“Who exactly is Duke Felix?” he asked, gazing at Jason.“What do you mean, who is he? I’ve already told you,” Jason uttered.“I know he’s the Duke of Aranthia and the real owner of Scarlet Magic High School, but other than that... what else do you know about this guy?” Recalling the disturbed face Sylvia made when her dad was brought up made him increasingly worried for some reason.“Well... there’s not much. Other than the fact that he’s incredibly strong and has already unlocked his crimson mana core, there’s really nothing much to tell. He’s very mysterious,” Jason revealed in one breath.“Don’t you find it odd that no one knows anything about this man?” he questioned.Jason’s brows furrowed slightly, considering his words. After a while, he looked at the Duke’s retreating figure and then back at his friend. “People just thought he enjoyed his privacy, which is normal. He may hold a high rank in society, but he is still a being just like everyone else. Why are you asking all of a s
Cheers filled the arena as countless spectators gathered to watch the exam of the century. Thousands were here for this event, and yet only those who survived could get in. "I have everything you need," Jason assured, prepping Leo for the match. "Even my healing potion?" "Especially your healing potion... you're going to need it," he muttered under his breath. "What?!" "Good luck," Jason exclaimed, completely changing the subject. He shoved a little pill down Leo's throat and handed him some water. "Eww, what was that?" Leo cried in disgust. "A good luck charm," Jason simply stated. "I don't feel too good," Leo revealed, swaying a little. "Just shake it off—the competition is about to start," Jason revealed. At a stage raised to the clouds by magic, a bald man stood in the limelight, the whiskers on his face raised high. Dressed in extravagant attire, the principal began: "Welcome parents, contestants, and fellow citizens of Ivandale. It is with great joy and honor that I a
The cheers grew louder, but Leo could still spot a handful of disappointed faces. He left the arena with Jason by his side."That was the most epic match I've ever seen. The last time an alliance was made in the ring, it was Master Darwin, Master Varrick, and—""My mom?" Leo smirked."Exactly. You're already following in her footsteps. That's rich," Jason chuckled."She helped me first. I would have lost if not for her," Leo said immediately."I know... she was amazing," Jason replied, smiling blankly as he stared into the distance.Leo turned to look at his dazed friend. He smiled, wanting to say something but deciding not to."You did it, Leo!" Sydney exclaimed, grabbing him and Jason in a bear hug."I told you, didn't I?" Varrick remarked."That was the wildest thing I have ever done in my entire life," Leo admitted with a deep grin."That's only a piece of what's to come, my friend," Varrick assured him, folding his arms."You were great out there," Darwin finally spoke."Thank yo
Leo ran out of the classroom and hurriedly went to meet up with his family at the lobby of the principal's office. He played the last moments over and over again, like a broken record player, trying hard to figure Sylvia out. Indeed, the famous saying was true in every timeline: "If you can understand why a pizza is made in a circle, placed in a square box, and eaten as a triangle, then you can understand women." Although he knew it was hard, Leo realized that understanding Sylvia now was close to impossible.Jason noticed his friend coming from across the hall and quickly called out, "Leo..." However, Leo was too lost in his thoughts to answer. Jason walked up to him, gave him a little nudge, and guided him to where his family sat."Leo, what's up with you?" he inquired after finally grabbing his attention."Nothing, I'm just... so excited," he fibbed, giving an awkward smile.Jason noticed that something wasn't right but decided to lighten the mood before Leo went in for his interv
They rode for what seemed like hours before reaching the best ice cream bar in all of Ivandale. Only the best for such a special occasion. They all ordered their favorite ice cream and sat at a table, eating happily.However, Sir Reginald showed up at the ice cream bar, and Darwin, Varrick, and Sydney decided to join him for a while out of courtesy, leaving Jason and Leo alone.Leo still fiddled with his humping pumpkin-flavored ice cream, while Jason's bowl of fiery vanilla was already half-empty."Are you sure you're okay?" Jason inquired yet again, looking at the bits of melted ice cream."Yes, I'm perfectly fine," Leo replied with a subtle smile."It's alright if you don't want to tell me," Jason sighed, taking another bite of his ice cream."Jason, don't do that," Leo cried, rolling his eyes."Do what?" Jason asked, almost cluelessly."The emotional blackmail.""I did no such thing. Maybe it's just your conscience," Jason said casually, staring intently at Leo and shattering his
Leo ran all around the house, trying to prep for school. His alarm hadn't gone off—apparently, he didn't even have one. The wild ride from yesterday had temporarily rid them of the strenuous activity called a "school run." All hands were on deck at this moment: ironing, bathing, cooking—doing everything humanly possible to get Leo ready before Jason could arrive."Here's breakfast," Sydney said, handing him a plate."Thank you so much," Leo replied, chowing down the bread and jam."First day of school. Are you nervous?" Darwin asked.Leo simply shook his head. "I'll be fine."Jason came in moments later, dressed in his navy-blue uniform, his hair neatly combed and nothing out of order."What are you still doing, Leo?" he asked."Just having a few more bites of my breakfast. I promise I'll be done in the next five minutes," Leo assured him."We don't have five minutes. The school gates close at exactly eight o'clock, and the ogres won't let us in, no matter our status," Jason remarked.
