I wake up with a sense of excitement since today is the day, that me and Sister Melani visit the academy to gather information about tuition cost and what exactly I will be doing if I attend there, Sister Melani walks into my room after knocking on the door.
"you ready?"
I answer while getting changed.
"yeah, I even made sure to take the day off today."
I then sigh.
"I still gotta go tomorrow."
she replies.
"well that is what it means to have a job."
we leave the bedroom and after we sit down to have breakfast together, she asks.
"do you have any idea what you wanna do in the academy?"
I shake my head.
"not really, but if I want to gather as much information before deciding what I want to do."
I think to myself.
"if anything I just want to pick up any new useful sword skills."
she sighs.
"hopefully the tuition there isn't expensive."
I respond.
"even if it is, I'll work a lot and save up as much coins as I can."
she gives me a slight smile, because of my enthusiasm.
"don't get ahead of yourself, we haven't gone there yet."
we finish the food and I stand up.
"come on Sister Melani, we are burning valuable daytime."
she also stands up, chuckling.
"alright, alright, let's go then."
after leaving the house, she holds out her hand in front of me.
"I want you to hold my hand the whole time."
I stare at her hand, and said with pursed lips.
"nope."
she pouts.
"you are my son now, and I want to have mother and son moments before you grow too old for these things."
I give in to her demand and grab her hand while grumbling under my breath.
"this is humiliating."
we begin walking together while holding hands, and I made it a point to show Sister Melani that I was not enjoying it, by grumbling to myself, and keeping a grumpy face the whole time.
"I don't like this Sister Melani."
she stops walking to sigh and asks while giving me sad puppy eyes.
"can you at least try, for me?"
I think to myself.
"she's been doing so much for me, I should at least do some things that will make her happy, even if it hurts my pride."
I try to smile.
"okay, mom I'll try."
she smiles but then she pinches both of my cheeks.
"don't worry we'll work on that smile, Mr. Grumpy face."
I frown and mumble.
"whatever you say Sister Melani."
she gasps still smiling and replies while teasing me.
"aw, what happened to you calling me mom?"
I respond while pulling her to keep moving.
"can we just go?"
we continue walking together through the city streets, with Sister Melani constantly teasing me because I called her mom, and then as we finally arrive at the gate fence of the academy, a soldier in carrying a word and shield and covered in heavy armor from head to toe, stops us and said with an authoritative voice.
"state your business."
Sister Melani asks while putting her on my shoulder.
"who do we speak to when it comes to enrollment
for my child?"
his tone of voice calms down, into a more relaxed one.
"ah I see, you want to speak to Headmaster Lewis then."
he and a couple of other soldiers who are guarding the gate, open the heavy fence door together and once it got fully opened, he said to Sister Melani.
"right now the only one roaming around the academy campus are staff, security, and teachers, since all academy students have left campus for vacation."
I think to myself.
"academies also exist in the major cities of the demons, but I never got a chance to visit any of them, since most of the things I studied and learned were from Mistress Isabelle."
we walk on the walkway, and pass through the courtyard, with huge water fountain in the middle of it, Sister Melani stops to admire it and said.
"I never had a chance to get a good look at this water fountain, even though I've passed by the academy many times before."
I look at the distance on the right side of the huge building and point.
"look there are a bunch houses over there."
she takes her attention away from the water fountain and looks at the house while squinting.
"yeah, those houses must be for on campus residents or something."
she grabs my hand.
"come, we need to find the headmaster, and get the information we are looking for."
we continue walking on the walkway, and adult human female with long pointy ears, wearing a red and black victorian hat, with a blue flower attached to it over her long blonde curly hair, a red and black victorian dress, and upon seeing me, she stares with her light blue eyes and asks Sister Melani.
"are you the mother of this child?"
she nods and answers politely.
"yes, ma'am."
she leans foward to get closer look at me, she then realizes that Sister Melani is giving her a weird look and stops herself from doing that, she smiles at me and then extends her hand while clearing her throat.
"pardon my rudeness, my name is Elaine Laconia."
Sister Melani shakes her hand.
"Melani Edwards, it is a pleasure to meet you."
I think to myself.
"she must be from the Laconia noble family."
Sister Melani then nudges me to introduce msyelf, I also shake her hand.
"my name is Darius Edwards, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Elaine Laconia."
she smiles at me, not showing any disrespect because of my skin color, she asks Sister Melani.
"are you planning on having your son attend Hultan Academy?"
she nods.
"yes, we just came to gather information on tuition cost and what kind of future he has graduating from here."
Elaine responds.
"if you want, I can take you to see the headmaster,
I just came from his office."
she replies.
"we don't want to impose or waste your time."
she looks at me and replies.
"nonsense, I'm more than happy to help, an amazing prospect."
Sister Melani looks at me and ask curiously.
"are you talking about Darius?"
she answers.
"yes, and from one look, I can already tell that your son is special, and will grow to a very powerful and important individual."
she then waves to follow her.
"come on, let's get you introduced to Headmaster Lewis."
we follow her into what she described as the main building of the academy, where most of the classrooms are located at, she climbs up a staircase.
"thee headmaster's office is on the sixth floor."
while climbing up the flight of stairs, I ask her.
