Chapter 31 – Day 18 Monday, third week

"You seem to be in a good mood?" Arman asked me as we made our way to the dining hall for lunch.

There were only the two of us today, since Senior André took the whole White Knights Medics Team to an early morning training to the woods behind the campus.

"Does it show?" I asked, feeling bashful.

"Sure does," he replied. "You were all smiles while we were making tinctures in our apothecary class, up `till we finished Prof. Novil's lecture, and you're still smiling to yourself right now."

"Well, I had a good conversation with my senior earlier this morning," I confessed. "He gave me some tips about mana use, or rather, nagged me to be more careful when using it."

"Hmm, I don't know much about magic, but if your senior tells you to be careful, then by all means, you should follow his advice!"

"I think so, too," I replied with a laugh. "By the way, I've been noticing this for a while, but you seem to be sensitive to mana. You might be able to wield magic some day."

"Oh, pssh!" Arman snorted. "No one in our family had ever shown any talent in magic. We're like, the epitome of 'common'since there's hardly anything special about our family."

"Is that so?" I was surprised to hear about this. "But isn't your family famous all throughout the empire for your talent in alchemy and your apothecary shops?"

"Yeah, well, that'sbecauseGramps is still as strong as an ox," he explained. "He's the only one in our family who's actually an alchemist, but even so, he hasn't got a drop of mana in his veins," he went on. "He practically does everything in the shop. Pop's got no talent for alchemy, after all. He's a second son like Gramps, but all he's good at is marketing our products."

"He has his own strengths, then."

"Yup, opening branches around the empire was Pops' idea, whileGramps sponsored young talented alchemists to train in the main store."

Arman smiled smugly and stood on tip toes to whisper in my ear.

"But you know what? He only teaches me all his secret techniques!" he said proudly. "He knows how talented I am, and I plan to prove him right when I return in six years to claim my birthright!"

"I'm sure he'll be very proud of you by then," I agreed, "especially when youmanifest a mana core."

"Oh, really, Pat, stop giving me false hope!" he giggled in delight.

"Well, I could at least teach you a simple meditation to improve your mana senses," I suggested. "You've got nothing to lose, anyway."

"Well, if it's just meditation, then I'd be glad to learn!" Arman replied with another laugh, slapping my shoulder fondly as we entered the dining hall. "I wouldn't want to be a real magician though, and get locked up in the Ivory Tower. Gramps used to grumble a lot whenever his apprentices manifest and get dragged away to the capital."

Arman was still gigglingaswe sat at a long table, when he suddenly fell silent.

"Ugh... don't look now," hisarm slipped around mine to pull me near, "but that couple to your right seem to think that the dining room is their own private quarter," he mumbled.

"Huh?"

I couldn't help but to look at the direction he specifiedand saw two students seated at the farthest table to my right.

They were kissing as if they were the only people in the dining hall.

Well, public display of affection is fairly common in the academy, after all. Never the less, I quickly looked away in embarrassment.

"You think they're mentor and apprentice?"

"I can't really tell," I replied, my face burning. "I'm certain tough, that no one is forcing anybody against their will."

"Hey, look under the table!" Arman said with a chuckle, his lips close to my ear.

I slowly looked back at the couple's direction and peered beneath the table. The smaller of the pair had his left leg on top of his partner's right leg. Their pants were partially open and each were busy giving the other pleasure.

"They sure look... carefree..." I said awkwardly, which made Arman burst out laughing.

"Oh, Patrick, do you even know what they're doing?" he asked me.

"O-of course I do... I do read things about... 'that', too, you know..." I mumbled with embarrassment.

"Ah, and here I thought you were as innocent as our dear little pussy Cat!" he said, rubbing his face on my shoulder to wipe tears of laughter off his eyes.

"So, what do you think?" he asked while squeezing my arm.

"I think they should go back to their own room for more privacy," I replied with a frown.

"No," Arman, trailed his finger down my nape, making me shiver. "I mean, what do you think about their relationship?"

"I-I... I think that any relationship with mutual love and respect is worth pursuing," I answered.

"So do I!" I was surprised when Arman gave me a big wet smack on the cheek. "I mean, sure, it's important to leave heirs, if you have enough gold to pay for a woman, but relationship between men is just as beautiful, don't you think?" Arman smiled up at me, his eyes twinkling.

"I believe so, too," I smiled back. "I myself, am not so fond of women, I would much rather have a sensible man as a partner. Not that I have met a lot of women, mind you..."

"Tell me about it!" Arman harrumphed. "All the women I know are shallow, self-centered, and stupid."

"Well, in their defense, they are not given much of a choice. After all, the best they can manifest are mediocre healing skills,and serve as priestesses in the Holy Temple. The rest are only good for child bearing and are only taught how to serve their husbandsin the dinner table and in bed."

"And how to look pretty!" Arman added.

"I would like to meet Elliot's sisters, though," I added as an afterthought. "Didn't he say that his sisters werebrought up differently?"

"Hmm, there is that..." he agreed. "Perhaps I can marry one of his sisters to continue my line. It'd be nice to be related to Elliot, after all!" I watched as Arman's cheeks turned rosier. "I wonder what time they would arrive. Should we get our food while we wait for them?" he said, changing the subject.

