"You're fattening up."
I raise my gaze and look at the senior sitting across me.
"You're starting to get some flesh on your cheek bones!"
There's a scowl on his face, showing his displeasure.
"Yes, my friends noticed that as well, but unlike you, they were actually happy about it," I replied in earnest.
It's the weekend, and we are currently in the baths, playing a game of chess in the early dawn.
"Aren't you glad to see that I'm looking a bit healthier than I did before?" I asked him.
"But that means I would be losing my perfect specimen!" he kept pouting at me. "You should at least do poses for me so that I can observe your lovely muscles and ligaments flex as they abduct and extend those beautiful bones!"
"Should I stop eating then?" I laughed.
"Ahh... just pose for me at the library, let me do some sketches before you gain any more flesh..."
"You don't expect me to go naked in public do you?"
"Just a couple of sketches!"
"Why don't you just do it here, then?"
"But the lighting here isn't bright enough," he argued, "and this is the only time we can play chess! I've been waiting for you all week, and you only come today, on a Saturday of all days!"
"What's wrong with a Saturday?" I moved my bishop towards his rook, exposing his king.
"It's the end of a the week," he mumbled as he moved his king to the side of the board. "I would need to go back since I still have... things I need to do..."
"You need to go back where?" I asked, feeling curious. "But it's almost seven already, this is already our third game."
"Exactly! I want more time to play with you! I almost beat you that last time, too!" he argued. "It's not like we can play chess in the library! You didn't come for two days! A was always waiting for you to show up in the morning!"
"Sorry, I've been tired lately since my friends and I had some things to do... in fact, I hardly had some sleep last night..."
"And I'll be gone all Sunday too! Not that the library would be open tomorrow..."
"Checkmate."
"What?!" My senior glared at me. "See?! I was distracted due to the limited time I had with you!"
"I guess I stay as your friend, then," I smiled at him.
My senior gave a sigh and shook his head.
"I guess I'll get to know your name some other day."
"I can tell you right now, if you wish," I told him. "In fact, you had all the chance in the world to find out who I am, particularly when we're in the library where you could easily look at my library card..."
"Where's the fun in that?" he grinned at me.
I couldn't help but smile back.
"I'll be seeing you in the library on Monday, Then?" he asked as he melted the ice chess pieces and let is flow back into the pool.
"I'm afraid I might be occupied all day," I replied. "We're still busy with something in our class."
My senior gave a deep sigh and pouted at me.
"What have you been doing anyway? You're a freshman, right? We weren't that busy last year when the school year started!"
I guess that means my senior is just a year older than I am.
"Um... actually... we've been helping some of our classmates to break away from unwanted mentors," I tried to explain.
"Oh, so you're one of the neophytes who are fighting with the first crown prince's vassals?" my senior's eyes lit up. "I heard there were several challenges since Wednesday, so how do you fight if you can't use magic?"
"I'm actually part of the planning department, I've been keeping up all night thinking up strategies with my room mates." I said modestly. "My friends are the ones fighting with their fists. There aren't many who wish to fight with their wits, after all."
"Why don't I find that surprising?" he chuckled. "It's the hot headed blockheads who like to keep apprentices, after all. They even use some of the intelligent ones to do their homework for them."
"Well, Nigellus and his companions seem to be laying low for now. The rest of the seniors don't seem to be as hard to challenge. Some of them simply release their apprentices when my friends approach them."
This made my senior laugh.
"Your friends must be quite dependable, then," he said as he stood from his seat. "I guess that means I don't need to worry about you. I'll be looking forward to our next meeting, then, whenever that may be."
"Same here, senior," I replied. "Next time, bring a good light source with you and some drawing materials as well."
I made my way back to our room, freshened from my early bath, and contented with the company. Things have been quiet lately. The seniors have been behaving, and news of a ragged looking blond student hiding out in the woods, has kept the first prince's vassals busy in a wild goose chase.
It was quite relaxing to spend time with my senior. I actually look forward to the two hours I spend with him after classes. We would talk about theories and have small debates in the library, or just spend time silently reading books, until Melville harrumphs at us and tells us to leave.
Playing chess with him, on the other hand, was another matter.
I still refuse to be apprenticed to anyone, thus, I dread the day when I would lose in a game of chess with my senior.
