CHAPTER 56 - A BROTHER TO ME
I took a closer look at our academy Director, she must have gone insane.
"I sometimes wonder what is going through your head, Director."
With the same smile she always wore, she said, "That is not very nice to say dear. At least not to the one who is giving you a turning point for your academic life."
That didn't answer my previous question though…
"But why this role? A Guardian you say, why?"
Again, she only faced forward with a distant look, away and far from the mountains that divided our continent. The wind blew heavy but gentle, gentle enough for me to get caught up in what she was looking at. Or that is what I thought.
"There will be a time where I won't be there when something happens, and for that I need someone capable of doing so." She let the words linger in the air before continuing in a lower voice, it was loud enough for me to hear, "Even when I am no longer able to."
"And that is the reason why you said it had more power and second to only you in case of something happening while you are away?" I grabbed the floating uniform and turned to Director Goodsky whose back was turned on me. "But this is too much responsibility for me, for a mere child compared to you. I have no experience or knowledge in real life combat, only against mana beasts, and yet I don't think that is enough for me to stand on par with this role."
Cynthia turned to me when I said it. Her eyes showed disappointment and surprise. It was true, I wasn't on par with either the role or expectations for the role. I wasn't some king from another world or a combat mage who had fought the war against the elves or humans. I was just some guy in his twenties who was by chance transmigrated or reincarnated to the fantasy world I've read since middle school.
"I don't think I can live up to your expectations or anyone's in general."
I handed over the uniform, but her hands didn't grab them. I tried pushing it more just for her finger to latch on to it but she didn't. Cynthia Goodsky just stood there looking at me and the white and gold uniform.
Seeing as it was being futile, my mouth was already open and ready to spill the words when I was cut off by the Director of this academy.
"Then how about I issue this as an order?" Her eyes showed more hope than when she first showed me the 'Guardian' uniform. "How about you try it out for a couple of days or weeks and then tell me your true answer."
I let out a sigh. "Look I know that you might need someone who is capable of this uniform but again I am not that person, maybe Arthur or Tessia–"
"It can't be Arthur Leywin or Tessia Eralith, they both already have a role for this academy."
Then she was already planning on having Arthur as a member of the DC (Disciplinary Committee) even before the adventurer arc?
"Then how about Lukas Wykes?" I let out. Being already out of options my only way out of this huge responsibility was him.
The woman in clade purple narrowed her eyes before saying, "No. It cannot be him. He is just as power hungry and arrogant as his father but unlike his brother."
She took another second to think. "No, it definitely has to be you. You are the only one with the aptitude of being the 'Guardian'. There will only be one person who can lift and wear this uniform, fitting like a glove, you."
Again.
We are getting nowhere in this. We are just looping back to square one.
But before I could end this, a loud voice was heard.
"YOU DARE??"
My head whipped to the source.
"Dammit!"
Director Goodsky also looked and a smile crept on her face. "Then as for your second order, I will let you handle this as you see fit."
I narrowed my eyes, "No need, they have it."
She gave me a second glance before asking, "How do you know that?"
I didn't answer immediately but instead hastened for her to watch. From here, I can see the face of the dual-wielding boy visibly pale as he froze at the girl walking in front of him.
It was Tessia, making a path for her stride. Expressionless like always. Behind her was Lilia giving a worried look to Arthur.
The boy quickly recalled his two blades and gave them a respective bow.
Another boy walked up to Arthur, it was the boy from the Student Council. Noticing this, the crowd around them started to talk.
There is nothing out of the spectacle. I thought to myself paying close attention to every detail and reminiscing about the novel's sentences and actions.
Pointing at the dwarf who had earlier been sent flying to a tree was now holding his stomach. Another boy with black hair and glasses? Started to walk towards the dwarf and I instantly assumed it was Elijah.
After seeing that he was fine, he walked back, waving towards Lilia and to Tessia.
He was apologizing. I said in my mind looking more carefully this time. Nevertheless, the more I looked the more it was the same. A wave of comfort was pulled over me but my mind wasn't trusting that comfort.
It was like there was something else behind that comfort, like a dagger ready to strike, and I was right.
Sylvie jumped on Arthur's head. The crowd got bigger like something else was going to happen, something big.
"I don't like this." I stated, rushing towards the crowd.
"I take it that you will pick up the role?" The voice said behind me with a happy tone.
I didn't look back and instead nodded giving her the confirmation she needed.
Then, I let the mana in my core flare up into my body, activating the one sole spell that would get me there in time.
[Ghost Walk]
The world around me seemed to shift from variant colors to a world where grey and black ruled. At first glance at this power, I mistook it for Realmheart but there were no mana particles or motes of any sort. Everything, object, time, elements, froze or slowed down just for me to pass them according to my will.
Ghost Walk wasn't just some sort of normal spell but it was integrated with my beast will and only now was I able to freely use it. During my fight with the elderwood guardian king, I was restricted to certain things, like this visual effect as I used it. Moreover, the time using it. There was no more than a minute before I fully ran out of it.
This asset would be the winning chip in the upcoming war. Yet my greatest mistake would be using it while being in the presence of a great being, an Asura. They would mistake it for a Mirage Walk but it was totally different in many ways.
Yet, they don't know that.
When I got closer to them, my arms, my legs, and my spine all felt burning like I had been pressed by a hot flaming rod like a cow. To be honest, I felt like my strength was being drawn out already by just using [Ghost Walk].
After being two meters away from the crowd, I deactivated [Ghost Walk]. The color returned from the gloomy lifeless world along with the sound and feeling of the sun side to side with the wind.