"You can go on first, while I reserve the table," I called out to him as he checked what Aunt May prepared for lunch.

I stole another glance at the couple when he left.

They were still busy kissing, oblivious of the stares of other students. They got even bolder as the smaller one sat on top of the other's lap, and soon, both were panting in pleasure.

Memoriesfilled my head, then, of the kiss I shared with Darius.

His quivering voice...

His warm breath...

His soft lips...

I ripped my gaze away and tried to drive the thoughts out of my head.

"Are you still watching the free live show?" Arman asked.

I didn't notice that he was back by my side with a dish full of food and a wide grin on his face.

"I-I'll go get some food as well!" I stuttered while raising myself up from my seat.

"You sure about that?" he looked halfway down and raised his brows at the bulge in my pants. "Hey there, big boy!"

I was forced to sit down again, my head leaning on the table to hide my burning face, while Arman kept laughing beside me.

"Y-you're not being very helpful, you know..." I grumbled.

"S-sorry," he said between giggles. "I can be very helpful, though, if you want me to," he added, raising his brows a couple of times.

He gently touched my left leg, squeezing it slightly which made my body quiver.

"D-do you have something to cover me with?" I mumbled back, which made Arman laugh some more.

"Oh, Patrick, at least now, I know that you are very healthy in 'that' aspect!"

It was then that a large group of students entered the dining hall, led by Senior André. Looks like the White Knights are back from their training. Beside him was Elliot who was busy chatting with the rest of their companions.

"Lycan! Over here!" Arman called out to the biggest in the group. He immediately saw us and walked over with Cat and Darius trailing behind him.

"So, how was your training?" Arman asked them.

"It was okay," said Darius who sat next to me.

"It was great!" Cat exclaimed. "We went past the woods and trekked up the mountains to the very top!"

"Ugh... I feel like I'm dying..." Elliot moaned as he neared our table. He sat in front of me with his arms outstretched and his face flat on the table. "Senior André made us walk `till we reached the summit!" he complained. "We didn't even stop for a proper meal! All we were given were a couple of bars made of multigrain and nuts stuck together with treacle as rations, then we rested for a couple of minutes and headed right back down again!"

"That's why Lycan told us to eat a heavy breakfast!" said Cat who sat on his friend's lap since the seats were quickly occupied by starving students from the training.

"I did, but it wasn't enough..." Elliot groaned. "I wasn't built to last this long without food... I feel my body literally eating away at me..."

"Cheer up, Elliot, here's some roast veal I got just now."

Arman held the piece of morsel near Elliot's mouth, which the other immediately took a bite of. He even took a kerchief out of his pocket and started dabbing at Elliot's sweat.

"I'm gonna go line up for our food," said Lycan who stood up and went towards the counters. A long line was already forming in the area.

"I'm coming with you!" Cat accompanied him.

"What are you guys having?" Arman asked us as he rose from his seat as well.

"Get me everything..." mumbled Elliot who just finished the food Arman brought earlier.

"Got it!"

"Aren't you going to eat?" Darius asked when I stayed at my seat. "What have you been up to?"

I felt my face turn hot and looked to my left involuntarily. The couple seemed to have left the hall when the rest of the students arrived for lunch.

"N-nothing much..." I mumbled awkwardly. "J-just some tinctures from the apothecary class and a couple of lectures from Prof. Novil."

"Let me borrow your notes later, then," he replied with a smile.

"Guess there's no news from Nigellus?" asked Elliot who had propped himself up with his chin on his fists.

"None that I heard of," I replied, "sources say that he didn't attend his classes today either. He's probably still lying low to avoid challenges."

"I guess that means we might need to go to his residence," said Elliot.

"Good, I'll be able to take the rest of my belongings back while we're at it."

"I thought they sent everything to our dorm when you were released from the mentorship?" Elliot asked Darius.

"They didn't give my coat and sword back," Darius' face darkened. "That coat has my family's insignia on it, and the sword is a family heirloom, they know how much it means to me."

"They are probably doing it on purpose, goes to shown how petty they are," Elliot said in agreement.

"But how do you plan to challenge him?" I asked. "What if he refuses to come out of his residence?"

"I don't think he would have a choice if we take a professor with us to stand as judge and witness," said Elliot.

"Perhaps we can even invite Prof. Whitman, he's the head of the student welfare department, after all," Darius suggested.

"Good idea," I replied. "We should go right after our last class."

But this good idea didn't come into fruition.

"I am afraid his Royal Highness, the empire's first Crown Prince Nigellus VladimirIndicum V, is sick in bed," said his vassal, 6th year Senior Norbert.

He stood steadfast in front of the closed portcullis of his master's private residence. There were also knights in full gear stationed beside him by the gates and on top of the battlements, their crossbow at hand.

"Sick in bed?" asked Prof. Novil who readily accepted our invitation to judge the challenge. "Can he not appoint a champion instead? After all, Nigellus never fought any of his challenges in the first place," he said sarcastically.

