" You are actually my last sale. So I'm off now. Do you maybe want to grab something to eat with me...?" " My treat of course. I want to thank you for being honest."
Suprised by the words he just heard. Lucas pointed his index finger at himself and said, " Me?"
The girl chuckled and said, " Yes you, silly. Who else?"
Lucas laughed in return and said, " I just wanted to be sure. But sure, I could eat." Lucas said opening up his hands and raising his shoulders.
" Awesome. Find us an empty seat. I'll come around once I've finished up." she said and then disappeared into the storage room.
Once she entered the storage room. Lucas pumped his fist downwards in the air and said, " Yes!"
" Uh, no!" A voice sounded out behind Lucas. Ending his celebration.
Lucas looked at the guy behind him squinting his eyebrows.
" Get out the way! How long do you plan on holding up the line? Don't you have a date to attend to?"
When Lucas realized that he was in the wrong he apologized by lifting his hand to his face. Afterwards, he walked away. Once Lucas was out of the line he thought, " I wonder if he understood my non-verbal cue. The last time I used that was when I was learning how to drive a car." Suddenly some of Lucas's memories on Earth came pouring in. He remembered how everyone prayed a short prayer when he took the wheel of the car. That always amused him to see how fear gripped them. Lucas chuckled aloud at the memory. Then he looked at the guy who he was talking to 30 seconds ago. The guy sensed that someone was looking at him and returned a look to the source. Once he saw it was Lucas he gave a thumbs up and smiled widely. Lucas laughed and returned the gesture and thought, " I guess wherever you go, a thumbs up mean the same thing." He went to find an empty seat.
Lucas looked at the tables and saw that there wasn't a lot of space. A patch here and there but still between people. So he decided he would rather stand and wait for her. Then together they will find a seat. Because if he sits down now. She won't be able to find him. From far at least. When Lucas realized she was taking longer than he anticipated. He decided to think about the most pressing issues.
" I wonder how test 3 is going to take place tomorrow... Will it be a battle royal or will it be a tournament type? Nonetheless, I'm most likely going to win. I'm not being conceited right? No, I'm just stating the facts... But I'll make it interesting. I will only use wind-related spells. So far, I have only used wind for support and not for offence. That should even out the odds. Maybe I'll even turn off my blessings... Yeah, that is a good idea. I will hide my abilities like they usually do in a manga. Haha, I'm the mc right now. Never thought I'd say that. Okay so now that is settled and she is still not here. On to the next issue. That would be my roommates. They seem to hate me and pick on me because I'm the 'weakest'. I wonder should I just make an example of the guy... They will definitely respect me then. But then again that's boring... It will be more fun to see their reactions after they see me fight at test 3. Aaah, I'm so excited. Coming to think of it, as fun as winning sounds. I think I should rather secure myself a top 10 position. I'm considered strong enough not to mess with. But also out of jealousy's range. Yosh, that settles it.
Now I'm just waiting for this girl to come. I wonder how long I've waited already."
" Thea, how long have I been waiting?"
[ It's been approximately 15 minutes.]
" 15 minutes and she is still not here... I wonder if she is still coming? Maybe she was just setting me up? She did say she needed to finish... But does it really take that long...?"
But soon Lucas felt a tugging on his shirt. Pulling him out of his thoughts. Then he looked in the direction of the tug. There he saw the girl smiling at him.
" Do I have your attention now?" She said looking at him.
Lucas laughed awkwardly and said, " Did I keep you waiting?"
" You were supposed to wait for me. " She said.
" We don't always get what we want, now do we?" Lucas said teasingly.
The girl just rolled her eyes and said," So where are we sitting?"
" Anywhere there is an open space. There isn't much that's why I'm still standing. Otherwise, you might not have found me."
" Yeah, I probably should have thought of a different idea. I work here so I know how busy it gets." She said looking a bit down.
" Ay, it's all good if it ends well," Lucas said smiling and trying to cheer her up.
Then she began walking to a table up ahead. It was an 8 seater table. Of which 6 seats were already taken. They got there and sat down on the far left side of the table. They sat opposite each other. Once they were settled in she said," Well, thank you for saying yes."
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
Lucas thought to himself, "As if anyone would say no."
" Sure. I actually just finished using the simulation booth so a breather isn't a bad idea."
" Oh, you did. How far did you get?" She said energetically. Then she looked at Lucas's badge and saw an E but no colour badge to go along with it.
Lucas saw her look at his badge and he felt ashamed, " Aaah..."
" It's okay you don't need to say if you don't want to."
Lucas just revealed a faint smile. Then said, " So how are you feeling about tomorrow?"
" Tomorow?" She said as if Lucas had just told her cows can fly.
" Yes... Tomorrow. Test 3?" Lucas said trying to kickstart her memory.
" Oooh. That, I'm not a first year. So I'm not taking part in the tests."
"Really...? Coming to think of it. You don't have badges like me."
" Yup. Once you get your student card it disappears and transfers to your student card. Like this." She pulled out her student card and showed Lucas.
Lucas looked at her student card and saw that her full name is, Tamara Everly. Then he looked lower and saw that her natural element was fire and her additional ones were earth and wind. But what shocked him the most was her potential rank. She had B rank potential and she was currently a D rank mage. After viewing it Lucas gave her student card back.
