Chapter 7: 'Catalyst Of New Alliances'
"Well, Your Highness, I'll have to excuse myself and grab your lunch in Lunar Hall."
The academy's break provided Azrael with a little relief from the pressures of being a student, and Adham excused himself properly to fetch Azrael's lunch.
"Alright. I will walk around and find us a spot to sit." Azrael smiled as he gave Adham a small wave before he walked away. Now that he was finally outside the classroom, Azrael strolled through the grounds of Floral Haven while Adham went on his errand.
In Luminara Academy, there existed two cafeterias. Well, Azrael considered them cafeterias, but he knew that wasn't their official name. Azrael was too stressed to care or remember at that point.
Lunar Hall, the indoor cafeteria at Luminara Academy, boasted an otherworldly atmosphere with its celestial-themed decor and enchanting views. In the novel, it mostly served as a gathering space for students for announcements or events.
'Its size is similar to Hogwarts' Great Hall from the Harry Potter movies,' Azrael noted, having taken a sneak peek earlier before deciding on heading to Floral Haven.
On the other hand, Floral Haven, the outdoor cafeteria nestled near the academy's vibrant garden, provided students with a serene dining experience surrounded by the beauty of nature. The scent of blooming flowers and the soothing ambiance made it a popular spot for students seeking a breath of fresh air during their breaks.
'This is also where Eirian stays during his lunch break. I'm not sure if our schedules are the same, but there's a good chance I might see him today,' Azrael looked around, occasionally acknowledging students who bowed in his way by nodding his head.
He observed that wooden tables and chairs were strategically arranged amidst the lush garden, where vibrant flowers, fragrant herbs, and fluttering butterflies enhanced the al fresco dining experience.
"It's so peaceful," Azrael mumbled to himself with a small smile on his face, putting his hands behind his back as he continued to find the perfect spot for him and Adham to have lunch.
'I hope this peace stays, but I still have a long day... No, a long year ahead of me.'
Currently, Azrael still had many unanswered questions and no definite plan to save or even get Eirian to trust him. Lost in thought once again, Azrael didn't notice his surroundings as he kept his head down.
He didn't notice right away, but his leisurely walk led him to a secluded spot until he stumbled upon an unexpected scene that would break him out of his train of thoughts.
"Useless."
Azrael's head shot up as he heard an unfamiliar voice, accompanied by grunts of pain from a different source.
Azrael's head sprang up, curious about the strange voice and the pained moans, his gaze sweeping the surroundings. He followed the sounds and inadvertently found himself in a remote area where a disquieting scenario unfolded in front of him.
As he approached quietly, he discerned the sound of someone being struck, each groan of pain echoing in the secluded space. With a sense of concern, Azrael cautiously moved closer, concealing himself behind a cluster of bushes, providing him with a concealed vantage point, his brows furrowing slightly.
Azrael peered through the leaves and witnessed something unsettling. One individual lay on the ground, overshadowed by two enormous figures that were unmistakably twins with vivid blue hair and intense red eyes. The twins wore angry, frustrated expressions, glaring at the unfortunate person lying at their feet.
"You're utterly useless," one of the twins spat, the disdain evident in his voice, the boy on the ground visibly shaken.
'He seems familiar.' Azrael squinted his eyes to see if he could make out who the person on the ground was. The boy also had bluish hair, but his shade was lighter compared to the twins' azure blue hair.
"We specifically told you that if the project you made for us didn't receive a high grade, we'd make you eat dirt. Did you want to eat dirt that badly?"
The struggling student stammered, "I-I'm sorry," his voice quivering. "I'm just a first-year, and I didn't know how to do the project properly."
'A first year? Wait, now I remember him! He's the one who sat beside me during our Celestrian history class!' Azrael's eyes widened a bit as he recognized the boy.
When Azrael arrived at his third class, he wasn't expecting anything positive to happen anymore. All he wanted was to remain quiet until their lunch break came. It didn't help that Adham wasn't beside him this time.
Apparently, the history professor, Cassius Lorekeeper, didn't allow any student servants to sit with their masters for reasons he never bothered explaining.
So, Azrael sat beside another noble who kept his head down and didn't even cast him a single glance, which was fine.
