[A/N: The first three chapters are prologue of the sort but not really prologue. However, they are important for the story and two main characters, Zevien and Vernisia. The start of the story is a bit slow but I hope you can read like twenty-something chaps or all the free chaps. Though it might not come to that since you will be hooked before that as you speculate the potential of this story :) Happy reading. ]
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'Ah...as beautiful as always. Oh wait, she had a hairdo.'
Zevien thought as he looked at Vernisia sitting across from him at the table, both eating lunch in the cafeteria.
"What?" Vernisia asked as she saw Zevien pausing to look at her.
Zevien coughed and shook his head while smiling, "I was just thinking how beautiful you're looking today as well. Did you cut your hair?"
"So you noticed. Yep, I had a hairdo," Vernisia chuckled as she twirled a lock of her hair before putting it behind her ears, "anyway, it's been a year, and we all passed the first year exam of this magic academy. So there ought to be a celebration with Dan and Erica."
"Sure, we can go out tonight," Zevien grinned while thinking, 'should I tell her about my feelings today? Hmm, but then I will also have to tell her I am an orphan and have no family support like everyone else. Arghh…. What do I do?'
Zevien was insecure about his chances because of his less-than-average life. In this world, where half of the people can awaken a connection with a magic labyrinth and become stronger by wielding magic, individual power and status were everything. Currently, he had no individual power as a classless magician and no status as he was an orphan.
But Zevien wanted a bright future for himself, so he worked hard to get excellent results and got admission into this fourth national magic academy.
He met Vernisia on the first day of the academy as they were in the same class, and their desks were beside each other. Since they were near each other, they became friends quickly.
As Zevien spent more time with her, he came to like her more and more before finally falling for her. He had thought about confessing multiple times in the past six months but removed that thought as quickly as it surfaced.
He saw no chance with her because of his background, which was non-existent. Heck, he didn't have the means to earn money yet, so he couldn't go on dates, nor could he enjoy after-school time like other kids, couldn't pay for VR magic dungeon games or any other fun physical activities out in the city.
He couldn't even get a part-time job because he was spending his after-school time training in magic and learning more about his magic occupation —Jewelist— as recommended by the academy. After training, he would go to the orphanage to help mother Helena daily.
Mother Helena gave him some allowance every month, but he didn't want to take that for granted, so he would do community work with her to help her as much as possible. There were also those little kids at the orphanage, and as their big brother, he had to keep them happy and cheerful.
Zevien knew how it felt to have an absence of parents and not be loved. It doesn't feel good; it makes you gloomy and awful, especially when you see kids of similar age having fun and getting things they can only dream of.
For that reason, Zevien would use half the allowance he gets from mother Helena for those little imps and never let them feel lonely or sad. Although it was not enough, he could still buy them little cheap toys and different snacks and play with them while giving out advice and life lessons that they must not envy others just because they have a better lifestyle than them.
He wanted to make them mentally strong, just like how he was made so by a wandering old man who came to the orphanage four years ago when he was fourteen years old.
That old man taught him martial arts but, most importantly, gave him advice that would help him for life. The world is cruel, and it's over if you give up on yourself. The old man stayed for only five months, but those five months were probably the most important in Zevien's life.
So for their future, they will have to work hard as Zevien did for his. By getting himself into the fourth national magic academy, he didn't have to pay for his education and could get opportunities that came with getting admitted into such a prestigious institution.
The kids admired him for that, and he also became their target. They wanted to become like their lovely and cheerful big brother Zevien.
Zevien was also immensely happy to get admitted into this academy and wanted to work hard to make a bright future for himself. But that was the talk about the future. For now, Zevien felt that people would look at him and judge him by his current status and situation, which made him feel hesitant about telling Vernisia and his other friends about his status as an orphan with not even foster parents.
Although Vernisia was extremely kind, gentle, helpful, and a bit aloof in a different way as she wouldn't take any offense to her heart, she would occasionally have a desolate dazed expression, which made Zevien a bit worried.
But after thinking about it, Zevien decided to tell her about him right now!
"Vernisia, I want to tell you something."
Vernisia took a sip of juice from her glass before looking at Zevien, "yes? What is it?"
"You know…I always dodged questions about my family, right? But I think it's time that I tell you about it," Zevien said as his heart started beating faster and he felt nervous.
"if you are not uncomfortable with it, then it's fine. You don't have to force yourself to tell me about it," said Vernisia with a gentle smile before she lightly chuckled, "though it does feel like I saw a new you today because I don't remember seeing you getting nervous like this before."
Vernisia thought that Zevien might have some complicated family matter, and that's why he never told them about his family or where he lived before settling in the dorms of this academy. So she, Dan, and Erica didn't mention this topic.
"Eh, this is probably the only matter that makes me nervous," Zevien wryly smiled before he took a deep breath and adopted a straight expression.
Vernisia also looked at Zevien with a somber expression and was ready to hear it.
"Ok, so…, My name is Zevien, and I don't have any surname. I was not hiding my surname from you, but I literally don't have one," Zevien said before pausing for a second and continuing as he slightly stammered, "I…I am an o-orphan, and I lived in the Starlight orphanage, practically grew up there as long as I remember."
"Oh~" Vernisia was surprised before her eyes started to fill with excitement, "are there cute little kids in the orphanage?"
Zevien was not expecting this reaction and nodded with a slightly dazed expression, "actually, the orphanage only has cute little kids now. I am the eldest."
Suddenly, Vernisia's expression took a 180-degree turn as she became angry and pouted, "why didn't you tell me before? Don't you know how much I love cute little kids? Alright, I have decided! Today, we will go to the Starlight orphanage and celebrate with the kids!"
Zevien was taken aback, "s-sure. Hahaha, alright! This is good." Zevien laughed while inwardly sighed in relief and felt excited, 'it seems I have a chance! I can tell her about my feelings tonight when we return to the academy or after finding a good chance later. Damn, I can't wait!'
"Actually, let's go there right now," Vernisia stood up and mumbled something before nodding with a smile, "let's go and bring some toys to the kids. We have finished all classes today, so let's get freshened up in our dorms and meet up at the academy gate."
"Alright," Zevien beamed a smile and nodded before standing up. 'I never thought Vernisia would be this happy, hehe. At normal times, she always has that slight gloominess around her. Ahh, I am becoming too optimistic now! I think I might really have a chance with her!'
Zevien didn't have any prior romantic relationship or even a crush. He had just turned eighteen this year and always spent most of his time training and studying. But after spending time with Vernisia and liking her more and more, he couldn't help falling for this gentle soul.
…
Both of them first went to Vernisia's home in a taxi. She went inside her house and brought all the toys she used when she was small.
"The kids will be happy seeing so many toys," Zevien laughed.
"I hope they do," Vernisia chirped happily.
On the way, Zevien bought the favorite light food of the kids from a street stall.
"Will this be enough? How many kids are there?" Vernisia asked.
"It will be enough. It's 4 pm, so they would not be hungry that much," Zevien nodded with a smile while thinking, 'and I don't have Lopax credits to buy more.'
When they arrived at the orphanage, the kids became excited to see so many toys in the big box and were also surprised to see their big brother Zevien bringing his friend from the academy for the first time.
"Alright, cutie pies! Let's eat the food before it gets cold," Vernisia said with a beaming smile as she uncovered card plates of steamy flattened rice with various spices fried with tiny potato cubes. "Line up! I'll feed you all myself."
The kids lined up while giggling as Vernisia fed them with her hand one by one.
"Is this what it feels like to be fed by mum?" a little girl that was four years old asked innocently, "when I went to the park yesterday, I saw my friend's mum feeding her like this."
Vernisia's eyes became moist, but she nodded quickly with a smile, "yep!"
When Vernisia went to feed the next little boy, Zevien also lined up beside him and grinned, "feed me too; I am also an orphan."
The kids giggled seeing him like this, and Vernisia also laughed, "alright, little Zevy also gets a share from my hand."
"Little Zevy!"
"Big brother Zevien is now little Zevy, hahaha."
The kids laughed and giggled as they found a new way to tease their big brother Zevien.