Chapter 19 -A Team-
Walking through the hallway of the council building seemed a little too much for me to still take in, after all I had accepted the offer of the princess— Charlotte.
I followed her lead when she said we would need a team for the mission, but I never had thought it would have been in the building where royalty stays and have meetings, important ones, even though I came from somewhat of a family of nobles, I am not famous as some are.
The pressure kept pushing down on me, it was like I was not worthy of this kind of thing.
“Follow me, we are almost there.” Charlotte said, excitedly almost as if she was looking forward to this other member of the team.
Upon arriving at the door where our new member was, the two guards had witnessed our arrival. They immediately held their spears with both hands as they were trying intensely to intimidate us, but that was not the case, for us at least.
As I reached for my sword on my left side, Charlotte stepped me by holding her hand up, telling me not to cause a scene.
“I am Charlotte Bamford, Princess of Lerasea. I demand you to let us see the council member Grace Hiller.” The sudden change in her voice made me rethink my judgment on her. It appears that when things are serious she gets serious.
The two guards that appeared to be elven had the end of their spear touch the ground.
The elf princess' words had influenced them with the authority she held.
Both elven guards discussed how they didn’t want anyone to go through the door because the council member, Grace, ordered them to stop anyone from entering.
Without much thought, Charlotte silenced them using wind magic and proceeded to knock on the door.
Low muffled voices could be heard in the background but it was quiet enough to not alert anyone.
After knocking continuously, a irritated woman’s voice was heard, “Guards I thought I told you not to tell anyone disturb me during this time—“
As the door opened, Grace’s words were put to rest when she saw the young elfs’ face.
“Hello Grace,” said the purple eyed girl.
Being too stunned to speak, the headmaster of Ifesia academy just stood on the doorway unable to make a word out. Her eyes and face had revealed that she was not expecting the princess to be in front of her.
Seconds later, Graces’ eyes looked at me, almost as if asking me two questions, first why was I here and second why was she here.
The girl who I assumed to be a spoiled brat, asked the headmaster for permission to go inside her room.
Grace’s response was just a simple one, ‘sure’…
The sound of paper being flip and out down filled in the role of the silent room. The nervous feeling was not great especially when there is such tension in the room.
Charlotte took a seat in front of the headmaster. The elf carefully spectated her, no words for each other.
“So, if you’re so kind as to tell me why both of you are here?” Grace said, breaking the silence that there was.
Charlotte was confused by the question that she tilted her head before answering, “You should know why we are here. We know that you have been trying to find Alter, headmaster, but you won’t find him here. In this dimension at least.”
Grace’s brows went down, trying to understand what the elf said to her. Letting go of the paper she had in hand, the headmaster got up her seat aggressively while slamming her hand against her desk.
The loud thud caught me by surprise that my body jolted. An aura was coming out of the headmaster, a heavy, dark one.
I turned my gaze to the elf princess but she didn’t bat an eye, instead she too unleashed her aura.
“What are you talking about, princess?” Said the headmaster with a displeased voice.
I paid close attention to Grace’s face, I have never seen her like this before. Many things stood out to me when it came to seeing Grace like this. The dark spots under her eyes were visible from far away, along with the wrinkles on her forehead. Her black eyes had red outlines. The once beautiful comb white short hair she had everyday during the academy was no longer to be found, instead there were split ends in her hair, it was longer and messy.
The yellow haired girl took a second to answer the headmaster’s question.
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“You already searched the towns nearby but didn’t find anything, but I have three pieces of good news for you. First, we know where Alter is. Second, we know where he is.” Charlotte stopped before saying the third piece of news.
Grace’s expression softened, her brows went up and so did her eyes. Taking together the mixed emotions swelling her, she let them out. Tears ran down her cheeks, but the surprised expression didn’t change.
Falling down on her chair, she remained quiet, looking at her feet, drinking what she had just heard.
The headmaster then became conscious of what she was doing, wiping her tears away and clearing her throat before talking.
“You mention that there were three pieces of news, what is the third one?” Asked Grace with there still being a hint of sobbing.
“The third is that we need people to go with us, strong people. But there is so little in so much, that is the reason why I am creating a team. So far it’s only me, Noah and grandfather.” The elf finished with some pride upon saying the names of the team members.
