“Oh no, did I interrupt a crucial moment in your relationship?” She ask in shock.” i am so sorry, but this is urgent.”

We turn to her in shock, and I’m still weirded out by her. She never takes her eyes off me when I’m in the room.” No we were just talking about my contract with her father.”

She looks at me with a look of disbelief then says,” Your eyes look better with blue and violet.”

“I-I prefer the green and red eyes.” Claire says looking at the ground.

She turns to her and says,” That explains why he has them green and red right now.”

Claire looks up and says,” No! He was making sure we weren’t being heard! Tell her.”

“Yeah, I-I was making sure we weren’t being heard.” I say.

She chuckles and says,” Whatever you two say, but from what I heard you were talking about love.”

Claire’s body temperature is rising and I know I must act to help her.” What did you want from us?”

“Oh yeah, well I was going to tell you a secret about that sword of yours.” she points at my sword and I tilt my head in confusion.

“Okay, then what is it you want to say?” I ask.

“That its form is incomplete, you’re missing that gem on the hilt!” She says with a child’s glee.

I’m even more confused, can she see through my disguise spell? It wasn’t even just me who put a disguise spell on this sword.” How did you know?’

She smiles and says,” If you want to find the gem it’s hidden in this school. And no, I don’t know where to find it.”

The fact she knows about the incomplete hilt baffles me. Arthur put the second disguise spell on this, and despite his appearance, he’s an excellent mage. Claire si confused and trying to understand what the headmaster is saying.”Okaaay, well what can you tell me about the gem than?”

“I can tell you I have searched for it ever since I started here, it’s supposed to be a valuable magical item.” She says.” When the gem is in the sword it’ll fix your problem with using that sword.”

“So there is a reason you refuse to draw it!” Claire says.

“Yeah, it tends to drain my stamina without me realizing.” I confess.

“That is because of its magic absorbing ability.” Rivers says.

“Can you tell us anything about how to find the gem?” I ask

“All I know is that looking into the history of the school and its founder will guide you.” She says.

Why does she know all this? Why is she being so cryptic? ANd why can’t anyone answer my questions without raising new one? I try to speak,” And-”

“Miss Winston I wanted to give you this piece of advice, don’t let this one slip out of your hands.” She says.” Also try to get your feelings straight, that'll help with your overflow problem.”

She walks away and leaves us in silence and shock. “What even is this lady?” I think to myself,” And why does she have to be so cryptic?”

“What the hell was that all about?” I ask in total confusion.

“I have no idea,” Claire says,” but I want to know more about that sword of yours.”

I sigh and say,” I got it as payment for a contract of mine awhile back. I was tasked with escorting siblings banrir nobles from hostile territory. I was on my way back from that contract with my partner when the Inn we operated out of was attacked.”

She studies me and then sighs,” She really knows how to kill a mood.”

“I’m going to talk about Ryan and Beth about the school’s history, they spend all their time in the library.” I say trying to get out of this small space with her.

“I have to meet up with Edward, I’ll try and find you later.” She says and we part.

My chest is filled with a mix between that warm, cozy feeling you get during an intimate moment, but also that feeling of emptiness in my stomach full of guilt. I guess I need to deal with getting over Jessica before anything can happen between Claire and I. I shake my head and think,” I was told about a mysterious gem that unlocks the power of this sword and I’m thinking about girls? The fuck is wrong with me? I should focus on the main issue right now.” I think to myself.

I bump into someone and they fall to the ground.” I am so sorry” I say

“It’s alright. I was reading this book and… Oh it’s you Kyle.” Beth says while getting up from the ground.

“Oh Beth, what a coincidence I wanted to speak with you.” I say.

“I know, the headmaster passed me and told me you’d come to me with questions.” She says.

“Seriously what is up with that woman?” I ask

“I think she gets bored and likes to meddle with her students and their lives.” She says.” I was going to the library, I assume you’ll join me.”

I nod and we walk down to the library, we pass the statue Ryan told me about on the first day. A question arises in my mind and I ask,” Who founded this academy?”

“Um, well it was supposedly founded by a powerful mage during the time of the Mad King…” She says

“So what you’re saying is that nobody knows.” I say becoming annoyed at all these unanswered questions.

She nods and says,” The Mad King destroyed many records about our history and even destroyed many technological advances we had at the time.”

“Of course the answers to my questions are hidden behind many mysteries.” I say. I wonder if I’ll ever go back to the simple task of protecting a noble, or spy on this noble, or even kill this noble. I wonder if this is the adventure my thirteen year old self looked forward to, because my current self is just getting annoyed. I find myself at the library and I walk in with Beth. That’s when I hear a scream coming from the opposite direction, and I bet you can guess who’s scream it was.