Chapter 11: Memories in the Academy

Rheya still remembered the sight around a year before her graduation during the break, by some miracle she had stumbled on him unconscious in a bloody mess hiding in an alley in the dusk district. She didn't know what had possessed her to suddenly take a walk around the vibrant and dark part of the city she usually avoided, but she was glad she did. She was only walking by when she suddenly heard an unfamiliar but soft voice call to her from within the dark alley.

Under almost all circumstances, she would have ignored anyone who called to her in this part of the city. However, this one time, she decided to refuse common sense and walked into the dark isolated area. It was there she had found him passed out and in danger of bleeding to death with many stabs and bruises. She had run to him in a panic and cast "Minor regeneration" almost at once, after looking over his wound it was obvious to her that he had recklessly used "Close wounds" to haphazardly heal the wounds he thought were most important.

After healing him for a few minutes, Rheya was getting ready to take him to a church where they could get better care from the dedicated healers. Yet, as she was about to place him in her arms bridal style, his eyes opened. He saw her and looked shocked, she told him how she was going to get him to a healer, but he began resisting and pleading with her not to do so. Instead, he asked her to push over a nearby stack of crates which revealed a hidden entrance way.

Once inside and sealing the room, Rheya had looked around and found a well-made room which had a bed, chairs, rations, and a few different types of weapons scattered throughout the room. She set Keru down on the bed and pulled a nearby chair close.

Rheya looked over her partner's battered body and asked what happened in a concerned and worried tone. However, her partner simply looked away from her eyes and apologized. This tore at her, she didn't know what to do; she remembered the broken eyes he always had after that day. She wanted so badly to find a way to make his usually empty smiles reach his eyes, but it didn't feel like he was willing or ready to do so.

After a few more failed attempts at persuading him, Rheya eventually relented and instead opted to hold his hand as he rested and slept. They spent the night like that, with Rheya trying to think of a way to break down the wall he kept building around himself.

Days later, Rheya had heard that on the same night she had found him that a notorious noble house's manor burnt down with the whole family still inside. Though she couldn't confirm it for sure due to the high emotions she felt, she vaguely remembered the smell of soot when she was examining his body.

Though she did not want to doubt him, she was worried that he had gotten himself into trouble. She remembered his face when she broached the topic. He closed his eyes and replied with silence, when they opened there was a burst of shame, guilt, and anger in his somber eyes.

"Please look at me and tell me you didn't do it. Please tell me you didn't burn down a house with a real living family inside. "

"..." Silence set between the two.

"Please... they found kids in the rubble."

In hindsight, perhaps she shouldn't have done it, but she pushed forward and asked him again.

"My moon, I'm so sorry." He finally replied with a heavy guilt-ridden voice

This time, similarly, to what he did during the night she found him dying on the street, he looked away and apologized. He didn't elaborate, he didn't justify. He simply averted his eyes and expressed remorse.

**

Rheya took a deep breath and opened her eyes after thinking of past memories.

"Good morning class, I am Ser Rheya of the magic knight order. I will be the homeroom teacher for your class." Rheya opened the first day of class with her greeting.

"Hmm, there are two people missing. Children of higher-ups too, especially this one. I told her not to be late." Rheya stares at two empty chairs in the classroom.

She was inside a classroom with around thirty new students aged 12-13. If all went well, just like her, they would be spending the next 10 years of their lives here to gain a better education. For the noble children, it would be mandatory to start making connections at an early age. As for cases like her and her old partner, from commoners to nobles who would not inherit their title, this was the path to a better life. For her, it led to being knighted and starting her own knight household; for him, she wished life would be kind, and him to move forward wherever he was.

Though she never shared it with the others, Rheya had a feeling it was him who would occasionally come and watch the knights train though she was not sure. She knew that he was the type that would try to observe from afar without taking action. She herself had tried to catch the knight order's favorite "audience member" but was unsuccessful. The only thing she had noted was that their guest liked to hide in areas with shadows, which was consistent with what she knew about her partner's magic.

