On a certain passage of the infirmary building walks Kendra following beside Penelope; the dean master of the Mystic Academy.
The whole way was nothing but quiet. Kendra and the dean master remain silent as they both walk together on the cold pathway of the infirmary.
However, deep inside, Kendra's head is full of sly calculation. Kendra badly wanted to know the mysteries surrounding the woman walking beside her, but she couldn't.
Even though Kendra wanted to probe Penelope's secrets now, Kendra can't afford to act suspiciously or else Penelope might start acting wary of her. That's why Kendra needs to make a good impression first, so Penelope will let her guard down around her.
By accomplishing this request that Penelope is asking of her, she would appear like a good samaritan in Penelope's eyes. Like a good student with a pure heart.
Afterwards, Penelope will owe Kendra a debt, and Kendra will have the advantage to ask favours to Penelope.
But before that, Kendra will probe Penelope's secrets first; whether this woman can be trusted or not. If it is the former, then Kendra will acquaint Penelope to the rebel army. If it is the latter, then Kendra would have to reconsider changing plans. In addition, Kendra has to know if Penelope would even be interested in the uprising.
Still, it was truly a blessing in meeting Penelope in this academy in advance. Before the war begins in four years, Kendra wants to gather intel and forces that would help the rebel army and the omegas uprising. And Penelope would be a big help for all of that.
Especially since Penelope is part of the royal family, who also has the blood of a commoner. Not to mention that Penelope is also an omega, so Penelope is the perfect person to become the centre figure in the uprising.
However, Kendra will have to earn Penelope's trust first, so she can slowly investigate the mysteries surrounding this woman.
In order to get Penelope's trust, Kendra needs to perform perfectly in this mission given to her from Penelope. She needs to heal and help whoever that student is in perfect conditions, so Penelope will be indebted to her.
By earning Penelope's trust, perhaps, Penelope might voluntarily tell her things that Penelope is keeping to herself.
Once she is sure that Penelope won't bring danger to the rebel army or to the uprising. Then that is the time where Kendra will introduce Penelope to them as the centre figure.
With sly plans in her mind, Kendra followed Penelope silently like a good obedient student.
The two turns left, right, up, and down then inside of the building. Afterwards, they stopped on the fifth floor in the fifteenth room.
Penelope knocked on the wooden door, and then the door creaked open.
A woman with long red curly hair and deep dark eyes came out. The woman wore a long knee-length white coat; she had a brown satchel bag worn diagonally to her torso.
Kendra stared at the woman, feeling like she had seen this woman before she had returned to the past, but she couldn't remember when or where. However, Kendra could somewhat vaguely remember that this woman is someone she has already seen in her original timeline.
[Was it around the beta uprising?]
Kendra wasn't sure, because she had met all sorts of people after her marriage with that scumbag princess.
"Penny?" The red haired woman said, looking at Penelope.
[Penny?] Kendra smiled even more amiably, feeling like this woman is someone who is close to Penelope.
[I could use this person.] Kendra thought to herself, watching like a good obedient student on the side.
Penelope nodded to the red haired woman, then she turned to look at Kendra beside her. "Professor Alexandra, I would like you to meet the light attribute user, Miss Kendra Salamanca, a first year student," Penelope introduced.
The red haired woman turns to Kendra, squinting the lids of her eyes, staring carefully at Kendra's face. "She looks a bit…"
"I know right," Penelope nodded in agreement. "Anyway, here is the light attribute user that you've been requesting, Professor."
"Right," the red haired woman nodded, then she plastered a business smile at Kendra. "Pleasure to finally meet you, my name is Alexandra Cassidy, I'm the head of the Magic and Research department," said Alexandra, raising her hand in front of Kendra.
Kendra kept a polite, amiable smile. "Pleasure to meet you," Kendra said, shaking Alexandra's hand lightly then she retracted them back afterwards.
"It was Professor Alexandra who requested your assistance, Miss Salamanca," Penelope said to Kendra.
"Yes, I came by earlier to the GOF dormitory because I heard that someone there has a light attribute mana, but when I got there, they told me that you went out, so I left a message instead," Alexandra explained.
Kendra only replied, "I see."
"Anyway, have you told her everything?" Alexandra inquired, looking at Penelope.
"Not everything, but I did tell her that her mana is needed," Penelope replied.
Alexandra nodded understandably, then she stared at Kendra inquiringly with her business smile. "Well then, you see, my new assistant is in need of a light attribute mana in her body, so it could help balance out her dark attribute, would you be willing to help?" Alexandra said to Kendra.
