Briar stood there awkwardly in the silence, and Kael smiled wryly. The cat wasn't just let out of the bag; it leapt out with a stunning force! Madam Rothema was the first to recover from the surprise.

"So this is what you couldn't tell me all this time, huh." She sighed. "While I knew there ought to be some sort of reason, I never expected such a thing to happen."

"You're not surprised?" Kael asked, blinking his eyes in confusion.

Madam Rothema laughed. "My dears, I have been surprised so many times by the both of you that I've learned to expect it. If you had told us you were actually a shapeshifting three-headed cow, I wouldn't even bat an eye."

"So you're both beyonders?" Sir Arthur asked.

"Beyonders?" Briar tilted her head.

"People who contain a wealth of knowledge about things that no magician or martial practitioner would know. They seemed to pop out everywhere a few thousand years back." Madam Rothema explained. "This is just a sort of nickname that historical researchers have given them, though. You don't hear about it too often in regular conversation. But most hero legends can be traced back to a beyonder at some point in the past."

"When did you know?" Briar asked Madam Rothema.

"I've had my suspicions for a while now. But it's mostly your use of archaic forms of address, like -nii and -nee. San and Sensei are all ancient words. I thought maybe you were pretending to be an ancient hero after reading a story book, but you seem perfectly comfortable using them in everyday language." Rothema nodded.

"What? But Karu and Rien use it all the time, too!" Briar pointed out.

"That is, in part, due to all the stories I told them of the heroes of old." Sir Arthur explained sheepishly. "They seem to have gotten it into their heads that it's normal to speak like that."

"Hmmph! I am unconvinced." Kael scowled.

"There was also the fact that you knew how to do things that no normal noble girl would know how to do, such as kitchen chores or cleaning your room." Madam Rothema added. "There is absolutely no way a noble mother would allow her child to learn cooking and washing clothes. You weren't even bothered by the idea!"

"Come to think of it, looking back, there really were a lot of suspicious points." Thales nodded in agreement, sipping his tea. "Your impeccable aim, for instance."

"And let's not get started on your extensive vocabulary." Rothema nodded. "No mere seven year old would use words like 'preamble' or 'defenestration'" 

"All right, I get it!" Briar gave up, and took a seat. "It doesn't bother you?" She asked, pouring herself a cup of tea.

"Should it?" Rothema asked. "Or are you telling me this whole time, you were ingenuine about learning magic?"

"No, I seriously do want to learn." Briar shook her head.

"You weren't a murderer or a bad person in your prior life?" Rothema asked.

"The only one I killed...was the person who got me in the end." Briar sighed. "And he was a psychotic murderer with a dangerous sword.

As for whether I was a good person....I'm sorry. I'm afraid I don't know. I was only ever acknowledged for my skills, not my character."

"You don't intend to break off with us or betray us, do you?" Rothema asked.

"Not unless you intend to do so first." Briar shook her head. 

"Then why should I be bothered? Rather, you are the same person you were before I knew. So isn't this just fine?" Rothema shrugged. 

"I am curious about one thing." Sir Arthur asked. "How old were you when you died?"

"Almost twice as old as I am now." Briar replied. "Why?"

"So, in the end, yer still just a young-un, eh?" He chuckled.

"Well, that is also partly why I felt it wouldn't be bad to tell you..." Briar shot back mischievously. "You're already so old that even though mentally I am thrice as old as I am physically, it's only a paltry few years to you."

Madam Rothema chuckled. "She got you there, Arthur! You really need to stop being so childish sometimes." 

"Just...please don't tell Laura." Briar begged Master Thales.

"Ah...Why not? Don't you think she won't like being kept out of the loop?" Kael asked.

"Rather, she'll say that all our previous contests don't count because I am a big cheat." Briar rolled her eyes. "She also doesn't exactly have the best track record when it comes to secrets."

"Are you still upset about that?" Kael asked.

"No...I have forgiven her." Briar sniffed. "But that doesn't mean I've forgotten her either."

That drew a laugh from everyone as the talk began to draw to a close.

Kael stepped forward.

"Please pass on my words. I don't mind becoming an apprentice or learning martial techniques from that man, but I refuse to be involved in politics as his heir. I'd like to believe that, even though governments are doomed to fail, the people who make them up aren't entirely all bad. If he can agree to this then I will have no further issues."

"Bravo! That's the closest you've ever come to exonerating governments!" Madam Rothema applauded. "I will let him know. Will you be accompanying Briar on her travels?"

"At the very least, I would like to do so until the issue about our eyes has been dealt with." Kael replied bluntly.

"I understand. I will pass him the message. But, knowing him, you'll probably bump into him sooner or later." Rothema hinted.

Kael smiled wryly, and stepped back.

"Well, now that all of that has been dealt with, I think it's time we discuss your travels. When are you going to depart?" Madam Rothema asked.

"I kind of wanted to leave now. After all, it's a year's travels back to Grayelle kingdom, and I want to see my family as soon as possible." Briar replied.

"Well, actually...it's only about two week's travel by flying house. Three days if using my speciallized long distance flight spell. Thales took you the long way around because he was busy doing last minute cramming before the contest." Madam Rothema pointed out apologetically. "But I'd like to request you stay one more day here."

"I can, but why?" Briar asked.

"Well, I had intended to surprise you after the contest, but it appears the surprise is a bit late in arriving..." Madam Rothema replied, slightly embarassed.

"What was the surprise?" Kael asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Madam Rothema's eyes narrowed into a smile.

"Er, please take it that I never asked." Kael said, stepping back, cautiously.

Rothema chuckled. "But it is getting late. Perhaps we can continue this conversation in the morning?"

"Um...teacher...before I go, can I take off this disguise now?" Briar asked.

"Why, I had forgotten it was even there! Yes, of course!" Rothema acquiesced.

Briar took off her headscarf, which made her look like Kael's twin brother. Then she took off the headband, which returned her to her original twelve year old appearance. 

"I can see why you disguised her, Rothema. She looks far too young to be fifteen." Arthur chuckled.

Briar, now back to being Thera, raised a quizzical eyebrow. "Why, I don't recall ever mentioning that I was fifteen? In fact, I'll be thirteen come the fifth of Matler."

"Oof!" Sir Arthur clutched at his chest. "Are ye trying ta give me a heart attack, girl? I can see now why you had her disguise herself now, Rothema: a twelve year old dual martial magician? If we weren't allies, I would have seriously considered her to be a possible major threat!"

Rothema ignored Arthur. "Keep the headscarf, dear. You'll need it for when you visit the Marchand kingdom. Now take a break from all your experiments for once and go get some rest." 

"Yes, teacher." Thera and Kael bowed forbally to Rothema before leaving the room.

After a long, thoughtful pause, Arthur asked. "Do her parents know?"

"About her memories? Most likely not. About everything else? Yes, to a certain degree."

"Huh. You'd think her parents would be the first to know." Arthur muttered to himself.

"Well? Could you do it?" Rothema asked.

"Do what?"

Rothema stared off into space. "Could you tell your own parents, 'Hello, I'm someone who was reborn into your daughter with all my memories from my previous life. Sorry for keeping it from you until now'?"

"...no. I wouldn't....I couldn't!" Arthur came to a conclusion which surprised him.

"It is such a truth as can either draw the family closer, or break them apart forever. Such a risk...I'd be too afraid...afraid that they'd hate me forever for taking away the innocent little child that should have been, if I were not there." He concluded.

"So you would. But Thera is going to take that risk." Rothema looked into the flickering flame of the candle between them. "She has made up her mind to tell them."

"How do you know?" Arthur asked, surprised.

"She told us, didn't she?" Rothema pointed out. "Not to mention she'll need to tell them about Kael. Tomorrow promises to be quite the eventful day, indeed..."

"Well, with all of this talk of tomorrow, these ancient bones need their rest." Arthur stood up from his chair, and nodded politely to Rothema. "If you'll excuse me, I will take my leave."

Rothema waited until Arthur had left, before she waved her hand, and the candlelight was snuffed out.

----------------------------

The next morning, during breakfast, a rather rumbling loud noise was heard from the outdoors.

"Ah, right on time, I see!" Rothema noted with a smile.

Thera, disguised as Briar, glanced out the window, and her eyes widened as she looked to Kael, then Rothema, then back out the window, completely flabbergasted.

"Surprise~!" Rothema cackled at Briar's dumbfounded expression. "Was it a surprise, or was it a SURPRISE?"

"Ahem! To be sure it is most definitely a surprise." Kael answered, still in the dark about what it was.

"You are both excused, Briars. Go take a look. Not bad for a winning prize, eh?" Rothema chuckled.

Briar grabbed Kael's arm and dragged him out of the room.

"Hold on, what is it? Why are you so blasted excited!?" Kael's surprised yelp could be heard down the hallway as he was dragged off.