Alexander spun around to see a young handsome man waving at him. He recognized him instantly; this was one of his classmates from last semester, Arthur. Felicia noticed him as well and with a roll of her eyes departed to the classroom.
Arthur wore a pair of dark jeans and a black T-shirt, both neatly pressed and clean. His blonde hair was styled perfectly, falling loosely over his shoulders in silky strands. His blue eyes sparkled brightly whenever he smiled.
He was quite a popular kid at Eagle Mountain, judging from the number of girls surrounding him wherever he went. Most of these girls were first or second-year students, though some were older.
"Hey!" Alexander called back, smiling broadly. "How have you been doing lately?"
The boy flashed him a dazzling smile. "Good thanks. And yourself?"
"Busy as usual," Alexander replied casually. "But no complaints."
Artur gave Alexander a weird look and gestured towards the group of girls that surrounded him with his eyes. It took Alexander a few moments to understand.
"Oh, by the way, Arthur, can we speak privately?" Alexander said immediately.
Arthur turned around to face the girls that followed him.
"Sorry girls, no can do." He shrugged and continued, "My brother Alex needs me for some serious men's talk. I'll see you all later!"
He hurriedly grabbed Alexander by his arm and pulled him away leading him deeper into the campus. He turned around and waved the girls goodbye with an apologetic smile.
Alexander instantly caught a few hostile looks in his direction from the group. His first thought was that these girls were a bit too invested in Arthur. If only he knew how ironic this thought was.
They made their way past numerous classrooms until reaching an empty space near the library. There, they found a bench and sat down together.
"Oooofff. Thanks, bro, these girls never leave me alone. I thought I was going to lose it. They waited for me in front of the school, can you believe that?" Artur complained bitterly.
Alexander laughed heartily. "That doesn't exactly sound like a big problem. There are people who are very jealous of you, you know?"
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." Arthur sighed irritably. "Anyway, I have a piece of good news for you."
"Really? What is it?"
Arthur smiled smugly. "Guess who's coming back to school?"
"You mean Nia?" Alexander asked eagerly.
"Bullseye!" Arthur exclaimed excitedly. "She's returned this morning. Moreover, she's supposed to stay up until the National Exams. I bet you really excited to see the princess of your heart." he teased.
"Shut up." Alexander groaned. "Are you sure she's back?"
"Yes, she's going to be staying at my house for the time being. You should have seen the room my father prepared for her. For a moment I thought he loves his niece more than his son!"
They shared a hearty laugh at that comment.
"And hey," Arthur added suddenly, turning to Alexander. "I've got something important to discuss with you."
This was not surprising, considering that the two brothers spent most of their time together discussing things.
However, Alexander felt apprehensive about whatever he had planned to say next. He didn't want to disappoint his friend after hearing such wonderful news, so Alexander tried to remain calm and collected.
"Okay. What is it?"
Arthur cleared his throat and began speaking. "Listen carefully because this is important."
Alexander listened intently.
"Your brother has decided to join the Royal Guard."
It took a few seconds before Alexander responded. "Huh?"
Arthur grinned proudly. "Yep. Your bro will become a knight someday soon. Just imagine what kind of prestige that would bring to my family!"
Alexander looked at his friend in disbelief. "Is this true? Really?"
"Yup, I'm telling ya the truth."
"But why Royal Guard?" Alexander couldn't help asking.
Arthur paused briefly and scratched his head awkwardly. Then, he answered: "Uhmm... Well... So you know that my genetic aptitude test result was 'excellent' in physical potential."
A genetic aptitude test was a scientific examination used to determine the potential of a person. By the 22nd century, such tests became a part of the standard procedure for newborns in hospitals.
Based on the results, parents could decide whether or not they wanted to raise their child as a fighter, healer, scientist, politician, merchant, etc. Additionally, it allows to treat some of gene-induced conditions and allows a person to live a healthy life.
"Of course I do."
"Right," Arthur smirked, nodding knowingly. "It just so happens that my mental potential is only average, so I thought a military career might be the right choice for me."
"Wait... Hold on..." Alexander stuttered, trying to process the information. "So you're saying that you chose the Royal Guard precisely because you have less intellectual potential?"
"Exactly. My father suggested that the Royal Guard is perfect for me since it requires little brainpower."
Alexander was stunned at first, but a moment later he realized it was a joke. Arthur couldn't keep his face straight anymore and broke out in a fit of laughter.
Alexander joined him and laughed along happily. After calming himself down, he finally spoke again.
"Congratulations then." He congratulated his friend.
"But there's another reason why your I decided on the Guard. See, my dad wants me to take over the company when he retires. And I figured out some discipline wouldn't hurt me. And since I am a son of a count, Royal Guard was a logical choice."
"Sounds like a great plan."
"Thanks, bro. You're the best!"
As the two boys chatted, a sudden commotion drew everyone's attention. A large crowd of students had gathered outside the main entrance.
At first, Alexander thought they were waiting for their class to begin, but then he saw a girl walking through the campus. Her long golden locks swayed gracefully behind her as she strode forward with confidence.
Her outfit consisted of a white dress shirt tucked into a pair of tight black pants, complemented by a stylish leather jacket. On top of that, she sported a pair of boots that reached halfway up her calves.
This combination created an elegant yet intimidating impression. Not many students dared approach her as they walked by. She seemed to notice this, as she cast a brief glance at each and every person that passed her, giving them a cold glare.
Of course, that was Nia.
"To be honest, I don't really understand what you see in my cousin. She's pretty, but her heart is like a block of ice." Arthur commented with amusement. "Plus it will take you a tremendous amount of work to qualify for a hand of a ducal princess."
However, Alexander did not pay attention to any of Arthur's words. That's because his and Nia's eyes met. For a split second, Alexander forgot how to breathe. His mind was blank as he struggled to comprehend what had happened.
Nia noticed the two of them sitting on a bench and walked over. The instant their eyes locked, Alexander stood up without thinking twice. A silly smile hung on his face, and what was even more surprising, a slight smile appeared on Nia's face as well.