Wait, Charlotte’s grandfather is going to be one of the members of the rescue mission?
I thought to myself on why Charlotte's grandfather would go, especially to a different dimension. Just how does he know–how does everyone from the four kingdoms know Alter, especially the royal families!?
My self thoughts were soon interrupted by Grace’s loud voice.
“Your grandfather, Dale Bamford, is going to be in the rescue team!?” I could hear the surprised tone in her voice, like she was not expecting it.
The headmaster kept on asking questions about it but all the purple-eyed elf could do was to nod while having her hands up.
After the principal–Grace had finished asking the elf questions, she took a long and deep breath. Leaning back in her chair, covering her eyes and her hand.
Of Course I didn’t say anything. More like there wasn’t anything for me to say, after all I was just a person who just met him.
Could I just be useless? And if so what can I do to make it change?
Before I knew it I was once again trapped in one of those low-self esteem games that was made by none other than myself.
Could I become stronger? To help those who need it? Can I do something without anyone’s help?
I clenched my fist against my consciousness, every second getting tighter and tighter.
Memories of when I was young began to play out. Memories that I found displeasing and painful.
I felt so useless, so useless that I couldn’t even think. To help the one person who was trying to help me, only to betray his expectations.
The vivid fragments still remain, past, present and probably in the future too. No matter how much I do, no matter how small or how big it will always be too little in other people’s eyes. Even when it’s your own family.
Then out of the blue a warmth of a hand was felt on top of mine, I quickly lifted my head. Both people in the room that were with me had their palm over my hand, my widened eyes left the sight of my hands to their faces, worried faces. Faces that clearly told me that they were concerned for me.
Before I could have said something one of them had beaten me to it, “A-Are you okay? You seemed like you were remembering something awful.”
I straight off collected myself, sealing whatever emotion I was showing.
“Yes, I’m fine. It’s just that everything has gotten me by surprise.” I said with a tone that I had always used when people would see me down, a happy tone.
Clearly, I saw that they didn’t quite buy it but they were given an answer to keep them from asking any further.
Letting their hands off mine, the conversation they had earlier was brought up again but this time was awkwardly, uncomfortable.
I took this chance to once again collect myself to appear like I was ok, more than fine. Letting a deep yet quiet breath out, relaxing my mind and body.
“So Noah, why are you in this?” It was the headmaster who asked the question. I could tell that she was surprised that I was here in the first place that even her voice had some curiosity in it.
Since I was so focused on getting myself together, I didn’t know when Grace had gotten to her chair.
Even with a mana ring almost at green, I couldn’t sense her, much less know how strong she was. Could it be that she had already passed the blue stage?
Before letting the questions in my mind take over I closed my eyes and told myself to stop, this wasn’t the time to ask questions when I’m being asked.
Sitting straight, not letting any signs of nervousness, I spoke, “Because I want to repay Alter for what he has done for me.”
“Is that so? Well then it seems like we all have different reasons but the same goal. I will be in your care.” Grace stretched both her arms towards us, letting us know that we would be comrades from now on.
As we shook hands and chatted about the possibility of having better relations between each other. Grace came up with us going to the training grounds to test us out for future battles, Charlotte on the other hand said that it was better if we challenged the dungeon to get a glimpse of what would happen in the rescue mission.
I really didn’t know what to put in, I didn’t have experience in these types of things. Of course, I had put my vote on both of those suggestions. Both of them really did bring something interesting, then an idea came to mind something that would help us to get stronger.
Razing my hand, I got the attention of the only people in the room. The two women turned their heads to me, and listened carefully.
“I think we should do both things. First we train in the training grounds, second, we go to the dungeon and test whatever techniques we have developed.” This sounded incredible in my head but I couldn’t tell how it sounded to them.
The tension in the room solidified. Charlotte and Grace were in deep thought, almost like considering my idea.
A minute or two have gone by, they have come to a conclusion.
““I accept your idea”” they both said, breaking the tension in the room that filled me with nervousness.
I let out a sigh of relief as I watched the two women in the room sit down and talk to each other about their expectations for the future. Not at singularities, but as a team that would help each other out in the road that is long and hard.