They finally got to a wooden door with the words "Student Affairs" marked boldly on it. Jason gently tapped the door twice. They waited for the words "come in" before Jason led them into the office. Jason explained to the lady in charge that Leo and Anaya were there for school uniforms.Anaya barely listened to what he said, focusing instead on the lady he spoke to. She appeared to be in her early sixties; her beauty was still apparent, with just a few wrinkles here and there. Strands of white tainted her once-strawberry blonde hair. Her face was plump, and her cheeks held just the right shade of rosy.Anaya was finally shaken from her trance when she was handed her uniform."This is for you, Miss Anaya," the lady said.Anaya hardly realized that Jason had even helped her with the final application needed to collect the uniform. She simply bowed and said, "Thank you, ma'am." Giving the woman one last glance, she turned to the boys who had escorted her."I'll see you two later," she an
They got in a few minutes late, but luckily for them, the teacher hadn’t arrived yet.“That was close. The punishment for tardiness is no light matter,” Jason remarked.Leo looked at his nerdy friend and chuckled slightly before resting his head on the desk. Their fellow classmates were taking full advantage of the teacher’s absence—laughing, playing, and engaging in other frivolous activities. Except, of course, Anaya, who sat quietly in a corner, sharpening one of her pencils over and over.Jason occasionally stole glances at her, but she seemed to barely notice him—or anything else for that matter.The teacher finally entered the classroom, her presence commanding absolute silence. She was a woman in her early thirties with bright green eyes and red hair. Freckles adorned her cheeks, enhanced by a soft, rosy hue. She wore a floral dress and muddy rain boots, looking as though she’d just walked off a farm.Removing her yellow rubber gloves, which were smeared with mud, she apologize
Sylvia and Leo walked side by side through the crowd, neither saying a single word. Leo would always turn several shades of red, even if their hands simply brushed against each other."Friday was amazing, by the way. We had a lot of fun," Leo said, breaking the awkward silence."I don't think your friend thought so. Do you think she hates me?" Sylvia asked, staring at him intently."Who? Anaya? Of course not. She just doesn’t warm up so easily. Don’t take whatever she says to heart—she’s mean to everyone," Leo replied plainly."I see..." Sylvia murmured, thinking deeply. She shook her head as if making a mental note and then continued to ask Leo about how he had been doing these past days and how he was adjusting to school life. She proceeded to ask about his family and other personal matters, seemingly engrossed in his everyday life and wanting to know more by the second.She was essentially asking intrusive questions that Leo couldn’t answer without thinking deeply. He still had to
After dinner, Jason reminded Leo of how upset Anaya was yesterday and thought it would be best to apologize to her sincerely tomorrow. Leo knew that Anaya wouldn't forgive so easily and wondered what would be the best way to apologize. Sydney advised the boys that if they really wanted her forgiveness, they needed to do something incredibly thoughtful and sweet, like baking a cake. They loved the idea, but the only problem was they didn't know the first thing about baking.Sydney sighed at their ability to fight beasts and conjure up magnificent things, yet they couldn't do something as simple as baking a cake. She rolled her eyes, wondering how Varrick Darwin or Alex couldn't teach them such basic skills, but then again, how could they teach what they had no knowledge of? She agreed to help them out, and they stayed up all night just to prepare it.The boys always found a way to mess up the cake in the blink of an eye. Sydney was even afraid to blink, worried they would add too much
Anaya walked into an ancient building filled with cracks of time and layers of heritage. She entered her coldly colored room, took off her uniform, freshened up, and placed the white book on her study table, ready to analyze it as she had done for the past few days. While engrossed in the letters that only she seemed able to see, Anaya once again found herself puzzled by the book's secrets and enchantments.A figure slowly emerged from her slightly ajar white wooden door."Anaya, darling..."Anaya turned to see a woman in her late seventies with beautiful long white hair and wrinkles that spoke of a life well-lived. She smiled brightly as the woman walked in."Are you back from school?""Yes, Ma. I'm back," Anaya replied."How was it? How are your friends?" her grandmother asked."They're fine, Ma. Everything's fine," Anaya answered simply."I'm sure my darling Anaya is so popular and has lots of friends. Do you want food? I'll make it," her grandmother offered."No, Ma. You've been o
