The library usually isn't a crowded place, since only mages with an interest in magic knowledge hang around here, but today however is an exception. Today, the library is full of people left and right, including those who don't normally come. This is all because of the upcoming finals. The final tests right before the long awaited New Year break. After the tests, students will get a chance to visit their home for a full month to enjoy the New Year with their family. Since failure results to staying back for make-up tests, who wouldn't want to study hard for a chance of reuniting with their loved ones?

As expected, with how packed the library is, it's hard to search for a place to sit when most of the chairs available have already been taken thanks to the "First come, first served" rule. However, in the corner of the library, near an opened window, there are still several empty seats lying around, except one occupied by a lonely girl who's quietly reading her book in the corner. The girl has long, crimson red hair flown down to her waist. She is a beauty, yet no one dare to approach her due to unknown reasons. No one, except another girl who's walking toward the red girl.

"Can I sit here?"

"You don't need to ask me for permission, Iola."

"Just for courtesy's sake."

The girl with grey twin braids lets out a smile. She puts her books onto the table and leisurely takes a seat in the opposite of the red girl.

"It's been a while since the last time I saw you in the library, Deborah. Are you here to study for the finals…"

Iola takes a glance at the book Deborah is reading.

"…Or just reading random books again to kill time? Hmm…A spell book? That part…what do you need the 「Body Armor」 spell for?"

"Oh, just shut up and mind your business."

Deborah grumpily replies. The girl with twin braids' only reaction is a small giggle. She decides to obey the words of Deborah and begins to mind her business, namely studying for the semester's finals.

A cold breeze flows by. Winter has already came, yet aside from blowing away leaves from the trees, the snow has yet to make its appearance. The library is packed, but it's still a pretty quiet place. The students' silent whispers pale in front of the sound made by the wind. The rattling windows, the flipping pages. Just another peaceful, ordinary day at Melas Academy.

"Come to think of it, the first time we met was a day just like today, at this very same place."

"Hmm?"

Deborah averts her attention from the book to Iola's saddened face.

"It's just four months, yet I feel like a year has passed already."

"What's with the sudden burst of nostalgia?"

Deborah asks.

"Hehe. It's because of how familiar this situation is."

Iola gives out a faint smile on her face.

"I'm glad I asked you for a seat that day."

"…"

Deborah keeps gazing at the girl, without giving out any words to reply. Or rather, one can say she couldn't find any words to give back to the girl.

"It's just four months, but you have already changed a lot. You used to be…colder, more apathetic. You didn't seem to care for anything in the world around you. If I didn't know better, I would have thought you were a walking corpse. Well, but that has changed, hasn't it?"

"…I was like that before?"

Deborah averts her gaze to the outside for a second, before resuming her conversation with Iola.

"Yes…You've changed a lot, in a better way. Personally, I prefer this current you than the "you" four months ago."

"…"

Still keeping a smile on her face, Iola continues.

"I think Akuma's appearance has been a good influence on you."

"…So it all comes down to him again."

Deborah's glare sharpens, still, Iola shows no fear, but not after taking a gulp in surprise from Deborah's sudden glare.

"I heard the story from Caelan, about that day."

With a stern look, Iola speaks.

"While indeed you have changed for the better, what you pulled that day...the thing you did to Akuma…was very cruel, if I have to be blunt."

"Cruel, but it's something that I have to do."

Deborah answers. There is no hesitation in her voice. She knew what she must do, and did it anyway.

"For what purpose? To help him through breaking his spirit and his body? Cruel isn't a strong enough word if that is indeed your purpose."

"I don't need other's opinions on how I train my pet."

Iola bites her lips.

"He may be your familiar, but he's not your pet! He's a living being with feelings and thoughts just like us!"

Iola stands up and slams her hands on the wooden table as she shouts. However, since this is a library, her rash move is met with silent glares from others around. Iola realizes her mistake, and quietly returns to her seat as she waits for Deborah's answer.