'Judging by his hair color, I'm pretty sure he's probably a member of the Aquarise family,' Azrael thought to himself, glancing at the person beside him.
In the empire of Celestria, there were four major kingdoms governed by the four major families, each specializing in some type of elemental magic.
The Wycliffe Kingdom is currently ruled by King Thorian Wycliffe, Eirian's father. Their family is mostly known for their ice magic, while the people from their kingdom specialize in frost spells and enchantments related to the cold climate.
Next is the Eversly Kingdom run by King Cedric Eversly, Caelum's father. Their family and kingdom are known for their Earth magic, agriculture enhancement spells, and control over the kingdom's diverse terrain.
'Due to the prophecy though, both Eirian and Caelum didn't inherit their families' magical abilities and instead have their own.'
And then there's the Emberfall Kingdom. Azrael doesn't know much about them besides the fact that their King's name was Magnus, and their family had fire magic, and their kingdom is well known for forging magical weapons.
Lastly, there was the Aquarise Kingdom.
'Their king is scandalous.' Azrael internally laughs. 'I remember Eirian, in the novel, mention that King Nereus Aquarise had one wife and three concubines which led to him having so many children, both legitimate and illegitimate.'
The Aquarise family notably had water magic and control over most marine life. They were also noted to be the only family out of the four to have a distinct physical feature.
Meaning, most of the children born with the blood of Aquarise flowing in them were born with blue hair. No matter the shade, their hair would be blue.
There wasn't really any explanation in the novel as to why that was the case, but Azrael's past self thought it was a unique trait for a royal family.
"Your...imperial highness?"
Azrael blinked in shock when the student beside him turned his head to look at him. "Ah...oh, yes?"
"I do not mean this in a disrespectful way, and I hope I don't offend you...but may I ask you to stop staring at me? It's making me feel quite uneasy." The boy said it so quietly that it almost seemed like a whisper; he didn't even raise his head.
Azrael's face felt hot as it turned red due to embarrassment. He quickly averted his gaze and mumbled a quick apology.
"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to stare; I was just lost in thought..." The student didn't respond, which made Azrael feel even more embarrassed than he already was. He wanted to say more because he didn't want to seem like a creep.
Before he could, though, the professor walked inside the class. "Alright, young ones! I'm here. Let's not waste any more time and start our lecture. You know the drill, no speaking unless spoken to, and if I hear anyone speak or even whisper to their seatmate, I'll have you recite the whole Celestrian rule of conduct."
Now, that was enough to stop Azrael from speaking any further.
After that, Azrael just forgot about the whole ordeal until now when he recognized the same boy again.
'I should find a professor who could help him...' Azrael turns around to check if there are any professors nearby or if there's anyone close who he could go ask to find a professor because he couldn't risk losing sight of the three.
Azrael could hear the twins scoff at the boy's explanation, their frustration palpable. "First-year or not, you should have figured it out!" one of them spat, venom lacing his words.
"You're making us look bad, you fucking disgrace."
"B-Brothers, I'm sorr—"
Slap.
"How many times have we told you not to call us that!"
'Ah. It makes sense now. The twins both have blue hair as well, so they're his brothers.' Azrael's eyes twitched in anger the further he listened to the conversation. It was taking all of his strength not to stomp over to them and save the boy himself.
'How cruel.'
"Please, I'll do better next time. I promise."
Slap.
There goes yet another sound of a slap, and the boy cries out again.
'I shouldn't intervene. I don't need any more attention on me.'
That was what he thought, but his body seemed to move on its own.
Azrael could no longer watch idly, and his determination hardened. He closed the space between himself and the three, his body moving with purpose, and his fists clenched hard. The twins persisted in their assault, and Azrael was concerned that they could get more violent with every second that went by.
'I might regret this later, but I can't just not do anything.'
As Azrael approached, he couldn't ignore the unsettling familiarity in the twins' actions, reminiscent of the cruelty he witnessed in his past life and in the novel.
Despite his intention to keep a low profile, his empathy for the bullied student propelled him forward.
When he was close enough, Azrael took a deep breath and spoke. "That's enough." He said with a firm and commanding tone.
