I was warned not to ever divulge the reason I am out here now on my own. Be that as it may, I used the money I had left to rent an old chamber near school. I worked three jobs a day, sometimes four, and I managed to save up enough money to support my own life, and sent myself to the most regal university.
Two years went by, and here I am, a teenager staying alone in his attic surviving on his own, abandoned by his family, long forgotten how being loved felt like. I have grievances buried deep in my heart, whilst I understand no one ever cares, for they made it clear enough for me, that I am unworthy for love.
Perhaps it is the resentment that motivated me to send myself into a university overflowing with heirs of the aristocratic families, where I am trying to prove that I am capable of returning to the same height on my own, and that I am worthy of being adored and cherished by people from the same class… Loved and not forgotten.
I believe I will one day find someone who will never abandon me.
My name is Aletris Averell, I just turned eighteen this autumn.
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Among clusters of well-preserved gothic architecture, on the fifth floor of the largest block is where the lecture hall of my programme is located. Light of the morning penetrates through the colourful stained glass of the tall arch windows, showering across the students' faces and the surfaces of everything laid over the timber desks.
Although I have not been feeling the pain in my lower abdomen since I left the chamber building, I have not been paying sufficient attention to Mr Greubel on the Morphology and Syntax module either. I rest my elbow on my desk and my chin in my palm. I look up into the vault and softly squint into the light——
I can see the dust glowing and dancing in the air as always when I daze, yet the gleaming flares today somehow made it a little harder than usual. In fact, it is making me feel uncommonly uncomfortable.
Has the morning light in autumn always been this sharp? It irritates my eyes that I have to take my eyes off the vault.
In order to prevent my eyes from hurting, I slightly turn away from the window and tilt my head to the side. Unfortunately, by the moment I change my posture, I can feel my lower abdomen burning again…
"Umh!"
A sharp moan escapes my lips before I realise, and it echoes across the vast classroom even after I cover my mouth with my hand. In reflex, everyone in the lecture hall sharply snaps their glare at me. I could have had my situation explained, yet my poor condition is keeping me from it.
Then, just before Mr Greubel can approach me, the door of the lecture hall is knocked. At once, everybody's attention is diverted——At the door, we see Ms Sanderson enter.
Ms Sanderson, our home room lecturer, and also the lecturer responsible for the Phonetics and Phonology module.
"Good morning, Mr Greubel." she requests, "Do you mind lending me a second for an announcement here?"
With a decent manner, Mr Greubel steps aside from the lectern and allows Ms Sanderson to take over the speeches.
After gaining the attention she desires, Ms Sanderson puts up a big smile for the class. She there greets, "Good morning, students. From today onwards, your Literature, Poetry and Theatre module will be taken over by a new lecturer."
"A new lecturer?" a student questioned.
"Indeed." Ms Sandorson elaborates, "For Mrs Herbert is on her maternity leave, she will not be able to tutor you for a few months. The university has hence arranged a new lecturer for your future classes meanwhile."
As the end of voice falls, Ms Sanderson turns to the door and gives her signal with a nod, inviting the new lecturer into the lecture hall.
By the next moment, a tall man in a pair of black leather shoes steps into the lecture hall——
On the inside he wears a black turtleneck and a black fitting trousers. Whilst on the outside a khaki brown trench coat.
His wavy black hair covers his round glasses, where his thick eyebrows and peerless red eyes are partially hidden under.
In both the pendant of his necklace and the ring on his finger, there each inlaid a ruby stone…
Hold on.
Black hair, red eyes, ruby stones… I know this man. I just encountered him earlier this morning, didn't I? Isn't he…
"Mr Llevric." by his last name, Ms Sanderson addressed him. She says to him, "You may introduce yourself to the students."
Before I have time to react to the unexpected circumstance, that man gives me a glance and puts up a complacent smile on his face, as if he is feeling content about successfully surprising me.
"Good day to you, students of Literary Art." he says, "My name is Esmund Llevric, and I am your new lecturer."
Wait… What!?
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It is the last period before my recess. The newly arrived lecturer of the Literature, Poetry and Theatre module stands behind the lectern with a book in white colour in his hand.
As his peerless red eyes softly glides through the words printed on the yellow pages, in his deep voice he solemnly reads…
" "Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us—by that God we both adore—
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore—
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."
Quoth the Raven "Nevermore.""
The Raven, a poem by Sir Edgar Allan Poe published in 1845, bringing the class through the mournful and never-ending remembrance of Lenore, lamenting the loss of the protagonist's love.
The students pay all their attention to the lecturer. Silently and carefully, they listen to his deep voice. On his face they fixed their glimpses, with their eyes filled with respect and admiration, including me.
My eyes no longer gaze across the vault, instead, they have been locked on my new lecturer since the moment he stepped into the classroom, especially those gleaming ruby stones inlaid in his necklace and ring…
Am I still in my dream? Or is this an illusion I see caused by the discomfort I am bearing since morning? My new lecturer? Esmund Llevric? That creepy new neighbour who just moved into the thirteenth unit of Ignis Chambers, and claimed himself too terrifying to be harmed?
What is happening? What is he doing here? How did he become a lecturer in our university? Since when does he teach in our class? Why is he here? Is he stalking me? He did not even seem surprised when he saw me!
"Umgh…"
Cold sweat streams down my nape and wets my blouse, yet it doesn't seem to bring my body temperature down, because the burning sensation never fades.
I lay my hand over my lower abdomen pressing over it, for I can feel my skin splitting apart;
I bite my lips to avoid myself from making a moan, especially every time when I try to take a gasp;
I grip onto my forehead with my fingers as I feel the veins pulsating rapidly in my temples, and that continuous irritant is turning me rather impetuous no matter how calm Mr Llevric's voice sounds.
It all started at the moment he entered the lecture hall. My lower abdomen started to burn again… And that burning sensation grows stronger as he stays through the period.
" And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted—nevermore!"
The class satisfactorily applauds as Mr Llevric finishes the reading, while I see him giving me a glimpse with his lips bent into a radiant smile, as if he is gloating about the fact that he has now become admirable among the class.
Sure, fascinating poem reading… It must be irking for him if I tell him I have not been listening to a word he said. Just by being in his class tortures me, it almost makes me feel like he must be a demon of something.
Sorrowfully I shut my eyes and take a deep gulp. I run my palm down my face and let a dense exhale out.
Visionary, Aletris Averell——How can a living person be a demon out of the blue? He is just a new lecturer in our university, he just happens to teach in my class.
Nonetheless, the chamber next to mine has been empty for a long time, chances for a person who is new in town to move in are naturally high.
And, it must be my uniform that he saw this morning that told him I happen to be a student of University of Dunne Sleibhe…