Having entered the castle, Cyril didn’t take his time to enjoy the grand sights of its halls, with floors of marble and walls of dark wood.
As quickly as he possibly could, he went through with the formalities of enrolling.
Thankfully, there were a few staff members present near the entrance, expecting late arrivals like him.
They briefly guided him around the castle and gave him all the necessary items for his enrollment.
With his things in hand, Cyril briefly said goodbye to Edmund again as he exited the castle.
His noble friend still sat there with his head hung low, not that Cyril cared that much.
Following the map he navigated the spacious academy grounds, trying to find his assigned dormitory.
It wasn’t too far.
All he had to do was pass a small park located near the castle, and dormitory number one was already right in front of him.
The building was ancient-looking, much like the castle itself, but it still incorporated the latest magic technology.
As he approached the entrance, the double doors opened on their own, having scanned something on his body.
Completely used to such things, Cyril entered the dorm.
He went past the staff at the entrance and walked down the corridor before finally reaching the right door.
The whole way here Rhamn didn’t say much, just walking beside him with pursed lips.
It seems she took his desire for silence quite earnestly this time.
Cyril entered his room, found the bed, and dropped his things on it.
Without looking around, he glared at the mysterious woman that seemed to haunt him.
Rhamn smiled at him and looked around in his stead, marveling at the size of the room.
“This is a great place, pretty spacious.
We have a nice big bed, a desk, and several chairs.
There is even a kitchen and a bathroom!”
Rhamn acted positively but also with slight unnaturalness, as if someone who tried to keep the mood light amid an uncomfortable argument.
Cyril, though, was not in the mood to indulge her.
“Again.
Tell me who you are and what you want.”
Rhamn’s smile twitched as she sheepishly pointed to herself.
“I already told you.
I am Rhamn…
Right now I want you to relax.
Let’s visit the small park outside, maybe?”
Cyril’s face twisted in frustration.
Though he quickly calmed down, helplessly rubbing his temples.
“You must be kidding me…”
“No.”
“…”
She behaved completely innocently, as if he was the weird one for doubting her in the first place.
It was clear he wasn’t going to get a good answer from her.
That’s it.
I am going to a healer here.
They should be able to help.
“There is nothing wrong with you, but let’s go!
It will be a nice tour of the academy grounds.”
Mind reading was a rather mixed bag.
On one hand, he didn’t even need to speak with her for them to communicate.
On the other hand, he didn’t have any way of hiding his plans from her.
“Sorry, I can’t stop doing that…”
“I can pretend to not hear your thoughts if you want.”
…No need.
And so, after spending a brief few minutes inside of his room, Cyril stepped outside again.
…
Finding the infirmary didn’t take long.
The closest one was located right there in the same building.
Luckily, they worked around the clock, so he didn’t have to wait until morning.
Ailanthus clearly didn’t spare any expenses.
Healers were rare, and they had more than a dozen in their employ, all with the highest qualifications.
Cyril knocked on the door with a painted red cross on it, heard a ‘come in,’ and did just that.
Inside of the spacious office sat a kindly looking older woman.
Noticing him, she widened her eyes.
“To think I’ll have a patient today…” she mumbled to herself in complaint, slowly getting up from her chair.
Although her voice was quiet, he managed to hear it just fine.
“This old crone…”
Ignoring Rhamn’s angry mutter, Cyril slightly bowed in greeting and approached.
“I would like to have a checkup.
Particularly see if there is any spell or curse active on me,” he said without wasting any time.
The local healer froze in her footsteps, observing him with renewed surprise.
She almost looked impressed that a student managed to get such concerns.
Cyril endured her scrutinizing gaze without batting an eye.
“Okay…
Did someone play a prank on you?
Some upperclassmen can get naughty,” the old woman said after a delay.
“Perhaps.”
With a bit more serious face, she motioned for him to come closer, towards a particular chair in the far end of the room.
Cyril took a seat on a patient’s chair and relaxed as the woman cast all sorts of spells before him.
No change in a human body can escape a capable healer’s eyes.
He felt wave after wave go through his body.
With magic, curing people was more than simple.
However, it did take a considerable amount of talent and effort to learn.
“A capable healer won’t find a problem where there is none,” Rhamn complained, standing near him throughout the whole process.
After a while, the old woman was done casting spells.
