Chapter 122 Citations [ 2 ]

-Gloriana Mengral's point of view.

"Where is she?"

Everyone wondered the same thing.

After classes were over, it was break time. They only had half an hour before they had to return to the classroom. However, their sole purpose was to see Asher. But when they tried, he simply wasn't there.

He woke up, of that they were sure.

But where was he? Where did he go?

They checked the disciplinary committee room; he was gone. They went to his room, but got the same result. He simply wasn't anywhere in the academy where he would normally be.

No one had a clear idea where Asher might be.

"What if he's having coffee?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

They all looked at Julian at the same time. That was it. Coffee.

Asher being a great lover of coffee, it was obvious that he would be in the coffee shop, the largest in the academy and also the farthest away.

The only coffee shop Asher frequented to find the best coffee.

Everyone nodded. They knew he would be there.

Gloriana followed them from behind, lost in thought, as the others walked toward the coffee shop. It was far from where they were.

"He must be okay, right?"

Gloriana wondered as she followed the others.

"What if he's not?"

However, she also had doubts in her thoughts. According to Oriana, it was possible that Asher looked a little different. She claimed that Asher's mental exhaustion might have gotten even worse, which would mean some change in his emotions, attitude, and actions, including his tone of voice.

In short, he could have a new personality.

But.

"I'm not sure yet."

First she had to check if her sister's assumptions were true. If they were, then the Asher she would see would be different. If not, she would be reassured.

Finally they arrived.

After a few minutes of walking, they reached the entrance to the cafeteria.

"..."

"..."

They all looked at each other at the same time, but no one said a single word. Then they turned their attention to the entrance of the cafeteria, whose glass doors were open, with a sign that read "Open" in white letters.

They entered.

A large room with tall windows, seating and tables arranged for more than five cadets. In the center, the menu and a floral arrangement. The tables, made of glass, accentuated the modernity of the place. Lamps hung from the ceiling, resembling glass chandeliers, with a dim golden light that created a warm, quiet atmosphere without too much noise.

In the distance, a figure could be glimpsed.

A familiar figure with his back to the group. Her silver hair fell to her shoulders, a little longer than usual. He seemed to be looking out as he sipped his coffee, apparently a regular cappuccino.

As he approached, Asher had a blank stare as he watched some cadets without blinking. He was focused on them, and as the group approached, Julian was the first to speak.

Gloriana, however, stood a little away from the others, following Asher's gaze, and then also looked at the cadets.

Julian's voice reached everyone's ears.

"When did you wake up, Asher?"

Instantly, Asher's voice echoed.

"Three hours."

"..."

Three hours... They all wondered for a moment.

"If he woke up three hours ago, and considering the time it took him to get ready and relieve himself? How long has he been drinking coffee?"

It was a definite question, but there was no immediate answer.

As Gloriana followed Asher's gaze, she also watched the cadets. She looked them over in detail and then....

"Five circles."

Her voice reached the ears of the others, who quickly looked at her. Instantly, they followed Gloriana's gaze and Asher's, noticing three cadets sitting at a table outside the cafeteria, conversing with relatively serious faces.

At first glance, they appeared to be discussing something very important or really serious.

Aside from the fact that it was the first time they had all seen fifth-year cadets with a fifth-circle power, it had surprised them.

Before they weren't even noticed, but now? Now they were there, as if they had suddenly appeared.

Gloriana then looked at Asher.

"It's like he's been seeing those cadets for a long time."

It really was curious to see such strong cadets.

Not so much to Gloriana, but it seemed Asher saw it differently.

Gloriana grew up in the royal family.

She was surrounded by very powerful mages, she could watch fights between them and their skills. She had even spoken to famous mages, mages of the towers, and even the patriarchs of the ten great families.

Although, of course, he was never close to any leading mage of one of the twelve guilds, it was still more than enough to see such strong mages.

However, these wizards of the fifth circle did not surprise him at all.

It was like seeing other normal mages walking around his family's castle. Still, it was rare to see cadets with that level of power in the academy.

Anyway, it wasn't really impressive, though the same couldn't be said for Asher.

"I must be overthinking this," she said to herself as she rubbed the top of her nose. Then she came to her senses and spoke.

"We should stop looking at them."

It was possible that the fifth-year cadets were watching them.

If they looked at them, they might get in trouble, causing them to think badly of them.

"I say the same thing."

"Asher, how long have you been watching them?"

"Two hours."

Grey was surprised, and in fact, so were the others.

Was he some kind of stalker or something? Or was it a hobby to watch others?

Whatever it was, it was weird.

However, they put aside the strange thoughts about Asher and sat around him, while Julian immediately held up the "menu" that was in the center.

They all looked at it and then looked at Asher.

Gloriana had a similar thought to the others as she watched him.

"It's like watching siblings."

Her thought was quite funny.

"Hehe."

"..."

Luna stared at her.

"..."

"He saw me," Gloriana thought as she looked back at Luna, who was still watching her.

As they looked at the menu, there were a variety of coffees. Some were common, while others attracted Gloriana's attention.

"Hey, I've never seen this cafe before? It must be a new one."

She immediately ordered the new coffee she had never seen before.

