Chapter 108.

PART 1.

After his interview, Josh is swamped with public attention. Suddenly, every student wants to meet him or get seen with him. though his friends worry that someone might take advantage of his rather generous attention which he seems to be giving everyone, Josh is handling himself very well.

As his latest admirers leave, (a bunch of first-year students), Hatori approaches him. “A moment of your time, mister future president?” he said with a smile.

Josh and Hatori start to walk to their dorm. “I’m not a president yet.” Said Josh. “Nice try to flatter me though. you might get good at this.”

“You sure? I can only flatter someone whom I know, I can’t do that with someone else, especially if I dislike the person in question,” said Hatori. He cannot fake his emotions.

“Hmm. well, that is why you are not built for this thing my friend.” Said Josh.

“You’re even speaking like a politician,” said Hatori, “Or some elder statesman.”

“Looks like the effects have already started.” Said Josh with a shiver.

Flopping down to his bed, he enjoys a moment of relaxation, where people are not demanding his attention. Most of the students who do want to be seen with him are mostly trying to shine their own reputation. But here, in this very room, no one demands anything from him. he can be himself here.

“Did you mean what you said in the interview?” asked Hatori.

“Every single word.” Said Josh with a yawn.

“I do think that reporter was right. You should stay away from me, if you’re seen with me or around me, it could damage your efforts.” Said Hatori.

“And I’ll tell you what I told her. Every politician has shady connections.” Said Josh. “Besides, if I need someone good with violence, who will I call?”

“Right, right. Call me if you need a brute.” Said Hatori, and Josh chuckled in response, before starting to snore.

Hatori leaves him to his nap while scratching some runes on his notebook. He might not be able to write anything with a pen, but he can write runes by himself.

PART 2.

Raven and Josh are working with their modification ritual, adding the improvements that they want to do with their bodies. Hatori has already gone through this process last year, and James probably has his ritual ready and is just waiting to refine it further. While they work, James and Hatori are working on the yantras to detect poison. These yantras have proven to be quite popular among the students.

Hatori wishes to automate the process of creating them though, freeing himself and James of the responsibility to create them. Since it takes time to create every single Yantra, they are taking limited orders, and already there is a backlog of it. at least the money they are making by selling these yantras is well worth their time.

As these four teenagers work on their respective tasks, they feel as if someone is missing from this room of frozen time as if there used to be a fifth member in their group, but they do not know why he (or she?) is not here, or indeed, whether they existed in the first place or not.

PART 3.

Shin is having a miserable time. his friends can’t remember him, he can’t eat properly, and he is reduced to living like a ghost. “Notice me, you damned bastard!” he cursed at Raven, but passed through his body, with no effect or acknowledgment from the other boy.

“That won’t work.” Said a girl from behind him.

Shin turns around quite fast. He might have turned into a ghost, but he has not lost his reflexes built up living and training with Hatori. “Who are you?” he questioned.

“Lavanya.” She spoke. “My family name is not important, because everyone is dead.”

“What?” Shin is too confused.

He should be happy that he can talk to someone finally. But this girl is scaring him. “They are all dead because I was turned into the same thing as you 300 years ago.”

Shin wilts after hearing that. living like that for 300 years, like an immortal ghost? That sounds like hell. “What do I do?” he muttered, rocking in the huddled position on the ground. “What do I do?”

Lavanya watches him with pity in her eyes. She has gone through the same thing, and she perfectly understands the emotions of this boy.

PART 4.

Today’s news is just as interesting as the day when Josh gave his interview. The council has challenged him to a debate, calling him not fit to run any organization, and saying that this debate will expose him for what he is, and that being: an opportunist who has no interests of the students at heart.

It was speculated that the challenge would be ignored, but Josh surprisingly accepted. This debate will be held in the mess hall right after dinner today.

PART 5.

Raven is going through his ritual of modifying his body. They are using this secret ground, right above the lab of the Samay the sorcerer. They do not wish to perform any rituals in the room of frozen time, since it can have unpredictable effects. “Undefined behavior”, as Hatori likes to call it.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

He prepares the circle, and after removing his clothes, lies in that circle. His enchanted knife hovers, ready to carve the runes on his body. Aside from the modifications to make his body stronger, Raven has mostly focused on improving his mental stamina. Being able to think for long periods without getting exhausted or losing focus is important to him.

