Three people are sitting at that table, three meals are on the table, and yet only one is eating the food ordered.

“What’s the matter? You two haven’t touched your food at all,” asks Maximillian while eating his plate of steak.

“Hm? Oh, yeah…” Kayrus picks up his fork and stabs the shrimps on his plate. He can’t stop glancing at Kara once in a while.

“So, Max,” says Kayrus, “why didn't you say that your sister is also a new student like me?”

Max sips from his glass of water. “Slips my mind. All of us were busy, remember? I did tell you about someone on the Aerofloat on the way here, didn’t I?”

“On the Aerofloat? That was her?” It takes a few moments for Kayrus to recall their conversation.

“Correct.” Max takes another bite from his steak.

“Aerofloat? So you’re the boy that Max told me about,” this time Kara is talking, “the one that the Archmagus wanted as an Apprentice.”

“Yeah, I’m the one,” answers Kayrus.

“Must be nice, Kayrus, that means you must be close with the Archmagus.”

“Why?”

“She’s a big fan of our boss.” interjects Maximillian, “I don’t know the reason why, honestly.”

“I-I’m not a big fan! I’m just…an admirer of his works.” Kara pouts.

“Yeah, yeah, you say that every time…” Max takes another bite.

“You’re one big meanie, Max..” Kara then remembers that Kayrus is with them. "Ah, C-Can you just ignore what just happened? Don’t tell anyone in the class, please?” her cheeks turn red.

“Ignore what thing? I don’t see nor hear anything happening at all,” says Kayrus while smiling, his way of honoring her request.

Kara nods her head, cheeks still red. Her eyes seem to be sparkling with…something.

“Oh, right, speaking of your class,” interrupts Max, who might or might not notice the display of emotion by his sister to the former thief, “Because I’m a Bea Magus, Charleone has asked me to be in charge of your education. You know, as long as it involves the Bea Collegiate.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, although he also asked Emma to take care of the things that are not Bea-related. So how’s your class, Kayrus?”

“Hm? Oh, it’s just here and there, you know. It’s just the first class, after all.” Kayrus can’t say straight to Max’s face that he spent the majority of the class just staring at his sister.

“Is that so?”

“Yeah…” Kayrus nods his head. “I did learn how to do General Manipulation though. Very interesting stuff.”

“That’s good,” Maximilian’s face suddenly brightens up, “General Manipulation is very important for us Bea, you need to master it as soon as possible if you want to do some cool stuff. It’s good that you’re interested in it,” he says before sipping his now almost half-empty glass of water.

“Oh, right, speaking of which Max. I kind of ask you about the extra classes,” says Kara to her brother. She then gives him the handout that Irinna gave to the class.

“What about this?”

“I’m interested to hear your opinion about the classes.”

“Kara…” Max lets out an audible sigh. “You know I’m not like our Pop and Mom. You’re free to choose your own path. Whichever you choose, you know I always have your back.”

“I know, Max, I know. But I just want to hear a second opinion. That’s all.”

Max sighs again.

“Fine, I’ll do it. But later, okay?” He puts away the paper into his jacket.

“Thank you! I circled the class that I wanted there.” Kara smiles, clapping her hands.

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She really looks like Kara, even her smile is the same, note Kayrus to himself, beautiful…

“What about you?” asks Max suddenly to the former thief.

“What, me?”

“Yeah, any classes you’re interested in?”

“Oh, I haven’t given it any thought at all.”

Maximilian throws his fork to his plate in a clear display of displeasure. “What do you mean you haven’t given it any thought? This thing is very important!”

Kayrus puts both of his hands in front of himself, like trying to put up his guard against the Magus. "Easy Max, I was…busy, okay? I'll sort that out after this.”

Maximillian doesn’t look to be satisfied with Kayrus’ answer, but he is forced to accept it as he folds his arm as a sign of protest.

“Fine, but don’t forget about it. If you need some advice, you can ask me, or ask the Archmagus…that is if you can find him.”

“So you haven’t met with him again since this morning?”

Max shakes his head.

