After the headmaster announced all the leaders, Azrael started to zone out again as he realized that he ruined Eirian's chances of gaining Caspian's loyalty. He initially had the same problem with Adham and Eirian, but...
In the novel, Adham realized that Eirian was not as bad as the rumors pinned him to be when Azrael died and Adham was assigned to Eirian as a student servant.
It's not like Azrael could kill himself now, so he planned to be the bridge between Eirian and Adham while the student servant was still under his care.
Caspian was another story.
Most royals were taught growing up to stay away from Eirian, especially sons of the kings who were bound to meet Eirian at some point in the academy.
The reason? The kings, beside Eirian's father, were afraid that Eirian would taint their sons. It did not help that most princes that happened to attend Luminara the same time as Eirian were heirs or favorites.
Each king was being cautious. After all, they did not know what Eirian was capable of.
Which, Azrael thought was idiotic but then again, he knew what he knew because of the novel. So, compared to Adham, it was harder to just suddenly get Caspian to trust Eirian unless there was a situation that would lead him to do so.
But as he realized, Azrael took that situation.
Of course, he did not regret helping Caspian. As much as Azrael did not like the fact that so many things are deviating from canon...doesn't mean he would ever regret pulling Caspian away from an abusive situation sooner.
He even gained some confidence that he did not gain in the novel until the war arc.
Still, though he did not regret anything, he still had to think of what to do. Honestly, there was only one solution he could think of at the moment. A solution he did not think he'd ever think of this early into the novel.
A solution that would automatically solve both his concerns with Adham and Caspian, but he was not sure if Eirian would agree.
Azrael had to tell Adham and Caspian about his and Eirian's plans.
The young prince sighs as he uses his fork to poke the foreign meat on his plate. 'Of course, I wouldn't tell them everything. I'll tell them a fabricated version, similar to what I told Eirian.' He thought with a frown.
'But I don't know how they'll take it. They might trust me, but I still don't know to what extent and...' His eyes flickered towards Eirian who was sitting alone at the end of their table, silently eating his food, ignoring the stares and whispers around him. '...I'm not even sure Eirian will agree.'
Azrael speared his food with his fork, taking deep breaths to calm his nerves. 'But I can still try to ask him later. No... I have to ask him later. I'll explain it properly. I also have to explain that I didn't know the announcement would be today... and about the new judges... God, I hope he doesn't start distrusting me again.'
Nervousness consumed him, his thoughts racing a mile a minute as he contemplated the upcoming conversation with Eirian.
Right...
His conversation later with Eirian.
After the headmaster dismissed the leaders and told them to return to their respective tables, Eirian discreetly gave Azrael their signal—a subtle gesture they had established to indicate a desire to meet and talk.
'I've always been the one asking to meet him...this is the first time he has initiated the talk and...'
And Eirian did something rather peculiar. Azrael glanced at his ring, noticing an engraving that hadn't been there before. It read 'In the chapel.' His heart skipped a beat as he realized it was Eirian's doing when he noticed Eirian touched his bracelet, and right away the engraving appeared.
Azrael was in awe but also confused. 'I didn't know our spiritual weapons could do this... Fraus never said anything to me...'
'How did Eirian know?' He wondered. 'And why are we meeting in the chapel this time? We usually meet in his room.'
'Fuck. Does he not trust me enough to meet in his room anymore? Is he planning to end our agreement?'
Lost in his thoughts, Azrael was oblivious to the concerned glances from Caspian and Adham, who had tried to speak to him multiple times, only to be ignored. He didn't notice the worried exchanges between his companions or the stares from Valerian and Caelum, who seemed to derive amusement from his evident distraction.
He continued to space out until the sudden movement of the other students caught his attention. Blinking in confusion, he realized that everyone was standing up and leaving Lunar Hall. "Where's everyone going?" he blurted out, surprised at the abrupt end of the assembly.
Caspian and, to Azrael's surprise, even Adham stood behind him, watching with concern. "The assembly is done, Your Highness..." Adham said, his tone careful.
