bookpower Chapter 27 You're going to School!
Chapter 27 You're going to School!
"KAEL!"
The shout echoed through the forest, interrupting his thoughts. It was a familiar voice, but filled with irritation and authority.
"Damn... she seems to be upset," Kael muttered to himself, before sighing deeply. "Better go before it gets worse."
He started walking toward the voice, the shadows around him still faintly pulsating, as if reacting to his newly awakened magic. When he reached a clearing, his mother, Elion, was there, standing with her arms crossed and an expression that mixed exasperation and frustration. Her elegant dress fluttered slightly in the breeze, and the mana around her was almost palpable, like a contained storm.
"KAEL!" she shouted again when she saw him. "What do you think you're doing?!"
Kael raised his hands in a defensive gesture. "Calm down, Mom! What's going on this time?"
"THIS TIME?! Do you have any idea the damage you've caused?" She pointed beyond the clearing, where some trees were still leaning or had deep marks of cuts. "I spent hours restoring the forest with magic after your last disastrous training! And now you're destroying everything again!"
Kael looked at the ground, scratching the back of his neck, trying not to meet her gaze directly. "Well, technically, it wasn't my fault... Grandma provoked me, and then things... kind of... got out of control."
"Provoked?! Kael, you cut down almost fifty trees! That's not getting out of control, that's pure destruction!" Elion said, narrowing her eyes. She took a deep breath, trying to calm down, but it was clearly not working. "You have no idea the work it takes to fix this!"
"Okay, okay, I get it. I'll be more careful next time," he said, raising his hands as if surrendering.
"Next time?!" Elion huffed, shaking her head. "There won't be a next time here, Kael. You're going to the Azalith Academy soon, and there you can train and destroy whatever you want without giving me a headache."
Kael raised his eyebrows, surprised. "So it's official? I'm really going to Azalith?"
"Yes, official and decided," Elion replied, crossing her arms again. "I've made the arrangements. You'll start in a few months. There you'll have the resources and space you need to train, learn, and maybe, just maybe, stop destroying entire forests in the process."
Kael paused for a moment. He knew Azalith Academy was one of the most renowned in the continent, known for producing the greatest mages, warriors, and strategists. But he also knew it would be a completely new environment, full of challenges and... social complications.
"I get it. I guess it's for the best," he said, sighing.
"And don't think this means you'll be free of responsibilities," Elion added, pointing an accusing finger at him. "Azalith isn't just a school; it's a battleground to prove your worth. You'll learn to control your power and act like someone worthy of the lineage you carry."
Kael raised his hands again, trying to placate her. "Okay, Mom, I get it. I'll behave... as much as possible."
Elion narrowed her eyes at him, as if not fully believing his words, but she eventually shook her head. "I just hope Azalith can handle you. Now, go help clean up the mess you made. Consider it practice for the challenges ahead."
"D-Director... you're... monologuing again..." said the voice, trembling but with a playful tone. It was clear this wasn't the first time she had found him in this situation.
Altharion immediately stopped, his expression of deep calculation and authority turning into something between embarrassment and impatience. He slowly turned his head towards the voice that had interrupted his dramatic moment.
The young assistant, Lyra Faelbright, was standing at the entrance of the office, a stack of scrolls in her arms, her cheeks flushed. Her glasses were slightly sliding down her nose, and her green hair, tied in a loose bun, gave her an adorably clumsy appearance.
Altharion sighed, leaning back in his chair and massaging his temple with two fingers. "Lyra, we've discussed this. They're not monologues... they're strategic reflections."
"Reflections you make out loud, Director," she retorted, unable to hold back a small smile. "And anyone passing by could hear them."
"I like to keep my thoughts organized," he replied, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow. "Would you prefer I write them down and lose the spontaneity?"
"I'd prefer you didn't scare me with phrases like 'let the pawns of this board enter' while I'm standing outside, waiting to deliver documents." She rolled her eyes slightly, but there was affection in her voice.
Altharion couldn't help but let out a small smile. Lyra had a special talent for disarming his seriousness—something he wouldn't admit aloud, of course. He gestured for her to come closer.
"So, what have you brought this time, my dear 'reflection interrupter'?" he asked, his tone wavering between sarcasm and lightness.
Lyra placed the scrolls on the table with a sigh, organizing them into a neat pile. "The latest enrollment confirmations for this year. Some new names and... apparently, a special request from the Council."
"Special request?" Altharion leaned forward, his expression once again focused. "What do they want now?"
Lyra hesitated, her brown eyes shining with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. "Something about closely supervising certain students... it seems they expect potential problems. Especially involving... the young Kael Scarlet."
The director narrowed his eyes, his mind immediately starting to calculate possibilities. "Interesting..." He looked back at Lyra, with a small, teasing smile. "Seems like my reflections weren't so far-fetched after all."
Lyra just rolled her eyes again. "Of course, Director. As always, you're right." But she couldn't help the amused smile as she picked up another scroll from the pile. "Just don't start another monologue, alright? I have a lot of work today."
"We'll see," Altharion replied, his voice heavy with humor as he unrolled the next document, already diving back into his analysis.
---
More character images at:
Did you like it? Add it to your library!
Don't foget to vote to support the book if you like it.