Ryle 2

“Come on! What are you shy of? Just try to cast some magic!”

“I already told you I’m bad at it.”

“Come on!”

I raise my hand and cast a spell, mouth mumbles the name of some water element magic. A small burst of water comes out from my own palm. That doesn’t amount to much.

Regina holds my wrist, I blush hard (hopefully she doesn’t notice).

“Wha-wha-“

“Stay still.” She pulls back my sleeve and caresses my hand. “Try to feel the source of magic flowing through you like some waves, it goes how you go.”

“This doesn’t make-“

“Do as I say,” she cuts off my words, “you are not using your hand, you are just having it as a medium, what you are trying to control is the magic. Now,” she commands, “fire it.”

A straight beam shoots out of my hand. It’s still weak by the standard of what my classmates can do, but much better than what I always end up with.

“See?” She flashes me a bright grinning smile. “What you lack is just a lack of practice.”

“Some people can do better than I do without even trying.”

“They do, but you can always make it up with practice. Better a practicing amateur magician than a good-for-nothing magician, no?” She tilts her cheek onto her hand. “And besides, there are just way too many incredible things you can do.”

She applies something on my wrist.

“It’s not some cure or enhancement, just some << solution >> that would make it more flexible for you to cast spells.”

She pulls me toward the meadows. Before I noticed what she was doing with her feet, the flowers around her were blooming brightly. The multi-color petals in their glory.

“Why are you so good at magic though, Regina?”

“Hmm?”

She looks at me, her face is slightly mystified, but doesn’t seem to be because she doesn’t get what I’m asking, but more like why I am asking.

“A lot of practice, perhaps.”

“That’s a cheap answer.”

“But saying it’s natural to me is just cheaper, no?” She sniffs a flower. “Although I do have some other answers.”

“Like?”

“Love perhaps.”
Her answer inadvertently makes me blush. I’m not sure what she is trying to say here and the answer is hard to interpret without misunderstanding it.

“With enough love, you can literally change the world”.

She stands up, raises her arms to shoulder level, and does a turn around.

She’s just really a talented magician.

In class, she always answers the questions impeccably, and performs the best magic. Classmates suspect she has a lot she has yet to show off. They all adore her.

…which I have to admit does bother me a bit.

Although not that it should be my business that people like her, right? I’m nobody to interfere with her love life or anything like that.

She’s always surrounded by female friends, male classmates never fail to talk about her – that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but she’s a frequent topic.

“Regina, you saw how I did there right?”

That’s Paul, I have never talked much to him. Actually I have never talked much to most of the males in the class, they are not an easy bunch.

“Paul, right?” She giggles. “Your swordsman skills are on par with Levenbar’s, I would say.”

“Do I sense some cheekiness in your flattery? Levenbar is still alive, and by the time I catch up to him he would get to the level of an immortal.” Paul chuckles.

“Why don’t you interpret my words as meaning to say you will catch up very quickly?” She taps her own upper lip.

“Would I? But more important than that, I was asking what you truly think of me, not your flattery.”

“’Me’ as in you or your skills? Let me just say: I like a man who has what it takes to protect his own kind.”

She gives a meaningful gaze to him.

By now I just find their whole conversation unbearable. Paul wasn’t exactly a nice guy, he rudely shoved me out of his way since I was in the way. That was my first interaction. Another that for some weird reason never gets off my head is how he sat at my seat and refused to yield it. “Can’t you see me sitting here?”, “But it’s my seat”, “Just wait until it’s time for class”, he responds in a threatening voice.

“Ryle, why are you even still in the hall? Get right back to your seat. Now!”, “I’m sorry. I’m going now.” I fell face-first on the floor, I swear that was somebody at one of those tables. “Quickly sit down!”, “Yeah”. Tickled, somebody behind me did that, I turned to them and tried to fight back. “Ryle! Just stop whatever the hell you are doing.” The teacher throws a book right onto my head, and pulls me by the ear.

Paul has been looking at me, giggling wickedly.

Regina just can’t see that, how can she see how Paul actually is? She doesn’t study the same class as I do though. Paul to my own surprise just now does know how to talk formally, before Regina at least, but usually he always comes off as a very crude guy. Or does he just behave that way to me though?

“Well, although this may sound disruptive, may I ask for lunch today with you at the cafeteria? Of course if you aren’t having it with somebody else.”

“It’s fine of course. I will see you at lunch.” Regina flashes him a smile.

She doesn’t seem to notice I was eavesdropping as she passes by my classroom.

“Ryle, how was your class?”

“It was okay. Say, this lunch…”

“Hmm, I was supposed to have lunch with Paul today.”

“Regina… don’t we usually have lunch together everyday…?”

