Dear Rainen,

It has been a long time since we have seen each other. So, I'd like to, instead of telling you over a letter, personally invite you to the house of Yurfray. I have gotten permission from grandfather and grandmother, they also wish to meet you after eight years. Once you reach the city go to the city guards and inform them that you've come to meet us. One of them will guide you here. Please come soon, I miss you.

Love,

Aisha.

P.S. You have wonderful handwriting.

I fall onto my bed. In these eight years she's changed so much, I can tell that much from the letter. We both have.

I'll go visit soon, after I complete my mission. I hope she's doing well.

-----------

I'm sitting in class doing nothing in particular, just staring at the board. Written on it is an announcement, On Monday, we'll be having a partner test.

I'm a little bit worried, although I've already talked to Ellar about it I get the feeling she still feels responsible for my back injury. I won't say she had no part in it, but I chose to protect her. I know she's staring at me right now, I can just feel her gaze.

I should tell her about the letter, she'd feel better. Without her help I don't think that I would've sent it, my handwriting is still a work in progress.

"Everyone, please take your seats."

Right on time, eight o'clock sharp. Sometimes I wonder if she stands outside of the door waiting for the hand to hit the twelve. It's possible, I wouldn't put it past her.

"For the lesson tomorrow we'll have you and your partner have a fight with another group. Every first year class will be participating." she points to the board. "It is preparation for this test here."

"So it'll be a battle?" someone asks.

"Yes, it is a magic school after all. There will also be a knowledge test following after that one." she moves back to the podium. "But, for today, we shall have independent study for the first hour, after lunch we'll begin our lesson."

Upon declaring that the students burst into chatter. Most of it is about what they did yesterday or how they don't understand how to use a magic, but one conversation catches my attention. I perk my ears up and close my eyes, tying to listen in more.

"Did you hear about that guy in black?" a male student says.

"Oh yeah, I've heard of him. He goes around stopping criminals right?"

"Yeah! Yesterday, you know, that nice lady who always sells the apples was going to get robbed." wow, they were up late yesterday, no, the sun just went down early. It was around seven or eight if I remember correctly.

"Really? Did he save her?" a girl asks.

"Yeah. I talked to her and she said his magic was amazing. He almost blew off the leg of one of the thieves with a fireball!"

People's memories sure do exaggerate. Not to mention that it only gets worse once passed on from word of mouth.

"But we could do that too." one of the boy says, he's trying to discredit my secret identity!

"I know that." the person telling the story says. "But unlike us, he was able to take the rest down using his fists. They used knives on him too."

"Cool, I wanna be saved by him." one of the girls listening in says.

I'd save her, of course, I'd save anyone I find in trouble, as long as they weren't looking to get into a fight that is. I wonder why the others aren't being spoken about like this, maybe it's because we're new here. They probably handle it a different way too, with magic maybe.

I spend the whole period listening, trying to see if any of them have an idea of who it is. Nothing, so that's good, the problem is some of them want to meet him, me. If they try anything stupid I hope one of the twelve will stop them.

*DING*

Thus, free period began. I make my way to the library with Axel, I want to talk to Ellar about the letter but that can wait until after school.

Nothing in the library's changed, except for the new shelf. Normally it wouldn't be a big deal but these shelves hold at least a thousand books. They range from stories about the past, to gods, and to recent events. I don't know who has the time to write all these but they must really enjoy it.

"What kinds of books do you usually get Rainen?" Axel asks.

"Factual ones." I say.

"Boooring. You should at least read some fiction, you can learn a lot from those."

"And you can learn a lot from the factual ones too."

I walk up to the desk where Mr. Reader is at.

"Are there any books about summoning." I ask.

"Well yes Rainen, there are." he says while still looking at the paper.

Whoops, forgot that Mr. Reader doesn't like it when people ask very broad questions.

"Sorry, are there any books that deal with summoning two spirits? I mean, two alien entities in one body."

"Kukuku. I was just messing around Rainen, but I'm glad you clarified. Give me a minute."

And so a minute went by. Books from all around the room flew into his hands. After skimming through many of them he finally found one he seemed satisfied with.

"Try this one Rainen." he hands me the book.

"Thanks Mr. Reader."

"Tis my job." he sat back down and continued to look at the papers.

"What kind of book do ya got there Rai?"

"It's about summoning two 'spirits' and making a contract with both." I say.

"Why would you need a book on that?"

"For research."

Axel sits down next to me, his head's tilted to the side.

"Gotcha, if you don't want to tell me you don't have to."

I'm not lying but he knows I'm hiding something. I turn my attention to the book.

Summoning of multiple spirits I wonder if this book can provide anything useful.

I skim over the text, it's filled with stories and accounts of magicians attempting to contract more than one spirit. Each one fails, they can't even summon another spirit when they're contracted. One event tells of a man who used two summoning circles and summoned them simultaneously, he could only contract with one.

Those who have tried to force a summon and contract failed, incurring the wrath of the spirit.

It looks like Miss Ein was right, but none of these talk about being possessed. Miss Ein also said that it would most likely not be possible but I did it. I'll have to look for possession books again.

---------

"The lesson will be on demons today." she turns to me. "Rainen, I assume you have an interest in this subject."

"I do." I say.

"Then do listen carefully, any questions will be answered after."

She walks to the podium. "Demons, are much like spirits or other summons. A magic circle is usually needed to summon them. Does anyone know the other way they arrive in this world?" she looks around the room.

I raise my hand and answer. "They can come through the rips between our dimensions and once they do they either have to form a contract or they're free to posses someone to stay in this world."

She nods, "Right. Now, contracting with a demon isn't any different from doing it with a spirit, they both live inside the body. The difference is the price one has to pay and the power they get. Demons, unlike spirits, don't require much mana, they feed on the negative emotions of people. Their power that they lend to the contractor is immensely high. The problem is, the demon will try to take over the body when the contractor shows signs of weakness. This is the largest problem with contracting with one. It's highly important that the person who, hosted the demon, never lets it out."

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She stops for a breath. "The demons can eventually escape the host and have a material form if the amount of negative energy they feed on is enough. This is bad on all levels for everyone, they're hard to take down. Holy magic would be needed as it's the most effective."

She continues for a while, stating various disasters with demons as the cause. I'm interested but only because I need more resolve to keep this thing locked away until I can find someone capable to exorcise it. She goes onto talk about angels, and how they fought against demons. Of course, the demons lost and thus were put into the "spirit" world. The spirit world is just another part of this one, it is just the things we can't see and can't interact with unless we, one, summon them, they take hold of a place, or they find the rips.

Miss Ein finishes. "Any questions?"

As expected, my hand goes up.

"Ask away."

"So just as clarification, can a person who's possessed by a demon summon a spirit and contract with it?"

"No. I've done my own research on it and it doesn't seem possible, the two alien entities would cause conflict which would stop the spirit from being summoned or the demon from possessing the person."

Well there was obviously something wrong with that, maybe there are just no records of it yet. It could be because I'm an oddity, that's possible. I can't rule out everything yet.

"What if a person who was possessed didn't have a seal? How long would they be able to stop the demon from taking over?"

"Depends on the demon. If it needs a constant source of negative energy they'd most likely hold onto a host for a while. They wouldn't want to take over right away. But taking over and causing destruction is also another way for them to feed. If a demon wanted to take over someone without a seal it would take anywhere from a few minutes, or till the person's death. It depends on how strong their will is, they would eventually die from the pressure though."

I see, I'll need to keep this seal on until I can find someone I trust.

"Thanks."

"No problem." Miss Ein turns back to the board but stops. "Ah, I forgot. Another, rare, way for d-"

*DING!*

"Ah, class is dismissed."

I stand and go to the library. I'm hoping that I can meet blue hair there. I need to thank her for helping me out with the letter. I tread through the filled hallways, many students go the opposite way of me.

Within the library I ask Mr. Reader for a fiction book this time, I also need breaks sometimes. This weekend I'll be going on a mission and on Monday I'll have a test. And after that I plan to go visit my sister. Speaking of my sister, I wonder why her letter told me so little. I can understand the want to see each other but I would've liked to have some response to the questions in the letter.

I sit down at one of the large wooden tables and pull out the book. Inside the library are forty or so other students. Only a few are first years, I wonder if this school requires students to research certain things for classes. One girl stands on her tippy toes trying to reach for a book, the braided blue hair is familiar.

I get out from my chair, not even reading a single line of the book yet and walk over. It one hand to her chest and the other reaching for the sky, she makes a strained face. I reach over her head and grab the book. She turns around.

"Thank-" she notices it's me and stops.

I turn over the book to see the cover. The importance of working as a team. I'm glad that one of us is trying to do well on the test. I hold out the book for her.

"Here."

"T-thank you." she answers with her usual stutter.

I notice the book that she has in her other hand. That's why her left hand wasn't holding onto the bookshelf but pressed against her chest.

"What's that one there?" I point to it.

"O-oh t-this?" she seems to be embarrassed by it.

"Is it a naughty book?" I tease.

"N-no!" she denies.

If she doesn't want to show me then I shouldn't push. A pointer from Axel. I pull out the letter from my pocket and show her.

"It's from my sister. She says you have wonderful handwriting."

"I-is that so?" I can see the little twinkle in her eye. Everyone likes compliments sometimes.

"Yeah, thanks for helping me out there."

"No need to thank me, you also helped me with mine." she says.

"Oh that reminds me, did you get a reply back yet?"

"No, they live in neutral territory so it would take a little bit longer."

I nod.

"C-can I read it?" she asks.

"Sure, I don't mind."

I hand over the letter.

"Umm. When do you plan to go?"

Is she worried about the test on Monday?

"I plan to go after taking the team test."

"Ah, that's good."

I said what I wanted to say. I turn around but stop. One more question.

"What's your special ability?" I ask. It'll be important to know for the tag battle.

"..." she doesn't say anything for a moment. "I don't know..."

I furrow my eyebrows. What does this mean? Is it like magic where someone's might awaken later? It's a possibility, I haven't seen many without their ability though.

"That's alright. What you're capable of doing is already enough." I say.

"Yeah..." her sudden change in mood makes me worried. I have to change the subject.

"Have you read this book?" I hold up the recommendation from Mr. Reader. "It's about a group of adventurers."

Her eyes widen in surprise.

"H-how, wh-where did you get that book?"

Has she been looking for it?

"It was part of the new books that just came in." I point to the new bookshelf. "Mr. REader recommend it. Have you read it before?"

She nods furiously. "I uh, read it, when I was younger." another mood shift.

"Did you enjoy it?"

"...Yeah, it was a fun story." again, that sad expression in her voice.

------------

The rest of the week flew by quickly. The rest of the days were spent preparing for the test on Monday. On Thursday we fought with Adrmok and Harneth. Ellar was able to put up a good fight but I was just a fish on land. Every single one of my spells were nullified by their barriers. There was no winner as time ran out and Miss Ein stopped everyone.

Friday was full of lessons, I spent the evening doing a fetch quest with Axel, he seems determined to earn some money.

It's now evening on Friday. I'm heading to the warehouse. I've taken to roof hopping, my "name" has been getting around. I want to avoid any incidents.

I open the door to the warehouse, inside Hannah and Henry are already waiting.

"Been waiting for you. Carlyle will brief you over there."