The twins froze for a moment, then turned to him, expressions shifting from disdain to surprise. Azrael, now standing between them and the battered boy, glared at the twins with undisguised anger.
'They seem to recognize me. Good.' Azrael thought to himself, trying to gather all the confidence he has to keep himself calm and composed. He could tell the twins, in terms of magical ability, are stronger than him.
But Azrael was a Celestria, and no amount of magical ability was stronger than his last name. Despite the fact that he wasn't the real Azrael, he still had to use whatever advantage he had.
"Your imperial highness, what are you doing here?" The twin with his bangs in between his brows spoke with a fake tone of respect.
"I was just taking a nice stroll before I have my lunch until I heard you tormenting your brother, who happens to also be my classmate. May I ask why?"
Both of them forced out a laugh, which made Azrael cringe. "Tormenting? That's too much, your highness. We were merely spending some time with our little brother. You may not know this because you and the crown prince were raised differently, but in our kingdom, roughhousing is a form of bonding."
"That's right. We're not hurting him at all..." Their red eyes darted to the student whom Azrael was shielding. "Aren't we, Caspian?"
'Caspian?' Azrael's eyes grew a little as he heard a very familiar name. 'Could he be... Well, he certainly fits the description.'
"Y-Yes... No... uh....They weren't doing anything wrong, your highness."
There was genuine fear laced with Caspian's voice, and Azrael had to wonder if the twins thought he was stupid enough to believe them all because they frightened Caspian into agreeing with them?
"I saw everything. It's clear you've been hurting him," Azrael asserted, his tone unwavering. "I am not blind, nor an idiot."
He turned around to look at Caspian properly for the first time. 'Light blue hair, turquoise eyes. It really is him.'
Caspian Aquarise
One of King Nereus's many illegitimate sons born to a maid, faced the disdain of the king's other children due to his humble origins. Despite his illegitimacy, Caspian garnered favor from King Nereus for displaying remarkable potential in water magic from a young age.
The king's generosity extended to Caspian's mother, and he even enrolled Caspian in Luminara Academy, despite his wife's and children's protests. This special treatment stoked resentment among the king's legitimate offspring, particularly Marinus and Oceanus, his twin sons and second and third legitimate heirs, respectively.
Azrael knew of Caspian as one of the few, including Adham, destined to become allies of Eirian. Though Azrael couldn't recall the precise chapter, he remembered Eirian encountering Caspian's mistreatment by his twin brothers, Marinus and Oceanus, shortly after Azrael's death.
'Meaning, they've been bullying him regularly.'
Despite an initial inclination to stay uninvolved, Eirian couldn't ignore Caspian's distress, intervening and scaring off the tormentors. Eirian's ability to evoke fear among students was well-established by that point in the novel.
'Though Caspian also got scared and ran away without thanking Eirian, during the Academic Olympiad when no one wanted to team up with Eirian, it was Caspian who stepped up to be part of his team.'
From that point on, Caspian became somewhat of an ally to Eirian.
"Don't worry. I won't let them hurt you anymore. You don't have to lie for them," Azrael spoke softly as he held out his hand to Caspian.
Caspian hesitated for a moment, torn between fear and a glimmer of hope. Slowly, he raised his hand to meet Azrael's outstretched one, but before their hands could connect fully, a vice-like grip on Azrael's arm startled them both.
A gasp escaped Caspian as he exclaimed, "Brother!"
Azrael withdrew his arm, clearly irritated, and his patience wore thin. After seizing him, the person said, "With all due respect, your imperial highness, but this is a family matter. Please don't insert yourself in it," in an attempt to seem respectful.
"What's your name?" Azrael demanded, an assertive edge in his tone.
Hesitation lingered before Oceanus finally responded, "Oceanus Aquarise."
'So this is Oceanus. I was right; they're the three princes that Eirian will encounter.'
"As I thought, all three of you are princes. Now, I'll say this with the utmost respect as well, Oceanus, since you are still an upperclassman and you're also a prince." Azrael pulled his arm away and redirected his gaze to Caspian, offering a reassuring smile.
"I may not be a crown prince like my older brother, but my position is still far higher than yours. All four kingdoms—Wycliffe, Eversly, Emberfall, and Aquarise—all follow Celestria."
