The moment Azrael got back to his room, he dropped onto his bed and slept. He was at his most exhausted state since transmigrating inside his favorite novel. He could barely remember how he got back. All he could recall was how soft his bed was.
Azrael slept for hours.
He was heavily knocked out to the point where he did not even notice that Adham went into his room with the intention of informing him that his leave next Restday was approved.
Adham was confused because Azrael was usually awake at that early in the morning; he had not even had his lunch yet. However, the student servant opted not to wake him because he seemed exhausted.
'I wonder what His Highness did while I was not here,' Adham thought as he silently stared at Azrael with a somber look on his face.
'There is always something important or hurtful happening to him whenever I am not around. I don't know if he meant it to be this way, but I wish His Highness relied on me a bit more...'
Sighing, Adham headed out the door to go back to his dorm room and let Azrael rest. 'I'll check on His Highness again later, maybe bring him some food.'
After that, Adham quietly shut the door to Azrael's room and walked away.
A few hours later, Adham returned with a trolley of food. Though Azrael had been going down to eat in the dining hall with Adham, and recently with Caspian Aquarise as well, he decided to bring the young prince's food to his room since he really did seem exhausted.
To his surprise, Azrael was still in deep sleep, and at that point, Adham was getting concerned.
So, he pushed the trolley to the side of Azrael's bed and contemplated whether or not he should wake the young prince up. Adham did not want to disrupt his rest, but he had been sleeping for an abnormally long time now.
Adham was not sure if Azrael was sick or not; it's not like he could check without permission. He let out a sigh. "Hah. Your Highness, what on earth have you been doing, really?" He whispered under his breath as he leaned down slightly to wake Azrael up.
But before he could use his hand to shake Azrael gently, he hesitated.
When it came to Azrael, he always found himself hesitating a lot. Sure, Azrael was kind. Perhaps the kindest noble any student servant could serve; even during those times where Azrael would ignore him, he had never mistreated Adham.
Still, Adham feared that if he made any sort of mistake, Azrael might go back to ignoring him again.
It is why he never asks Azrael. He never asked about the true nature of his relationship with the crown prince; he never asked why he was always injured before, why he needed a list of things he had done for the past few months, and why Azrael lied about being homesick.
Adham knew that was not true; maybe Azrael forgot, but there was a time where the empress, Azrael's mother, would request his presence, and he would outright refuse and have Adham write a letter that he had Restday classes.
Originally, Adham thought that Azrael did have a strained relationship with his parents because he would barely read their letters.
So, it came as a major shock to him when Azrael first spoke to him and told him he was homesick, but he did not question it.
After all, His Highness was finally speaking to him.
But the next few days after that, Azrael acted out of the ordinary, did things that he would never normally do, and acted like a completely different person. Again, he did not dwell on it that much because what right did he have? All he had to do was whatever Azrael wanted him to do.
Azrael was a prince while he was just a student servant.
Adham's worries did not alleviate, especially when Azrael sat him down and gave him the letter of recommendation for Adham to get courses on knighthood.
At first, Adham was happy— who wouldn't be? If he passed the assessment stage meant for student servants, he would be matriculated as an ordinary student in his second year rather than a student servant.
That would mean better opportunities for him, and he knew his parents would be ecstatic when they found out. He was grateful to Azrael and wanted to thank him over and over because this was a chance that not every student servant gets.
A deep realization suddenly clouded his mind.
If he ended up becoming a student for knighthood and stopped being a student servant; that would mean he would barely get to see or speak to Azrael again.
In Luminara Academy, most first years have the same general courses; some opt to take more advanced courses to prepare them for their second to fourth year in the academy. At the moment, all of the first years have different specialties and talents, but still, have the same classes.
In their second year in Luminara Academy, they will be separated depending on what courses each student will be assigned based on their assessment prior to their matriculation and their performance during their first year.
For example, Caspian would most likely be taking elemental mage courses because his magic is affiliated with water, which was one of the elements. If things go well for Adham, he will be taking knightly courses and training.
