《The Perks of Being Ugly [BL Fantasy]》 Chapter 1 – Day 1, Friday Year of the Gray Owl, 489th year of the Holy Royal Indicum Empire, and the 38th year reign of the Mauve Emperor, Nigellus Vladimir Indicum the 4th. It is spring once again, the 15th in my life, and the start of the 31st academic year here in the Empire¡¯s most prestigious, Royal Mauve Academy. I gaze out the window of the coach I am riding to look at the long line in front of the academy gates. Countless people have flocked in front as parents say farewell to their children who would be staying here for six years. I was still observing the scene outside when my coach door flung open. ¡°Sir, I think it would be better to get off now,¡± said the coachman who¡¯s been clicking his tongue for some time now. ¡°But, we¡¯re not inside the school campus yet, and we¡¯re still several feet away from...¡± ¡°Tsk, it¡¯d be a bigger problem if I have to turn the coach `round at the end of the road,¡± he cut me off. ¡°Can¡¯t you see how many carriages are stuck by the gate already?¡± I gave a deep sigh. ¡°Okay, thank you for taking me this far,¡± I told the coachman. ¡°Please tell my parents I got here safe and sound.¡± ¡°As if they¡¯d care,¡± he mumbled under his breath. ¡°They didn¡¯t even bother to send you here themselves.¡± I unfolded my long legs and stepped out of the coach as the grumpy coachman climbed back to his seat. I couldn¡¯t blame him. We have been traveling for eight days now, and his worn-out horse looks as weary as I am. My bones have been rattling for eight days, and the seats of the old rented coach were as hard as the ironwood desk I left in my old reading room. I stretch out my arms before lowering the heavy luggage I had with me. I guess I shouldn¡¯t have brought too many books. I straightened out the hooded cloak I was wearing and hauled my luggage over my back for the longest walk I was about to take under the sun since I was brought to this world. ¡°Master, please, get back inside!¡± I looked at a fancy black carriage ahead of us and saw that I wasn¡¯t the only one who had decided to take a walk. ¡°The sun would be down before we could reach the Academy gates!¡± said the impatient voice of a young man with golden hair. ¡°It would be faster for me to walk the rest of the way. Just drop my luggage when you finally reach the gates.¡± The young man went on his way, his golden hair glittering in the afternoon sun, his lush blue cloak trailing behind him. I saw a gilded sword hanging on his left hip with the sigil of a wolf on its scabbard, but was not able to see his face. The same sigil was on the carriage he vacated ¨C a dire wolf in a blue background howling at the moon. The sigil of House Ancyon, cousins of the current emperor. He walked fast, quickly leaving me at his pace, as I took my time to look at the world around me. The sun is past its highest and had begun to climb down, meaning it¡¯s way past noon. There are no clouds visible in the sky, but the crisp air was still a bit chilly, and I couldn¡¯t help but think that the dreary mood in the other coaches had something to do with it. ¡°I will pray for you every single day, my son...¡± I heard a woman cry in one carriage. ¡°We will miss you, son, remember to stay strong!¡± came from another. ¡°Father... I don¡¯t want to go...¡± moaned yet another voice from a white coach. ¡°Do it for the family,¡± answered a stern voice from within. I gave another sigh and went on my way, hearing more weeping from other coaches and carriages I passed, the last of which was blocking the way towards the gates. ¡°Promise me you would write often...¡± cried a woman¡¯s voice from inside the large carriage with the sigil of a fish on its side. ¡°This is your brother¡¯s fault for falling off the cliff last summer!¡± The woman starts to wail. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, mother, it can¡¯t be as bad as uncle Phillip says!¡± a youthful voice answered back as I walked past them. With all the wailing around the place, one would think that these young men were marching off to war instead of an academy. But who can blame them? This place is just a facade, after all. It was actually established by past emperors to guarantee the loyalty of their subjects. A prison to hold the first born sons of all noble houses hostage. Frankly, though, I think of it as a privileged since it¡¯s beneficial to most nobles, particularly for those who have long lost their fortune due to one circumstance or another. After all, Royal Mauve Academy is known as the best house of learning in the whole empire. Its students are guaranteed high positions in the central government in fact, I came here for the Royal Library which is famous in all eight kingdoms as the most massive and comprehensive gateway of knowledge in all of the Empire. That alone is reason enough for me to spend six years of my life in this prison. I finally reached the tall gates of the academy. It is gilded in silver and gold and spanned at both direction for as far as the eye could see. In front are several tents where the students can register for the new school year. There are hardly any people inside, though, as most of the students were still loitering around and weeping with their parents. ¡°Please proceed to the nearest vacant tent to register,¡± a bored looking page called out to us. ¡°Registration ends at 5 o¡¯clock sharp and the rest would be forced to return tomorrow,¡± he continued with a yawn. ¡°Those who fail to register tomorrow will no longer be accepted, and their families would be forced to pay the mandatory fine of a thousand gold coins per month until next year¡¯s registration.¡± I heard the wailing behind me rise as the noble parents bid farewell to their heirs. Not that I could blame them, since the current taxes are bleeding even some of our vassals dry, and continued refusal to send their first born can also be viewed as treason which is reason enough to confiscate all the lands and properties of even the most high ranking nobles. ¡°State your identification and hand over your birth certificate, please¡± said an old scholar as I entered the first tent I encountered. A name plate on the table had the words ¡®Prof. Laurel Novil¡¯ etched on it. He fixed his spectacles as he took my papers, his long silvery hair, tightly tied into a bun. He wore a long lilac gown with a purple stole and the sigil of the Royal Mauve Academy on his left breast which showed three stars rising from an opened tome. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°Patrick Siccus, first born of the royal Siccus house, cousin of his Majesty, Emperor Nigellus Vladimir Indicum the 4th sun of the Empire...¡± he mumbled as he read my documents. ¡°So, you¡¯re the famous recluse?¡± he asked, looking up at me. ¡°Recluse?¡± I asked back, a bit confused. The man tilted his head and squinted his eyes. ¡°Do you mind removing your hood?¡± he asked of me. I raised a hand and slipped my hood down. ¡°Dear lords!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°Do you have some kind of wasting disease? Is that the reason why His Grace, Duke Siccus, sent you here without protest?!¡± ¡°I assure you, Sir, that I am as healthy as can be,¡± I smiled and felt my dry lips crack. ¡°I was just a bit fatigued due to the long voyage.¡± ¡°Do you have a doctor¡¯s certificate to prove that?¡± he asked suspiciously. ¡°Of course, sir.¡± I pulled a piece of paper from my luggage and handed it to the professor. I guess my mother was right in thinking that I should take a physical check-up before leaving for the academy. The man looked at me again, his frown deepening. ¡°I refuse to believe you are merely suffering from dehydration!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°You can always check in with our royal physician,¡± I told him. ¡°I believe he is currently in the empire as well.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± the professor sighed. ¡°You do have the purple eyes of nobility, no matter how sallow it looks, and the deep ebony hair, though wiry and dry...¡± ¡°Were you perhaps, thinking that I am not who I claim to be?¡± ¡°No. Of course not...¡± he quickly replied. Insulting a noble is a major offense punishable by death, after all. ¡°Then, please sign your name here and bring your luggage to the next table to get your belongings checked.¡± I placed my luggage on top of a long table at the end of the tent. The man sitting behind it looked at me with distaste. He wore the purple coat of a Mauve Academy student with five small diamonds on his left coat pocket, signifying he¡¯s a 5th year student. ¡°Open it,¡± he ordered me. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re the son of Duke Siccus?¡± he asked as he gingerly looked at the contents of my luggage. ¡°I can¡¯t believe they sired something like you.¡± With the way he spoke, something told me this student wasn¡¯t afraid of my noble rank at all. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any other able-bodied brother to take your place?¡± he continued as he prodded my clothes with a long stick. ¡°Well, it did say in the Royal Summons that the first born was to be sent regardless of health or constitution, thus eliminating any chance for a noble house to refuse attendance by faking an illnesses or staging an accident...¡± ¡°Yeah, whatever,¡± the student interrupted, ¡°just make sure you don¡¯t bring some disease into the campus.¡± ¡°Rest assured that¡ª¡± ¡°Next!¡± he shouted out. I looked at the state of my luggage. My clothes were strewn all over the long table. Good thing he didn¡¯t bother to look through the thick books at the bottom, though. The elderly professor then handed me a cardboard identification card with my name on it, family name omitted, title not included. I was still fixing my clothes when a young lad entered the tent. He was followed by a small group of people who were probably part of his noble house, all of whom looked like somebody just died. ¡°Please, young master, please take care of yourself!¡± cried an old gentleman who looked like a butler. ¡°Your poor mother¡¯s health would never be the same with you stuck in this pris¨C in this academy...¡± ¡°Remember to take your meals on time, young master,¡± said a young girl in a maid¡¯s uniform. ¡°And take a bath every day!¡± said another. ¡°And please keep away from the seniors,¡± cried a young woman clad in a splendid black dress, probably an elder sister. ¡°That is how I lost my dear Franz...¡± she told him teary-eyed. ¡°Stay low profile and make sure you never catch their eyes, you are too lovely after all!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, young master! Stay away from those seniors, and make sure you find Sir Lycan as soon as possible!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± the little lord finally said in a sweet youthful voice. ¡°The first thing I¡¯m gonna do is look for Lycan and make sure he¡¯s okay!¡± he exclaimed, raising a fist up in the air. I smiled a little, remembering our youngest back home who loves to bother me whenever I visit the family library. Only a game of hide and seek would give me back some peace and quiet. Until he realizes that I don¡¯t actually plan to go look for him. I finally fixed the things in my luggage. I pulled my hood back over my head and was about to leave the tent when I felt a light tug on my cloak. ¡°Sir, if you don¡¯t mind...¡± It was the lady with the young lad. ¡°Can you please look after my baby brother inside the academy?¡± ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± I asked the lady who now stood before me. ¡°I am Lady Caithlyn Sylvester, oldest daughter of Count Felix Sylvester, and this is my brother Felix Cathan Sylvester II, the only son and heir of house Sylvester, and my family and I would be more than grateful if you could look after our beloved sibling.¡± ¡°Ah, if that is all, then I would be glad to be his companion,¡± I replied with a smile. ¡°Thank you, kind Sir...¡± she said, breaking into tears, as if her eyes weren¡¯t swollen enough. ¡°May I know the name of our kind benefactor?¡± ¡°Ah, I am Patrick Siccus, the first born of ¨C ¡± The lady turned pale as she suddenly fell on her knees in supplication! ¡°I do beg your pardon, Lord Patrick Siccus!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°I-I had no idea I was addressing the grand duke¡¯s son...¡± ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t mind!¡± I touched her shoulder and helped her up. ¡°Besides, my father is no longer the grand duke since the first crown prince came of age.¡± ¡°E-even so... for this lowly daughter of a count to ask you...¡± She fell silent as she noticed the bony hand touching her. ¡°My goodness! Have you been suffering from a wasting disease?!¡± she asked me. ¡°Ah, I am just a little tired from my travels, it took us more than a week to get here after all,¡± I said under my breath. ¡°More than a week?¡± she looked at me, puzzled. ¡°But my Lord, our territory is much farther than yours, yet we were able to arrived here in five days time.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± I asked her, a bit surprised. ¡°Perhaps my coachman wasn¡¯t very familiar with the route.