Chapter 9

Subject: Request for One-Week Leave and Task Submission

Dear Professor Mars Kimmins,

I hope you're doing well. I'm writing to let you know that I need to take a one-week leave starting today for personal reasons. I will be accompanying my brother to the north to help him get settled.

I've attached the completed data and essay for the upcoming task to this email. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding.

If there are any additional steps I need to take or arrangements to make during my absence, please let me know. I'll make sure everything is in order once I'm back.

Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards,

Summer Haze 

[Attachment]

"A week off," Mars mumbled as he opened the morning email. It was from Summer, informing him that she wouldn't be coming to college for a week.

Mars pondered this as he scrolled down to download the file she had sent.

He had assigned her the task of analyzing information from books and reporting back to him.

Summer had delivered a detailed 35-page report about the castle and its surrounding area.

However, the data was outdated due to recent changes, and Summer had never visited the north castle. It was clear she had missed a few things.

One constant, though, was the cliff. Summer had provided accurate descriptions, even though it wasn't part of the assigned task.

Mars muttered to himself, "I need to inform the dean about this leave first, and then I'll delve into this lengthy document."

As he scrolled through the seemingly endless report, he reached the conclusion and couldn't help but exclaim, "Essay."

When Mars arrived at college, he wasn't surprised. The dean had already warned him about the notorious trio.

This inseparable group explored every nook and cranny together. If one decided to be absent, the other two would follow suit.

Despite the dean's attempts at disciplining them, their stubbornness prevailed.

However, their exceptional performance in college overshadowed their notoriety, granting them leniency.

"I got an email from the trio this morning, Mars," the dean informed him.

"Joined at the hip, quite literally," Mars remarked, making the dean chuckle.

"It's alright, Mars. The semester just started, so we can let it slide," the dean reassured him.

"But what about the classes they'd missed?" Mars asked.

"They'll catch up quickly. You haven't seen how focused they can be," the dean said with a dismissive wave.

"Looks like I'm in for a surprise," Mars said, squinting as he adjusted his glasses.

"Most definitely," the dean confirmed, hinting at an intriguing semester ahead.

Mars continued teaching his classes and learned that Derrick would be back next week after his suspension.

Despite his father's substantial wealth, Derrick couldn't sway the West College system with money.

Mars felt a sense of pride.

His changed attitude had a noticeable impact on the literature majors. When he walked into the classroom, the students acted like scolded children, showing the lasting effect of his transformation.

"Alright, class, see you in the next session," Mars said as he dismissed the students.

Feeling accomplished, he walked out of the classroom with a proud smile. As he strolled down the corridor, his thoughts began to wander.

"I haven't been to the north in ages," he mused, thinking back to a past trip with his friends Hans, Dave, and Rachel.

That trip had left a lasting impression on Mars. He vividly remembered the bonfires, singing, and dancing. But what stood out the most was a tree perched on a cliff.

This tree had been barren for as long as anyone could remember—no leaves, no flowers. Then, one day, it unexpectedly bloomed, and Mars was in awe.

Reflecting on this extraordinary event, Mars recalled that the tree's first recorded bloom was on January 31, 2005.

It was especially peculiar because it happened during the coldest month of the year. Often called the mighty tree or the tree of emotions and wonders, its ability to bloom against the odds intrigued Mars.

To him, it was a symbol of resilience and marvel.

On January 31, 2005, Mars felt a strange sense of recognition, though he couldn't quite figure out why.

He was certain something significant had happened on that day, but the details eluded him.

With some free time on his hands, he decided to head to the library to think it over and try to jog his memory.

The librarian greeted Mars with a warm smile, rumored to be even brighter when directed at him.

It was whispered that she had a bit of a crush on the handsome young junior English professor and always looked forward to his visits.

Mars responded with a friendly greeting, reciprocating her warmth, and asked how her day was going to avoid being impolite.

"How can I help you, sir?" asked the librarian, who had introduced herself as Rosa during their first meeting. Mars smiled briefly before explaining his request.

"It would be really helpful if you could suggest a book about the cliff in the north," Mars said.

Rosa looked surprised.

Not many people asked about that particular topic, and there weren't many books on it. In fact, only three people had ever inquired about that specific book before.

"Sure thing! We have a copy of 'The Mighty Cliff.' Come with me," Rosa said calmly and gently.

She remembered others asking about this book before—it was the dean and the college director, hard to forget.

"Here you go," Rosa said, pulling the book from the shelf and placing it on the nearest table.

The book had a modern cover with a stunning image of a cliff and a tree.

Mars looked at it and realized it was a new release, promising a fresh and engaging read.

"Anything else you need?" Rosa asked. Mars shook his head and smiled politely. As she returned to her desk to help other students, Rosa mentioned, "One of our students took the photo on the cover."

The book was released just two years ago, so it was still fairly new. The wardrobe Mars got the book from seemed rarely used, creaking as he opened it and revealing a layer of dust on the key.

Mars sat down, fixating on the book and marveling at the vibrant depiction of a blossoming tree on the cover. The cliff on the cover often appeared in his dreams.

As Mars leafed through the pages, he noticed the book's edges were uniquely curved—a design choice he found aesthetically pleasing.

He paused to appreciate the thoughtfulness of the publisher or whoever had come up with the idea.

Turning the cover page, he discovered an intriguing picture of the north castle, accompanied by the inscription "to protect author's identity."

This added a layer of mystery and curiosity to the book's contents.

"Good afternoon, sir," greeted two students as they approached Mars, their bright smiles lighting up the room.