“That’s right, but it’s not like we have a promise or something, right? I don’t even know if you even want to today since you didn’t ask at all.”

“Right…”

“Is it fine though? Not having lunch with me today?”

“Do what you will.”

I’m not sure if my voice emitted any bad tone when I uttered that. I quickly leave the classroom.

A friend who has always been by my side. Living together in my very own house.

Have I just taken for granted something?

Come to think of it, I haven’t asked her what she thinks about the classmates.

It’s a weird question though. Weird enough I don’t want to ask just to embarrass myself.

And why is it that what she thinks or cares for is my business anyway?

Just because she’s my friend, an unofficial family member?

We all have our private lives. My mom, my dad, Regina, me.

I can’t really make any problem with her.

“What is it?”

“Roselyn? It’s nothing.” I look at the female classmate as I’m still sitting on the edge of the pavement.

“You are never a talkative guy huh?”

“Well, there aren’t many people in class to talk to.”

“Right, it’s something with the class, maybe. Most of them aren’t really nice, and those that are nice aren’t really sociable,” she flashes a cheeky smile at me.

“Thanks for the compliment,” I do mean it, “although it’s not all bad everyday.”

Otherwise I would find it so unbearable to come to school.

“Paul and co are the worst among the bunch aren’t they? That typical type of powerful family who thinks they are the only ones who matter.”

“He is having lunch with Regina.”

“Regina? That popular cute girl who studies in the next class. Seems lucky for him.”

Roselyn makes me feel more uneasy.

“It’s not usual for a girl to have lunch with another guy.” She continues. “A girl as special as Regina.”

…

“Can we talk about something else?” I ask.

“Okay. Say, my birthday is on this week’s Sunday. You want to come to my house?”

“…this is a surprise. I mean, we have just known each other.”

More than mere classmates, I mean. It’s been several years already.

“How do I say this?” she continues, “well, yeah this is a new one, but you can consider it as a way for us to know each other more.”

…

A silence.

“I guess I’m a weirdo for asking you this. Guess that’s what not having friends makes you.”

“It’s okay.” I don’t even realize I stand up right as she says that. “I will come to your house this Sunday.”

She makes a light giggle. “So well, here’s the address if you can find it.”

She lives right in the capital huh? That makes it more convenient.

“Say… can I bring Regina together?”

I utter that, half-thoughtlessly, half-aware.

“Regina? You are gonna invite her? Why though?”

“The more the merrier.”

“Well, of course it is, though wouldn’t she find it weird you suddenly come and ask her over. Wait a minute, you have an acquaintance with her.”

“You are not wrong. Even more than that. Well… anyway, that shall be a story I will tell you then.”

“That shall be,” she smiles, “so well, I’m coming to the cafeteria now for some bites. Are you coming along?”

“I’m good.”

“Good to know, and take this as my evening greeting since we may not pass by each other when we return to class.”

What a mildly cheerful girl. May sound like a contradictory thing to say given her mild meekness in class.

Class ends. We the students get out of the door on our way home.

“See you tomorrow,” as Roselyn appears from behind me, she squeezes my shoulder playfully and goes on toward her direction. Hey! That was kinda… What if people (mis)interpret it as something intimate? What a… girl.

I smile. I like her… as a friend of course. Not yet a friend but hopefully shall be a friend. She does have girly traits, or were those tomboyish? …do I just call every girl who interacts with males more than females a tomboy though? What does that make of me then?

Birthday huh? Would it be a party though? I guess the scale is way too small to be a party, but well… time to prepare for some gifts beforehand.

…something definitely not the magical lamp that pops out a genie who sticks tongue to you. Many people do love buying it as a joke. I love how my parents have never and shall never buy it. I hope the trend shall end soon since I don’t even want to look at them at the stores.

“This one please.”

Hmm… wrappers, a box… what shall I put into this.

Oh wait wait, this gem is quite expensive… by poor people standards. I’m not saying I’m poor. And I myself have saved up enough money to buy at least one thing that is as costly as this for once. Well, children of rich families wouldn’t even consider this expensive – nor is it even among the most precious, quality gems out there. Speaking by some criteria – by the way how do people even gauge how valuable a gem is supposed to be? I will have to ask Regina once I come home.

Speaking of which…

I forgot to come to see her to go home together.

“…it’s not like we have a promise or something, right? I don’t even know if you even want to today since you didn’t ask at all.”

Well, I didn’t tell her to wait for me after school anyway.

Maybe she’s already home now. Maybe she’s even with some classmates now, like…

I sigh as the image of Paul crosses my mind.

“This gem please.”

My mind automatically conjures some bizarre images of Roselyn making some weirded out comments at my gift.

“…oh well, I think we… have some difference in what we mean by birthday party,” she held the gem up, looking with a pair of eyes that seemed to be asking ‘what do I even make of this?’

