— Sigh — Richard's brain is almost exploding, he read and retained so much new information that it's hard to keep going. Since he's exhausted, he made his mind to come back tomorrow after talking to Alderick. Elara watched as he closed his book and returned it to the bookshelf, she was still reading, so she said goodbye to him and stayed in the library.
When he opened the door, he looked outside the library and felt the breeze of night. The lack of illumination, the chill breeze, and the scarce blueish lights coming from the moon is giving chills to Richard's spine. He has never been into terror movies, and this corridor that seems to have come directly from one is frightening him.
He heard something in his back as he walked to his dorm, and as he turned, a punch hit him in the stomach, bending him and sending him flying. He felt his stomach acids travelling to his mouth, he had to swallow it or else he'd throw it up.
Looking up, there were someone he has never seen before. Richard didn't understand his current situation, but before he could keep thinking another punch was thrown in him, this time he dodged. The bulky, dark skinned and serious looking bald man seemed unsatisfied when that weakling dodged his attack.
The attacker escalated his assault, delivering a relentless barrage of punches to Richard's face. His room to maneuver gradually dwindled. Just as he attempted to evade another blow, his back met an unyielding wall. A sinking feeling in his gut confirmed his intuition, and, regrettably, he was proven correct. Another punch found its mark, this time keeping him pinned in place due to the unyielding wall behind him.
When he was about to say something, another blow hit his stomach, the boy didn't have any time to rest. He was feeling the world getting blurred.
— Thrash like you should stay like that, don't think that you're something just because you could win that indolent brother of mine. — The men hold Richard by his neck and stared him. That guy is totally different from whomever he met until now, he felt bloodlust coming from him.
The boy's conscience slowly faded away due to the cold night, the killing intention coming from that person, and his weak body.
"Am I going to die the third time?". Richard's voice quivered with fear, echoing his inner turmoil. His awareness waned, consumed by memories of the contemptuous gazes that had once seared into him. Struggling to regain his composure, he made a valiant effort to rise, only to find his body uncooperative, its responsiveness lagging behind his determination.
Yet, as his senses gradually rekindled, an alluring fragrance graced his senses, caressing his consciousness like a gentle whisper. The sweet aroma became the beacon that guided him back to the realm of wakefulness.
His weary eyes waged a relentless battle against the leaden weight that seemed to press them shut, resisting his efforts to pry them open. As he finally managed to part his heavy lids, a swift survey of his surroundings revealed that he was ensconced in the familiar confines of his dormitory. A distant yet soothing sound of cascading water resonated from his bathroom, a harmonious backdrop to his awakening.
"What's happening?" He walked to the bathroom, but before he could open the door, a mumbling was coming from inside. At first, it was scary thinking someone break in his house, but that voice was somehow familiar. Then, it clicked in his mind, he knows who it is. He ran back from that door, he wants to avoid any kind of romantic cliché with a teenager.
Richard settled back, his head finding solace on the pillow, patiently awaiting the girl's completion of her bath. After approximately fifteen minutes, she emerged from the bathroom, Elara still softly humming to the same tune. Her eyes met Richard's as he gazed at her.
A scream of shock burst from her lips, disrupted by the unexpected presence of the boy in her room. The soothing shower had so thoroughly absorbed her that she had forgotten he was there. She offered her silent gratitude to the Goddess of fortune for being fully dressed at that moment.
— Hey, what's going on? Why are you in my room? Wait, is this my room? — Richard unleashed a barrage of questions, catching Elara off guard.
— I… As I was leaving the library, I stumbled upon you unconscious in the corridor, and I had no idea where your room was… — Her words trembled, and she even bit her tongue towards the end of her explanation.
"This girl must grapple with some serious confidence issues." he mused.
— Thank you for helping, but I hope you won't make a habit of knocking me out again. — Her radiant smile blossomed upon hearing the last part, brimming with gratitude for their encounter.
Richard's feeling of weakness made him fall on the bed, Elara saw that and sat beside him, both of them glanced at each other and the awkward silence didn't come. It was just a comfortable silence between them.