¡± Then again, it must be because his horse was too old to run faster than a trot. ¡°Woah! Your eyes are so big and huge! They look like they¡¯re about to pop out!¡± said a young voice by my side. I looked down and saw young Lord Sylvester looking up at me. I pulled my hood lower and looked away. ¡°Cat! Mind your manners!¡± his sister scolded him. ¡°But sister, his eyes are the deepest purple I have ever seen!¡± he continued. ¡°That is because house Siccus is of the purest lines of the Indicus family!¡± his sister pointed out. ¡°His mother is the youngest daughter of the late Emperor Nigellus Vladimir Indicum I, and his father is the emperor¡¯s second cousin from his mother¡¯s line.¡± ¡°Does that mean...¡± Cat tilted his head, his eyes narrowed, ¡°he¡¯s the emperor¡¯s grandfather?¡± Cat asked, his blue eyes wide. ¡°Granduncle!¡± his sister corrected him, ¡°that is why you must treat him with utmost respect!¡± ¡°Hey, do you people plan to stay here all day?¡± asked the young man behind the long table. He seemed to have just finished checking Cat¡¯s things which his servants were currently organizing. ¡°You may both enter the gates now,¡± the elderly scholar told us. ¡°May I remind you also, that entering Royal Mauve Academy¡¯s gates mean that you have left your family name and title behind,¡± he added as he adjusted his glasses. ¡°You will only redeem them when you exit the gates six years from now. You are currently students of the empire and must act accordingly. Now take your luggage and go, we shall meet again when classes begin next week." Chapter 2 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°I heard laughter break inside the hall. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Vladimir Indicum V, welcomes you to the Royal Mauve Academy and invites you to his private residence.¡± ¡°Darius answered in a clear voice, ¡°but I am tired in my travels and wish to freshen myself and rest before I meet with him.¡± ¡° ¡°up himself,¡± I heard someone snicker. ¡°his harem full already?¡± another whispered froma side. ¡°Dariusinsisted. ¡°Please excuse me...¡± ¡°titles andhouses are left behind at the academy¡¯s gates,¡± he told the men approaching him, ¡°and that I have all the right to defend myself!¡± ¡°with a long nose looked haughtily at the young lord. ¡°You can tell his highness your complaints yourself.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡°rumors?¡± I asked a chubby, dark skinned young man who was mumbling behind us. ¡°whispered. ¡°They are neverseen again, until his highness grows tired of them, or worst...¡± ¡° ¡°returnhome inside long wooden boxes...¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°re kinda cute,¡± he said with a dirty grin. ¡° ¡°You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°s he still alive? Perhaps I should practice my skill with the holy sword to rid us of this undead imp?¡± someone said which made the whole hall break into laughter. ¡°unnaturally long crack on your face supposed to be a smile?¡± they mocked me. ¡° ¡° ¡°Prof. Laurel Novil told me to leave my family¡¯s name behind the gilded gates, as well as my title.¡± ¡° ¡°Aren¡¯t there any other good neophytes left?¡± complained the rest. ¡° ¡° ¡°so entertained by my appearance that they failed to look down to notice your feet,¡± I said with a small laugh. ¡°said, his eyes turning bright again. ¡°So, is this going to be our room from now on?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡°dark chubby face appeared when the door opened, and the man behind us at the queue entered the room. ¡°You must be my room mate,¡± his eyes disappeared when he smiled. ¡°My name is Elliot, I guess we¡¯re stuck together from now on.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°incurable disease!?¡± asked Elliot. ¡°I have seen people in the slums as thin as you when my father brought me to one of his business ventures in the far-west, they say they were suffering from an epidemic and were half dead!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°up! It can contain up to a hundred pieces of 300 different items, Father bought it from the Magnificat kingdom in the west where the great sages come from,¡± he said proudly. ¡°We may hail from a knight family, but my father and his father before him have all been successful merchants in this Empire!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°loudly! Perhaps the reason why you¡¯re so thin is because you always forget to eat your meals.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡°to say, you actually miss your meals?!¡± Elliot asked in disbelief. ¡° ¡°family has the privilege of having servants in their home,¡± Elliot said in a low voice. ¡°the emperor¡¯s great grandpa! It¡¯s impossible that they don¡¯t have servants at home!¡± ¡°confused. ¡° ¡° ¡°and, I can¡¯t help it, since I am the first born after all,¡± I added. ¡° ¡° ¡°treat their first born sons as sacrificial lambs,¡± Elliot explained. ¡°They raise them for the sake of sending them to this academy, and train their second born as the main heir.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Though, I was also quite sickly as a child,¡± I added as an after thought. ¡°My parents used to worry that I might die early and force my younger brother to take my place as the empire¡¯s ¡®sacrifice¡¯.¡± ¡° ¡°Elliot Lucius III, second son and heir of Sir Elliot Lucius, from his highness¡¯ order of Mauve knights, do hereby swear that I will not stop until I feed you back to health!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Chapter 3 – Day 2, Saturday ¡° ¡° ¡°I looked at the smallest one in our room. ¡° ¡°apprenticeship?¡± he said knowingly. ¡° ¡°as well as a knight,¡± he began, ¡°so, it¡¯s no surprise that we get information from reliable sources.¡± ¡°Royal Mauve Academy, is because the emperor is well known for his taste for beautiful young men,¡± he finally said. ¡°full of men and catamites he picked from the kingdoms he conquered. They say they number in the hundreds, and that doesn¡¯t even include his legal concubines which number in the thousands! I can¡¯t even imagine how he can sleep with all of them in one year! Is that even possible?!¡± ¡°male concubines?¡± I asked, wide eyed with disbelief. ¡°You look as if your eyes are gonna pop out!¡± Elliot exclaimed as he stared at me. ¡°Here¡¯s some freshly baked pastries for breakfast!