Bab 36: The Bond
AT THE ACADEMY.
Chancellor Althea finally let Richard go after giving him a few words of advice.
Richard left her office with knitted brows, unable to discern some of her words. It was as though she spoke in parables, which was quite contradictory to her childish personality.
'Well, she's like a hundred years old or something. I shouldn't be surprised,' he muttered inwardly, setting his gaze on the entrance to the cafeteria.
He briefly delved into his thoughts as he took a slow stride into the place, 'Hmm. It's way past noon already. I should get going to the library. But these guys...'
He paused, spotting James and Hazel seated by the same table he had seen them earlier. A terse smile formed on his face, 'They actually waited for me.'
He was a little surprised and happy to have good friends now. Back in New Orleans, he never bothered to make friends because it was never worth it. He had a lot to think about every day, especially after school. His foster parents were hell to deal with, likewise his foster siblings. The only friends he made were shady dealers and pickpockets, a means he used to survive through high school. But he didn't even know their names or some of their faces.
This, was a new, and somewhat foreign feeling to him.
'I guess transmigration really does have some perks,' he commented to himself as he walked over to the table.
James and Hazel had finished having lunch for over ten minutes now. They were currently trying out the new grape smoothie that had recently been added to the menu.
After taking a few sips, James smacked his lips, "Hm. A bit sour. Needs more sugar."
"Then it would be too sweet. This is the perfect blend and flavour. No need for extra ingredients," Hazel interjected, sucking the juice out of her straw in delight.
James dropped his eyelids, "You speak like an old lady sometimes."
Hazel's lips twitched to a cunning smile as a silly thought dropped into her head, "Well, maybe I am an old lady. I'm an elf after all. I could be in my mid-fifties and no one would know."
Richard quietly sat down adjacent to them by the small rectangular table. It was either they were too engrossed in their conversation to notice him, or decided to finish talking before facing him.
"What's that supposed to mean?" James asked with a raised brow.
"You saw the Chancellor, didn't you? She could be many centuries old for all we know, and yet, I look older than her," Hazel teased further.
"So, you're saying I don't know your real age?" James quizzed.
She simply nodded.
"That's nonsense. I've known you all my life. I was even born before you," James clicked his teeth and shook his head. She had almost gotten into his head.
She chuckled, "I see you've begun to grow wiser, little James."
"Don't call me that."
"Uh, guys?" Richard said softly.
"Oh, hey. The Chancellor finally released you?" James asked casually.
'Did they seriously not notice me until I spoke?' Richard sized them up with squinted eyes.
With the same expression, he answered, "You say that like I was imprisoned or something."
"So, what did she tell you?" Hazel asked, wearing a more serious expression.
Richard had already anticipated this even before he left the Chancellor's office. There really wasn't anything to hide in his talk with Chancellor Althea, but he still had to be careful with his words.
"Uh, nothing much. She was focused on her salad most of the time. Then she went on about my low Mana Reserve, and how much potential I have in me," he explained, tweaking his nose as a cold, unnatural wind wafted into his nostrils.
Hazel and James had to steady their smoothie cups as the wind swept across the table. It was a very mild breeze though.
Richard raised his head and looked around. The wind felt familiar, or rather, the Mana in it. He could tell that someone had conjured the wind, and who else would it be if not...
He spotted a figure in a black cloak standing at the Cafeteria's entrance. Once the figure felt his gaze on them, they turned and began to walk away.
"Elora...?" Richard blurted subconsciously as he stood up.
"Huh?" James and Hazel stared at him in perplexity.
"I'm coming. I need to check something," he said with an unfettered gaze on the figure's receding body.
The two of them watched him walk briskly out of the cafeteria and immediately vanish out of sight.
They faced each other with puzzled eyes.
After about three seconds, Hazel muttered, "Did he just say Elora?"
...
Outside the lecture building, Richard ran after the cloaked figure, yelling for them to stop. It was as though the mysterious person derived pleasure from Richard's yell and pants, because they didn't stop until after walking aimlessly on the plain for over ten metres.
When they stopped, a terse chuckle emanated from them, and they took off their cloak. It was the blonde and brown-eyed princess, Elora Dune.
"I knew it," Richard would have proudly said, if he hadn't been so confused at the moment, and a little upset with her for walking him in circles.
'But what if she had been a Dark Druid that wanted to kill me? Is this how I would have foolishly left the company of people and followed her to my death?' he began to have clearer thoughts as he reconsidered his actions.
"I'm glad you could tell it was me," Elora smiled. "I was worried I'd have to confront you, but that would be too risky."
"Aren't you supposed to be on house arrest or something? Why are you here?" Richard asked, a little bothered. It would not end well for him if the castle guards eventually show up and find them together. They'd mark him as an accomplice, and even his Greylock name would not save him this time.
"I still am, but I found something that I needed to show to the Chancellor. I snuck out of the castle, only to meet her office empty," Elora sighed.
Richard wasn't surprised by the fact that she knew the Chancellor. It was probably a perk of being a royal. He was more curious about what she had found out.
But before he could ask, Elora gritted her teeth and held her temples in pain. Her knees gradually buckled, but she didn't go down completely.
"Are you okay?" Richard moved closer to her.
"Yes, yes. But my brother is not," she answered with a sniffle as she raised her head.
"What do you mean?"
"Me and my siblings share a psychic bond that activates once one of us is in danger. We can also tell who exactly is in danger," she explained briefly, rubbing her left temple as the migraine subsided. "But I've never felt this from Kaiser before. He has always subdued every threat with ease. But this is different, it's completely different."
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone