CHAPTER 10 : PEACEFUL EVENING

Having finished his evening routine, Lucius made the way to the cafeteria, fully expecting to find his assistant drinking a late evening coffee.

“Ah, Morgana, how was your day?”

“Not bad, it’s not quite what I expect but um, yeah pretty neat.”

“Well, that is most interesting. How are your roommates?”

“Loud, but fun, I’m in the same room as two Crilandese girls, so that’s something.”

“Crilandese? Must indeed be something. Be sure to keep your items locked away, though knowing you, they should be the ones hiding their belongings…” Lucius quipped, a small smile forming as he signalled the end of their short-live truce.

This remark of his is met with a roll of her eyes and a smile in response. Whether for better or for worse, it was a joke that quite tickled her sense of humour.

“Well, since I know you are not going to ask, I was allotted a room with an actual monkey. I am trying to assess his IQ, and let us say that monkey may be too generous of a term.”

Morgana chuckled, as her mind drifted to that of Harux.

“Look on the bright side, even monkeys are capable of being slave labour.”

“Well, from what I have seen, he struggles to even read, yet alone change a lightbulb or deliver my lunch.”

“Lucius, Lucius, how little you understand of the mind of primates.”

Hand in pocket, she pulled out an object that was her phone. The product of modern engineering, a picture of the aforementioned “monkey” was illuminated on it.

“Hmm” taking out his own phone, Lucius lightly tapped hers. Instantaneously, multiple gigabytes of data that she had compiled on the individual were transferred.

“It’s a work in progress, but there is some stuff you’ll find worth your time.”

Through the power of the school database in combination with selective websites, obtaining the necessary information was easy enough. For one of her calibre and quantity of resources, it was only a matter of time.

While the application of internet databases were beyond most mages, who much preferred the classic touch of pen to paper, certain eccentrics among them did have unique tastes. After all, even if the number of mages with an interest in the internet was only a small percentage, the number still added up to thousands.

“Well, it seems like someone did their homework.” Lucius commented, skimming through the pages of data presented before him.

“Though… the background is rather unclear. Apart from all the jungle stuff which confirms my ape theory, all you could find was a small, black and white photo mentioned in a criminal trial?” he questioned, tsking her like a school teacher telling off a bad student.

“Well, billionaire-boy, I’d like to see you compile half of this in a day. Unlike you, I don’t have a room full of overworked Crilandese slaves on standby to fulfill all my whims!”

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The so-called transgressions which Harux had committed, had little to no bearing on his mind.

Now back in his room, Harux was met with Lucius. Who had comfortably adjusted to his bed, and now skimmed through a large book on nuclear physics, as one would of course. Harux assumed that it was just some form of niche arcane study, the symbol of the atom assuring him as much.

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With a simple flick of the light switch, Lucius bid Harux goodnight before wrapping himself in his warm white bed sheets. It was a long day, but now he had finally found some time to rest, free from the wiles of psychopaths or the outbursts of eccentrics, he would find consolation in sleep...

Or at least that was how it seemed, in reality, this would have been the case had it not been for the incessant noise that had begun to plague the room.

Given that it was night, it seemed only fitting that Lucius would be introduced to one of Harux’s favorite pastimes.

For in the midst of night, what could only be described as an irritating, metallic, repetitive series of sounds had begun to echo throughout the room. Under the veil of darkness, Lucius surmised that it was the noise of Harux sharpening his blade.

In his current state after such a long day, surely the elf could use some rest right?

At first Lucius had attempted to ignore it, rolling from side to side, burrowing his face in his pillow,

any hope for noise reduction seemed ill conceived.

But surely, such measures would not be necessary, after all, how long would it take?

The answer was, very very long.

Ignorant as he was, this so-called pastime of Harux was frankly beyond him, as he would never have used a blade of such ilk, much less sharpened it himself, that was what the butler was for.

Eventually though, the sounds of Harux inevitably finishing up with his first weapon had passed.

A serenity settled in Lucius’s heart, alas free from the clamour that had erupted, Lucius would finally be granted the deep sleep that he desired and enter the abyss of unconsciousness that was sleep...

But if that was the case, then why could he hear Harux take out even more objects of interest?

Surely he couldn’t be going at it for any longer right?

This unfortunately was a wrong assumption, as contrary to his belief, Harux had only sharpened his first dagger, with multiple others still in stock, the elvish boy thought it an opportune moment to refurbish every single one of them right now.

And so, Lucius ticked.

“Harux, stop this now! I am trying to sleep! If you want to sharpen your knife, go outside!” Lucius yelled, clearly expressing his irritation.

Then came a pause. Lucius wondered if he was too harsh on him, and would have been rebuked by violence or retaliation. As uncertainty crossed his face, his mind began to formulate a hypothesis. Primates such as him, were accustomed to being barbaric after all.

Since a monkey lashed out when robbed of its banana, he figured Harux might, when robbed of his weapons. With his roommate who shared many traits with the animal, namely in the brain department, such a possibility was not impossible. Steeling himself, he lamented his misfortune in being assigned to the same room as an uncivilized brute.

“Okay, I’ll stop.” Harux answered, before he sheathed his dagger and put away his grindstone.

How odd. For even if he was by all means a dense and perhaps psychopathic weirdo, he was still a somewhat considerate one. What a relief, was the thought that crossed his mind, as he tucked himself in.

Or so he thought, until he heard Harux leave the room for some reason.

The sharp sounds then continued. It seemed that Harux had taken his roommate's words literally, and had actually gone outside.

He didn’t think he would actually take him on it but, at this point, his will had capitulated.

Whatever problem he would cause with others was no longer of any concern to him.

Sighing, Lucius pulled the cover over his ears and turned away from the door. He would make do with what he had, and as such finally found peace and fell asleep.