"Mrs. Laconia, we saw numerous houses outside on campus grounds, who stays there?"
she answers.
"those houses are all owned, by the many noble families, and are used to house family members attending the academy and students have proven worthy to serve the families in the future."
I ask.
"what about regular students?"
she answers.
"there is a larger building behind this one, and all the regular students share that dormitory, if they choose to live on campus."
I stare at her long pointy ears and ask.
"I apologize if I come off as rude, but why do you have long pointy ears?"
Sister Melani smacks me in the back of the head.
"don't be rude Darius."
Elaine laughs at me for getting smacked in the back of the head, but then she answers my question while grinning.
"it's fine I wasn't offended by the question."
she composes herself a bit and continues.
"the Laconia bloodline carries the blood of the long lost race of people called the elves and back when they were still around they all had long pointy ears like myself."
I think to myself.
"Mistress Isabelle never taught me about the elves, so I never knew that a race of people existed before."
after we arrive at the front door of the headmaster's office, Elaine knocks on the door.
"George, you have a potential future student and his mother wanting to talk to you."
he replies, but it is muffled through the door.
"oh please bring them in Elaine."
we enter the office and is excited expression quickly turns into offended manner, he turns to Sister Melani and asks rudely.
"is that your boy?"
Sister Melani quickly picking up that he doesn't like me, stands her ground and answers in the same manner.
"that is my son, and how dare you treat a future student like that."
Elaine interferes and stares daggers into him.
"apologize to the mother and her son now George
or you will feel more than just rudeness from the Laconia family."
he swallows nervous.
"excuse my conduct, and you are correct, that is no way a headmaster should be treating a potential future student."
he stands up from behind his desk and shakes Sister Melani's hand.
"I'm Headmaster George Lewis."
she replies.
"Melani Edwards and this is my son Darius Edwards."
he reluctantly shakes my hand, trying to hold back his disgust for me and said with gritted teeth.
"a pleasure to meet you young man."
he then asks Sister Melani.
"so what do you need Ma'am?"
she responds.
"we came here wondering, if he attends here what will he learn and how much will it cost."
he responds.
"he'll learn to read and write, history, mathematics,
physical education, sword combat and magic combat and if he is an outstanding student then he will have the option to take the best elective course that Hultan Academy can offer."
Sister Melani responds with a smile.
"wow, that is amazing."
she follows up with another question.
"so what about the tuition cost."
he answers.
"one hundred gold coins per month."
she lets out a heavy sigh and takes a seat.
"I only make seventy gold coins at the orphanage per month, and I pay fifty gold coins renting the house."
I think to myself.
"I guess attending the academy is out of the question."
I approach Sister Melani and giver her a hug.
"don't worry mom, I'll give up on trying to attend here, it's not that important for me to come here."
Headmaster Lewis looks very pleased at the fact that I won't attending, he then said in an obviously
fake concerned tone.
"it's a shame, but the monthly tuition is necessary to keep the academy running and most students who show promise can't afford it."
he then makes a suggestion with mischievous grin.
"your son could always join the Makendon army and serve his majesty Dean as a soldier.
I think to myself.
"it may not be ideal, but at least I can still broaden my horizons and hopefully learn some new tricks."
I said to Sister Melani.
"see mom, I can just do that so you don't have to stress yourself out."
she hugs me and whispers.
"I'm sorry, Darius I know you really wanted this."
I hug back.
"everything will be fine."
Elaine sighs and then makes a casual comment to Sister Melani.
"he's right Melani don't worry your pretty little head about this just focus on raising a proper man, and I'll take care of his tuition expenses."
she stands up and asks.
"what? why would you do that?"
she answers her with a smile.
"well of course if I pay for his tuition them he would have to represent and serve my family."
Sister Melani hugs her, not letting me respond to it.
"Of course, he'll do that."
I think to myself.
"I just got out of serving Mistress Isabelle, I'm not about to serve someone else."
I interject.
"not interested, let's go home mom."
she saw the expression on my face and immediately understood why I refused.
"okay let's go home son."
Elaine laughs and asks completely surprised.
"you would refuse my help?"
I respond.
"yes, there is no question about it."
just as we are about to walk out of the office, Elaine makes another offer.
"okay, you won't have to serve my family, but would you at least consider it while your attending."
I respond with a question.
"and I won't be forced to serve your family?"
she nods.
"no, but I can't guarantee that we won't pester you
at every moment though."
I hold out my hand, she looks at it and shakes it.
"I take it we have a deal?"
I nod.
"thank you Mrs. Laconia."
Headmaster Lewis who is shocked at the development said.
"well I guess, congratulations Darius Edwards."
he looks at Sister Melani.
"okay then, can you please write down the name of the child, your address and his current age."
after filling it out the form, he looks at it and said.
"So Darius is eight years old, alright if you haven't moved form this address four years from now, you should recieve a letter of acceptance, so don't forget to bring it or you will be turned away."
after leaving the office, I hear Elaine say one more thing.
"I can't wait to see what the future holds for you Darius."
the walk back home was filled with excitement as Sister Melani showered me with kisses, and I allowed since it made her happy.