Chapter 20: Love talk, marriage talk
Seeing Damien with someone else lifts my spirits, so I'm in a moderately good mood, as I head towards the post office the next morning. Well, not good enough to hum some song as usual though. Which is a good thing, because Grabiner suddenly comes in. "Good morning, Sir.", I greet him calmly, without glancing at him.
"I see little, that is good about it." I sigh. You're not passed on the floor with a Manus hovering over you, this is definitely an improvement to last week, I think,
but keep myself from saying it out loud. Nothing good will come out of adding salt to his wounds. I don't want to wake up the dragon.
"You may or may not be aware, that there will be two holydays celebrated later this month: Valentine's day and the Winter renewal. Each set of class officers is expected to sell valentines to the members of that class." I calmly wait for him to continue. I have stopped working for now, to pay my full attention to him.
"In this case the act of purchase is of ritual significance. As class treasurer, it falls to you to decide the cost of your valentines. Professor Potsdam will purchase supplies in keeping with your costs; any excess of funds will be donated to the winter ceremony." Without needing to think about it, I answer him, "I suppose 5$ would be a good price, that's enough for some chocolate or something. It shouldn't be too expensive, this way more people can afford them. Apart from that, can't we sell some flowers as well? We should be able to grow them using green magic, right? I'd like an alternative for the ones, who don't like candy. Only, if it doesn't prove to take too much effort, of course." "Very well… I will talk with Professor Potsdam about your proposal." And with that, he turns to leave.
"Ah, just a moment, please?", I hold him back. He grunts but turns back to me. "What is it now?" "I'd like to ask you few questions about our…. Arrangement."
He frowns. Reminding him about our marriage must be like slapping his face for him. "There is nothing to discuss.", he growls. Isn't he acting a bit childish?
"May I remind you, that I'm an ignorant wild seed? I don't know about the responsibilities of a magical wife." Well, I know a bit, due to the game knowledge, but my memories about this part are blurry. "You are supposed to be a student. You are supposed to be learning. Not trying to get yourself killed and forcing others to waste resources rescuing you." So your bachelor-status was a resource? "How many times do you expect to be saved?" Well, this was the first time you had to save me though? "I'm sorry for my ignorance, sir. I'm trying to better myself, for example by finding out how to not accidently break my oath. I'm not interested in annoying you, Sir, I simply try to avoid trouble.", I reply calmly. He takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out, probably to calm himself down.
Talking to me seems to be really exhausting for him. "I suppose that is a reasonable request.", he admits reluctantly. "A witch-wife retains her independence. You are not required to be subservient. You are expected to show me respect, which should you already, as a student of this academy. Most magical couples keep separate living quarters, so there is no need for you to visit mine. Should I depart from this life, you're required to help dispose of my effects. I have no intention of placing you in that circumstance. Therefore, by our agreement, we can place the matter behind us and go about our business. There is no need to refer to this 'marriage' until it comes time to dissolve it." I see. Not much new information though, unfortunately. "And what are your responsibilities, Sir?", I ask out of curiosity.
Will he even answer me that question, though? "Can you still call me Miss Ojousama?" He has avoided addressing me lately. No one else noticed yet.
"No, I cannot. You are a member of my family, and I must acknowledge that. Therefore I prefer to not address you at all. " I nod. "I see."
I was wondering why he avoided addressing me. "My responsibilities are to protect and support you to the best of my ability. I doubt you will notice any difference." But doesn't that mean, that I have to act kind towards him? Why didn't he tell me that? It is so difficult to get him to talk, how annoying.
"I see. Thank you for your explanation, sir.", I surrender. Getting him to talk is really exhausting. He mumbles something and then disappears. Is he afraid of me or something? I continue with my work. After that I eat breakfast and study a bit. The rest of the day I spent playing the clarinet and painting.
I'm better at drawing, but painting is also fun.
The Sunday I spent mostly in the library and Minnie approaches me. "Hi, Elise. Did you make arrangements for the valentines?" "I took care of it, but we don't have them yet. I don't know when we'll get them." "We should get them next week. Next Monday, I think, we'll be doing the sales."
So we'll sell them, before we get them? Well, it's February the 2nd today, so we still have nearly two weeks, before we have to deliver them. "Alright", I answer.
With that, everything is discussed, but Minnie stays and fidgets around. Right, she still wants to consult me on something, right? It was something about Kyo,
but I don't remember what it was. "Elise, can I ask you something?", she finally blurts out. "Of course, go ahead.", I encourage her to speak.
"How are things with you and Professor Grabiner?" I'm wrong? It was not about Kyo? "Eh, he isn't throwing stuff at me, or something like that, so I guess they're fine?" "Does he expect you to obey him now?" The heck she's talking about? "You mean like, more than he expects from normal students? He desperately tries to ignore our situation, you know? Furthermore, he said, that I wouldn't need to do so. Also, this is not the place to talk about such things.", I reprimand her.
She will probably spill the beans about our marriage anyways though. "Well, it isn't officially, but … some people have other ideas." Like Kyo? So I was right with my prediction. "Is someone trying to oppress you?", I directly ask her. Tiptoeing around the topic won't do any good. "I… There was this guy. And he seemed sweet, so when he asked me out I said yes and it was nice. But things sort of got too intense. He wanted my attention all the time. And between schoolwork and the student council and him… I had nothing left. I felt like I'd barely spoken to anyone in months. I didn't know who I could turn to."
I told you to avoid letting one person become your whole world, didn't I? Though I understand, that these advices are often useless. First love is simply too overwhelming, people simply can't deal with their feelings. "So I told him I needed space. It wasn't easy for me! I told him it wasn't his fault, it was mine… I just needed time to myself."
Being too soft isn't good when dealing with love, it often has the opposite effect of what you wished to achieve. Instead of easing things up, you give false hope, or simply fail to communicate your problems. Like in Minnie's case, she failed to communicate, that Kyo was behaving too clingy. It isn't about whose fault it is anyways! Then people simply don't fit, then it's no one's fault. Minnie should have expressed herself more clearly and Kyo… well Kyo should try acknowledge his faults and work on them, instead of blaming his love interest for not loving him as much as he loves her.
"Please continue.", I encourage her further. "Well… he decided to make this big-to-do proclamation of affection, thing… He begged me to forgive him and take him back, in front of everyone. They all thought it was very romantic. I was so tired and everyone was watching us – I didn't know how to turn him down. I don't know what to do." See, this is why puberty is such a hell. Insecurities. She shouldn't have minded the opinion of others. Not when it comes to something like that.
Well, it is easier to talk about that, than to act like that. "So you're back together with him.", I conclude with a neutral voice. "Yes.", Minnie whispers.
"And now he's back to expecting me to be- to be like the perfect girlfriend, to go everywhere with him and do everything he wants." I sigh. "You should express yourself more clearly." "You don't understand. He- I feel guilty." I touch her shoulders to comfort her. "I do understand, but it is not your fault, that you don't feel the same way as him. You should cherish yourself more. He doesn't treat you right, by trying to dominate you that much. You also don't owe him any feelings, just because he has feelings for you. Continuing to let him cling to you, is cruel to both of you. He'll subconsciously notices, that you don't feel the same way, making him cling even more. And you'll start to blame yourself more and more for not feeling the same way he does. If you break up with him, he will be at least able to move on eventually.", I calmly explain to her. "But he'll be angry." "Yeah, for now. But that is his own fault as much as it yours." "Mmmh. I should go. I've got so much to do."
And with that she disappears. Just take a break already! If you wouldn't be so overworked, you wouldn't spill the beans about my marriage.
At the end of the next week another exam will await us. On Thursday Ellen and I find Virginia lying in her bed, with flushed cheeks and I immediately run to find Professor Potsdam. I'm worried a bit about her, even though I know, that she'll be alright.
The next day is the exam, and Virginia isn't back, as expected. I grab the door handle and get teleported into the dungeon.
After casting Awareness, I find, that this dungeon is a simple cross, like in the game. But to be honest, my memory starts to blur more and more lately.
What was special about this dungeon again? After walking around, I find the chest. Oh right. I use black magic to carefully examine it for charms.
The chest is enchanted, as expected. I imprint the picture of the chest in my head and use black magic to form a small wall in front of me, to protect myself from the explosion, should I fail in dispelling the enchantment. Then I use a complex dual spell composed of blue magic and black magic, with the blue magic I create an image of the chest with its enchantment, and with black magic I'm dissolving the enchantment. Dissolving enchantments is a bit like solving puzzles, and I can't do that, if I can't see the enchantment. As to the image I create, rather than a normal illusion, it's more like watching TV, a transmission of a picture. Transmitting a picture is easier, than creating one without nothing, otherwise we wouldn't learn about Farspeak so early, since it uses the same concept, but with sound. I need some time, but I manage to open the chest, without incident. This felt a bit like defusing a bomb… Well, failing in dissolving the enchantment could've resulted in an explosion after all, so I guess this comparison is quite fitting. I walk around the wall and open the chest. I take the key and head back to the crosswalk.
Suddenly the image of an Manus appears in front of me. I take a closer look. It must be a 3D-illusion, as expected. I cast Truesight with all my energy left on it, since the enchantment on the chest was difficult to dissolve, I haven't much energy left. Additionally, I expect this illusion to be a good one, so I won't be able to dissolve it with half-hearted effort. The illusion sizzles and then disappears, and I head towards the door, to leave the dungeon.
I wanted to playfully command the Manus-illusion to disappear, in the name of a Grabiner, but I don't know which teacher observes my exam, and I don't think the other teachers know about our marriage. In Addition, if Grabiner is the one overseeing my exam, it might anger him, if I use his name carelessly.
I receive ten merits from Potsdam for acing my exam. And with this, I have maxed out my merits. I wonder how well I would do in those exams, if I wouldn't know a bit about them already? This thought upsets me a bit. "Congratulation, Elise!", Potsdam cheerfully greets me, like always. "For succeeding in your quest, you receive five merits. And another five merits for managing to see through our little trick." I sigh. "May I say something, Headmistress?"
Potsdam smiles at me and chirps, "What is it, Dear?" "Your trick… it was tasteless." Using the illusion of a Manus in an exam, after one of her students nearly got eaten by one… She just wanted to see my frightened face, didn't she? Well, too bad I'm usually good at staying composed.
"You sound just like Hieronymus!", Potsdam laughs. This woman…
"It's said, that opposites attract each other… Maybe that's why a relationship between us would never work?", I counter. But Potsdam just smiles at me.
"Don't worry, my little tulip. You're not THAT similar." There simply is no winning against this woman. I surrender… for now.
You may have won a battle, but you haven't won the war! "I hope you enjoyed putting your skills into action. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have another student to look after…", Potsdam continues unfazed. "Oh, wait, what about Virginia?", I question her. "She'll be all right. She should be back with you tomorrow."
Of course, that's all she tells me. Why did I bother asking? Well, I don't feel the need to break the game flow anymore, besides, I'm really worried about her.
Soon after Ellen and I returned to our room, William knocks on door to inform us about Virginias illness.
As I head to the conference room the next morning, I run into Virginia in the halls. Looks like she is already on her way back to our room.
"Good morning Virginia. Do you feel better?", I greet her. "Eh. I'd be fine, except… I missed the exam yesterday, so now I have to do detention!"
The heck, that's so unfair. "Sounds awful. Well, I have to go. My treasurer duties wait to bore me. See you later!" We bid goodbye and I continue on my way.
Since things seem to have returned to normality, I'm in a good mood again and hum a kpop-song.
The rest of the weekend, nothing notable happened, except that I saw Damien heading to a date with Myreen.