"Alicia, you have to wake up." Said Chara as she gently nudged Alicia awake.
"Huh. how long was I asleep for?" Alicia asked tiredly.
"Around four hours, the sun has begun setting on the horizon and I guess you need some food after todays work." Alicias stomach grumbled loudly at the mention of food, blushing in embarrassment a joyful laugh was heard from Chara.
"Is the cafeteria still open?" Alicia asked.
"It closed an hour ago but I ordered the kitchen to prepare a dinner for you, we just need to head to the cafeteria." Chara responded, having already eaten her dinner she wanted to accompany Alicia.
"Thank you Chara, then let's go!" Alicia shot up from the bed and grabbed Chara's hand and rushed out from the door to the surprise of the knight.
"By the way, what was that spell you used when we were walking towards the training room?" Chandra asked as she remembered the unusual spell.
"Well, Some people actually study while being in the library and I found a spell which can make at my current capabilities two people to have a conversation with their thoughts without the interference of someone else's magic." Alicia explained as she was helped going down a staircase by Chara.
"Thats amazing, but why did you learn such a spell?" Chara asked.
"Is anyone nearby?" Alicia asked in return.
Looking around the hallway was empty except for busts and paintings of grand magicians from long ago. "The coast is clear, why you asking?"
"Well, it seems like I had an uninvited visitor before I fell asleep today, I had sensed a presence before but today I actually found it." Alicia explained.
"What do you mean, did you have an intruder? Chara asked, shocked at the revelation.
"Yes, but I managed to scare them away. They an onyx colored mana core, meaning they were blessed with the wind of shadow, mostly used by spies and assassins." Alicia told Chara about the intruder.
"That is concerning, but why would anyone send a shadow mage for you. Do you have enemies from your stay in Al-Asar." Chara asked, confused why a mage of shadows would infiltrate Alicias room.
"Not from Al-Asar, but from Ave Ludum I reckon." Alicia leaned in and whispered to Chara.
"Why would the academy send spies to you?" Chara whispered back.
"I would guess principal Vatler wasn't happy about our agreement and wants to find out by any means possible my true powers." Alicia explained. "We can talk more about it later, first food." Alicia said to the frustration of Chara.
"Alright Alicia, but when we come back to your room you have to explain about why the principal would send spies for you." Chara demanded, Alicia agreed. A few minutes later they arrived at the mostly empty cafeteria, leading Alicia to one of the empty tables she sat down while Chara went to the kitchen to retrieve the dinner.
A moment later Chara returned with a plate of salted meat and mashed potatoes with some kind of brown sauce, grabbing the utensils from the tray she happily began devouring the food as Chara looked on.
"What are we doing tomorrow? The next test is in three days, studying at the library as usual?" Chara asked, hoping they won't spend the entire day at the library again.
"I heard from one of the students the weather seems to be warm, why don't we head into the city and do some shopping?" Said Alicia.
"Alright, maybe we can buy some new clothes for you, the ones from Al-Asar are pretty much unusable by now and you don't seem the type to wear academy outfits everyday. I can check for a new sword by one of the blacksmiths." Chara agreed, having tomorrow's plan finished Chara waited for Alicia to eat up while they continued chattering. Feeling with the fork that the plate was empty Chara took it back with the utensils to the kitchen and thanked the chefs for the food. Heading back to Alicias room they began talking about Chara's family.
"So you haven't heard from your brother in three months?" Alicia asked.
"Well yes, he is busy protecting one of the princes, I guess it comes with little free time." Chara laughed at his brothers expense. "Its so much better to be a personal knight to you than the prince, I could never think about following a royalty to all the meetings and banquets they are holding." Alicia laughed at Chara's comment. Hearing from Chara they have arrived at her room they unlocked the door and Alicia casted the detection spell to see if her intruder was back, seeing nothing in the room she told Chara the coast was clear and she began unwrapping the bandages on her arms and taking of the black shawl from her eyes. Opening her eyes the usual darkness welcomed her.