Azrael extended his hands toward Caspian, who looked up at him in admiration. Addressing the twins, Azrael continued, "You are in no position to tell me that this is a family matter because you are an Aquarise, and I am a Celestria. I decide what kind of situation this is, and I'll tell you now, while I'm being kind, I suggest you leave him alone before I show you how much power I actually have compared to you."
A glare from Azrael, especially directed at Oceanus, sent a shiver through the upperclassman. Marinus urged his brother to retreat, realizing the precariousness of the situation.
Before they walked away, Marinus narrowed his eyes toward Azrael. The young prince was curious as to what the other twin wanted to say. "So all this time you've been pretending, your highness? All that meekness was fake," Marinus remarked incredulously.
"I don't know what you mean."
"I believe you do. You're not what the rumors say you are."
Azrael balled his free hand into a fist and decided to ignore Marinus' words because he'd done what he wanted and saved Caspian from their grasp.
Realizing that Azrael would not respond to them anymore, the twins walked away. As the twins begrudgingly left, Marinus added with a touch of foreboding, "You win for now, your imperial highness."
'So Oceanus is the hot-headed one, while Marinus is the sore loser.'
A mixture of relief and apprehension overcame Azrael as he realized that this encounter may have unanticipated consequences.
'Now...'
Azrael turned his full attention to Caspian, who was still on the ground, looking up at him with stars in his eyes. "Caspian? May I ask you to stop staring at me? It's making me feel quite uneasy," he said with a teasing tone, repeating the words that Caspian told him in class earlier.
Caspian's eyes widened a bit, his face flushed a pink color, then he looked away. "M-My apologies, your imperial highness."
Chuckling, Azrael grabbed his arm and then pulled him up, dusting him off, which made Caspian even more flustered. "Your...Your highness! Please, you don't have to do that—"
"I insist," Azrael cut him off as he continued to help Caspian get rid of the dirt and grass from his clothes. "Honestly, those jerks are something. They even did something like this within school grounds? Hah...the audacity." He mumbled under his breath.
"Your imperial highness..."
"You win for now? What kind of nonsense is that."
"Y-Your highness."
"If I see them again, ugh. I'll show them real frustration. They don't know what kind of day I've had."
Suddenly, Azrael felt someone's hand holding onto his arm gently; his eyes widened a bit as he looked up at Caspian, who looked back at him with a concerned expression.
"Are you okay, your imperial highness?"
"Oh, uh...Yes? Sorry, I spaced out for a bit." Azrael realized that there wasn't any dirt or grass on Caspian anymore, so he pulled away his hand. "Anyways, you're fine now. I'm sure those two won't bother you for a while, but if they do, you must inform me. Okay? Well, in the first place, it won't be that hard to know; I'm pretty sure we have all the same classes."
After Azrael spoke, Caspian remained silent, which concerned him. 'Why isn't he responding? Is he still shaken up? or....wait.'
"Caspian? Why aren't you responding? Are you hurt somewhere?" His eyes scanned the light blue-haired prince's body for any signs of blood or anything that would indicate he had an injury.
Caspian shook his head as he waved his hands a bit. "N-No, no! I'm not hurt at all, your highness...It's just..."
"Hmm? Just what?"
"Why did you help me? I mean!" Caspian stepped back a bit in embarrassment. "I'm grateful you did, but...why?"
"Hmm. Do I need a reason to help you? The question I should ask you is, why shouldn't I have helped?"
"Well, I'm sure you already knew this, your imperial highness, but I'm not a legitimate Aquarise like my brothers. I am only here because—"
"I'm going to have to cut you off there, Caspian," Azrael placed a hand on his shoulder, making Caspian flinch a bit in surprise. "I have heard about you."
"T-Then you know that—"
"I know that you're the boy greatly favored by King Nereus, and that your magical abilities surpass all his so-called legitimate children. That's the reason you're here," Azrael said with a smile on his face, making Caspian's bottom lip quiver and his eyes watery.
'You'll be one of the few people who will try to befriend Eirian and help him. That alone makes you a good person.'
"Your imperial highness..."
"Just call me Azrael. We're both royalty after all." Azrael winked then stepped back, satisfied that he managed to make Caspian feel better.
