After a long while of Mr. Paul trying his best to regain his composure, we quietly came back home without a single word uttered. We then had a tedious discussion about my future, and about being able to use four affinities. He requested for me to stick with merely one affinity to avoid a world-wide shock and gave me the honor of choosing which affinity I'd like to use. After giving it some thought, I went with aqua for a slight reason - controlling water was cool.
"Alright, aqua it is. We'll start your training tomorrow so you better get some good sleep." Mr. Paul said and left the room.
...
Following an adequate amount of sleep, I got ready for school. This was going to be the first day of school - in my whole life, both back in Earth and in Skystead. I was excited like never before.
"Arthur! Are you ready to go, my boy?" Mr. Paul shouted from the living room.
"Yes!!" I screamed back.
"Come have some food and we'll depart" Mr. Paul called, while preparing some nice meals.
After filling our empty stomachs, we set out for school and shortly arrived. A huge board could be spotted right outside the entrance to the main building. It contained several lists of students' names and their corresponding classes.
'Arthur.. Arthur.. oh there it is!' I searched for my name and found that I was placed in class 1-A. I instantly knew it was Mr. Paul's doing. Who else would for any reason one could discern, put someone unevaluated into the A class?
Upon my arrival to the doors of class 1-A, I bumped into someone and fell with my back on the floor. 'it's my first day here and I'm already bumping into someone! Stupid goofy Arthur, apologize to the person you just bumped, quick!!' I shouted at myself in my consciousness.
"H-hey, I'm sorry I was lost in thought, are you alright?" I swiftly got up and reached out my hand to her.
"O-oh, it's alright. I was lost in thought as well, I should apologize to you instead" she got up herself and couldn't stop repeatedly bowing to me.
"I'm Charlotte. It's nice to meet you and um.. I'm sorry for bumping into you" she apologized, after shoving her smooth silver-colored hair over her soft, white ear.
Her face was charming, gleaming with unparalleled beauty. A pair of large, alluring emerald eyes, with long silver-colored eyelashes curved beautifully. Her smooth lips alone could make any guy fall for her. Her delicate movements along with her heavenly features gave me an absence of mind.
"A-ah, are you alright?" she asked hesitantly.
"Oh yes yes, I am. I'm sorry I should've paid more attention.. I'll get going then" I was knocked out of my daydream after she asked.
"T-then I will too~!!" she blushed.
Then came an extremely awkward moment, where both of us went into the same room.
"H-huh?? You're in this class too?" I asked, flabbergasted.
"A-ah, yes, it seems you are too. I hope we get along!" she replied with a bright, shimmering smile that pierced right through my soul.
"Yes, yes, me too" I could feel my face burning up.
I rushed towards my designated seat and yet again, another coincidence. She was seated next to me; on my right.
"Hey~~ girl. What's your name?" a tall boy with crimson hair came up to her.
"I-it's Charlotte, nice to meet you" she replied while smiling wearily.
"That smile... You're so cute... I hope we get along!" he then went to the back of the class where his seat was located.
Not long after, a tall man wearing a suit came in and slammed everything he was carrying onto the table. He pushed up his glasses, picked up the chalk and started writing something on the blackboard.
The man turned to look at us after he finished writing and stated "Ayden.. that is my name. It is the name of your professor who'll be guiding you into becoming a proficient mage this year. First of all, it is a pleasure to be meeting with qualified students who yearn for power. Why don't we start with introductions?".
"You there, table number one, mind telling the rest of the class about yourself?" Mr. Ayden pointed towards a boy with sable-colored hair.
He stood up and took a deep inhale.
"I'm Wesley. I like playing around with my Ventus affinity and trying to find different approaches to using attack spells. I'm 13 just like most of you here and um.. I also have a thing for cute girls.. hehe.." The boy talked loud and clear.
After hearing what he said, I was pretty much sure him and the boy with crimson hair would get along - they were both into girls.
...
It soon came to my turn.
"Alright table number twelve, it's your turn" Mr. Ayden pointed at me.
'I've been thinking of what to say, I can do this!' I stood up and looked around.
