would have thought? If so, was I even safe here?'

~~

Almost like some kind of sick joke, Assassin... Professor Vincentus had the class paired up. He said something about, "Companionship will motivate you to learn better," or something like that. I hardly paid attention, and my attention was elsewhere now.

Leila was seated in front of me. We had rearranged the desks so the pairs could face each other, so now I had a full view of my dilemma.

She smiled sweetly. "I saw you back at the main hall on your entrance ceremony. But it didn't seem the right time to approach you, Eleftherion."

Keeping my questions back, I smiled back. "Of course. And we aren't really that close, Lady... ?"

"Leila," she replied laughingly. "How could you forget?"

'So she's using her real name. Or was it even real the first time?'

I laughed too, an embarrassed blush plastered on my cheeks. "Yeah, sorry about that. I have trouble remembering names. Oh, but, I remember you! How could I forget such a beautiful face?"

Smiling like a goddess of the night, she really was worthy of the praise and some. Then, she murmured, "I'm still a bit sad."

Tilting my head, I asked, "How can I make it up to you?"

A pair of teasing eyes were directed to me. A lilt filled her speech as she murmured, "How about a kiss on my cheek?"

Her exotic, gray eyes peered at my eyes, and for a moment, I was entranced. Even as a girl, I felt oddly attracted to her. "Ah-I... Okay?"

It was just a chaste peck, anyway.

I leaned over our desks, approached her slowly, and landed my lips on her dark colored cheek. Very softly, she whispered to me before I pulled away, "Why did you leave?"

I sat back down on my seat with a troubled look. She still looked mischievous, but there was sadness in her eyes. "So?"

I blinked. "What?"

She grinned. "Did you like kissing me?"

I shrugged. "It's just on the cheek."

"Would you have preferred something more?" she asked her her head propped on her open palms.

I chuckled, and changed the subject. "How's your... little pet?"

She pursed her lips before smiling again. "Still alive and well."

'So she hasn't gone through that part of the training yet...'

"But," she continued. "Asmodeus isn't here. He was too frightened to come to a new environment."

I knew it was all hogwash. Nothing could frighten that snake. And if it could survive in the Order, it can survive anywhere. But maybe trainees aren't allowed to bring their companion animals out of the Order? In fact, are trainees even allowed to leave the premises before they get inaugurated (or fail)?

It seems like Leila was a special case as well.

"So," I muttered. "We're supposed to get to know each other right now, but... Professor Racklight probably doesn't know that we're already acquaintances."

Which meant, 'He has a lot of nerve putting as two as a pair.'

She nodded. "Professor Racklight seems like a laid-back professor."

Which meant, 'He's only just joking around.'

I allowed myself a glance at Assassin Vincentus, who sat stiffly on his desk, reading through a book, surrounded by a death-like aura. He had introduced himself as a Professor Racklight. I could only imagine what strings he had to pull (or kill) in order to land a position here in the Academy.

"Well, he's been a teacher here for years now, so that may explain his idleness," Leila said.

That surprised me. If he was a long-time teacher here, then does this mean this mission was put into place years ago? Or was he just stationed here as a sort of watcher of some sorts? I didn't know much about the ways of the Order, and its customs often eluded me.

"He does seem tired, though." Leila stretched herself. "I wonder what else he does aside from his full-time job? It must be tiring if so."

I stared at the dark-skinned girl. I knew she wouldn't have said something like that for no reason. Full-time job? Is she trying to say that his work in the Order is just something that was a side job? It hardly made any sense... But now that I really thought of it, a lot of the assassins would head out of the Order even when they had no missions involved. Many more simply passed by the Order.

I had always assumed that if you were an assassin, that would be all that you would do. But here was a group of assassins. Two were students. Another was a teacher.

I might be reading too much into it, but it seems like the assassins all seem to lead a double life. And I sympathized with that.

Way before the time the class was supposed to end, Assassin Vincentus had already dismissed us, claiming that potions and poisons weren't meant to be hurried. Finally seeing an opportunity to run away, I stood up hastily and was about to say goodbyes, when Leila caught my arm.

She looked at me with serious eyes. "You haven't answered my question, Eleftherion."

I knew I shouldn't be asking it, but I still did it. "What's there to answer?"

Her eyes turned hurt, and before I could turn away, she had leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. She hopped back after a second with a gentle smile back on her face. "It's alright. We all have our reasons, and... I forgive you."

I blinked at her. It never occurred to me that she would feel betrayed about my leaving. When I considered her an acquaintance, she could have taken me as a good friend. After all, I was the only one she would ever speak with back in my trainee days. And now... I had left her alone.

But I had made my decision. I didn't want to become inaugurated, and I won't be. She would have to find another friend in another person.