The Beginning After The End (Beckoning Fates Book 3)

by TurtleMe

  I lifted my left arm to reveal my bracelet with two charms dangling on it to answer her question.

  “Can’t say I’m not disappointed. I was hoping to go around flaunting you as my little protégé but I guess even a dual elemental augmenter is rare enough to do so. But you becoming a Scholar Mage student was something that I definitely expected.” She gave a soft chuckle.

  “I was planning on taking a visit to your office to update you on some things but it saves me the trouble by you coming here I guess. I’ve probably made an enemy from a not so friendly family while I was an Adventurer so I don’t want to give anyone any reasons for him to suspect me, at least not right now.” I lean back in my chair as I studied the two charms on my bracelet.

  “Yes, I’ve read the reports on the case between Adventurer Note, and Adventurer Lucas Wykes. Quite a troublesome foe you’ve managed to pick up. While I do have a certain amount of authority over his family, as they are a military house, they have too many hidden workings that continue to elude us.” Director Cynthia was rubbing her chin, thinking of a solution.

  “It’s fine. I don’t consider that an urgent matter. He’s just a piece of trash I’ll have to pick up someday. If I do something rash now and it goes back to my friends and family, THAT’S when it would be a problem. I would like your help with another matter.” I put my elbows on my knees as I lean forward towards Director Cynthia.

  “Please speak.” She kindly replied.

  “I want to take higher level mana theory classes, especially those on deviants.” I state simply.

  “Hmm… That wouldn’t be too difficult to do, but Arthur, wasn’t one of your main reasons for attending this academy to fit in with your peers?” She eyed me in a studying manner.

  “I don’t mind taking these extra classes on top of my normal ones, where I would be with students my age. I’m just impatient to learn a bit more about deviant mana manipulation since I’ve hit a ceiling on that recently.” I almost blurted out saying, ‘since there was no deviation magic in my old world.’

  “Fine. I can make that happen, and I can even give you a pass to permit you to observe the upper class top mages mock battle as well in their practices.” She sounded magnanimous but I only eyed her suspiciously.

  “Okay… So what’s the catch?” I raised an eyebrow.

  “Arthur! I’m heartbroken! I only wanted to do this for your growth!” She over exaggerated her act as she placed both hands on top of her heart as if struck by an arrow.

  “Art! You’re being rude to the Director!” Elijah looked a little panicked, as he couldn’t see the Director’s facial expression as she did this.

  I didn’t say anything, only staring at her to get an answer.

  “Sigh… Very well. Of course I would like some sort of ‘reward’ for doing these favors for you.” She finally caved in, baffling Elijah.

  “I hope you don’t say something absurd like joining the student council.” I shake my head. These situations seemed like it called for that type of response.

  “Pfft! I heard of your little bout with the Princess earlier.” She starts laughing, as my face turns a bit red in embarrassment.

  “I didn’t expect the ever calm and composed Arthur Leywin to explode like that. I guess Princess Eralith is a bit special?” She was still snickering at my embarrassment.

  “Wait what does she mean by that Art?” Elijah walked towards us so he could see the both of us now, although he remained standing out of respect towards Cynthia.

  Before the Director answered, she looked to me to see if I was okay with it. After giving her an unconcerned shrug, she tells Elijah. “Your best friend is also happens to be the childhood friend of the Student Council President that every male student seems to be enamored with.” The Director gives a sly grin, as if she was just a teenager that was telling some rich gossip.

  I was a little worried that Elijah’s jaw might unhinge by how much his face slacked. I could see a mixture of emotions, from shock to betrayal to envy all in his face.

  “How? When? What??” He couldn’t produce complete sentences as he was still trying to wrap his head around the whole situation.

  Ignoring him, I turned back to Cynthia. “How did you find out anyway? I’m not surprised that you know but shouldn’t be something you could just stumble upon either.” I asked, curious.

  “Haha~ about that. Virion Eralith happens to be an old acquaintance of mine. I didn’t tell anyone else, but I did excitedly mention to him that my academy would be receiving a gifted quadra-elemental mage in a couple of years. Him and I were quite competitive from way back then, but he took the news quite calmly, which made me suspicious. However, I didn’t find out until I took in his granddaughter as my disciple. Do you know the first thing she said when I took her in?” She was trying to hold in her laughter.

  I just shook my head in defeat, my face becoming even a deeper shade of red.

  “When is Arthur Leywin going to start attending this school?” Director Cynthia said, purposely making her voice sound more like Tess’. For how grand and mysterious she might seem to everyone else, was here laughing like a preteen, taking joy in my embarrassment.

  “What? Art! How do you know her!?” Elijah practically wanted to choke the answers out of me but I could tell he was holding it in since the Director was still here, although she probably wouldn’t have cared.

  “Eventually, I pieced the two and two together. Really…Being trained by Virion, I feel somewhat betrayed Arthur.” She put on a pouting face again, making me roll my eyes.

  By this time, Elijah just sinks into his desk chair, giving up, done with life.

  “I don’t mean to intrude in on your love life but she thinks very highly of you Arthur. I’m sure she didn’t mean to come across as the way she did earlier. My training regimen is not easy and the few that have tried have failed. The reason she was able to keep up and continue to train under me is to catch up to you Arthur. Even you know that you acted quite immaturely there.” She does a complete 180 as she puts on a motherly vibe now, confusing me.

  “Yeah. I know how dumb I acted there as well, no need to remind me.” I sigh, leaning further back into my seat.

  “You will make up with her soon right? I’d hate to see my disciple disheartened while she trains.” She smiles at me gently before continuing. “What I want from you is not to be in the student council, but actually a committee that is going to start this year. The Disciplinary Committee.”

  I knew she wanted me to do to something like this. “Forget it. I don’t need the theory classes. I’ll just teach myself from the books in the library.” I shake my head.

  “The books on deviants aren’t accessible to underclassmen and even for upperclassmen, you need to show that you are a deviant, something that you can’t do right now right?” She calmly refutes my plans.

  “Being part of this disciplinary committee or whatever…how does that make sense? I’m a new student that’s in this academy as a Scholar Mage student, what would the other members think anyway?” I try to reason.

  “While they might not agree at first, with some time, I believe you will be more than capable of changing their minds, even with your self-placed handicap.” Director Goodsky throws in a playful wink, dead set on going through with this.

  “Arthur, unlike the Student Council members that are chosen on a broader criteria, the Disciplinary Committee is strictly based on strength. Your responsibilities won’t nearly be as much as the Student Council and being in the Disciplinary Committee gives you the chance to work with students, some of which are also deviants, that are all strong in their own fields.” Her arguments were getting stronger.

  “You mentioned that the Disciplinary Committee members are based on strength…” Before I finish my sentence, she cuts me off.

  “No, Lucas Wykes will not be on the Disciplinary Committee if that is what you are curious about. Arthur, this opportunity is something that other students would take as an honor. I insist on you t
aking it.” She leans in, her face a bit more serious now.

  “…” My head is bent down as I think things over. On top of regular and extra classes, I would have to do committee work, putting a big strain on my individual training time, all of which I would have no idea where and when to do it.

  As if she read my mind, she threw out her final offer. “Since the amount of work may be a bit too much, on top of self practice at who knows where, how about I offer you access to a private training facility where you wouldn’t need to worry about anyone intruding.” She points at my bracelet.

  “Please, Arthur, I really feel like this could be a good deal for the both of us in the long run.” Her face softens a bit as she sows sincerity.

  I start thinking of how being in the Disciplinary Committee would fit into my plans and finding no particular detriment in agreeing to this, I answer. “Fine, I’ll agree to be a part of the Disciplinary Committee.” My shoulder loosens as I let out a sigh.

  “Good! Since classes start tomorrow, I will give your new schedule to your first period professor. Here is your new uniform I prepared in the case of good news. The knife is just meant to be the symbol of the Disciplinary Committee, but it is quite expensive so do take care not to lose it.” She gives me a wink as she throws me a uniform fitted for me with a sheathed knife and strap. It irritated me that she already had this prepared when she came in, even if it was just in case.

  It dawned on me that even with my previous life and this life put together, both Grandpa Virion and Director Goodsky would still be older than me; after all, I only lived until the age of late thirties, around where it was getting past prime as a duelist. I’ve been so caught up in the fact that I had two lives that it didn’t occur to me that there are still people here that are older. Of course I still had the advantage from traditional mages here because where I came from, the ‘magic’ usage was a lot more advanced.

  The advantage that the older mages from this world would have, however, would be that they’re used to the amount of mana in the atmosphere here and have mastered it to a certain degree.

  I guess even with two lives, there was still bound to be someone wiser than you.

  I involuntarily shake my head from my thoughts, which causes Director Goodsky to tilt her head in curiosity.

  “Now that the matter I’ve come to settle are settled, I shall take my leave! Enjoy your first dinner here and do please patch things up with my dear Tessia as fast as you can. I don’t want my precious disciple to keep moping.” She wisps away, leaving me wondering why she didn’t just enter here like that. It was probably to respect our privacy or something.

  As soon as Director Goodsky leaves, I see a shadow loom over me as Elijah is looking down at me, his facial expression akin to a demon.

  “You’ve got some explaining to do.” I swear I thought I saw pointed teeth as he grinned evilly.

  Chapter 47: Attention

  I couldn’t help but pat Elijah on the shoulder as it looked like his soul was about to escape from his mouth. There were shadows underneath his lifeless eyes; his sunken cheeks making him look like a hollow skeleton.

  “There there…” I sigh. Even Sylvie takes pity on him as she hops off of my head and lands on his, biting the crown of his head to stir him awake.