Mars responded politely, recognizing Leah and the other student as History majors.

Leah spoke up, "We were looking to gather some insights for our thesis. By the way, sir, I've completed the notes for the thesis. When would be a convenient time for me to share them with you?" she asked politely.

Mars adjusted his glasses, closed the book he was holding, and cleared his throat before speaking.

"Uh... we have the official thesis meet tomorrow. You can submit it then, or if you have it with you, now works too." He flashed a smile at Leah.

Leah nodded and said she could bring the thesis right away. As she turned to leave, her gaze lingered on the cover of the book Mars was holding. She whispered to her friend, but Mars could overhear her words.

"Isn't that the picture Liam took?" she asked.

"Yeah, it is. Wow, the Tumblr app really does wonders when used right. The writer must've paid him a lot," the other girl replied.

Liam was the student who took the picture for this book, and it was indeed a remarkable photograph.

Mars couldn't help but be impressed, remembering what the dean had said about the trio. Despite their notorious reputation, they had great talents in their areas of interest and hobbies.

Mars thought about what the girl said regarding the Tumblr app. He was familiar with the platform, where people could showcase their talents and get a lot of views.

It had clearly worked for Liam, as his picture now graced the book.

Dear Readers,

Thank you so much for joining me on this literary journey. I'm thrilled to share my very first work with you all.

This moment is especially meaningful because the story is deeply personal to me. I want to thank everyone who helped make this possible, including my teacher, friends, and the publishing team.

For personal reasons, I won't mention specific names.

This book was inspired by the brink of my dreams—or more accurately, my personal nightmare. It's an experience that's very special to me, yet one I wish I could forget.

It's a chapter of my life that feels permanently etched in my memory.

Above all, I hope you enjoy this book and give it your love. Happy reading!

Thank you,

[ANON]

"Wow, what a peculiar author's note," Mars mumbled to himself as he read the mysterious message on the second page.

Leah interrupted his thoughts by handing him the thesis notes she had carefully prepared in a neat folder. This pulled Mars's attention away from the book, and he thanked her as he accepted the reports.

After the girls left, Mars gathered both the thesis and the book, getting ready to check them out.

Suddenly, he remembered he had another book at home that he had just finished.

To his disappointment, the information in that book was pretty dull.

It was all about the formation of the North Kingdom and the tragic end of its last mighty king, who bravely fought for the love of his life, only for her to be tragically killed by her own brother's kingdom.

Mars couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow for the Queen of the North, facing such an untimely demise. Sadly, there weren't any surviving accounts of her name or appearance.

The enemy deliberately destroyed crucial documents and personal possessions of the royal couple, erasing any trace of her existence.

Her identity faded into obscurity, leaving only a vague summary of the last king's life - a man deeply devoted to his wife, who never remarried despite their youth and her premature death.

"I'll bring back the other book tomorrow," he said, a nervous smile playing on his lips as he adjusted his glasses and stole a shy glance at Rosa.

Carefully, he placed 'The Mighty Cliff' on her desk.

"Can I borrow this?" he asked, his voice barely above a murmur.

"Of course, sir. You can borrow two books at once, and since we allow almost two weeks to finish a book, it's perfectly fine," Rosa replied, returning his smile.

"Thank you so much," Mars nodded politely.

Mars carefully tucked the book into his side bag as he headed towards the main gate, relieved that his day was over and eager to get home.

Despite the usual hustle and bustle, the campus seemed unusually quiet. The WLS trio had carved out a reputation as the most popular and beloved folks in the college.

Gradually, Mars began to understand the depth of their bond.

Then it hit him: tomorrow was the thesis meeting. He needed to dive into the documents Leah had submitted, forwarded by Summer via email.

But a realization dawned on him—Summer wouldn't be there. Yet, why was Mars fixated on this? Perhaps it was Summer's cryptic and mysterious nature that fascinated him, as he enjoyed deciphering enigmatic messages.

As he delved into Summer's documents, Mars found himself getting the answers he sought.

Mars found comfort in his cozy home, dressed in sweats as he settled into his study.

Papers cluttered his desk—reports Leah had handed over earlier.

They explored different theories from researchers' findings, but Mars had already skimmed through them, finding nothing new.

Deciding to switch gears, Mars turned to Summer's documents. They contained details she'd gathered from various sources, including books about the North Castle.

Like the previous reports, Mars didn't stumble upon anything unfamiliar until one detail caught his eye.

It was about the castle's backyard, main gates, the queen's garden, and a mysterious room.

What intrigued Mars even more was that Summer oddly left out these specific aspects, despite the prevailing theory about the Northern King's infatuation with the queen leading to a tragic war.

As he scrolled further down, Mars made another discovery—a set of notes detailing the cliff and the tree.

Summer had covered everything extensively, from the beginning of the blooming day to the famous idea of the mighty cliff holding shared emotions.

Mars murmured to himself, wondering, "How does she know all of this?" Recalling his last visit to the castle, he distinctly remembered that locals weren't allowed inside.

Instead, they admired its beauty from afar. Plus, getting close to the cliff was a big no-no due to safety concerns.

Pondering this, Mars guessed, "Maybe things have changed since then. Perhaps they allow people inside the castle now."

Thinking it over, he concluded, "I guess we'll have to plan another trip up north." Mars made mental notes of important details from Summer's document, ready to ask about them when she arrived.

He'd already picked out an exciting topic for her, eager to get started on their thesis.

With a twinge of nostalgia, Mars remarked, "The north sure has seen some big changes." He underlined the last point on the document as he spoke.