I didn't accompany my friends to the bath that evening. I stayed in our room, reading my tomes in the quiet of my solitude.
Besides, I plan to meet with Senior Ethan later in the morning, and I plan to ask him for some advice regarding the perpetual mana spell I was working on.
"A what?" Senior Ethan stared at me incredulously as he was drawing my chest cavity. "Why would you want something like a perpetual siphon to drain all the mana in the vicinity?" he questioned me. "Didn't I already tell you what happens when the mana around you runs out?"
"I know, that's why I plan to only use it in areas with an adequate source of mana..." I tried to explain.
"You do know what happens when you take too much mana from other organisms, do you?" he frowned at me. "There is such a thing as mana death due to mana depletion, you know."
"I know that as well, thus I would only use the spell when I absolutely need it."
"And when would that be, exactly?"
"Senior Ethan..."
"Just call me Ethan," he corrected me for the 4th time that morning.
"The reason why I decided to create such a spell, is because I am weak," I confessed. "I know how dangerous it is, in this here academy. I know that I can do nothing physically straining to help my friends. All I have is my magic, and even that is not enough."
"I can't heal anybody," I continued, "I can rewind something that gets broken, but only from a certain time. I can revertan object to it's former state, but not if it's missing a part. I don't have enough mana to do so. I don't even have the capacity to fight back in case my friends and I are really in trouble..."
"Fight back using magic?" Ethan snorted. "Are you really trying to get yourself dragged into the Ivory Tower?"
"Well, it's not like I plan to use it public. It's only for emergencies," to insisted, "a secret weapon for drastic measures."
"Okay, then," he finally gave in, "and just how do you plan to create this 'perpetual mana siphoning spell'?"
I couldn't help but laugh at Senior Ethan's name for my spell.
"At first I thought of a spell that would perpetually 'rewind' my cores back to its fullest capacity every time it runs out of mana..."
"Hmm... And did it work?" he sounded interested.
"I tried it out, but I don't have enough mana to rewind something as powerful as a core full of mana," I said dejectedly. "I couldn't even fill a half full core back to its half full state."
"Are you saying that you emptied two of your mana cores?!" he glared at me.
"One was only half full!" I pointed out with a smile.
"You fool! Are you really trying to kill yourself?!" he berated me. "And just what did you do to drain your cores?"
"Um..." I hesitated to answer, "I secretly placed a reverting spell on all my close friends and classmates..."
"You idiot!"
Senior Ethan stood up from where he was drawing me. He grabbed my face with both hands and stared straight at my bulging eyes.
"No wonder your complexion is deadly pale! Your eyes look glazed over and the rings around them are darker than ever!"
"But I have always looked this way – ow!"
Ethan pulled the thin skin over my cheek bones.
"Didn't I tell you not to use more than two magic spells a day?!"
"B-but... I was afraid of what Senior Nigellus might do..." I tried to reason out. "Didn't you tell me not to trust a snake on the grass like him?"
"But I never told you to risk your life for your classmates!"
"I know, senior," I smiled at him, "I am doing this all on my own because I want to."
Senior Ethan opened his mouth.
He didn't seem to have anything more to say, though, as he glared at me angrily and sighed.
"Haa...!"
He finally let go of my aching cheeks, throwing his arms in the air out of frustration.
"I used to think that you were smart. I Guess I was wrong. You're just as foolish and stupid as that idiotic philosopher, Sarkazein!"
I stared at him and blinked twice.
"Isn't he the author of the book you gifted to your father, his highness the Emperor?"
"Exactly!" he snapped at me. "Do you also plan to get your neck chopped off?!"
"But you..."
"I am of royal blood! No one has the right to kill a direct descendant of the royal family, no matter what they do!"
"And frankly, that's exactly what brought us to this predicament," I said with a sigh, thinking of the first crown prince.
"I feel sorry for the empire myself, but the only way to get a royal of the direct line beheaded, is if they are proven to have personally killed another royal."
Senior Ethan felt like a different person as he stared coldly at me.
"Unless, of course," he added with a smirk, "there is no one else left in line."
I shivered as a cold chill went down my spine.
"Is... isthat something you plan to do?" I dared to ask my senior.
"No."
He replied.
"The time is not ripe yet."
Senior Ethan's words haunted me that whole day.
I had no idea that such a kind and easygoing person would think of such plans.
In truth, I refused to believe the rumors about the third crown prince I heard from Elliot and Darius. The rude and aggressive lout they talked about was so far from the person I had come to know. But seeing that cold look on his face and hearing his plans for a possible fratricide, somewhat showed me that the friendly senior I have learned to respect, may be more than what he seems to be.
"How do you read this again?"
I was brought back to my senses as Arman tugged at my arm.
We have just returned to our room after taking our bath, and Arman had asked me to show him some basic spells, so I handed him the 'Basic Elemental Spells' book I got from the library.
"Oh, that's 'praeuro', meaning, to reduce something to ashes."
"So, if I chant this verse, I could burn something to ashes?" Arman asked excitedly, pointing at the page.
"Yes, but this is a third circle spell, you can only use it after you manifest your third mana core, and you need to be a fire elementer to cast it. The basic spells are on the first chapter..."
"Oh, I'm just scanning the pages," he replied absentmindedly as he neared the end of the book. "I can't wait to manifest so I can try out all the spells here!"
"Well, the mana inside you have gathered quite well, I wouldn't be surprised if you manifest a core within the coming week," I proudly told him. "With that in mind, I think it would be better to place a spell of concealment on you to play it safe."
"A spell of concealment?" asked Arman.
"It is a spell that would hide the mana in your body, as well as any trace of mana released when you cast a spell."
"Would that be enough to hide Arman when he manifests?" Darius asked as we sat on my bed.
"I sure hope so," I replied. "A manifestation is like an explosion of mana. In some documented cases, it could even cause the surroundings to collapse."
"Then, how do you plan to hide Arman's awakening in case he suddenly manifests?" asked a worried Elliot who sat beside Arman on Darius' bed.
"That's what the meditation is for," I told them as I readied the concealment spell. "Slowly gathering and acquainting one's self with mana may lessen the impact when he manifests. At least I hope it does."
"Now, I'm getting worried, even if I don't fully understand half the words you're saying!" laughed Arman.
"Don't worry," I assured him. "We're always together even in our classes, I have a shielding spell ready in case of emergencies. It should be strong enough to withstand an explosion."
"Checkmate!" We turn to look at Cat and Lycan. "I won against you again!" he cheered as they played with the crystal chess set on his bed.
"You're getting better at this, Cat!" Lycan compliment him.
"I wanna play with Darius next!" Cat exclaimed.
"Challenge accepted!"
I started chanting the concealment spell on Arman. He was still busy reading the book when I finished.
"These spells are only for magicians with up to three cores, aren't there any stronger spells?"
"There are, but I suggest reading the basics first, a good foundation is most ideal, after all."
"Are there any other beginner's books, then?" he looked expectantly at me.
"Well," I reached into my pouch and pulled out a tome about illusionary magic. "How about this one? It is slightly more advanced compared to basic elemental magic, though, since illusions are a combination of the elements of light and darkness."
"Oh, this looks more interesting!"
I watched as Arman opened the tome. He was soon engrossed in the spells and continued being absorbed in it until Prof. Whitman knocked on our door.
"Drat! If only I had more time to read!" he mumbled as he left with Lycan.
Something tells me, teaching him would be something for me to look up to from now on.