— I've just wanted this place to be nicer to people different, like us. You know, when I just got here, I wanted to make friends with everyone, since the place I came from there isn't something like prejudice. At least, not so obviously like Magoria. — Elara eyes were in reminiscence about the past, and her many friends back in her town.
— That sounds like a cool place to live in, instead of this shitty academy. I don't understand why these people are such dumbasses. — Richard was really interested in her country, and seeing someone interested in her, she proudly smiled before talking about her country.
— We, the beast folk as this country call us, live in a way more incredible place than this one. Things like bullying and racism, I never saw it there, not even against humans. I don't get it, why we should be treated as thrash just because of our birth differences. — The girl's ears took on a subtle, melancholic downturn, and a glimmer of hopelessness tinged her gaze.
— I could grow to hate humans, but there are always nice people out there, like you. Elara once again showed Richard her brilliant smile.
When she said that her species, Bunny Folk, is swift and agile, Richard didn't understand, she's stronger than a tiger, how that's swift and agile. Just as he was about to respond, the girl's words snapped him out of a reverie, prompting a sudden recollection of a pressing task he had for the day.
— Damn it, I've got a meeting with my teacher today. What's the time? — Richard didn't linger for her response. He pushed through the discomfort, hastily rose to his feet, and dashed away. Elara observed his hurried departure, her admiration for him growing with every step he took.
As he made his way to the teachers' office, a flurry of answers swirled through his mind. The anticipation of what his teacher might inquire left him in a state of trepidation, yet evading it was not an option.
Amid the murmurs emanating from the teachers' office, Richard's ears perked up. Upon entering, he discovered Alderick engaged in conversation with a familiar face, Gavin. The moment the professor caught sight of Richard's entrance, irritation flashed across his features.
— Richard, did you really beat Gavin? — The professors' countenance brimmed with irritation as he gestured toward Gavin's injuries.
Richard frowned at the memory of his clash with the troublemaker. A wicked grin danced upon his lips.
— Yes, I certainly did. — he admitted, unapologetic. There was no need for deceit; a substantial audience had borne witness to the incident, so he opted for honesty.
— His family has been incessantly ringing up the institution, demanding your expulsion, branding you as a troublemaker. — Alderick stated, his gaze fixed on the boy to gauge his response.
— Well, in that case, they should expel their own son as well. — Richard pulled his cloak and showed his wounds and some scars in his body. The once serious eyes almost jumped out of his head.
— But you can't prove I did it. — Gavin chimed in, sporting a smug grin, a valid point given the absence of concrete evidence linking him to the injuries. Alderick fixed an unwavering, intense gaze directly upon the diminutive figure before him. If the power of his stare could manifest into physical force, it seemed as though Gavin would have been torn asunder into countless pieces.
Richard's smile got even bigger, because he recalled something he read while researching in the library yesterday.
— I can do a soul oath. — There are no more words needed, Alderick looked really concerned. Gavin looked at Richard in shock, he was trying to understand how that poor boy knew about Soul Oaths.
That boy has always been one to just practice magic, and there's no way his family taught him that, due to his lack of background.
— I... There's no need to proceed, expelling such a poor thing. — Gavin ran away, when he said that.
In the pages of Alderick's life, a moment of uncertainty unfolded as Gavin took his leave. Alderick was a staunch advocate against violence in all its forms, but what truly captivated his contemplative mind was the audacity that the young boy possessed, standing resolutely against a formidable adversary.
Alderick recognized that Gavin was, in the grand scheme of things, a mere pawn on the chessboard. Yet, his gaze wandered towards the looming shadow of the boy's family, particularly his brother, an individual not to be trifled with.
Kalid, a mere eighteen years of age, had already ascended to the esteemed rank of an Apprentice mage, a whole realm beyond Richard, who was but a Novice mage in comparison. The hierarchy within the world of magic was stark, and it left Alderick pondering the depth of courage exhibited by the daring young soul, braving odds that others would shy away from.