She pinched her chin, observing Cyril with a contemplative expression.
“Why did you think you were cursed, young man?”
She also didn’t discover anything wrong?
He contemplated telling her the whole truth, but, for some reason, he was reluctant to let anyone learn that he suddenly started hallucinating a beautiful woman around him.
“Thank you for calling me beautiful.”
…If he was under a spell, then the healer should discover it as long as he only lightly nudges her in the correct direction, right?
“I’ve been seeing something out of the corner of my eye lately.
Something that’s not really there,” Cyril said, a frown emerging on his face.
Along with his words, Rhamn suddenly disappeared from his side.
In a moment she reappeared, visible just out of the corner of his eye.
On her face was a mischievous smile.
Right…
Ignoring her antics, Cyril focused on the healer.
A look of realization appeared on the old woman’s face.
“Don’t worry, you are in perfect health, young man, at least in the physical sense.”
“Most people your age tend to experience a great deal of stress during this time.
You must miss your home to such an extent that it affects you in ways you can’t even imagine.
But don’t worry, as I’ve said, it’s perfectly natural.”
I miss my home?
The thought appeared perplexing, and he immediately denied it.
Ever since he left the family mansion, he felt better than ever.
Perhaps the only thing he would ever miss from that place is the maid, specifically her cat.
That old feline was a rather affectionate beast.
Everything else could disappear tomorrow morning, and he wouldn’t feel a thing.
As Cyril was having such thoughts, the old woman quickly rummaged through the cabinet nearby.
Taking out a vial of potion from there, she put it in Cyril’s hands.
“What you need most now is to relax and acclimate to your new situation.
But, to make it easier, take a sip of this once a day, and your malady will disappear before you notice it,” she said with a kind smile, completely sure of her diagnosis.
Cyril stood there, holding the potion with a blank face.
“This pile of old bones thinks you are crazy!” Rhamn exclaimed with anger.
“What a sham!
She doesn’t know a thing about her job, clearly!
Let’s just leave.
This was a waste of time!”
Calm down.
She is clearly trying to help.
I should be grateful.
Cyril swallowed his frustrations, taking a light breath.
“I don’t think so,” he said after a moment.
“My experiences are too vivid.
It’s definitely magic.
Is there someone else I can talk to?”
I have to find out what’s wrong.
“Nothing’s wrong…” Rhamn tiredly whispered to the side, “I am on your side.”
The healer frowned, pinching her chin in contemplation.
“Our academy has a lot of capable people.
Let me consult with them about this matter.
Don’t worry, I won’t mention your name or how you look.”
…
This will have to do…
Cyril tiredly thought as he was walking back to his dorm.
On the stone path illuminated only by the magic lamps, there was not a single other student.
At the beginning of September, the temperature was already starting to drop, so his pace was hurried.
Cyril wasn’t exactly thrilled with the healer’s plan, but in the end, he agreed.
All I can do now is wait.
He thought, staring at the potion in his hand.
The healer insisted he still try it, just in case.
And what if she were right?
Could it be he actually was stressed?
“Please, don’t act like this.” Rhamn’s voice from the front interrupted his thinking.
Turning his head there, he found her sitting on a bench right under a lamp, patting a seat to the side.
“Sit down, relax a bit.
You don’t have to be so upset.”
Cyril frowned, staring at the source of his troubles.
At least one of us here is truly delusional.
You are an intruder in my mind.
I won’t rest until you are gone.
Rhamn’s eyes widened as she recoiled in her seat.
“How could you even think that?!”
Easily, as any normal person would.
“But- but I am on your side.
I am a part of you!” she desperately exclaimed.
“I am the furthest thing from an enemy to you!”
All you are is an arrogant wretch, a parasite that I will get rid of.
Rhamn’s face froze.
She weakly pursed her lips and remained silent.
Your flattery is pointless.
You won’t be able to deceive me.
Cyril shook his head and walked past her.
He didn’t have the mood to entertain her moronic games.
But, suddenly, he experienced something that made him reconsider.
Out of nowhere, a sharp pain assaulted his chest.
As if someone had stabbed him with a sword and twisted the blade, the pain was unbearable.
Cyril dropped on his knees, panting.
The feeling was vivid, far more painful than anything else he experienced in his life so far.
His back was quickly drenched in sweat as his vision started to darken.
Just like that, he felt as if death was at his doorstep.
“Are you alright?!”
As soon as Rhamn’s concerned voice reached his ears, the pain was completely gone.
It disappeared as suddenly as it appeared, leaving only a vivid memory behind.
Confusion in his eyes, Cyril got back up on his feet, recovering his breath.
In a few moments, he felt just like normal.
What was that?
He warily looked around and scanned his own body, confused over the source of the pain, scared that it would come back at any moment.
Eventually his gaze landed on Rhamn, who stood nearby with a guilt-ridden face.
“I am sorry.
I think that was my fault.
I got a bit angry and accidentally…
did something,” she explained in a quiet voice.
Cyril walked to the bench from before and sat down, taking a few seconds to process what had just happened.
‘What something?’
Rhamn twirled a strand of her black hair and sat down at his side.
“I think I moved.”
Moved?
Cyril repeated the word in his mind, putting a hand over his chest.
She moved, and the feeling came from inside of him?
That didn’t sound too wholesome…
“It wasn’t my intention, honestly!
This is all new to me as well.
Hurting you will never be my goal!” Rhamn hastily said, bowing at a perfect ninety degrees.
It was a stance fully conveying her deep feelings of remorse.
That remorse was so strong, in fact, Cyril practically felt it emanating from her.
It even affected him as well, making him feel inexplicably guilty.
Sure.
I don’t blame you.
He thought almost on reflex.
And I apologize for calling you a parasite.
“Thank you!
All water under a bridge then!” Rhamn happily exclaimed, raising her head to look at him.
On her face was the most radiant smile.
As soon as it appeared, it was like a sun rose directly in Cyril’s soul, making his mood inexplicably brighter.
Cyril absentmindedly nodded, turning to look at the night sky above.
He sat like this for a few more minutes, recovering.
Only a few stars were visible up there, but it was already more than one could see back in the city center.
You’ve said you ‘moved,’ and I felt something unusual.
Without considering ‘how…’ this should imply you are not a figment of my imagination…
I think.
“It must be so.
I think so too.” Rhamn nodded in complete agreement.
Glancing at her optimistic behavior for a few seconds, Cyril sighed and got up from the bench.
Strangely, the incident just now made him feel more at ease.
Having a mysterious entity inside of him was preferable to being crazy.
Maybe you are a special power of mine, or something like that from stories…
“That’s the spirit!!”
Musing to himself, he slowly headed back to his dorm, his footsteps no longer as heavy.
…
Cyril slowly stored whatever little he had brought with him from home.
Only a single magic lamp from the ceiling illuminated his figure.
He moved silently, with practiced efficiency.
He’d heard that some nobles had trouble moving in academies like this, as they’d be completely unused to the lack of servants.
Edmund is probably struggling right about now…
If he’s still not on that bench.
However, he shared no such weakness.
From an early age, he became self-reliant.
Despite being a wealthy noble’s son, he became sufficiently proficient at everything from cooking to caring for his own belongings.
He was glad for it, or else he might’ve shared Edmund’s plight at this moment.
Although, admittedly, in a large mansion, it was a little too quiet to be mostly by yourself.
“Don’t worry!
I am with you!
Together, we don’t need any pesky humans around!”
Cyril froze, glancing at her with helplessness.
I am not worried.
Cyril honestly preferred being on his own.
So, it will take some time for him to get used to such noise inside of his head, if he ever manages to do it.
“I am sure you’ll begin to enjoy it soon enough~”
Why did that sound so ominous?
Cyril gave a long sigh, finally taking off his jacket.
He carefully hung it nearby before changing into his nightclothes.
With that, he lay down on the bed.
Glancing at the clock on the wall, Cyril realized it was already past midnight.
Tomorrow was the first day of lessons, and he wished to participate while at his best.
I should sleep…
So, Cyril moved all else from his mind for a moment and relaxed on the bed.
Almost immediately, the exhaustion he didn’t even realize he had caught up to him.
The incident on a manarail, some being haunting me, sharp pain in my chest…
It was a long day.
He almost hoped that academy life wouldn’t be so eventful anymore.
He’s had enough for now.
With such thoughts, his eyes gradually closed shut.
“Good night, Cyril!”
A cheerful female voice was the last thing he heard before falling asleep.