Chapter 2: First Day As Carlos

At the first third subject of the day, it was all dull and boring. All of it are about copying and less of discussing. The teacher had us copy the lesson and claimed they would discuss it tomorrow. So everything just now has been nothing after the incident I had with Eugene. Im still a little bit shaken up by that encounter with him but at least I get to keep this seat, I hope I still have it by tomorrow, I dont wanna sit in the middle where everyone could get a look of me. I cant handle the pressure of being stared down.

The bell had rang and the teacher left the room. The students rejoiced to their usual casualties amongst each other and talked about what would they want to eat and left the room. Little by little, their number decreases inside the classroom to get some food in the cafeteria. As for me, I stayed where I am and watching everyone leave the classroom. Not long after, the whispering started again about me and this time, theyre talking about what happened earlier. They expressed how scary Eugene whenever he gets so angry and snap on the spot and the other side is disappointed how I am not thrown off the building yet. They wished for my demised because they want me gone.

What Carlos does inside the school is what bully does, except,  he does it all alone with no goons by his side however, his bloodline and the threat of "My father is close to the royals and I could get my father have you and your family blacklisted in an instant"  so no one have dared to fight back against him and Carlos continues on with his mischievous act because he knew no one is gonna stop him. He would say degrading stuff towards someone whom he decided to target and changes day by day, only then a student would be unlucky if Carlos were to target that student for multiple days though not forever unless he recognizes the student. Display such disrespectful behavior to everyone especially in the cafeteria, school gym, court, and overall almost in the entire school.  He would take, steal, claim things that belongs to other people and items that are prohibited to the students. He also had other students hooked up with some illegal drugs and have them addicted then he would disappear from their sight when they start asking for more and he was never caught doing this but some of the teachers actually knew about it. Like every bad guys, he does exactly the opposite of what good mannerism is.

Im a little fortunate because no one would dare to touch me or mess with me. I could use the same phrase Carlos use to threaten the other students for my defense but I need to add limitation to it whereas I might abuse its power, though, Carlos has long abused his power against everyone here. I would have to limit his bad deeds and continue to do the minimal stuff to maintain the character of Carlos.

I waited till the bell rang once more to commence another discussion for the next subject in our schedule. I saw some students rushes back inside the classroom before the teacher could get inside and few of them are laughing as they get inside.

"Quickly! Sir Symoun is nearly here!"

"Faster! Faster! He's coming from behind!"

"HAHAHA!"

The remaining students from outside races who gets inside first. The two who got inside before the last one tried to lock their last friend outside but failed to do so and quickly drew back from the door and quickly reaches to their desk and the last one stumbles on the floor before regaining his balance then ran to his desk as well. With just a few moment, the teacher has arrived. Sir Symoun, a ragged old man who appears due for his age at teaching and still going. Just like Julien, he is wrinkled old man but his clothes are the contrast of his wrinkles. Everything smooth and he is very presentable in front of everyone. He wears  a thick framed rectangle glasses that did not go against his looks. He walks slowly to his high chair and set his book down and sat finally sat on his designated chair

"Okay class, seat properly." He said then pulled out a paper out from his pocket. He unfolded it, the size of the paper gradually grew into unexpected size from unfolding. He arranged his glasses then looked at the contents of the papers then slowly call out names.

"Alvares?"

"Present."

"Malanioque?"

"Present!"

He goes on to call each of the students' last name and the students replies with the same word "present" all accordingly.

"Salazar?" Sir Symoun called for Eugene but he is nowhere to be found. He still has yet to return from his retreat after what happened earlier. Sir Symoun called his name again but still met with silence and the soft wind howling outside was the only ambiance breaking the silence for the sake of saving our ears from the eerie white noise. "Where is Salazar? I saw him by the hall earlier this morning?" He said. He stood up from his chair to scan the surroundings. His eyes soon landed onto me, expectedly since this is Eugene's seat. As soon as his eyes did landed on me, he made a confused face and quickly relaxed his face.

"Mister Advincula? I didnt know you came back. Why are you sitting there?" He told me. He walked towards me and I can feel another intense pressure building around me. The eyes have once again turned to me. "What happened? Why were you absent for whole 7 days last week?" He asked with a condescending voice. I hate it when someone talks to me like that. It makes me wanna shrink in my current place. It is hard for me to deal with people who displays high authority in front me and forces me lower my head and I was just about to do that but I remembered it is not what Carlos would do so I kept my eyes looking back at Sir Symoun. Even though I dont wanna do it.

"Do I need a reason for that?" I asked with the same condescending manner he gave to me. Sir Symoun didnt twitch his eyes to me, as if he had already expected my behavior that I would show to him. His eyes look down on me, lower than how he would look at a worm on the ground.

"Yes, Mister Advincula. Everything happens for a reason. Now tell me, what is your reason why you had to absent a whole week?"

"The only reason for that is to rest myself from the boring classes of this school. Thats the only answer you need to know from me."

Uuuurrggghhh!! Isnt this too much!!?? He's clearly a teacher!! I could get in trouble if I continue to speak to him this way! Quickly! Stop talking to me so I wouldnt have to speak to you in such way! Please! Not only does it make me nervous but also guilty because this is such a disrespectful behavior! No! No, I could do worse than that. This is just the bare minimum.

BUT JUST BECAUSE I COULD DO WORSE DOESNT MEAN I WANT TO AND I HOPE I DONT NEED TO!

"Heh, boring class you say." He said with an amused grin on his face. Suddenly I dont feel good upon seeing that expression on him. I tried to look at away but somehow my eyes are glued to his eyes as I feel a little worried. He broke away from the staring first then nodded his head a few times with a laugh under his breath. "Today class, we're going outside. To the court. Mister Advincula here is complaining how boring classes are! So we're gonna make it interesting. Be sure to thank him for what I am about to have you guys do!" He looked at me again with a smile but this time, it isnt anything that is tainted with entitlement.

I managed to pull my gaze away from him and looked at everyone. They all looked shock and a pain in their faces that tells they dont wanna go to the court right now. After looking at Sir Symoun with confusion, they turned to me all at once at the same time and looked at me with full of another disdain, all caused because of my complain about boring classes are.

No! You got it all wrong! I dont find discussions boring! Truthfully I prefer it that way, please! The only reason I said it is boring because I need to say something at least to Sir Symoun and not make myself look dumb at that moment. Im sorry everyone! I truly am!

I heard all of the students groaned as they are forced to stand up. They all muttered something about unpleasant about me under their breath while proceeding to walk out of the classroom, making a neat straight line out in the hallway. I was left behind with the teacher. We are both still looking at each other. His eyes are calm yet I can feel something ominous underneath and as for me, I stared back at him at the same manner, applied with an arrogant attitude to fit Carlos' behavior at least. And when the very last student leave, I soon followed, breaking my eye contact with the teacher, falling in line with everyone to catch up. I dared not to go astray from the line and went along with them from the very end of the line. As we make our way to the court, I can still hear most of them whispering, some are not even afraid to speak louder to have me hear them purposely. Though I do feel guilty as much as how they want me to, the real Carlos wouldnt feel bad to any them. He only thinks about himself.

It is 12pm sharp, the sun is shining on us harshly in the court. The school has three court and two of them are covered and the court we're at right now is out in the open. We all struggled i the heat. Wiping the sweat off of our heads that goes all the way down to our neck. Some of the guys loosened their ties and the girls opened their blazers a little to get some air though it is all futile as there is no wind to help us cool down from the heat.

I too decided to loosen my tie from the heat I am feeling. Pulled my tie lower and opened my top button to cool off as well.

Im sorry everyone that we're all suffering here...

"We're gonna play a game everyone, so bare with me! And this heat!" Sir Symoun now approached us from behind and joined us in the sun. "Come on, it aint that hot! You all spent your time sheltered that you are all so weak with a bit of nature's light!" he said to all of us who easily noticed our struggle in the sun.

"Since our subject is perfect for this place, might as well start our practice for magics now!" he commenced our start of the class and with a swift motion using his hand, a sudden shade appeared on top of us and became a barrier from the sun. It spreads all around and covered the whole court with it. The light still passes from the barrier but the sunlight now feels lighter, warmer and actually feels good on the skin. The barrier also made the sky look softer with glints of magic particles all around that falls onto us like gentle snow. After that occurrence, we all turned to Sir Symoun, looking at him with amazement in our eyes. He cannot help but smile to all of us seeing the students' expression after showing off a little bit of magic to us. He then motioned his hand again but rather stiff and calculated and after that, a piece of ribbon appeared right before us, floating. The ribbons that have appeared in front of us are in different color. Blue, red, purple, yellow, all the color from the color wheel with the tertiary color included and also white, which is mine is white as well. I wish I had gotten blue instead. Boo.

'Now, go on and take that piece of ribbon. Hold it right in front of you!" He ordered us and we did as what he told us to. He walked all around us, checking if we all received a ribbon and to see if someone didnt get one. Me, being at the very back of the corner, Sir Symoun had to double check if I did get one. He looked a little bit confused as first while trying to see the ribbon in my hand then went back to his next step after claiming that I did get a ribbon. "Next is, I want you all to reawaken all of your imagination that you all had once when you were a child." Sir Symoun then summoned another ribbon for himself, a color blue ribbon. "Close your eyes while holding the ribbon in your right hand." We all closed our eyes with our ribbon in our right hand. "Then channel the magic energy flowing inside your veins. It doesnt matter how much magic youre willing to put! I just need you to imagine a thing then let your magic flow out on the palm where you are holding the ribbon." And with that, we all tried what he told us to do. Closing our eyes, imagine a thing inside our head, a desired item of what we want to turn our ribbon into then let the magic out.

Let the magic out? How? I uuh... I dont know how to do that. How exactly am I supposed to do that? I opened my eyes again to see how is everyone doing and I see most of them trying their hardest. Half of them are squeezing their eyes shut and trying to "Let the magic out" while gripping their hand, crushing the ribbon inside their palm. It seems like they are all struggling as well. As I observe, I saw few students actually releasing some magic out of them but the ribbon inside their hand has yet to change form. Sigh... I really got no help how to let the magic flow out of me huh? I would like to ask but... It is too embarrassing! Someone, in this world, doesnt know how to use magic? Especially from someone who belongs in a very known family? That would be a complete humiliation! Wait... The real Carlos too having troubles channeling his magic energy. Haha! Im saved! Even if I dont know how to use magic, it would already be given since I am Carlos! They wouldnt expect anything from me.

In a gleeful manner, I closed my eyes shut once again. Feeling a little bit of weight lifts off of my back relieves me. I pretended to try to channel my "magic energy" on my palm to try and change the ribbon into something else. To make my act believable, I tried to actually exert myself, making a struggled expression. I even tried to exaggerate it by trying to pop a vein in my forehead but I wouldnt go far that I will actually do it. Sigh... If anything, the only thing I know is to how to tie a perfect knot for a ribbon.

One by one, I heard other students make joyful noises following with the sound of shoes having quite an impact on the ground, I suspect they are jumping in joy after succeeding to change the ribbon into something they imagined it to become. One by one, I heard them express their happiness after achieving it. Though I still hear some of the students make grunts and distraught noises.

"Alright, alright. Time's up everyone! Stop what you are doing right!" Sir Symoun had now put an end of his first activity. The students who did not succeed were horrified but Sir Symoun had reassured them there is no need to feel that way. "Its alright to those who did not succeed. This is just an attempt to see how well you all would do in this subject but fear not! I will teach all of you, one by one even! And I hope by the end of this school year, you all have already mastered all the basic and common spells that you would make it appear as if it wasnt even a basic magic!" The students who did not succeed on changing the form of the ribbon made a relieved sigh and regained their smile after hearing Sir Symoun's words.

