A week later, Theodore was standing in front of a pair of large gates leading into a large compound. Inside, he could see magnificent buildings designed and layered with great eloquence. This was the Astral Academy, which was famous around the world as one of the best academies for higher education to get decent jobs across different fields.

The current Astral Academy had been remodelled to look brand new with a new design and layout compared to what it looked like sixteen-years-ago. There were many things new about it, but Theodore did not know much of them as he never paid any interest in getting into this academy.

“I can’t believe I’m actually here,” he muttered despondently.

“Cheer up. It’s a magnificent place, isn’t it?” Edna cheerfully asked from beside him. “I can feel the energy surging inside of me.”

“Mmm,” he said and glanced sideways at her before turning back to face the academy. For a few seconds, he remained silent until he said, “On second thought, I’m leaving.”

He turned around and was about to leave when he was grabbed by the arm by Edna.

“Wait, Theo!” She exclaimed, trying hard to stop him from going. “We didn’t come all the way here just to leave.”

“I don’t feel like being here anymore,” he admitted his thoughts with a sad expression. “This place is giving off a bad vibe.”

Applying a bit of force, he moved forward, making her hop along as she desperately tried to stop him.

“Ah! Aren’t you forgetting the mission you’ve accepted from your sister?” She finally asked in a desperate voice.

He stopping trying to forcibly leave as her words reminded him of the mission he had undertaken.

***

It was not that long ago when he received a visit by his older step-sister and given the task of protesting the Princess of the East Nation. It was there that she intended for him to attend Astral Academy and join her class as an undercover bodyguard, which he refused profusely. The last thing he wanted was to attend an academy for education when he felt he knew all that there is to fulfil his life goal: to live a simple life.

“You’re already sixteen-years-old, Theodore. Your mother wishes you to get educated like her in the same place,” said Terra as she tried to persuade him.

“No, no, no! I just want to live a simple life,” he insisted in a firm voice. “No more comparisons, no more requirement for equality, and no need to make appearances. I want to a simple and normal life away from all the headaches.”

“And you think you’re leading such a life as an adventurer?”

“Yes. I’m actually having fun,” he replied with a big smile. “I get to go to places, fight monsters and help people on the way or just help the people that had given out a quest. It’s satisfying, more so than whatever I might get from attending that place.”

“Honestly, don’t you think getting education a good thing?”

“Dad never completed at Astral Academy, has he?” He asked her, to which she remained silent. “See. Not just him, but a lot of people don’t bother attending the academy.”

“They either end up leading lives as farmers, adventurers, clerks for firms or something lowly paid,” she rebutted crossly.

“Whatever it might be, they were prepared for it and went for it.”

“Not everyone was prepared for it. Many just couldn’t afford the money that’s costing to enrol at the academy as well as take their written test, which is known to be tough to pass.”

“Exactly my point!” He said firmly. “A complete waste of money. In this day and age, being smarter will get you a long way than having education. Knowledge is power, but if you don’t know how to use it, then you might as well be wearing a sign that read ‘Hey, I’m stupid’ for the whole world to see. Pointless in my honest opinion.”

His sister looked at him while breathing a sigh in tiredness, clearly struggling to try and convince him.

“Then, what will you do about the mission?” Terra asked finally.

“If I have to attend Astral Academy in order to take it up, then forget it!” He told her bluntly. “If it were any other academy, I’d be fine, but there’s no way I’m setting foot in that place.”

This made her sigh once again, but a ray of hope appeared when Edna asked, “Um… I don’t wish to disturb your conversation but… I was actually thinking of attending Astral Academy this year.”

“What?!” Theodore exclaimed, turning to her sharply with a shocked look.

“You were?” Terra asked, looking at her with great interest as her hope rekindled.

“Yes. I was going to attend it this year, but I am currently financially constrained and don’t have enough money to afford to pay for the two years education after I pass the test,” she explained and smiled bitterly.

“So, you’re not in a financial situation to afford your education fees?”

“Correct.”

“You’re interested in taking any kind of loan?”

Edna shook her head and stated, “I’m afraid not. You see, passing the test is one thing but after it, I have to study diligently and pass the final exams at any cost, otherwise the whole investment would’ve been for waste. I’d be left with debt that I have to repay, not to mention becoming a burden to my family and sisters.”

Terra was amazed that she had siblings and when she questioned about their education, Edna hesitantly confessed that she was working tirelessly to have them receive proper education that she lacked because of the poor financial state her family was in back then.

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Listening to their conversation, Theodore looked at The Smiling One in amazement at this sudden revelation of the reason as to why she had begun to earn money from a young age. He never realised the toughness with which she moved herself forward and always kept up a shining smile in whatever situation. His feelings of love for her instantly tripled for her and made him want to do whatever he could to help her out.

“In that case, why don’t you attend the academy with me?”

“Oh!” His sister said, and he instantly realised the mistake he made. “You’re interested to go now that your colleague wants to attend Astral Academy? Or is it perhaps something… more…?”

“I… Well…” he began, looking flustered.

He knew the mistake he made by making such a bold statement and did not wish to withdraw it for fear of shame. It did not help when Edna suddenly turned to him and asked with glimmering eyes.

“You… want me to attend the academy with you, Theo?”

“Yes,” he said finally, ignoring the gloating look on his sister’s face and allowing his feelings to lead the way. “If it’s financial constraints, then I’m sure my sister will arrange for it. Right?”

With that, he shot a strong look towards his sister, who nodded in acceptance. It appeared that she got the message he was trying to send, which was to threaten her if she did not help Edna go to Astral Academy with him, otherwise he would not take on that important mission.

“In that case, why don’t you join in on the mission together with Theodore?”

