Chapter 25

(A/n) In case you haven't noticed, I changed my writing style to a bit more simplistic one, skimming out the extravagant details and fancy words. Lemme know how you feel about it.  Honestly, the dropping reception and my own reluctance to write is making me not put much effort and to just complete the damned fic. So ye, it's not as before since I ain't putting any effort into detailing it, deal with it, ig. 

As the first rays of morning sun filtered through the blinds, Arthur stirred in his bed. He opened his eyes to the bright light and rubbed them, trying to clear the blur. The room was silent except for the soft rustling of the curtains and the occasional chirping of a bird outside.

He stretched his arms and legs, feeling the warmth of the covers enveloping him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, savoring the fresh scent of the new day. He could hear the faint sound of water running in the bathroom and knew the maid had already prepared his bath. 

As he sat up, he ran his hands through his hair and let out a soft sigh. The familiar feeling of tiredness washed over him as he realized he had to face another day. He had no motivation, no desire to do anything. But he had no choice.

He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and sat there for a moment, staring at his feet. He noticed a small cut on his toe and couldn't remember how he got it. It was like he had been sleepwalking through his life, not paying attention to anything that was happening around him.

"I should do something about the time I am not conscious." He mumbled to himself and looked back to see Sylvie still sleeping, curled in the sheets. 

Looking away he stood up and walked over to the window. He looked outside and saw the world waking up. Gardeners and butlers and maids doing their work. He wondered if these people ever an ambition had to do something big and not tied to the fate of serving other. 

He shook his head and turned away from the window, feeling a sense of disappointment wash over him. He knew he had to snap out of it, but he didn't know how.

He walked to the bathroom and splashed some water on his face. Looking at himself, he saw a boy who was already taller than his past self, a pair of crystalline blue eyes that seemed to peer through anyone's soul while his medium auburn hair fell on his face---messy and disheveled. He didn't recognize himself anymore.

"I need to be more presentable for my first day at school."

He brushed his teeth and washed his face. He took a brush and tried multiple hairstyles but, in the end, decided to leave it messy. In all honesty, his disheveled hair looked better than the fancy hairstyles he was going for. 

After a few seconds of looking into the mirror and doing his daily practice of smiling without freaking someone out, he went downstairs to meet his parents and to get some breakfast. 

As he reached down, he saw Sylvie jump over his shoulder and then leapt towards the dining table. 

"Good morning, mom." Arthur took the initiative this time and greeted his mother. Alice looked at Arthur in surprise as she smiled, "Good morning, dear. Take a seat. I will bring the breakfast right now."

He sat at the table and stared at the wall, lost in thought. He knew he had to do something to change his life, something entirely different from his past life but he didn't know where to start. He felt like he was trapped in a never-ending cycle of monotony and despair.

As he sipped his tea that was already there on the table, Alice arrived with the food. As she quickly placed all the food down on the table, Reynold also arrived. Alice sat down just beside Reynolds who was sitting in front of Arthur. 

The air was thick with anticipation as the parents sat down with their child for one last talk before, he embarked on a journey that would change his life forever. He wasn't nervous, nor was his excitement palpable like other kids but he still listened to his parents with rapt attention.

The hall they were in was bathed in soft sunlight, casting a warm glow that made everything seem magical. Arthur's eyes wandered around the room, taking in the intricate tapestries, the ornate chandeliers, and the polished wood furnishings. 

Alice and Reynolds looked at him with a mixture of pride and concern as he sat before them, dressed in his new school scholar-student robes. They couldn't help but marvel at how much he had grown and how far he had come. But they also knew that this was a moment that would change their lives forever.

Arthur looked back at his parents with a blank expression, not a trace of emotion on his face. His parents had grown accustomed to his lack of emotion, but it still concerned them. They knew that he was different from other children his age, but they had always hoped that the magic of their kingdom's best school would awaken something in him.

"Son," his father said, his voice full of pride and sadness. "We're so proud of you. You're going to the best magical school in the kingdom, and we know you're going to do great things."

The boy nodded, but still, no emotion showed on his face. His mother reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder, looking at him with a mixture of love and concern.

"Listen to me, son," she said, her voice soft but firm. "You may not feel like it, but you're special. You have a gift that not many people have, and we believe that this school will help you unlock it. You'll meet other children like you, and you'll learn things that you never thought possible. You have to embrace this opportunity and make the most of it..." she paused, "And remember, we, your parents are always here for you."

Arthur nodded again, and for a moment, there was a glimmer of something in his eyes. His parents felt a spark of hope, but it was quickly extinguished as the emotionless expression returned to his face.

"We know it won't be easy," his father continued. "But we're here for you. We'll always be here for you, no matter what. You're our son, and we love you more than anything in this world."