Leo, Jason, and Anaya made their way to the detention room with sad and solemn expressions, taking measured steps toward three hours of boredom and annoyance."Can't you just make the Dean fall asleep again?" Leo asked hopefully."And what will we do about Derek?" Anaya countered."Can't you use a sleep spell on him too?" Jason suggested."Believe me, I've tried, but he has some super strong force field on his mind," Anaya replied, frustration creeping into her voice."Is it impossible to break?" Leo asked, curious about the kind of magic required for such a spell."Yeah, if you're an amateur. But don't worry, I'll deal with it soon enough," she said confidently.They stood by the door, hesitating between staying or running back home. The Dean walked by, spotting them instantly. He quickly pulled out a wand from his pocket, pointed it at them, and yelled,"What are you three still doing there? Time for detention!"They sighed and groaned, lowering their heads as they shuffled into the
---When detention rolled around and the four students sat quietly as the Dean watched them closely. Anaya and Jason hadn’t spoken a single word since Leo left them earlier, and their silence made him rather uneasy.Derek, being his usual self, tried to get Anaya’s attention as much as humanity would allow, but his efforts were anything but fruitful. The moment the clock struck five, Anaya left without sparing them a glance. Jason let out a sigh and placed his books in his bag. The Dean told them to leave as soon as possible so the workers could clean in peace. Derek picked up his bag and sneered at them before leaving with the Dean.Leo and Jason stood on the steps in front of the school's main gate, only to realize their carriage wasn’t there. They glanced at the row of fly cycles parked nearby and remembered Varrick’s words: They needed to start traveling on their own; the school run was over.Jason sat on the stairs, not in the mood to ride home just yet. Leo joined him and sugges
Leo got home with a solemn expression on his face. He had barely eaten his dinner and didn’t even flash his famous smile. Anytime Darwin, Varrick, or Sydney asked about school, he would only give one-word answers, which was unlike him. Darwin and Varrick assumed it was just the stress of school getting to him, so they didn’t press further. They were certain Leo couldn’t have been bullied—he was stronger than most of his peers and knew exactly when to fight and when not to. Sydney, on the other hand, thought otherwise and decided to speak with him after dinner.The night grew quiet once dinner was over. Darwin and Varrick, exhausted from running around Ivandale with Alex, quickly lay down to rest. The only sounds that filled the air were the night critters and animals, adding to the soothing sounds that come with the night.Leo had already snuggled under his covers, and the oil lamp was about to be blown out when two light taps came at his door. Instinctively, he said, “Come in.” Sydne
"I'll be back," Leo assured his friends, getting up to follow Sylvia.They moved to a quiet corner, and Sylvia struggled to get her words out."Why..." she began but trailed off, her mouth opening and closing with hesitation."Why are you hanging out with her?" she finally managed to ask."Who?" Leo asked, confused.Sylvia, too ashamed to clarify, looked away. Leo followed her gaze, his confusion growing when he realized who she meant."Anaya? She’s my friend. And if you really think about it, she’s the reason I’m in this school to begin with. Besides, I’m hanging out with Jason too," he explained, trying to clear up any misunderstanding."Please... please stop hanging out with her," she stammered, still avoiding his eyes."Why?""Because you can’t." Sylvia slapped a hand over her mouth, shocked by her own outburst. Her face flushed as she noticed the curious stares from nearby students."You don’t have a reason?" Leo asked, growing more puzzled by the second."I do! But... I can’t te
"What are you three doing together?..." the Dean echoed, grabbing Derek by the collar. They immediately dispersed and took their assigned seats. The Dean shook his head, too tired to even nag."You have a new inmate," he said, emphasizing the word inmate so sadistically it felt like they were in some inescapable prison—as if they wouldn’t leave in the next two hours and be tortured for his entertainment. He casually shoved Derek forward and pointed to a seat."Take a seat and be quiet..." he snapped. "Taking out a book or two wouldn’t hurt either," he added taking his sat at the table right in front of the class.As he took a sip of his coffee, Anaya stared at him intently and unwaveringly. The boys noticed this and became increasingly curious. After mere seconds The Dean yawned for a moment before completely passing out.Anaya couldn’t help but feel annoyed at how long it had taken her to perform a simple spell and make the man fall asleep. She silently promised herself to get better
---"Hello," she said with a smile."Hi?" they replied, clearly unnerved by her sudden friendliness."Candy?" she asked, offering a variety of sweets in her palm."Yes, please!" Leo exclaimed, eagerly taking one. Jason followed suit, unwrapping his piece and popping it into his mouth."It's poisoned," she stated with the straightest face.Their eyes widened in panic as they stared at her."I'm kidding," she said, laughing hard. "Goodness, you two are so gullible."Leo scoffed. "That's not funny.""You have to admit, it's a little funny. You should’ve seen your faces," she added, laughing even harder.This was the first time they’d ever heard her laugh, and it was so infectious that they couldn’t help but laugh along with her. It was impossible to stay mad."Did you find anything new in the book?" Leo asked, grabbing another "poisoned" candy."Not much," she admitted. "I found a few strange codes and some vague riddles.""Like what?" Jason asked curiously.Anaya opened her mouth to exp