“It’s not a bomb. It’s a legitimate gift.”

“You have never visited a birthday party before, haven’t you?”

“…guilty as charged.”

…or so I imagine how it would go.

Though I just expect maybe she’s a little bit confused, but would still accept my gift as something well-meaning. Well, I would just be as clueless of what to convey as she does anyway.

Nor would she know how expensive (by my own criteria) this red gem is. Although I have to say, it’s quality for whatever it's purpose is to be.

“Hmm. It’s rare to see our little guy wandering around here even though the sun is now setting. Shouldn’t you be home now with your mommy?”

That uncomfortable-making voice is Paul’s. Alongside him stand his friends.

“That’s not a nice thing to say.” I say something that usually would take a lot of gall from me, to which Paul seems irritated.

“It’s not a nice thing to say. But you are not exactly somebody.” The teasing smile on his face fades. “An average student whose sword fighting talents can’t even reach the top 10 in the class.”

“Which is a problem because?”

“Because you try way too hard, that’s the problem. I absolutely hate people who don’t have enough talent, but love to try hard and show off harder.”

Unlike you, Paul, I never show off though. Besides, how do you even get through the sword training classes without demonstrating it to the teacher?

“There are people in this world, who are born special, and shall always be special, you hear me? I really hate having to live among you people, none of whom has what it takes to deserve this beautiful world. I love this world, maybe no kingdom is better than others, even my own. I swear even living in the Demon realm would be much better than being surrounded by you all. And you know why? The Demon realm is very selective when they decide which demons and monsters shall get to keep living, not because they worry that others shall hoard resources, something they can always generate on and on, given their own wits, but because they don’t want their lesser become burdens to themselves. Unlike humans, it’s easy for them. Speaking of which-”

He looks at the gem I have been holding. Oh shoot-

“What is it? Let me see.”

“It’s none of your- give it back!”

“Heh… Didn’t know our guy Ryle does have a feminine side to him.”

My vexing temperament reaches its boiling point.

“Are you deaf or have you been like that since birth?”

“Wow, a nice insult for one.” His face gradually contorts, as his hand forms a punch and hits right on my face. I flinched back and grit my teeth, pounced onto him and tried to hit him 4 times, to which he managed to dodge twice and took two non-critical hits. But that seems to offend him enough.

“I’m sure I know a hundred ways of killing” he stresses on the last word, “you. Sadly we don’t have any swords right now, so let me proceed with some gentler methods.” He signals his friends, and goes into a combat stance. As his two hands both form punches, the surrounding people seem to notify him of something. Oh well, we are right on a public street after all, this isn’t gonna fly well. I’m not saying this sort of affair would get reported to my school, given that people don’t know who we are even, unless some public security guys get here. But people would still likely intervene. Or something that would likely put him off in both meanings of the phrasal verb.

“Well, I still do have some refreshing mind today,” he chuckles with his friends, ”so consider this as my only way of payback.”

His hand flings toward the river. I realized what he just did.

“!!!”

“Good luck finding it!”

Paul and his friends depart. I hastily ran toward the river to find any trace of the gem.

…

Has it been 30 minutes now?

There’s no sign of the gem. I search all across the river, the riverbed. Thankfully it’s small. Sadly, the sky is getting darker and darker now.

My clothes got so dirty now.

And I… just got so tired.

Why am I putting so much effort into searching for this though?

It’s just a present that costs some money.

It’s a bit precious and expensive. But not something that determines the fate of the universe.

Maybe deep down I do really find it precious enough to be a loss. And deep down I do think it suits my new found friend, Roselyn.

Well, she’s nice, she wouldn’t have a problem with me not having any present even. Not that I would go empty handed, but she’s not somebody that would…

Although she would get sad… perhaps I get more sad than she does. For something she doesn’t even know exists.

My eyelids just want to close intermittently due to my own sleepiness. So exhausting.

“Ryle!”

A familiar voice. But I can’t call her name right now.

“I have been searching for you. What are you even doing here?”

Her face looks more worried than usual. Well, she does act like a worrywart at times too, but this is not the same as reminiscent.

“…got… thrown away…”

“What got thrown away?”

“…birthday present…”

Her face seems to be horrified? Then she looks around the river.

“Was it thrown into this river? Who did this?”

“…Paul.”

There I said it, something she may not believe without evidence.

However, her face looks scary in a short moment. My imagination?

Splatter splatter.

“What does it look like?”

“…a red gem, as tiny as this…” I try to form an imaginary shape with my two fingers.

I don’t see the sun anymore.

And the lights on the streets are far from being bright enough to search for anything here.

Splatter splatter.

Splatter splatter.

Her face keeps being spiritless, as if she only has one sole thing on her mind right now.

“Let’s just go home.”

I stride back to the street, but Regina doesn’t pay any heed.

“Regina. Let’s go home.”

She doesn’t move her head toward me even.

Splatter splatter.

Did I almost fall asleep?

How late should this be right now?

I wouldn’t be weirded out if somebody tells me 3 hours have passed, 2 since when she started searching.

Don’t anybody tell me 4 hours though, I don’t want to hear it.

Especially when the girl who I have always been with, seems so distressed, and one-minded.

What can I do for her… right now?

Maybe… I can buy something to drink for her.

Silly thing? I don’t know. My mind doesn’t even function well by itself right now.

Although I might well try to search for it with her rather than just… sit on the ground doing nothing.

I take left turns, right turns. Most stores are closed.

The capital is always lively, but not the area where there’s a school nearby. And no dorm or inn. Basically few people live nearby, and only lively when students pass by.

“I’m going back now.”

Not home, but where Regina still is.

I sigh.

Alright I have decided, no matter how insistent she is, I shall pull her home.

“Regina, what are you doing here?”

“Paul? Did you just throw Ryle’s birthday present to this river this evening?” responds Regina.

“You mean this one?”

He holds up the red gem.

Huh?

So… he didn’t throw it at all as I thought?

“Please give it back.”

“Come on now, it’s not something I can just hand over just like that. First off, it’s not even yours…”

“Paul, I’m not joking around with you. There are many ways I can have you hand it back, and you surely don’t want me to take the longest route.”

She makes a real unfriendly face, the first time I've ever seen.

Even though it's still a cute face, just like when she was at the river, when she heard me pinpoint Paul as the culprit, and even now.

“Alright.”

He slowly hands it back.

“Although just saying… I got this from…” he tries to beat around the bush but finally admits, “I got it from Ryle, my classmate.”

“Thank you. I shall give it back to him.” She moves away without even giving him a look. Paul sighs, and leaves as well, seemingly uncomfortably.

Her steps slow. I guess it must have been exhausting for her as well.

She notices me as she moves forward enough to have me in her sight. She raises the red gem toward me, and flashes a gentle, seeming congratulatory, smile.

“That was tiring.”

She says pretty much just that. I respond as much.

“Yeah.”

Her eyelids look drowsy enough. Yet we still manage to hold a conversation right now. Human energy is a mysterious thing.

“Say, when did you receive it?” She asks, looking at the gem that just got back to my hand now.

“Just this evening.”

“Just this evening? Today surely isn’t your birthday.”

“Huh? Why is my birthday supposed to be relevant here?”

“I mean you said…”

I just remember I told her Paul threw the gem, which “…is a birthday present I want to gift to a friend of mine”. That was a redundant thing to say, but I was too tired, so I uttered whatever came to mind.

So yeah, I did say ‘birthday present’.

“Ah…”

Then, she lets out some laughs, out of nowhere, giggling like there’s something really funny here. She presses the knuckles to her lips, as if suppressing that.

“What?”

“Turned out,” she looks at my face, “I was such an idiot today. It’s all your fault however.”

She proceeds to pinch and stretch my cheeks, hard. Ow. Ow. Ow. Stop it.

The weirdest thing is how we no longer feel sleepy just right after taking a bath. My parents do ask why we were so late, but seem nonchalant after our answer.

“Rise and shine, Ryle~.”

“That’s not what the phrase means.”

“And I’m trying to add new meanings to it. It’s a cute phrase.”

She seems snug, being wrapped up in the blanket. Hey, it’s my blanket.

Okay, just don’t fall asleep right on my bed.

“Speaking of which, you haven’t told me who you were supposed to give the gem to.”

“Oh, I was gonna give it to Roselyn.”

“Roselyn?”

Right, I just talked to Roselyn for the first time today, there’s no way she knows who Roselyn is. Given that Roselyn doesn’t seem to have ever approached Regina directly.

“Well, she’s a female classmate of mine. She invited me to her house this Sunday for her birthday. Doesn’t seem like she has any friends.”

I make it sound like she’s that sort of reserved girl. More like an extrovert by choice and an introvert by preference.

“Only you?”

“Well, as far as I know, she didn’t really invite many people. So far there’s me.”

Regina’s face glances toward the room, as I was thinking whether I should ask her to come with me to Roselyn’s house.

“Say, Ryle…”

“Hmm?”

Her lips slightly parted, then closed.

“I guess it’s fine.”

“?”

In any case, she focuses intensely on her book like a lazy cat lounging on a couch. She never gets called a bookworm despite holding a book to her chest all the time does she? ‘Classifications of Magics’? Can’t say if it’s an abstract title or I just don’t read a lot of them to know.