"He is too sick to appoint one," Norbert insisted.

Prof. Novil snorted upon hearing this, so did most of the students who came with us to propose challenges themselves.

"I expected nothing less from a coward!" bellowed Senior André who also tagged along.

"He's obviously faking it," Arman voiced out.

"He's always been hiding behind his guards and his vassals!" I heard someone else sayfrom the muttering crowd.

"Shouldn't he lose the privilege of keeping apprentices if he has no capacity to defend or to fight for them?" Andreas confronted Norbert who simply looked down at him from the tip of his long nose.

"His highness will be accepting your challenges soon," he answered coldly. "He simply wants to be in his best condition to do so."

"I wonder when that would be?" André asked with a loud laugh.

"There's no helping it, then," said Prof. Whitmanwho we invited from the dorms earlier. "We shall give Nigellus another week to recuperate," heannounced, "he must be ready to accept challenges by then, or else, his mentor privileges shall be revoked and all his apprentices, released."

The crowd of students with us cheered upon hearing this, while Senior Norbert stayed standing still in front of the portcullis, his nose up in the air, his flushedface, taut.

"Everyone, go back to your dorms or to wherever your own business takes you," said Prof Novil who was about to head back.

"Wait," Darius called out. "I would like to get the rest of my possessions back," he said. "My family's sword and my overcoat is still inside this building."

Norbert glared at Darius, until Prof. Whitman cleared his throat.

"I believe your junior asked something of you."

"What, is my brother down to petty thievery now?" Senior André bellowed.

Norbert had no choice but to comply. He called a guard from inside who soon broughtout Darius' sword.

"And my overcoat?" Darius asked.

"It was tattered on the night his majesty 'took' you," he replied with a mocking look on his face. "We have already gotten rid of the rags."

I watched Darius' face darken. I gently touched his arm as I stood behind him

"Well then, Senior Norbert," he managed to say though he seethed in anger, "we'll be seeing you again, next week. Unless your master is too scared sick to face us."

We left the place shortly after, with Cat and Lycan staring at the castle knights stationed at its battlements.

"I counted 12knights," said Cat as we made our way back to our dorms. "We can do it with six between us, Elliot and Darius can take care of the seniors, while Gerald, Kanda and Roo help the apprentices escape."

"I-it's not that s-simple, Cat..." Lycan stuttered beside him.

"What are you talking about?" Elliot asked them.

"How to breach the prince's castle," Cat replied with a grin.

"Don't be foolish, didn't you see those knights armed with crossbows?" Arman said with a frown. "Even the professors couldn't do anything but wait for that bastard to come out of hiding."

"I don't get it, why can't the professors just barge in and force him out to stop all this nonsense?" I wondered out loud.

"It's because this private residence is like a consulate," explained Darius. "It's the direct property of the royal family even though it's located within the academy, thus, it has its own rules and regulations inside which is controlled by the crown prince."

"T-that's why N-Nigellus can do anything while inside his residence," stuttered Lycan.

"Wow, talk about privileged cowards! No wonder he's so confident that no one can touch him and his apprentices!" said Arman.

"But why does he hold so much power in the academy?" I asked again. "If he's all talk, then why is everyone so afraid of him?"

"It's all about politics," Elliot answered me, "because the first crown prince will soon become emperor, and being close to the future emperor would guarantee you a brighter, more powerful future."

"Exactly!" Arman harrumphed. "They're all literally sucking his dickso they can suck on the empire's coffersin the future!"

"Senior André really should have been born first!" Cat sighed.

"It would still be difficult even if he was," said Darius. "Senior André was born to one of his majesty's slaves, after all, while Nigellus was born to one of his favorite consorts. He was only given the titleof crown prince due to his talent in swordsmanship, and because his majesty only has three male children to continue his line."

"That's right,almost all his majesty's children are female," said Elliot, "Even the Empress was only able to give him four daughters."

"Actually, he had other male children, but most of them either died at childbirth, or died of a disease from a young age," said Darius.

I guess being related to the royal family gives him access to such information.

"He must have been cursed since he's such an evil bastard," said Arman with a laugh. "Imagine, siring hundreds of children, and only having three heirs to choose from."

"What if he suddenly die–"

"Shh!" Lycan quickly covered Cat's mouth. "Y-you should never, never, speak ill of royalty!"

"Well, if he did, then Senior André would obviously be next in line for the crown," Darius still answered. "He has his own following, after all, regardless of his roots."

"What about the third prince?" asked Arman.

"The third Crown Prince Ethan has very little interest in the throne," said Darius.

"Isn't he still in solitary confinement?" asked Elliot.

"That's right," Darius replied. "He's currently in the Holy Temple to 'strengthen his spirituality'," he added sarcastically.

"Well, he still sounds so much better than that bastard Nigellus!" said Arman.

"I still prefer Senior André," said Cat and a nodding Lycan.

"I feel the same," I agreed. "I can't help but hope that Senior André gets the throne in the future, for our own future's sake."

We walked the rest of the way in silence.

We all knew, after all, how bleak our future will be once the emperor passes and Nigellus takes his place.