Of course, as time goes by, he will add even more modifications to his body in the future.

PART 6.

While Raven is going through his ritual above (Hatori can sense the build-up of magic, even from the room of frozen time), Hatori is thinking about flying. He was meditating while thinking about this and sank deep into a meditative state. He was thinking whether he could use some runes to actually fly since levitating himself has not resulted in much. he can levitate in one place, but when he tries to move, he comes down with a crash. Thankfully, the crows saved him each time he performed this experiment. He would be in the hospital otherwise.

Without even realizing it, Hatori starts to levitate and move in the circle in the room. he comes out of his deep trans, and his magic calms down. He comes back to the ground, landing on his feet. Going to his notebook, he notes down how he felt in this state, and writes some other modifications he plans to do this year.

He wants to enforce his joints, and some theoretical experiments in extracting more energy from the food he eats. Aside from that, he wants to start creating his own spells. he has been hearing and reading about how mages create their own spells after a point, and now he wishes to do that for himself this year.

PART 7.

Since Raven and Hatori are busy with their own things, James is providing moral support for Josh in this debate. The large crowd of students remained behind to observe this debate after the dinner. Unknown to them, two more people were observing this debate, though no one could see, hear, or acknowledge them in any way, shape, or form.

Those being Shin and Lavanya. They watch from the crowd, unseen and unheard, as Murli from the council’s side comes to duel with Josh in the war of words.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we all have busy schedules, and we are all waiting to get into our beds and sleep. Therefore, I will not take much of your time. I am here because someone actually wishes to dismantle this student body that has served you for more than 100 years faithfully. He wishes to hand over the control to the lower class—” The outrage forces Murli from talking any further, and Josh seizes the initiative.

“As you just saw, this is the organization which claims to serve you faithfully. Its foundation is rotten. It should not be allowed to exist anymore, lest more students suffer under its boot!” said Josh.

“And then what? Let someone like you give the control in the hands of the lower cast and class?” replied Murli furiously. “Do you think that they are smart enough to make such decisions?”

“Well, at least they are smart enough to throw out anyone who actually makes the rules like the ones which you made last year. Remember? Not allowing you to sit on the tables? Not allowing you to sleep on beds? Not allowing you to sit on the chairs during the class, just because you are not rich like them?” the crowd is whipped into a frenzy since the students do remember how they were humiliated. “Remember how you were threatened to, and nearly forced to march naked?”

Murli’s face goes white from fear by seeing the response of the crowd. he came with a written speech, prepared to leave with his success, having put down this rebellion, or the talk of forming the new council. “What about you?” he said hoarsely. “Where were you during all of that? for all you wish to help the lower class, you were missing during that time. what do you say to that?” he asked, finally regaining his color.

“Come now. You should know that I was in the hospital for most of that time. you can check the records; I doubt healer Slaughter will accept any alteration to those.” Said Josh. “I was unable to even move, let alone talk. I only learned of these events later, after I recovered, as my friends told me of their struggle.”

“But what’s the guarantee that you won’t break down in the line of duty again?” asked Murli. “Weak people with weak constituents should not take important responsibilities!”

“But that is where you are mistaken.” Said Josh. “Remember what I said in my interview? I plan to hold an election. You can vote for the president of whom you approve of. And it doesn’t necessarily have to be me. maybe someone more qualified than me is among you, who is ready to take charge. Therefore, I move that we vote to decide this. Should this council be removed, and my system be implemented?”

“Outrageous!” shrilled Murli. “You cannot do this.”

“But I can. your own rules allow me to do that. only Corvus can reverse the decision, and I doubt he would. so, raise the hand, and vote!” said Josh.

Just like two years ago, when Hatori was banished, students raised their hands. But this time, against the council which has been effectively ruling them for a century. “The results speak for themselves. The overwhelming majority wants you out. disband the council immediately!” said Josh, and the students repeated his cry.

As Lavanya and Shin walk out with other students, she leans close to him. “Your friend is passionate and good with the crowd. I haven’t seen something like that before in my 300 years of haunting this school.”

“Maybe he’ll get his way then.” Smiled Shin.

He might not be remembered, but he will always cheer for his friends.