¡± ¡° ¡°powdered sugar off his fingers, ¡°good news is, the emperor¡¯s promiscuous behavior seemed to have dwindled recently due to his old age, news of him taking in new concubines have stopped. Problem is, the first crown prince seems to have inherited his appetite for men.¡± ¡°Darius from yesterday...¡± ¡° ¡° ¡°who nodded at me. ¡°Soon.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡°d. ¡°It would be better to shove my holy sword down his throat to put him out of his misery!¡± holy sword¡¯ person. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°noble, we don¡¯t see much of those these days,¡± she said with a giggle. ¡°Just call me Aunt May, now off you go, and don¡¯t forget to finish your food!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°4th floor instead, I heard the late registers were quite good looking.¡± ¡° ¡°at actually worked!¡± Cat said, jumping up and down. ¡°Now I won¡¯t need to worry about being Sodam¡¯s apprentice!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°oled the seniors!¡± said Elliot. ¡°Now, why don¡¯t we go to the dining hall to celebrate with an early lunch? I heard the food here is to die for!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°I know you both are aware that magic use is forbidden for neophytes like us.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°just a simple spell called ¡®mask of flesh¡¯that I found from an old grimoire,¡± I told them. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°shy grin. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°up at me. ¡°Want me to dig your eyes out? Huh, freak?¡± he sneered. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°his name is Patrick!¡± Cat shouted in a shrill voice. ¡°He¡¯s Patrick Siccus, the heir of Grand Duke Siccus! So you better stop bullying him since he¡¯s the Emperor¡¯s grandpa!¡± ¡° ¡°¡®Royal Recluse¡¯!¡± ¡° ¡°deep purple eyes and ebony hair! Only the last pure bloods have such traits!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°etings, Lord Patrick,¡± said he, ¡°my name is Rian. Please forgive Turin¡¯s insolent behavior.He was just being a bit rowdy since there are a lot of neophytes this year.¡± ¡®Is that any reason to harass anybody?¡¯ I thought to myself, but decided to keep my mouth shut. I know that talking back never solved anything, so I simply gave him a little nod. ¡°grace?¡± He looked at a table near the middle of the hall where two other seniors sat eating. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°believe I shall be better as soon as we return to our room,¡± I assured them. ¡°I would also like to know more about this ¡®apprentice¡¯ thing.¡± Chapter 4 ¡°¡®apprenticeship¡¯ they keep talking about?¡± I asked Elliot as we settled in our room. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° dilemma,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° friends¡¯ comments. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Stolen novel; please report. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°The Baron Fentibeau?¡± Elliot asked excitedly. ¡°The leading apothecary in the capital?!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Chapter 5 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° mask of flesh¡¯! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Chapter 6 That night, a professor came to our quarters when the tower chimed 10 to drag Arman out of our room. He argued that no one was using one of our beds, but the professor, a certain Mr. Whitman, said changing the names in the magic registry would be too much of a bother. I guess this proves what Elliot said earlier about a security system. A lot of things happened that day, and I couldn¡¯t wait to lay in bed, yet no sooner had I placed my head on my pillow, than countless thoughts entered my mind. ¡°Do you think the spell would work?¡± I turn to my left to face Cat whose bed was right next to mine. I was surprised to see that he was still awake. ¡°I sure hope so,¡± I replied. ¡°If it does, then the water I enchanted from the aqueducts will fill the pools, and everyone who bathes in it will be affected.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really amazing, Pat,¡± Elliot said from the bed nearest to the door. ¡°I never would have thought of such a plan!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± said Cat. ¡°As long as the spell is active, everyone who feels scared or anxious will get red pimples all over their skin!¡± ¡°It¡¯s rashes,¡± I said with a laugh. ¡°It was the best solution I could think of, knowing that nobles look down on anyone and anything different with disgust.¡± ¡°Still, a superb plan from the famous recluse!¡± Elliot said with a loud laugh. I sat up suddenly on my bed, wobbling a bit due to my low blood pressure. ¡°That title, were did you hear that from?¡± I asked him. ¡°O-oh, I¡¯m sorry, does it offend you?¡± Elliot apologized. ¡°No, not really, but it¡¯s the first time I have heard of it,¡± I frowned. ¡°I¡¯m just wondering why people keep calling me that title.¡± ¡°W-well...¡± I saw Elliot turn around in the half darkness of our room to sit facing me. ¡°I heard this from my father, which he heard from one of his Imperial Highness¡¯ close vassals,¡± he went on. ¡°They say there was this feast organized by the emperor to welcome a certain royal who reached the age of seven...¡± ¡°Ahh...¡± I finally remembered. ¡°What? What is it? What happened?¡± Cat asked, excited to hear a bedtime story. ¡°Something I¡¯ve been trying to forget for nine years now,¡± I sighed. ¡°Should I not tell it, then?¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t know the story yet!¡± Cat whined, sitting next to me on my bed. ¡°It¡¯s nothing special, just an embarrassing memory my mother forced on me...¡± ¡°Elliot! You tell stories much better, you tell me!¡± I gave another sigh as Elliot gave an embarrassed laugh. ¡°Go ahead,¡± I told him. ¡°As I was saying, it was Patrick¡¯s 7th birthday, and the emperor held a great feast to formally welcome him to the royal Indicum family...¡± Elliot began his tale. ¡°Emperor Nigellus Vladimir Indicum IV was old even then, but he only had three young male heirs, thus he decided to name Patrick as a possible emperor candidate.¡± ¡°Woah, he did?¡± Cat¡¯s large eyes glittered in the light from the half moon outside. ¡°That means you can be emperor, too!¡± ¡°That¡¯s just the problem,¡± Elliot continued. ¡°They say the festivities were already at full swing when the Grand Duchess Patricia Siccus from the royal Indicum line, came inside the ballroom with her beautiful child in tow.¡± The two side glanced me. ¡°The child was crying while holding a large book to his chest, saying that he was still busy reading it. Then the Emperor went to him and asked, ¡®Do you think reading a book is more important than today¡¯s festivities?¡¯ To which the child replied, ¡®Of course. Knowledge is forever. There will come a time when I would know more about this world than you ever will.¡¯¡± Yes, I still remember that day. How the whole ballroom burst into laughter. How my mother stared at me as if I was a piece of excrement stuck to the heel of her shoe. ¡°Then the emperor asked the child again, ¡®Does this mean that you do not wish to be emperor?¡¯ To that, young Patrick stared at the emperor and said, ¡®If this is what being an emperor is like, then...¡¯ ¡°...I would much rather become a recluse...¡± I concluded, burying my burning face in the palm of my hands. ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s why they call you the famous recluse!¡± Cat said with a laugh. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you had the courage to face the emperor at such a young age!¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s really cute of you, Pat,¡± Elliot said with a big grin on his face. ¡°I had no idea you were the famous recluse, until Cat told the seniors your family name in the dining hall, and even then, I was too shy to ask you about that famous story. Good thing the emperor found you too cute to be punished! I heard he¡¯s quite the tyrant.¡± ¡°As they say, ignorance is bliss,¡± I told my room mates. ¡°Truth be told, that night was the single, most embarrassing memory in my entire life. It still gives me nightmares `till now.¡± ¡°Well, I guess, I would be scared out of my wits as well, if I had to face the emperor and see all those nobles laughing at me!¡± said Elliot. ¡°Me too!¡± Cat piped in. But facing the emperor in a sea full of laughing nobles wasn¡¯t the root of my fear that day. In fact, it helped me build up an immunity towards burdensome situations. What chilled me to the bone was the event that happened after the ball, when the emperor called my mother and I into his private chamber. When he looked at me and touched me and told me how beautiful I was. ¡®He is your great uncle, Vlad,¡¯ my mother told him. ¡®And he is under my protection.¡¯ ¡®I know,¡¯ the emperor replied with mirthless laughter, ¡®but soon enough, he will belong to me.¡¯ I still see that snarl like smile in my dreams. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Still hear his mirthless laughter, chasing after me through endless corridors. When I think back to it, I guess that was the start of my mother¡¯s indifference towards me. She sent me to a separate building, away from the main house, with only three servants to look after me. I guess she decided that I was not worth the trouble, since the emperor had already set his eyes on me. Embarrassing her in front of the whole empire probably played a big part in it as well. Soon, I was left with only one servant who didn¡¯t even bother to know if I had eaten anything all day. I was left with no choice but to fend for myself and merely survived through secret trips to the kitchen and to our family library tower which I viewed as my real home. It was there that I learned about the world, and about its people, and about a secret beneath the last staircase¡¯s lowest rung that opened into a crawl space big enough for a skinny kid like me to slip through. After that, I started learning about magic. I heard Cat stifle a yawn. ¡°What do you think the time is?¡± he asked me. ¡°The clock tower just chimed half past 11.¡± ¡°You can hear it from here?¡± asked Elliot. ¡°Just barely, we¡¯re at the farthest end of the dorms, after all, and the walls are quite thick.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hear a thing,¡± said Cat after another yawn. ¡°Go ahead and sleep, we¡¯ll tell you more stories tomorrow when you wake up,¡± said Elliot. I watched Cat¡¯s eyes close completely. His lids began to flutter as he entered the realm of dreams. Elliot¡¯s loud snoring followed soon after. I used an ¡®inaudible¡¯ spell to silence him by trapping the sound in a bubble around his bed. I gently pulled my covers to one side and made my way to the desk by my bed. There, covered with a hiding spell on the second to the last drawer, was a thick old almanac I brought from home. I hauled the big book out and turned its thin sheets to page 20, where the rest of the book¡¯s pages were hollowed out to snugly fit another book bound in black leather. I pry it out of its secret compartment and gently caress its covers, lovingly tracing its edges and gently turning it over to open my tome. A soft purring sound broke the silence in the room. Now, I can spend my night in peace. ¡°Wake up, Pat! I still need to give you a trim!¡± I woke up the next morning with Arman shaking my shoulder. ¡°What time is it?¡± I asked, stretching my arms. ¡°It¡¯s seven in the morning, hurry and eat your breakfast so we can get ready for today¡¯s events!¡± I looked around the room and saw Cat and Elliot having breakfast on the empty desk in the room. ¡°We have muffins and eggs with your choice of warm butter, cream, or jam!¡± Cat grinned at me. ¡°Really, Elliot,¡± said Arman with his arms across his chest, ¡°I know your food tastes heavenly, but you should watch your weight and your complexion! All that grease and sugar will make your skin oilier and would only add to your acne problem!¡± ¡°All worth it!¡± Elliot replied, his mouth full of muffins. ¡°Who wants to look pretty in this place anyway? Right, Pat?¡± ¡°Right,¡± I replied with my second muffin. ¡°What¡¯s there to do today, anyway?¡± asked Cat. ¡°It¡¯s the last day of vacation since school starts tomorrow, we might as well just stuff our faces. No one wants to see us anyway.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want a tour around the campus before school starts?¡± Arman asked us. ¡°Nah...¡± said Cat. ¡°Nope,¡± said Elliot. ¡°Not really,¡± said I. ¡°My goodness, these people, just what am I supposed to do with you!?¡± Arman said exaggeratedly. ¡°Pat, don¡¯t you want to know where the library is?¡± I perked up and looked at him. ¡°I heard they¡¯re serving a Sunday special in the dining hall today.¡± Elliot dropped the muffin he was lathering with butter. ¡°And don¡¯t you want to look for your best friend Lycan?¡± he asked Cat. ¡°Well... now that you mentioned it...¡± ¡°Now, I have the perfect outfits chosen for my new friends!¡± said Arman who pointed at the empty bed, now laden with different pieces of clothing. ¡°Where did you get those?¡± I asked. ¡°Oh, I just whisked up some stuff from your wardrobes and added some of my own!