For Azrael, his case will be the same as Valerian, Caelum, and Eirian because their magical abilities are unique. Unlike elemental magic, illusionary arts magic, or even beast mastery magic that are quite common; The Celestria family's Celestial magic, Caelum Eversly's light magic, and Eirian Wycliffe's dark magic are the type of magical abilities that only they have.
Meaning, there are no specific courses that are catered to them. So, all three of them were given a tailored schedule that contained different courses, based on their performance during their first year, and it just so happens that all three of them all had the same exact classes as well.
If Adham can recall correctly, they had a mixture of elemental magic courses and knightly courses.
For Azrael, Adham does not know what his courses will be yet, but it would most likely be the same as Valerian's, minus the knightly courses for obvious reasons.
But that just means in their second year, Azrael and Adham would not get the chance to even be in a class together if that happens, nor would Adham ever have the excuse to stay beside Azrael.
Though student servants are given their own courses for their second year in Luminara Academy, since they cannot take the regular ones, their classes are an hour or a few minutes shorter so that they could meet their assigned masters after their classes.
So whatever happens, they still get to do their duties and stay beside their assigned masters when they are needed. As far as Adham also knew, student servants can excuse themselves in between classes if their assigned master needed anything.
It was a weird system, but Adham never questioned it because it was a privilege to study in Luminara Academy.
Now, one would wonder why Adham had a problem with the idea of not being able to stay by Azrael's side anymore, especially since he will be granted the privilege of being an actual student.
Truth be told, he does not know either.
Despite the fact that Azrael ignored him most of their time together and that they've only ever bonded this week, but every time Azrael smiled.
Every time he was kind, or said anything encouraging, called his name, anything.
It became harder and harder for him to accept the idea.
Adham sighs as he straightens his body, still not waking Azrael up. "But I can't say no because something inside me is telling me that you did it for a purpose, and I do not want to go against that if it is your wish, Your Highness." He whispered softly, taking a step back.
'I will let His Highness sleep some more. I'll just leave his food here along with a note.' Adham thought as he moved around the room to get a pen and paper so he can write a note.
As he did so, his mind was still thinking about Azrael. Adham had always found him mysterious because he never spoke, but now that he did, instead of Adham getting answers, it seemed he had even more questions.
He wanted to ask. He wanted to voice out his concerns but could not because at the end of the day...
Adham was just a servant.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Azrael slowly emerged from the depths of sleep, his head pounding with a dull ache as if a thousand unseen hands had been working at his temples. As consciousness seeped into him, he felt an overwhelming sense of weariness, and the disorientation that came with it left him momentarily paralyzed.
'Jesus Christ. My head is killing me...where am I?'
Blinking against the haze, Azrael's eyes adjusted to the subdued lighting of his dormitory room. The realization that he was in his own space offered a semblance of comfort, yet confusion gripped him. The events leading up to this moment were a complete blur.
"Oh. I'm in my room." Azrael mumbled against his breath, rubbing his temples with a grimace, Azrael attempted to piece together the fragments of memory. The vivid recollection of the earlier day clawed its way to the forefront of his mind.
His confrontation with the twins, his unsettling vision and meeting Thaddeus, Valerian, and...
His eyes became wide as clarity pierced the haze in his thoughts. The stress of his own memories weighed heavily on him, making the pounding ache in his brain worse. "Eirian!"
Azrael tried recalling his conversation with Eirian after his frustrating encounters, and truth be told, he was not in the right mindset when they spoke because he squeezed every ounce of his strength to not make his exhaustion visible, so he could not remember much.
'How long was I asleep? I don't even remember going to my room...and what time is it?'
Azrael turned to face the massive window that took up one half of the room, and his heart fell. The hour was late, as the obsidian sky outside revealed. It had grown dark, creating an uncanny haze over the scenery beyond his window. The last memory he had was of sleeping in before noon.
