I watched Pula chump the purple carrots piece by piece with an amused smile. Emilia was right; Pula is indeed a glutton. At that, I then glance at Emilia who is busy cleaning around the facility.
Emilia isn't a bad person, but she's also the one who would lead Cliopatra to be taken as a hostage. Even if Cliopatra doesn't think of me as her friend anymore, I still can't let her be taken as a hostage.
First, as a decent human being, I can't let someone be taken as a hostage. I won't be able to live a peaceful hermit life if I let that happen, so no matter how annoying Cliopatra is, I can't let her be kidnapped. Second, Cliopatra is the female partner, and she is going to be Kendra's lover in the future. For the sake of the protagonist, I want to help and prevent Cliopatra from being taken as a hostage.
This is all not out of kindness, but for the sake of getting in Kendra's good grace. Also, by doing good deeds to other; I might also get the good deeds back in return, right?
At that, I smiled in satisfaction at my great amazing plans, and as I waited for Pula to finish eating, I decided to sit in a lotus position on the ground and meditate. After all, time is gold, and I can't waste it.
I closed my eyes as I started hearing that buzzing sound again. I breathed deeply and exhaled very long.
I haven't forgotten my goal yet. That's why I can't waste any moment of my time. I may have four years to prepare myself before the war starts, but for some reason, I still feel that it's not enough time. Will I be able to protect and prevent those events that might happen in the future?
The answer I could only give to myself right now is I don't know. As of the moment, I don't have anything that could help anyone nor myself, and this body turns out to be weaker than I had expected.
My brows furrowed, feeling anxious in my heart, and the buzzing sound slowly disappeared.
I tried to calm my anxious heart as I concentrated my attention on my breathing. I need to focus or else I won't be able to learn any skills. However, the more I think about my future; the more I feel anxious, and the buzzing sound completely fades.
I feel like I'm being chased with time. Four years, that's the amount of time I have before everything starts, and right now I can't even concentrate on sensing mana.
I sighed as I opened my eyes. Pula put a small purple carrot in my hand as if trying to comfort me. I smiled and said, "thanks Pula."
Pula licks my hand and jumps back to the box of carrots. I stared down at the small purple carrot in my hand and smiled.
Right, I can't give up no matter what. I now have Pula with me, and for the sake of my future and Pula's future of living a hermit life, I need to keep trying. What's more, I need to keep surviving in this world, so one day, I will finally discover why I suddenly got transmigrated here.
With another sigh, I closed my eyes again and started meditating on sensing mana.
Slowly, the buzzing sound became clear again in my ears, and I smiled knowingly. After some time, Pula finished eating, and I thanked Emilia again as I left the facility.
I went back to the dormitory carrying Pula with me. When I arrived in the room, Cliopatra still wasn't there. I sat down on my bed and thought of my next plan for the day. I already read every book that Alexandra gave me, and I have already learned how to sense mana. I think it's about time to meet that red haired woman again. I need some proper guidance in training after all.
After sorting out my thoughts, I took my satchel bag containing books that Alexandra gave me, and I held Pula with me again as I went to Alexandra's laboratory.
Once again, I walked out of the dormitory as I started making my way to Alexandra's place, and afterwards, I stopped in front of a door.
Knock, knock.
However, no one answered, so I knocked again. After a while, I heard some footsteps from the other side then the door burst open.
"Oh it's you, I thought it was Penny…anyway, you're back early, and you even brought a friend," said Alexandra, looking at me and Pula in my arms.
I grinned when Alexandra called Pula a friend. "Yes, this is Pula, my familiar," I replied.
"Oh," Alexandra mouthed, then she beckoned as she said, "well, come on in."
I nodded and moved my legs inside.
There I found crumpled papers littering randomly on the ground around Alexandra's desk. Looks like someone really became busy while I was gone.
"So have you read everything?" Said Alexandra as she sat on her working chair.
I nodded and returned the books on top of her desk along with her messy file of papers. "I've read everything," I said.
"So what did you learn?" Alexandra replied inquiringly as she started jotting things down on a paper.
'I have learned nothing,' is what I wanted to say but chose not to.
"I learn how to sense mana," I said simply.
Alexandra widened her eyes as she looked up at me. "That fast?" Said the red haired woman, looking at me in surprise.
My brows furrowed. "Is it fast?" I said.
"Of course, well, most people would take two years or even more before they start sensing mana, and that's why parent's start teaching magic to children at the age of four," Alexandra explained.
"Well, they're kids," I said reasonably.
"Right," Alexandra replied thoughtfully.
The red haired woman then grabbed her chin, staring at me as she pondered. "Anyway, since you can now sense mana, the next step is getting yourself familiarised with your own attribute," Alexandra said.