I too felt a little relief. I felt relief that this teacher, Sir Symoun wouldnt be so bad in the actual after all! In the game, I despised him. He is so strict and make his own conclusions even though he does not know the whole story. He picks on students that are always quiet and introverted and say "Giving them a chance to speak" and thinks he is doing a favor them build their confidence. Though all of what I said is true and his action today is also true then Im gonna see the progress of his till I have my full conclusion of him as a teacher.

"Im cutting my class short since you all stilll have to go back to your classroom. Now go!" He dismisses us all too quickly and the students made a relieved noise again but the others made a small comment about having to walk another long trip back to our classroom. The school is incredibly large. It consists of 500 classrooms and multiple rooms that would be needing for each subjects. Each students in one class has 60 plus students only but already handful for a single teacher. Having 500 classrooms that is used by 60 students, that makes 30,000 students enrolled in this school. It has three courts, 5 huge pools, and other multiple outdoor rooms for students, including other multiple rooms such as musical rooms and clubrooms. The school goes from 1 to 5 floor but floors higher than 5 restricts the students from going further up and only authorized personal could enter like teachers.

In the original story, Carlos, had snuck to the 6th floor of the school and tried to steal the gold medals that is supposedly for the winners of the sport. His motivation for this is because he is someone who does not wish for anyone to be happy and wishes only the good for himself. He took the gold medals to create a disaster for the schools after denying his entry trying to join different sports including fencing. Someone who holds grudges greatly, Carlos wouldn't let that pass.

He finds the gold medals on the 8th floor and managed to steal them but the main villain took it from Carlos's hands through bribery with money before using the medals as baits for the school authorities to cause a distraction. As for the main villain's motivation, it was never revealed in the game, or I may have missed some details, so, I can't give a full explanation about that.

Back to the present, we went back inside our classroom in the same manner we did when we left, falling in a straight line obediently, and of course, I am at the tail of the line. Watching everyone walk on the line did tire my eyes for bit so I changed my scenery to a different view.

I saw other students too walking in a straight line with the teacher leading the way. I saw few students carrying varied things, from books, to small boxes, to props that they might use in their class. There isn't much to see from them to be honest and the greatest view of all compared to them is the interior design of the school still. I can't get enough and I think I could spend my whole day or even days just looking at the interior design of this school. It fascinates me how greatly detailed it is. I wish I had a better laptop so I could have at least had the settings on a high graphics and see details that I wasn't able to see before.

As I was taking in the beauty of the school, I looked at a different direction and saw a group of students walking passed our line. They walk in a manner that friends would and not walking in the same manner as we are. That group of friends is made with 5 in particular and as I know them from the game, they must be the young prodigies in this school who made quite a name for themselves after showing to everyone their incredible and extra-ordinary talent. The five has always been together since they were younger and what makes them even more famous is because they are the children of the 5 great mages in the country.

The girl, who wears with a red scarf around her neck is Monique. First-year highschool. When she was a little girl she made an outburst of magic that is both dangerous and marvelous. Depicting as the next great mage following next to her mother. Her talent goes with magics. Gives her a great force of magic by nature. Having a great control with her magic flow and vast knowledge with magic fields, she easily dominated the title for strong mages in the school. Though young, her skills and abilities already surpasses the third-year highschools. Monique is very cheerful and bright and her color matches with her personality. Sometimes lawful good but mostly chaotic good.

Another girl in the group. She has a huge coat draped on her back and her long golden hair hidden underneath. She is quite the opposite of Monique. She is reserved, mindful, and her middle name is elegance or so what the game says. Her name's Mhelladonne. Her talent is knowledge in the field of war. It all started when she first played the board game called "Games of the Generals" and fell in love since then. This interest of hers gradually grew to an immense amount that she became almost undefeated amongst people. From the games of strategies moved to actual war strategies. Her father, the grand duke, brought Mhelladonne or Mhel for short to the battlefield to test her, give her more views of how the war is in order to give her a little insight for her little board games, and that is when and where her talent awakens. Ever since then, her father expects her, though not entirely but hopeful thinking, to follow his footsteps although her mother, a great mage is against it. Mhel is stuck between the magics and the wars and gave her motivation to utilize these magics in war for the benefits of victory thought committing war crimes. Till then, she was bestowed with a name of "Lily of the War'"

Next one is a boy, Noah. He has a white hair and golden eyes and wears multiple rings on his fingers except both of his ring finger each hand. Though smaller compared to the others who are the same age as him, they fear him because of his demeanor. He too is prideful as Carlos. Arrogant as Carlos. Selfish, merciless, and full of ego as Carlos but what makes him different to Carlos is that he is a very respective figure. His reputation balances his bad features with the good features he has for himself and that is his talent with weapons. He can wield a sword swift as a cat. He can aim with a bow like the eyes of an eagle. He can swing a claymore twice his height and he can fight with a spear that could easily overpower a bear three times his size. He is intimidating along with his talent but people, nobles across the country admires him with the way how he handle each weapons he gets a hold in his hand. It is true that his personality is bad as Carlos although what makes his personality better than Carlos is how he actually acts decent in front of everyone without the need of bad-mouthing or insults to display to everyone.

Now, an inseparable pair, one is a boy and one is a girl. They are not twins but their mothers are. They both shares the same color of hair and eyes, red and with heterochromia eyes, purple and blue  in each pair.  The girl wears the boy's uniform and the boy wears the girl's uniform. They are somehow opposite at some point but inseparable in any way. Their name is Marlyn and Darlhin.

Marlyn is very tomboyish. Though she still claims she is a woman but her heart resides more on masculinity and is attracted with her fellow girls in the school. Her talent is singing. Her voice captivates lots of hearts and called her the Flower Voice because she voice starts like a single bud of a flower then blooms beautifully in each pitch, tone, and every melody that comes out everytime she sings. She also found a way to use magic with her singing and proved its possible to use magic through singing and not just incantation. Reason for this is because her mother had once told her about a magic entity who wanted to become beautiful in order to capture the human she found interest in and claimed it was love despite never knowing what love feels like. It used its voice to attract the male human but upon seeing the hideous image of the magic entity, he was driven away. Struck by sadness, the magic entity desired to be beautiful and with it not having the capability to sign magics, it used its own beautiful voice to sing and flow the magic within, thus turning itself into a beautiful woman and captivated the human it "loved".

As for Darlhin, his talent is alchemy. He can brew a potion, he can concoct a concentrated essence of any subject he is using, he can create and perform experiments and make it turn out successfully. His knowledge in alchemy scares the higher ups of the school and fear is slowly brewing inside the King's mind as he hears the news of Darlhin's progress in alchemy. Though his mother is very well known for her creativity with magic and capable of creating another world contained in a single bottle, the King would be not surprised if Darlhin were to do what his mother exactly does but in the form of alchemy.

Now, after introduction of each of them. The five of them are truly magnificent in their own way. Worth of the mention of their name. In the story, the interaction between the main protagonist and them separately is memorable. I wish I am the main protagonist so I would have the opportunity to hang out with them and have them on my side. Their acquaintance is very important, not just for allies but also for friends to create memories with. Reminiscing about the times I was with them in the game brings smile in my heart.

As I daydream about the times with them together as the main protagonist in the game, I had forgotten I was still looking at them that I got the attention of Noah. He looked at me and at first it was nothing till he squints his eyes at me and got a suspicion look on his face. I quickly divert my gaze away from me and continue on to walk on the straight line along with everybody. God, what was I thinking looking at them for quite some time that I forgot I could get everybody get a suspicion on me!

When we got back to our classroom, everyone immediately started talking about what happened earlier. They all praised Sir Symoun's magic earlier, from the barrier to the ribbon appearing in front of us. They also expressed how Sir Symoun often appears strict and entitled however, it seems like they were all blown away by his magic that they have forgotten about his strictness. They also talked about the items they managed to change the ribbon into. One of them managed to turn it into a tennis ball while the other is to a figurine of a finch, and another is a small duster and so on. Those who changed their ribbon were very proud of themselves and those who failed were being consoled and comforted.

I went ahead passed them after entering the classroom and walk directly to my seat but was surprised to see Eugene there, sitting next to his original seat. When I walk closer, he looked at me unsurprisingly, carrying the same grudge in his eyes. I tried to not mind him and decided to walk pass him and take a seat, setting the ribbon down on my desk.

"I saw you guys earlier in Sir Symoun's class." He started to talk to me but I ignored him. Trying to not look at him because of what happened earlier. If he could read through my mind, it would be easy for him to find out I am scared of him, temporarily. I hope. "Couldn't use magic still huh?" His tone once again angry. It didn't take long for the other students to look at us once more. The atmosphere quickly got silent as the students sat down on their own seats before continuing to watch us, seeing what's gonna happen next. "Seems like all you can do to that pathetic ribbon is to tie a knot to it since you cant turn it into something else! Haha! Sir Symoun's class is about magics, not about tying knots you, you fucking idiot." he continues on to degrade me with words that could send Carlos' insanity to the roof with just a single spark however, it passes right through me.

"A knot?" I said inside my mind. I wondered what he was talking about then I looked at the same ribbon I was holding on earlier during Sir Symoun's time. "Since when was this tied in a knot?" I wondered. "Its perfectly tied too with equal loops and the ends are fashionably asymmetrical."

"I saw your face earlier, trying too hard to channel your magic flow. So much for that but its all for nothing." Eugene continues on to laugh. I turned to him with an angry look, squinting my eyes to him as if it would do something even though I know to myself it would be nothing. "What? You've got something to say?" Eugene keeps on pushing his luck to anger Carlos. Eugene, please... Youre making a fool out of yourself, well, at least to me since I am not Carlos inside. I could only sigh but I made it sound like a scoff instead.

Carlos and Eugene has been a rival to each other. Eugene cant stand Carlos' mischievous actions and pranks while Carlos cannot stand Eugene's hot tempered behavior. They both cannot stand each other to the point where they'd want to kill each other for their own peace.

Throughout the entire day, Im either being picked on Eugene or having whispers about me by the students inside the classroom and everytime I leave the classroom. Everywhere the whispers following me and the only place I could get away from them is at the back of the school where vegetations are growing in a quite oddly in large sizes. The grass reaches my full height and the thickness of the growing grasses is enough to hide a whole grown man. The trees too seemed untouched as they are tall, unbothered with vines crawling onto their body and their roots are deeply tucked underneath the ground. I didnt stay there for too long, afraid of what could be behind it.

The final bell has finally rings and the last teacher didnt not wait for anything dismisses us students immediately. One by one the students packed up their things with the teacher leaving first before us. The students all sighed and cheered. I even heard them invite their friends to have some tea in their manor or at a saloon and have a great time and unwind for their day.

I picked up my bag and just quickly left the classroom, leaving everyone behind altogether. I did not hesitate to leave the school. It is only 3:30 pm on the clock and I am grateful it was a whole day just like in my old school or else I would have lose my mind sitting next to Eugene and would often try to pick on me. I do bark back at him everytime he does something to me and wouldnt hesitate to hit him back though I have to be careful which button I would push or else I could get myself nearly thrown out of the window again. I reached the the entrance of the school and walked out of the huge door. Feeling like the world inside this school and the world outside is different. The atmosphere in the school are entirely different, making you feel like you are transported to the school that holds all the wisdom while outside screams freedom but I chose freedom so I walked down the stairs and sees the carriage that took me to school earlier is already waiting for me. When the coach saw me walking to his direction, he politely opened the door for me and waited for me to step inside before closing it. I felt the movement of the carriage when the coach had got into his place and not long after, the carriage started moving and led all the way to where we entered inside the school premises. I took off my blazer then set it on top of my bag that is laying beside me then I laid my back on the cushioned sit of the carriage and loosened my shoulders. I gave out a long but silent sigh before looking outside the window of the carriage to look at the scenery.