The third-year Mana Theory class was filled with students by now, most of them a year older than him. The Professor was also already there. He seemed to be going through some papers, waiting for the class to fill up.
Emilio was about to go up to find a seat when he was called by the Professor.
“Mister Florian, please come here.”
Emilio paused before turning around and making his way to the Professor. He stopped in front of the desk. The man did not address him right away, seemingly busy with the page he was reading. The man frowned, marked a few things on the page and then turned it over before looking up.
“You were recommended to this class by the first year Professor, am I correct?”
Emilio nodded. “Yes, sir.”
The man looked at him over the rim of his glasses, raising an eyebrow. “Are you confident in your ability to follow the third year material?”
Emilio frowned thoughtfully for a moment. He could just bluff but he felt like honesty was a better option here. So he shook his head.
“No, Professor.”
“Oh? Why not? Professor Herman had a lot to say about you.”
Emilio was keenly aware that the conversations among the students had died down and he could feel the increasing number of gazes on him. He exhaled shakily before hesitantly answering the man.
“I … was able to answer his questions because I had read many books regarding mana when …” he trailed off before sighing and shaking his head. “I only know these things because I read a few books. I do not know the third year material and I do not feel confident enough to say I will be able to understand everything. But I will try my best.”
The man stared at him for a moment before giving a satisfied nod. “I will be frank. I do not like you in my class. Not only because you are a Laik - though that is the lesser reason - but also because I do not believe you have enough knowledge or understanding of mana theory to be in this class. This class does not require mana but it requires the openness of mind and a hunger for knowledge. The most important thing you need to know in this class is that you know nothing. So, if you want to stay in this class, make sure to keep your eyes and mind open.”
Emilio was stunned for a moment. The man had been the first Professor to admit he did not like Emilio because he was a Laik. And then a soft sense of relief spread in him. The man’s words meant he was willing to give him a chance and would not hold his status as a Laik against him in the class.
Emilio nodded. “I understand, sir.”
“Good.” The man nodded before standing. “Now, the class has already been divided into groups a few days back. Each group must conduct research on their selected topic and hand me the thesis at the end of the year.” He looked around. “Is there any group that wants to take Mister Emilio?”
Everyone seemed to turn away just a bit, looking at each other and avoiding eye contact with Emilio or the Professor. Emilio sighed softly. If he had known that this class contained group activity, he would not have accepted the offer to sit in it. He could practically see all of them praying to not have him in their group.
“Well?” The Professor asked. “If there are no takers, then I’ll assign him to a group of my choosing!”
Well, that was that. Now that Emilio was here, he would do his best to do things properly. He was sure his group mates would hate him. But he could just provide the materials to them for research and not get involved in it. At least, he could read the advanced texts that could only be found in the Academy and perhaps the Imperial Library.
Alright, let’s do our best!
“Very well, I’ll assign a group-”
“Professor.” The voice that interrupted the Professor was calm yet carried authority. It was a very familiar voice. Emilio turned his head to see the golden eyes staring at him from the far corner of the room, sitting at a place where sunlight did not reach and no one paid much attention. Emilio had not even realized that the Prince was there. He could feel dread curl in his gut as he looked at the Prince.
“Yes, Mister Aeloron?”
“I’d like to take him in my group”
The Professor paused. “Are you sure?”
The Crown Prince did not even hesitate. “Yes.”
Is it too late to back out?
Suddenly, he did not want to do his best.
“Very well. Mister Florian, take your seat with Group 5.”
He looked around, desperately hoping for an escape from this impossible situation. There were none. No one else would take him. And he could not just walk out when the Crown Prince himself had been ‘generous’ enough to offer him a position in his group.
Sighing softly, he slumped and then walked up the stairs as if he was going to his gallows. He could hear the soft murmuring around him. It did not take a genius to recognize the tones of jealousy and resentment aimed at him. After all, how could a Laik ever be in a group with the Crown Prince? Emilio was sure each and every position in that group was coveted and competed over fiercely before the group was made. And now, a Laik came in and took a spot right away? How ridiculous.
How generous of you, Your Highness, to isolate me even more than I already am.
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He gritted his teeth and reached the very last step where the Crown Prince sat at the corner. His nose flared and then he sat down on the seat at the very edge of the table. It was one seat away from another member of the group, who scoffed and leaned away.
Ignore, ignore.
“Why are you sitting over there, Emilio?” The Prince asked. The voice grated on his ears.
He looked at the young man and smiled. “This is the only seat available.” Not true. There were two more seats available, one beside Emilio and one beside the Crown Prince. Perhaps, no one dared to sit beside Prince Louise and Emilio knew they would be loathe to sit beside him. So in essence, there was really one seat available. “Besides, since I am last in the group, it is only right that I sit here.”
“Ah.” The Crown Prince tilted his head. “But how do you expect to learn our group materials properly without consulting the leader? Come sit here.” Prince Louise patted the seat beside himself.
There was a tense silence as the man finished speaking. The group members, who were ignoring him until now, glanced toward him. The other groups closest to the also looked towards them. Emilio knew he was on the edge of a knife. One wrong move, and he could cut his foot and fall off.
