I picked her up and gave her a piggy back ride while I walked to the gates.
Thankfully the ones near us were open.
Naturally there are some gates open 24/7 but the westside ones are not.
On my way there I felt Aura wake up. She thought she hid it well. I was sensing her mana the entire way.
That draconic elixir from Fiadh really was a cheat. Glad I managed to convince her to give it to me.
Anyways I paid the fee once again, and left back for the mansion.
Once there I entered the hall, and began to walk to her room.
Lucy approached me, and I put my finger up to my mouth then pointed to Aura on my back.
Lucy somewhat understood my signals, and picked up that Aura was sleeping.
I walked to Aura's room and locked the door.
I laid her down on her bed and grabbed a chair.
Prank time.
As a teen with a girl alone in her room I did as any guy would do.
"If you don't wake up right now, I'm going to kiss you."
After that I "moved" the chair and "opened" the door and left.
Her eyes shot open.
"Where's my-"
And there I was with my shit-eating grin.
She got really flustered and fell off the bed.
Obviously I caught her, but instead of getting her head and upper body up, she stayed buried in my body.
I could see her ears turning red, she was really warming up.
Adorable.
After about ten minutes, she got up off of me.
She punched my shoulder.
"I was really wai-"
I kissed her on the forehead and left.
Not before she could get a few hits on my back.
The penance for being so bold I guess.
***
*Aurelia's Pov*
What-WHAAAAT?
What was that?
Wawawawawawa.
Luuuuuuke.
You meanie. Weirdo.
How? Why?
I covered myself with the blanket, and laid down.
No, it's too warm under there.
I took it back off and sat up.
I reached up and touched my forehead.
Warm.
Wait, wait, wait. Backup.
Who was that who picked me up.
It was clearly Luke, but not him?
And then I was watching him fight?
What happened in between?
I think I told him about the speech and and flicked him right?
Yeah. I think I did.
If that's all I can relax now.
But how do I sleep I'm so restless.
Luuuuke! How can you leave a girl like this?
Hmph. Whatever, I will simply not cheer for him at the duel.
I won't talk to him at all tomorrow.
***
*Lucas' Pov*
I woke up in my bed, and yawned.
Today is the Inauguration day.
Aura's speech has been long prepared.
Mother Alicia and I looked over it.
After getting a thumbs up from the 4 categories, guy, girl, parent, and student. she finalized the speech.
After I finished spacing out into the wall in front of me I pulled my covers off and...
What.
There's a blonde girl here. Pale skin, likes to call me weirdo.
Guess who?
I really hope no maids are here.
"Captain Lucas".
Damn.
"Yes Lucy?"
"You should begin to get ready."
I narrowed my eyes at her. I know she can see Aura here in my bed.
No questions? Hm...
She must know somethings up.
"Want to explain why Aura is in my bed?"
"I have no idea Knight Lucas, but I wouldn't mind alerting Mistress Alicia if it bothers you."
She definitely knows something and is threatening me.
"You know what? I think you should let her know. I don't think it sits well with me that she's in my bed, a girl her age shouldn't be with a man overnight."
"Very well."
She's very good at hiding it.
I immediately called Mother Alicia via magic orb.
Yes it is called that, in reality. In game it's called the magic phone.
"Yes sweetie?"
"Yeah, Aura's in my bed."
"Oh that?"
Huh, why doesn't she sound surprised.
"She developed a habit of talking in her sleep while you went missing."
"She would constantly ask for you in her sleep."
"We had to give her a pillow shaped like you."
A pillow shaped like me? Creepy. But I mean I guess they had my measurements from my clothes which were custom ordered.
Wait was she sleeping with a me pillow for 4 months? Yikes.
"It went away when you got back, so we assumed she'd gotten over it."
"She left it here, so I assume Lucy just gave Aura the real thing."
"Huh. Okay"
I conceded.
"Anything else my darling? Want to give your darling mother an update at school?"
"Aura had an 8th circle potential."
"Ah yes I heard. Stephen and Theodore were ecstatic."
"Aside from that, Aura instigated a fight between me and a noble boy."
"Yes I heard about that too. Rachelle let us know."
"That's about it."
"Really?"
"Actually no. I fought a 3rd stage demon yesterday, with twins enrolled at Atrevoir."
I genuinely almost forgot about that, what with the kiss on her forehead and waking up with her.
"In fact I actually still have the demon's core. I think I'm going to take this to Ms. Rachelle to report a demon."
"That's good. Oh it's time for you to go. You need to get ready for the ceremony."
"See you later Mom."
Great Nyx above, I'm collecting parents left and right.
"Mmmmm... Lucas.. Not there... Mom's watching...."
What is this girl dreaming about?
"Lucas don't leave me! Please don't go."
Her hands tightened, and tears started to come from her eyes.
I cradled her. Rocking her gently like one would a baby.
We might miss Inauguration day like this.
***
As she started to wake up she began asking where she was, before realizing she was cradled in my arms.
I let her know any later, and we'd miss Inauguration like this.
"I don't mind. But why am I in your room?"
"Because you were calling for me in your sleep, and Lucy decided a person is better than a pillow."
With that she pushed out of my arms, and out my room.
Time to get ready I guess.
We left together, but she went to another room for attendees with special positions.
I nearly arrived late to the venue, with a few minutes to spare. I quickly took my spot near the front, and got some looks from my classmates, good and bad.
