"Rinloran!"
Holding a book in both hands, Rinloran heard a very familiar voice come from behind, as soon as he entered the Thinker’s Stone Forest.
He turned his head around. There was nothing behind, not half the hint of a human figure. But he immediately reacted. His body flashed, gliding five to six meters away to the right.
Ayrin appeared on the left of where he previously stood, his hand outstretched, patting empty air.
"Rinloran, you’re still the fastest."
Ayrin took his hand back, a beam etched on his face.
"How did you become so fast?" Rinloran was taken aback.
Ayrin put his hands behind his head, a little pleased with himself. "The result of my recent special training."
"From the end of the match against Iron Forest Academy to now, you already…" Rinloran looked a little speechless.
"If you can help with my training, I’ll definitely become even faster." Ayrin looked earnestly at Rinloran. "You’re still wearing arcane master weights right? Your reactions are a little faster than Stingham’s even when you’re wearing them. It seems that you also made giant strides forward after the brawl last time against Kybaver and the rest."
"Help you train?" Rinloran frowned slightly.
Without waiting for him to add anything else, Ayrin nodded, his face brimming with expectation. "You can’t refuse, because we’re friends. Friends should be helping each other. Also, if you still don’t like it, you can stay out of the school team and not participate in the tournament. Just help me train."
"But…" Rinloran suddenly hesitated.
"Hey, we’re friends. If there’s something your friend likes to do, you have to help him if you can even if you don’t like it. Anyway, you don’t want to see your friend smacked into a flat cake and pasted on a wall during the tournament, right?" Ayrin immediate jumped in front of him, telling him, hurry up and agree, hurry up and agree, saying at the same time, "If you’re worried about classes, we can ask teacher Carter and the others to help you with private lessons, you won’t fall behind."
Looking at the brilliant smile on Ayrin’s face, Rinloran still wavered somewhat.
"I don’t know if you heard, that guy Rinsyi from clan Baratheon came to find trouble for us that day. If we met him in the tournament, we might well suffer miserably." Ayrin firmly brandished his fist. "In order to defeat this vile guy, I need your help."
"Goodness gracious, you had to stir the hornet nest. I heard that Rinsyi clearly came to bother Ferguillo, but you somehow actually ended up provoking him." Rinloran couldn’t help but stare at him. "There’s also that Belo, he’s the king at making trouble. He clearly knows what kind of figure that guy is, but he still had the guts to shout kneel down and lick my feet."
"Haha." Ayrin scratched his head, not feeling remorseful in the slightest. He said with a smile, "That guy looked really too evil when he bullied Ferguillo. If you’d been there, you’d definitely have been among those who couldn’t resist stepping forward."
Rinloran glanced at the laughing Ayrin. "I have to help you become faster?"
Ayrin immediately quieted down. Then he jumped in joy the next second. "That’s great, you agreed!"
…
Ciaran sat on the roof of an old building in front of the infirmary.
This old building used to be the nurturing room of the medical department, specialized in the use of some nurturing herbs, peculiar fungi and mushrooms, or things of the sort. Many fantastic and bizarre plants even used to float in the many ponds on the second floor.
The students from back then had partitioned the terrace on the roof into many parts, and grew many sunlight-loving plants there.
Only, Holy Dawn Academy’s medical department grew bigger and better. The entire kingdom started to put heavy value on it, and they specially built two mountain valleys for experimentation purpose. This old building became abandoned after that, became a mere place where the school piled raw materials it needed.
There were only some dried yellow weeds on the rooftop now.
Quietness was the only good thing about it.
A wine bottle made from green wood sat beside Ciaran’s knees.
She opened the wooden screw cork and drank a mouthful, then screwed the cork back in tight.
Just at this moment, she suddenly whirled around.
A petite female arcane master appeared on the rooftop only a moment ago. She had pretty wine-colored short hair that fell level with her ears.
"Donna?"
Ciaran exclaimed, "Why are you here?"
"They found some clues about that mysterious arcane master who came to assassinate Ivan last time." Donna walked toward Ciaran with a small smile. "Me and Berryn just happened to transfer over here."
"Is that mysterious arcane master still in St. Lauren’s vicinity?" Ciaran’s face became solemn.
"This mysterious arcane master already vanished into thin air. But we found some people he was in contact with after tracking the places he previously operated in. A few arcane teams will come here soon. Liszt and Rui are main decision-makers in this mission," Donna explained in a soft voice.
These were matters that ought to be kept secret, but it seemed Ciaran also had the authority to know them. Ciaran nodded. She didn’t linger in extensive courtesy with an old friend, and casually sat down again. Something that was a smile yet not a smile floated on her face: "You won’t have deliberately transferred over this time just because you could see Liszt, right?"
"Half and half I guess. I could have transferred or not for this mission. But don’t you go thinking I ran so far just for meeting him again. Don’t tell me you didn’t want to see me?" Donna sat down beside Ciaran. "Whatever happens, we were the most important rivals in the national tournament back then. We went through many unforgettable times together. I very much wanted to see you and Rui and the others."
"What on earth is the deal with you and Liszt. If you really like each other, then just be together. Staying ambiguous after so many years, even we can’t make head or tail of it," Ciaran said, faintly turning her head in her direction.
Donna thought for a moment. She said, "You want to hear the truth or a lie?"
Ciaran said, "The truth, of course."
"Liszt told me this back then after our match: looking at how you were, how could we have the heart to date and leave you behind?" Donna said, looking at Ciaran, "Back then, maybe the sadness and sorrow diluted many other emotions. Now we’ve been apart for so many years, it’s a little hard to revive an old flame."
Ciaran fell silent.
"I heard your Holy Dawn Academy’s team also picked up two powerful freshmen this year, that you also entered the nationals." Donna smiled. "It really brings back the cherished memory of that time, our carefree training, us fighting against each other, struggling for the title. Your team back then was really strong. If not for your luck being a little worse than ours, you guys should have been the ones to seize the title, if you hadn’t struggled and received too heavy wounds against Dragon Word Academy before meeting us."
"If our academy can become the champion, then get together with Liszt," Ciaran said, lifting her head. A sudden smile also faintly floated on her face.
Donna blinked.
"You guys want to help me snap out of it, so how can you fall behind me? You should first leave behind the memories of that time yourself," Ciara said. "If you want to revive the feelings from back then, if you need a beautiful opportunity for a new beginning, then stake it again on the tournament."
"Holy Dawn Academy has been silent for too long. These freshmen this year remind me of the younger us. It seems they make me go back to that time. Their happiness really makes me start to feel happy again. Donna, all of us need to change."
Donna laughed, laughed very loudly, without at all the style of a demure lady. "Alright then. Even you are talking like this, would I be afraid of an old rival like you? You don’t need to become the ultimate champions. As long as your team can stand on the tournament field in the finals, I’ll get together with Liszt."
"Hey hey hey… Casually staking away a man’s life and happiness on a gamble, that’s really out of the line, right?" A lazy voice drifted to their ears.
"What, you don’t want to? I think you’re definitely feeling very proud right now." Ciaran turned around, watching Liszt come their way from the edge of the roof. "You must be thinking that the time isn’t too far away, because you’re just like me, you’re very confident in Ayrin and the others. Am I right?"
"What are you saying. How could it be so simple to stand in the finals in a tournament like this. Even a team as formidable as ours back then merely fought our way into the finals. So many opponents strong enough to raise your hackles…" Liszt had an exaggerated dramatic expression on his face, but he actually started smiling after that. He looked in Ciaran’s eyes, saying seriously, "That said, I’m really very happy… Happy from seeing you change."
"Back then, we were the super evil group of six, people were scared of us as soon as they caught a glimpse of us. How can we stay depressed?" Liszt expression seemed absorbed in memories past.
Donna started laughing as well, saying in a loud voice, as if reciting:
"Mega Brainless Minlur!"
"Black Stick Specialist Rui!"
"Really Good At Fighting Liszt!"
"Crafty Conspiracy Master Carter!"
"Ever-Standing Meat Shield Ashur!"
"Cold Arrows Specialist Ciaran!"
"The Holy Dawn Evil Six from back then who went on a rampage against all the other great schools!"
"Hahaha." Liszt remembered something or another. He clutched his belly and started laughing.
Donna smiled. She couldn’t refrain herself from asking, "Your team this year is really very strong?"
"Since you broached the subject, I happen to have two proper matters to discuss about." Liszt looked at Ciaran and Donna and said, "The first thing is, Donna, can you teach Ayrin your Fire Embers? That’s the strongest defensive skill I can think of right now from people we’re in good terms with. Second, Ciaran, why don’t you take Ayrin and Moss in the next few days and bring them on some missions?"
"Fire Embers?"
Donna was suddenly taken a little aback. "You’re certain this fresh of yours can learn it?"
"Just try it, you’ll know when the time comes," Liszt said with a smile.
Very familiar with Liszt, Donna saw many things from this smile. Her shock became all the greater.
"Bring them to carry out missions?" Ciaran’s face became grave.
"I have the authority to set up all the missions this time, I’ll pick suitable missions." Liszt nodded. "They both have a pretty good fighting awareness, but after all, there’s a difference between competition and genuine battles. In the national tournament, there are many people like Rinsyi who experienced many genuine battles. We need to first make them get used to it. Maybe in a six or seven days or so. Let’s give Moss and Ayrin a few more days for their special training. Many things should be set in motion by that time, missions will be handed down."
"Ok." Ciaran looked at his expectant eyes and nodded.