"Like the opening speech has already said, you all are the future of this kingdom. You were able to enter on your own merit and you shall graduate on your own merit. We believe that through training and hard work, you and by extension the kingdom shall shine bright." Rheya continues her speech to the class in a formal and professional tone. Afterwards, she began the roll call.

"I will begin calling your names, when called introduce yourself to the class" Rheya states firmly.

"Princess Belle of House Fiore" Rheya states calmly, though she did feel some stress since she would be handling the class of the princess. She still recalled the time when she had watched the "Knight of cherry blossoms" win a tournament to celebrate her birth more than a decade ago.

"Good day everyone, I am Belle Fiore. I am pleased to meet everyone; I hope we can all enjoy our time together as classmates. I will be in your care." The princess surprisingly says with energy and a warm smile.

"Interesting, she speaks less formally and more sincerely than I expected. This will make her more approachable in the long run I believe, though the dissonance may confuse some other students short-term." Rheya nods, while thinking internally.

"Good, next... Calid of House Robur." Rheya moves on after Fiore finishes her cheerful introduction and sits down.

"Here! Calid of House Robur, I'm happy to see everyone, hope we can all get along. I really enjoy sword fighting, it would be awesome if I could find someone to spar with." The young boy stood up and answered immediately after being called.

On the surface, the boy's energy could be compared to that of the princess due to the energy and friendliness. However, Rheya who had gotten good at reading even the most stoic of faces due to past experiences could go deeper. She noticed that while the positive energy exuded by princess was like a summer flower, bright and cheery; the boy's positive energy was sourced from mania, similar to that of a calvary man leading a fiery charge into battle regardless of what danger they faced.

House Robur, or the hardy "Treefolk of the north" as they are colloquially referred to. The etymology of this nickname is due to the unique bloodline they possess known as "Barkskin". Like the name implies, people who have awakened this bloodline, with some variation, gain the ability to harden their skin to defend against attacks. The unique bark-like appearance and texture of the skin is what leads to the nomenclature.

"Alright, next..."

BANG

Rheya is about to continue when she is interrupted by the sound of the classroom door opening.

"Good morning, sorry for being late."

Two students enter the classroom in a rush, they seem to have been running and are gasping as they speak apologetically.

Rheya examines the two late newcomers.

One is a boy with brown skin and dark hair that was tied into a knot. While the other is a girl with fair skin and chestnut brown hair that was kept short to her neck.

"Ah here they are, I was wondering where they were. Though, I'm surprised they came together."

"It's fine, be on time next time. Now that you're here, please introduce yourself to class."

"Yes Ser Knight, I am Levik of house Layl, it is good to meet everyone. I hope we all can be friends. Again, I apologize to everyone for being late. " The boy spoke first with sincere humility and remorse for inconveniencing everyone.

All the eyes that were on him seemed to grow even sharper trying examine Levik even more after hearing his introduction.

Many in the classroom already knew of his family, the princess and the duke's heir even nodded at his greeting, they and their family were likely informed of the class list ahead of time. The boy, like the two who first introduced themselves, was seen as person of high importance: the heir of house Layl, the young master of the dusk district, the son of the "Knight of Cherry Blossoms".

The atmosphere was getting serious as the three most notable students in the class were finally present. Then the girl stepped forward with a nervous and embarrassed smile.

"Good morning, everyone, I'm sorry big sis... I mean Ser knight. My name is Venia of House Asa. I'm really sorry for being late. I'd like to be good friends with everyone in the future." The girl said shyly as she stumbled over her words for a second.

Many who heard and saw her were shocked out of the previously tense atmosphere and found the girl's social awkwardness cute.

Rheya on the other hand sighed internally.

She had told the girl earlier to refer to her with her title since she was going to be a teacher. Unfortunately, after interacting with her for almost a year at the knight order, Rheya still didn't account for the girl's clumsiness in these kinds of situations.

"Alright go find your seats, Venia I won't be excusing this kind of behavior in the future just because of your father." Rheya states.

"Yes Ser Knight" The girl replies at once.

"I hope the academy knows what they're thinking putting me in charge of the knight commander Garrick's daughter." Rheya thinks to herself while mentally rubbing her temples.