Myla Elway’s P.O.V

Rummaging through the stack of papers on my desk, I let out another frustrated sigh, It’s my off period and I'm spending it like this…

“If you keep stressing and sighing like that, you’ll not only give yourself a pimple, but me as well. Gosh, it’s like you’re contaminated.” Irene cooed from her vanity.

My celeb of a roommate was popular and she always tried to make herself look the part by putting on and touching up her makeup every chance she got, so her already elegant elven features could pop evermore.

I turned her way, and she did the same, so we were looking at one another. She propped her lips and began putting on pink lipstick, “What are those damn papers anyway? You’ve been acting like this for a couple of days now.”

“It’s a list of the academy's past problematic run-ins. I was told to come up with various ways to fix each of them as practice.”

She sighed and got up from her vanity seat, “You and I both know you’ll be fine, Myla. The headmaster would have never chosen you for the position if it weren't for the talent you’ve shown throughout the time you’ve been here.” She pushed my messy hair behind my ears so she could see my face, “And to look this beautiful without even trying, I truly envy you.”

I felt my face turn hot as she complimented me, “Oh, shut up.”

She chuckled, grabbed a brush, and began fixing my hair, “I’m serious. Now stop acting gloomy and just get it over with. I really am tired of having to fix your hair after every one of your stress spasms.”

“They’re not spasms.” I defended, but she just laughed.

We conversed a bit more and Irene continued to fix my hair. I found myself enjoying the girl-time interlude.

Time flew by and eventually, she said, “There, I’m done.”

I looked into the mirror of her vanity and saw my reflection. My long black hair was parted directly in the middle of my head and brushed evenly passed my shoulders. Lastly, two lone strands of hair, both exactly alike, fell near my eyes.

“I love this style on you,” Irene said, as she looked at my reflection as well.

“Thank you. You did really great as always.”

She wrapped her arms around me and pecked me on the cheek, “It’s no problem, beautiful.”

I giggled, about to compliment her in return, but someone knocked on our dorm room door.

“I’ll get it,” Irene said, as she walked to open the door.

From where I was positioned I was able to see who was on the other side as Irene opened it.

It was the vice-master; the headmaster's assistant.

“The headmaster has summoned both of you to his office.” The vice-master said firmly before Irene even had the chance to speak.

If we were new students, we would probably be nervous by her tone and think we were in trouble, but the vice-master always spoke like that, or she has any time I’ve been around her anyway.

“I understand, we’ll head there as soon as we can.”

The vice-master shook her head and walked away.

Irene closed the door behind her and crossed her arms, “Can that woman speak what at least a little emotion. I have to rethink my past choices every time she says something to us.”

“Well, at least she had the decency to knock. You know she has a dorm medallion.” I mentioned.

Irene sighed, “I guess you’re right.”

After cleaning my desk and Irene her vanity we both headed to the headmaster's office.

“What do you think he's summoned us for?” Irene asked as we walked.

The rhythm of our shoes clicking against the marble floor of the giant hallway had caused me to doze off and go into my own little world.

What could he be summoning us for?

Oh no…

Don’t tell me the assignment he gave me was due today. But he had never given me a due date…

As my mind went into turmoil at Irene's question I felt my stress arising once more and ended up never saying anything in response.

“Myla?” This time she nudged my shoulder, pulling me out of my mind with endless bad situations, “Why are you freaking out again? I just asked a question.”

“I'm sorry, I'm just nervous.”

She grabbed my arm and pulled me as she sped up her walk to the headmaster’s office. Arriving there I saw the headmaster's door was cracked open a little bit, I myself couldn't see inside, but Irene could, and once she got a glimpse, she shot her eyes toward me and whispered, “Code red.”

She pulled me back a few feet away from the door and I was compelled to ask, “What was it? Was someone in there?”

“Yes.” She said, “That boy you always get weak in the knees for. He’s in there.”

My face felt like it was going to boil over. “You mean…”

“Yes, him,” she cut me off, “Calm down. How are you already blushing?”

I put my hand over my cheeks on instinct.

“Just play it cool, Myla. You’ll never court a man acting like this.”

I looked down at my feet nervously, “Okay.”

The headmaster must’ve heard us chattering outside because the door opened widely and he called to us, “Ladies, come in. We were just wrapping up our discussion.”

I and Irene both nodded in unison and headed inside.

The vice-master stood right next to the headmaster's desk, as the headmaster himself was sitting down. He was in his usual multi-layered academy-colored robes that covered every part of his body except his face, even his hands weren’t visible. Being a wind attribute mage, the headmaster always moved things with the air, instead of using his arms and hands. Some people in the academy started to assume he didn’t have any hands, as he never made them visible.

I myself didn’t believe such rumors, though.

But it was true that the headmaster was different from any other mages I had ever met, as he was capable of using magic without anyone sensing the mana building up around him. So no one would ever be able to tell if he was using magic, which made him quite the powerhouse. No one exactly knew his mana core rank either. He was a mystery, to say the least, and loved to exercise his right to secrecy.

My gaze swayed away from the headmaster and to him, the boy that constantly found a way into my head these past four years. He always put on a cool, arrogant facade, but spending time with him I knew his true colors that no one else seemed to see. Under his harsh words, he was caring, and under that mean mug he walked around with, was a smile that could light up the world.

“Thank you, headmaster, for the advice. I’ll make sure not to overdo it.” He said, as he turned to leave the office.

He wasn’t in his everyday school uniform that I was so used to seeing him in. Today he was wearing light fancy battle gear with a thin rapier at his side.

He had told me he was approved to be an adventurer by the school. That in and of itself was praiseworthy.

