I had to leave the arena where we were training to look for the coat I gave teacher Doolvo to study.
As for the progress we achieved, Kaida Nad Yani found a nice enough spell combo. Although it is on the simpler side as it's just combining two damaging spells that work together.
Cole and I developed a nice hypothetical chain of spells that works amazing as a defense.
I say hypothetical because we don't currently know how to do any rock or wind spells that could work together. The curse of not being magically blessed like others.
As for Atro, I think it was the right choice to have him train his body with Cecil. He's a bit frail as a unit, so bulking up could work out for him.
He even has Yani close to him, which means more opportunities for him to get better at archery by asking her for tips and tricks.
Lastly... the one that caused some issues.
"Hmmm..." Fran groaned as she walked next to me with her arms crossed and a pouting expression on her face.
We both had some problems when trying to create a spell chain between our affinities.
It seems like wind and ice don't have the most creative or... good... chemistry when it comes to spells.
The wall we always hit and stopped our advances was the fact that wind magic doesn't add anything to ice magic.
Sure, wind can be used as a way to launch some ice spells faster. But that's not what I'd call a spell chain.
"I guess not every affinity works with others" I tried to lighten up the mood.
But she just clicked her tongue.
"We are going to create a spell chain" her tone was strict and determined.
My comment seemed to have the opposite effect. Now, the mood seemed heavier than before.
"It'll take us way longer to find a set of spells that works, though" I looked at her face, and her irritated frown became more apparent with my comment.
"Don't care. I won't accept us to not have a spell chain"
She seems determined to do that, but the only thing I can think when I look at her is.
Why?
Spell chaining is a simple tactic that relies on compatibility more than anything. If two affinities aren't compatible with each other, there should be no point in wasting time searching for something that doesn't exist.
It doesn't have a meaning outside of being an obvious way to use magic.
But...
If she acts like this, it is because of something. She wouldn't be this determined if there wasn't any deeper meaning to it.
While being lost in my thoughts, I look at her face one more time and remember how she was when I woke up from that week-long unconsciousness period I was in.
I remember how surprised I was to see her crying, to see her sad for me.
And I remember one thing she mentioned.
I am the first friend she ever made.
"Hehe" I instinctively let out a small chuckle once I finally understand why she's acting like this for a simple spell combo that shouldn't matter.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing, I was thinking that I should go buy an ice affinities spellbook and pull an all-nighter to search for a combo" I smiled at her.
Of course, to her achieving a combo isn't about anything related to the magical aspect itself.
She wants to have a combo with me. She wants to have a compatible fighting style with me.
"We're pulling all-nighters. Not you alone by yourself" she poked my shoulder with her index finger.
"Yea... we'll search for a set of spells that are compatible" I laughed, trying to move my shoulder away from her pokes.
Sometimes, I fail to remember that Fran sees me as a friend.
I guess that I should work on my self-esteem a bit more.
"Alen!" A redheaded figure appeared in front of us.
"Enrick?"
What was he doing here?
"I don't know what you wanted to do right now. But stop it immediately and go to your class' house" he said and quickly turned around.
"Wh-what's happening?" I nervously asked, seeing him tense up.
"Tell us right now what's happening, you peasant" Fran ordered while searching for the issue red-haired was looking out for.
"Julius is searching for you. The others are trying to stop him right now" Enrick explained, looking through a long hall.
"What? Julius? Why?" I asked. My eyes widening and my muscles tensed up.
"I think it's pretty obvious as to why. Your duel attracted a lot of attention"
Julius Der Botcam, Theo's older brother and the strongest character in the game by a landslide.
He's the kind of character you do not want to get associated with.
"O-okay... I'll leave" I nodded and turned around.
"Fran... can you get the coat for me?"
"Yea... I'll also get the ice affinity spellbook so we can..."
It seemed like she understood the kind of threat Julius was.
"You're shorter up close"
In front of me appeared the towering second year student.
His long, slender limbs were rested on his waist. His blonde hair was flowing thanks to the air current his body created.
I instinctively raided my hand to cast a spell. But he quickly grabbed my wrist and lifted my arm.
"Also slower than I expected"
Theo let go of my wrist. I took the opportunity to create distance between us, but he easily kept up with me.
Enrick got in front of me and grabbed Julius by his shirt.
"What happened to-"
"Those friends of yours? I had my own friends keep them occupied while I came here. Except that girl with the fox ears who's an A class student, you're all B class and below"
"You..."
Before Enrick could finish his sentence, the first prince got into a weird position. It was a relaxed yet extremely defensive stance.
In that moment, Enrick let go of him and jumped backwards, clicking his tongue once he landed.
"You were really trying to do that"
"No. I was just bluffing, I wouldn't do that inside the academy" Julius shrugged off his shoulders.
"Alen..." Fran ran next to me, taking advantage that Julius was distracted with Enrick.
"Yea, I know" I said and turned around, ready to run away from this place.
"Or maybe I wasn't bluffing" Julius said.
Once I got far away enough, I was stopped by some sort of invisible wall.
"What's this?" Fran asked, punching the invisible wall.
"Agkh!"
But the punch was answered by the invisible wall.
"Tier three wind magic, eye of the storm. I casted it before I arrived here" Julius got into a more relaxed position.
"You... there are other students that have nothing to do with this trapped in your spell" Enrick said as he glanced at the students who were once just spectating.
Now, they were also trapped with us.
"All the more reason for you to listen to me. These students make for nice hostages" Theo's older brother smiled gently, not caring about how that made him sound like.
"And teachers aren't going to interrupt us as they're in their respective classes, lecturing their students"
Enrick regretted the fact that he wasn't allowed to carry a weapon inside the academy.
"Listen, Julius. Just leave the kid alone"
"Now, calm down, Enrick. I don't have any plans to do anything that'd hurt Alen, I just want to take him with me so he can show me his worth"
"He isn't coming with you!" Enrick raised his fists but kept his distance.
"[Ice Stalagmite]"
Fran cast her spell while Julius was busy with Enrick.
Ice spikes came out from the princess' feet and started to travel at the target with great speed.
Alen made no move to avoid the spell directed at him. Instead, he got impaled by numerous spikes that rose to attack him.
"Huh?"
For a split second, it did look like Julius was impaled by the spikes, but Julius' body started to distort as if it was a wave.
"Tier four fire spell, desert mirage"
Everyone turned around to where Julius' voice came from.
He was right behind me, and he rested his hand on my shoulder.
"If it isn't little princess Von Themys. How's your dad been these past couple of days?"
Fran clenched her fist and gritted her teeth.
"Shut th-"
"What? I'm just curious to know how the old man is. There's nothing wrong with that" Julius chuckled.
The king of the Montanev kingdom, he should be in his kingdom doing... whatever kings do.
"Is he enjoying his deep slumber?" Julius asked, gaining a disapproval look from everyone present.
"What? It's normal to ask how a dead man's been. Isn't that right, Alen?"
Dead? The Montanev kingdom's king? Fran's father?
He was alive in the game. Why is he saying that he's dead.
"You didn't know he was dead?" Julius looked at me with surprise in his eyes "Where have you been living? Under a rock?"
"None of your bussiness"
An agent of chaos, someone who doesn't care about anything or anyone because he knows that he's better than everyone else.
That's Julius Der Botcam.