Quest of Automata King

Meeting With Headmaster

“Everyone, form up line on me!” shout the senior student who is tasked to lead the first years into the dormitory of Grand Magusica. He is much taller than his juniors, making it easier to follow him during their the way he showed to.

Turning left from the fountain outside of the hall, and passing the bridge between two buildings, the first years are found a way into the left wing of the academy. That is the sector used for student housing across the years.

At the intersection, the male and female student separate themselves to their correspondence gender. But before  Mui could move to follow the senior, a cloud of bats suddenly fly from the outside corridor to between those students.

They’re surprised, some are even shrieking away from those bats. But the animals started to gather into one pieces, and transformed into a figure of a women. Chiro Ptera the witch.

“Hello boys,” she said enchantingly. “Before all of you retreat to your beds, I need to borrow the Devil kid. What’s his name again? Ah yes! Mui!”

Everyone looking at each other in confussion, so does the senior that supposed to guide.

“Uh... Ma’am?”

A hand raised at the very back of the group. Everyone quickly notice that, and turn their hand around. That’s where Mui is, the skinny short Devil with dark skin and rounded horn that look like a sheep.

 “Ah, there you are! Before you’re going to meet your roomate, the headmaster wanted to chat with you for a liiitle bit,” said Chiro with carefree attitude that she have always shown.

“Uh... Me ma’am?” reply Mui dumbfounded. That stupid reply make Chiro rolled her eyes and sighted.

“Of course! How much Devils are attending this school do you think? Come on then, I did not wanted to waste anymore time!” said Chiro as she stretch her arm, asking Mui to grab on her hand.

At first, Mui looks doubtfull. He takes out his hand, but didn’t have the courage for grabbed her palm right away. Did not let that kid to make her wait any longer, Chiro instead grabbed Mui’s arm forcefully, and whispered something that sounds like gibberish.

Suddenly, Mui could see a magic circle formed in a place where they stand. It have the beautiful combination of circle and triangle, and let out a purple-is light. Suddenly everyone get surprised and stepped away from the circle.

Mui are also surprised, because he don’t know what will happened to him after that. When he he looked around, environment suddenly changed. He is no more among his first year classmates. Instead, he is teleported into a stone corridor where fire from the small oil lamp is the only source of light available there.

Beside him is a wooden door, Mui don’t know anything about this part of the building, let alone the owner of that room.

“This is the headmaster’s room, located at the right wing of the academy. He wanted to see you inside,” said Chiro.

“But... Why?” replied Mui again, he just feel confused wherever the teacher of this academy put his on a spotlight among the students. Mui still feel traumatic after incident with Challender and all he wished for, is to not being targeted by similiar student in the future.

“Jeez, how would I know kid? The decision of inviting you to the school is entirely Oliver’s choice. Even he does not explain it for me myself!” Chiro immediately opened that door and push Mui into the room.

“Sir, I get the kid here as your request,” said Chiro with lazy voice. She sound much different compared to the alluring beauty than what Mui think the first time she showed herself.

Mui is pushed into the room, and the door behind him quickly closed before he could ask anything else.

“Ah! Mui! Welcome again my boy!” said a familiar voice. Turns out, Headmaster Oliver is already in fornt of him, standing behind the table where parchment and pen are scattered around, clearly shown that headmaster is a bussy man.

“Sir Oliver... G-good evening,” Mui reply it with stutered greeting, making Oliver smiled ear-to-ear.

He walk out of his table, and walk closer to Mui. That kid can clearly see the difference of heights between two of them.

Maybe because the fact that Mui is short even among the Devil race, wherever Mui have to talk with Oliver he have to tilt his head.

“I know you might be confused, and even scared. But don’t worry, I’m sure you’re in good hands now,” said Oliver.

He gives Mui a warm hug. The one of friendly hug that always been done by family member to their relatives. For some reason, Mui feels a familiar warm sensation that he have never experienced before.

Oliver let go of his hug, and step out to give Mui a more comfortable space.

“Honestly, I’m a little bit worried that you will never accept the letter and package that I gave you. I know we have never seen each other before, but I wanted to fix that by personally introduce myself,” said the headmaster. He opened his hand, and showing an empty chair for Mui to sit.

After the Devil finally take a seat, Oliver snap his finger and tea set from the cupboard in the corner of the room hovering away into the empty side of his working table. It magically boil a tea, and poured it into two cups, one for Oliver, and one for Mui.

One of the cup hovering to Mui, which he catch it awkwardly.

“I see from your expression,” said Oliver, “Did you found any trouble on your way to the school?”

Mui slowly sips the tea. It successfully warm his body that have been exposed by cold night.

“There is... A Problem...” said Mui. He tells Oliver that incident, where Challender and his goons pushed him to the ground and persecute him.

“I was punched, probably around six times by one of the first year student. He is blonde, and probably, one of the nobleperson,” said Mui.

“Oh, dear...” said Oliver. “That Is terrible.”

He sips the tea, and then put it down to his table. “How do you manage to get out of that situation?”

“There... There is a girl...” said Mui. His mind is recall that time, when he thought that his live is done for. He remember the cold wind, and it’s sensation of winter that suddenly come. Followed by the voice of a girl that very elegant. After that, is a short snowy hair that Mui will never forget.

“Emmellia isn’t it?” said Oliver suddenly.

“...How did you know?”

Oliver let out a sigh from his nose as if he feels reluctant to talk about her.

“I’m sorry if I sound impolite, I did not mean to belittle you whatsoever, but you can write and read aren’t you, Mr. Mui?”

“Yes, my godmother teach everyone at the orphan the basic need for our daily lives. What are the point?”

“I’m sorry, it’s just so could understand about the political problem that happened outside of your country,” said Oliver as he takes a deep breaths. “Emmellia Novreyi, is the first Princess of Foumoda Kingdom. You know what that means right?”

Mui blink twice when he hear Oliver started to speak carefully. “That’s mean someone who is going to be the Queen right?” he asked.

“In paper yes. But I have to explain about the situation of our country first. Right now, Foumoda is facing political problem, because of the empty space of the throne. Emmellia’s parent, the King and Queen is passed away when the girl is only ten years old. Making her an orphan.”

“From that day forward, situation among the rulers are heating up. Nobles feel unrest in regard of who will succeeding the throne. Emmellia is very young that time, there is no way that she will be able to govern isn’t she? That time is very scary, because civil war could happened at any moment,” said Oliver.

“And then... What happened?”

“Luckily, after numerous conference lobbying and conversations, it was decided that Emmellia would have her place in throne as soon as she reached 20 years old. Until that time come, she will be educated to fit her position as a ruler,”

“But... What about the government?”

Oliver sips his tea until it was dried up. He put it to the table where the cup is fly away, and cleaning itself.

“According to the agreement, the head family from the four houses of royalty will be the one to oversee the government temporarily. One of those houses is Heinrich,” explain Oliver.

“Mui, you said that your attacker is noble with blond hair aren’t you?” asked him.

“Yes, what’s wrong?”

“Well, I’m pretty sure that he is Challender Heinrich, the successor of Heinrich house who oversee almost the whole government of the kingdom,” said Oliver.

Mui look down to the cup of tea that he drink. Brown-coloured water is reflecting his face, as well as his memory about the person that they talking about. Unconsciously, Mui’s hand is tightening up.

“It’s natural to feel angry, escpecially of what you experienced,” said Oliver.

Mui realize that fist is formed in his hand. He quickly back into his senses, and cool down his head.

“Even if you say that... Nobles are big shots aren’t they? Not only physical strength, but he must have other power... Probably influence and also money,” replied Mui.

“You’re not wrong. In fact, that is the truth. Heinrich is dominating the parlement with their influence, it could even said that they are the one who run the kingdom now,”

Mui’s changed his gaze to Oliver. Hearing politics of other kingdom is tiring, but for some reason, Oliver tell it to Mui, as if he have some part to play into.

“I feel bad for Emmellia. In the age as young as hers, she already trapped in the vortex of politics. You know, he is already engaged to the person who persecute you?”

That words comes like a thunder for Mui. Engaged? With person like him? Mui remember that Emmellia is the one who saved his live, and he trully showed a compassion for him by defending him.

“But that is not fair! Not for them!” said Mui.

“I know, that is why I invite you to this school.”

Oliver get up from his seat. He walk into one of the cabinet, from there, he takes one of the metal boxes.

“What is that?” asked Mui.

“This might be something that could change you and live of your people.”