Chapter 33: 29. Aether Academy (Part 5)

Lillia got everyone’s attention again, “Everyone! Please continue your hard work! Ignore what just happened!” Her voice was imbued with mana, but she had nowhere near the same presence as Rai. Yet, she still accomplished her goal to get the attention of all of the students. Or so she thought. She noticed the red haired girl, the headmaster’s other mentee, go and sit with Rai. Some students still had some lingering curiosity, but their focus was also returning to the task at hand as the people around them did the same.

She didn't know what to do. The Academy prided itself on its rules against discrimination, but this was the son of the Arbiter. Lillia decided that the matter would be left to the headmaster, so for now all she had to worry about was figuring out what happened.

Rai was almost completely indifferent about the whole thing. Hiron's actions went and pissed him off. Well, at least I didn’t kill him. Mum’ll be proud, I think. Rai watched as Sin leisurely walked to the bleachers, leaving her bubbling and steaming pot on its lonesome once more.

She had a beaming smile on her face as she sat down next to him, “You really made him piss himself?” Her eyes gave away the laughter she was holding back.

Rai looked at Hiron, who was casting a spell to dry his pants, “I didn’t even mean for that to happen. I just wanted him to let go. Antithesis. It’s scary, it felt like I was able to empty his mana reserves with the spell. I didn’t even consciously cast it; it just came out when I was angry.” There was a slight quiver to his voice.

Sin’s joyous expression was all but gone now. She gently turned Rai’s face towards hers, an action that he was not expecting in the slightest. “You’re doing great, just ignore people like him. Focus on yourself, that’s what’s most important.” She blushed slightly, then spoke in a softer voice that he couldn’t quite hear.

Before Rai could ask what she said, he heard Lillia’s voice from his left. He turned from Sin to Lillia, who was now at the bleachers. She looked stressed. “What happened there Rai?”

Rai shrugged, “I went to help one of Hiron’s friends, then they yelled at me for not being a noble. Hiron wanted me to kneel in front of him, and I refused. I tried to leave but he wouldn’t let me go. Then, as you heard, I scared him off a little.” Sindyl was sat beside him, giggling while covering her mouth.

Lillia placed a hand on her head, massaging her temples. She sighed deeply, “You are going to be a trouble child.” Lillia looked in Hiron’s direction, to see that he was trying to avoid looking over here. “And you, Miss Raven. I sincerely hope you try to keep this boy reigned in. You don't want tension between the clans to develop because of 'events' like this.”

Sin’s hands started sweating. She was not expecting the attention she’d received. “I’ll.. I’ll do m-my best.”

Rai and Sin stayed sat in their seats in the bleachers while the rest of the students finished learning the spell. Within twenty minutes of the incident, everyone managed to successfully cast it. Eventually, everyone returned to the bleachers.

Lillia was clearly happy with the speed that everyone completed the task with. “Wonderful! You’ve all succeeded in the assignment, and learned a new spell that will undoubtedly be helpful to you in everyday life. The theme of this module is that we will learn spells like this, and concepts that will transfer magical understanding to the mundane. It might not be the fanciest thing you can learn, but it is arguably the most useful.”

She cleared her throat, “Ahem. Now then, you will have a lunch break followed by the weapons exercises class. May I ask Rai and Miss Raven to stay behind for a few minutes. The rest of you may leave.”

Everyone else funnelled out of the room. There were many excited cheers for lunch, the students were wondering what kind of 'exotic' meals the Academy would provide them with. Some people were gossiping about what happened between Rai and Hiron. Hiron himself didn’t react to their words. His posse tried to tease him about it with no response on his part.

Sin heard people mention her name and how she was in trouble for some reason. Her heart rate was rising rapidly. She could practically hear her heartbeats, so she held Rai’s hand for comfort. Rai felt heat in his cheeks, but he reciprocated the gesture, maintaining a soft but firm grip. He could feel Sin’s pulse initially beat really fast, but after the few moments it returned to normal levels. Does Sin feel more comfortable like this?

Lillia was clearly waiting for something, since she hadn’t spoken since everyone had left.

As if on cue, there was a poof of smoke beside Lillia and out popped a bald looking man with a sharp beard. It was the headmaster.

Rai was about to let go of Sin’s hand when he felt her pulling his hand back. He used his other hand to wave, “Hello Rodrick.”

Lillia’s mouth dropped. “How dare you!”

Rodrick raised his hand to calm his subordinate. “Relax, I told him to call me that.”

Lillia was grumbling something inaudible under her breath before she simmered down.

Rodrick turned back to Rai, “Hello Rai, it’s been a little while.” He noticed Rai holding something back... “I take it you saw the interview.” He sighed. “It was so very embarrassing.”

Rai laughed, “Oh it was. But it was entertaining too.”

Rodrick laughed in kind. “How kind of you to say.” He turned to look at his other mentee, Sindyl, who looked paler than normal. She seemed... panicked. Rodrick took note of her shaky breathing. She was holding Rai’s hand for comfort, and it looked like that was just about the only thing stopping her from succumbing to a full on panic attack. He whispered under his breath, “I see.” It wasn’t something the school was equipped for. This was something he should’ve anticipated. Rodrick would take measures to ensure some kind of reprieve for students who had problems like this, but unfortunately nothing could be done about this instance.

He spoke in a clearer voice that the others could hear, “Perhaps we can have our mentor chat another time, when you’re both in a more comfortable environment.” Rai somewhat got the gist of it, but it seemed like Sin didn’t register it at all. Rodrick turned to Lillia, “For now, what have you called me here for, Lillia?”

Lillia smiled. She spoke in a joyous tone that felt extremely fake, “Rai angered the Arbiter’s son. Even though Rai wasn’t exactly wrong to act as he did, it’s still a rough position to be in. Therefore, I’ll leave it in your capable hands.” With that, Lillia left, not wanting to deal with it any further than she needed to.

Rodrick mumbled under his breath, “Why’s she always so jarring.” Rai heard him, and found himself agreeing with the sentiment.

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Rodrick walked over to Rai and asked him to explain the situation.

Rai explained it as best as he could.

After the explanation, Rodrick pondered for a minute. “It’s not the best situation to be in, just as Lillia said. I don’t envy you young man. For now, don’t worry about it. I’ll see how it plays out and act if I need to.”

Rai nodded, “Yes, sir.” He felt Sin’s grip weaken slightly. Hopefully she’s past it now.

Rodrick told Rai to make sure they went for lunch before their final lessons of the day. He also mentioned that he would talk to the two of them towards the end of the week about the mentorship.

In the end, Rai and Sin were left in the training hall, with Sin only just managing to avoid a panic attack.

Rai turned to her, still holding her hand. “Hey, you okay?”

Sin took a few long, heavy, breaths. Rai could feel it through her wrist, that her erratic pulse was stabilising. She softly nodded with a weak smile. But the rest of her face was trying very hard not to break down.

One tear fell. The smile broke. The rest of the tears followed.

There was no logic behind it, no conscious decision to freeze up and lose control. It was something that Sin dealt with, and this time it was just too overwhelming.

Rai didn’t know what to do, other than to be there for his friend. He pulled her in for a gentle embrace. She felt limp. The only sounds in the room were Sin’s heaved sobs as she cried into Rai’s shoulder.

“-orry. I’m s... sorry.” Sin felt the need to apologise. Rai couldn’t understand why she was doing so.

“No need. I’m here for you. Always.” Rai softly patted the back of her head.

After a few minutes, the tears slowed down. The shivers and erratic changes in pulse were relaxing. Sin was coming to the end of it.

In a clearer voice, she spoke, “I don’t know why it happens. This w- was the first time I broke down in a wh- while.”

Rai summoned a ball of water for Sin to wash her face with, and a gust of wind to dry her.

She cleansed herself of the negative mind state with the water. “Okay! I’m a little bit better now.”

Rai thought he should probably follow her lead, “Alright, if you’re better now, then we should probably go to lunch.”

Sin’s stomach grumbled. She giggled, “Yes, I think we should.”

They got up to leave the hall, Sin walked a few steps behind Rai.

Rai couldn’t hear her footsteps after a few seconds, so he turned back around to see her looking at the floor.

It came out in a whisper, “Thank you.”

Rai smiled at her, “As I said before: I’m always here for you.”

A soft smile that looked somewhat relieving crept onto Sin’s face.

Sin ran up to Rai and they walked to lunch together.

What awaited them was a catastrophe... or something like that.

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