My steps felt heavier as I touched the concrete floor. The range of the hot sun landed on my skin made me feel the fatigue I haven't felt in a minute. With that, I left a mental note for my future self. Using [Ghost Walk] for things like this isn't well thought out.
"N-no. Of course I would never dare break the rules like that. Please forgive my earlier actions. I think I was a bit too hotheaded." The boy spoke, bowing down lower to the point where he was on the ground.
"Leave."
My eyes didn't look at Tessia, Arthur, Elijah, or Lilia. No. My eyes were stuck on the sole person who I had fought in the dungeon so long ago. My vision grew wide upon staring at the orange spiky hair, pale skin that was little revealed under that heavy cladded black cloak.
My sole thought was two words: Kill Him.
I tried to reach for my swords as well as igniting my power at that moment.
No! I can't ignite it here in broad daylight. Especially when there are so many people present, any one of them can become a hostage. Mana retracted from my ring and core, yet, anger flared up in me seeing as Draneeve made eye contact with me.
'Be ready.'
His lips formed those words.
I closed my eyes thinking that maybe there was something going on, and by my surprise, he wasn't there. I searched everywhere, I tried to sense mana but nothing…
"And you! Why are you starting a fight with a senior on the first day of school? You should know your place! No matter how rowdy he may have been, he is still your senior and he did not break the rules when dueling with the other student. Furthermore, he is a Battle Mage student while you are a Scholar Mage student. Did you not pay attention to my speech about discrimination between the two sects of students here? Yet, you still chose to interfere, making these types of problems apparent on the first day?" She crossed her arms as she looked at Arthur. Her face was a bit flushed in embarrassment but she took it too far with this.
"HAA?"
Art took a step forward this time. He was going to take it past the line where there is no return.
"You just got here without even knowing what was going on besides him charging at me with two weapons and you want to lecture me?" He said taking another step to Tess.
"He was about to seriously injure or even kill that dwarf lying down right now after the duel system broke."
That's right!
I searched my surroundings for the dwarf who had been injured. Thankfully he wasn't into the forest just now but soon he would have been if Art didn't step in.
I ignited the healing magic I had been training for so long. The dwarf looked at me with confusion but I assured him that I meant no harm. "Stay still, I will heal you."
"W-what are you talking about–"
He quickly shut his mouth when the green light glowed heavily in his eyes.
"If I hadn't stopped that arrogant brat, you would've had to deal with a murder case, not an unregulated fight between two students."
Sylvie, who had been in Art's head, noticed my presence and ran towards me. "Kyu!"
"Sylvie. How have you been?" I lightly said, using my empty hand to scratch her chin.
Finally being finished with the boy's injury. I turned to my two childhood friends arguing.
"Can you guys stop fighting? This isn't how friends should talk to each other after so long–"
My sentence was cut short after their fierce gazes pointed daggers at the innocent me.
What a lovely reunion. I said in my mind.
""YOU STAY OUT OF IT–"
"Luke."
"Lu."
"Luke?"
"H-Hey there gang… How have you been?" My voice unleashed some nervousness as I remembered that I had not said anything to them when I last saw them.
Suddenly I felt mana rile up in front of me, the source? My two childhood friends.
Art took out Dawn's Ballad while Tessia raised vines from the ground.
I on the other hand was completely defenseless against two protagonists. I still had the fatigue that brought my body pain, while mana was still hard to control fully with pain.
Or that was the excuse.
***
"There! For your own responsibilities!" Tessia explained, landing a solid hit on my head while I was on the floor, devastated and overpowered by Arthur whose swordsmanship had become superb.
"And you still have a real duel against me, right? So you better be ready when the time comes because I was going easy on you." Arthur exclaimed, putting Dawn's Ballad in the dimension ring. "What's more, you said we would meet after the adventurers guild, did you also think you could run away from us like that?"
I, who was tired from dodging Tessia and Arthur's attacks, were simultaneously strong. My blades weren't strong enough to cut through their magic spells but I was able to reflect some spells back while I struggled to stay alive.
"Yo–You guys are monsters…" I barely managed to say as I tried to catch my breath. "When did you guys become so strong?"
My eyes opened and I noticed that it was night time already. "We skipped dinner!?" Getting up from the ground, I, again, tried to use my healing magic but was unsuccessful in doing so.
No one noticed this aside from the black haired boy who stared at me longer than a normal person should.
"We meet again." I stated, stretching my hand towards the boy who I already knew his name.
Shaking my hand, Elijah responded, "Yes and thank you for what you've done. By the way, where are the elf girls that were with you?"
Moments passed before I could answer, "T-They are in Elenoir right now." A wry smile was planted on my face.
"Is that so? I wanted to say my thanks to them as well."
"You will, soon at least they will come to Xyrus for some business."
Soon after my conversation with Elijah, Tess walked towards me. "How are your injuries doing?"
Arthur caught a glimpse of this and stormed over. "You got injured? Was this after the guild? Or was it coming back to Xyrus?"
"A-Art, it isn't a big deal I am okay and that is what matters."
"Like hell it is! I lost contact with you for over three years, after we were set in finding you family, you decided to set sail to the Beast Glades without saying a goodbye or a letter. So excuse me if I am overreacting but I am not willing to see you injured or killed before you meet your family."
Stunned and oblivious to anything around, I decided to stay quiet but yet my mouth rejected my order, "A-Arthur–"
"Lu, you are like a brother to me. Hell I even consider you my blood brother for everything that we've gone through together. We are family, don't stay in the dark just because you think we might be in danger. Speak up and let us help you with anything that is dropped on your shoulder."