Chapter 5: Temporary Suspension
1313 Words
When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was a white ceiling.
For a moment, I simply stared at it, trying to remember where I was and why my entire body felt as though I had slept for three days straight. The answer arrived gradually, beginning with the memory of the Affinity Test and ending with the image of a crystal glowing silver while half the academy looked ready to panic.
Right.
The impossible magic incident.
I closed my eyes again.
Perhaps if I went back to sleep, the problem would solve itself.
"You're awake."
Unfortunately, life refused to cooperate.
I turned my head and found Rose sitting beside the bed with an open book resting on her lap. Judging by the way she immediately set it aside, she had been waiting for me to wake up for quite some time.
"How long was I unconscious?"
"Most of the afternoon."
"That's not terrible."
"It is when you collapse in front of the entire academy."
I considered arguing, but she wasn't wrong.
The infirmary was quiet, with only a few occupied beds scattered throughout the room. Sunlight filtered through the tall windows, casting long shadows across the polished floor. Whatever chaos had followed my collapse had clearly happened elsewhere.
"Did they figure out what happened?" I asked.
Rose's expression told me everything before she even spoke.
"No."
That was about what I expected.
A knock sounded at the door before it opened, revealing the Headmaster and one of the academy healers. Both entered without wasting time on unnecessary pleasantries, which immediately informed me that this was not going to be a casual conversation.
The healer approached first, checking a few notes before nodding in apparent satisfaction.
"Physically, there is nothing wrong with you."
"That's reassuring."
"It is also unusual."
That was significantly less reassuring.
The Headmaster folded his hands behind his back and studied me for a moment. He wasn't intimidating in the traditional sense, but there was something uncomfortable about being observed by someone who seemed to spend most of his life solving problems.
"Miss Valmont, do you know anything about the affinity you awakened today?"
"No."
"Have you ever experienced anything similar?"
"No."
"Has anyone in your family?"
"Not that I'm aware of."
Every answer seemed to deepen the lines on his face.
The healer exchanged a glance with him before closing her notebook.
"The crystal should have shown signs of magical exhaustion after a reaction of that magnitude. Instead, it remains active."
I frowned.
"What does that mean?"
"It means," the Headmaster said carefully, "that we currently have more questions than answers."
That was not comforting.
The silence that followed lasted only a few seconds before he continued.
"For the time being, classes will proceed without you."
I blinked.
"I'm being expelled already?"
Rose sighed.
The Headmaster looked genuinely offended.
"No."
"Then that's good."
"You are being sent home."
That was even better.
The Headmaster's expression suggested I was not reacting correctly.
"The academy needs time to investigate what occurred today. Until we understand the situation more clearly, it would be irresponsible to place additional strain on you."
I nodded immediately.
"That sounds very reasonable."
Rose laughed softly.
"I mean...oh no...so sad.."
The Headmaster looked as though he had expected resistance and wasn't entirely sure what to do with my enthusiasm.
The conversation continued for several more minutes, but it yielded little actual information. Nobody knew why the crystal had reacted the way it had. Nobody knew what Lightning affinity truly meant. The only thing they seemed certain about was that the palace had already been informed.
That detail stayed with me long after they left.
The palace.
The game had never mentioned anything like this.
Once the Headmaster and healer departed, Rose remained behind for a while longer. We spoke about ordinary things rather than impossible magic, which I appreciated more than I expected. Eventually, however, she was called away by one of the professors, leaving me alone for the first time since waking up.
The silence felt strange after everything that had happened.
I shifted slightly and noticed a faint mark along the back of my hand.
It wasn't serious. Just a small scrape, likely from my fall in the hall.
I stared at it for a moment before looking away.
When I glanced back a few minutes later, the scrape was gone.
My eyes narrowed.
I lifted my hand closer.
The skin looked perfectly normal.
Maybe I had imagined it.
That seemed unlikely.
Unfortunately, the alternative was much worse.
Before I could examine the mystery further, another knock sounded at the door.
This time, the visitor entered after receiving permission.
Lorcan Wintercrest stepped inside.
For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.
It wasn't an uncomfortable silence.
It was the sort of silence that occurred when two people were trying to decide who should begin the conversation.
Lorcan solved the problem first.
"How are you feeling?"
The question sounded strangely familiar.
"Is everyone in this academy required to ask that?"
A faint hint of amusement appeared in his eyes.
"No."
"Then I suppose I'm fine."
"You collapsed."
"I recovered."
"That isn't the same thing."
I sighed.
Talking to him was surprisingly difficult. He wasn't rude but observant
Lorcan pulled a chair closer and sat down without ceremony.
"The crystal reacted to you even after contact was broken."
"I noticed."
"That should not have happened."
"That part I also noticed."
For the first time, he looked slightly frustrated At the situation.
That was interesting.
"You've read about Lightning affinity before?" I asked.
"No."
That answer surprised me.
"There are no records?"
"There are stories."
I sat up slightly.
"What kind of stories?"
"The kind most scholars dismiss."
That immediately caught my attention.
Lorcan looked toward the window briefly before continuing.
"Legends claim Lightning belonged to the gods before the kingdom existed. Most historians consider the stories symbolic rather than literal."
"And you?"
His gaze returned to mine.
"I think something happened today that shouldn't have been possible."
That was not an answer.
It was also probably the most honest response he could have given.
The conversation continued for several minutes, though neither of us learned very much. Eventually, a member of the academy staff arrived to inform me that transportation had been arranged.
My temporary suspension was becoming official.
Lorcan stood.
"So you're leaving."
"For a few days."
"Probably wise."
"That sounds suspiciously like agreement."
"It sounds like honesty."
Fair enough.
After he left, I changed clothes and gathered my belongings before making my way outside. The academy grounds looked very different now that classes had ended. The walkways were quieter, and the students who passed me seemed more interested in pretending not to stare than actually succeeding.
The carriage waiting at the front gate belonged to my family.
That should have reassured me.
Instead, it made me nervous.
Because the closer we came to the Valmont estate, the more I realized something important.
My parents loved me.
My brothers loved me.
Rose loved me.
Which meant every single one of them was about to discover that I had attended one day of school and somehow managed to awaken an impossible affinity, collapse in public, and get sent home.
Looking back on it, that was an impressively terrible first impression.
The carriage rolled through the estate gates just as the sun began to set.
I spotted people waiting before the vehicle had even stopped moving.
Several servants stood near the entrance.
My parents were there.
And beside them stood two young men I recognized immediately.
My brothers.
The serious one already looked concerned.
The mage looked ready to start asking questions.
Neither expression suggested I would be escaping this conversation anytime soon.
As the carriage finally came to a stop, I found myself wondering whether facing divine magic had actually been the easier part of my day.
- Writer