That is the reason why it took a while for me to decide to meet him in the baths again.
Well, it seems he'll be gone `till Monday. I'll be safe until we have our next game.
"Good morning..." Elliot opened the door with a big yawn after hearing me knock. "How was your chess game?"
"I won three times in a row," I happily told him.
"Good, at least you're still mentor-free." Elliot took a towel from his belongings and headed to the door. "Your turn to wake Cat up, Darius and I gave up already."
I looked at Darius who was busy sharpening a sword we snuck up from Grand Knight Alcides' training hall.
"How's the sword doing?" I asked as I passed his bed.
"It will cut. I shall use it well."
"But... are you sure you're ready?"
"If not now, then I never will be," he replied seriously. "I can't just hide in this room for five years."
Seven raps made us face the door.
I opened it to let our friend Arman in, already dressed in his training uniform.
"Cat's still sleeping?" he asked with a frown. "And why aren't you dressed yet?"
"I just came back from the baths."
"Oh, did you finally play that chess game with your mysterious senior?" he asked me with a grin. "Did you win?"
"Three times," I smiled.
"Good! And did you stay up all night again?" Arman's grin suddenly turned upside down.
"O-of course not!" I replied nervously. "I went to bed early and woke up earlier to meet him in the baths!"
"Hmm? Is that so?" he looked at me suspiciously.
He turned his attention to Darius next, who was still busy with his sword.
"That sword looks a lot nicer than when we first took it from the training hall.Did Patrick enchant it, by any chance?" Darius looked back at me, wide eyed.
We both know how incredibly naggy Arman can get.
"Y-yes, but it was just a short spell!" Darius replied.
"That's right, it was just a small spell of sharpness and of lightness, and an anti-disarming charm!" I was forced to confess.
"And you did all of that last night? Right after I left your room at half past 11?" his eyes narrowed.
"It was just a short spell!" I insisted.
It only took me an hour to enchant the sword, after all.
"Hmph. Well, your eye's don't look that swollen... I'll let you off the hook, then!" Arman finally said, dropping the subject.
"I'll go wake Cat up!" I hurriedly went to the last bed and shook Cat's shoulder to wake him up. "Hey, rise and shine! Hurry up, or you won't have enough time to eat some breakfast!"
"Breakfast..." Cat's eyes finally blinked open.
"Good, you're finally up!" said Elliot who just got back from the toilets. "I guess Cat's still tired from teaching our classmates swordsmanship these past two days." He handed each of us a bowl of thick hot porridge with pieces of dried meat floating in top. "He's also been helping Darius train in the baths, after all."
"You taught us some wrestling moves, too," Arman pointed out, "but you're always up at the break of dawn!"
"Force of habit," Elliot grinned, "a good merchant must be up before the rooster crows! Now hurry up and eat, I prepared that nutritious meal to fill up your stamina and vitality until our plan comes to fruition on Monday!"
"This is good, Elliot," Darius said, his bowl already empty. "What is this stuff?"
"That porridge is made of the seven golden grains of the kingdom!" Elliot said proudly. "I've been saving it up for this such occasion, I even threw in some dried serpent's meat that's good in revitalizing your strength and spirit!"
Arman suddenly spat out what he was chewing.
"I think I'll have some bread instead..." he said weakly.
"Can I have your share, then?" Cat asked with a big grin.
"So, Darius, what time do you plan to issue your challenge?" I asked our room mate.
"At about 5 in the afternoon."
"Right after classes?" Elliot asked.
"Yes, the more witnesses, the better."
"Then, we can ask Prof. Novil to watch the fight," Arman suggested.
"Let's call Grand Knight Alcides too, that way, he won't have a reason to whine about the outcome of the challenge!" Elliot suggested.
"I'll try to bring Senior André as well," I added. "I plan to join the medical corps, and I hear applications start today. I plan to visit this morning, during Grand Knight Alcides' training class."
"Then, I will be waiting here for you, as usual," said Darius with a slight bow.
"Don't push yourself too hard and get more rest," said Arman. "I know you keep exercising when we're out. You've still got to get your leg healed!"
"That's right, we've still got two days to go," I reminded him.
"Don't worry, I just plan to meditate to clear my mind," he assured us with a weak smile.