Arthur looked at his parents, and for a moment, they saw something different in his eyes. It was almost as if he was seeing them for the first time, really seeing them, and understanding what they were saying to him. But it was gone in an instant, and the emotionless mask returned to his face. 

"Thank you, father. Thank you, mother," he said, his voice flat and monotone.

Alice and Rey looked at each other, feeling a mixture of pride, love, and concern. They knew that this was only the beginning, that their son had a long journey ahead of him. But they also knew that he was capable of great things, and that they would always be there to support him.

As Arthur finished his breakfast and started to turn and walk towards the door, his parents watched him go with a mixture of sadness and hope. They knew that this was the start of a new chapter in his life, one that would be full of magic and wonder. And they hoped that their son would find the spark of emotion that they knew was buried deep within him. Even if it was deeply buried, all they want was for it to sprout... if not now, but soon.

Arthur waved his hand to his parents and then disappeared behind the double doors, leaving Alice and Reynolds as they seeked comfort in each other's arms. 

> Timeskip to when he arrives at campus <

Arthur stood on the outskirts of the sprawling campus, eyes fixed on the towers and spires of the magical school in the distance. He had heard tales of this place, the finest academy in the continent, for years. And now, as he stared at it, he felt nothing.

His parents secretly wished for him to attend, to hone his magical abilities and follow in the footsteps of the finest magicians. He had always been curious, but never passionate. All of this seemed like an act for him to fit inside the age group he was currently in. But since, he had decided that he would live life differently and try to ACTUALLY enjoy his second chance at life, he decided to go along all of this. 

He stepped closer to the school, his feet carrying him towards the grand entrance. The golden doors towered over him, but he didn't feel intimidated. He felt nothing. He reached out a hand and pushed the doors open, stepping inside the wide-open area of the Xyrus academy.

The magic pulsated from his core and around him, coursing through his veins, but he still felt no emotion. He observed the students bustling past him, talking animatedly and laughing, but he didn't understand their enthusiasm. They were all so invested, so passionate. While he understood somewhat, he couldn't relate.

He walked around the campus, inspecting the grand halls, the enchanted gardens, and the impressive libraries. He marveled at the grandeur of the place, the power and the beauty of magic. But he still felt no excitement, no longing to be a part of it.

He continued to wander, exploring the various classrooms and laboratories. The students inside were all working diligently, lost in their own worlds of magic and possibility. But Arthur couldn't imagine himself in any of those worlds. He didn't feel that spark of passion that everyone else seemed to possess.

After wandering about for a while, he realized it was always time for the ceremony. But before that, he needed to do a compulsory test. A mana core and element test. He got into line and waited for his turn. 

"Lucas Wykes, Battle mage; Dark Yellow, single element: Fire. Please proceed to the stands." The woman spoke. Everyone gasped as they heard the results while Arthur's ears perked up.

Lucas Wykes. 

The sole survivor of the Dire Tombs dungeons. That made him remember that he wanted to go and investigate that place, but he never got the time to do so.

Knowing his selfish and narcissistic nature, Arthur theorized that Lucas would've abandoned his teammates and left them for death. Lucas looked back at Arthur and for a moment the smirk on his face vanished as he saw Arthur. 

'He remembers me.' Arthur thought, as Lucas was present to get his rank up-valued when he passed the exam. 

Lucas walked to the side and let Arthur go towards the orb. 

"Please place your hand on the orb." The woman spoke. 

Arthur placed his hand on the orb as it started to glow in a bright white light. The woman gasped, her eyes wide open as she looked up, but the orb soon started to change colors---dulling, as it went from white to silver and then even dull as it ended up as Dark Yellow. 

Lucas let out a dissatisfied grunt as he walked away. Arthur looked at him from the corner of his eyes before looking back at the lady. 

"Will that be all?" 

"Actually, you have to do an element test as well." She said, taking out another orb. 

Sighing, Arthur placed his finger atop it. 

A blob of red appeared followed by a drop of blue. Green smoke while orange masses started to swirl, causing yet another uproar. However, the green and orange disappeared, leaving behind only Red and Blue.  

"Aren't you a bag full of surprises, young man." The woman spoke, seeing Arthur over her glasses. 

"Who knows. The equipment seems faulty. You should get it replaced." Arthur said as she corrected her glasses. 

"Oh sure, I will. Arthur Leywin, Scholar Mage; Dark Yellow, Dual elements- Fire and Water. Please proceed to the stands." She said and Arthur disappeared the next moment in the mere blink of an eye. 

"What a mysterious kid." She thought to herself. 

> Canon copy paste <

(Arthur Leywin Pov)

Looking around more carefully, I was mildly amused at how many dwarves and elves I spotted, chatting away with those around them.

"Wow, I've never seen full elves until now. Looks like it's true that all three races can fully attend this academy now." One of the students excitedly looked around, scouting for potential soul mates amongst the crowd. 

