"But, at least I can somewhat control avon now, so I guess hope isn't all that lost."
For a long time, the group had been silent. As if completely skipping over the fact he could still manipulate avon despite lacking an enigma.
The only noise that broke the silence was the low buzz of the artificial blue lights that were plastered all over the classroom's ceiling.
Most people who attended Lannister Academy awakened their enigmas either during their trials or after them.
Nobody really paid attention to those who didn't, because late-bloomers were not out of the ordinary.
However, in Vasil's case… the latter did not apply.
That had been because of his initial chance of awakening, clearly pointing to a successful awakening, so it had deeply disturbed the group of teenagers.
"What? Why are you all so quiet?"
Despite knowing the reason inwardly, he still decided to continue the conversation, instead of staying in silence for the remainder of their small break.
"No reason." Yoel replied, and the rest of them replied in a similar manner.
"Anyways, what do you all think our next class will be like?"
Cole tried to change the direction of the conversation, by changing the topic, which Yoel and Loki happily grasped on to, and Vasil didn't interfere with it.
"Ehh, wasn't it Space Knowledge, or something similar? I heard it's mostly theory, just like this class."
Loki answered, reminding the group that there wasn't much to get excited about.
"I'm pretty sure it's always going to be like this. Y'know, theory in the morning, practical classes in the afternoon."
Cole's voice was heard once again, desperately trying to keep silence from ensuing once again.
"Space Knowledge, huh? I haven't really thought about it all that much, but we really have acquired the ability to travel to a lot of neighboring planets, haven't we?"
Yoel questioned, and it really did sound like a genuine question.
"You really don't know much about this, do you Yoel? Blessed can breathe in space. You won't only learn about how space works and what planets we have traveling access to. It's way more intricate than that. There's also an extracurricular class that's basically a continuation of this class, which teaches you how to utilize avon in space to move yourself, but that becomes mandatory in our second year, so nobody really takes it."
At this sudden revelation Cole gave, Yoel was quite surprised.
Wow… I guess all the classes here really are intricate in their own ways. Never have I thought I would have to leave Earth, much less float through space without some kind of protective suit.
Outwardly, however, he didn't allow his surprise to show, only nodding at his statement. It was important how he conducted himself in an academy such as this, an academy of prominent people.
"Hopefully it's going to be more interesting than this class."
Vasil had finally spoken, originally it was just Yoel, Cole and Loki filling in the silence, and keeping the conversation going.
It seems that after a few minutes of quietly listening, Vasil was finally ready to jump back into the conversation.
"Oh, you bet it will."
"I am so looking forward to the last classes.."
Cole said with an honest grin, and Loki chimed in after him, his discontent for the next class clashing with Cole's attempts to brighten up the mood.
"Come to think of it, the last two classes will be practical ones, do you guys know what they'll be?"
Yoel asked in wonder, he really didn't know anything about today's schedule, nor the ones that came after today.
I really should look up the schedule when I get back to my dorm.
"We have Avon Control Basics, and then right after that it's Enigma Basics. Although I doubt we will do much practical practice today, since it is the first day and all."
Yoel gave a nod of affirmation in reply, and at that moment someone else approached the group of boys.
"Ohoho, look who it is! The man himself!"
A slightly loud greeting came from that direction, and when Yoel turned his head to see who it was, he instantly came to realize that it was Brandon, and a few steps behind him were the alliance leader, Silenus, and his co-leader Connor.
Before Yoel could retort Brandon's statement, he waved his hand and spoke before he could.
"Don't worry, we've made sure to keep quiet about it. After all, we are apart of the lucky few that witnessed your abilities."
"Ahah.. yeah, you're right. I didn't really realize what I was doing myself back there."
Yoel replied awkwardly and hesitantly, allowing it to show in his face, too.
Luckily, Brandon was a charismatic fellow, and with that skill came the ability to be adept at reading the room and faces of people.
"Ah, well. We decided to come over to say hello to you guys since we're in the same class. We couldn't come earlier because we had just arrived a few seconds before class began."
Cole decided to take on the conversation with Brandon, while the two boys at his side moved past him.
"Thank you, Yoel."
Silenus spoke to him, offering his thanks as sincere and as genuine as he could. He wore a serious face, allowing no room for silly jokes.
Connor, on the other hand, who had always been a man of a few words, gave a deep bow. Staying as silent as ever. The intensity of this exchange allowed Yoel to realize that both of them had been genuine and sincere, and he could feel that he was deeply respected by each of them.
Silenus also bowed his head slightly toward him, and closed his eyes.
After all, life cannot be measured, so their respect towards him had been high.
…However, even after a few minutes, they still did not move.
"Umm, you can raise your heads, you know?"
Please, don't make it any more awkward than it needs to be.
Yoel could feel the prying eyes of the rest of the class slowly growing in number, only a few people, including Lilith's own group didn't really turn their heads to the scene.
Luckily for Yoel, the bell for the next class bellowed through the classroom.
At the bell both Connor and Silenus flinched and slowly recovered their stances. Afterward, they offered a wordless goodbye and got back to their seats.
For the next class, since it was theoretical, Yoel believed that they didn't need to go anywhere else, but after the bell rang a short announcement followed.
[First years are to group up into the auditorium.]
The message was short and simple, it was not a mechanical voice this time around but a female one, one that sounded like an elderly woman's.
Questions arose in Yoel's mind, but he decided to keep them at bay. After all, he was not the only confused person here.
He looked around to find Vasil, Cole, Loki, and numerous other classmates staring at the telecom which the voice resounded from in confusion.
So many visits to the auditorium in such a short period.. this is worrying me.
"I guess we should… go?"
Cole looked around questioningly. It appears that he wanted to go to the auditorium together.
"Let us come with you guys too."
Brandon, once again accompanied by Silenus and Connor spoke. And Yoel decided to take a step back and think.
It was a weird group they had formed.
Each of them possessing some kind of freakishly strong enigma, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the first year's finest were all huddled in one group.
With the exception of Lilith, of course.
Maybe like this, I can get closer to my goal. Maybe I can ask them for help.
Yoel was by no means thinking of using them one-sidedly to his will, but he also believed that having a few shoulders to lean on would be amazing.
"Yoel, what are you spacing out for, you're going to fall behind!"
Brandon called out to him, and Yoel noticed that they were standing in the hallway.
When he looked at them like this, he felt his heart flutter with a new emotion. Perhaps, companionship.
Is this how it feels to have actual friends?
After discovering that his memories had been sealed, Yoel's previously acquired memories became hazy as time went on.
He obviously had friends before attending Lannister Academy, but their names and faces were getting hazy in his mind.
Perhaps, they had never been real?
A voice other than his spoke into his mind.
But Yoel, amidst his thoughts, seemed to understand it as his own.
Regardless– even if they had been fake, they were now getting overwritten by real. authentic memories.
Well.. maybe not exactly. We are not friends yet. Don't you have to voice this thing aloud, or something?
Yoel believed that having friends entailed being able to share secrets with them, and each of them knew of his enigma, and what it could do.
And they also kept it secret.
Ahh, this is too hard to think about. Was making friends always this complicated?
Abruptly, his mind drifted off to Lilith. She hadn't spoken to them at all before class and during their break.
Perhaps, she doesn't like the company of so many boys?
As he kept his mind racing with assumptions, the voice that had answered for him earlier came back again, however this time way more subtle.
This will be an interesting year, won't it?