"What?" Azrael's eyes widened in realization. "I didn't even notice." He looked around, confirming that indeed, every student was lining up to exit the hall and return to their dormitories. Even the food he had been playing with was gone.
'What the hell?'
As the realization sunk in, Azrael shook his head, trying to clear the fog of distraction that had clouded his mind. 'What is happening to me? This is worst than having visions of Azrael's memories.' He knew he had to gather his thoughts and prepare for his meeting with Eirian, even as uncertainty gnawed at him.
But as usual, he had absentmindedly caused unnecessary concern for Caspian and Adham, adding yet another thing he had to worry about.
'I already know they are about to ask me if I'm okay.' Which was not bad. Not at all. To others, it may seem like Azrael was ungrateful for his friends' concern.
That was not the case.
Truly, it was not.
Azrael, the more he was getting closer to Caspian and Adham, has been disliking lying to them even if it was for the greater good.
It was the same case with Eirian. He hated lying to his favorite character as well but the upside was he could at least tell the protagonist of his plans and involve him. It was easier to deal with Eirian as well considering the novel was filled with information about him.
With Caspian and Adham, he did not know what approach he should take. He's a week or two in their friendship, and he was already struggling with the constant lying and sneaking.
How was he ever gonna keep this up for months to come? Not only that, but he had to somehow convince them to become closer to Eirian.
Azrael lets out a sigh. 'I'll think about this after my talk with Eirian. I'll figure this out. I will definitely figure this out.'
He had to figure this out.
There was a moment of silence between the three of them, and the only sounds around them were students chattering as they walked out of Lunar Hall. Azrael stood awkwardly in front of Adham and Caspian who, to his surprise, were just patiently waiting for him to say anything else or do something.
'Huh?'
Azrael knitted his brows together. 'Right...I'm almost sure that there's something going on because Adham has been acting unorthodox since I got back but Caspian has been asking me non stop earlier if I was okay but now he is not saying anything.'
'Not only that but...'
Now that Azrael was paying attention to them, he noticed that Adham and Caspian were shooting each other glances. Well, mostly it was Adham looking at Caspian as if he was trying to communicate something, and that was strange.
Though Azrael should be glad that his two friends seemed to have been a bit more comfortable with each other now, especially Adham since he'd always been the one putting a boundary between himself and Caspian, and even to Azrael because Adham was a student servant, so Azrael figured there would be some inferiority complex inside Adham.
But Adham and Caspian had never acted like this until... Azrael left the academy for the day.
'Hold on... did something happen while I was away?' Azrael thought, now even more concerned that something might've happened. He did not hesitate, usually Azrael hesitated asking his friends things so as to not garner any suspicion towards him.
However, remembering Azrael's certain task for Adham made him worry that it had something to do with it.
"You two... No, Adham..." Azrael starts, which makes both Caspian and Adham's eyebrows raise a bit, indicating that they were alert and ready for whatever Azrael was about to say. "Did anything happen—"
"Wycliffe! Congratulations on becoming a team leader. It's a great honor for us, isn't it?" Caelum exclaimed, stopping Azrael dead in his tracks as he turned his head to see Eirian, who was about to leave their table, surrounded by Caelum and his student servant.
'Valerian's not here? Did he leave?' Azrael noticed as he briefly looked around to check if his 'brother' was around. Fortunately, he wasn't, so Azrael managed to put all his attention to what was happening between Caelum and Eirian.
As always, Eirian did not bother answering Caelum. He knew no matter what he did, as long as he interacted with Caelum, something would backfire. So, he just continued to get up and tried to walk away, only to be stopped by Caelum, who took a big step in front of him.
'What the hell is he up to? He never approached Eirian as openly as he did now in the novel until the actual Academy Olympiad,' Azrael thought, fighting the urge to walk over to them to stop Caelum from doing whatever he wanted to do to Eirian.
