Chapter 14: Colleges, Class Instructor and Seniors.
The room Arnold guided me to, was in the hallway facing the courtyard.
Without further explanation, Arnold said.
"I'll see you later"
He walked away, leaving me behind.
I opened the door in front of me, slightly dissatisfied with the fact that it was a very shallow guide.
Then I saw a figure when entered the room, there was - not Mister Kasper, but a girl of my own age.
As soon as she caught sight of me, she stood up from the couch.
Her red-haired pigtails shook in the air.
"Ah-- attah-- Chelsea! Chelsea Gowrie. Nice to meet you, Miss!"
The girl gave me a friendly smile.
I held out my right hand as I feel the extra presion in my heart slip away.
This girl - if Chelsea is my classmate, that means there were two people who passed this year?
Since we're classmates, I guess we'll be training together or something.
She's a very nice girl, so that's a relief.
"I'm Laura Ampere. Nice to meet you, Chelsea."
Chelsea squeezed the hand that was offered to her and started shacking it to no end.
She seems to have an active personality, as I could sense from her lively smile.
Her tone of voice is also very high and clear.
"What town is Laura from?"
"A small village called Emme. It's just a small village in the middle of nowhere. Where's Chelsea from?"
"I'm from the village of Richmond, in the middle of nowhere, too!"
Chelsea laughed out loud, "Haha".
Afterwards, as if by finding out that we both come from the countryside, all our previous anxiety would disappear, we began to speak about everything.
About the exam we took just a few minutes ago, our favorite method of mixing, how is the village where we come from, our favorite food, stories about how surprised we were when came to the royal capital... and so on.
The interest in each other opinions had no ending, and new topics were popping up from both side.
At first the tone of voice was reserved and probing, but more and more there was no hesitation or reserve, and the sound of the laughter of both of us started mixing.
"Wow, you two looks so lovely together. Am I late? Sorry."
The door opened again and Mr. Kasper appeared.
Chelsea and I stood up from the couch we were sitting on with a puff, our timing was exactly the same, and we couldn't help but look at each other and laugh again.
it seems, we are going to be good friends.
"Once again, congratulations to both of you for passing! You will be working as apprentices to become the next Royal Alchemist Master, and today you'll meet someone, who will be on charge of helping you with your studies from now on... A guide, the chief of the group if you would like"
I swallowed my spit at the words that came from Mister Kasper.
I'm very proud of myself for working hard enough to get here, but even so, it seems I'm still nervous.
From tomorrow, I'm an apprentice of Royal Alchemist Master!
As I was chewing on that fact, Mr. Kasper suddenly shouted in direction to the closed door.
"Lina, you can come in!"
A few moments after Mr. Kasper's words, there was a knock at the door, and then it opened.
What appeared was a beautiful woman with pale light blue hair.
-- or perhaps a little too young to be called a woman.
I'm not sure if it's the right thing to say, but her facial expression looks too mature to be called a girl.
Blinking her long eyelashes, she looked at me and Chelsea.
"My name is Lina Baverstam. I've been assigned to be your educator, I'm for a couple of years your Senior."
She introduced herself in a soothing voice that matched her mature appearance.
Lina Bevelstam, Lina-senpai.
Two years our senior, which means she's sixteen, and I might add, she's Arnold's classmate.
Chelsea and I hurriedly introduced ourselves as well, then she looked me firmly into my eyes and smiled kindly.
Just as I was about to breathe a sigh of relief because she seemed like a kind girl - the question directed to me, leave me shocked.
"By the way, are you Arnold's girlfriend?"
The golden eyes staring at me never blinked, but she wasn't smiling either, even when her lips were curving gracefully.
"Arnold's girlfriend, is that you?"
"Huh?"
A voice of confusion poked out of my mouth faster than I could understand the meaning of her words.
It was also so loud that I was surprised to hear it myself.
Both Chelsea and Mr. Kasper opened their eyes wide in surprise, but the Senior in front of me didn't move her mysterious smile at all.