[Of course I want to help.] Kendra thought in her mind.
Even if they don't ask her to help, Kendra would still voluntarily help. By doing so, Kendra would get both of them indebted to her.
With calculating thoughts in her mind, Kendra nodded obediently with a polite amiable smile. "I will try my best," she replied simply.
Alexandra heaved a silent sigh of relief, hiding it through her business smile, but it didn't escape Kendra's sharp penetrating ocean blue eyes.
"Miss Salamanca, I will return the favor once everything has been settled," Alexandra said with a grateful tone.
Penelope nodded as well with a satisfied face. "Don't worry, the academy will compensate you," she said.
[See? Two birds with one stone.]
Despite rejoicing inwardly in her heart, Kendra remained her amiable polite expression. "It's my pleasure to help a person in need," Kendra said like a good samaritan.
"Then let's go inside first, so you can meet your patient," Alexandra said as she entered the room.
Kendra nodded, following after Penelope entered inside. When Kendra laid her ocean blue eyes inside, her eyelids widened at what welcomed her sight.
The room was in a mess. The bed is thrown upside down on the corner of the wall. Glasses of medicine potions were left shattered in pieces littering randomly on the stone floor.
In the middle of the room is a person being surrounded with chaotic mana, and there were four inscripted stones surrounding that person. It was a barrier shield, but it can also be used as an invisible cage, so mana will not leak from outside the barrier. This barrier is often used in battle arenas. Once the barrier is activated, living or nonliving can enter inside but can't get out.
Kendra frowned, pursing her lips as she looked at the person inside the protective barrier. Long black hair and tall stature. Those light brown eyes that are now dim glinted with menace and savagery. Both the face and the uniform were both covered in dirt and mud; in the middle of the shirt is a dry red stain.
Dark, wind, and earth mana surrounded that person in chaos inside the barrier.
[Nasrin?] Kendra said to her mind as she stared in shock at Nasrin.
Nasrin mindlessly used her mana; violently manipulating them in havoc inside the invisible cage like she had gone insane.
"That's your patient, her name is Nasrin Urduja," Alexandra said, standing beside Kendra.
Kendra can't help but crease her brows, staring at Nasrin's eyes clouded in darkness. "What happened to her?" Kendra inquired as she kept her gaze at Nasrin.
"It was a long story, but in summary, her mana ran amok after consuming the Adarna's saliva," Alexandra explained.
"The sacred bird?" Kendra said as her frown deepened.
"Yes, divine energy has properties that can speed up regenerating injured tissues in the body, and at the same time, it can also increase the amount and the quality of mana a person has," Alexandra explained further.
Kendra didn't respond. Everything that Alexandra just said; she knows all of it already. What Kendra wanted to know is how this weird Nasrin turned into a mess.
The last time they parted, Nasrin's light brown eyes were still clear, but now…
Kendra narrowed her the lids of her eyes, still concentrating on Nasrin's dishevelled appearance. "How did this happen?"
Alexandra sighed. "Attributes have an extended emotional and mental effect on people if they can't control their own mana, and this lass still doesn't know how to control her mana, moreover, she doesn't have a good foundation. That's why when her body receives divine energy…it becomes uncontrollable."
"Indeed, especially if that mana is a dark attribute," Penelope said, leaning her back on the side of the wall as she crossed her arm on her chest.
The red haired woman nodded. "True, it is one of the hardest attributes to control based on my research," she said.
Alexandra then turn to look at Kendra again and said, "light attribute is the only mana that can balance out the dark attribute, and that's why we need your help, but don't worry, Penelope and I will help you."
"I see…" Kendra replied as her brows furrowed, staring at Nasrin, then she took a deep sigh as she turned to look at Alexandra. "I'm sorry, but I need to handle this alone."
Alexandra furrowed her brows, looking at Kendra confused. "Why?" Alexandra inquired.
"Her mana is sensitive to the different energies surrounding her," Kendra explained. "So I need to do this alone."
Alexandra furrowed her brows as she stared at Kendra, looking suspiciously. Kendra stared back with a calm gaze.
"Alex," Penelope called, approaching Alexandra.
Alexandra turns to look at Penelope.
"Let her handle this, I think she knows what she needs to do," Penelope said softly at Alexandra.
Alexandra's furrowed brows deepen as she turns to look at Nasrin inside the barrier.
"Come on, the sooner we leave, the sooner Nasrin will be cured," Penelope persuaded, holding Alexandra's hand.
