Aethernea

by Cloe D Frost

  Only now that he was certain he would pass did he stop to think about the future.

  What courses should he choose in Muni? What path should he pursue?

  While watching arena matches and fighting was something Kiel enjoyed, he doubted that a life consisting of nothing but combat would sit well with him. He wanted to have some kind of purpose, a sense of achievement. He wanted to contribute something meaningful, to become a person people would respect and remember. He didn’t pursue power for the sake of power. To him battling prowess was just a means to an end. Therefore, he could cross off becoming a Warlock and fighting for the sake of entertainment.

  Catching criminals no longer interested him as much as when his heart was still pure and filled with thoughts of justice, which it hadn’t been since his mother died. But solving mystery murder cases, while not impacting the magic society on a large scale, was still a meaningful contribution. Besides, the process involved in the matter might be quite exhilarating, so he shouldn’t hastily write off the possibility of becoming a Peacekeeper.

  The only problem with becoming a Peacekeeper was that nobles usually didn’t respect and appreciate Peacekeepers. They saw them as servants of the people, with no poise, social status or money. Not much different from how they viewed quest seekers or priests. And thus, his grandfather and father wouldn’t really like the idea of him becoming a Peacekeeper.

  As for becoming a Purger? The thought of exploring an uncharted land and looking for lost treasure did make his heart beat faster. Who wouldn’t be interested in doing that?

  But becoming a Purger was extraordinarily difficult with an exceedingly small number of elites managing to make it into the ranks of the Purge. And even if one made it in, that wouldn’t mean they would automatically become treasure hunters. The vast majority of Purgers didn’t explore the forbidden zone, but rather, looked for the Tainted in the vicinity of the Shield for the purpose of purging the Ink.

  Their method of purging consisted of getting rid of everything that had been tainted. Luckily, the Ink could only taint living things, so even if it seeped into the land, without living things to taint, it would eventually disappear. Or at least, that’s what the experts on Ink claimed. Though none of them had actually seen it disappear, supposedly it took a very long time for it to dissipate.

  Other than joining the ranks of the Purge, he could become a researcher of Aetherneal magic, divine artifacts, and gods. It sounded like a fascinating topic, and if he became a prominent figure in the field, all noble families would be fighting to let him join their exploratory expeditions into the forbidden zone.

  Unfortunately, he couldn’t find much on that topic in the books that had been available to him, so he was a complete novice to the field. But perhaps if he widened his knowledge about it in Muni he would be able to tell with certainty if it was the subject he wanted to pursue with the remainder of his life.

  “I don’t know. I’ll just pick courses that interest me.” Kiel concluded. He’d probably pick a colorful mix of courses in his first semester to find out what he truly likes. And spend a large amount of time in the library investigating Aetherneal magic. He did tell Elaru he’d help her look for whatever she was searching for.

  And maybe, just maybe, his future mentor would be able to help him in figuring out what path was the right one for him to pursue.

  Kiel shared a look with Elaru and a smirk couldn’t help but twitch into existence on their faces. Neither of them knew what courses to sign up for. What would other people say if they knew that the geniuses in their eyes were even more lost about their own future than regular people?

  Neither of the two continued to speak, but the silence wasn’t awkward. On the contrary, it was tranquil and comfortable.

  When she isn’t causing trouble, Elaru isn’t a bad person to be around at all, Kiel thought. For the first time ever, he actually felt comfortable in a presence of another person his age.

  Not just that, Elaru was really pleasing to the eye when she was agreeable, not causing trouble. That radiant smile that could topple cities, those deep eyes that reflected the entire universe, and that warm, comforting and uplifting aura that left soft air kisses on one’s skin. It was quite remarkable if one thought about it, her presence alone could calm the mind and elevate the mood.

