After going back from the flower field, Kendra decided to take a quick nap to GOF dormitory.
Arriving at her room, Kendra directly went to lie down on the bed, closing her eyes and feeling exhausted. But just when Kendra's consciousness is about to proceed to dreamland, she hears someone suddenly barging inside the room as the door bursts open, resounding loudly in her sharp ears.
Kendra spread her eyes open, squinting her eyelids at the bubbly energetic brunette haired girl.
"Ah, it turns out that you were here all along," Faye muttered, walking to Kendra. "Where have you been? I was looking for you all over the academy!"
Kendra rubs her eyes sleepily. "I told you that I'll study in the library, right?"
"You did, but you weren't there when I went to look for you," Faye argued, bulging her cheeks like a chipmunk.
"Oh…well, I went to the forest since it was too noisy everywhere in the academy," Kendra explained, sitting up from lying in her bed.
"Geez, I told you that Emilia and I would follow you in the library," Faye mumbled, sitting next to Kendra. "Anyway, are you alright? You've been busy lately…"
"Hmm…yes, I'm fine, don't worry," Kendra replied in a quiet sigh as she smiled lightly.
Faye nodded her brunette head understandably. "It's fine, anyway, I went to look for you because there are mini competitions for freshmens," Faye said, smiling brightly. "And according to Professor Frank, the academy will give prizes that will help us for the major competition!"
"I see," Kendra replied absentmindedly, nodding her head. "That's…amazing…"
Faye pulled up her brows in concern. "Kendra, are you alright?" Faye asked, grabbing Kendra's shoulder.
Kendra snapped out of the trance. "Huh?"
Faye let out a long worried sigh. "You seem so preoccupied lately. If something is bothering you, then just tell me, remember that I'm just here, alright?" Faye said, peeking in Kendra's face.
"Yes, of course my friend," Kendra mumbled in a comforting tone.
"Are you sure?" Faye probed.
Kendra smiled softly, nodding her head. "Don't worry about it, anyway, what were you saying again? About the mini competitions?"
The brunette haired girl sighed helplessly, but Faye still explained everything thoroughly to Kendra. Meanwhile, Kendra only smiled, nodding her head like she was listening attentively.
However, the truth is Kendra's mind is still wandering somewhere.
Kendra already knew everything what Faye told her, but Kendra must act like she doesn't know. Everything that will happen in this academy, Kendra already knew all about it.
Yet, Kendra can only act like this is all new to her, so the cult members will not discover that she is one of those people who time travelled. Still, everything about it is taking a toll on her, and Kendra feels tense from all the overwhelming pressure.
"Kendra? Are you listening?" Faye asked, waving her hand in front of Kendra's face.
Kendra smiled, nodding her head again.
Faye sighed in relief. "Good, I thought you weren't listening, and I had to explain everything again, so what do you think? Are you coming?"
Kendra blinks her eyes. [Coming to where?] Kendra wanted to ask, but she decided not to. Instead, she nodded affirmatively at Faye.
"I think it's good, coming? Of course I'm coming," Kendra replied, like she knows what she was talking about, but in truth, Kendra doesn't have any idea of what Faye just said.
On the other hand, Faye smiled brightly. "Really? Then let's go and join the team cooking competition for freshmens! It will be a team of three, so you, me, and Emilia will team up together and win the prize home!"
[The what?] Kendra asked herself as her eyes widened slightly.
Faye notices Kendra's silence. Her brows pulled up together in concern once more. "What's wrong?"
Seeing that she made her friend worry, Kendra hurriedly shook her head as her back and palms sweated. "Nothing, that's a…really wonderful idea," Kendra replied, gulping.
"Right? Anyway, let's hurry up and register before the registration closes," Faye said, standing up as she pulled Kendra out of the GOF dormitory.
Afterwards; Kendra, Faye, and Emilia stood in front of the registration lane.
Kendra could feel her back and palms sweating from nervousness. She glanced at Faye and Emilia beside her, and both Faye and Emilia gave her a bright smile.
Kendra remains calm, smiling back at the two. However, deep inside, Kendra is panicking. Because if there is one weakness that Kendra has, then that is cooking!
It's not because Kendra can't cook, but she can't stand flames or anything related to fire. Kendra can't stand the sight of it. It makes her feel and remember everything again more vividly. Kendra can't even use her fire attribute, because she felt disgusted and repulsive seeing it.
However, Kendra couldn't speak up, because Faye would be worried about her.
"Next!"
Kendra heard the person in-charge yelling.
Faye glanced her light green eyes at Kendra. "Let's go?"
Kendra gulped once more, but she nodded as she reluctantly said, "yes, let's…go…"
"Great," Faye replied, pulling Kendra in front.
In a blink of an eye, Kendra has already signed the papers. Meaning that she has already joined as a cooking team with Faye and Emilia. Kendra stared at her own name on the list with a stiff smile and sweating palms. [Not good.]
After registering their names as a team; Kendra, Faye, and Emilia stood facing each other.
At that, Kendra cleared her throat. "Ahem. Well, if everything is done, I'm going back to the…"
"Wait Kendra," Faye interrupted.
"What is it?" Kendra asked, turning her head to the brunette girl with an inquiring look.
"Let's go tour the campus!" Faye beams in excitement. "It's the first day of the welcoming festival, we should have as much fun as we want."
Kendra shook her head in rejection. "I'll be going back to the library to continue my research. Well, the two of you should enjoy your time together. Happy touring."
"Eeeeh? Come on Kendra, it will be more amazing with you here, and it's been a while since the last time we went out together. You've been doing nothing but research these past few weeks, you know…" Faye replied persuadingly.
"I agree. Taking a breather once in a while shouldn't affect the progress of your research that much, right?" Emilia said, supporting the brunette haired girl's claims.