“I … thank you for the offer, Your Highness. But I am quite fine here. I’ll collect the proper materials later and study them.”
“But you will not understand them.” The man smiled, tilting his head as he spoke. His voice was still calm, but his eyes were colder. “We have been reading different materials in order to determine our group topic and I must ensure you understand all the other materials and assign you yours. After all, you are new to the group and the class. It is only right for your group leader to help you. Otherwise, you will fall behind.”
Translation: I allowed you to come into this group, so you better follow what I say.
Emilio looked around. Everyone was looking at him. There was really no right answer. He would either be the Laik favored and supported by the Crown Prince, making him the object of resentment or he would be the Laik who disobeyed the Crown Prince and spat on his favor, making him an object of scorn and contempt. The difference was, in the former option, he would be presumed to be under the Prince’s protection and no one would dare try to do something against him easily. In the latter option, fanatics and those who despised his existence might just try to hurt him for rejecting the Prince’s favor.
The Prince knew exactly what he was doing. If he chose the first option, even if he did not accept the support and offer of the Prince, there would be the assumption that he did. It would be easier for the Prince to pressure him. If he chose the second option, not only would he be scorned in the Academy, the news would spread to the Aelorian High Society of the Laik who was too proud to accept the Prince’s generosity. That could jeopardize his family. That was not an option.
He took a deep breath, resisting the urge to flip the table in front of him, and then stood. “Of course, Your Highness. Thank you.”
He grabbed his bag and moved toward the seat beside the Prince. He sat down and tried to put as much distance between them as he could, which considering that there was someone on his other side, was not much.
The Crown Prince chuckled. “You need not be so afraid. I am not going to eat you.”
Emilio sighed. “Your Highness,” he started softly. “Thank you for your kindness. But rest assured, I do not need my hands held like a child. I’ll be able to get by fine. So please, do not waste your time on me.”
“It is a waste if I think it is a waste.” The man leaned in slightly. “I do not.”
Gods, he wanted to deck the man in the face. He turned around without saying a word. The Professor was putting away his papers and clearly getting ready to start the class.
“You should listen carefully. Professor Lauber has a habit of suddenly asking students the materials he has already taught.”
The Crown Prince’s voice was warm and kind.
Emilio did not trust it one bit.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
To his credit, the Crown Prince did not disturb him after that.
He listened to the lecture. They were learning the different pathways of mana veins throughout the body and how they correlated to the blood veins and how an imbalance in either could cause the other to collapse as well. They were clearly going organ by organ. Apparently, mana veins in different organs had a multitude of functions, some of which overlapped and some differed. It was quite fascinating.
Today they were learning about the mana veins in one’s hands.
“The mana veins here are flexible so that we can expand and contract them as you wish in order to bring out your mana in the amount and shape that you need. These are, as we have learned previously, called volitional mana veins. The ones you can use on your own volition. They are also alterable mana veins, which means you can use them to either bring out your elemental mana or pure refined mana for other kinds of magic. Look at your hands, do you see the almost invisible lines crisscrossing across your palm and the back of your palm? Those are the indents left by your mana veins, called mana creases. They are more visible on your hands than the rest of your body because that’s where you use them most.”
Emilio felt a hand on his own and was startled out of his concentration on the lecture. He looked down to see the Prince’s hand over his, gently rubbing his thumb over the back of his palm.
“You have none,” Prince Loise whispered.
A shudder ran down his spine. Emilio clenched his teeth and tried to pull his hand away. But the Prince caught his wrist and turned his hand over.
“Here too,” he said softly, as he run his fingers across his palm, making Emilio shiver. “There are only the physical palm lines, no mana creases.”
This time, Emilio forcefully jerked his hand away from the Prince’s.
“Your Highness, what you are doing is incredibly inappropriate,” he said softly. “I already know what I have and do not have. Now, please allow me to concentrate on the lecture.”
He turned around to face the front of the class, hoping he had not missed anything too important. He heard the Prince chuckle softly but ignored him.
Thankfully, the rest of the class was uneventful. The Professor finished the class once he was done with the mana veins of hands and arms. Before the students could stand and file out, however, the Professor spoke again.
“Remember, you have to submit your group topics by the end of the week.”
Everyone murmured their assents.
Emilio wanted to get out as soon as he could but before he could take more than a few steps, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked back to see the Prince smiling at him.
“We meet in the library to discuss possible research topics after classes. Make sure to be there.”
“Ah.” Emilio sighed softly before speaking in a mildly regretful voice. “I am sorry. I will not be able to join. I have to go to the Healers’ Hub after classes today. And usually, I’d be busy with the Research Department. Please let me know the possible topics and I will research on my own later.”
“That’s fine.” The Prince’s smile got a tad bit wider. “We convene after dinner as well. Just come to the library when you’re done with the Research Department. I’m sure they won’t keep you till dinner time..”
Emilio felt his excuse shatter into a million pieces.
He forced a smile onto his face. “Of course, Your Highness. I really must go now, or I will be late for my next class.”
He turned around and walked out of the room as fast as he could without running, with only one thing on his mind.
Gods have mercy on me.