As she did, everyone did the same and ordered their respective coffees while they waited for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, all eyes were on Asher.

"Why wasn't he moving from here?"

It was the same thought.

Why did Asher stay here seemingly all day?

Although everyone was thinking the same thing, none of them decided to ask him.

Watching him, he seemed to be the same as always. Gloriana sighed, relieved that what her brother had said was false. None of it was real.

She felt calmer knowing that Asher was fine.

But...

His mental state was different.

Is it possible to know if he's really okay?

Maybe on the outside, but on the inside?

Gloriana tried to calm herself.

Whether he was okay or not, she would soon find out.

Even though she could have asked him, she did not. Watching Asher's behavior, someone normally curious, was interesting and, at the same time, strange.

Normally, he would pay no attention to others and concentrate on his coffee more than anything else.

Still, for that very reason, Gloriana and the others did not ask questions.

The atmosphere was rather vast and quiet.

No one said anything until Asher spoke, which puzzled everyone by his sudden words.

"Do you guys have this watch too?"

They looked at his wrist, where there was a watch.

"Yes, all the cadets have it."

"As you see, it shows complete information about all of us..."

For a moment, they all looked at each other.

However, it was Gloriana who thought of that "idea" the fastest, and then asked.

"Hey, Asher, would you mind if we looked at it?"

"Mmm."

"Your information... If you don't want to, that's fine, we respect your privacy."

Gloriana cleared her throat. Soon, Asher's voice came as their gazes met, and then he spoke.

"Of course."

Gloriana grabbed Asher's watch and then....

--Information--

-Age: 12 years old.

-Birth date: 2678/February/Day 10.

-Height/weight: 1.69 m / 97 kg.

-Credit points: 500.

-Date/Time/Month: 10:23 A.M./Tues/February 15.

-Imperial Year: 2690.

Everyone looked at Asher's information as his eyes widened in shock.

"Wait, your birthday was five days ago?"

Julian was the first to speak, as the others continued to look at the information on Asher's watch.

Equal reactions.

Everyone was in shock, not even blinking at what they saw.

"That's right... Well, actually... No, it's nothing."

Asher's strange words left everyone curious.

Although no one knew anything about Asher, such as his age or birthday, they now knew. However, it was too late.

"I would have liked to give you something."

That thought was shared by all.

In a sense, they were a little disappointed in each other, but, of course, no one knew exactly when Asher's birthday was.

It wasn't that they didn't want to ask, but they simply all forgot to ask him the date of his birthday.

Luna, Emilia and Gloriana were deep in thought, as if....

"It's your fault too."

Not that it was really their fault; it was just normal not to know, since no one had asked Asher that information.

In any case, they stopped looking at the information and Gloriana handed the watch back to Asher.

"Then you are 12 years old. Although, of course, all of us are the same age."

"Uh, that's right."

"Of course, Asher."

Luna interjected.

"You were the only one we didn't know your age."

"Oh, I see. Sorry if I didn't tell you guys earlier."

"Hehe, don't worry, it wasn't that important? Wasn't it?"

"Yes."

"..."

Asher looked at the others.

Their reactions were strange at Luna's last words.

It really was important to know their ages or something as well as their intentions.

Anyway, they looked at the time.

"We have little time."

Freddy, who spoke up, caused everyone to react the same way.

However, the coffee they had ordered earlier still hadn't arrived and there were only about five minutes left before they had to return to the classroom of class one.

***

-Scene change

The coffee arrived, but it was already too late.

They had less than two minutes before class with Oriana was to begin.

Although Asher had the day off, since he barely woke up after being passed out for two days, it was normal for him to get the day off. However, it was not the same for the others, and they had to leave immediately.

"I'll leave first."

Freddy and Grey left after quickly finishing their coffees, while Luna and Emilia were about to finish.

Gloriana savored the coffee she had never tasted before.

"It's creamy and sweeter."

"I don't like it."

Bad taste and too much sugar.

Gloriana gave her verdict on the coffee.

"Its taste is bitter, too sweet and too creamy. It's a 1 out of 10."

Gloriana had a hobby.

One that consisted of trying not only different drinks and foods, but anything new or that she had never tried before she rated from 1 to 10 every time she experienced something new.

His rating to this cafe was truly terrible.

"I'll leave."

Emilia left next.

Then Luna looked at Gloriana and also at Asher.

"..."

Her expression changed to a wide smile with a second meaning.

"I'll leave too."

Then she left, and then it was just Asher and Gloriana.

She didn't like the coffee, she left him. She could leave at any time, but she didn't.

Her lips parted and then she asked something that had had her intrigued for a while.

"Hey, Asher..."

"Mmm."

"Do you remember I told you...?"

"Uh... Oh, yeah, right. You said you wanted a date, didn't you? You were going to tell me something important."

"W-well, yes, but..."

She didn't continue.

She felt so upset that her words simply wouldn't come out.

"There's no time now, is there? If that's why, then meet me right here at 9 o'clock tonight."

Those words excited Gloriana.

Then she got up and hurried to leave, but not before saying a few words.

"Thank you."

Then she left along with the others while Asher watched her with a curious look....