Chapter 5 Zera's worries I

My name is Zera of Galia, and this year I finally passed the academy test. Although I still have no research assigned, if I continue to work hard it probably won't be long before I can work on a project.

Every morning I wake up with the sunlight, take a shower and go to the academy to study. This last week, I have been watching a particular person every time I pass by the library, his name is Argent. The day of the equinox he did us a great favor and since then he has been coming every morning to the library of the academy.

He is someone mysterious, but also admirable. He confidently spoke and convinced the city guard to let pass the rare Kaplag plant, necessary for an experiment which proved a success. I have been trying to approach him all week to thank him, but when I see him read the books so carefully, I cannot find the right moment. I feel that I would be interrupting, breaking his concentration. In addition to that, I do not have the confidence to speak to him without a good reason.

The day I met him ... That morning like any other, I woke up with the sun. Although instead of studying, that day I was helping in the preparations for the equinox. I remember that I accidentally splashed my uniform with the contents of a test tube and the Chief Investigator was very disturbed.

"Quick, you should take off your uniform! When it finish with your clothes it will start with your skin! " He said.

Apparently the liquid was some kind of acid that began to eat my clothes. And while it was falling apart, I desperately tried to take it off without touching the affected area. I felt great fear when it reached my shirt, but I could take it off before it went through it.

I certainly felt terrible and the fact of being in my underwear only worsened my self-esteem. Fortunately Johan, the head of research, had a pair of spare uniforms in the room, so he lent me one more or less my size. It was somewhat large, I was baggy, although with the robe it was hardly noticeable.

Before I could go to my room for my own spare uniform, Jal and Berta came through the door with terrible news. The city guard was holding all the flowers of Kaplag and they didn't let it cross the gate. Together with Johan, Jal and Berta quickly left while discussing the situation. Feeling the seriousness of the matter, I followed them. Although it was doubtful that I could do anything to help, it was better to be there if they needed me.

Along the way the discussion escalated and it was then that he appeared.

Apparently he was observing the prototype of the black machine of Kalasta. Everything pointed that he was only a curious observer like many others, but it seemed to me that he was thinking a lot while watching the machine. Something in his appearance, his clothes, his gaze, made me think that he was not someone ordinary. It was as if he was scrutinizing all the possibilities that the machine had. Watching it was like seeing a true Wiseman meditate on the future of science.

Then he looked our way, and approached quite naturally.

"Excuse me, what could be the problem?"

"Huh, Who are you?"

Johan said the words that crossed my mind: Who was he?

I couldn't help but observe carefully. After I saw him closely, he wore elegant clothes like I had never seen before, a sword hung from his waist, something normal. Nothing normal was the amazing quality of the sword, and all the equipment that he wore. My curiosity was only increasing, after all, it was my curiosity that made me come to the academy in the first place. In front of me was a more mysterious character than anyone I've ever met.

"I'm just a science enthusiast. If I can help some of the great minds that work to expand the horizons of human knowledge, I would feel honored".

Oh, my God! my eyes widened. Those words, how I would like to say them with such confidence.

"I'm sorry, but they are matters of the academy. If you excuse us".

Without much thought, Berta made it clear that the matter was none of his business. Johan and Jal didn't seem to have a problem with it, and simply went on their way. Meanwhile, I debated between them and the stranger. The others didn't even notice that I was no longer following them, but he, he had his eyes on me; For a moment I felt as if he could see through me, in that instant a warmer smile than the sun of that morning radiated on his face, as if removing the cold shadow of doubt in my mind.

"Something worries you? I was serious when I said I wanted to help".

All my doubts vanished in an instant. His words were kind, I could feel his sincerity. I had never been able to read people's intentions before, but for some reason, his were clear to me.

What happened next ... Everything I had felt about him proved to be true. He helped us immensely, and I still think about that day, that meeting. I feel it was fate to meet him, but in turn, fate plays jokes. The irony that day, it's that such a great event happened right after that incident ... Uuuuuh, I can't stop thinking about that misunderstanding and it depress me.

Today too, he is reading in the library, and again, I am unable to approach...

Given what he said that day, when he has read enough to feel satisfied, he is likely to leave town to visit another academy. If I let time go, I will lose my opportunity, I should thank him for his help, clear up the misunderstanding, and if possible...

"Zera! So you were here. The director wants to see you."

"Ah, chief Johan. The director wants to see me... me?"

What's going on? Why does the director want to see me? Is it not... expulsion?

No, no ... I don't think so, I didn't do anything wrong .... Well, I dropped some papers yesterday, I broke a jar three days ago, not forgetting the acid that I dumped on the day of the equinox ... I think some other things happened before that too ... Uuuuh

Maybe they'll assign me an investigation? ... No, of all things, that's the most unlikely.

"Mr. Director, I brought Zera," Johan said in front of the management doors.

"Come in."

With the permission of the director, Johan opens the door and walks inside, I follow him while my brain is stirred in a broth of worry.

The director of the AS Academy of Galia, despite his young age of 42, is the most respected mind in the region, only behind the most prominent members of the Bombasta and Cress Academies. He became a director when he was very young and has been in office for some years. Thanks to him, the academy has worked without mishaps and made some valuable advances, it is also thanks to its influence that we have been able to maintain the financing for the dozen of projects that are currently underway.

The last time he received me in person, it was to give me my degree. He isn't the type of person that someone of my level can see regularly. What can such a character want from me?

After all... Expulsion?

"First of all, good morning to both of you".

"Good morning, Mr. Director".

"There is a delicate matter to discuss. Please close the door".

"Yes, immediately".

"I-I will".

"Thanks Zera. Now, I imagine you are aware of the situation that Jagheb is currently going through".

"No doubt. It has been a few months since the news of the war came to Galia".

"Yes, but what you don't know is that last week Iren took the city of Galatea".

"Galatea !? But that's in the middle of Galia and Jagheb".

"Indeed. Galatea is the midpoint between Galia and the territory of Jagheb. Iren controlling it, means that Galia's most important trade route has been cut".

The atmosphere suddenly becomes heavy, the seriousness of the situation is evident. Although I don't understand why I am here...

"Listen. Although we are unaware of Iren's intentions for taking Galatea, there's no reason to believe that we are their goal, so don't be alarmed".

"It's good to hear that, if you are the one saying so".

"However, although we don't have to worry about being attacked at the moment, the fact that Galatea is in Iren's hands is a very serious problem. As you know, our main benefactor has always been the kingdom of Jagheb. Although we maintained our independence and freedom of action, the reality is that in recent centuries we have been one more branch of the Bombasta academy. Eight of our projects were funded by Jagheb and two more by people from the kingdom".

He just said . It means that...

"We no longer count on anyone in Jagheb to support us. Galatea was the bridge that linked them to Galia, that is, it was the umbilical cord of the academy and has been cut by Iren".

"This... cannot be".

"By itself, due to the war, many of our benefactors couldn't finance us and those who did send us the indispensable minimum. Now... Do you understand our predicament?"

"...We will have to abandon several of our project ... maybe half of them".

"No... It's worse than that. All of them... We might even have to close the academy".

"WHAT!? But, even if our funding was cut, it's not as if we were at zero, we can still..."

"Not only we won't receive more funding. Due to the fall of Galatea, the City Council requests the support of every institution or organization of the city, so the resources we still have, will be delivered to the mayor's office, to help prepare Galia against a possible attack from Iren".

"But you said that is unlikely".

"I know. But the council believes that it is better to be prevented now, that we still have the resources. The fact is that if they do not do this, and effectively Iren decides to organize an attack against Galia, at that time the people with resources would use them to flee to another place and the city would be in a bind. Its preventive measure ensures that Galia can remain under siege for a long time, since the resources collected will be used to strengthen the defenses".

"Even so, just for that, the academy will be..."

"It's for this reason that I have gathered you here".

The director stands up and his gaze becomes even more serious than while he was telling the situation.

"I have reasons to believe that in this city there is someone able to save the academy from closing".

The director's gaze suddenly rests on me ... huh?

"Zera!"

"EH!? I!?"

"My sources tell me that the previous week, an important character arrived in Galia and this same character has shown great interest in the academy and science. As I understand it, thanks to his intervention the experiment of the day of the equinox could be carried out successfully. What's more, he seemed very close to you, Zera".

"D-Do you mean Mr. Argent? I-It's not like we're close. Well..."

"Listen Zera, if the director says that man can save the academy, he must have a good reason to believe it. If I remember correctly, when he arrived at the guard post, you were accompanying him, and moreover, he mentioned that it was you who told him that the plant was safe and because he believed in you, he interceded for us".

"I-It's not that, he said he was happy to contribute to science".

"That's why Zera, which I think he will accept our request for help, but I think it's better if the one who requests it is you".

"¡EEEH!"

"Listen, Zera. The academy needs you, if you act now you can do more for science than all the other researchers. In fact, everything they do from now on, could be thanks to you".

"Zera Will you help us? Will you help the academy?"

"...Y-Yes, I will, I will do everything in my power, everything that is needed. I have no doubt, Mr. Argent is able to save the academy ... No, more than that, someone like him could lead us to great achievements".

"That's the spirit! Zera, we trust you. Now go and convince him to give us his support, seduce him if necessary!"

"¿¡EEEEH!?"

N-Now it seems that the academy depends on me. B-But... if I'm not mistaken, Mr. Argent thinks that I'm a boy, a man, because he saw me with a baggy male uniform... With what face I approach him now, and explain that I am a girl...