Kendra wanted to refuse and concentrate on other important matters, but seeing Faye's expectant light green eyes; she felt compelled to agree. A silent sigh escaped Kendra's lips as she nodded reluctantly. "Well, alright."
"Yes!" Faye jumps up, hugging Kendra's arm in joy. "Let's go have a fun festival!"
Kendra smiles softly at the bubbly brunette haired girl. "Then tour me around, Miss Truman."
Faye grins, pulling Kendra with her. And Emilia followed behind the duo with a smile on her face.
The three then started going to the booths one by one. Mostly, it was just Faye dragging Kendra in each of the booths to try the arcades and games. While Emilia followed like a guard behind the two.
In each booth, there is a long line of people lining up.
Most of those people are family and friends of the students who were invited inside the academy, touring around on each of the stalls and booths.
Kendra raised her lips, seeing this.
Because these people can only tour around the academy for one day; everyone is living like it's their last.
Everyone is excited about trying out each booth, and eating all sorts of foods in each stall. After all, this would be the last time they will see their family again, because after this, the academy will be locked and closed again from the outside world.
Still, there are some students who chose not to invite their family and friends or anyone in the academy.
Kendra thinks these students either don't have a nice family or friends. Or they could be trying to be confidential like Kendra, Faye and Emilia; who didn't invite anyone to the first day of the festival.
[That's to be expected.] Kendra thought in her mind.
Because Emilia is part of the rebel army, and Faye is just being her clever self.
In Kendra's case, she didn't invite anyone, because she knows that this is the academy's way of recording data from their students. Also, by doing this, every greenhorn student will discover the identity of their other fellow freshmen, and this will create tension between freshmen students before the mini competition starts.
After all, once other students discover the background of another student; they will start judging that student based on her family. Like someone who came from noble houses or students who came from an ordinary family.
While Kendra is busy roaming her eyes around, the brunette haired girl suddenly pulls Kendra to the food stalls.
"I'm hungry, are you two hungry? Well, let's go and eat some snacks. I heard that they were serving some orange ball street food that is popularly called kwek-kwek," Faye mumbled as she dragged Kendra with her. "Let's go taste that kwek-kwek, my treat!"
As soon as Kendra heard this, the lids of her eyes slightly widened, but it soon returned to normal.
"Ahem," Kendra cleared her throat. "I think I'm still a little full from what I ate earlier."
Faye then glances at Kendra with a raised brow. "Are you kidding me? You didn't even eat that much earlier this morning and during lunch. Come on, Kendra, this is the fun in life."
Kendra could only smile reluctantly at Faye. She has no problem with food, but the problem is, those stalls all have their own mini kitchen inside. Which means, Kendra will see a flame for the first time after time travelling to the past, and Kendra doesn't know how her body would react to it.
Just the thought of seeing something scorching again is already making Kendra's hand sweaty from anxiousness. Her head also felt dizzy all of a sudden, feeling nauseous from her stomach as her intestines churn.
Fortunately, Faye seems to notice Kendra's pale complexion just before they reach the stalls.
"Kendra, you look so unwell, I think we should go to the infirmary instead," Faye said, stopping to check on Kendra's temperature with the back of her hand.
The day is still early, however, Kendra suddenly wants nothing but to go back to the GOF Dormitory and rest, and seeing that the opportunity is in front of her, Kendra didn't hesitate to grab it.
Still, on the surface, Kendra tried to look fine as she plastered a smile to anyone who would look at her. "I'm fine, just a little dizzy from the lack of sleep," Kendra said, glancing at Faye.
Faye knitted her brows in worry. "Then let's go back to the dormitory," Faye said, leading Kendra out of the stalls with her.
Hearing what the brunette haired girl said made Kendra raise her lips, however, that is not what Kendra wants.
"Hold on, I can go back by myself, you should continue enjoying the festival with Emilia, don't worry, I'll be fine," Kendra said, waving her hand with a smile, slipping through the crowd.
Faye sighed helplessly, but she still yelled after Kendra's fading figure in the crowd. "I'll follow after you soon, I'll bring you some kwek-kwek!"
"No, you two take your time, Faye," Kendra replied, waving goodbye as she chuckled. "Have a merry date!"
Faye frowned as she nodded reluctantly. "Then, if you ever need anything, just call me, alright?"
Kendra didn't respond. She only nodded with a smile, then she turned around, walking away from the food stalls. After making sure that she is a distance away from the bustling crowd and the food stalls, Kendra finally sighed in relief.
To be honest, Kendra isn't sure if she could remain calm if she ever saw a flame again, and moreover, those stalls are a bit crowded; it will certainly attract the attention of the people nearby if Kendra overreacts because of seeing a small flame.
This might be nothing to others, but if one of those crowds is someone from the cult, then they will realise that Kendra is also a time traveller.
The overwhelming pressure and her fear for fire mixed together, making Kendra feel anxious.
Kendra doesn't want this to happen, and that's why she wanted to prepare in advance, so Kendra can control her emotions when the competition comes tomorrow.
Kendra doesn't want anyone seeing her looking weak again, so she must overcome her trauma from fire alone. This is Kendra's priority right now, so she went back to her room in GOF Dormitory.
Fortunately, the day is still early in the morning. It means that Kendra still has time to prepare herself.
But just in case, Kendra locked the door and the window with a magic circle, so no one could come from outside. Kendra also added an obstruction of sounds to the magic scripts on the magic circle, enchanting them on every wall and corners in the room.
After making sure that everything in the room is sealed, Kendra begins to sit in a lotus position on the ground.
She took a deep breath, inhaling and exhaling to calm her heart.
After that, Kendra squinted her eyes with determination. She took a candle, and with one deep sigh, Kendra lit it with a match.
Slowly, memories came back to Kendra's head.