"Why do you have to get so worked up about someone like him? Do you love him or something?"

Says Deborah. Iola gives out no noticeable reaction when she speaks.

"I have no such feelings. However, I owe him my gratitude."

"Gratitude for what?"

As Deborah tries to search for anything inside her head that can answer Iola's question, the girl just puts another smile on her face when she finally replies.

"For changing you."

"What…?"

"You didn't notice? You have slowly changed ever since that guy appeared. You've become more…lively, especially when he's around."

"He just gets me on my nerves, that's all. Stop giving him so much credits!"

Deborah grumpily speaks, and is met with another smile from Iola as her reaction.

"I like this current you. And as I said before, I owe him my thanks for that. The best I can do is to prevent you from hurting him anymore. I fear that if you continue to go down this path, you'll eventually revert back to the walking corpse I met four months ago at this very place…"

The red girl is deep in silence. The girl with twin braids also stop talking as she awaits the answer from the girl in front of her.

Another cold breeze flows by.

"I wouldn't do that if I don't have to…"

Says Deborah. There is a bit of guilt in her eyes as she continues.

"That guy. He's very stubborn, and he seems to distrust of me. I want to help him as his Master, but I have to resort to extreme methods in order to do accomplish that goal. He's a glory hound, but what good would come from glory when you're dead? He's foolish, so foolish…"

"Oh here we go again. You and that bad habit of yours."

"Bad habit?"

Deborah asks in confusion after Iola says her words.

"You always think you know people from inside out like a book just when you scratch the surface, when it's actually the opposite. And just as you think you know everything about people, you then go on your own and do things you thought that will help people, without knowing what they want nor telling them what you're going to do. A very bad habit."

"I do…?"

"Yes, you do."

Iola firmly speaks.

"You said Akuma is distrust of you, but isn't you yourself are distrust of him as well? You always assume he's going to disagree with everything you said just because your guts tells you he will, then you go on and do things that hurt him because you thought it's something that you have to do. Isn't that what people called distrust?"

"But…"

"No buts! Stop being so subjective! It doesn't hurt to believe in people sometimes."

Can't find a clear answer to talk back, Deborah just stares at Iola in silence. The following gaze from Iola just makes this whole situation more awkward for both. Finally, after several seconds, Deborah decides to break the silence herself.

"You're so preachy today. It's unlike you."

"Trust me, I don't want to be like this as well. But for the people I care about, this is the least I can do to help them, even if it looks like a slap in the face with words. Changes are good, but I don't want to fix what isn't broken. The current you, the current Deborah, is the Deborah I like best, and I would hate to see you descend into someone, no, something…I will dread."

Deborah closes her eyes as she lets Iola's words reach her heart. Slowly, she closes the book she is reading. Deborah stands up, but she hasn't leave just yet.

"I will…think about what you said."

Deborah doesn't look into Iola's eyes, and neither does the other girl. As Deborah bids her goodbye, she leaves with the book on her hand. Only Iola remains in her seat in order to do what she originally came here for.

The windows rattle when another wind flows by.

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

Today is just another ordinary day like always. People continuing their lives, full of joy, full of sadness, full of goals and dreams. Just your ordinary day to study and working.

But today, for me, is a slightly less ordinary day in my life. It's because I get a chance to visit the Student Council's meeting room, with an invitation from the student council president herself.

"We're here."

As my thoughts run wild like that, the weight of the white documents on my hands brings me back from my romanticized vision to the harsh reality in front of me. It's nothing big in reality. I was asked for help from Kardia to bring some documents to the student council meeting room. This place is located near the center of the castle and is a pretty quiet place. Since people rarely pass by, I guess this makes it an ideal place to handle the management of the academy's students.

"Please make yourself at home."

Kardia opens the door and comes inside. However, I stop myself before I enter the room. In front of my eyes is darkness. This room is filled with darkness, which makes it feel a little eerie, like a ghost room you see in scary movies. Let's just hope someone simply forgot to open the windows.

