The Adventurous Vagrant

Walter's Women (a.k.a. Heartthrob! The Modern Royal Academy) (1)

The one thousand and nineteenth year of the Common Era ends...

...and the one thousand twentieth year of the Common Era takes its place.

So what did I do for the New Year's festivities?

I first went to the Grand Temple of the Most High, the biggest one yet in the entire kingdom, to reflect on what I have done for the past year and for the Most High to give me spiritual strength I will need for the next.

I then did some year-end shopping, mainly for the humble yet sumptuous feast I would cook myself.

I mostly bought foods that were round or circular, as there's an old belief that the many foods that are circle-shaped one has at the dining table at the onset of the new year, the more prosperous the year will be for them; since these objects resemble money.

So what did I cook?

Round dumplings, round rice cakes, meat pie, and an all-vegetable salad with round slices of varying veggies in a round bowl.

And for the pre-cooked or readily edible foods...

Chocolate coins, mango-pineapple tarts, chocolate-coated donuts, and round citrus fruits.

I watched the fireworks from the window of my house.

They were the biggest ones yet, because we all have to start the year with a big bang, of course.

Once again, Belle...

I hope you're with me once more to enjoy more fireworks displays like this grand one.

The moment I'm enjoying right now is savoring the slightly chilly early afternoon of the first of Affectionmonth, the first day of the year. There are still traces of gunpowder left over from the fireworks and firecrackers being lighted at the onset of the new year, though those traces are currently minute.

And to my surprise, the same messenger who delivered me the VIP pass to the King's Cup last year comes back.

He greets me graciously.

“Happy New Year, Mr. Deschantes! Before you ask, I already celebrated New Year's with my family that night, so I may feel a bit sleepy right now. But regardless, here's a letter for you.”

“Thanks. Happy New Year to you, too; and may you have enough energy to deliver those packages and messages in the timeliest way possible.”

“Thanks for the compliment. Well, I have to go now. Need to deliver many of these greeting cards today. Take care!”

As the messenger leaves to do his own contribution to the kingdom's continued progress, I open the letter.

Cool, it's from Ruth.

To Walter,

First of all, Happy New Year to you!

If it weren't for you and your timely help, I wouldn't have escaped the clutches of that creepy husband-to-be, and my fellow elves would be in a worse state. I wouldn't also have found my Mr. Right, in the person of Mr. Marco Rufer. He may look a little younger than me, but I sense in him the maturity he has to stay true to himself and to keep me company, and also to complement the strengths and weaknesses I have. He is, in essence, the most representative of the man I vow to have and to hold all my life. And of course, I know how good he will be in the bedchamber, because I have a sixth sense that tells me whether a man is virile enough, and he surprisingly passes my test with flying colors! And as for my parents' reaction, they wholly approve of him, especially for his job where he can introduce wonderful elven things to humans and vice-versa!

It's good that I have shared my actual, real, unadulterated first kiss with him as the first seconds of 1020 CE opened. As for the kiss we have shared... only you and I will keep it a secret~! And you'd better uphold your promise of introducing your actual girlfriend to me, or else~! Tee hee. Just kidding.

Once again, thank you for sticking with me through thick and thin.

You are more than just an adventurer to me.

You are my lifesaver.

Yours lovingly,

Rutherfordine Mabanglou

(hopefully Mrs. Rufer!)

Hope I receive more letters of thanks like this from my future clients!

Night then falls.

After a dinner consisting of leftovers from the year-end feast, I'm reading some more novels, especially those male-oriented werewolf romance novels. I'm reading them because I have nothing else to read, that's all.

Once I get to the part where both the man and woman exchange seductive words to each other, I'm feeling asleep.

Oh well, I have to go to dreamland.

Sweet dreams.

I find myself on a bed that looks quite advanced.

It has a metal frame as compared to a wooden one, the material on top of the frame is bouncy yet tough, and the pillows and bed sheets are more colorful.

And then, I hear a strange sound that goes “beep” and repeats itself for a few seconds.

Oh, what do I see?

It's an advanced... uh... watch thingy that definitely tells the time.

Oh, it's six ante meridiem already?

Better get up!

Once I press the button that silences the annoying beeping sound...

I wake up to the sound of the mighty hawk.

Hawks are known for their bravery and ferocity.

I take a bath using an advanced faucet thingy that gushes water all the way from the top of the wall...

...and then I'm eating eggplant frites for breakfast once I get dressed for school.

My outfit consists of a white buttoned-down shirt with red accents and navy blue trousers.

After finishing my breakfast and bidding farewell to my parents (who are miraculously alive, to my surprise), I'm walking towards the Royal Academy, which is situated on the foot of a beautiful mountain with the shape of a perfect cone.

Wow, this is indeed a good opening to a day of school!

I see several students walking along the road going to the academy. Others use their... what should I call it, thin carriages on two metal wheels driven only by the rider... to get to the destination.

And among those students, I come across a very familiar face.

“Good morning, Walter! Looks like you're having a great start!”

“Morning to you, too, Belle. It's obvious from my voice that I'm full of energy! I just dunno where that energy came from, but a boost is a boost!”

“Mind you, there will be a tough calculus exam today. I hope you're ready.”

Ah, calculus. It's one of the most complicated aspects of mathematics ever.

One has to deal with things like functions, derivatives of functions, integrals, and many more.

But how will we use them in everyday life, anyway?

Well, scientists, engineers, and economists will find calculus useful. The rest of us... not so much.

“About that, Belle... I can't say I've prepared down to the last detail, but I have this... uh... calculator to help me.”

“Yup. Calculators are allowed in the exam. Can't have us waste 15 minutes of trying to wrestle equations by hand.”

“Good. As for the rest of the day?”

“Nothing else exciting.”

“But what's even more exciting? Getting to talk with you everyday!”

“Oh, you!”

Belle and I talk like childhood friends should.

We eventually arrive at the academy, and the bell signals the start of a brand-new school day.

Homeroom starts with the following words from our Class 12-A adviser, Mr. Perry Mayson.

“Before we start homeroom, I have an important announcement to make.

“In the last few days, there have been reports of vandals painting the walls of our academy with subversive graffiti. Of course, we as an institution do not approve highly of those radical and unlawful messages that are being painted in the same radical and unlawful ways by the perpetrators. So, as an extracurricular activity, we will all paint the walls of our academy to remove those messages and restore the perimeters of our illustrious school to their former glory. You must all gather by the senior high school campus open grounds by three post meridiem today to start the activity.

“Remember, we are not forcing you all to attend this activity; but as they say, the more the merrier, right?”

Hmm... I wonder what those subversive messages are all about.