  His ghastly eyes bore into me as he turns his head. “…not fair.” He mumbles.

  “What?” I lean in closer to him to hear what he was almost whispering.

  He leans in closer to me, his lips almost touching my ears. “IT’S NOT FAIR GODDAMMIT!”

  “AHH!” I jump in surprise as my ears start ringing. “What the hell! Don’t shout into my ear!” I stir my pinky into my ear canal to wipe away the stray spit that was launched inside by my bitter friend.

  “Looks, talent, and even luck with girls! Why do you have everything?” He places both of his hands on my arm and concentrates.

  Confused by this seemingly random action, I ask, “What are you doing?”

  “…Trying to see if I can absorb some of your Arthurness.” He mumbles, still concentrating.

  “Are you dumb?” I shake my head as I wave his hands off of me.

  We were on our way to the dining hall a bit down from the dorms. I explained briefly to Elijah about how I met Tess (he really hated how I called her that) inside the Forest of Elshire. The whole time I was telling him the story, whether it was living inside the Kingdom of Elenoir’s Castle with Tess or learning mana manipulation from her Grandfather, I could almost see my words pierce through him as his life slowly drained from him.

  “Do you know how attractive Dwarves are, Art?” He leans in a bit too close for comfort while the both of us kept walking.

  “H-how much?” I peel my head back from my overly emotional companion.

  “NOT-AT-ALL” He says matter-of-factly. “The sense of beauty that dwarves hold is the complete opposite of humans, Art! I may have been raised in their Kingdom but there will never come a day when I can empathize with definition of ‘attractive’.”

  I laugh at this because I can almost imagine what an attractive female would look like to the dwarves, but I ask anyway. “Haha! Elaborate for me how devastating your life was.”

  “When I turned 8, my grandfather, the elder who took care of me, introduced me to whom he hoped would be my future wife. The whole week prior, he was going on and on about how beautiful and elegant she was. When she showed up, I swear I thought I was looking at a man, Art.” His body shivers from the thought of recalling his past nightmare.

  “Her name was Helgarth and I swear she made me fear for my chastity. Her square jaw, her trunk-like, veiny limbs, her long, thick nose…She had a s-stubble on her upper lip, Art. She had FACIAL HAIR at the age of 9, Art!” Elijah was shaking me at this point, as I couldn’t stop laughing.

  “Okay, okay I get it! You were a very deprived young boy who started going through puberty way~ too early for his age.” I shrug my palms up while trying to calm my fit of laughter.

  “YOU spend your childhood filled with masculine woman who go around showing off their bulging arms around and see how you turn out to be when you see normal girls.” He shakes his head, returning back to his lifeless self.

  “Well… You are in the most prestigious school as a Battle Mage Student, and you’re probably at least a full stage ahead of anyone our class, so just show off your skills. You’re bound to land someone, somehow.” I say, optimistically.

  “Your pity is hurting me.” He exaggeratingly clutches his chest making the both of us laugh.

  “I personally like your new uniform better.” Elijah mentions as he studies me. “It makes you seem more strong and unapproachable somehow.” He nods in agreement at his own statement.

  The new uniform I received from Director Cynthia wasn’t too different in terms of looks from my Scholar Mage uniform. It was composed of a white dress shirt with a single black stripe on the mid arm, above the elbows and a light gray vest. Both the new vest and dark gray pants were made from a different material though, with special engravings on the inside that made me suspect that it had protecting qualities to it. In place of my pocket watch on the breast pocket, however, was a strap that went across my chest and snugged in around my shoulder, holding my sheathed, silver knife over my heart. A gold string replaced the red string that I had tied around, underneath my collar, giving my whole attire a more royal look.

  I looked down and let out a sigh. I had to admit that the uniform did look good, but I didn’t like gaudy clothes like this. There was also an outerwear piece that I was supposed to receive later when it was properly fitted for me.

  “So what are you going to do about the Disciplinary Committee?” Elijah asks me a bit more seriously.

  I tilt my head, not knowing what he was implying. “What do you mean?”

  Shrugging his shoulders, he looks forward, realizing we’re almost at the dining hall. “I mean, I know you’re already part of this new committee and all but are you going to really take it seriou
sly and stuff? It sounds like a lot of work.”

  True. The Director wanted me to be a part of this new Committee but didn’t really specify what exactly I had to do. “I’ll try my best. I might as well give it my all since I’ve decided on going through with it right? Besides. Ellie is going to be attending this academy in a few years. I need to do my best to pave a path for her so when she does come, it’ll be easier on her.” I open the door, being welcomed by students’ indistinguishable conversations and the aroma of what the dining hall was serving tonight.

  As the both of us stepped in, the hall turned quiet and I could feel the stares of the students as they studied us. Ignoring the glares and the occasional curious glances, we made our way into the line and got our food, situating ourselves in a back corner.