Caspian shook his head. "I can't possibly call you by your first name, your highness. You're still in a higher position than me."
"Oh, come on. I just saved your life; we're both past status."
"Eh? Then...I'm confused. We're both past status?"
Azrael nodded. "Yup. That means we're officially friends now. Do..." He raised an eyebrow at Caspian. "Not want to be my friend?"
"No! I...mean, yes, uh...I would love to be friends with your highness—" Azrael cleared his throat, urging Caspian to call him by his name.
He honestly didn't mind people calling him your highness or your imperial highness; he just thinks Azrael's name is too good not to be called all the time. Even Valerian just addressed him as 'You' and never by name.
"Az...Az....uhm, can I just call you Prince Azrael instead? Please, your highness. I really don't feel good about just addressing you casually."
"Fine. I'll accept you calling me that, and besides, it's not that big of a deal. I understand. We've only formally met today. I guess I was just excited."
Caspian looked up, tilting his head curiously. "Why are you excited?"
"Because besides Adham, my student servant, you're my first actual friend in this academy. It feels nice having another friend."
'And it's another person that will be beneficial to Eirian in the future. It'd be good to gain as many allies as possible early on to make things easier to change.'
"Oh...You're my first friend too, your— Prince Azrael."
"Really?" Caspian nodded bashfully.
"I've always been afraid that my brothers might do something to the person who decides to be my friend. So, I've always opted not to have one."
Azrael's heart swelled in sadness and then turned into anger. 'Those jerks. Hah...older brothers in this world are the worst.' He thinks to himself as he ran a hand through his long hair.
"Well, they won't do anything to me; that's for sure." Azrael assured him then held out his hand to Caspian who looked at him confused. "Since I'm your first actual friend; let's do this right, Caspian."
"Pardon?"
"Hello! My name is Azrael Celestria. I believe we're in the same classes, so I would like to be your friend."
Caspian seemed taken aback, but he seemed to feel touched as he didn't waste any more time and gently held Azrael's hand and shook it. "My name is Caspian Aquarise. I would...also like to be your friend, Prince Azrael, and..."
The boy bowed his head, much to Azrael's surprise, then spoke. "Thank you for saving me. Truly, I didn't think anyone would ever come to my aid."
'Ah. Why are the side characters so kind? Unlike Valerian and Caelum, well, Caelum is an antagonist but still!' Azrael thought, resisting the urge to pat Caspian the way he did with Adham.
As mentioned before, when Azrael was still Zak, he loved kind characters and always felt the need to give them a lot of affection.
'We're still not that close yet. I'll do it at some point.'
Azrael pulled his hand away and then let out a breath of relief. "Now, before I came here, I was actually looking for a good spot to eat. Did you already eat? I'm sure you haven't. We should eat together."
"Oh, yes, I haven't eaten..."
For some reason, as Caspian spoke, although Azrael wanted to listen to what he was saying, he couldn't help but feel an uneasy sensation settling in his chest.
There was a strange mixture of anticipation and anxiety, as if he could feel a pair of unseen eyes staring at him. At first, Azrael attempted to ignore the feeling and concentrate on what Caspian had said, but the unease remained.
"...If I may suggest, there's that one table under the Luminescent Prismwood. I heard that this is the time of year when they—"
During the exchange, Azrael discreetly looked about, scanning the surroundings for the unidentified spectator. The academy grounds were vast, and students were beginning to disperse, preoccupied with other pursuits.
However, it wasn't until his gaze landed on a figure in the distance that the source of his discomfort became apparent.
'Isn't that...?'
There, beneath the shade of a towering oak tree, stood him. His face was framed by his black hair, and his yellow eyes shone like two beacons right through Azrael's.
Azrael felt a chill go down his spine, and he couldn't shake the sensation that someone was examining him more closely than just casually.
'It's Eirian...what is he doing here?'
And how long has he been watching?
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
KazTheWriter
KazTheWriter Another chapter. Yay! Just wanted to announce that chapters, starting now, will be posted at exactly 10:21pm Philippine time (9:21am EST, 6:21am PT) Either everyday or every two days. || Also I've updated the character page and added Caspian!
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Ranking 
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