On the contrary, her smile became more sharp... So beautiful, yet somehow powerful and oppressing.
In addition, a suspicious air seemed to be floating around her.
I hurriedly opened my mouth, as I was feeling more and more helpless because the hostility filling the air and that powerful aura coming from her, and said in a hurry.
"Ah, um.......why? Is there a rumor like that? Arnold, you mean the apprentice of Royal Alchemist Master, right?"
The first to respond to my question was not the girl interested in Arnold, in front of me - but Chelsea.
"Mr Arnold is not an apprentice! He is a well-known genius who became the youngest Alchemist Master graduating of the Royal academy the last year!"
"... Is that so?"
--That's was fast.
Arnold, who was called "Mr. Genius," was the youngest person I had ever heard of to become a royal alchemist.
So the boy, I just met again today, is no longer an "apprentice"?
You should have told me that!
No, perhaps... I heard a talk about a young genius emerging in the world of the alchemists, and Arnold maybe thought I already knew about it.
But, unfortunately, I was living in the countryside until now!
"... You didn't know that? So, you're lying about being his girlfriend?"
Lina-senpai directed again her sharp words to me.
That powerful smile of hers had disappeared now, as she rolled her eyes.
While relieved at the softened air, I nodded loudly again and again.
"I don't know why such a rumor is spreading. I was just told that I had been accepted just a few moments ago. After that, Arnold brought me here, and I'm sure he didn't say or do anything that could be misunderstood. That's all!"
"Anyway, Where did you hear about that in the first place?.... Our instructors were friends, since his mentor was a student of my master, but we've only met a few times."
Mr. Kasper, who had been quiet until now, expressed surprise at my response.
"Oh really? I thought that Laura has been Arnold's girlfriend for two years now..."
"No!"
Why are you saying that, Mr. Kasper?
I swallowed the last words and kept an innocent smile while looking at him.
Looking at his face, who is still with his eyes open wide in surprise, I vaguely recall what happened two years ago. ...
"Is that your girlfriend, Mr. genius?"
I reminded the scene, being told something like that, probably should have denied it then, - but I left it in my memory and covered it a wide layer of denial.
I distinctly remembered that when I tried to deny it, Mister Veik suddenly appeared and called out to him.
I see, my response had passed through Mr. Kasper's ears.
However, looking at his surprised face now, could the rumor have come from him?
Secretly holding her head in her mind, some words escaped the mouth of the light blue-haired girl involuntarily.
"What! So, it was---!"
Then turned to us again, but changed her expression at half way.
"Let's start again, please take care of me from now on, Laura, Chelsea."
This time her smile was beautiful, and her voice was so clear, so much so that the oddness of the previous smile was even more noticeable.
It wasn't as if she was just curious about the truth of the rumor and was asking about it.
But it's not like I was hit with over-hostility either... I think.
It's true that the air around senpai was still unsettling, but it was something just floating around...
I didn't feel like her hostility was only directed at me... but, judging by Chelsea and Mr. Kasper previous expression maybe it's just me wanting to think so.
Lina-senpai has some feelings for Arnold, I'm sure of that.
Even so, if she had asked me a favor to help her or... it isn't hard to understand why she asked me about the rumor veracity.
But, what is not quite clear to me, is the way she did it.
Maybe he rejected her.
However, no matter how much you think about it, of course you can't get an answer from her in front of all these people... if she's alone later.
"I'll show you to your room!"
Hearing Mr. Kasper's words, I quickly abandoned the idea.
*****
"This is your room. You can do whatever you want with the furniture and stuff here."
The room we were guided to was a small, cozy but clean and with good sunshine.
It seems that Chelsea and I will be sharing a room here from today on.
A bunk bed and two desks, and to my surprise, a large closet on the wall.
It was a pretty cozy-looking room, but the closet set into the wall was huge.
Out of the blue, Chelsea and I looked and nodded at each other.
We have to work together to have a good shared life.
"The room next door is Miss Lina's, so if you need anything, you can visit her."
Mr. Kasper ushered me in and then left the room with the words.
"Take your time to arrange it to your liking today"
He said, finally leaving the room, once I was alone with Chelsea, felt all my strength leaving me.
Unknowingly, I was very tense after meeting the Senior and our new master.
"Chelsea, which bed would you choose? The one from up or down?"
"...down? I'm embarrassed to say this, but I'm not such a good sleeper. I'm sorry if it's too noisy at night!"
"Haha, really? Fine, fine, Let's see if you can wake me up then."
We unpacked the clothes that we brought while chatting with each other.
"I brought a good number of clothes with me, but when I put them side by side like this, the colors of the clothes are quite plain. "
"I don't know if it's right to say...but it's because they were produced to be sold in a village in the countryside, while the clothes destined to the people of the Royal Capital are higher quality"
"Uhmmm... The clothes are inferior? Well then, I'll go out and buy some clothes on the shops of the Capital when I get my paycheck."
--When we finished arranging the clothes, Chelsea suddenly spoke up again.
"I'm glad."
"What?"
"That my classmate was someone like Laura. I was worried and I would have been a bit pissed off if it turned out to be a dull, arrogant kid."
Then... Chelsea's smile was just to hide the anxiety she felt at that moment.
From the countryside, alone and away from her parents, arriving to the royal capital at the age of 14.
Apart from the joy of achieving her goal, it was only natural that would have that kind of anxiety!
I suppose.
Even I felt lonely when I left my parents and Lucas, because I thought they wouldn't be there to help me when I need of their words and sincere affection.
From now on, we will share a room and a living area.
We will study together.
Like a family, it's difficult to say out of the blue, but I want to have a good relationship with her.
I'm sure Chelsea feels the same way.
With that idea on my mind, I got up from the spot and approached Chelsea, then held out my right hand to her again.
"Once again, I'm pleased to meet you, Chelsea."
"Yeah, let's work hard together, Laura!"
--I was blessed with a very sweet and kind peer and so, my days as an apprentice of Royal Alchemist Master began.
Chapter 14: Colleges, Class Instructor and Seniors.
The room Arnold guided me to, was in the hallway facing the courtyard.
Without further explanation, Arnold said.
"I'll see you later"
He walked away, leaving me behind.
I opened the door in front of me, slightly dissatisfied with the fact that it was a very shallow guide.
Then I saw a figure when entered the room, there was - not Mister Kasper, but a girl of my own age.
As soon as she caught sight of me, she stood up from the couch.
Her red-haired pigtails shook in the air.
"Ah-- attah-- Chelsea! Chelsea Gowrie. Nice to meet you, Miss!"
The girl gave me a friendly smile.
I held out my right hand as I feel the extra presion in my heart slip away.
This girl - if Chelsea is my classmate, that means there were two people who passed this year?
Since we're classmates, I guess we'll be training together or something.
She's a very nice girl, so that's a relief.
"I'm Laura Ampere. Nice to meet you, Chelsea."
Chelsea squeezed the hand that was offered to her and started shacking it to no end.
She seems to have an active personality, as I could sense from her lively smile.
Her tone of voice is also very high and clear.
"What town is Laura from?"
"A small village called Emme. It's just a small village in the middle of nowhere. Where's Chelsea from?"
"I'm from the village of Richmond, in the middle of nowhere, too!"
Chelsea laughed out loud, "Haha".
Afterwards, as if by finding out that we both come from the countryside, all our previous anxiety would disappear, we began to speak about everything.
About the exam we took just a few minutes ago, our favorite method of mixing, how is the village where we come from, our favorite food, stories about how surprised we were when came to the royal capital... and so on.
The interest in each other opinions had no ending, and new topics were popping up from both side.
At first the tone of voice was reserved and probing, but more and more there was no hesitation or reserve, and the sound of the laughter of both of us started mixing.
"Wow, you two looks so lovely together. Am I late? Sorry."
The door opened again and Mr. Kasper appeared.
Chelsea and I stood up from the couch we were sitting on with a puff, our timing was exactly the same, and we couldn't help but look at each other and laugh again.
it seems, we are going to be good friends.
"Once again, congratulations to both of you for passing! You will be working as apprentices to become the next Royal Alchemist Master, and today you'll meet someone, who will be on charge of helping you with your studies from now on... A guide, the chief of the group if you would like"
I swallowed my spit at the words that came from Mister Kasper.
I'm very proud of myself for working hard enough to get here, but even so, it seems I'm still nervous.
From tomorrow, I'm an apprentice of Royal Alchemist Master!
As I was chewing on that fact, Mr. Kasper suddenly shouted in direction to the closed door.
"Lina, you can come in!"
A few moments after Mr. Kasper's words, there was a knock at the door, and then it opened.
What appeared was a beautiful woman with pale light blue hair.
-- or perhaps a little too young to be called a woman.
I'm not sure if it's the right thing to say, but her facial expression looks too mature to be called a girl.
Blinking her long eyelashes, she looked at me and Chelsea.
"My name is Lina Baverstam. I've been assigned to be your educator, I'm for a couple of years your Senior."
She introduced herself in a soothing voice that matched her mature appearance.
Lina Bevelstam, Lina-senpai.
Two years our senior, which means she's sixteen, and I might add, she's Arnold's classmate.
Chelsea and I hurriedly introduced ourselves as well, then she looked me firmly into my eyes and smiled kindly.
Just as I was about to breathe a sigh of relief because she seemed like a kind girl - the question directed to me, leave me shocked.
"By the way, are you Arnold's girlfriend?"
The golden eyes staring at me never blinked, but she wasn't smiling either, even when her lips were curving gracefully.
"Arnold's girlfriend, is that you?"
"Huh?"
A voice of confusion poked out of my mouth faster than I could understand the meaning of her words.
It was also so loud that I was surprised to hear it myself.
Both Chelsea and Mr. Kasper opened their eyes wide in surprise, but the Senior in front of me didn't move her mysterious smile at all.
On the contrary, her smile became more sharp... So beautiful, yet somehow powerful and oppressing.
In addition, a suspicious air seemed to be floating around her.
I hurriedly opened my mouth, as I was feeling more and more helpless because the hostility filling the air and that powerful aura coming from her, and said in a hurry.
"Ah, um.......why? Is there a rumor like that? Arnold, you mean the apprentice of Royal Alchemist Master, right?"
The first to respond to my question was not the girl interested in Arnold, in front of me - but Chelsea.
"Mr Arnold is not an apprentice! He is a well-known genius who became the youngest Alchemist Master graduating of the Royal academy the last year!"
"... Is that so?"
--That's was fast.
Arnold, who was called "Mr. Genius," was the youngest person I had ever heard of to become a royal alchemist.
So the boy, I just met again today, is no longer an "apprentice"?
You should have told me that!
No, perhaps... I heard a talk about a young genius emerging in the world of the alchemists, and Arnold maybe thought I already knew about it.
But, unfortunately, I was living in the countryside until now!
"... You didn't know that? So, you're lying about being his girlfriend?"
Lina-senpai directed again her sharp words to me.
That powerful smile of hers had disappeared now, as she rolled her eyes.
While relieved at the softened air, I nodded loudly again and again.
"I don't know why such a rumor is spreading. I was just told that I had been accepted just a few moments ago. After that, Arnold brought me here, and I'm sure he didn't say or do anything that could be misunderstood. That's all!"
"Anyway, Where did you hear about that in the first place?.... Our instructors were friends, since his mentor was a student of my master, but we've only met a few times."
Mr. Kasper, who had been quiet until now, expressed surprise at my response.
"Oh really? I thought that Laura has been Arnold's girlfriend for two years now..."
"No!"
Why are you saying that, Mr. Kasper?
I swallowed the last words and kept an innocent smile while looking at him.
Looking at his face, who is still with his eyes open wide in surprise, I vaguely recall what happened two years ago. ...
"Is that your girlfriend, Mr. genius?"
I reminded the scene, being told something like that, probably should have denied it then, - but I left it in my memory and covered it a wide layer of denial.
I distinctly remembered that when I tried to deny it, Mister Veik suddenly appeared and called out to him.
I see, my response had passed through Mr. Kasper's ears.
However, looking at his surprised face now, could the rumor have come from him?
Secretly holding her head in her mind, some words escaped the mouth of the light blue-haired girl involuntarily.
"What! So, it was---!"
Then turned to us again, but changed her expression at half way.
"Let's start again, please take care of me from now on, Laura, Chelsea."
This time her smile was beautiful, and her voice was so clear, so much so that the oddness of the previous smile was even more noticeable.
It wasn't as if she was just curious about the truth of the rumor and was asking about it.
But it's not like I was hit with over-hostility either... I think.
It's true that the air around senpai was still unsettling, but it was something just floating around...
I didn't feel like her hostility was only directed at me... but, judging by Chelsea and Mr. Kasper previous expression maybe it's just me wanting to think so.
Lina-senpai has some feelings for Arnold, I'm sure of that.
Even so, if she had asked me a favor to help her or... it isn't hard to understand why she asked me about the rumor veracity.
But, what is not quite clear to me, is the way she did it.
Maybe he rejected her.
However, no matter how much you think about it, of course you can't get an answer from her in front of all these people... if she's alone later.
"I'll show you to your room!"
Hearing Mr. Kasper's words, I quickly abandoned the idea.
*****
"This is your room. You can do whatever you want with the furniture and stuff here."
The room we were guided to was a small, cozy but clean and with good sunshine.
It seems that Chelsea and I will be sharing a room here from today on.
A bunk bed and two desks, and to my surprise, a large closet on the wall.
It was a pretty cozy-looking room, but the closet set into the wall was huge.
Out of the blue, Chelsea and I looked and nodded at each other.
We have to work together to have a good shared life.
"The room next door is Miss Lina's, so if you need anything, you can visit her."
Mr. Kasper ushered me in and then left the room with the words.
"Take your time to arrange it to your liking today"
He said, finally leaving the room, once I was alone with Chelsea, felt all my strength leaving me.
Unknowingly, I was very tense after meeting the Senior and our new master.
"Chelsea, which bed would you choose? The one from up or down?"
"...down? I'm embarrassed to say this, but I'm not such a good sleeper. I'm sorry if it's too noisy at night!"
"Haha, really? Fine, fine, Let's see if you can wake me up then."
We unpacked the clothes that we brought while chatting with each other.
"I brought a good number of clothes with me, but when I put them side by side like this, the colors of the clothes are quite plain. "
"I don't know if it's right to say...but it's because they were produced to be sold in a village in the countryside, while the clothes destined to the people of the Royal Capital are higher quality"
"Uhmmm... The clothes are inferior? Well then, I'll go out and buy some clothes on the shops of the Capital when I get my paycheck."
--When we finished arranging the clothes, Chelsea suddenly spoke up again.
"I'm glad."
"What?"
"That my classmate was someone like Laura. I was worried and I would have been a bit pissed off if it turned out to be a dull, arrogant kid."
Then... Chelsea's smile was just to hide the anxiety she felt at that moment.
From the countryside, alone and away from her parents, arriving to the royal capital at the age of 14.
Apart from the joy of achieving her goal, it was only natural that would have that kind of anxiety!
I suppose.
Even I felt lonely when I left my parents and Lucas, because I thought they wouldn't be there to help me when I need of their words and sincere affection.
From now on, we will share a room and a living area.
We will study together.
Like a family, it's difficult to say out of the blue, but I want to have a good relationship with her.
I'm sure Chelsea feels the same way.
With that idea on my mind, I got up from the spot and approached Chelsea, then held out my right hand to her again.
"Once again, I'm pleased to meet you, Chelsea."
"Yeah, let's work hard together, Laura!"
--I was blessed with a very sweet and kind peer and so, my days as an apprentice of Royal Alchemist Master began.