"Hey there! Why are you ignoring me? I'm just trying to congratulate my dearest classmate and almost brother," Caelum said with his usual fake kind tone that no one seemed to notice was fake. It made Azrael cringe at how bad Caelum's acting was, but everyone seemed to eat it up.
"Woah. Did you hear that? Prince Caelum really is a saint..."
"It would make sense that he does not fear him though, the prophecy did mention that the child of light will be able to stop the child of darkness."
"Did it say that?"
"Yes!"
"If that's the case, then Prince Caelum really is so kind! Imagine being friendly with someone who was meant to be evil and meant to be his enemy."
'That's wrong. That's so wrong!' Azrael mentally groaned as he listened to the students gossiping nearby.
"It seems the saint really is trying to get close with Prince Wycliffe...he's being so gentle and accommodating." Caspian whispers to both Azrael and Adham. "I thought Prince Caelum was scary, but maybe we caught him in a bad mood that day."
"That day?" Azrael asked Caspian then immediately remembered. "Oh, yeah. Maybe..." Caspian was referring to the time Caelum had approached and basically threatened Azrael a week ago.
'We didn't catch him in a bad mood. That was his real face seeping out from his mask.'
Azrael frowns the moment he sees Eirian's expression darken, both from Caelum's attempt of 'fake kindness' now after ignoring him or getting him in trouble for years since their childhood, and because of other students' encouraging words towards Caelum.
But Eirian seemed to acknowledge that there was nothing he could do but follow along and speak to Caelum in order to get him off his back.
"T—" Eirian tried to start but had to stop himself as he took a deep breath. "Thanks." He said with a serious expression.
"Wah. Did you see his face? It looks like he's about to curse Prince Caelum."
"I thought I was the only one who noticed it! How scary. He really is cursed."
"Indeed. We should get out of here quick before he does anything. Prince Caelum will be able to handle it because of his light magic, but we won't survive if that damned thing puts a curse on us all!"
"Geez. Even just thanking the saint is hard for him."
Azrael's eyes twitched in annoyance as he discreetly casted a glare at the students who were obviously rushing to head out in fear that Eirian's 'curse' will affect them, but there was also a pit inside his stomach that made him feel bad for Eirian.
'It was bad enough to read how badly people treated him, and to see it in person while not being able to do anything is just...'
A terrible feeling.
"No need to thank me, Wycliffe! After all, we're like brothers...or twins!" Caelum exclaims with a laugh that Azrael could only describe as mocking. "And now that we're both team leaders, we should strive to do our best."
"Oh, that's right. Don't the saint and uh...him share the same birthday?" Caspian asks as the three of them still watch the scene unfolding in front of them.
Adham, who had been silent all this time, nods. "It's quite a phenomenon. I heard from my father. There were no births recorded on the last day of the year except for Prince Wycliffe and the saint."
"So, in a way, they are kind of like twins?"
"Perhaps...because of the prophecy it does seem like they were meant to be born at the same time and somehow be connected."
Caspian crosses his arms against his chest with a small frown on his face. "It might just be my own opinion, but I do feel like it's quite tragic that our empire seems to be grooming them to fight each other. It seems Prince Caelum really wants to be close with him."
"Oh, you have no idea how wrong you are." Azrael accidentally says, not realizing he did until his two friends look at him curiously. 'Ah, crap. I said that out loud.'
"What do you mean, Prince Azrael?"
"Well..."
Azrael had nothing to say. He had no excuse ready or any fake story that could get him out of Caspian and Adham's line of sight. He blamed his big, idiotic mouth for doing things without his consent.
"I'm curious as well, Your Highness. Truthfully, though I am wary of Prince Wycliffe due to the prophecy, I never understood its importance to our empire." Adham spoke cautiously and in a hush tone as to not let anyone else hear them. "I know your highness will know more about it since you are the emperor's son...but is Prince Wycliffe going to do something that would put the empire in jeopardy in the future?"
