Finding Stardust

Alta turned to Ulla and asked. "You're Bastian's cousin, right? So you know if he's single or has a girlfriend?"

While asking, Alta giggled and covered her mouth with the back of her hand. This girl had an elegant appearance, and even her laughter was lady-like. Emma suspected Alta came from a noble family.

Right at that moment, the handsome young man she was talking about stepped in through the door and walked towards them to go to the front of the hall.

"Oh, my seven gods!! Ssshhh... look, he is coming this wayyy," blurted Alta when her gaze swept at the sight of Bastian. She hurriedly elbowed Ulla and whispered, "Ulla ... why don't you ask Bastian to come here? Don't you want to introduce us to your handsome cousin?"

Alta said that while tilting her chin towards Bastian, who was walking towards them. Ula turned, and when she saw her cousin coming, the girl jumped up gleefully. She winked at the three girls at her table then, smiling broadly, walked over to Bastian.

As soon as she reached the young man, Ulla grabbed Bastian's hand and talked in a coyish tone. "Bastian, speak of the devil. We've been talking about you. I want you to meet my friends."

Ulla fluttered her lashes and gave Bastian her best puppy eyes. It seemed that she was used to getting what she wanted in that way because Bastian looked like he was giving in, even though he initially rolled his eyes.

With no regard for so many jealous glances from the other tables, Ulla dragged Bastian over to her new friends. Bastian, who was forced to come to their table, initially looked a little annoyed.

However, as soon as his gaze caught sight of Emma, who was sitting, sipping a drink from her glass, the young man's annoyed expression disappeared.

Slowly, a smile etched on his face as he greeted the three girls at the table, "Welcome to the Mage Academy. Congratulations, you have been accepted as students in this school. You will have fun for the next three years."

"Thank you, Bastian," said Miri shyly. She reached out her hand and greeted Bastian. "We are delighted to be here."

"During the banquet later, we will introduce the teachers and student council officials. You will get a lot of information," said Bastian again.

"Hello, Bastian. Good evening. My name is Alta." Now it was Alta's turn to introduce herself while extending her hand towards Bastian. Her graceful face looked even more beautiful as she smiled broadly like this.

Bastian nodded and greeted the girl too. After he let go of Alta's hand, Bastian stared at Emma. Slowly, his right hand reached out to greet the girl.

Emma was very impressed. This man was possibly at Level-6, she thought. She knew because she could still read the minds of some of Therius' bodyguards who were at Level-5.

For a person this young, to have such a high level was impressive, Emma thought. And she heard that Bastion was also a multiple-element mage. Double impressed.

"Lee, this is my cousin, Bastian, that we talked about earlier," said Ulla.

Emma rolled her eyes. She didn't remember talking about Bastian to Ulla at all. However, out of politeness, she finally stretched out her hand and nodded.

"Hello, School President. My name is Lee Wolfland," said Emma.

Bastian stared at Emma for a long time, and suddenly his expression changed. He looked astonished and was momentarily at a loss for words.

"Hey .. why are you silent?" asked Ulla, hitting her cousin's shoulder. She turned to stare at Emma with a dazed face, then looked back at her cousin. Then, she pressed her lips together. "Jeez ... Bastian...! Do you like Lee???"

Bastian immediately coughed, and his face turned red. He gave Emma an apologetic look and hurriedly lowered his head to apologize for Ulla's behavior. "Please forgive my cousin. She does talk too much. I hope you don't take all her actions and words personally. She is actually nice."

Emma frowned when she heard Bastian's words. Wait ... why was Bastian talking like this?

Did he know something?

The girl stared at Bastian with a probing look.

Bastian looked at Emma with a meaningful look and then he lowered his head slightly, almost like he was bowing to her. The man then said goodbye to the four girls and continued his steps toward the long table at the very front. 

There, he was greeted by several other seniors who noticed his actions just now and asked if he knew the four new students. He said he only exchanged pleasantries with them.

Meanwhile, Ulla was looking at Emma with rounded eyes.

"Gosh ... Lee ..." she said in a muffled voice. "I can't believe this! I think Bastian likes you! The school president likes you!!"

Simultaneously Miri and Alta also stared at Emma with wide eyes. The girl hurriedly waved her hand and shushed them. She realized many girls from other tables had their eyes fixed this way.

"Don't talk nonsense. He's just being friendly. Besides, he knows I already have a boyfriend," said Emma. She decided to lie to calm the three girls. "My boyfriend took me here this morning, and we met Bastian on the train."

"Ohh ..." Ulla finally nodded in understanding. She narrowed her eyes at Emma. "Your boyfriend must be really great, or you are a very loyal girlfriend. You didn't even give Bastian a second look even though he is the most popular student in this academy."

Emma just shrugged. "I'm not interested in him."

After saying that, Emma sat back in her chair and poured her drink. While sipping her drink, she cast her gaze forward.

Coincidentally, Bastian was also looking at her. For a moment, their eyes locked.

'So you already know who I am. Please don't reveal my identity to your cousin or to anyone,' said Emma using telemancy. Bastian was about to nod at Emma, but he held back. People would be confused to see him nod without anyone talking to him.

'I promise I will not tell anyone, Your Majesty ...' answered Bastian finally, also with telemancy. His expression looked respectful.

'Good.' Emma smiled faintly and turned her attention back to her drink.

As she expected, Bastian was indeed a telemancer just like herself. That's why Emma couldn't read his mind. She initially thought Bastian was above Level-5 since she couldn't read him. Now, she realized he was not. He was just a telemancer, like her.

Emma realized this when she saw Bastian's attitude toward her suddenly changed. The man showed so much respect for her. He also repeatedly apologized for Ulla's behavior. 

At first, Emma was confused. But then she thought quickly and assumed Bastian was a telemancer who had read her mind and knew all about her, including her annoyance toward Ulla's chatter.

For the first time in her life, Emma felt uncomfortable. She also felt weak because someone could read her mind. During this time, she had never met another telemancer beside her husband. And even Therius never read her mind, because he loved her. Emma always felt safe around the man.

As it turned out, getting her mind read by other people felt awful. She felt like she was mentally naked. This made her really unhappy.

Being a mage from the lower level, she couldn't read Bastian, but Bastian could read her.

Ugh ... she must ask Therius some tips on how she could protect herself from another telemancer. She also had to immediately train and level up so that she became equal to Bastian.

Who knows, there might be other telemancers in this academy besides Bastian. She must not lower her guard.

One by one, the new students, second-year students, third-year students, and the teachers began to arrive and fill the available tables. The hall became bustling, and the atmosphere grew more festive. Emma saw the teachers all sitting by the long table at the very front and facing them.

As she was paying attention to her surrounding, suddenly Emma heard her three friends gush again.

"Wow... so, the gossip is true! This year we have a handsome teacher ..." Ulla whispered excitedly.

Emma looked up to see who her friends were talking about. She finally noticed a familiar man came with a golden bird perched on his shoulder. He looked so handsome and manly!

"I can't wait to learn in his class..." Miri whispered with a giggle. "He looks so handsome!!"

Jeez ... is there no other topic of conversation? Thought Emma, ​​shaking her head. 

Ulla, Miri, and Alta were now gossiping about Marlowe.