(Chapter 98)
“That class was boring...” said Eirian with her hands clasped behind her nape. “Why do we have to take History when we’ve already lived through it?” She yawned.
“It’s so we can learn from the mistakes of the past.” Dorin answered with his index finger raised. “And didn’t mother say before that knowing the past is the key to the future? Besides, it’s not just History, it’s ‘History and Politics’ and Aunt Agate said I needed it to know how this world works.”
“It’s still boring.” Eirian pouted her full, red lips. An audible sigh could be heard in their surroundings.
Dorin noticed that there were several students staring at his companion, some of them had even followed them from their last class.
“Eirian, do people always follow you where ever you go?” Dorin asked his friend.
“Ah, don’t mind them, I guess they just can’t help but admire my charms. I’m too cute, after all,” Eirian said jokingly as she tossed her hair. “But if it really bothers you...”
Eirian snapped her fingers and conjured a small white top hat out of thin air. It had a fine lacy veil connected to it which she used to cover half her face as she placed it on top of her head on a slight angle.
“There, any better?” She gave Dorin a lovely smile. This time, there was no reaction from their surroundings.
Dorin looked around and noticed that the small crowd that had gathered around them was slowly dispersing, as if the people simply lost interest in them, or perhaps, forgot what they were staring at in the first place.
“I had no idea you were so famous, Eirian,” Dorin asked with awe.
“Silly boy, I just look like a celebrity, that’s why people can’t take their eyes off of me!” she gave a little chuckle. “But you know well that I don’t like too much attention,” Eirian added. “I prefer to live a cozy little life with you in our forest.”
Eirian pinched Dorin’s left cheek as she said this. She really is very fond of the young wind mage, after all, she was the one who practically raised him up since he was born. His mother Hermione wasn’t very fond of kids, after all, so after she got Dorin, she simply left the small infant with Eirian and went on with her work.
“So where do we go now? Can we stroll around campus with Dog? We can go to the University town and buy you some cute clothes, then we can go on a date, watch a movie, and...”
“Actually, we still have a class to attend to,” Dorin piped in.
“Another class?” Eirian frowned at Dorin. “But the schedule Agate gave me doesn’t say anything about an afternoon class on Wednesdays.”
“That’s because it’s a special class for the SCS, headed by Dean Alcione, just to see if we’re doing well in our other classes.”
“Oh. And what are we supposed to do there?” Eirian asked without interest.
“I’m not really sure, since this would be our first class together, but at least we can all study as one class.” Dorin grinned at Eirian. “You can also meet out 5th member, too, as well as Azra and Dagon.”
Eirian seem to brighten up after hearing this. The two of them made their way to a lecture hall on the very top of the north tower. They had to climb eight storeys to get there and saw Seb along the way with his hood up. He was leaning on the wall next to the landing on the 4th level while catching his breath.
“You okay there?” Dorin asked as he came closer to Seb and clapped him on the back.
[Just catching my breath.] wrote Seb. [This is why I hate taking classes at the top floors!]
Dorin gave a hearty laugh.
“Do you want me to carry you the rest of the way?”
[No. I just need a bit of rest.]
“Dorin let him be, it would be rude to Seb if you insist on helping him,” said Eirian by his side. “He’s a man after all. He can take care of himself!” He faced Seb and smiled. “Isn’t that right, Sebastian?”
[Of course.]
“May I also add that exercise is good for the body,” she continued. “Just because you are a magus, does not mean that you can neglect your physical training. It’s not all the time that we can throw spells at a distance.”
“Can you walk now?” Dorin asked.
[You go ahead, I’ll catch up later.]
‘Chirp’
“Oh, is Azra with you?”
“Oh, is that the caladrius?” Eirian asked. “Can I meet her?”
Seb pulled his hood down to show the small white bird perched snugly on his right shoulder.
“Oh, she’s lovely!” Exclaimed Eirian. “Can you turn human for me to see?”
[No.] Seb raised his slate. [I don’t want others to see her in that form.]
Eirian stared at him under her veiled hat.
“By others, you mean me?” she asked coldly.
[No, of course not.] Seb quickly replied. [This is not the right place. I will introduce you to her later when we get back to the dorms.]
The red lips beneath the veil smiled once more.
“Ah, you have a point there. Even I wouldn’t want others to know all my secrets,” Eirian said thoughtfully, dropping her words clearly, one by one.
“Then we’ll wait for you to catch your breath,” said Dorin who leaned on the wall next to Seb.
“What? Are you also tired already?” Eirian pouted.
“Nope, I just want to wait for Seb,” grinned Dorin. “I didn’t tell you, but Sebastian here’s my sworn brother. I promised to look after him, since he’s such a weakling!”
[Who asked you?] Seb angrily shoved the slate in front of Dorin’s face who simply laughed and gently pushed it aside.
“Well, aren’t you the one who keeps trying to protect me even if he can’t even raise a proper shield to protect yourself?”
[Well I wouldn’t have done that if I knew you had a shield on your skin!] Seb wrote, his fonts getting bigger. [And none of those things would have happened in the first place if you had some common sense in you!]
Dorin gave another laugh. He reached out to Seb’s head and proceeded to mess up his sleek, well combed hair.
[Don’t touch my hair!!!] was written across the slate in bold red color.
“I see you’ve gotten quite close?”
Seb felt a chill run up his spine as he heard Eirian’s words.
He looked at the tall maiden beside Dorin. His gaze fell on the smile on her red lips.
“It’s so nice to see that Dorin has such good friends around him now. He used to be so lonely back home, especially when I’m not around.”
“That’s right, Eirian, I have a lot of new friends now, and I get to see so many things and go to different places! I’m really glad mother let me stay here!”
“But I’m still sad that you didn’t even tell me about your trip from the start! I should have gone with you. We should have travelled the modern world together!”
The two continued their small bickering while Seb stared at Eirian. He can’t seem to take his eyes off the girl’s lovely red lips.
‘I can tell that there’s a spell on her hat that is calling my attention away from her face...’ he thought to himself. ‘But the enchantment on it is so strong, that I can’t seem to break it...”
He was still trying to fight it when he decided to do something else.
He looked at Dorin instead.
Then, slowly, as the two continued their friendly bicker, he placed Eirian at his peripheral vision to look at her properly. He saw the smooth jawline, the straight, refined nose, the luscious red lips and deep set purple eyes draped in thick long lashes.
Hypnotic eyes which were staring straight at him.
Carefully as to not give himself away, he looked directly at Dorin and let go the breath he had been holding.
[I’m okay now, we can go up now.] he told his two companions to stop their bickering.
“Good, let’s get to our next class then!” said Eirian who started up the stairs.
Seb watched as she climbed, followed by Dorin who took his hand and pulled him along.
[I can walk on my own!] Seb insisted, but so did Dorin who wouldn’t let his hand go.
“Let’s hurry, I bet the rest are already upstairs,” he said instead.
Seb could do nothing but follow him, while his eyes kept Eirian in his peripheral vision. Guarding her. Noticing how she looked back every once in a while to stare at the hand that was pulling his along.