Caspian nods in agreement to Adham's question, also wanting answers. "I agree. My father always told me about him and to be careful, but I never understood how one can be potentially dangerous but is still allowed to attend the academy? He had always mentioned the prophecy but it seems our empire is as harmonious as ever, and the only thing I fear is the uncertainty of dark magic."
"Well, uhm..."
How was he supposed to explain it to them? How was Azrael supposed to tell them that this was all on purpose? That Caelum had planned for years since he was a child, and he purposely did not do anything that would make people afraid so that once Eirian and him would come of age, when their magic is at their strongest, he would take over the empire?
That after a few more weeks, many bad things will soon happen due to Caelum that he would blame all on Eirian? The peaceful academy and empire they have now would not last.
That the prophecy was indeed real, and they should all fear for their lives but they were fearing the wrong person?
That Caelum did not want to be Eirian's friend, and all he wanted to do at this very moment was to kill Eirian and everyone around him.
And that Azrael is supposed to die to start off all the chain of events leading to the empire's downfall?
Azrael really had no words.
Fortunately for him, Caelum had decided to speak again because as the three first years were talking amongst themselves, Eirian had finally decided to excuse himself from Caelum's grasp.
Now, Azrael initially thought he should be glad that Caelum caught the attention of his friends, who were giving him unanswerable questions.
Right.
No.
He immediately wished he'd just told a random story and encouraged his friends to go back to their dorms because Caelum's next words that he practically shouted made his blood run cold.
"Before you go, I just wanted to ask how your trip was today?" Caelum exclaims before Eirian could walk out of Lunar Hall. His delicate fingers ran a hand through his long, white hair as he waited for Eirian to respond. "I've never seen you go out to even visit your father since we got enrolled in the academy...so I was surprised when I found out you went out today."
'This fucking asshole! He already did this earlier!'
Caelum knew what he was doing because now even though he was speaking to Eirian, his eyes bore directly to Azrael who did not want to look at his friends' reaction. 'But now he isn't doing this to bother Eirian anymore.'
He was doing it to bother Azrael.
In front of his friends.
Eirian, who also stopped dead in his tracks, did not respond or turn his head so Azrael did not see his reaction but he didn't need to.
The fact that he was not moving, nor did it seem like he was breathing, was enough to know.
"Oh, well. I shouldn't keep you here further considering you were gone the whole day." Caelum says with a small chuckle.
'Stop.'
"You must be exhausted, so I'll let you go. I'm quite tired myself."
Caelum began walking with his student servant in tow behind him, and if he didn't horrified Azrael enough, he decided to stop in front of Azrael and gave him his charming smile along with a small bow. "Oh, the little imperial prince. I did not realize you were there." He says as he raises his head a bit. "I'm afraid your older brother had left earlier to speak with Lady Elena and our headmaster."
Azrael did not respond but he did nod his head in acknowledgement. 'Don't let him get to you.' He tells himself, but as soon as he saw Caelum's smirk, he could not contain his facial expression.
"My, my, Prince Azrael. Your complexion does not seem too good, even your facial expression is a little off than usual. Could it be that you are experiencing fatigue?" Caelum asked as he fully straightened his body now and placed one hand on his hip as he looked down on Azrael.
"Didn't I already tell you before? You really take care of yourself. You are, after all, an imperial prince. Best to be careful since it would be a shame that one of the most beautiful faces in the empire suddenly just collapsed."
'He's openly threatening me again using kind words.'
This time. Azrael had to respond, no matter how much he feared Caelum, he knew he wouldn't be able to do anything to Azrael right now.
"It's such an honor to be the object of your worries, though I am an imperial prince, there is no greater honor than being a saint." Azrael copies Caelum's sickeningly fake sweet smile as he continues to speak.
"However, it would also be wise for the saint such as you to worry more about those who need his worries because again, as you said, I am an imperial prince just like my brother. Although, I am not the crown prince. I have more than enough people worrying about me."
Azrael had also realized something that would have given Caelum the upper-hand to murder the original Azrael in the novel.