  * * *

  ◈ Friday, 31st of August, 1449 A.W. ◈

  (Tomorrow)

  That Friday morning proceeded strangely identical as the morning before. The only difference being that there was no crowd gathered in front of Muni. There were not many who applied for the special exam, thus the remaining examinees would only appear here in the afternoon when the entrance exam results would be posted.

  As Kiel and Elaru flew over the heads of everyone, invisible as always, Kiel paid attention to the people going in the same direction as them. Chances were high that these people would be their future classmates.

  The most attention drawing among the students was a female duo of Arites – Kiel could tell they were Arites due to their eye and hair colors. But even if he was color blind, he wouldn’t be able to miss their origin. Their beauty alone was enough to draw attention wherever they went, coupled with their demeanor and powerful auras they left a long-lasting impression.

  Kiel glanced towards Elaru briefly, whose long ponytail flapped behind them like a flag or rather, a long red ribbon, glittering in the bright sunlight. Her bright teal eyes with golden lights looked soul stirring as they surveyed the surroundings with expectation. They would be moving into the dorms this afternoon, making this place their home for the next three years. And since Elaru never had a home, the feeling must have been new and exciting to her.

  When Kiel’s gaze returned to the two Arite girls, suddenly they didn’t look nearly as exceptional as before. A comparison could really drive people mad. He should stop comparing girls to Elaru, it was unfair towards them.

  Other than the two Arite girls, there were several other people that caught Kiel’s attention such as a strange looking guy wearing rainbow-colored clothes and hair highlights, with a lollipop in his mouth, and a handsome dark haired elibu with teal eyes that reminded Kiel of Elaru’s own teal orbs.

  Kiel looked back towards Elaru again, who was gently hugging his arm like she always did when they flew under the invisibility barrier. For some reason, it was easier for her to control their acceleration and the entire dome of spells if their arms were linked. He had attempted questioning her on this matter several times but she always avoided answering.

  Still, since she never took advantage of this physical contact in any way, this form of skin ship had stopped bothering Kiel. In fact, it was far from bothering him. Other than when she poked him, he didn’t dislike her touch.

  Her skin was smoother than silk and softer than cotton. When her warm arms were wrapped around his, they put a very comfortable pressure on it. Her puffy sleeves, the texture of which reminded him of spidersilk, occasionally tickled his skin so lightly it might as well have been a soft breeze. And sometimes, when she hugged his arm tighter, her soft chest would cushion his arm in an enticing embrace.

  Of course, he didn’t have any inappropriate thoughts about it. He just found it rather comfortable. Warm and soft. Just like he felt when a soft, furry creature rubbed itself on him. He’d rather die than admit it but he quite liked soft, fluffy creatures.

  The mentioned creature landed and dispelled the barriers once the two entered inside Muni where Rroda men couldn’t reach them. Kiel’s heart twitched uncomfortably when the warm pressure lifted from his arm. It was that same feeling as when he forced himself to stop petting a lunar, least people laughed at him, and then instantly missed the feeling of the silky fur.

  Kiel’s eyebrow twitched and his mouth curled upwards. Elaru, with silky hair, large eyes and long animated ears, really reminded him of a pet lunar sometimes. She was also both playful, cunning and graceful, just like a lunar. Perhaps he should just think of her as such.

  Kiel c
aught himself before his hand could involuntarily rub her head.

  Maybe thinking of her as a fluffy creature wasn’t such a good idea after all.

  * * *

  Elaru’s and Kiel’s special exam was scheduled to take place in Sapphire Quarters, which wasn’t a surprise, for the building housed classrooms and laboratories for activities closely related to the Theory of Magic, such as enchanting, inscribing, spell breaking, spell replicating, and the like.

  The practitioners of such professions had to have a deep understanding of Theory of Magic thus they had much in common, even if the end result of their work wasn’t the same. It was like how herbalists and alchemists both needed to have a deep knowledge of herbs and their medicinal properties. Though they did different things with the knowledge, it was still the basis of their profession.