"Welcome to entrance ceremony of the 158th class of Atrevoir academy."
"Here at the Combat school, we strive for practical battle, with highly informed fighters."
"We teach humility, preach integrity, and seek strength."
"We will not discriminate between races, class, or gender, or tolerate those who do."
"With that, the Dean of the academy, with a few quick words, as he needs to also attend the research school"
The announcer stepped down and the principle stepped across the stage to the mic.
"Hello all in attendance, my name is Van Balnrey. I am the dean of this establishment. I am excited to see the student's accomplishments and growth. Maybe one day some of them will grow up to be like me. A 9th star spearman. The spear saint of the empire."
"With that, I would like to introduce the top ranker of the Knight course, Charlotte von Masvis."
He walked through a gate. Probably to the research inauguration. It starts later, which makes sense from a researcher's standpoint as technically, work never stops. So early morning events are hard to make.
"Hello all, I am Charlotte von Masvis."
She waved to the crowd and looked at me before beginning again.
"I am excited for the new school year and the students here."
She continued her speech occasionally looking at me.
I gave her a thumbs up at chest level to let her know she was doing well.
"And with that, I would like to introduce our top ranker for the Mage Course, Aurelia von Svarmet."
She smiled brightly as she walked across stage giving me a sneaky grin.
I had a bad feeling about this.
"Good morning everyone, I am the top ranker for the mage course."
And with that we were off.
She performed really well.
Better than the Dean, and maybe the officiator who began the whole ceremony.
For some reason she stopped after a quarter of her speech.
"After that, everything else I wished to say, has already been put in such lovely words, by my speech mate, so I have one last thing to say."
My stomach flipped.
"In 2 day's there will be a duel at the campus' main arena. Make sure to be there."
"Thank you, and welcome to Atrevior academy."
With that the faculty stood up and cheered, the students did too.
Clearly the staff knew the details of the speech and gave it a thumbs up.
And the student's were either bored, sleeping, unfazed, or uninterested.
Aura smiled once more at me before leaving the stage.
We all filed out of the entrance hall.
The magic course students were sent to the magic pavillion.
The vice dean spoke first.
"Good morning students. I bet most of you are bored or tired after that snoozefest."
Many just nodded their head.
"So to combat that, we will begin part of our practical test now."
"The first part will consist of Mana sensitivity."
"We will move in to part of the forest in the academy where spirits reside."
"Most are docile class monsters. However they can be provoked into action."
"So even those, without spirit sensitivity, mind your words, manners, and actions while out there."
"Aside from that we have hidden mana pills throughout the forest."
"Once again the color determines your grade."
"Do not take more than one as there is only about 300 there and it will not raise your grade."
"As for using them as actual mana pills, we will give you substitutes to the ones you find."
"The ones here are attributeless, and will barely help you."
"We will also disqualify those who do, so please just bring back what you can."
"One more thing, although teamwork is allowed, it's discouraged."
"This is meant to be an individual test not a group test."
"Alright. Dismissed."
I looked at Aurelia and she looked at me.
I gave her the ok look and she left the stage.
Armoria had already left, and that left no one else I knew personally.
Well in reality at least.
I could see almost the entire spirit forest.
I decided to sprint towards the sparrow spirit.
Why not get the 'Forest War' quest while I was here?
I began to talk with him, and it wasn't hard to obtain a request from the spirit side.
Good. Now all I need to do to get rewards from both sides is get a request from the treants too.
I started to move deep into the spirit forest. I encountered few spirits. As I delved deeper the mana got very thick. Soon I approached a mana wall to heavy to breach.
"Do not come closer child of the skies."
"I can speak to you from here."
"Did you call me here?"
"Yes."
That explains the few spirits.
"So what's this about a child of the skies?"
"Do you not know, or are you merely pretending?"
Maybe he could smell the dragon elixir in my blood?
Damn whatever Fiadh put in that thing was potent.
"You mean the scent of the dragons?"
"So you do know."
"I merely met one, I'm no dragon."
"That is well enough. To meet a ruler of the skies and leave alive is a great feat. Take pride young one."
What is it with all the long lived races calling me young one.
"However, the smell is just a part of what I am referring too."
"I can sense part of the blessing of the spirits within you."
"What is that?"
This never appeared in game. There was a stigma of the spirits, given when you kill enough, or go really low in the likeability in the spirit companions of the other characters, but never a blessing."
"Tell me child, have you ever experienced the love of a spirit?"
"I think aside from talking to them, the closest I got to a spirit was a gnome blacksmith, we have a transactional relationship, but we're acquaintances too."
"That is not what I am referring to."
Could this snake get to the point?
"I am referring to a spirit giving you their true name willingly, dying for you, or sacrificing portions of their power or life for you?"
"Not that I can remember."
"Well I can see many blessings of that nature. You must be a good child."
I smiled wryly. What was I supposed to say to that?
"I guess."
"Well then. Take this for me, and deliver it to the king of the spirits."
"Do this and I'll give you more than this."
He handed me spirit wood.
A 6th tier material great for many things, including recovery potions or wands and wandswords.
"Now go on and finish the task you were given."
"Thank you king of the Raskalan spirit forest."
"Hahaha, you know even this? A good child indeed."
I left the thick mana grove quickly.
Mari-oromi was a difficult spirit to speak with normally.
Thankfully it went well.
The white snake with blue eyes, can sometimes mean the end of playthroughs.
However I got lucky, now time to find a mana pill.