Getting bored of looking around me, I focused my attention on the stage where it was still empty except for a single podium. Suddenly, a sharp blur focused into form, and I saw Director Goodsky standing behind the podium. 

She wasn't wearing the oversized hat that conjurers normally wore like she did the last time we met almost four years ago. Instead, she wore an elegant white circlet that matched her white robe, appearing much more refined than the witch-like impression. Director Goodsky had her eyes closed but when she opened them, she seemed to be peering straight into me. Smiling, she raised her hand slowly while her eyes remained locked onto mine.

By this time, many more of the incoming first years noticed her and began talking even louder, some cheering, but when Director Goodsky's hand reached the level of her head, suddenly, everything went dead silent.

Looking around, everyone had expressions of surprise, because while everyone's lips were moving, no sound was heard from anyone in the audience.

"Excuse me for my rudeness but I do hate speaking up. Not good for my throat, no it is not," she said in a pleasant voice that—while soft—was heard perfectly clear, even from here in the back row.

"I welcome everyone here, the future leaders, scholars and powerhouses of Dicathen, to this humble academy. I am Cynthia Goodsky. Please call me Director Goodsky and do not be afraid to say hello when I walk around campus. I am no good with speeches, so I stand here before you mages today to say hello and introduce to you the Student Council that represents this academy and takes part in making important decisions along with me. Please give them a warm welcome." She waved her raised hand and one by one, members of the council started walking out.

I first saw Jarrod walking confidently, looking straight ahead, his pretty boy face eliciting a wave of shrill screams from the girls in the audience. Behind him, a very playful, cheery guy came out waving at the audience and beaming us a bright smile.

"Look, look! There's Lilia! We need to cheer!" Sylvie stood up on my head and shouted as hard as she could through our mental link, causing a migraine. 

"Yayy," I tried to cheer her but my own voice seemed exceedingly boring to me. Lilia spotted me and waved back at me. Her usual shy demeanor was nowhere to be seen as she walked calmly towards the center of the stage, where she gave small bows in each direction.

Behind her walked out a tall student with long, parted bangs. His face was frozen into what looked like a stern grimace with a sharp gaze that seemed to be looking down on everyone, giving him a rather pompous appearance. While the cheers for him wasn't as loud as it was for Jarrod or the cheery guy, he, nonetheless, strode with practiced grace.

After that another figure appeared. The unmistakable gunmetal silver hair that reflected the lights in the auditorium gave her a serene glow as her peachy-cream complexion made the boys around me gape. She turned to face the audience so that her round, turquoise eyes captured the hearts of every boy in this auditorium.

 Her face still contained a childish innocence but the way she carried herself made me doubt that this was the same girl I had known since near-toddlerhood.

While still a little taller than Lilia, she was quite a bit shorter than the serious-looking guy next to her, but her posture made her seem bigger and grander than everyone else on the stage. Taking a deep bow, she came back up while tucking part of her hair behind her pointed ears, her face emotionless as a doll's.

Finally, when the last figure appeared, an eerie silence filled the whole auditorium. 

The girl that arrived, her hair as white as freshly fallen snow, cascading in soft curls down her back. Her yellow eyes gazed at me, and despite seeing them almost every other day, there was a certain force of attraction in them. Like pulling everyone inwards.

 Amidst the mundane academy, she seemed like the only source of enjoyment. Even though I knew her from two lifetimes now, there was so little I knew about her. She intrigued me---made me want to break and study every little component that made her up. 

"Are you sure you are not in love with her?" Sylvie voice spoke in my mind.

"Love? I don't think I am actually capable of that." I replied, waving off her argument. Sylvie's topaz eyes continued looking at me but she averted her gaze and kept her attention towards the ceremony. 

Her appearance made her stand out among the sea of students, with her unique appearance and confident stride. She wore the school uniform, a traditional robe with gold and blue accents, but it seemed to fit her differently. It was as if the uniform was made for her, tailored to her specific proportions. Her white hair was pulled back in a tight braid, revealing her angular face and piercing yellow eyes.

I noticed her eyes flicker towards me briefly before continuing on her way. It was as if even without seeing me directly she was aware of it. I wondered if she felt any emotions, or if she was like me, with a limited range of feelings.

I couldn't help but observe her from afar, taking in every detail of her appearance. Her movements were fluid and graceful, like a dancer. Her skin was almost translucent, giving her an ethereal quality. And yet, despite her otherworldly appearance, there was a sense of roundedness about her.

It was the first time; I was examining her this close. Maybe it is because of the lack of any looming threat that is making me notice subtle details.  

She finally walked over to the podium, a subtle smirk lining her face, ""My name is Arisu Watsken, and I am honored to stand here as this academy's Student Council President."