V5 Incline 49: Test-Taker Einervaene

Pondering fills my head as I leave the building, the duration of that session having had a notable impact on the position of the Orbital-Halo. A huff of air leaves me, and I try to leave behind my thoughts about the competition behind. I know training in magic often leads to people becoming fighters, it's the firstborn son's duty back home, even. But it's not an inherently predetermined outcome.

Some people train their magic for leisure, others tailor themselves to specific skills, like the people of Mechanical House.

I personally am only really training my magic so I can be more respectable when I make my way home. I want to try and train my magic to a degree it becomes golden! Or gold-tinted... Something that allows me to exert authority over the lands I will soon inherit. If I am able to inherit...

Still, I should try and think of only a positive outcome. Becoming skilled in magic ultimately means more respect will be levelled towards me as much as my power being golden will. Magic is a hard thing to master, people understand that. Suhurlodst here is something truly special indeed, especially with the immense pedigree witch schools already have.

It might seem strange for someone living here, or even me as a whole... But, witches are rare. It's hard to consider that. Frankly, it's amazing I even ended up travelling to Suhurlodst with a group of them. All of various skill and power levels.

"Mm, I should find some time to speak to Nin-kischu again." I remark to myself, a slight weakness coming to my stride as an echo hits my mind. Cowardice. I don't want to be involved in his... Issues. They're the kind that are well beyond the purview of what I expected when we left Tryhpeltzweig. Though, I guess... I guess Tryhpeltzweig should've told me enough.

I've not had a whole lot of time, recently, but I should try and speak with him. It's not his fault, it could never be his fault for being what he is. I know it's not right of me to be keeping my distance like this, especially with all that he has done for me... But I need this education of mine to go as smoothly as possible and...

And being with him, at least in public, could so easily ruin it.

Even with these issues, though, I want to and need to make sure I can be there for him from time to time. It'll be a drop compared to how involved we were before reaching the mountain, but a decline is to be expected now that we're settling in. Before we were freely travelling, we were on the country roads together. One should not get involved in something like school and expect the same amount of hanging out.

It doesn't excuse my absence, nor does it absolve me of the problems caused by us not spending time together. Time with him, having fun and all that. He is my friend, after all, and I am as much his... We have responsibilities to each other, and I would like to honour them when I can.

I just hope I can get back to the dorm at a time where he will be there long enough. At the very least, long enough for us to share a good-sized meal together so we can catch up. I've a lot of freedom to figure things out. Suhurlodst Academy revolves so much around the self-determination of its students.

I'm making good progress with my magic, I can skip a day of schoolwork and so on. Relax for a day, and spend it with him? That is something I would like to do, I would even like it if Rianta-chira could also be there. It could be just like our mealtimes back in Tryhpeltzweig while we were staying with Founding-Lord Brewbrt! I hope he's fine, too, actually... We did leave on quite literally messy terms.

But, now that she's on my mind, I'm worried for Rianta-chira, too. I've seen her spending a lot of time on her own in a way I never thought I'd see. Normally, she's made a habit of being around Nin-kischu whenever possible. She's very clingy with him... Or, was...

It's weird to think the opposite of, she gave me several full lessons regarding how she was his, her love.

But now...? She seems more than a little different. I myself haven't seen Nin-kischu enough these past few weeks, but, she seems to not have either. Did they have a falling out? No, that can't have been it. Every time one of them got angry at the other while I travelled with them, it smoothes out quickly. I wouldn't call it being pushed around, but I can't think of anything else to call it. Peaceable, maybe?

She's always been quick to relent on her annoyances towards him. Quick to accept apologies from Nin-kischu specifically. Though, I do find it a little funny how now, without her constantly making threats, remarks and comments about me staying away from Nin-kischu. Without her constant attempts to ward me away from him. He comes up in my thoughts way less often!

So, I suppose I've managed to succeed in doing what she told me to do! But mayhaps that was the point? To get away from him so I would not think of him often? Yet, I seem to be backfiring now and I'm thinking a lot about him again.

A brief smile graces my lips, and a laugh fills out my throat. I've good reason to think about him this time, however, a lot has happened since we arrived here. A lot of stuff and know and can only imagine is not good for him. It's because of that, that I can't keep my smile.

I... I see it so easily. The mental image of him being revealed to the near entire population of Suhurlodst Academy. I remember how I felt, I remember seeing how he felt. Yet...

Even now, I don't think I could describe it. It was all just so much to take in, that day. That moment. All that noises, all those curses, swears, threats and flashes of pure, unbridled cruelty. All those screams.

Even being in the privacy of our dorm building, it did not let us escape it. From a lot of it, but not all. We were all given, as non-osibindah students and the like about how... About how Nin-kischu was to be treated. How he is to be treated.

He's meant to be locked in his room at night, an excessive, laborious process that... We have signs we need to keep an eye out for... Emergency alarms if we see anything and... It's all so draining, what we have to deal with.

And that's just my part in all of this, someone who's not the target of such behaviour at all!

"Maybe it would not be a good idea to get too blunt with my questions then? Keep it as off-topic to these problems as much as possible?" I find myself thinking vocally as I turn a corner. A short sigh of exhaustion leaves me and I try to shift my thoughts to something else.

I look about the Academy, taking in all the sights. I've still a short while before I even get to the edges of Mechanical House, let alone inside of it. Another sigh goes through me and I set aside the topic of Nin-kischu for the moment, and I put all that energy into quietly complaining about all the walking. A behaviour which happens to invite coincidence.

In the sky, they're everywhere, and I can't help but comment, "Maybe I could do that at some point, figure out how to fly like they do? Rather than how I used to do it."