Worries or not, Davo thought, I need to practice before the finals. I would rather not want to be expelled. Well, I would rather not die by overexerting myself, more like it. Amaliva can be with her own tools during these potential last days of my life, but I'm going to stay sane and practice magic to pass into the next degree. Fifth degree be damned...
Davo had not been worrying much about what Amaliva had said back in the small room where the Westerners met after study hours. Now, now, now, the Freir thought, I've got to practice. Hopefully they'll let me in the field at this hour...
"What's the rush, Flamier?" a certain idle roommate inquired.
"I just need to practice my spells is all," Davo answered.
"It's Unus Year Day. A time to reflect on the past year. Not to practice some spells."
"You say the same about Requiesday."
"It's the day of rest, after all."
"No matter. I am restless today, so I'll practice in the field."
"Well, hopefully you can calm your nerves before the big day when the test comes along. You Westerners have got a lot of attention to yourselves due to the whole get-together you have every so often, so many people would want you to fail just for failure's sake. Be cautious."
"I will. Thank you, Oohirashima." The two nodded to each other, and Davo left the room for the field.
It was a cool, gentle morning. The reflections that people had must keep them from walking around, Davo thought, because people are always walking around the campus. I'm sure at least a few people will be at the field. Well, maybe not this early...
The rattling of a wagon echoed over the street, softly fading away. A good morning, this is, Davo thought, Hopefully I can find my brother around sometime. I nearly forgot about Darien. Mother would be glad to see him, though I think mother may be too old these days. Hah, and Darien should be forty by now. People would suspect him, of course. No natural Nigon could live that long without a cough or a bad back. He would always rather die than cast a spell around a population of people.
The field came into view. Enough about family, Davo told himself, here's the field. As I suspected, there's a few training around the field. Time to practice.
During the hours of casting spells, making sure to be shots and not orbs, Davo pondered on his family. I thought I said enough about family? Davo asked himself, This is dangerous, thinking so much about them. Ugh... Avdaviel, my mother, hopefully she's safe in Vinrea; Darien, my eldest brother, former Courier Knights commander, somewhere near this province; Taltimia, my only sister, currently... somewhere; Feolin, my elder brother, currently an assassin on the run, wanted for the murder of some count in one of the Scentral West counties; Ilvan, my youngest elder brother, following some lers Ryri in the desert... gods I hope he isn't mad.
That seems like them, right? he wondered, My mother is old and withering, sending us children (though some are indeed old adults) around the current world. Sending Darien here, what was she thinking? Does she think he could sow dissent? No, no, he's just Darien. Darien the Bear. The Freir Bear.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFml3F8Qhsb
And Taltimia? Mother never told us anything about Tally. Tally could have been married to that servant man she always fancied... instead, mother sends her somewhere, never to be heard from for all these years. Same with Feolin, only he was stupid enough to let the authorities figure out he's Feolin Freir. Perhaps that's where Taltimia is? Killing off Central nobles...935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3x8fRfixP9
Then mother sends Ilvan to the Mrvde for aid, and he sends a letter telling of his wondrous 'conversion'. He's even following their damn calendar. After that she sends me to clean up the mess she made. First retrieve Darien, then Feolin, then Ilvan, and all the while find out where the hell Taltimia is. That could take... years. Years to search, to go back and forth from Vinrea to the Scentral states. And to Mrvde? Across the known damn world? It'll take even longer. I'll be able to grow a beard over my face sixty times over by the time this is over. I can barely get a full-grown beard today.
And finally, sending Davo to find information on the Scentral military leader Dei Eslient. What kind of crazy mission is that?! Davo's mother wants him to find out about this Dei Eslient man, finding his secrets, extorting him through the secrets. It is definitely a difficult mission, but it is well-known that Dei is very favorable towards Westerners (the only reason why Westerners weren't exterminated in the war is because Dei's father, the previous military leader (who very much hated the West and the Freirs), died and Dei took charge and only put mild oppression onto the Western lands), thus it would be easier for Davo to meet the militant than it would be for a simple Centralman, or even one of the faculty of the Academy. All Davo has to do is pass the exams and enter the fourth degree of students. Also keep his hair that handsome Western blue. Simple enough, so Davo believes, Especially the part about staying a handsome devil.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2inSnQMeQK
But after meeting his peers, Davo's personal mission, the only one he swears to carry out, is to improve the Western face to all of Scentral. The wolves in sheep's clothing that are called students spit at the Westerners at the Academy, only stopping when a teacher or administrator comes into view. These dogs are truly infuriating to Davo, and he knows that the common Westerner has done nothing to provoke anyone. Only the Freirs are to blame for this hate, not the common people! And thus, Davo will surely make a change. Surely.
"Shit!" a fellow student howled in pain. Davo wiped his sweat to see what was going on.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SkEPL1Wlb
A typical Scentral student, probably even from Eslientia, was swearing, curling into a ball on the ground. He looked as if he was struggling to keep tears from streaming down his cheeks. The poor pansy.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDKGAoOa7k
"Someone get a teacher!" another student advised. She was yelling frantically at the idle students standing around, one of which was Davo.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMEE19djXl6
Why not show them that Westerners aren't as bad as they think? Davo thought, Yes, I suppose that can work. We’re proficient in healing, us Westerners.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhTf2gqEQS
Davo Freir, whose dynasty is hated by so many and loved by many others, rushed to the injured student's side. He readied a spell, the female student baffled and trying to keep him from touching the ball of a boy, thinking Davo was going to... 'end his misery'. Davo explained, briefly, what he was trying to do, but the girl was still as crazy as a mad dog. Pushing her aside, Davo went to the aid of the wailing boy.
"This may hurt a bit, but it's worth it," Davo warned the boy, who was now crying into the snow below.
A quick, silent shock of pain made itself clear on the boy's face, but it quickly faded into a relieved breath. After a quick few moments, a nasty burn was turned into a rough patch of skin.
"A teacher might be able to make sure there's no scar, but there shouldn't be any anyways."
"Th-thank you, Westie," the recovering boy said. Westie? Davo wondered.
"Next time, don't be so stupid. My grandmother could shoot better than you, and she's dead."
"Hah... well, I'm not the one who was casting simple spells at a practice dummy."
The atmosphere between the two was not insulting, but friendlier than anything. As if they knew each other well enough to joke around.
As it dawned upon Davo that he was actually accepted as an equal, even for a brief moment, and especially that a plan he himself had created was successful, he wondered about how his countrymen could help themselves by helping the common bigot peer.935Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyr8rxi60nc
A Central kid thanking a Westerner? Does this even make any sense?
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