“Pardon?” Edna asked, looking confused while Theodore exclaimed “Huh?! You want her to what?!”

“If the two of you go together for the mission, then you both can attend the academy together, you can be in classmates, you can hang out with one another and carry out your duty to protect the princess while keeping your statuses relatively unknown,” his sister laid out her idea in its fullest form. “I think it’s a win-win situation.”

Theodore looked at his sister as if she was crazy, but Edna was suddenly looking hopeful.

“Being together with Theo…” she muttered under her breath.

“Did you say something, Edna?” He asked her, not quite hearing what she said.

“Oh. Nothing,” she said quickly, looking embarrassed.

Looking confused by her expression, he turned back to his sister and said, “Look. It’s dangerous for her to come with me to be on a mission. I just want her to get her education done in exchange I go on this mission of yours.”

“Maybe it is, but I trust that she will be safe there since she will be mingling mostly with the other students. Plus, having her there has its own advantages.”

“Advantages? Such as?”

“She could befriend the princess and be part of her inner circle. That way, she can tip you off on the goings on for the princess without you directly getting involved. In fact, this is indeed a practical plan at having a girl at your side to support you.”

He thought for a moment before agreeing half-heartedly by saying, “Yes. You have a point, but that’ll mean she will get into dangerous situations regardless of what you might say to convince me otherwise,” he retorted heatedly. “I will not have it to put her in danger just for this stupid mission.”

As she and her brother were arguing, Edna raised her hand and said, “I think Theo is right. This arrangement doesn’t seem practical.”

“Why do you think so, Miss Edna?” Terra asked, which startled the young girl.

Edna reacted with surprise at her name being used, which made her ask, “How do you…?”

“I may have forgotten your name since it’s been a year since we last met, but I tend to make sure to remember the people I meet recently. You told me your name yesterday, and it got stuck in my mind,” said Terra with smile. “Now, please explain your reasoning for rejecting my idea.”

“Theo is right that I will be put in dangerous situations and could become a burden for him if the situation was ever critical. Since I’m not as powerful as him to defend myself very well, I don’t think it’s advisable for me to go to Astral Academy.”

“See?” Theodore said, smiling at his sister as things were going his way. “If she’s not interested in coming to Astral Academy, then I’m not going as well. Please, give that mission to someone else more suitable than me.”

He was rubbing it in his sister’s face that he had seemingly won against her. However, she retained her smile and began speaking in a reasonable manner with Edna.

“I understand your point that you might face some dangerous situations, but let me ask you a question in turn: has it been that great having to smile all the time regardless of how rude the person on the other side of the counter was?”

Her question made Edna blink with surprise and appear to think it thought. Then she shook her head, to which Terra nodded while her brother watched her suspiciously.

“It wasn’t pleasant, was it? But you still did it in the end. Why? What was the greater goal that’s bigger than you and your feelings?”

“My sisters,” said Edna slowly, to which Terra nodded with her smile widening.

“Exactly. For your sisters. So, please think of the bigger picture here as well, Edna. You’ll get to attend Astral Academy and finally get the education you really wanted and along with it, you’ll be able to save a girl’s life from harm and how many more that may get endangered along the way.”

“Terra!” Theodore exclaimed, jumping to his feet and glaring at her angrily. “How dare you speak like that to her?! You’re telling her to ignore her own safety for the safety of others?”

“I’m just stating the facts in how they should be viewed,” replied Terra firmly, meeting his serious gaze with her own. “A girl’s life hangs in the balance and we don’t know why, but it is imperative that we save her at any cost. Not only is she the princess, but she has a greater importance in the future.”

“What future? What importance?” He demanded to know. When she remained silent, he scoffed at her and said, “See that? Your silence speaks volumes! You’re just doing things to get things your way just like you’ve always done in the past! But not this time, Terra!”

He held his hand out and activated his magic. A few seconds later, his halberd came smashing through the wall and whizzed past her before he grabbed it firmly. Then he held it at ready against her while many onlookers were looking at the damage the weapon had made while flying to its master.

“Even if I have to fight you over this to win my point, I will,” he told her threateningly.

There was a moment of tense silence between them before she said coolly, “The choice is not yours; it’s Miss Edna’s.” Then she turned to the young girl and asked, “Miss, what are your thoughts?”

“Edna!” Theodore told her firmly. “Don’t listen to this stupid woman!”

“How rude to call me woman when we’re the same age?” His sister asked sarcastically.

“So what? You’re still older, and that makes you a woman, especially when you behave this cunningly.”

There was a moment of silence as she recovered from the shock the weapon caused as it blew through the wall to reach its master. Then she looked up at Theodore and then at the seated Terra before finally coming to a decision.

***

“I can’t believe you had to agree to her nonsense!” He complained to her, looking upset.

“It’s okay, Theo. Besides, she was right. A girl’s life was in danger and so was the lives of many more. If it meant that I could make a change and even save hers, then I will feel very happy,” she said and when she saw him continue to look unhappy, she grinned and asked, “Do you know our guild’s slogan?”

“Yeah. We, as Spectres of the Lion guild, shall not watch by as injustice is carried out. Just like the lion, we shall rise up to the challenge with honour, dignity, and pride. Lions Forever.”

She nodded and asked, “So, are you going to break the vow over your personal feelings?”

There was a moment of hesitation in him before he breathed a sigh and said reluctantly, “No. I won’t.”

“That settles it then,” she said with a nod of her head in satisfaction. “Now, let’s go in before we are late to the exam.”

“Just so you know, I didn’t exactly prepare all that well for the exam,” he told her warningly before adding hastily, “although I’ll do my best to pass it.”

But she chuckled and said, “I believe in you,” and together they crossed the threshold into Astral Academy.