The next day, Lotus was busy in the library with her assignment when she received a text message from an old friend. She raised a brow.
"Lotus, you're finally back!"
As soon as she opened the text message, a voice called out from behind her as she turned around. It was Ren and Elijah. The very same people who just sent her a message…
"You two again?" She looked up in surprise, "It's been a while."
"So? How was Fluercity?" Ren questioned in awe.
"What do you mean?" She hummed unamused.
"I've heard about it. How the new headmage of Nobel Bell College, is the princess of the fairy kingdom." Ren replied, "Elijah and I are very curious about the topic in question."
Lotus sighed and huffed, "If you want to fulfill such curiosities, all you have to do is visit a tavern. Oh wait, there's hardly anymore taverns around the world now."
"I doubt I'd have the chance to go to one." Ren wore a dry smile.
"Taverns?" Elijah raised a brow.
"That's right." Ren nodded, "According to the vice dorm leader, only Briar valley still have taverns."
"That's because Briar Valley's life style solely depends on magic as the main energy source. As a result, bards and taverns are still present in today's time. Focusing on mana, they are slower at developing other technology if it doesn't require mana. Magic is efficient and handy. Moreover, many in Briar Valley uses mana. So there was not much of a need for any electricians, chemical engineers and etc. However, not having higher technology never hindered the country's progress and they still adapted rather well after everything that has happened throughout history. There's still a long journey until they can utilize the entire networks, but they're going to catch up in their own style."
"Once again, you're ranting."
She frowned and turned around with a shiver down her back.
Vil stood there before them as she folded her arms and frowned, "What?"
She cursed in her heart. WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE THIS CREEP?!
"We need to have a talk." Vil frowned upon seeing her response.
"Oh?" She hummed, "What is it?"
If she recalled correctly, the butterflies told her everything that had happened the days she were gone. Vil had visited the Ramshackle dorm a number of times to see if she had returned or not. Then he had visited the headmage in regards to her absence. Lotus wonder what business he could've had to check in on her so often.
"It's regarding the new additions." Vil huffed.
She raised a brow, "Fine."
As she got up and stepped outside the library, Vil led her behind the coliseum and began, "Does the princess have any idea what she is doing? Rook and Epel told me everything that had happened. Can we really trust him?"
"Rather than trusting him, you're asking if you can trust the Princess." Lotus sighed, "Rather than asking me, go find out for yourself. You of all people should notice any strange habits of his. Use that to gather whether he can be trusted or not. After all, this is Night Raven College. Whether you can trust others or not should be determined by yourself, isn't it?"
She sighed and began to leave before she paused and added, "Flamme has his own reasons. Whatever it was before, he needs a new ambition now. Where else is more suitable than a school full of overly ambitious students who can't wait to prove themselves?"
As she walked further away from the Coliseum, she noticed something rush towards her. It was a child!
She paused in bewilderment as the child ran into her, "Woah! What's going on?"
She reached out and grabbed hold of the child by hand before glancing down at him. He was quite a chubby one. Puffy cheeks and a round belly. Curious, she pondered, "Who's child is this?"
"Ah! Wait!"
She looked up and noticed Jade hurrying over to her with the headmage. The kid quickly hide behind her as she hummed, "Headmage? Jade?"
"Ah, there you are!" Crowley let out a sigh as he took in deep breaths, "Lotus? Can… Can we ask you to watch over this child for a bit? There are some matters we need to sort out at school."
"Eh?!" Her eyes widen in disbelief as he continued.
"He's… a relative of Mister Ashengrotto." He quickly explained as fast as he could, "We tried to leave him in care of the twins, but… Either way, if you care for him for a day, I will ensure you do not have to attend class for the entire week!"
"So generous?!" Lotus looked to him with suspicion, "What are you planning this time?"
"My, you make it sound like I've never been so kind before!"
"I'm certain we can care for him just fine." Jade replied with a big smile.
Hearing this, the boy's grip on her tightened. Lotus thought for a bit as Crowley lectured him about threatening the child or something. The chubby child has curly locks of hair and pretty blue eyes. He looked up to her pleadingly before she sighed, "Very well. I was going to return to the dorm after this."
"Thank you very much! Well, now. I shall hurry back to the office. Well, then. Mister Leech, I seem to recall it is almost time for your next class to begin."
"Well, that's certainly true…" Jade sighed in defeat as Crowley quickly called the professors through his phone.
"Let us return home." She turned to the child and held his small chubby hands.
As she walked away, she hummed curiously, "Where is your relative?"
The child seemed hesitant as he replied, "He's… busy right now."
She hummed, "I see."
They arrived at the door when she noticed a familiar looking figure with a big goofy smile on his face. As he was about to knock on the door, her face twisted with discontempt as she folded her arms with a scowl, "What are you up to this time, you crazy monk?"
It was an old man with a cane. Dressed in gray and white, the old man's face had a wide white beard. The guy quickly spun around and hummed curiously, "Ah, my divination told me the princess would be here."
She sighed, "If it's her divination, she's supposed to be on break. If you want her to divine for you again, you will have to wait."
"Ah, but we can't sit around and do nothing!" He reasoned.
"And can I ask why the supposed great sage of the Kingscholar family is willing to stay even if it meant scaring a young one?" She stated coldly.
Her tone caught his attention as he noticed the child by her side hugging her arm tightly. The old man stared at him in awe before exclaiming, "Well, I'll be! Another child chosen by the seven!"
She paused curiously before stating with a frigid tone, "If you recognize such things, then come back another time! This child is needed by my side for the next week. Is it not the code of the strong to not just educate the young but protect them as well?"
Her words made him sigh in disappointment as he nodded and retreated, "Then I shall return another day."
"Another thing…" she stated bluntly, "The princess is not present. She should still be at Nobel Bell College. When you meet her, prepare a large flat bowl of water from a lake or pond."
The old man hummed curiously before nodding his head with a big smile clearly overjoyed much to her annoyance, "Ah, I appreciate for the reminder!"
As she brought the child in, she introduced him to Yuu and Grim before bringing having him sit on the sofa as the two left for class with an annoyed Grim. Lotus prepared a set of notes before raising a brow, "where are your parents?"
He hesitated, "They're at work."
"Do they know you're here?"
He shook his head, "Uncle and aunt said I could stay with them but they are so busy so I came to find big brother Azul."
She nodded calmly, "What do you want to do?"
The little boy paused a while before replying excitedly, "I… I wanna cook!"
She raised a brow before patting his head, "Just like an Ashengrotto. Come."
She prepared a simple dish for children as she watched him have a taste before drooling in awe. She nodded, "I see you have a good appetite. That's good. If you eat well now, you will become stronger when you grow older."
"Huh? Why is that?" The child tilted his head curiously.
She patted his head, "Because, boys need to consume more nutrients to grow stronger. Once you grow older and find things you like, you will naturally grow taller and skinnier. Otherwise, you will become short and struggle to move about. Hm…"
"Sir?" The boy tilted his head curiously.
She stared at his eyes curiously, "Your eyes are much like Azul's… Quite pretty."
Her works caught the boy off guard as his eyes widen in surprise. She continued pointed to the window, "If people asks where are your parents, tell them they are watching through the window. Always remember that. If someone grab you by the arm, scream as loud as you can."
The child's eyes widen in surprise as she continued, "All right. When you're done, give your guardian a call before you go to bed."
"Eh?" He looked to her in surprise.
"What?"
"It's… it's still light out." He hesitated.
"Kids need to sleep. If you don't, you will get headaches later. When you're done, you can go play with Grim-"
There was a knock on the door as she paused mid sentence. She frowned as the knocks moved to the window. She frowned and turned to the child, "That's just some boys playing a prank. Don't pay attention to them." She snapped her fingers as another series of knocks began again, However, it quickly stopped as she asked, "How is the food?"
"Ah, it's good-!" There was a small creak of the door as two boys hurried into the room.
"Something smells so good…"
It was Cheka. The child hurried in and exclaimed, "Can I have some too?!"
"Cheka? What are you doing here?" Lotus raised a brow.
"To visit uncle Leona." The child wore a big smile.
"He clung to me while I was taking a nap. Give him some food."
"As I expected."
She glanced up to see Leona walking in with another small child with green hair. She raised a brow in confusion, "Who is this child?"
He sighed, "Just another brat."
He threw the kid into Lotus's arms as the kid cried out in shock. She managed to catch him in time as she shook her head, "and you don't know? Strange."
"Huh?"
"Just now, the headmage asked me to watch over this child too."
Leona glanced over to the other kid before his expression darkened, "Who is this kid?"
"Azul's relative." She replied as she prepared some bowls for the kids.
As they ate, she hummed, "Something is definitely weird. I hope Crowley wraps up whatever it is and take these kids back home."
"Yummy~~~!!!"
As Cheka cried out blissfully, she frowned, "Do you think you can give Cheka's parents a call? I'll try to get the kids to sleep later. When that happens, I hope they can come and pick him up during then. I don't want him wrapped up in whatever could happen later."
Leona grumbled, "Fine. Where's the other herbivore?"
"At school." She frowned, "I've been excused for the entire week until the parents return. Of course, it'd be another story if someone could watch over them in my absence, but it sounds like Azul is out."
"You want to go back to class?" Leona huffed with disdain.
"Alchemy for magicians are different for alchemy for cultivators." She hummed, "I was hoping to get more out of Crewel. Royal Sword Acadmey is all about the basics and the universities aren't helpful either. At this point, I may as well buy every alchemy books I can find."
"You should just skip a grade." Leona sighed.
"There's some benefits to being a student here. Isn't it the same for you?" She smiled.
He scoffed, "Whatever. Anyway, if it's alchemy, not even that guy can match up to your skills, Miss Future President."