  Blue stones that Sapphire Quarters is made out of

  Thus, their two exams were scheduled to take place in the same building. They were even coincidentally scheduled for the exact same time slot. Hence, the duo made their way towards the building, which as its name suggested, was made out of blue stone.

  Unlike how the building was filled with examinees in the previous days, today it was almost completely empty. Even the main hall with its tables and chairs was vacant and silent.

  The only person they could see at first glance was a guy who was pushing a cart filled with artifacts towards the elevator.

  Kiel rejoiced at the feeling of privacy, a soft smile almost sneaking onto his face. Fewer people there were, the more relaxed he felt.

  Unfortunately, the lack of people also made Elaru more unbridled.

  * * *

  Coming up in the next episode:

  Kiel’s heart almost jumped out of his chest and he barely avoided choking on his own saliva.

  Low blow!! You are too despicable!!

  How good would it feel if one day she would look at him like that for real?

  He should be a law abiding, perfectly cultured… ah, forget it… that perfectly mannered person was never him, to begin with.

  As he saw it, in the future his fangirls might just camp near this infernal device waiting for him to use it so that they have an excuse for “accidentally” jumping into his arms.

  * * *

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  Episode 133 – Start of the Special Exam

  Previously:

  It’s Friday, the last day of Muni entrance exams. It is time for the last exam of the day – Special exam. Kiel and Elaru make their way towards Sapphire Quarters where the special exams will take place.

  * * *

  “And if I reach the top, the credentials of being a top quest seeker might be enough for me to be accepted into the Purge.”

  Kiel’s face turned cold. “But my father and grandfather thought that as a Rroda I should be managing quest seekers, not being one. That would be quite unbefitting of my status. Father intended for my aunt to bring me into the business of managing the quest lodge.”

  * * *

  Episode 133 – Start of the Special Exam

  Kiel felt a soft tug on his arm towards the direction of the elevator. “Look. That guy is going to the fourth floor too. Maybe those artifacts he is moving will be in your spell replicating exam?”

  “Mmhmm…” Kiel murmured his husky confirmation but made no steps towards the elevator.

  “Don’t tell me you are afraid of elevators?” Redhead’s long eyelashes fluttered in confusion, giving her soulmate an inquisitive look.

  “Of course not.” Kiel snapped irritably. As if he would be afraid of such a thing. It’s not like it would burn him if he used it. He couldn’t even fall to his death due to his ability to fly. What was there to be afraid of?

  Other people might feel intimidated by the novelty of such a modern device and be afraid of making a fool out of themselves, but that was them, not him. He just felt that as a capable argel mage, using a device made for elibu would be a blatant squandering of mana crystals used to power the elevator.

  And also, flying by his own magic gave him more sense of control and security.

  Her large teal orbs inspected Kiel’s face curiously. “I see.”

  Strangely enough, she showed no signs of teasing as she asked: “Then, have you ever used one before?”

  Kiel swallowed down a reflexive retort of “Naturally.” And instead gave her a condescending, as-if-a-person-of-my-status-would-be-ignorant-of-such-a-thing look.

  Instead of giving him a smug smirk and calling him out on his lie, she chose to play along.

  Her face bloomed into a stunning smile that caused Kiel to reflexively shield his eyes from the eye-poking brilliance. Her ponytail swayed left and right excitedly, as if it was a wagging tail of a cute furry creature, tempting one to touch it. Her long ears perked up as if she was a little mischievous vulpy and her already large eyes widened even further, directing their warm gaze towards Kiel.

  “Awesome! Then, let’s use it together!”

  Her melodic, warm voice got stuck inside Kiel’s ear like a catchy tune. His heart almost jumped out of his chest and he barely avoided choking on his own gulp.

  Why are you looking at me like I am a cute little puppy?!

  Worst still, how come that look had a strange empowering effect on the target of the gaze? Making one feel important and capable.

  You…you..!