Because the headmaster was responsible for all of the student's well-being while under the academy's roof, he was very picky with who he allowed to become adventurers while enrolled.

The headmaster nodded, “I trust your words.”

As he left I gave a look over my shoulder, and somehow he did the same, and our eyes met.

I didn’t know where he was going, but whatever it was, it was important to him. So, before he left I mustered up some words behind my beet-red face, “Good luck, Kent.”

He stayed quiet but gave a light smile, and the door quietly closed behind him.

The headmaster gave a throat-clearing cough and we turned our attention toward him. “You two are probably wondering why summoned you, correct?”

We both nodded and spoke in unison, “Yes, sir.”

“Well, as you two know, Princess Selina Stellar will be enrolling into this academy this year. And you two being at the top of your classes and pretty well known, I believe you girls would be the best candidates to give her a personal tour around the school and show her the classes she’ll be attending.”

So this is what it’s about.

“But wouldn’t one of the fifth-years be better suited to this task? Or a student council member?” I asked, wondering why he would choose fourth-years.

“I know I’ve already put a lot on your plate, Myla, but the council members are busy planning upcoming events. And I don’t want one of the teachers escorting her around either, I feel like that would ruin the experience and chance to meet new people and friends.”

It was hard to argue with his points, so I had no other choice but to agree.

The headmaster simply smiled and used the air to float two papers and a small medallion into my hands, “Here are her class schedule, test scores, door room number, and medallion.”

Irene and I both looked through the papers.

“Her test scores in mana control are on par with a fourth years.” Irene pointed out.

“Her spell casting accuracy isn't bad either.” I added, “Why did you give use her test scores, though, headmaster?”

“Her test scores show the attributes she is adept at. Which is another reason I chose you two.”

Irene and I both quickly looked at her attributes.

“Water and light.” I quietly mumbled.

“Correct. If she ever needs help, just let her know she can call upon one of you.”

“We understand, headmaster. When will we need to give this tour?” Irene asked.

“Great question.” The headmaster turned to his assistant, “Miss Elizabeth, would you please tell me the time.”

The vice-master looked at her watch, “It’s ten till midday.”

“It’ll be in one hour.”

***

Irene and I stood at the front of the school, where the princess was supposed to meet us in a few minutes. We were looking at the huge campus location board, planning out the best route for her tour.

“We should start with her classes first and get it out of the way, you know, meeting teachers and such, then show her around the campus, like the best places to relax, eat, and hang out,” Irene suggested.

I shook my head in agreement, “I was thinking the same thing.” I glanced down at her schedule one more, “She still hasn't chosen an elective so we can help her out with that as well. We’ll just have to see what she’s into when she arrives.”

We planned out the route for a few more minutes because we wanted it to go smoothly. She was the princess of this entire kingdom, after all, we wouldn't want to make a bad impression.

As I was writing down the routes and a sheet of paper I felt Irene tap on my shoulder, “Look. Is that her?”

I turned around to the campus’s front gate. I saw a woman in an all-white uniform and a young girl standing beside her. They seemed to be saying their goodbyes.

There was no doubt the girl was the princess. Her white hair glistened in the sunlight like a sacred pearl. And even in her school uniform, you could tell she was royalty by the way she carried herself.

The princess gave the woman one last wave goodbye and walked through the front gate.

As she approached us I could make out her features more vividly. Even for being so young, she was truly beautiful, and we could only imagine what she would look like when she got older.

Irene and I stood speechless. We couldn't even speak until the princess stopped midway up the stone steps and bowed, saying, “Hello, I’m Selina Stellar. You wouldn't happen to know where I can get my class schedule, would you?”

“Um, yes, sorry for my rudeness,” I said, bowing. From the side of my eye, I saw Irene do the same. “My name is Myla Elway and this is my friend, Irene Lindir. We’ll be your tour guides today,” I handed her the paper of her schedule and her dorm medallion. But to my surprise, she didn't pay any attention to them. Her face lit up and she grabbed both of my hands.

“Myla Elway? As in Falyn Elway?” She asked her face full of excitement.

I was shocked and didn’t know how to answer. Does the princess know my little brother?

“Yes, that's my little brother. Do you know him?”

The princess puffed out her chest with pride, “Well of course I know Fal, He’s my best friend. I've heard a lot about you, Myla, every time he and Mister Zeph come to the castle we would always hang out and talk about lots of things.”

This revelation left me even more in a state of shock. I knew my brother and uncle to trips to the castle, but I could’ve never guessed my brother would become best friends with the royal princess.

“Well, this makes things a whole lot easier,” Irene chipped in, “And here we were, all nervous.”

It took a few seconds, but I finally accepted the truth, plus Irene was right, It did make this tour a whole lot easier, “Well, princess Selina, shall we start the tour?”

“Yes, please, and you don't have to call me Princess, just Selina is fine.”

I shook my head with a smile, “Understood, Selina. And if it’s fine with you, I would like to know more about my brother's visits to the castle. I hope he’s not a handful.”

She smiled back brightly, and I could've sworn I saw her blush a little. “Of course, I don’t mind. He’s not a handful, but he could learn to smile a bit more.”

I laughed at this and continued to hear stories about my little brother. The Princess was nothing like I had expected, but that wasn’t a bad thing. Irene also grew curious about my little brother, and in the end, all three of us chatted throughout the campus tour going through various topics.

In the back of my mind, though, I did wonder what Fal was doing right now, and if he's gotten stronger. Next time I see my little bro’ I’ll have to ask him about Princess Selina, because from what I’ve heard, It seems more than just a simple friendship.

Does my dear little brother have a crush? I couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought.