The next day, I was standing in the hallway on the second floor of the annex, exactly at the time Kyle mentioned. Because he told me to wait, not to wait ‘quietly.
I couldn’t find Blossom. It seems like she had not arrived yet, but instead, I found Edgar Ramos wandering.
“Fancy meeting you here, Dalton.”
As soon as Ramos saw me, he straightened his hair, unbuttoned his shirt to look more like Nadon, and waved. I wanted to pretend I got fooled for a second, but he looked so excited that I changed my mind.
“Ramos, I would not confuse you just because you say that. As I said before, I have very good eyes.”
“Ah, yes, well, I was not surprised. You can even distinguish wisps apart.”
Ramos, obviously feeling deflated, buttoned his shirt again. A healthy copper color unique to Nadonians and a solid chest that looked strong at first glance hid under the collar of his white shirt. I didn’t realize I was staring at it like I was possessed until Ramos called my attention by clearing his throat.
God. I felt only shock and horror. After my pathetic breakup with Walsh, I vowed to myself that I would never be attracted to a man until the day I successfully graduated. Even more so to men who reached the top by being a womanizer*.
*(Original word refers to alcohol, women, and gambling aka the usual problem/ cause of problem of men.)
“Shall I unbutton it again? You looked disappointed.”
“Go away, devil.”
I wholeheartedly waved my hand and chased Ramos away. I had to quickly find Blossom and get a clue about what Kyle said, so I could not afford to fool around with him.
However, Ramos, who had a rebellious* as me, followed closely despite my blatant urging to get lost. He said he was free because the person he was supposed to meet with had a supplementary class.
*(Original word was Tree Frog 청개구리, a creature that symbolizes unfilial children, people who always do the opposite of what they are told.)
I thought for a moment whether the ‘person he was supposed to meet’ would be the supplementary class instructor or a supplementary class receiver. According to the Fitzsimmons Times, the person who has fallen under his spell recently is a fortune-telling lecturer.
To be honest, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t curious. So instead of asking him, “Is the person you’re supposed to meet a fortune-telling class instructor?” I decided to ask him, “Is it the supplementary class for fortune-telling?” There was not much difference between the two questions, but it was because all nobles like to be polite.
“Ah, Ramos–”
“Ariel Dalton? Professor Cunningham wants you to get him a magic closet for tomorrow’s auxiliary magic practice.”
But before I could even start talking, someone blocked my way. I cannot remember his name, but he looked familiar—probably a 5th-grade male student from Illestia.
“A forever messy closet?”
The forever messy closet is a magical tool designed to practice organizing spells, and no matter how you organize it, once you close the door, it returns to its initial chaotic state.
In my memory, the auxiliary magic I learned at this time was not an organizing spell, but a spell to untie complicated knots. I was a little suspicious. It also didn’t make sense for Professor Cunningham to pick me to run errands for him. I’m not a student with good grades or a good attitude in class.
“Yes. He said he would like it as soon as possible. Then I’ll get going.”
But since the male student who finished talking quickly left, I couldn’t ask him any questions I had.
I had no choice but to head to the practice magic tools storage room located at the top of the annex. It is because Professor Cunningham was very impatient and very generous with giving penalty points.
Since I was weak in magic, my achievements in the auxiliary magic training course were not worth mentioning. In other words, one penalty point could be said to be a very serious situation.
On the other hand, it doesn’t really matter whether I become a repeater or become the top of my class, I won’t graduate anyway. But just in case, the slight change that occurred in the first semester of the sixth 5th grade was a hope that settled in my heart and continued to torture me.
“You must be really free.”
Suddenly, the sound of slow footsteps echoed behind me. It was Edgar Ramos.
“A forever messy closet is heavy. I’ll go with you.”
“Thank you very much. Next time, I’ll pretend to be fooled that you are Nadon.”
“What’s the fun if you tell me in advance that you’ll be tricked? I’m not making a fool of myself.”
Ramos said as if he were dumbfounded. I shrugged.
“Don’t worry, I’ll do it for you by the time you don’t remember what I said. Anyway, I’m thorough in that area.”
“Thank you very much.”
Ignoring the sarcasm of Ramos, who copied my words, I opened the door to the practice magic tools storage room with the key I received from the male student. Soon, a huge amount of dust poured out. It seemed to be a place that people rarely visited.
“Ah, it’s hot!”
I was coughing for a long time because of the dust that got into my nostrils when suddenly I felt intense heat in my hands. As I inadvertently shook my hand, what had been a key just now got engulfed in flames and melted completely, creating a black puddle on the floor.
“Dalton, are you okay?!”
Professor Cunningham’s unexpected errand. A 5th-grade male student that I seemed to have seen from somewhere. Practice magic tool storage room at the top of the annex that is not visited by people. And a fake key.
Something didn’t feel right. I could see the rays of light slowly narrowing behind Ramos, who was examining my red-hot palms.
Finally, the heavy stone door snapped shut, followed by an ominous ‘clack’. Realizing only then what had happened, Ramos looked at me. The dark red-purple eyes that shook relentlessly seemed to say something like, ‘We’re screwed.’
***
Although I’m saying this myself, I was actually pretty quick to adapt to situations. I had been told many times before that I would not starve to death no matter where I went. I became even more so after experiencing something five times that was difficult to accept with common sense.
Fortunately, Ramos did not seem to fall into a panic. Rather, we calmly assessed the possibility of escape or a successful rescue request considering the situation we were in, the durability of the door, and the location of the building.
To think of it, he was the twin brother of the prince. I had only come across books about the neighborhood over there, but I knew that many things were considered a threat to them.
“It would be difficult.”
“Can’t you do it with magic?”
Nadon was a country with developed magic because of its high mana content, and there were just as many good wizards. I heard that Bryce Nadon and Edgar Ramos were also highly sought-after talents by the Magic Tower.
When I asked, Ramos furrowed his eyebrows in embarrassment.
“I specialize in offensive magic… You’re the one taking the auxiliary magic class.”
“Do you think Professor Cunningham is teaching students how to pick locks? I think it would be better to break it.”
“I’ll try it if you’re fine going out toasted.”
That was a rather surprising excuse to hear from the talent the Magic Tower coveted.
“Can’t you control it?”
“Mana isn’t something you can easily control.”
So being a very strong wizard is rather a problem? When I became speechless, Ramos scratched the bridge of his nose, perhaps a little embarrassed.
“Bryce might be able to do it. He has been trained in mana control.”
“Are you not taking it?”
“Well, there was a reason for that.”
Said Ramos while pulling out a blanket from the forever messy closet and unfolding it.
I quickly put my butt on the futon that Ramos had spread. Seeing that I was trying to lie down, Ramos, who was punching at his pillow to shape it, panicked for a moment, and then sat a little far from me.
“Come to think of it, Dalton. What kind of grudge does Cleveland have against you?”
“Cleveland?”
“The bastard who used Professor Cunningham to lure us here, Manuel Cleveland. Though he’s wearing a strange disguise.”
A realization suddenly penetrated me like a flash of light at the name Ramos mentioned. Manuel Cleveland. A male student from Illestia with exceptionally thick eyebrows and protruding front teeth.
‘You’ll regret it.’ The dreary curse of my damn ex-boyfriend echoed in my head. Manuel Cleveland was one of Adam Walsh’s closest friends. Why did I forget until now? I clenched my teeth.
“Will we be able to go out tomorrow morning? I think I have to kill someone.”
As soon as I said this, Ramos hesitated and moved a little farther.
“Maybe we can be rescued before then. Isn’t your roommate a bit of a diligent type?”
I thought of my good friend Brianna. Certainly, if I did not return by the curfew of ten o’clock, she would run straight to Lady Edwards, the superintendent of the girls’ dormitory, without a moment’s delay.
“I’m sure I’m not the only one who has a roommate.”
“Uh… Lancaster won’t report it.”
“Why? Is it not unusual for you to break curfew?”
I asked, narrowing my eyes. Ramos shrugged his shoulders instead of answering.
After that, there was silence. It is because I wasn’t very close to him in the first place.
If I had known this would happen, I would have brought a magic tool to play with. It would have been perfect to devote myself to. I was trapped in a place where it was difficult to carry on a conversation, and light leaked in from the window at a height that I couldn’t reach even after stepping on Ramos. Maybe the Wyvern could finally have a tearful reunion with its offspring.
“Aren’t you curious?”
Ramos spoke first. I pulled out a quill from the “forever messy closet” and raised my head while drawing a funny face on my fingertips.
“About what?”
“Why can’t I control my magic power?”
“You said you weren’t trained? Because there is a situation?”
“I mean, you didn’t know what happened.”
“You didn’t tell me.”
“That’s right.”
Ramos murmured dejectedly, ‘You’re not even curious.’
