43. Civil Conversation (part 1)
Character : Nathan Fiore, Civil Conversation
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As time passed by, things began to calm down even more.
After a week of waiting, a message finally arrived from Frisena to all the countries of Avenor. The message was short, but it held the powerful meaning that can make all the countries move.
'The headmaster of the Ellennoire academy has made an appearance.'
The moment that message was announced, every country in Avenor prepared themselves. The fire kingdom Fiordall sent their first division soldiers that once took care of the dark republic. Valkaria's soldiers were already in Ellen by the time this message was sent out. Various other countries also prepared themselves and sent out a helping aid in response to this message, including the earth nation.
And once the message landed to my ears, I made my move right away.
Three months have passed since I joined the academy, and truthfully, I have only ever met him once before. The headmaster of the academy has always been a mysterious man to me, considering he only ever spent a day in the academy during my time studying here. He was always outside, dealing with unknown things that even the late Miss Hilda never understood.
I have seen Miss Hilda's will. Everyone was prompted to write them the moment we all joined the battle against the dark republic, and Miss Hilda has also written hers down. On the will, she wrote all the things that she regretted in her life, such as not being able to be a better friend to my late mother, Fae.
But, she also wrote all the things we needed to know about our honored headmaster.
In the morning of the day after the announcement was given, a Steelbird arrived from faraway lands and arrived at the road outside of the academy. An area of a kilometer away from the academy has been evacuated, leaving the academy completely empty and serene. And with the area emptied, the Steelbird will have no problem making a ruckus from the landing.
The Steelbird landed in the middle of the large street, and the hatch was lowered upon landing. The people inside came out with their battle suits on, but one in particular is wearing their academy uniform.
Outside the Steelbird, two people were waiting at the side of the road for their arrival. Once the group came out of the hatch, they immediately started walking to the two.
"You're wearing your uniform?" Frisena asked the moment we arrived in front of her, and the Valkarian soldier behind her bowed slightly at me.
"I had to be convincing that I don't want to fight." I said to Frisena, and she nodded at me.
"And if things do come down to it…"
"That's what these guys are for." I said to the four people behind me, and all four of my friends who came with me to the dark republic stared firmly at me.
Jonah, Lily, Nyssa, and Eric. All of them are wearing the combat suits that Frisena's military company gave them, and they are all miles better than any other existing battle suits. They do look a bit similar to a soldier's lighter armor, except that their suits are colored differently depending on their origins.
Jonah's suit is brown, which made sense because dirt is usually brown or chocolate. Lily's suit is dark blue, because water is blue. Wind's color is quite hard to tell, but because the religious wind temple's main color is green, Nyssa's suit is colored bright green. A lightning strike isn't exactly colored light blue, but we had to pick another color because light origin is white, so Eric's suit is a bright light blue.
Eric didn't like it, so he decided to wear his usual black robe outside of the suit. Now, he stood out like a poor commoner he is because he didn't like bright colors.
"The army is ready, so give the signal any time you want. Just as we planned." Frisena said to me, and I nodded firmly at her.
"Wish me luck. See you guys later." I said to Frisena and my friends who came with me, and I started heading to the academy.
It's been over a month since I left this place. I have not been staying in the academy for long enough to feel much about it, but coming back in such a situation does make me feel really nostalgic.
After entering the front gate, I arrived at the very empty front yard. This is where I had the capacity test, where I first met all sorts of wonderful individuals who were in the same year as me. This memory stood out the most in this yard because it's so important.
And above it… is his office. The teacher's building is right next to the yard, and his room is at the very top of the building. I turned my gaze to the window that looks very different from other windows, and I noticed the lights in that room are on.
A shadow of a person is watching me from that very room, and I knew exactly that he was waiting for me. And so, I started marching forward to not make him wait for too long.
My footsteps were heard inside the silent building. As I went up the stairs, the sound of my feet moving up was the only sound that I could hear, turning this situation extremely eerie.
But, instead of fear, the only emotion that I felt was relief.
Relieved… because now, the world has opened itself before me.
Arriving at his office, I wonder how I should approach this conversation. I realized that the best way to do it was to just act as if we are still students and teachers, so I'll start acting that way.
TUK! TUK!!
My fingers knocked on the door to his office, as if I ever needed his permission to enter. Hearing my knocks, the person inside seemed to laugh from how funny it was.
"Why are you knocking!? Just come in!" He shouted from the inside, and I opened the door as soon as I'm allowed.
The first thing I noticed from him was the clothes he was wearing. He is wearing a bright white robe that really fits someone like him. He is the honorable headmaster of the esteemed academy such as this. Naturally, the color white fits him so nicely.
And yet, when I saw that same face wearing the black armor, I realized that black is also a color that suited him. As a man who has many mysteries and secrets behind him, it won't be surprising that he has a dark side to him, which made the black armor something he might fit on.
Not that I mean any of this in a racist manner, but I'm just saying. His young appearance can really fit both colors so well. Just as his bright personality can really hide even the darkest of darkness.
Of course, that's not all about him that I find amazing.
"Welcome back to the academy! I've been waiting for you since yesterday." The headmaster… or I can also call 'Zero', greeted me as soon as I entered the door.
Seeing his face smiling like this reminds me of the horrors I experienced that night. The night that took away someone precious to me, as well as others who were also important. And yet, I just can't bring myself to hate him.
"Good morning, headmaster Hendrick. Or… should I call you Zero, instead?" I asked him, and he giggled upon hearing that.
"No, I'm not Zero. I understand it might seem confusing to you, but this… 'Me' that you're talking to is not Zero. Or rather, a different version of Zero." The headmaster explained, but I already know the answer.
After figuring things out and talking to my friends, one of them in particular told me about the possibility of two different people having the same face.
Two people... who aren't twins.