"No, no. I slept way too long." He said as he ran a hand through his hair but had a hard time due to its tangles. "I didn't even get the chance to eat lunch yet and—Oh"
A jolt of panic shot through him, and he catapulted himself out of bed. The realization that he had slept through the day. His swift movement, however, was met with an unexpected collision. Azrael's eyes widened as he stumbled against something.
"Huh? What is this?" Azrael composed himself as he looked down at the item that he hit, and he recognized it as a trolley laden with food. Confusion etched his features as he surveyed the unexpected intrusion into his room.
"Did I bring this earlier? No, I don't remember ever going down to get food then...wait. There's a note!"
A neatly folded note caught his attention amidst the culinary assortment. Azrael reached for it with trepidation, unfolding the parchment to reveal hastily scrawled words. Azrael immediately recognized whose writing it was.
Your highness,
I hope this note finds you well. I noticed you were tired, and rather than disturbing your much-needed rest, I took the liberty of leaving a trolley with food. Please, indulge at your convenience. If there is anything you require or if you wish for my presence, do not hesitate to summon me. Your well-being is my utmost priority.
- Adham
As Azrael absorbed the contents of the note, and he could not help but cover his mouth a bit and laugh, his fatigue washed away. "Why is his note so formal?" He asked himself in amusement, but still, he felt grateful.
After setting the letter back down, Azrael took the opportunity to go over the things inside of the cart. A sweet smell filled the room as he opened the lids, enticing his senses. When he saw the lavish lunch, or his dinner, that the dormitory's chef had prepared, his eyes became wide with joy.
"Wow, this looks amazing!" Azrael murmured to himself, marveling at the braised meat that glistened enticingly. The scent of spices and herbs mingled in the air, making his stomach growl in anticipation. Alongside the savory dish were delicate cookies, each shaped like a star.
Unable to resist the temptation, Azrael grabbed a piece of the braised meat and savored its flavors. It was tender and rich, the perfect balance of savory and sweet. The star-shaped cookies crumbled delicately in his mouth, leaving behind a sweet aftertaste.
"Mhm. I really love this world's food. I don't know if it's because they use magic, but—" Azrael could not finish his sentence as he moaned in delight. The food was so good that he could physically feel his energy replenishing.
Seated in his room, Azrael indulged in the feast, enjoying the solitude that came with it. It was a rare moment for him, as he typically shared his meals with Adham or Caspian. The quietude allowed him to relish the flavors and lose himself in the act of eating, without having to worry about etiquette.
However, as he stared out of the window at the darkened sky, a nagging feeling tugged at the edge of his thoughts. He tried to push it aside, focusing on the food before him. Yet, an unsettling sense of forgetfulness lingered in his mind.
'I don't know why, but it feels like I'm forgetting something though.'
Azrael mused, setting down his utensils momentarily. He shook off the uneasy feeling, determined to enjoy the meal he'd been granted. The thoughts of the earlier day, the encounters with Valerian and the guidance counselor, loomed in the back of his mind, but Azrael chose to push them aside.
Yet, as he delved deeper into his thoughts, a sudden jolt of realization struck him. His eyes widened, and the spoon and fork clattered onto the plate.
"Do you happen to know how one can access their magical core? I know...that you aren't able to use your magical abilities right now, and I really did not want to offend you by asking you this, but if you do know how. I would like to ask for you to teach me now. It's a strange request, and I can't explain why I don't know how, and I understand if you want to say n—"
"Alright. I will teach you." Eirian answered firmly, his expression unchanging.
'He...agreed?'
Azrael did not expect that. Honestly, he was prepared to be fully rejected, but Eirian actually agreed.
"Meet me in my room again tonight, same as last time." Eirian continued as Azrael's face twisted from shock to happy as he answered.
"O-Okay then. Great!"
"Oh my God."
Azrael hit his forehead with the intention of hurting himself because how could he forget.
"I'm supposed to meet Eirian tonight!"