“No, after the ceremony, Charleone said he had some important thing to do, and urgent. I think it’s something very secret since even he didn’t tell Emma anything. He said it was related to two things, first is Affinity.”

“Affinity?” says Kayrus. He has a suspicion that must have something to do with his eight affinities. Is Charleone researching it?

“Then what’s the second one?”

Maximilian looks at Kara, before smirking at Kayrus. “He said, rathunting.”

The former thief immediately knows what it means.

“Rathunting, huh?”

“Yeah, rathunting.”

Kayrus’ mind is racing, that word can only mean one thing, Charleone must have wanted Kayrus to do something. Not Kayrus the new Bea student, but Kayrus the Shadow Rat, the thief. But what does Charleone wants him to steal now?

“Rathunting? Why would an Archmagus like him do something like that, Max?”

For a moment both Kayrus and Max forget that Kara is with them.

“Ah, it’s just nothing. The Archmagus sometimes really likes to use weird phrases like that. But keep it a secret, will you? He doesn’t like people to know this side of him.” The brother lies to the sister.

“I see…” Kara just nods her head. It seems she buys that lie.

“Well, it was a nice chat, and a nice lunch as well.” Maximilian puts down his eating utensils on his now empty plate. It’s his attempt to change the subject by ending their meeting. “Bill please! Kayrus, you have something to do after this?”

“I-I think so, yeah.” Kayrus plays along.

“I see, I see. Kara, didn’t you ask for my help or something? Let’s hurry up before someone is looking for me.”

“Oh yeah! Right, I almost forgot about that.”

The waitress, who is not Michelle, arrives with their bill.

“Ah, don’t worry about it, it’s my treat this time,” says Max when Kayrus is reaching for his pocket.

The Magus pulls out some pieces of paper currency, one that Kayrus has never seen before, and hands it to the waitress. “Keep the change,” he says as he walks away from the table to leave the cafe. The two students follow from behind him.

Outside the cafe, the area is still busy and full with people passing by minding on their own business.

“Um, Kara, why don’t you go ahead first? I’ll catch up with you, I forgot I have something else to tell Kayrus.”

“Okay, fine. But don’t take too long, okay?”

The brother smiles as his sister walks away.

“You still have something else to ask about, right? Something you can’t say in front of her,” says Max to Kayrus once Kara is out of her earshot.

“Yeah, I have,” Kayrus answers, finally having the chance to ask Max the questions he wanted to ask the whole time.

“Your sister, how old is she?” he’s opening with a light question.

“Kara? She’s Nineteen this year. Her birthday is in a few months.”

“Nineteens huh…” mutters Kayrus. So not only is she the same age as Kara from the city, their birthdays are pretty close as well.

“She seems like a nice girl.” Kayrus returns to his questioning.

“Yeah, best sister I ever have. Although my only sibling is her, so…”

“You’re close to her, aren’t you?”

“I have a reason, Kayrus, I have a reason for why.” Max’s eyes turn sad, for some reason.

Seeing that, Kayrus has no choice but to ask the big question before the Magus closes himself up.

“I know this will sound weird, but, Max, have you ever seen someone that looks just like your sister? Like a doppelganger or something?”

The Magus gives him a weird look. He’s clearly suspicious.

“That’s a very peculiar question, Kayrus. Can I ask the motive behind it?”

“Nah, it’s just…a weird question that crosses my mind. That’s all.”

“Next time, keep questions like that locked inside your mind, Kayrus.” Max looks away, sighing. “But to answer your question, no, I’ve never seen anyone like my sister. Much less identical to her.”

So he doesn't know about the other Kara then?

“You have other weird questions inside your mind?”

Kayrus shakes his head. “Nah, I got nothing else.”

“Good…” Max steps away, but before he leaves Kayrus, he puts his hand on the new student’s shoulder. “Because if you touch my sister, I'm going to torture and kill you. Understood?”

“Wha-Hey, I didn’t mean-”

But Kayrus’ protest falls on deaf ears, as Maximillian just walks away going in the direction where his sister went ahead.

“Ah, damn it…” Kayrus rubs his forehead, sighing. “I may have made some mistake.”

At that point, the young man can only sigh away in the direction of Laura.