Chapter 13
1140 Words
Arriving at Clavia Magic Academy, Elstar—having no admission letter—was firmly barred at the gate. In his head-to-toe silver armor, the guards mistook him for a parent escorting a student and refused him entry. Suka departed eagerly for the Warrior Tower, while Cui and Gloria walked toward the Tower of Light's registration office.
"Rori, Sir Elstar's identity may bring misunderstandings in the future," Cui said gently. "A Guardian Knight obeys his master absolutely. Everything he does will be seen as your command."
"Isn't that the basic principle of a Guardian Knight?" Gloria blinked.
She missed Suka's blunt translations. Cui's roundabout manner often left her lost. He sighed, unable to voice the uglier rumors that might spread—that her achievements would be credited to her knight, that she merely coasted on his talent. He would simply protect her and keep such slander at bay.
Registration was a flurry of activity. Students first collected their "Crystal Cards"—made from nearly indestructible Clakia diamond. These thin cards recorded everything: currency, task points, credits, and mission scores. At the registration desk, the senior distributing cards was an elf. He waved cheerfully at Cui. "Uncle Cui! It's been too long! I'm Grant—you held me as a child."
Cui smiled warmly. "Ah, it's you."
Uncle? Uncle Cui?! Gloria spun around. "Cui, exactly how old are you?"
He chuckled, emerald eyes serene. "Somewhere over ten thousand years. I've rather lost count." Gloria stood petrified. Everyone nearby seemed perfectly unfazed. Even a centaur youth behind them merely offered a polite nod: "Honored Elf Prince."
"Elves in Pudasino are indifferent to time," Cui explained. "Ten thousand years or a single day—they feel much the same."
"Then why leave?"
"I've spent ages teaching our young ones. I adore their eager, curious faces." But new births among the elves had dwindled over the last millennium. His former charges had all grown up and left. Loneliness crept in. So he'd crossed the sea to study at Clavia, and planned to remain as a mentor afterwards.
They merged into the bustling crowd of all three Towers. Cui shielded her carefully from the jostling students until they entered the Tower of Light's quieter domain.
"How did you meet my father?"
"The King once assisted me. A dwarven thief framed me, and His Majesty cleared my name." Cui was endlessly patient with her questions.
Gloria's brow furrowed. "So you approached me at the ball out of gratitude?"
At first, yes. But spending time with this bright, guileless princess—so remarkably gifted—had ignited something new in Cui, who hadn't encountered a fresh young life in so long. Somewhere along the way, his gaze had begun lingering. He loved answering her questions. His voice was like a clear spring. "Rori, I want to be your friend."
Friends! Gloria was so delighted she nearly declared them sworn siblings. Then disaster struck. Due to overflowing enrollment, first-years would be split randomly into two classes. General courses would be taught separately for the first three years. Cui landed in Class One; Gloria in Class Two. They'd only meet at lunch. At least the classrooms were just a corridor apart, and Gloria snagged a window seat overlooking Cui's first-row desk. She waved through the glass; he waved back. Then the stool beside her scraped. Her new deskmate had arrived.
Gloria turned eagerly—and froze. A massive crystal ball obscured the person's face entirely. Once it was stowed, only a pointed hat and a drooping brim remained, shrouding most of a face wrapped in an ink-black cloak. A sorceress?
"Not a sorceress," came a muffled, raspy female voice. Gloria nearly clapped a hand over her mouth, thinking she'd spoken aloud. "You said nothing wrong. I only heard it."
"Heard what?"
"Your heart." She could hear thoughts? Incredible. "My name is Deartainiaroh. I'm the child of a witch and a human. I mustn't be exposed to sunlight." She lifted her head slightly, a single dark crimson eye peering out. "But I do love the scent of sunshine."
Gloria blinked. Strange, but not malicious. Before she could respond, something sticky poked her arm. She looked down. A translucent tentacle had slipped from beneath the cloak and was now adhered to her palm with a soft squish. She stared.
"Sorry, little princess. My legs haven't seen sunlight in too long. They're disobedient today." The apology was utterly flat. Then a second tentacle shot out, smacking the first and dragging it back beneath the cloak, leaving only a glistening trail behind.
Gloria gazed at the cloak with awe. She dared not imagine what those "legs" truly looked like. "Dea... your name is too long."
"Deartainiaroh. Dea will do. I know who you are—the Pearl Princess of Sessel. You're famous."
"Famous?"
Dea didn't elaborate. She glanced toward the gaunt old man droning through orientation at the podium, then pulled her crystal ball back out. "Touch it. I'll give you one free divination—Dream Interpretation, Foresight, or Retrospection."
"Why be a first-year if you can already do this?"
"My methods are unique, but costly and cumbersome. I'm here for cruder techniques—for trivial readings." So she'd read her thoughts again. Gloria smiled sheepishly and fluttered her lashes. The sunlight filtering through her golden eyes fell upon Dea—without the usual pain. Beneath the cloak, Dea's countless legs squirmed with pleasure. "Hurry, little pearl. Choose one."
"Stop giving me weird nicknames!" But just as Gloria reached for the sphere—
"YOU TWO IN THE BACK CORNER!" The gaunt mentor slammed his lectern. "Chattering through half my lesson! Arrogant, insolent—stand outside, now!"
Gloria glanced around. Others had been whispering too. A blue-haired girl was openly asleep right under his nose. Yet only they were singled out. Unfair. She opened her mouth to protest—but a sticky tentacle sealed her lips. To outsiders, it merely looked like Dea had covered her mouth. Dea whispered a few words, then took her hand and nodded to the sneering old man. "Yes. We'll go."
Outside, Gloria tugged at Dea's cloak. "You said 'Greenland family'?"
"Our mentor is Lucia Greenland's great-grandfather. One of the three Cardinals of the Light Church."
"Ah. That explains it." Gloria wrinkled her nose. "Lucia's poisoned his ears. I'm sorry—my grudge dragged you in." She'd be stuck dealing with this man for three whole years. Her mood plummeted.
"It's not your fault. The Light Church never accepted witches or their descendants. We're heretics to them." Dea seemed unbothered. Then her mood shifted abruptly. "I came to study divination, not theology." She thrust her crystal ball forward again. "Now, little blondie—hand on the crystal ball. A divination from the great Deartainiaroh is worth more than gold. Stop stalling."
Gloria blinked, then obediently stretched out her hand. "Alright."
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