¡± he said with a haughty laugh. I did notice my dressing shirt mixed with a gray cloak and a roughly knitted dark purple scarf. ¡°This is so cool! It¡¯s just like a dress up party!¡± said Cat. ¡°My sisters loved to dress me up as well!¡± ¡°I chose this lovely coat for you, Cat, your clothes all seem to fit you so well already! I¡¯ll just lend you this thick ocre scarf to make you look cuter!¡± He handed him a pale blue shirt, royal blue pants, and a navy blue blazer with an over-sized scarf. ¡°For Elliot, I picked this plain green shirt as opposed to your usual floral prints, and this moss green scarf which you could drape over your shoulders to get that vertical look to make you seem slimmer!¡± I looked at Arman¡¯s outfit. He was wearing a long red dear skin coat over a cream colored satin shirt whose front was lined in double ivory buttons. He completed the outfit with cream gloves and a red hat. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not trying to call everyone¡¯s attention with our outfits?¡± I asked him. ¡°Of course, not! It¡¯s a Sunday, we¡¯re required to attend the service in the prayer hall at the back of the dormitories. Everyone is supposed to wear their Sunday¡¯s best!¡± ¡°And it never passed your mind that the seniors might use this opportunity to scout out more apprentices?¡± The proud smile in Arman¡¯s face froze. ¡°But my face is covered in burn marks!¡± he tried to reason out. ¡°They can just cover it with your hat.¡± His smile completely disappeared. ¡°Look Pat! Don¡¯t I look cute in this outfit!?¡± I looked at Cat and had to agree. The over-sized ocre-colored scarf covered half of his face, making him look even more adorable with his big blue eyes peeping out. Even Elliot looked grand in the outfit Arman chose for him. He could hardly hide the silly grin in his face as he checked himself in the full length mirror. I gave a sigh of resignation. Arman took this as me surrendering. ¡°Now come here for a second so I can trim your hair.¡± Yesterday¡¯s bath and oils did wonders to my hair. The usual brittle strands that split at the ends looked slightly shiny today. Arman took a small pair of scissors and expertly snipped around my head while I held a sheet of cloth tightly around my neck. ¡°There! All done!¡± Arman brandished proudly at my direction as Cat and Elliot clapped their hands and stared at me in wonder. He had trimmed my hair close to my scalp with the back a bit longer that it covered half of my nape. ¡°I guess it¡¯s true when they say the hair makes the man!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look like an upside down bush anymore!¡± said Cat. ¡°Now put on your clothes and we¡¯ll be on our way to the prayer hall!¡± said Arman after dusting loose hair from my neck with a horse hair brush. ¡°Really, why does it look like you get more eye bags when you sleep?¡± he mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m gonna have to give you a complete facial later this evening...¡± ¡°Um, are you really sure it¡¯s okay for us to dress this way?¡± I asked him. ¡°Of course, my dear Pat!¡± Arman gave me a big smile, his eyes crinkling at the sides. ¡°I know you may not be used to it, but remember, this is a school for children with noble blood,¡± said he. ¡°It is only proper to dress like one.¡± I later found out that Arman wasn¡¯t exaggerating. We found nobles decked in their Sunday¡¯s best as soon as we left our room. It was like a fashion show where young heirs could strut about to proudly showcase their family¡¯s wealth. Of course, not everyone felt the same. We saw several students staying back or lurking in the shadows. They wore simple tunics and quietly made their way towards the prayer hall with us. Others, still, had the haunted look of the victims of the apprenticeship forced on them by the seniors. They, too, had worn simple, thick clothes that closed around their necks and almost covered their entire body, as if they were trying to hide from the world. Everyone was required to attend the prayers on Sunday. Everyone, including the crown prince who mostly kept in his private residence. And we silently prayed, that Cat¡¯s friend Lycon, would be there as well. Chapter 7 – Day 3, Sunday The Empire¡¯s might is divided between three seats of power; the Holy Emperor who commands the Royal Knights, the High Priest of the Holy Temple who commands the Holy Knights or Paladins, and the Grand Magister of the Ivory Tower who tames all the magicians in the empire. All three are connected to the Empire¡¯s main religion and to their deity, the Goddess of the Purple Flame. No one remembers the Goddess¡¯ name, only that her flame gave life to the first Indicum warrior who founded the empire. Not that the empire needed finding. It had always been there. It just so happened that an ancestor of mine was the strongest barbarian in his era who was able to Conqueror all eight kingdoms and unite them as one. And that he was a mama¡¯s boy. From these thoughts of mine, I know, one would realize that I am agnostic. I no longer believe in such tales about a higher being claiming all the glory in battle while thousands of people die for their so called ¡®noble¡¯ cause. Particularly since their current ¡®anointed one¡¯ plans to own me someday. ¡°Let us bow our heads in supplication to ask the goddess of the Purple Flame to ascend upon us and send us the blessings of everlasting mana to purge our enemies.¡± The prayer is meant to look for in-coming 4th year students who have any talent in magic. They would then be given lessons in magic until they graduate in their 6th year. ¡®Fuu~¡¯ I sigh and look at the altar up front as we remain seated on the hard marble floor. It was a good thing that I was at the end of our row. I could clearly see a royal looking young man with long, gray-black hair that reached to his waist. He is facing the altar with his back against us, but I could tell who he is by the way the rest of the 4th years seem to shrink away from him. ¡°That¡¯s the first crown prince, Nigellus Vladimir Indicum V,¡± Elliot whispered by my side. Even in such occasions, he¡¯s still a reliable source of information. ¡°They¡¯re waiting for the Holy Purple Flame to descend upon the crown of their heads,¡± he continued. ¡°It is the greatest honor for a noble student of the Royal Mauve Academy to be blessed by the flames, particularly if you have the blood of royalty in your veins.¡± ¡°Heads down!¡± I felt a sharp rap on the back of my head. ¡°Ouch!¡± Elliot gasped, as a professor walked up from behind us. ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Elliot apologized, though I was partly at fault. ¡°It seems the crown prince¡¯s flame is refusing to descend,¡± I mumbled back. Elliot tried not to laugh. ¡°Quiet!¡± Another rap on the head told me I should stop with the remarks. The prayers lasted for an hour until the priests finally decided that the crown prince would never get a blessing. Three students were chosen that day. Small flames of lilac hovered over their heads and stayed afloat even as they stood up in front of the altar to face the rest of the students. The flames looked like small lazy butterflies looking for a place to land. The zealous priests praised the goddess again and again until they slowly faded away. ¡°Timothy, Basil, and Peter, we congratulate you and welcome you into the goddess¡¯s embrace, soon you shall be inducted as Holy Nights of the Purple Flame!¡± said the high priest who was so ecstatic to have three new potential mass murderers to command. These three will be trained by Grand Magister Shalem, himself in the highest arts of combat magic. They may not have been able to manifest magic early in life, but even a bit of magic talent can spell a big difference in a fight. They would be given the chose later on to join either the royal knights or the temple¡¯s paladins, and soon, would be sent off to the nearest war to broaden the Empire¡¯s borders even more. I stifle a yawn as the ceremony dragged on. When it finally finished, my legs were so cramped that I could hardly raise myself off the floor. ¡°Are you okay?¡± asked Elliot who easily got up to his feet. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I would require a minute or two before I could stand up...¡± ¡°Waah, my legs are so numb I can¡¯t feel them!¡± I heard Cat cry from our right. ¡°Can you make sure they¡¯re still there?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t anyone touch me,¡± snapped Arman whose legs seemed to have gone numb as well. ¡°At least the ceremonies are finally over...¡± I said with a sigh. At last, I finally got to unfold one of my legs. ¡°Actually, the second part is just about to begin,¡± said Elliot. ¡°We will now proceed with the blessing of mentors,¡± said another priest on the stage. A loud moan broke across the prayer hall. ¡°All neophytes apprenticed to a senior, please proceed to your mentor¡¯s side.¡± Murmurings filled the hall, followed by sobs and even an audible wail that pierced the air. I was surprised to see some students rise on their own, though. They looked pretty proud of themselves as they went to the left side of the altar where 4th to 6th year students where seated. ¡°Those are probably members of the crown prince¡¯s vassal houses,¡± said Elliot who first looked around to make sure there were no professors near us. ¡°I-I don¡¯t want to go!¡± I heard someone whimper from the front. ¡°I would rather they kill me...¡± another whispered. ¡°Professor!¡± a shrill cry broke out. We turned to look at a senior trying to pull a neophyte to his feet. ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with my apprentice!¡± He suddenly let go of the neophyte¡¯s arm and stared at his hands in disgust. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong with these students as well!¡± someone else called from the right.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°M-my gods... I think they gave me something...¡± I heard a person cry in front of us. I turned and saw angry looking red rashes appearing on his arms and neck, climbing up to his pale cheeks. ¡°Help! Someone help!¡± The students cried out as more neophytes broke into rashes. Thus, the ceremony of the Holy Purple Flame was abruptly cut short as more than 20 students were rushed to the infirmary. They say the rashes didn¡¯t hurt, neither did it itch, yet it released a sour stench that smelled like vomit. The dumbfounded healers think it might be a new form of venereal disease, and thus, had forbidden any form of physical contact between students. Particularly, between mentors and their apprentices. ¡°Cheers! To the perfect plan of our great master magician!¡± said Arman as he raised a bottle of ale towards me. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would work this perfectly!¡± said Elliot whose flushed face couldn¡¯t hide his grin. ¡°I know I shouldn¡¯t be laughing like this, but damn, Pat! You really are a genius magician!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing some of the students took a bath in the morning!¡± added Arman. ¡°Hush, someone might hear us!¡± I reminded them as we sat in a circle beneath the grassy shade of a tall oak tree. We found the place after walking for some time away from the main school buildings. It was way beyond the open fields and was at the edge of a well pruned forest. We had to make sure that no one else was around before Elliot took his dimensional pouch and pulled out a picnic blanket and some platters of food for us to dine on. ¡°I feel bad about those students, though,¡± said Cat who was unusually quiet. ¡°They actually thought their rashes were life threatening, I was tempted to tell them it was all just an illusion.¡± I smiled at him uneasily. Actually, I knew that an outbreak of rashes would alarm the academy, that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t merely place an illusion spell on the aqueduct¡¯s water supply. I actually used a real rash in the improvised protective spell. I simply lessened the potency of a ¡®pox curse¡¯ I found by a considerable amount to make sure that it only releases a pungent scent when the target feels threatened. Besides, it is still much better than dying or getting molested, it¡¯s only triggered by extreme fear, and would fade on its own once the target calms down. ¡°I guess that takes care of our problems with the seniors!¡± said Arman with a victorious grin. ¡°That stupid apprenticeship can just go to hell along with the crown prince who started it all!¡± ¡°Right, this time around, I hope we get proper masters to apprentice to.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Arman¡¯s grin disappeared as he stared at Elliot. ¡°We still need to be apprenticed to someone?¡± ¡°Yup, after all, apprenticeship has always been part of the Royal Mauve Academy, but don¡¯t worry,¡± Elliot assured him, ¡°this time around, we will be able to get real skilled masters who could teach us their trade.¡± ¡°You mean, I could actually get a master designer to be my mentor?¡± Arman looked excited. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± said Elliot. ¡°a student needs to be apprenticed to one master at a time through their six years of stay in the academy.¡± ¡°What if I decided not to be apprenticed to anyone?¡± I asked him. ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to graduate if you don¡¯t get at least one mentor or master to train you. It¡¯s written in the Royal Mauve Academy handbook.¡± ¡°How come I haven¡¯t seen this so called ¡®handbook¡¯ before?¡± I asked with a frown. ¡°Oh, they hand all the school books and other stuff on the first day of school, together with the official school uniforms.¡± ¡°And we won¡¯t get them until tomorrow...¡± I said with a groan. ¡°Then I want to be apprenticed to the leading beauty guru, Master Charles Jameson!¡± Arman declared. ¡°I want to be apprenticed to the famous chef, Master George Ramus!¡± said Elliot. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t really work that way, we would have to make do with what the academy can provide us.¡± ¡°Huh. Tough,¡± Arman pouted. ¡°What about you, Pat?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really know...¡± I looked at Cat instead. ¡°What about you, Cat?¡± Cat looked up at us three, holding his bottle of ale with both hands. ¡°I still can¡¯t find Lycan...¡± he replied in a quivering voice. ¡°I only want to be with him!¡± He broke down in tears after saying this. ¡°Shh, don¡¯t cry, baby, I¡¯m sure your friend is doing fine,¡± said Arman who held Cat in his arms and gently stroke his golden hair. ¡°W-what if... what if he ended up w-with the p-prince...¡± he sniffled. ¡°What if he gets b-broken and tells me he c-can¡¯t be with me anymore?¡± Cat started to wail again. ¡°Wherever he may be, I bet he¡¯s still the same friend you once knew, and would do everything in his power just to see you again,¡± said Elliot. I decided to stay silent. I do not believe that thinking the best of a certain situation would actually turn that ¡®best situation¡¯ into reality. I would much rather wait for that situation to unfold. ¡°Come to think of it, I don¡¯t think the crown prince¡¯s apprentices came today,¡± Elliot said thoughtfully. ¡°I didn¡¯t get to see that blond guy from before in the prayer hall.¡± ¡°The prince was probably afraid he might make a run for it,¡± said Arman. ¡°I know, I would.¡± ¡°B-but don¡¯t worry, Cat, even if Lycan is with the crown prince, you know he can¡¯t lock him up forever!¡± Elliot said, trying to cheer Cat up. ¡°He would have to let him go when he finishes his last year in the academy!¡± ¡°Or when he gets tired of him,¡± Arman pointed out. ¡°B-but, Lycan is so adorable, there¡¯s no way he would tire of him...¡± Cat sniffled. ¡°Then we could just help him escape.¡± My three friends looked at me wide-eyed. ¡°C-can you do that, Pat?¡± Cat asked with a sniffle. I simply smiled in reply. ¡°Would you like to take a look around campus?¡± I asked him instead. ¡°I myself, would like to know where the main library is located.¡± We finished the food and packed everything back into Elliot¡¯s dimensional pouch before heading out to our first destination. The Academy Library was a wide round tower with 20 floors, the top of which, belongs to the academy¡¯s head of magic studies, Grand Magister Shalem who is a Sage of the 9th circle. It houses all known published books, periodicals, theses, and dissertations in the entire empire. It seems to be the highest building in the academy as well. At least that was what was written in a plank beside the library door. ¡°The library can only be accessed after you acquire a library card,¡± said an irate senior who looked at us with disgust. ¡°Cards will be distributed tomorrow together with the rest of your school paraphernalia. Now, please leave the premises.¡± In the end, we only got as far as the main entryway. ¡°Where do we go next?¡± Arman asked with his arms crossed behind his head. ¡°Well, since we¡¯re already at the west gardens, why don¡¯t we go past the crown prince¡¯s residence?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea!¡± Cat¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Maybe we can ask someone if Lycan is inside.¡± ¡°Yes, we can try that,¡± said Arman. ¡°Or better yet, we can sneak in and look for him ourselves!¡± He looked at us with a conspiratorial grin. ¡°And risk getting whipped a hundred times?¡± I asked. ¡°Well, can you think of something better?¡± Arman pouted at me, ¡°Like maybe, making us invisible so we can sneak inside without being caught?¡± ¡°There¡¯s too many of us, and it¡¯s harder to sneak in while the sun is still high.¡± ¡°So, you CAN make us invisible!?¡± Cat asked wide-eyed with his small fists over his mouth. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ever wonder why the seniors didn¡¯t see you when you hid beneath my cloak on the first day?¡± I asked him. ¡°I thought they just got so surprised to see you that they didn¡¯t notice,¡± he gasped. ¡°Hmm, I was wondering about that as well,¡± said Elliot. ¡°So it was a spell of invisibility after all!¡± ¡°It is actually more of a ¡®you won¡¯t notice me¡¯ spell,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s an ¡®inconspicuous¡¯ spell.¡± ¡°Can you cast it on us right now?¡± Arman looked excited. ¡°I¡¯m afraid it needs a bit of distraction to work properly, it also loses potency under the bright sun.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s why it worked in the grand hall before, since all the seniors were busy looking at you,¡± said Elliot. ¡°That is correct.¡± ¡°Then, can we do it later when the sun goes down?¡± ¡°We can try,¡± I answered Cat. ¡°For now, it would be wiser to simply scout the place out.¡± ¡°For now, it¡¯s better to get some lunch!¡± said Elliot. ¡°You¡¯re hungry again?!¡± Arman glared at him. ¡°There¡¯s a Sunday special in the menu, remember?¡± Elliot quickly added. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Cat said with a smile. ¡°We can all work better with a full stomach.¡± Chapter 8 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° inconspicuous spell has ceased working, but his eyes went pass me. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° spell once more. Chapter 9 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° my mother would do if I come home five years later. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°puff¡¯ in all direction and looks so pretty like a flower!¡± said Cat whose voice trailed off. ¡°I used to braid it to keep it neat and put small white daisies all over it...¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°¡®fattening Pat up¡¯ next.¡±