My brows furrowed at her. "And how to do that?" I said inquiringly.
I hope Alexandra is not expecting me to know this next step she's talking about, because I absolutely have no idea.
The red haired woman stared at me for a while then her lips twisted to an evil grin.
I gulped while Pula growled. Alexandra narrows her eyes at Pula, and Pula suddenly became quiet as it scooted closer to my chest. I gulp again, feeling anxious.
Alexandra stood up and beckoned for me. "Follow me," said she.
We walked outside, and I soon became aware that the red haired woman seemed to be leading me to the forest. Again, I'm being led to the wild forest, well, not that I'm complaining. However, even if I wanted to live a hermit life in a faraway forest; now is not the yet. First, I need to train, so I can chill even if some kind of ferocious thing suddenly comes to attack me.
Yet, it seems I've been skipping on the training part as I found myself always being led to the forest; one way or another; first with Kendra; and now, with Alexandra. Perhaps, they were right about the law of attraction. As they always say; 'you think and so you become.'
Despite feeling the cold sweat oozing out of my pores, I already steeled my heart to follow this red haired woman. After a while, Alexandra finally stops, and I'm back here again in this murky dark forest.
At that, Alexandra then turned to me and her face still had that evil grin. "Classes are starting within a month, and as much as possible, I'd like you to familiarise yourself with your attributes in one week," said the red haired woman with an expectant resolute gaze.
One week?!
I grabbed the back of my neck as I kept a tight hold on Pula, who seemed scared shitless with Alexandra. I stretched my lips to an awkward smile as I mumbled, "I think you're asking for too much, hehe…"
With one howl of the breezy wind, my awkward laugh slowly disappeared as I heard Alexandra click her tongue.
"Trust me lass, it's not impossible, considering how you're able to learn to sense mana within just a day, then for someone as capable as you, I don't think it's impossible," the red haired woman said with a firm gaze. "Anyway, we're in the forest to do exactly what you think is impossible."
"And how am I supposed to do that specifically…?" I replied, pulling my brows worriedly.
"Simple and easy," replied Alexandra vaguely.
My brows knitted, feeling some kind of deja vu with her answer.
Alexandra's smile deepened as she said, "you simply need to live here for a month with me, easy right?"
'What do you mean simple and easy?!' I complained in my thoughts as my brows furrowed even more.
There's nothing simple and easy about what Alexandra just said. Even though I want to live a hermit life in a faraway forest, I don't think I'm ready for that yet since forest in this world is also a dangerous place. I know how dangerous the forest could get at night, and it's exactly why I'm trying to learn a skill or two in the academy, so I could live peacefully in the forest in the future.
Furthermore, I may have trusted Kendra, but I still don't trust Alexandra just yet. Especially after that incident with Penelope.
"Well? What do you think?" Alexandra said expectantly.
I sighed as I worriedly said, "what about the rules in the academy?"
"Don't worry about it, classes haven't started yet, so the academy is still open and students may also sleep wherever they want, may it be inside their dormitories or just right here in the forest," the red haired woman explained, smiling at me.
"Oh, I see," I replied as my shoulders slump dejectedly.
I thought I could use the rules of the academy to make Alexandra cancel her crazy plans.
"Alright lass, are you prepared to do this? If not, then just say the word, and we'll stop this all at once."
I gulped nervously as I stared at Alexandra, who had a devil's grin plastered on her face. Well, I'll just think of everything as a trial process, for when I could finally live a peaceful hermit life in a faraway forest.
With a deep sigh, I steeled my heart as I straightened my back. "Bring the pain on," I said to the red haired woman.
Alexandra grinned in satisfaction as her dark eyes glinted. "Oh it will come eventually, child, so don't worry. You'll get what you ask for…sooner than you thought, it will."
I felt the small hairs of my skin stand up, feeling a shudder down my spine; suddenly, I want nothing but to go home and hide from this red haired woman. But home is so far away from me.
I took a deep sigh, missing earth. At these lingering yearning emotions; Pula nuzzled near my chest comfortingly; I smiled as I felt Pula's red warm fur, hugging the little rabbit even more for mental comfort, the anxiety and homesickness in my heart lessened a little.
"Then shall we start?" Alexandra said in a tone of a statement rather than a question.
I swallowed the invading anxious thoughts away as I tried to stand still, feeling my legs and arms growing numb and cold from fear. I tried to plaster a fierce expression on my face, making myself look brave and strong.
Deep inside, I chanted like a prayer as I repeatedly motivated myself in a hypnotising tune…'for the sake of my hermit life.'