8.1 - Recruits, Again
"Mom told me to stay away from him."
I think I know who he was, but I still have some doubts.
"Are you even listening to me?
"Half-way."
Why am I answering him, since we don't know each other?
I looked at him askance.
Vikir had short black hair with navy blue streaks, he was short like me.
He was wearing a knight's uniform.
"Don't you have your own brain? Or are you a mommy's little son who can't do anything on his own?"
Vikir's expression changed. My words moved him deeply and made him realize certain facts.
"N-no... actually, she told me to become a knight, and I didn't want to. You know, it's hard to handle school and all at once..."
He didn't finish, because I interrupted him.
"All I hear from you all the time is mom, mom and mom. Seriously, get a grip. If your mother tells you to kill yourself, you'll commit suicide?"
"N-no..."
Why am I even talking to him. Loser.
"What's the point of going to school if you're going to become a knight anyway?"
"Mo... After graduating from the Eriau Academy, they say the future is bright."
What nonsense.
I put one of my hands to my forehead and rubbed my eyes with my fingers.
"Why am I even talking to him..." I muttered under my breath.
Vikir noticed the way I reacted and managed to hear me.
"Hey! I heard that! That wasn't nice!"
"This is coming from someone who follows me everywhere around..."
-------------------
It was time to meal. Every time it's lunchtime, all the recruits go to the canteen.
Everyone can sit wherever they want and eat whatever they want.
However, there is never much choice in food.
Last time, every day for 4 days there were pierogi for dinner.
Yes, for 4 days the same food all the time.
I wouldn't be surprised if there were today too.
Each table had about 8 seats. The dining room was in a big tent.
Everyone, after taking a plate of pierogi, sat down in a chosen place.
I took one slice of old bread and sat down where I always did.
I was in the very corner of the tent, completely alone.
I leaned one hand on the table and sat down as if I was about to fall asleep.
This old bread has no taste.
After a while I heard a familiar voice.
A short boy sat down next to me.
It was that Vikir again.
He hadn't said anything yet, and he already annoyed me. He has a pure talent.
I had an expression on my face as if this bread was moldy.
"What do you want from me again?" I said, disappointed.
"The entire cafeteria is full and you're the only one sitting at the table."
"Look, not everyone can fits in the cafeteria. Instead of sitting in an empty seat next to you, they prefer to sit two people on one chair among their friends" He pointed to the table he mentioned.
I looked at that spot.
I think it was the first time he'd said a sentence that made sense.
I was holding half a slice of bread in my hand and started staring at it.
I had a bored expression on my face.
"That's not your problem." I only answered after a moment.
Vikir grabbed a fork in his hand and started eating pierogis.
I stared at him as he speared one with his fork.
I still had my head resting on my hand, the elbow of which was on the table.
I was shamelessly looking at Vikir and watching his every move.
Vikir swallowed one pierogi.
"You don't have any friends yourself, so why are you pushing me away anyway?"
After stating this, he turned to me.
A young man entered the tent. Everyone, after seeing him, focused their attention on him.
"Is that Fenris Wattana?" Someone saw it.
"Yes, it really is him!" Another person replied.
"Wow, I heard that even though he is a recruit, you can rarely see him during training."
"Really? No wonder. After all, it's hard to manage a school and a knight course in one."
When this boy entered the tent, there was quite a commotion. Almost everyone on the side commented on him.
The opinions I managed to hear were from the table next to me.
Vikir also glanced at Fenris.
However, he reacted slightly differently. The pierogi fell off his fork and he froze.
I don't know if it was from the impression or fear.
Knowing him, it was probably the latter.
Fenris didn't help himself to the pierogis, instead, he went to sit down at the table with his friends.
Vikir looked angry.
"Do you know him?" I asked out of clear curiosity.
"Yes, he goes to school with me. I hate him."
"Why do you hate him?" I said, bored and lying on the table as if I had nothing left in my life.
"I don't know. He just annoys me."
I looked at Fenris again.
He was laughing with his friends at the table.
He had blond hair. It had two long streaks in the front, but it was probably short in the back. His eyes were red.
The whispers about him didn't stop.
"What's so special about him that everyone adores him?" I asked another question.
"It's all just because his great-grandfather passed on his magic to him. In other words, he's one of two people from this year's recruits who has AB-type magic."
This AB again?
"Honestly, I didn't think you could be of any help to me."
"You see, that's what friends are for." He announced proudly and smugly.
"Haha! It's you two again! I thought we scared you enough to leave!"
Two men approached our table.
They were the same ones from back then, Glaton and Oiser.
Vikir got scared and started shaking.
I, like the whole time, sat at the table like a slob.
Glaton ducked over Vikir.
"If you don't resign, they'll send you to the front lines of the war and you'll meet your death. Decide for yourselves what you prefer."
Glaton made a fist and slammed our table.
The impact made a loud sound.
"AH!" Vikir was terrified.
I sat there unmoved.
After that move, they just left.