Chapter 14
Kael collapsed on the floor with his hands spread open as he breathed heavily. Sweat trickled down his face as he stared at the blue sky. Hebron came into focus obstructing his view of the sky.
"Tired already?" Hebron asked him with a smirk.
"Tired? No. Dying? Yes." Kael told him.
Hebron chuckled. His eyes crinkled at the corner with his laugh. Kael was sure the man was enjoying this a bit too much.
"Aren't you being too dramatic?" Hebron asked Kael with a laugh.
Kael gestured tiredly at himself. "I feel like I'm dying…no. I'm dying already. Does it look like I'm being too dramatic?"
"Yes. The only thing you've done is run around the training grounds."
"A hundred times."
"It wasn't up to"
"It sure felt like it was to me. When I said I wanted to be fit I did not mean kill me." Kael said to him.
"Who said I'm trying to kill you? If I was then you wouldn't even be here. We both know it." Hebron told Kael.
Kael struggled to a sitting position. He could see the other knights training. Some rookies were running around the training grounds like he had been doing but they looked more fit than him. He was a lanky boy who was only focused on reading books. It wasn't until he had entered the academy that he finally buffed up a bit. The rest came from the fieldwork he had done with Cecilia when they were banished.
Hebron moved away from Kael to get him a cup of water. Kael was sure he could finish a full hug or even a jar with how out of breath he was at the moment. He thanked Hebron for the water and downed it in one swift move. He used the back of his hand to wipe the little that had made its way down his chin.
"Do you still want to continue even after this?" Hebron asked him.
Kael nodded. He had to be prepared for everything that was to come in, especially if he had come back to the past. The war between their kingdom and Giaia would only happen in the far future but before that, Kael needed to prepare to face his brother in any way he could. He had no idea when the opportunity would come but he was not going to miss it. And if he was going to enter the academy, he was going to be prepared. Numerous games were life-threatening in the academy. One had to be strong to survive. He had only survived due to luck in his past life. This time, he was going to survive due to his skills.
"I wasn't joking when I came to you," Kael told Hebron.
"I thought maybe it was a spur-of-the-moment thing."
"It was t and it isn't. I'm serious about this." Kael told him.
"Are you going to speak with him about going to the academy?" Hebron asked him.
"Who?"
"Your father, the king."
Kael gave him a nod. There was no need to run up to Cassius now. He was sure Cassius would summon him soon. He knew it was going to happen today but he had no idea what time the summons would take place. Kael did not have to think for long because soon enough, someone ran up to him and told him of his summons.
Kael smiled at Hebron and waved at the man as he stood up. His body hurt from the pain and his muscles felt heavy. He wanted nothing more than to lie down for days. But he knew that if he rested for more than required, then it was going to affect him. He had to continue so his body would get used to it. It felt like a punishment but he was doing this for his good.
Kael struggled to walk straight. Even if he wanted nothing more than to lean on the wall, he had to maintain a certain gait as was expected of the royal family. And besides, his father would frown at him if he saw him leaning on the wall for support. Kael knocked once he approached his father's study.
"Come in," Cassius said to him.
Kael opened the door and walked into the study. He was not surprised to see Augustus in the study. He was standing next to a chair. Kael gave him a nod and stood in front of Cassius.
"I greet the sun of…."
"There is no need for that." Cassius waved him off.
"Do you know why I summoned you?"
Kael knew why Cassius had summoned him. It was to talk about his enrollment at the academy. It was an unwritten law that any child of eighteen who had a high affinity for magic or even less should enrol at the academy. Some commoners struggled to get a full scholarship to get admitted into the university. But Kael was going to pretend not to know for now.
"Did I do something wrong?" Kael asked his father.
"Not yet," Cassius said to him. "Do you know of the magical Academy?"
Kael fought an eyeroll. Of course, he knew it. Everybody in the kingdom knew of the magical Academy.
"Yes? What does that have to do with me?" Kael asked his father.
"Every child of eighteen is to be registered at the academy to learn more about magic. I think even the issue with your gore would be solved if you enrolled." Cassius said to him.
"Father.." Augustus spoke up when he heard the disgusted tone Cassius' voice had taken.
"What is it? Everyone knows he has an issue with his core." Cassius said to Augustus.
Augustus studied Kael who was showing no emotion. He knew Kael would be hurt by their father's words and so he tried to speak to his father.
"Maybe it would be best if Kael doesn't attend the academy. We have no idea if the people there would be able to help with his core." Augustus said to his father.
Kael stifled a laugh. How was it that he did not recognise that Augustus' pity for him was all an act? Had he been that stupid in his past life to not see through his fake act of care or sympathy? Was he that blind?
"That's why I sent you there. Surely you must have seen…"
"I have not been able to go far in my research, father. Nothing in the archives can explain his core. The teachers have no idea what it even is and why it's like that." Augustus told their father.
"Maybe it would be better if they see it directly then, which is why he has to go," Cassius said to him.
"The academy is a dangerous place. Kael still has no idea how to even use magic, he should not be…"
Kael drowned them out. He was only going to let them argue for some time. This argument had happened before and in his past life, he had listened to his brother and his fake sympathy, pity or whatever it was. Kael had no idea what Augustus had fooled himself into thinking it was.
In his past life, he had also thought Augustus had said reasonable things which was why he was so against going into the academy. But in the end, he still attended although he became a dropout. Kael continued counting in his head and only when it was up to a hundred did he decide he was done with the bickering and interrupted them.
"I'll attend the academy," Kael said loudly.
Augustus turned to him with pity and what Kael identified as confusion while Cassius had a proud look in his eyes. Kael almost snorted at that. Who would have thought that Cassius would look at Kael with a prideful gaze? Not that Kael cared if Cassius was proud of him or not. He only cared about what to do and what he would do.
"What?" Augustus asked him.
"I'll attend the academy."
"You don't know what you're talking about. This is not just about the stories you read in books. The academy is a dangerous place." Augustus told him.
Kael fought an eyeroll. He knew very well how dangerous the academy was. He had attended it also. But it wasn't like Augustus knew he had attended the academy. If there was one thing Kael was sure of, it was the fact that he had been the only one to return to the past. He had no idea why and he had no idea how had done it but he was going to make use of this opportunity to the fullest.
"I know it's a dangerous place but it would be better than being here right? At least I'll get to interact with scholars and other magicians and read more books about magic." Kael said to him.
"This is not a joke, Kael. It's not just about reading books or meeting scholars. It's about…"
"Me. And I know, it's a dangerous place. I appreciate you acting for me brother but sometimes, I have to do things by myself." Kael said to Augustus and then turned to his father.
He hated talking to Augustus because all he could see was the stupid smirk as Augustus watched him die but there was nothing he could do yet.
"I'll enrol at the academy," Kael told his father.