"Oh. I'm sorry. I forgot to turn on the lights. It's the first time someone other than me comes to this room, so…"

The first time? Someone other than her? Isn't this the student council's meeting room? Then what is the problem?

The crystal lights are ignited when Kardia activates the switch. Light fills the room, pushing away the darkness. I begin to take another look at the room. Rather than your typical meeting room, this room is filled with trinkets and oddities, but rather than strange stuff like the school's shop, this looks more like an old witch's room with peculiar hexes and the likes, but since Kardia is a practitioner of alchemy, I guess it's more like an alchemist's workshop? Black curtains have covered all the closed windows. The only saving grace of this room is how neat and orderly Kardia arranged her stuff, which adds some kind of mysterious charm to this place.

"Are you sure we're in the right room, Kardia?"

"Yes. This is it, the meeting room for the Student Council."

"Then why does it look like the room of an evil witch?"

I enter the room and put the documents onto her desk. Her desk is neat and well kept, it's also decorated with a small vase holding several glowing white flowers. This is completely different from the mess that is the Headmaster's office.

"So this is how this room looks like from the view of an outsider."

Kardia answers as she puls awayl the black curtains and opens the windows. The sunlight shines into the room, making this place a little less creepy.

"Where are the other members?"

I ask. When Kardia's done opening all the windows, she turns back to me and speaks.

"There are no one else. I am the only member of the student council."

"Wait, what?"

This is the first time I heard of a one woman student council.

"It's a long story."

Kardia walks to a nearby counter. On the counter, there are several antiqued tea cups and a kettle. There seems to be a pot of tea leaves nearby. Kardia pour some fresh water to the kettle and heat it up with a magic circle. I guess she's brewing tea. As she's preparing the tea, Kardia begins to tell her tale.

The student council was created with the purpose of giving the students some power over the management of their school life. The main purpose of the student council was to manage the war efforts contributed by the 2nd and 3rd years students. The student council used to be in charge of manpower and logistics management, supplies stockpiles and distribution, and went for rescue or escort missions if they have to...Their main job could be summed up as the backbone to support those who fight on the frontlines with whatever they could.

However, as the war grew bigger, the role of the student council began to diminish. When their enemy brought the war back to their shores, the Academy's cadets army got merged into the regular army and was put under their jurisdiction. Their role got smaller and smaller when their former missions were undertook by people from the main army. As time passed by, the student council's main job was reverted into becoming errand boys and girls for the teachers. Kardia said that thanks to the current pitiful state of the student council, no one bothered to do these kind of jobs anymore. And that was how she got into this position with objections from no one. They just wanted someone to dump the chores on.

Her tale ends at the same moment she's done brewing the tea. As she's pouring the tea to a teacup, I keep wandering around the room to look at the neatly arranged oddities in the shelves around the room. Some shelves were labeled as ingredients, with a bunch of small vases and bottles inside that were carefully sealed. However, despite all of them have already been labeled, they all seem nonsensical to me since I don't know anything about those names, at least not yet.

"Is there something that catches your interest?"

Kardia gives me a question as she puts a tea cup onto the coffee table in the middle of the room.

"Make it everything."

Kardia giggles in amusement. Not wanting to make a lady wait, I take a trek back to the seats near the small coffee table, but not without taking another glance at the small glowing flowers in vase on Kardia's desk.

"Oh. Please be careful. It's better that you don't go near those flowers."

Before I can reach the flowers, Kardia suddenly lets out a voice of concern.

"Hmm? Why not?"

"They are the 「Spirit Calling」 flowers. Their pollen may cause hallucination and other undesirable effects to the mind of living beings. They are beautiful indeed, but it's better to just watch them from afar."

It's true that these glowing white flowers are beautiful as decoration, but why would she want to use something like these to decorate her working place? But then again, at this point I'm no longer surprise no matter how strange things around get. A meeting room without a shed of light. A room full of strange ingredients on the shelves. A desk decorated with flowers that cause hallucination just because they are beautiful. Seems like I got myself another bag of mystery.

"If that is the truth then you must be pretty daring to make them decoration of your desk."

That is like making a botanical garden from cannabis.

"It's okay, they don't affect me so I have no reason to be scared of them. Anyway, your tea is cooling, you know?"

"Oh, right."

I put a stop to my little tour around the room and sit on a small chair opposite of Kardia. Kardia serves me some black tea in a pretty antiqued teacup, decorated with black flowers pattern. The aroma of tea quickly fills the room. I take a sip before the black tea becomes too cold to enjoy.

"It's good."

And drinkable as well. Ever since that little first meal on the day I got here, I always get on my guard everytime someone here offers me something new to drink or eat. Rather than finding premium cuisines or beverages, my priority right now is to find things that are edible and drinkable for the human tounge first.

"Really? Thank goodness. I rarely brew tea, so I'm afraid it may not fit for your taste."

"It's alright. I'm no expert on tea to begin with. As long as they are drinkable then any tea is fine for me."

Beside, I'm more of a coffee person. Tea is too fancy of a drink for me to make it a hobby. Coffee is more ordinary and enjoyable in my opinion. But then again, I don't think this world has coffee. Well, beggars can't be choosers.

"You didn't make a cup for yourself?"

I let out a voice when I notice Kardia only served one teacup for me only.

"It's alright. I'm contented with this."

I can feel Kardia's stare behind the black veil covering her face. The more time I spent with the girl, the more questions I get. Yet, I can't mustered enough courage to go deep down and unveil the truth behind this girl. I have a feeling that it may be something I will deeply regret.

Yes, this status quo is enough for me.

"Is it alright for me to be here? In the student council's meeting room?"

"What are you saying? I would love to have someone visiting this place! The problem comes from whether or not someone even want to set foot into this place, let alone pay me a visit."

Is this related to why she keeps her distance from people, and why people also keep their distance away from her?

"Can I ask a question?"

Surrendered to my curiosity, I say my thought out loud.

"If it's within my ability to answer, then you may ask whatever you want."

"I see, then this question of mine may be a bit personal to you. Why do you keep your distance from people? And why do people also do the same to you?"

"…"

Kardia falls to silence after I finished asking. For some reason, I can imagine a sadden face behind her dark veil. As several seconds pass by, Kardia finally musters enough courage to answer my question.

"It's because…bad things always happen to those around me."

"Bad things…?"

"Accidents happened. People around me usually just got injured from random causes everytime I'm nearby. But that's not the worst of it, this…"curse" of mine, it could get worse…In worst cases, it caused the death of several people just because I was in the vicinity. I would hate to see that happen again."

A jinx, heh?

"So, bad things will happen if I'm around you?"

"It's okay if you want to cut your ties with me. I will hold no grudge when you're doing the right thing. It's the best way…"

"Blah blah blah can't hear you can't hear you."

Before Kardia begins yet another pity speech, I loudly shout as I cover my ears in demonstration. Even with the veil covering her head, I can see that the girl is shocked by this sudden turn of event.

"Come on, stop your pitiful act. I've been with you for several weeks and you don't see me dying."

Well, the thing that happened in the forest the other day was indeed life threatening, but that doesn't count because Kardia wasn't nearby.

"But…"

"It's okay. Bad things have already happened to me with or without your help. I can handle it just fine."

I take another sip then smile in triumph. Fate and the likes? They are all crap to me. Just because something bad happened when someone is around doesn't give people the right to blame others to be the cause of what just happened. I'm not buying that crap.

"Are you really okay with me…being around you?"

"Come on, we're friends, aren't we? Friends don't abandon each other."

Another brief silence passes by as Kardia tries to find something to say. She looks down for a moment, but it only takes several seconds before the girl finds her resolve.

"Right, we're friends."

I have a feeling that she's smiling behind her veil.

"The truth is, you are the first friend I made ever since I came to this academy."

That's sad.

"I'm glad that you saw me as a friend. It's the first for me. Back when I'm still with my family, all the people around me were just servants and my nanny. It's hard for me to find a real friend, let alone make friends with people."

A sheltered noble lady, heh? One have to wonder why do girls like her even chose this academy to begin with, since after a year or so, they will get sent to the battlefield and have to fight like real soldiers. But then again, this is just me looking at this with the viewpoint of someone not from this world. For all I can tell, maybe young ladies fighting on the field is the common norm here.

"Well, I hope you don't intend to make me your sole friend, because I don't think I'm up to the task."

"It's alright. I'll definitely try to make more friends. Befriending you gave me that courage."

Rather than befriending me like she said, it's more like I kept bugging her until we became friends. Of course, I keep this to myself rather than saying it out loud.

"I hope you can make that personal goal come true."

We spend the next hour solely just for chatting. I ask her several questions, and in return, she asks me a bunch of questions about my world and other things ever since I came here. I even tell her the stuff that happened in the forest the other day. I don't think all those talking is a hassle, though, because conversing with her is very enjoyable to me. It's nice to talk with someone without earning myself some snarks.

"I have another question: Why did you choose to become the student council president?"

Since that title has now become a glorified errand boy/girl, why would she even wanted to take up the job?

"Well, the position is empty and no one wants it. You can have more opportunity to help people, and since I don't have anything better to do…"

"Just that?"

"Maybe not. But…I guess…it's because I want to be needed by others."

To be needed…heh? Now I know the reason why talking with her is so enjoyable to me.

"We are alike, you and I."

"We are alike?"

I nod.

"I want to be needed as well. That's why when the Headmaster gave me the order to enter the Familiar competition, I thought to myself "This is my chance."."

"Why did you think like that?"

"Because that girl…Deborah, she saw me like I'm just a burden she has to carry on her back. But, to be a burden to someone, that is the thing I hate the most. I don't want to be anyone's burden, especially hers. That is why this competition is my chance to prove that I am not a burden to Deborah, or to anyone. I want to win this! To prove my usefulness and to be needed by others!"

As my rant ends, Kardia doesn't say anything, but she doesn't stop staring at me either when I'm making a serious face. The girl suddenly looks at the ceiling as if she's trying to find a suitable course of action.

"That's it. I've decided."

"?"

I give the girl a confused look.

"We still have more than one week left before the finals. I will help you survive and win that competition with all of my abilities."

Kardia's offer is certainly attractive, but I'm interested on how she's gonna help me.

"How are you going to help me?"

"I think you have already noticed. This room, despite being the meeting room, is also my personal workshop. I've spent some free time here experimenting on several alchemic compounds and ingredients. For now, I have no idea how that's gonna help you, but we still have more than one week left to try for something that may prove useful! With your otherworldly knowledge, I'm sure this will be a success!"

"That…actually sounds good."

I mean, I can totally use a proper workshop right now. My room is too small to do experiments and synthesis. Beside, meeting with Deborah has becoming awkward lately. All of this make Kardia's offer sounds like music to my ear.

"But…is it all right for me to use your workshop?"

"Friends don't abandon each other, don't they?"

This girl, she's so amusing. I crack out a smile as she finishes her sentence. I would call her my fairy godmother, but I hold back knowing she does not know what a fairy godmother is.

"Alright, don't crawl back to me in tears when I use up all of your stuff!"

With this, I temporary borrow Kardia's alchemy workshop for the next week. From that day onward, when classes are finished, both of us gather to this room when we're done with our personal stuff and continue our research and experiments. There are some failures, and some successes yet proved to be impractical, but we still go on with all we have, up until the fated day.

Time flies, and one week passes. The day has finally come for the semester's final tests.