A Heartthrob from Five Years Ago and a Recruitment

“So where do we even start?” I asked Tannie.

After breakfast we hurried to the library. In three hours we would have to meet up back at the Crimson Lion’s meeting room and go to another mission.

Seriously aren’t they overworking us? We just came back last night and have to go on another mission? Really?

But I need all the time I have to find Raiden. I don’t even want to play around like this. What if he is injured and waiting somewhere. What if he already…

No!

That’s not the case, that can’t be.

I would have felt it in my heart, if that actually happened.

I gulped.

We gathered every document we could find that belonged to the last four years.

“It already took us two hours to even gather this, why is this library so big!”

“Even I didn’t expect a three-story library like that, not bad for mortals!” Tannie nodded impressed.

“Let’s see what we have here…”

I flipped through the pages of a document with the title ‘Mages of the Association’

My hands fumbled as I tried to flip the pages.

“Meilyn, is there anything?”

“Theo Alras, Argon Belluce, Wilhelmina Choia, Navier Veris, Zea Wilkins…. and many other names but,” I gulped and took a deep breath.

“His name isn’t here, Tannie!”

I crumbled the document in my fingers and only with Tannie nudging me I let go.

“It’s alright Meilyn, we are just starting!”

“I know.”

Still this means he really hid his identity. Why did he lie?  What was his intention?

“Why didn’t he tell me anything?” I choked.

I tried to stay focused but my thoughts kept on messing with my mind.

“We will find out! Even if it takes us longer, let’s look at the rest alright?”

“Okay, let’s do this!” I tried to cheer.

We continued our search.

A tattered book caught my eye. It was black as if someone tried to burn it, the cover had almost faded but I could still make out the words.

“Missing… Mages?”

“Let me also take a look, Meilyn.”

As I opened the brittle pages, there were several pages ripped out of it. The ones in the book weren’t readable since the paper was decaying.

“This is suspicious, no matter how you look at it!” Tannie hissed.

“This…” I swallowed hard, feeling my stomach tighten.

“...is someone kil-”

I couldn't continue my words.

“Meilyn, I don’t know what it is but this place seems to have even greater secrets. For someone to go so far as to destroy a book to hide their traces…” Tannie mumbled. He was focused and collected, unlike his usual self.

“Is someone trying to hurt the students and mages here, but why?”

“Whoever it is, I will kill him!” Tannie hissed.

“T-tannie, killing is…”

“Meilyn, I will make sure of it. If someone really hurt your brother I will be the one to punish him!”

“Okay.”

I couldn’t argue with that. This was Tannie after all. The version of him he told me about when we first met. If he really could regain his strength then no one could stop him.

“W-what about any pictures Tannie? Anything?”

We rifled through the stack of documents on the desk. There were articles of great achievements and missions that brought the Association prestige.

We even stumbled on pictures of the entrance ceremony from five years ago. 

Why is this even in the documents from four years ago?

But there are no more pictures after that. Why?

“Look at that Pointy ears is smiling!” Tannie pointed at the picture.

“He looks so different in this picture…”

“...happy?” Tannie asked.

“kind.”

In the picture he was standing on a field holding his enrollment papers. He was smiling brightly, his eyes closed and his hair seemed to flutter in the wind. Under the picture it was written, Ishan Eldore.

Is this really the same prickly and mean fool from before?! If he looked like that he could have killed everyone with that smile, a killer smile indeed. He looks like an ethereal and mystical creature, someone that would lure you in with just a smile. What happened in these five years here? Is this place making everyone insane?

“Even I would fall for that version, no lie.” Tannie suddenly said.

“T-tannie are you perhaps…” I swallowed.

“Me? No! I mean if I was a girl your age!” He yelled.

“I got it already, stop yelling!” I chuckled.

“None of the other people even bear any resemblance to Raiden!” I let out a loud breath as I flipped through the pictures.

“Well, looking at everything it seems like the documents we wanted are either hidden or completely destroyed,” I huffed.

“We will find another way! If there are no documents here, then we will just search everywhere else and if we need to we will just search for someone who knows more.”

“You mean a mole?”

“No, Meilyn. I mean someone who is connected to these mysteries. At least we are sure now that this place has secrets. It’s better than nothing right?”

“That’s true.”

“We should put everything back now.”

“That’s also true.”

After we finished putting everything back to the drawers I collapsed on a chair next to another mage that was reading a book. I took Tannie off the ground and placed him on the table.

This was far too exhausting! Why don’t they have a spell that carries the books away just like that flying tray?

Seriously, what type of association is this?

I took a glance at my neighbor who didn’t run away. Instead I caught her eyes looking at mine, but glancing away every now and then.

Is someone showing interest in me now? Is it time to befriend somebody?

I scooted my chair closer to the girl with the ash brown hair and glasses.

Oh, she is also wearing glasses! Guess it’s a common thing to wear those here!

I tried to take a glimpse at what she was reading.

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

No way!

It can’t be!

“T-that’s the adventure of Galego and the misfit class p-part two? There is a part two?!” I cheered completely overwhelmed.

“No way, show me!” Tannie stood up, his tail wiggling in excitement.

The girl peeked up from her book and blushed.

“I, well” she swallowed, her hands trembling.

Is she scared of me?

“Sorry, did I scare you?”

“N-no way you would scare me ! Never, definitely not! Meilyn!” she stood up clenching her fists and staring me in the eyes.

“You know me?” I asked her.

“Of course I do! I wanted to meet you but you see…”

“I see?”

“Well...”

“Well?”

“I am a bit shy…”

She looked away.

“That’s not something to be ashamed of! I also hate attention!”

“You do?”

“Yeah, ask Tannie!”

“She is right. She hates crowds.” Tannie added.

The girl visibly calmed down and sat back on her chair.

“So, did you enjoy the book?”

“The book?”

“Part 1!” She pointed at the book in her hand. Then she cleared her throat.

“Well, you see I am the one that sent you the welcome gift…”

“No way, you are the one who did that?! Then why didn’t you come by and say hi?”

“Normally everyone gets angry and says it’s a nuisance. They always throw the book away,” she sighed.

“What?! But that book is so exciting!” I yelled.

“How could they?! Books are precious!” Tannie nodded in agreement to my anger.

“Right, I wonder…” she chuckled softly.

“Oh, you laughed!”

“Yeah, you are the first to tell me that you enjoyed the book. I mean both of you!”

Look at her she even treats Tannie as an equal and doesn’t call him a lizard! How did this precious thing end up in this association?

“Of course we did! How could we not? You know, I couldn’t even read books like this back at the Ashura tribe. Oh, with that I mean the demon territory.”

“What type of books were you reading there?”

“How to kill an enemy, how to take care of a corpse and lessons of the dark philosopher?”

“That’s… interesting?”

“No, it’s crap! You can be honest. I was forced to read the books created by them. No fun stories, no comedy and no adventure at all! So I was really glad when you gave me that book, it was the first book I really enjoyed reading!”

“I am glad you enjoyed it!”

“Say, what’s your name and how old are you?”

“Calica Arlyn and I am seventeen years old.”

“Really, no way! We are the same age!”

I cheered as I reached for her hands.

“Tell me, did you already join a squad?”

“Not really since I am a human…”

“What do you mean since you are a human? What about being a human is a problem?”

“I really like researching and creating potions, alchemy I mean. So I spend all of my time in the laboratory researching and I can’t really talk to the others since most of them don’t like a human stealing their place.”

“What nonsense!” I yelled.

“The mortals need some punishment,” Tannie hissed.

“What about the squad leaders though? You are talented! They must have gone crazy to recruit you in their group!” I said.

“They did try to recruit me but I declined. Aside from them, no one would want me there. They would say I am boring and ignore me. So I thought staying in the laboratory would be better.”

“You could never be boring! You are the only one who knows our favorite book!”

“That’s right Calica, don’t be a scaredy-cat and get up already!” Tannie added.

See, even Tannie accepted you.

“Look at me Calica, I am a halfie. I am a half demon everyone fears. Yet I am still here just like you. What would you say, care to come with me and Tannie?”

I pulled her hand and dragged her along with me.

“B-but Meilyn!”

“Don’t be afraid with us there no one dares to insult or ignore you and if they do, I will hit them for you.”

She tightened her grip on my hand.

“Would you really do that for me?” Calica chuckled.

“Of course, we are friends after all aren’t we?”

“Yeah, we are friends.”

And with that Meilyn recruited a new member for the Crimson Lion’s squad with just the same obsession for the adventures of Galego and the misfit class.