The Reborn Magus and His Prince

Chapter 5.1: Meeting Him Again

The metal gate with the initials of the Caereus Military Academy engraved stood looming over him, daunting those who dares to enter it.

He scoffed. Not at least a bit impressed.

"Yulian Albertine?"

A woman's stern called out to him, standing on the side with her hair the color of honey. She wore a long pleated brown skirt coupled with a tight turtle neck shirt.

His mouth pulled up showing a tiny dent on his cheek. "Yes, that's me."

"Better come here, boy." she pointed to the space between the two youths standing a few feet in front of her.

Those two youths were the ones aboard the other vehicles earlier. 

The woman brushed the locks that escaped her perfectly ponytailed hair. A clipboard on her hands and skimming the information compiled and given to her by the professors who recommended these fresh students.

"Albertine, Frost, and Dan.."

She gestured the three with her hand holding the pen-like she was counting how many eggs her chicken laid.

Two boys and one girl. They were seen with the highest aptitude for their respective elements, especially observed by elite professors of the academy. Hoping their presence would fill in the gap of the damaged reputation of the academy at the same time, the councils wanted to conserve the prestige it holds for the past centuries.

'Old desperate fools, if you ask' 

These bumpkins were no different from their predecessors. In the past, some exceptionally competent students like them had also come for the future and glory the academy had offered. Yet due to the pressure and jealousy of the well-bred students, they've been bullied to the extent of dropping out and never been seen within the ground of Caereus again. She hopes that the recruited student would make it until graduation.

"Hello, professor!" Three voices said at once cutting her from her thoughts. 

The woman stared at them with stern eyes after evaluating them in her mind. Quick-witted and fast on their feet. Not so bad.

 "Hm. Wendy, it's Professor Wendy Orphys. Follow me."

*****

Yulian studied his would-be classmates. One was a boy, half a head shorter than him. He doesn't stand out much and has a meek temperament the way he would sneak a peek at the professor and the gate behind her earlier.

The other was a girl with shoulder-length blond hair. She had the opposite stature compared to the boy. She furrowed her thick brows, thin lips in a straight line as she listens to every word that came out from the professor's mouth.

Upon entering the gate, a vast forest greeted them. The actual building of the academy was situated at the center of this maze-like forest.

The three were ushered to another carriage, big enough to accommodate the four people inside. It would take them to their dormitory according to Orphys.

Minutes rolled inside the four corner vehicle with not a soul can be heard, only the sound of breathing. Orphys was not keen on entertaining them, she slumped inside the vehicle, closed her eyes, and never breathed a word again.

They sat pressed with each other, with the two with their back straight. While Yulian had the same attitude at the woman in front of them.

He yawned and stared outside with his elbow propped on the window sill and chin resting on his hand. He wondered if the tree he planted before leaving the academy over fifty years ago had survived. He made a plan in his mind to visit it after everything he settles down.

The carriage rolled for almost an hour when the trees thinned on their path, and two old buildings facing each other only separated by a fountain came into view. The carriage went to the left and halted right in front of the building.

Orphys snapped her eyes open, not a speck of disturbance can be seen on her eyes. "Go on you two." She motioned with her head at the two boys, telling them to get off. "This is the boys' dormitory, your new home."

"Yes, Professor," Yulian without a second word got off, happy to stretch his legs again. He saw what he guessed was the footman had taken their luggage one by one from the vehicle.

However, the boy surnamed Dan had the look of confusion, reluctant to leave the close-off vehicle. "B-but prof..ssor-"

"Tut, tut, no more questions. Look for Luke McAlister. He's in charge. Now get off."

Dan timidly followed her orders after telling him twice. He had only set his two-foot on the ground when Orphys snapped her fingers and the carriage moved. The footman scrambled to put the two boys' luggage on the ground before following the vehicle. It looked almost comical, the carriage destination was just in front of their building.

"What a hasty woman..." Yulian mumbled while gathering his two pieces of luggage lying on the ground.

