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Chapter 6: New Task

Chapter 6: New Task

Principal Agnes' Office

Principal Agnes casually sipped the green tea served in a ceramic white teacup while facing Mr. Lowe who did nothing the entire time but to heavily sigh.

"What really is your plan?" Mr. Lowe asked in a defeated tone, leaning against the cushion of the seat while holding a similar cup with half-emptied black tea.

From the glass window, the remaining leaves of the trees slowly fell like confetti as the breeze swept the courtyard where students were on their way to their classes after an hour-long lunch break, draped in long coats and heavy jackets.

Pausing from taking another sip, Principal Agnes raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"You know what I'm referring to," stated Mr. Lowe. "It's about Anna Lawson, the girl you accepted to work in the academy. You don't do these rush decisions, Agnes."

Principal Agnes only smiled. Despite holding different titles in the academy, formality had been long abandoned between the two, having spent their entire school life together as students at the same academy they work in.

"We need to monitor her." Principal Agnes placed the cup back on the saucer before resting both of her elbows on the surface of the table,  firmly clasping her hands together. "You know what I'm talking about, Lowe."

Mr. Lowe stared at the black tea in his cup, deep in thought. "She doesn't show any signs so far. There's a chance we could be wrong in our assumptions."

"Hmm..." Principal Agnes only nodded. "How about the training of Anna Humphrey?" she asked. "Is there development that should be noted?"

"She's still under basic training. Coming from a family of non-magic users, it might take her a while to get used to using magic and displaying her full potential."

Principal Agnes leaned back on her executive chair, crossing her legs under the desk in a carefree manner while silently thinking things through. She swirled the remaining tea on the cup with the calm movements of her delicate hand.

"Keep a close watch."

"To whom?" Mr. Lowe inquired.

"Both of them."

Mr. Lowe's broad chest rose, letting out a deep breath. Shutting his eyes close for a second, he raised his hand to massage the waves on his forehead.

He knew so well the gleam in Principal Agnes' eyes. Known to be stubborn and free-spirited during their school years, this kind of personality didn't seem to leave the woman despite having one of the highest positions in the academy. It was the same reason Mr. Lowe recognized the need to look over her decisions, similar to what he had been doing back then.

"Anna Lawson, expose her to students who use magic."

"Agnes, you can't do this to a person who is not a student of the academy. There are too many risks to consider," he said, maintaining to be the rational side of her decisions.

The brief silence between the two was broken by the sound of the chirping birds playing from the windowsill. Principal Agnes' glanced at the window with a small smile that lit up her rather cold and unsmiling face.

"Lowe, this is a favor from me."

She faced him again with a radiant smile on her lips, something that Mr. Lowe rarely see from her since she took over the position as the Principal of the academy two years ago.

"They really should think things over on why they put someone as stubborn as you in this position," he sighed, knowing he could never say no to her.

"Don't go sulking like a child," Principal Agnes coaxed. But knowing what lies in her decision, the smile slowly faded from her lips. "You know how important this is, Lowe. If my assumption is right, she can save someone's life."

Anna

I kept brushing my palms against my skirt while nervously waiting outside Mr. Lowe's office. I already knew what was coming when I  heard that I've been called into his office. The previous incident in the training room must have reached him.

I pulled the courage to inform Martha about the incident when I came back to the outbuilding last night, aware that I messed up badly and how severe the situation was. The incident nearly trapped both Lucy and me in the dimensional room.

I leaned against the wall to prevent my legs from shaking. It's over. My stay in the academy is over. What would I do if I need to go back to the Outback? My hands trembled just thinking about it, refusing to admit how terrified I was of the possibility.

"Ms. Lawson."

I stood straighter. Mr. Lowe opened the door and was now standing by the doorway of his office. I lowered my head to greet him. "Good afternoon."

The corner of his lips curved into a gentle smile. "Come on in."

I stepped inside the room and took the seat opposite the oak desk as motioned by Mr. Lowe. I've been familiar with the room, especially where certain files were located because I was tasked to arrange them several days ago. While I was scared to touch any file from any office, Mr. Lowe was the one who informed me that they are training files of students.

"I'm sorry." It was the first thing I blurted out. There was no use in beating around the bush. I needed to clear things up right away. "About the incident in the training room, I'm really sorry." I lowered my head, unable to face the teacher. "It was all my fault."

I gazed at my trembling hands in my lap. I couldn't let Lucy take all the blame for this. She's a student at the academy and I was only going to stay here for two months. She has more to lose if I failed to clear things up.

"I really am sorry," I apologized once again, voice lower this time. "Please punish me accordingly. Just please... let me remain in the academy."

There was a brief silence after my statement. I had to raise my head to glance at Mr. Lowe and to see what he was thinking. Far from what I initially envisioned, in his face was a pleasant, almost bemused expression.

"I didn't call you here, Ms. Lawson, because of the incident in the training room."

My eyelids fluttered, confused. Huh?

Mr. Lowe sat comfortably on the large leather chair opposite the oak desk. I've been working in the academy for two weeks now and something had fascinated me about the teachers in this place– their uniforms.

There were specific days when they wear this pristine, ethereal-looking white suit and coat with gold details in the trimming and hem, the complete opposite of the black and gold uniform of the students as if teachers were meant to cleanse the students to be similarly untainted. And Mr. Lowe looked iridescent in a white suit, like royalty sitting in front of me.

"Remember the files I asked you to organize last time?"

I was pulled back to the current situation by his question. The unceasing thumping in my chest grew louder. I had to look away and placed my attention on the window behind him where the dry scrawny branches of a tree kept scraping the glass in the breeze.

"Did I... make a mistake?" It was the only thing that made sense as to why I was in his office. I no longer know where this conversation was heading.

Is there something worst than the training room incident that I have no recollection of doing?

The chuckle of Mr. Lowe surprised me. "Why do you always assume the  worst of things?"

Because that's the way things work in my life. Rarely something good happens to me no matter how hard I try to turn things around. I wanted to say but I didn't.

Mr. Lowe leaned against the seat. "You must know by now that the Celestial Scholars train under my guidance."

I nodded. It was something I was made aware of by Lucy from one-too-many stories about her training.

"I want you to assist me in their training."

Silence followed. I didn't dare say anything because I thought I heard things wrong. I returned my gaze to Mr. Lowe who only gave me a pleasant smile as if he just didn't ask for an impossible job.

"I... I think you have the wrong person for the job." I tried to search in my head for the most logical reason behind this request but I couldn't find any.

"I'm asking the right person."

The smile remained on his face as if he knew something I didn't. This conversation was sounding more and more ridiculous in my ears as minutes pass by.

"Is this a test?" I blurted out. Am I being tested based on the way I will answer his question? But no matter how I see it, the statement didn't sound right.

"You see, Ms. Anna," Mr. Lowe started explaining patiently. "I usually need someone to assist me for a couple of weeks every term now that the students' exams are coming up. I'm the group's advisor but I also have classes I need to handle and things can easily pile up."

I could understand this part. It was no easy job, especially in a school where magic was part of the main curriculum. I've heard of student assistants who take some of the workloads off of teachers so they could focus more on teaching magic. But I wasn't even a student of the academy.

"I sincerely believe I'm not capable of the task," I said the words as clearly as possible. Even if I'm only going to face a small group of students, Mr. Lowe should ask a more experienced person. Aren't they being too reckless by asking me?

"You don't have to have the experience to assist a training," he said with utmost assurance. "You normally just have to watch and help me take notes of the activities during the training which I need for paperwork– things a teacher can't bother dealing with in the middle of training the scholars."

I was far from convinced, but I was aware that I had little to no choice in this matter.

I was given time to decide. But I had no right to have an option at this point when I already promised Principal Agnes I would do anything to work here.

I knew I was the only person they could tap for this task. Although tasks were being assigned to me every day, among the maidservants, I was the only one with no specific duty in the academy. Even Martha thought I should agree to the task.

That night, I talked about it with Martha before going to bed. I was folding my clean dry clothes to be put in the drawer when I asked her opinion about it.

"Staffs are usually busy during this season," Martha said from the bed while combing her long hair sprinkled with white strands. "It would be a problem to assign someone who will eventually cause their other duties to suffer."

"Do you think I can do the job?" What I was really trying to say is... what if I mess up? But knowing Martha, she doesn't entertain negative words about work.

"You've been through hardships, haven't you?" I paused from folding a shirt, facing her. "I believed this is not comparable to the things you've been through."

I watched her twist and wrap her long hair neatly in a night cup before laying on her bed with her back facing me. But her words were enough for a smile to cross my lips.

Right. I've escaped from the grasp of death multiple times. I've seen worse scenes in the Outback. As long as I don't let anything affect me, nothing in this place can shatter me.

The following day, I made my way to Mr. Lowe's office in the main castle. I've arrived at a decision and I was planning to inform him and discuss it with him. But before I could even knock, the door burst open with Mr. Lowe heading out of his office.