The young prince turned his head to his friends. "But you were right, Caelum. I am quite tired, so I best be off now...Adham, Caspian, let's go."
The original Azrael had no one in the novel.
He was the easiest target.
And if he was correct to assume that Caelum used Thaddeus to manipulate the original Azrael to kill himself or even kill him in guise of a suicide, then it was easily avoidable right now.
Especially since Azrael has two friends who are constantly around him and looking out for him. There was nothing Caelum could do to him, and Caelum still knew nothing about what Azrael knew.
Which was Caelum's biggest concern and question.
'Caelum's biggest fear is for someone to figure him out especially since he had planned this perfectly. Right now, he knows that I may know something, but not to what extent and how.'
He would also not risk killing the only person who seems to not buy his lies.
Azrael may not have the strength or magic to fight, but he had enough knowledge to protect himself so he and Caelum were at a stalemate. Azrael's subtle words seemed to have an effect on Caelum, though the others around them were oblivious to the tension simmering beneath the surface.
Caelum, always composed and calculating, refrained from showing his irritation outwardly. Instead, he responded with feigned pleasantness, masking any hint of displeasure behind his practiced facade.
"Of course, dearest little imperial prince," Caelum replied smoothly, his voice betraying nothing. "I would not want to keep you from getting precious sleep." Despite his composed demeanor, Azrael couldn't help but feel a surge of satisfaction at having unsettled the typically unflappable Caelum.
With a bright smile and a nod of acknowledgment, Azrael gestured to Caspian and Adham, signaling for them to follow. The two friends, unaware of the underlying dynamics at play, obediently bowed their heads as they fell into step behind Azrael.
"Good evening to the empire's beloved saint," Adham murmured respectfully, addressing Caelum as they passed.
"Mhm," Caelum acknowledged in return before turning his attention to Caspian. "Prince Caspian," he greeted, nodding in acknowledgment.
As they walked away, Azrael kept his head held high, pushing aside the dark feeling emanating from Caelum's direction. He spotted Eirian still lingering near the entrance of Lunar Hall, and with newfound confidence, Azrael greeted him openly with a genuine smile.
Eirian, visibly surprised by Azrael's acknowledgment, regarded him with a mix of curiosity and cautious appreciation. Azrael thought that it would not hurt to greet Eirian that much considering his status especially since even Valerian acknowledges Eirian's presence with brief nods.
Why couldn't Azrael?
Despite the lingering tension and the anticipation of what Eirian might reveal during their imminent meeting, Azrael pushed aside those thoughts for the moment. He resolved to deal with the consequences later, choosing instead to savor the small victory of asserting himself against Caelum.
'I know I should be nervous about what Caelum is going to do to retaliate and what Eirian is going to tell me later,' Azrael reflected inwardly as they exited Lunar Hall. 'But I'll leave that to later's me.'
For now, he had to prepare himself for the whole line of questioning Adham and Caspian will give him from finding out that the two students who had never been interested in going out of Luminara Academy suddenly went out on the same day.
'Adham might have been silent since earlier but I'm sure he'll be asking me tons of questions now.'
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
'Adham did NOT ask me anything. Even Caspian was quiet the whole walk back to the dorms!' Azrael was now getting frustrated as he held onto his head, his eyes wide as he sneaked out of the dorms and walked to their academy's chapel.
Azrael was fully prepared to answer any questions they may have because he had no other choice but...
Both Adham and Caspian kept their mouths shut.
Which added to Azrael's worries that something happened.
No.
In his mind now, something definitely happened.
But he was not in the right mental headspace to ask them and it did not seem like they were up to be questioned as well, especially Adham.
Caspian still seemed somewhat normal when they were seated together in Lunar Hall. What made him act weird was Adham's presence.
So Adham seemed to be the root of whatever was going on.
'What the hell happened to make him act like this?'
Azrael groaned out loud as he walked towards the chapel, grateful that there were no students or professors around to witness his frustration. The path was illuminated by a solitary light above him, casting elongated shadows across the ground as he made his way forward.