"I have said it before, but you do have really pretty eyes." Chara complimented Alicia.
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"Well thank you my dear knight." Alicia joked, but became serious only a moment after. "Anyway, regarding the intruder. I sensed him for the first time before falling asleep after you left my room. The reason I think its principal Vatler is because he is famous for a theory of magically imbuing crystal shards with magic to energize them. And since I am the only known living person with crystals shards embedded into their skin with a functional connection to the winds of magic he probably wants to do tests on my body to see how." Alicia explained as she began taking of her outer robe, now only sitting in her teal colored dress.
"But why would the principal go such lengths to send shadow mages to spy on you?" Chara asked, still unsure of the reason.
"Well, when I came back here I had two requirements for staying there, the first was full access to the library, as you probably have noticed we have had some access to pretty rare books and scrolls." Alicia explained. "The second requirement was that no bodily examinations was to occur to me, only formal tests used during tests and the entrance examination each year."
"Now I understand, you have forbidden the use of body tests and therefore he wants to sample as much information beyond the formal tests conducted by the professors." Chara now understood the reason the mage was sent to Alicia.
"I guess some of the other professors intrigued by principal Vatler's theory are also eager, but as long as stay here they can't do anything." Alicia explained as she stretched her body, feeling tired.
"Do you need me to stay here for the night if the intruder returns?" Chara asked worriedly.
"Its okay, I think I scared away him for a few days when I discovered him. Good night Chara, see you tomorrow!" Alicia waved good night to Chara who responded with good night and left the room, looking the door behind her and leaving Alicia alone in the room.
"Its good I at least have one person I can trust while here, otherwise I would probably have gone crazy." Alicia laughed to herself as she felt her eyelids get heavy and sleep overtook her.
The next morning Alicia was awoken by the knocking on her door. "Go away I'm sleeping." She shouted at the door.
"That won't do Alicia, breakfast is soon ending. Im coming in!" Chara shouted back as she unlocked the door and hastily dodged the thrown pillow Alicia had thrown.
"Did I hit you?" Alicia asked, hoping it did.
"No you didn't, have to aim better next time my lady." Chara said smugly.
"haha, very funny Chara." Alicia responded.
"See, you are fully awake now, let me help you with your bandages then we can head out to the city." Chara argued. Not hearing a comeback Chara began wrapping Alicia's arms with a new set of bandages sent from the infirmary, Fully covering the shards, she continued by braiding a simple braid and helped Alicia with the shawl.
"How do I look?" Alicia asked.
"Same as usual. But today we will get you some new clothes and some necessities." Chara commented. Remembering their agreement last night Alicia gave up on going back to sleep and began following Chara towards the cafeteria. Upon entering the crowded a few eyes looked over towards the duo.
"Hey, who is that new girl with lady Chara?" The young boy asked his friends.
"I think her was Alicia and I think she is a new student, I saw her talking with Professor Salac a few days ago." One of the friends answered.
Not hearing the boys conversation Chara led Alicia to a table where a group of students already sat, seeing Chara two of the boys began blushing but the table was confused by Alicia. Sitting down not knowing the other students were looking her way she patiently waited for Chara to return with their breakfast. Not wanting to start a conversation they sat there nervously waiting for somebody in their group to begin talking with the stranger. A few moments later Chara returned with two trays, placing one in front of Alicia they began eating while talking about nothing interesting.
"Ehm, excuse me lady Chara, but who is your friend?" One of the boys at last dared to ask.
"Oh, this is Alicia, she is, or was a student at the academy. Alicia what really are your position here?" Chara asked, unsure.
"I guess you could say I am a former student and current associate of Ave Ludum." Alicia explained.
"As you heard, she is currently an associate at the academy and will be staying here for the foreseeable future." Chara explained to the novice mages.
"Lady Chara, how do you know Alicia?" Another one in the group, a girl asked. Unsure what to answer she looked over towards Alicia, hearing the question she understood what Chara meant and gave a thumbs up. Understanding the signal she answered, "Truthfully, I am the newly assigned private knight to Alicia." Alicia heard a few gasps and turned her head in their direction, seeing fully Alicias shawl the group were intrigued by this girl.