"Good. You're here. I don't have to ask someone to call you."

He made his way to the corridor with me following closely behind, confusion written all over my face. "I uh... I'm supposed to make a decision today."

"Yes. That's why we're heading to the training center so you can start today."

"But I haven't informed you of my decision yet."

He halted from his hurried steps and turned around to face me. Once again, he was wearing another version of the white uniform, making him look like he was surrounded by a halo made out of sunlight splashing the corridor from the window.

"You're someone who won't easily give up on a task so I assumed you're here to accept the job. Am I wrong then?" he asked, an eyebrow raised.

I slowly shook my head to confirm that I, indeed, accepted the job. He placed a hand on his chin, narrowing his eyes at me. "You should do something about that uniform. You won't last a day in the training room in that heavy fabric."

"I only have this kind of working clothes."

"I'll request a training uniform for you. But for now, that will do."

I grasped the heavy skirt of my uniform and followed him through the corridor. Am I not supposed to undergo an orientation? How should I know the things I'm supposed to do? Even Martha had to guide me during my first days at work.

"Let's go. The scholars are waiting."

We reached the main entrance of the castle with me still confused as to why things were happening so suddenly.

"Ms. Lawson, watch your steps."

Before the words sink in, I stepped outside. The ground rattled beneath my feet. Before I stumble to the ground, Mr. Lowe held my arm to steady me.

Raising my head, I realized we were no longer in the main castle. We were at the front door of the training center, the place on the campus farthest from the castle.

What... was that? Weren't we just in the castle seconds ago?

The sudden use of magic left me uneasy. I tried to shake off the uncomfortable feeling from my hand as if there were hundreds of tiny needles prickling my palms.

Mr. Lowe glanced in my direction, watching me closely. "Using transportation magic inside the buildings is prohibited due to security reasons," he explained. "But yes, we do use magic to travel from one  place to another."

He easily pushed the door opened and stepped inside the building. I followed closely until we reached the underground where the training room for the scholars was located.

It was slowly sinking in. I was going to face the Celestial Scholars– the untouchable students of Saoirse Academy. Grabbing my skirt with my sweaty hands, I could hear my heartbeat inside my ears. Why am I terrified? This is only work.

When we reached the training room, Mr. Lowe wasted no second and pushed the door open. The dimensional room wasn't set up yet. In front of me was an ordinary underground room with stone floors and walls– and a group of students waiting inside.

I knew right away that they'd been in the room long enough to be impatient. The expression on their faces and the overall mood were a dead giveaway.

The Celestial Scholars– dressed in a sleek all-black ensemble as their training uniform, with small black plates attached to their shoulders, patterned like dragons' scale, with breastplates so lightweight it could be part of the clothes and pairs of black combat boots made by the finest artisans in Eden.

This uniform was definitely out of place.

"What's this?" asked the long-haired girl I once saw in the main castle. "Why do you have a maidservant with you?" She had her arms folded in front of her chest accompanied by an eyebrow raised and a squinting gaze.

"Language, Maude," Mr. Lowe calmly warned.

The girl only sighed and rolled her eyes without saying anything back. Lucy was among them. I met her gaze and her eyes were literally sparkling, like a puppy who couldn't stay still. She was barely able to contain herself.

What's happening? She mouthed to me.

I shook my head lightly in a silent answer. I don't know either.

"Whoa, looks like we have an audience for today's training," exclaimed the guy with wispy sandy-colored hair. His grin was the complete opposite of Maude standing next to him who kept eyeing me with a deadpan look.

"She's not an audience," corrected Mr. Lowe. "She will temporarily assist me in your training starting today."

"Huh?" The guy tilted his head, staring at me with pale blue eyes. "Is this serious?"

I caught Atlas' gaze who was leaning against the wall, silently watching the commotion. His gaze held a familiar icy glare, sharp jaw tightly clenched like I was a nuisance, a disturbance in front of him.

"Hey, Atlas. You know about this?" asked the blue-eyed guy.

With arms folded against his broad chest, Atlas peeled himself away from the wall before approaching Mr. Lowe who was standing next to me with a small intriguing smile on his lips, as if expecting all their reactions.

The rest of the members grew silent, knowing what was coming. Atlas faced Mr. Lowe with a face void of emotion, except for his warning gaze.

"Make sure she's not going to be a problem."

Atlas emphasized the last word as if it was a silent threat directed at me.

***

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