"Hi, I'm Arthur. It'll be nice to be friends with everyone!" I bowed down to everyone and then sat back down.
"That's it? Come on, you have to say more than that. Like what you enjoy doing, or anything really" Charlotte whispered to me a few moments after I took my seat.
"Well then, seat number thirte-" before Mr. Ayden could finish, I stood back up.
"U-um, I enjoy reading books. Oh um I also like sleeping" I zapped my introduction quickly.
A few laughed after hearing I liked sleeping; even Charlotte did.
Then came Charlotte's turn, the one I was waiting for. She stood up and flipped her silver hair to the back which left most of the boys speechless. Her soft white cheeks turned red as her glossy lips started fidgeting. Those emerald-colored eyes started blinking, and nobody could take their eyes off her for even a moment.
"H-hi, I'm Charlotte. My affinities are ignis and aqua, and I prefer using aqua because it's very useful in daily situations. I've only used ignis a few times, back when my dad and I went into a perilous journey into the woods of Qraville and had to fight a few beasts."
She paused and looked around the class. After beholding the view of all eyes fixated on her, she shook her head here and there then proceeded to sit with her head on the table, with her arms on her head. She was very embarrassed from what I could see.
"Wow.. it seems we have a dual affinity user in our class! Let's all give her a round of applause" Mr. Ayden shouted as he clapped glamorously.
...
By the time the introductions of all 30 students were done, the class had already ended and it was time for our lunch break. I was taking out my lunch when Charlotte called for me.
"Hello, what is it?" I kindly asked.
"Um.. if you don't mind.. can you eat with me? You see.. I don't have any friends here so I'm scared" Charlotte requested to eat with me.
I pondered for a bit, thinking - why would someone of her caliber hang out with an ugly ass like me? I never did reach the solution.
"Sure, I can" I replied, looking all high and mighty.
We had some leisurely talk, asking each other questions. But I had to lie to some extent, as not to reveal I can control four affinities. For the most part though, she was kinder than anyone I've met before, she was humble and most of all, she had a sparkling smile that would run even the most famous idols for their money.
After I went back to my seat, other girls rushed towards her and started questioning her all sorts of questions. One of which piqued my interest.
"Hey hey, are you dating Arthur?" a girl with long orange hair asked her.
"N-no, we just met today. But I should say, he's really friendly!" Charlotte answered, yet again, with that unprecedented smile of hers.
The day passed by in the blink of an eye and all we did was some basic interactions, followed by some mana basics. It was the first time I had experienced school, and it was lovely.
"See you Charlotte!" I shouted as I waved to her.
After seeing her wave back, I started treading towards the gate. Then I heard her yell.
"Come early tomorrow!! I'll bring a surprise!" she screamed, her beaming smile unfaded. I couldn't take my eyes off her, not in the least.
"Sure! Guess I'll come sup-" I replied, but halfway through I suddenly couldn't talk.
"ARTHUR! ARTHUR!!" Charlotte shouted and started running towards me. But her sweet smiling face turned into a worrying one, I wondered why?
My eyes turned blurry, my mind quite unconscious, and instantly, I fell down to my knees. I didn't know what had happened. I felt some liquid touch my knees so I looked down - there was blood. The most concerning part though, was that my thigh had a large hollow hole as if something immense punctured through it. My neck seemed to be pierced as well, considering the sudden disability to speak. I looked back and saw a man in black-red robes, wielding a wand with massive rocks flying around him.
'So it was him..' I could only see a hazy figure but it was enough to confirm he was the one who hurt me.
Before long, I feel flat on the ground, a blood pool right under. Charlotte tried her best to carry me away, but my instincts were screaming she was gonna get hurt.
'Ahh.. if only I could turn back time and inform Mr. Paul about this.. dammit is this how I die? Pathetic, for someone with four affinities' I thought to myself.
...
Before I knew it, my eyes were clear as day, I wasn't feeling all weird and the most shocking fact - there wasn't a single speck of blood. The hole in my thigh disappeared as though it never happened, and I was back in class.
'Huh?' I wondered..