"Wow, you are talented," Lucas said nodding his head.
" Thanks, it's been a journey but magic is my passion." She paused and said," What about you? How do you feel about tomorrow?"
" I'm optimistic..." Lucas said.
" I'm glad. But I hope I'm not being rude when I say this. You can only use elemental spells in test 3. Can you even cast elemental spells. Normally I wouldn't have to ask this but you know..."
" Oh no, it's okay. I totally understand. And believe it or not. I can actually cast wind-related spells. Ironic isn't it."
" But you don't have a white badge?"
" That's because it's my natural element. I was born like this. It's a mutation of sorts."
" I feel like there is more to the story."
" Maybe, maybe not," Lucas said teasingly.
" No, it's just weird. Now that I'm looking at you. I don't feel like I'm speaking to a first year."
"What do you mean by that?"
" I first noticed it when you were buying the mana potions. And now I'm sure. You have a feeling about you that just radiates something..."
" Oh, that's reassuring." Lucas laughed " But it's just a feeling. I'm as mundane as they come."
" That's for me to decide though... I'm looking forward to seeing you take first place. " Tamara Everly said sticking her tongue out.
Lucas gave her a pursed smiled and thought, " Yeah not happening. First place sounds like trouble."
[Quest received]
Lucas saw the notification but cancelled it immediately. He was going to read it later tonight.
When she saw Lucas didn't want to talk about it she said, " So what do you want to eat?"
" You work here. What's your favourite?"
" That would be the fried turagama wings. It's delicious and cheap."
" Is that what you are having?"
" Yes."
" Then I'll have that too, please."
" Awesome, wait here I'll go order. I won't be long. Since I work here. I can go straight to the kitchen to place the order." And with that, she stood up walked to the cafeteria.
Moments later she returned and said, " I gave them our order. They will personally bring our food to us. Normally they don't but I'm special."
" Haha, so I should come to find you whenever I'm hungry," Lucas said as if he was throwing bait into the sea.
" Sure, if I'm free. I don't mind," Tamara Everly said, biting the bait.
" Awesome!" Lucas said smiling widely.
After this, they continued to talk until the food came. After that, they ate and then said their goodbyes. Tamara Everly wished Lucas good luck and then said, " I look forward to seeing you take first place."
Lucas just shrugged it off as he had no intention on coming first. Once he finished everything he walked out the Training Area and back home. It was nightfall already. He and Tamara Everly spoke a lot longer than he originally anticipated. Lucas was happy that he had made his first friend, maybe even a future lover. But as much as the possible love interest made him feel good. Rationally he knew he wouldn't pursue it even if the door was open. Lucas got home to the dormitory and most of the people were in the cafeteria eating lunch. This reminded Lucas that he needed to drink his mana potions. So while he walked up the stairs he drank one High-grade potion and another low one. Netting him 1300 mana points. Then Lucas opened the door and he saw they had turned the beds into bunk beds for space. Lucas looked for his space and to his surprise, he was sleeping on the top of the bunk bed. Under him slept a girl and not a boy. He knew this because her stuff was lying on her bed.
No one was in their rooms. They were eating. So Lucas decided to take a shower then he would climb in bed and go to bed. So he walked to the showers. He took a long shower. It was perfect as no one was there, just him. The water pressure was nice too. This reminded Lucas of a line in one of his favourite songs back on Earth. " I can shower for hours. Leave the lights on, I'm not paying those bills". If there was another thing Lucas missed about Earth. It was his phone because it had all his music on. Lucas loved music. He always had his earphones in and the world out. It was what he needed after a long day. It was how he detoxified. But now he didn't have any of that.
After Lucas was finished showering he went to his room and closed his eyes as he wanted to sleep. But he had one more thing to do before he could sleep. So he opened up the quest he received.
[ Quest: Take first place in test 3
Reward: 3000 Exp
SP-20
AP- 100
Sidequest: Reveal all your elements.
Fire: 5 SP, 25 AP
Water: 5 SP, 25 AP
Earth: 5 SP, 25 AP
Wind: 5 SP, 25 AP]
Once Lucas saw the quest his eyes sparkled at the rewards he would be getting. It was fantastic, it was basically free rewards. But then he remembered the price it would come with. So he thought, " Really Thea, really!?"
[ What! You plan on coming 10th place even though you have my help. I can't accept that. You need to be first. You need to be the strongest at all times.]
" I too want to be the strongest! But don't you think it's easier to gain strength when you don't have a giant bullseye on your back!"
[ We will deal with that when it comes. For now, just focus on being the best. Plus you will impress Tamara Everly.]
" Pfft, as if that sweetens the deal."
[ Stop being such a scaredy cat. You don't know what will happen until it happens. Live a little. That's what I'm here for. And if you really feel scared. Just increase your luck stat after you complete the quest.]
" Aaah, not a bad plan Thea."
[ What do you take me for. I was created by the God of the multiverse. I am the pinnacle of all creation.]
" Showboat."
[ Haha. I just don't want to be associated with a loser. So go get some rest. You have a big day tomorrow. I'll even help you fall asleep.]
" Thanks, Thea, I guess I needed that nudge."
[ Do you want to sleep. Yes/No]
"Yes."
...