  Seeing those large eyes that practically sang “cute~ like~ happy~”, combined with her warm aura as the background music, Kiel’s curses got stuck inside his throat. Instead, a soft pink tinge spread over his cheeks.

  Low blow!! You are too despicable!!

  It was one thing if Elaru acted insufferable, teasing him and provoking him. But that warm loving brightness… how could he metaphorically hit a smiling soulmate??

  That bright smile made him feel awfully helpless. And he hated feeling helpless the most.

  But…even so…even so…

  Why was it that he couldn’t muster up any hate for that look of hers?

  In fact, having such comfortable feelings directed towards him felt very… nice?

  Kiel shook his head wildly, trying to forget that he just thought such an embarrassing thing. Thankfully, it wasn’t hard to forget about it, Elaru’s long fluttering eyelashes were distracting enough on their own.

  Fine… Kiel sighed with bitter resignation. Acting like an ass for such a petty reason as taking an elevator would leave a bad taste in his mouth. He should be magnanimous just this once. He is in no way a good person, but he isn’t a whiny ass either.

  Arguing over such a thing was pointless. Elevators were there to be used. It’s not like they were doing something scandalous. And even if they were doing something outrageous, there was no one here to catch them doing it anyway…

  No one to catch them in the act? Kiel’s mouth curled upwards. That sounded like something Elaru would say! Since when did he start thinking like her?

  He should be a law abiding, mild tempered, perfectly cultured… ah, forget it… that flawless person was never him to begin with. Kiel chuckled wryly as the two made their way towards the circular platform.

  The large platform was separated into eight different areas whose shapes resembled pie slices. Kiel might have never used an elevator powered by gravity altering arcane magic, but the usage was so simple it didn’t require previous instruction. To use the elevator, one had to step into the pie slice marked with the floor number they wanted to reach.

  As Kiel’s exam was taking place on the fourth floor, the duo stepped onto the pie slice with four glowing circles representing the fourth floor.

  Before their feet could even touch the ground of their chosen pie slice, they were already pushed into the air, as if their bodies and the ground were mutually repelling magnets.

  They flew up, their arms linked, yet instead of feeling like they were flying, the fe
eling was closer to falling. The particles of air were also pushed upwards so the wind blew from under their feet, lifting their hair and clothes up.

  Kiel was glad that his shirt was skin tight, otherwise, he’d end up showing his stomach to potential passersby like Elaru was currently doing.

  And boy was that view hard to look away from. Kiel’s eyebrow twitched and he reflexively looked left and right to check if anyone was watching.

  Luckily, the Sapphire Quarters were empty today so there was no one to enjoy the view. Nevertheless, he nonchalantly grabbed the back hem of her shirt and pulled it back down, all the while pretending that he was looking somewhere else.

  Good thing she wasn’t wearing a skirt…

  Just as the thought whizzed by, their rapid ascension slowed down and gradually came to a stop. They were hovering in the air in front of the fourth floor and would remain hovering there until they stepped out of the elevator shaft onto the solid ground of the fourth floor.

  Kiel wasted no time in jumping back on solid ground. If he didn’t get out of the elevator shaft quickly, there might be other people coming up or down which would cause a collision.

  The area of each “pie slice” was enough for at least 10 people to fit without standing too close to each other, so it was unlikely that a collision would happen. More so because both the descent and the ascent would be slowed down considerably, giving users ample time to shift aside and avoid the collision.

  And even if a collision did happen, with the slow speed, there was no way anyone would get hurt by it. However, getting hurt wasn’t what Kiel was worried about. As he saw it, in the future his fangirls might camp near this infernal device waiting for him to use it so that they have an excuse for “accidentally” jumping into his arms.

  He should avoid the device in a wide arc in the future. Luckily, he could fly, unlike the unlucky elibu noblemen who have no choice but to either take the stairs or risk getting taken advantage of. Tsk, tsk, what a miserable fate. Kiel shook his head.