"Why are you her private knight? I thought only the royal family and the major houses had private knights." One of the boys asked Chara.
"Well, as you can see Alicia has a special case, and I was officially knighted by the duke of Eredin." Chara explained.
Not hearing any more questions the duo continued eating while chattering with the group, finishing their meal they thanked the group for the chat and left the cafeteria to leave for the main city of Ruun.
Walking for several minutes Chara tells Alicia they have now entered the main shopping square of Ruun and asked what they want to look at first. Alicia thought for a moment before answering that they should look at clothes first, agreeing with her Chara led her to one of the boutiques. Upon entering a small bell rang announcing their arrival and a moment later one of the shopkeepers welcomed them.
"Welcome to the Silk and Needle ladies, how can I help you today?" The attendant asked with a joyful tone.
"Thank you, we are looking for clothes for Alicia here. As you can see she is blind so help would be greatly appreciated." Chara explained.
"Certainly ladies, do you have any clothing or style as your preference?" She asked, unbothered by the blind female in front of her.
"Well, I would like some new dresses to easily move around in, and also some for traveling through tougher terrain." Alicia explained.
"Of course, any color or particular ideas?" The attendant asked.
"Preferably to match the shawl, but it is not a requirement, also shortsleeved is preferred." Alicia commented.
"I have some options, please follow me." The attendant asked the duo. Following her they were led to one of the corners were a few dresses were hanging from a steel pipe on the wall. Black and dark blue in color, with silver embroidery. Telling Alicia how they look she was handed one of the dresses to feel the material, feeling the softness she asked Chara for her opinion.
"I like it, but you have to test it out before buying, do you have a dressing room we can borrow?" Chara asked while picking up one of the dark blue dresses and a turquoise blue dress. Leading Alicia to the dressing room Chara waited outside while The attendant began putting on the black dress first. Finished she walked outside to stand beside Chara. A moment later Alicia walked out and Chara was stunned by what she saw. The dress nicely wrapped around the curves of Alicia, the silver embroidery began at the hip and gently flowed in a leaf pattern up towards the collarbone where they ended in two branches reaching up to her shoulders.
"It looks perfect." Chara unknowingly said out loud, gaining a laughter from Alicia.
"The we have to buy this one, my lovely knight." Alicia teasingly said.
"Its amazing how well the shawl matches the dress, who made it?" The attendant asked Alicia.
"Her name is Doctor Buli at Ave Ludum..." Before Alicia could finish speaking she was interrupted by the shopkeeper. "Do you know lady Buli?!"
"... well yes, she was my doctor during my accident." Alicia explained, confused by the attendants reaction.
"Ahem, sorry about that. Lady Buli was one of the chief designers here before she left." The attendant explained, embarrassed by her reaction.
"Then I understand, the we will take this one and the two other dresses, do you have any dresses for traveling?" Alicia asked.
"Of course, follow me." The attendant led the two to another section where Chara picked out three dresses designed for traveling. Feeling finished with their shopping they went over to the counter to buy. Chara who had counted up the total amount to twenty four silver began fishing up the amount but stopped when the attendant began speaking.
"Being friends with Lady Buli gives the person twenty percent of their purchase. So the total amount is nineteen silver." The shopkeeper explained. Thanking her for the help Chara paid the amount and left the shop along with Alicia while waving good bye to the attendant.
"Where next?" Chara asked.
"I guess a blacksmith or a shop that sells swords, you said your sword was damaged and you needed a new one." Alicia commented. Agreeing they began heading towards one of the blacksmiths nearby, but while taking a short cut through an alley they suddenly heard a voice from behind them.
"Lady knight, drop your weapon and hand over that girl." The mysterious voice said threateningly.
"Or else we have to simply kill you and make this more difficult than it has to be." The voice said as he revealed himself, a fairly large man with broad shoulders and a black scarf covering his lower face.