But it appears the timid boy had a super hearing as he cast an inquiring look at him.

But Yulian already crouched down to take his luggage. He dusted clean his not-so-big bag.

He turned to the boy after slinging one bag over his shoulders, he carried the other in his left hand.

He then held out his free hand, "I'm Yulian by the way, Yulian Albertine."

The boy stared at his hand as if looking at a foreign object. He got impatient at the boy's slow reaction and took his hand on his own. "Nice to meet you. Heard your name is Dan."

Dan got taken aback by his sudden move but ultimately let him shake his hand. "I-Its Tim-Timothy Dan..."

He grinned at him and let go, "I'll call you Tim then and you can call me Yul."

Tim slowly nodded his head, "Yu-yul... nice to m-meet you."

"Let's go inside," Yulian helped the dazed boy pick his bag and give it to him before turning towards their new home.

He halted his steps, looking at the quiet dormitory.

There's something strange here, he thought. It's a boys' dormitory but the building stood silent where it should be overflowing with the high energy of teenage boys.

He saw a shadow flash past at one of the upper windows. He wanted to scope the area with an enchantment for any possible danger but decided not to. He's inside the ground of the Caereus Academy, and shitty as the academy was, it still hosts a few abled people. A magus even, judging from the progress the academy made since Yulan the Magus demised. They might detect his presence.

"What's wr-wrong? A-Aren't you going ins...ide?"

Tim noticed his paused and was a step ahead of him from the wide double-door of the dormitory.

Yulian shook his head, "It's nothing," he tightened his hold on his bag. And for the second time of the day, rolled his head to the sides and took a deep breath.

Tim had the look of confusion but too shy to ask him what's he's on about.

Yulian did not give any explanation. He already had a vague idea of what's behind this door and what's to come. He had no way to avoid it, he had to face it head-on, otherwise, he'll expose himself.

Yulian reached for the door handle with Tim following close behind him. 'Sorry, young man' He apologized to Tim in silence before pushing the wooden door. Better to be done with this fast.

'Not' surprisingly, the should-be heavy oak door felt light when he pulled open, as if it were being pulled by someone from the inside to welcome them.

Just one-foot stride across the threshold, a fast trickling sound came somewhere from above. Then a torrential amount of water came down pouring at them.

Yulian felt his whole being getting wet including his luggage. Nonetheless, this was pretty tame to what he was expecting. He glanced at his side, Tim was dry as the first time he saw him. He had erected a water barrier on top of his head that absorbed the pouring water.

The timid boy seemed not to be what he came off as.

A loud jeered stole his attention from Tim. Several teenage boys appeared from the upper floor of the dormitory. They had those taunting smiles while looking down on them.

"Wooh! We've got a new water Elementalist!" One of the boys points at Tim with his hand.

Tim realizing the situation, dissolve his barrier and opted to stay silent with his head bowed.

"Welcome, peasants! Nice welcome party for you, huh?" Another boy with a mohawk style of hair tied behind his head came down. He approached Tim, "Though it's unpleasant to see you dry."

He cowered before the taller man and never uttered a word. Anyone can see the quiver that passed his body.

"That's more like it, keep your head down," The man took one last hard look at him before turning to Yulian.

The mohawk man revealed a sneer. "This is what I want to see! Wet like a dog, that's how I like it." He stood close to Yulian to intimidate him.

He did not back down and stared squarely at him. Um... more like staring up at him. He saw how the other man twitched his eyes, not expecting his deviance.

Before he could retort a nasty word from his mouth, Yulian conjured a small flame right at his face. The man in alarm steps backward and stumbled.

The crowd laughed and cheered, but not for his deviance. The youths like to see this kind of play every time a commoner would come to the academy. They served as entertainment to their monotone school life.

"You dared!" The mohawk fumed with rage at the discomfiting situation Yulian had put him. He positioned his hand over his arm, a metallic liquid slowly formed from his arm.

Yulian sensing the danger, made a defensive stance.

"Rule number one, unauthorized fighting is prohibited."