Focus on the present, whatever problem you'll have, we will face it together. Trying to control and predict everything is a desperate endeavour, and it will eat you from the inside." –
"My father always says that from great power comes great isolation. But don't worry, Lith. That's what friends are for. To shed a light in your darkest days." Yurial patted him on the shoulder, trying to console him.
In another moment, Lith would have sneered at him, pushing his hand away.
But thanks to being able of making small talk with strangers again and mostly to Solus' words, he managed to actually relax his expression for the first time since in the academy.
"Thanks, Yurial." He said with a smile.
- "Friends, uh? Then why are you consoling me and my small problem, instead of Friya that has much bigger issues? Not to mention he completely ignored Quylla. Friend my a*s, you are just trying to suck up to me." –
"What happened to you, Quylla?" Lith asked.
She followed his example, taking a pause from eating to talk easily.
"Honestly, this academy sucks hard, it's even worse than my village. Before becoming a healer, I was considered a burden because I was too small and weak.
After learning magic, since I was much stronger than my predecessor, everyone started treating me like a monster. Even as a child, I could tell that they were afraid of me, of what I could have done if I wanted revenge.
I always felt different and alone back home, so I decided to come to the academy, hoping to find others like me. To make friends, to have a magical family that could understand me, someone to actually trust."
The more she spoke, the angrier she became.
"Instead my bubble burst from day one. Everyone here pushes me around, calling me names like cockroach, skank, and after I started taking the tonic, even pig. I'm sick and tired of being afraid. In hindsight, I was better off at the village.
At least there they feared and respected me. Here I'm a laughing stock, either because I'm short, ugly or because I picked only a specialization. But what could I have done?
I never learned how to fight, my body can barely withstand powerful healing magic, let alone more violent kinds of magic. During Trasque's lesson, I lost all my fights, and even if they humiliated me, he never reprimanded one of them! I hate him too!"
To be fair, no one had dared to humiliate anyone, not after Lith had so easily lost points at the beginning of the exercise. Trasque had let them fight fair and square, the problem lied in Quylla short arms and flimsy build.
Being unable of using any kind of silent magic, except for the light one, even girls of her age could overpower her with a single hand. Using magic or a weapon was just overkill.
Lith: "Guess the only one that had it easy is Yurial." Friya: "Yeah, mister 'archmage heir'. No one has the guts to mess with him." Quylla: "F*cking lucky b*stard."
Suddenly, an honest smile appeared on Lith's lips. The mood around the table suited better his tastes, so full of anger, mistrust and deception. He saw potential in each one of them, especially Quylla.
She resembled a young Tista that he could turn into another Lith. He was the only one, aside maybe from Professor Vastor, that knew that once her body developed properly, her mana core would have no limits to its growth.
Cyan for sure, maybe blue, if not purple.
"Well, Quylla, people don't need a reason to pick on you." Lith said.
"They need one not to. And the best reason you can give them is a Guilty Ballot. Think about it, I am tall for my age, talented, or at least so they say, and yet I get harassed on daily basis.
If the tonic works and you start to grow, nothing will change. Remember Nalear's story, she had talent and looks, yet survived only because of the Ballot. You should learn from her, and not repeat her mistakes."
He could see from their faces, that both Quylla and Friya were seriously considering the idea of getting a Ballot of their own. Lith needed a few deep breaths, to find the strength to say what he needed to.
"As for your problems with first magic, I…" He needed his sheer willpower to keep his expression relaxed, instead of acting like someone that was spewing poison off his tongue.
"I could teach you all. We don't have lessons during the weekends, we would have plenty of space and time." The table exploded with cheers, his proposal was immediately accepted.
Lith knew that respect and trust were something that had to be given, before they could be given back. Yurial and Friya had both a light cyan mana core, like Nana, but theirs could still grow.
Quylla had a bright green mana core despite her childish body, so for her the sky was the limit. Even without his help, it was just a matter of time before they mastered first magic.
He would exploit their desperation, giving them what they wanted before it lost its value. Just like when he helped Marchioness Distar, it was the best moment to make his investment.