With a deep sigh, Alexandra nodded with a complicated face. "Alright," the red haired woman said, staring at Kendra. "I'll be waiting outside, call for me if you ever need help."
"I will, thank you," Kendra replied.
"Here, call us using this manaphone, it's directly link to mine," Penelope said, handing a flat rectangular crystal to Kendra.
"Thank you," Kendra said, receiving the manaphone.
"Let's go," Penelope said, pulling Alexandra's hand with her outside.
After the two went out, Kendra closed the door, locking it.
There's a reason why Kendra decided to do this alone. She knows that she is risking suspicions from both Penelope and Alexandra, but Kendra needs to know now who this Nasrin is.
First of all, why is this Nasrin acquainted with Penelope, the dean master.
Second, why is this Nasrin suddenly became an alpha? And third, why does this Nasrin have a dark attribute?
Lastly, why did Nasrin become an assistant when she can't even sense mana to begin with. Why would Alexandra hire Nasrin as an assistant if Nasrin is lacking foundation to begin with, that's strange, right?
This person is holding too many unknown things that Kendra needs to discover as soon as possible, and Kendra doesn't like unknown and mysteries.
Kendra is skeptical knowing that Nasrin is acquainted with the mysterious dean master, Penelope. There is just simply something strange about all of this situation.
Even if she could feel that this person is indeed innocent, Kendra still can't afford to erase her suspicions. After all, Kendra still doesn't have credible evidence for all of her assumptions. Especially after discovering more surprising things with this Nasrin.
So, Kendra had to figure out the identity of this Nasrin in front of her now. Fortunately, the opportunity came voluntarily in her hands.
Walking near the protective barrier, Kendra looks with narrowed suspicious eyes at Nasrin, who is kicking and punching the invincible shield.
Kendra knitted her brows, staring at Nasrin's messy appearance.
Nasrin is surrounded with thick dark smokes, hard stones, and howling aggressive wind. It was floating around Nasrin spinning in a turbulent circle as it surrounded her. The stones would graze on Nasrin's tattered clothes, leaving a minor wound on Nasrin's fair white skin.
Kendra recalled what Alexandra said to her earlier, and Kendra thinks it's indeed possibly because the divine energy increased the amount of mana inside Nasrin's body, thus the mana became uncontrollable. However, Kendra also thinks that it is the dark mana that is causing Nasrin to lose her reason.
In her original timeline after she married Cliopatra, Kendra had seen many dark attribute users fall to wickedness and depravity because of their lack of foundation and lack of control over their own mind.
It is also the reason why the church would freely teach everyone about the basics of mana and magic.
Yet, this Nasrin in front of her seems to be lacking in those aspects, which is probably why this Nasrin lost control of herself. However, this wouldn't happen if no one triggered it to happen, and the culprit of that is the divine energy that Nasrin consumed.
Divine energy is a pure energy that can increase one's own mana and physical regenerative properties.
If Nasrin didn't consume the Adarna's saliva then she wouldn't lose control of herself.
Kendra's knitted brows deepened; her ocean blue eyes narrowed at the grim scar on the middle of Nasrin's chest.
Based on how fresh the scar looks, and looking at the dried blood stains on Nasrin's shabby uniform, it's probably a scar that Nasrin only received recently, and Kendra thinks that this is probably the reason why Nasrin had to consume divine energy from the sacred bird.
Looking at this scar, Kendra concluded that this is a wound that you can only get from being stabbed.
Kendra is ninety-nine percent sure that someone stabbed Nasrin.
Back when Kendra was still on her original timeline; during the war, Kendra became the main healer of the kingdom's army, and that's why, Kendra is sure with one look that this is a stab from a sword.
Whoever that person who stabbed Nasrin probably used a thick wide sword; just based on how big the scar is on Nasrin's chest.
Kendra doesn't know how the Nasrin in front of her got this scar, but she was sure of one thing; the original Nasrin she knew never had a scar. It was because the original Nasrin that Kendra knew is very capable at fighting, tactics, and strategy that no one could leave a scar on her body.
As far as Kendra remembers, the only time the original Nasrin probably received a wound was the time when the original Nasrin died under her sister's hand, Lory.
In other words, Kendra thinks that the Nasrin in front of her must be a fake, however, Kendra is not still a hundred percent sure of this conclusion.
To be one hundred percent sure, Kendra needs to check Nasrin's body directly. Which is why Kendra requested to Penelope and Alexandra to let her handle it alone, so she could freely probe and investigate without showing her true nature and power.
With a plan in mind, Kendra sauntered on the inscripted stones, removing them one by one.