Stopping abruptly at the chapel's entrance, Azrael realized he had arrived sooner than expected. His thoughts were still preoccupied with Adham's uncharacteristic behavior and the upcoming conversation with Eirian.
"I'll handle Adham tomorrow," Azrael muttered to himself, determination in his voice. "First, I have to speak with Eirian."
Taking a deep breath, Azrael steeled himself for the meeting. He noted the door was slightly ajar, indicating that Eirian was already inside, waiting for him. It was unusual for Eirian to request a meeting in the chapel instead of their usual spot, adding to Azrael's nerves.
"I'm ready for everything except him ending our agreement," Azrael whispered, his hand resting on the door handle. "We've made so much progress today, and I don't want it all to end... not today."
His mind racing, Azrael reflected on his earlier interaction with Eirian. The attempt at a smile seemed misplaced now, adding another layer of uncertainty to their meeting.
"Ah, I even smiled at him earlier," Azrael murmured, his embarrassment evident. "I don't even know why I thought that was a good idea. He might've thought I was being sly."
Shaking off his self-doubt, Azrael straightened his posture and took a series of deep breaths. "I can do this," he reassured himself under his breath, summoning the resolve needed to face Eirian.
With a decisive motion, Azrael pulled the door open, revealing the interior of the chapel. His eyes were immediately drawn to the intricate stained glass designs that bathed the small space in soft, colorful light.
'This chapel… is called the morning chapel,' Azrael mused quietly as he stepped inside. 'It's because when you're inside, it seems like it's always morning because of those stained glass.'
Taking a moment to appreciate the beauty around him, Azrael's attention was drawn to a familiar voice calling out to him. 'It really does look like it's morning outside from here.' He thinks, his mind somehow short-circuiting because he was just outside in the dark seconds ago.
"Your Highness."
Azrael jumps a bit as he hears a familiar voice; Turning towards the sound, Azrael saw Eirian standing to the side, hands clasped together in a respectful manner. Azrael approached slowly, his expression serious yet tinged with apprehension.
'Here we go.'
"Good evening, Eirian," Azrael greeted, his tone a mixture of formality and genuine concern.
Eirian nodded in response, his demeanor composed. "Thank you for meeting up with me despite the inconvenient time," he began, eyes briefly glancing at his bracelet. "I was told by the spirit before leaving about a feature these accessories have. I was pleased to know he did not deceive me, seeing as you knew where to meet me."
Azrael's curiosity piqued. 'So Fraus told him? When did that happen?' He thought, tilting his head slightly, a faint smile touching his lips.
"It is no problem, Eirian," Azrael replied earnestly, moving closer. "I did tell you that if you ever want to talk, you can tell me anytime."
Eirian nodded again, acknowledging the offer. An awkward silence settled between them, and Azrael's discomfort grew. It was hard to believe that just earlier they had shared a life-changing adventure in the Aurora Glades, risking everything for each other.
Unsure of how to break the tension, Azrael cleared his throat, his gaze meeting Eirian's. "So...what did you want to talk abou—"
Creak...
As Azrael and Eirian stood in the chapel, their conversation interrupted by the creak of the door, a sense of foreboding settled over them. Azrael's heart raced as he realized the implications of someone entering the chapel at this hour.
It wasn't just a matter of students breaking curfew; it was the risk of being seen together, a secret they had carefully guarded.
Eirian's reaction was swift; he turned his head to look past Azrael, his expression betraying rare emotion—a genuine worry etched across his features. Azrael could sense Eirian's tension, a departure from his usual composed demeanor, hinting at the gravity of the situation.
Even when they were at risk of harm earlier in the Aurora Glades, he did not react the same way he was right now.
Then, the voice—familiar yet unwelcome—pierced the tense silence. Immediately Azrael understood Eirian's reaction. "Y-Your...Your Highness?"
Azrael's breath caught in his throat. He slowly turned, eyes wide, to face the newcomer.
"Adham?"