THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

KEVIN DRAGONROAD POV:

A week after the ceremony, the exams are here. When I wake up, all the dorm is still sleeping. Well, it's not weird since they have all had their exams.

"Okay, I can do this." I sit on the chair of my room and read the history book. It's filled with stories about the past heroes and the wars between the different countries and such. At first, I thought it was boring but when I learned about somebody they called the betrayer, I somehow felt bad. And that feeling didn't settle until I finish that part.

When the sun rises and the birds start singing outside. I bath then dress up and go to school. All of us first-years are taking the exams in classroom number 2. When I enter, there is nobody except for Teacher Margrave.. The Longinus's science teacher.

"Good morning, madam."

"Good morning." She is silently reading an enormous book with old pages. I wonder what kind of book it is.

"That's a really big book."

"It's my researches on Longinus. I am looking for something."

"I see." She looks really focused. I would better not disturb her.

I close my eyes and focus on what I read.

***

Fifteen minutes later, the other students arrive. Teacher Margrave closes her big book with a loud sound then brings out papers from her bracelet and places them on her table. After everybody sits down, she distributes them all and goes back to her seat.

"You have one hour."

She sits down and crosses her legs. Looking at the questions on the paper, they are not really difficult. They concern mostly cores and crystals or describing Longinus weaknesses. They are easy.

I answer everything then give back my paper thirty minutes later. She looks at it then slightly raises her eyebrow. Did I answer wring somewhere? Shit.

"Okay, you can go."

"Thank you." Shit, shit, shit. I must have made a mistake. Ah, fuck my luck!

I go back to the dorm and find Cordel and Peter in the hall.

"Good morning."

"Good morning."

"So, the first day of the exam. How was it?"

"Fine, I hope."

"She must have asked you a lot about cores and crystals, right?"

"Yeah, but did you know, Peter?"

"Everybody knows that teacher is obsessed with Longinus. She has been studying them ever since she was ten or something."

"Yeah, I even heard she got questioned by the church at some point because of her researches."

"And where did you hear that Cordel?"

"From some priests."

"Well, I don't really care. The infos she has are valuable so isn't it fine?"

"Well, that's true."

"Anyway, are the heroes back?"

"Nope."

The next day after the ceremony, the heroes, as well as Rebecca, all went somewhere. It must be related to what Roxcia and Excia went to do before.

"I see."

"You will go there today?"

"What about you guys?"

"We were about to go."

"Let's go together, then."

***

We go out of school and goes to the church. There, we go to the hospital. There are a lot of beds inside and on one of them, we see her. Rose Grandcross. Ever since we brought her back, she hasn't wakened up even once. Rebecca herself tended to her wounds so we are sure that her body's condition is better. The priests somehow manage to feed her but that's about it.

Today, like every other day ever since she has been here, Lanuvel is sitting right by her side. She made a special exception during my ceremony and came but then she directly returned here.

"Good morning."

"AH…Good morning, guys." Look at you, all sad and quiet. If you could at least be the second one more often.

"How is she?" Peter asks while touching Rose's foot, which was appearing from under the sheets.

"As usual. We barely manage to feed her this morning. And she is still unresponsive to most stimulus."

"I see."

"But at least, she isn't having nightmares anymore. She kept wriggling around during the night until two days ago."

"That's good, right?" Don't look at, Cordel. You are the one who asks.

"Yeah, maybe she will wake up in a month if we are lucky. At least, that what the priests are saying."

"Isn't there anything else we can do?"

"No, don't worry Peter. You guys have done more than enough already. The Saintess told me that the best I can do now is to talk to her from time to time. It might help her to hear a familiar voice."

"Yes, I think she is right." Of course, you do, Peter.

"So, now, I talk to her about old stories she used to tell me. but sadly, that's the only thing I can do."

She lowers her head, and I see a tear falling to the ground. Ah, those are the atmosphere that I hate the most.

"You haven't had anything to eat, right?" I just read your mind so I know you are hungry.

"No, don't worry. I…"

"I am not worried. I am just hungry as well. Let's go and eat."

"I…"

"It won't take long. Let's go."

I grab her hand and drag her, then Cordel and Peter follow us. That gloomy atmosphere was too much. It reminded me of Selene and Excafol deaths. We go in town and stop in front of stalls selling skewered roasted meat.

"Eh? Wait, we aren't going to the canteen?"

"Nope. I want something spicier today." The food cooked at school is good but I want something different right now.

"Hello!! It's just five wellis the piece!!"

"Give us forty."

"Alright!! Coming right up!!"

"Wait, forty?!"

"Yup. There are four of u-" When I turn around, Peter and Cordel aren't with us anymore. How? I am pretty sure I was hearing their heartbeats behind me.

"Where did they go?"

"I don't know. You were dragging me so fast I didn't look behind."

As she says that, I realize that I am still holding her hand.

"Ah, sorry."

"And here!! Forty pieces of jelly-like spicy chicken!"

I give money to the guy then take the meat which he has put in a bag. I give one to Lanuvel who takes it and looks at it with a weird face.

"You could just say thank you, you know."

"AH, sorry, thank you. It's just that the color was weird. I wonder if it tastes good."

"Only one way to find out."

I grab her hand and use it to raise the skewer she has then bite into it.

"Yuch, tachte shood." Weird enough, she starts blushing and then bites into it as well.

"Hmm!!" See, I told you it was good. She finishes the skewer in a matter of seconds then looks at me. I give her another one and we start walking while she eats.

***

Twenty minutes later, we are back to the hospital but we find two people wearing some weird capes which I haven't seen before. Who are they?

"I can't believe it!!"

When Lanuvel sees them, however, her face turns into a demon as anger fills it. Does she know them?

"What are you bastards doing here?!!!"

She reaches one of them and grabs him by the collar, but then, when she looks inside, she releases him and enters like a furry. I go as well but the two guys block the entrance.

"She is the only one who can enter for now."

"Under whose order?"

"Step aside." One of them slightly raises his cape and I see a sword attached to his waist. You shouldn't have shown me that, that was a very bad choice.

"Don't you dare touch her!!!"

As I am about to kick the one who showed me his sword. Lanuvel's voice resounds inside like thunder. When I look, I see an old familiar face: ROMAS SILONIA. I had almost forgotten about him and his mother. Actually, now that I think about it, Lanuvel got married to him so her name should be Silonia, why is she called Nikitis then?

Lanuvel slaps Romas then places herself in front of her mother's bed. Like a hen protecting her chicks.

"How dare you!! Leave this place right now!!"

"You are still as violent as ever. Did you really have to slap me?" Oh, trust me, Romas, this gnoll only knows to do that, hitting people.

"You are lucky we are in a sacred place. Your blood would already be spilling on the floor if not."

"Hmph! Like you could ever harm me."

"Your status doesn't change anything. I would kill you even if I had to be executed right after."

"Yeah, yeah, keep talking. You are cuter like that. Anyway, my mom asked me to come and check on her condition but she doesn't seem really cooperative."

At those words, Lanuvel releases her aura uncontrollably and grabs Romas's neck. They are about the same height so she could probably lift him up but she doesn't.

"Go and tell your whore of a mother that I won't ever tolerate your presence near my mother again. Ever."

"Watch your tongue, filthy woman!"

Romas attempts to slap her but she holds his hand and looks at him. Her eyes right now are the embodiment of death itself.

"Now, leave."

She releases him although reluctantly, he turns around and comes to the entrance. As he arrives, the man from earlier places himself in front of me then moves when Romas passes to the side. What was all that just now?

***

After what happened, Lanuvel just sat quietly by her mother's side and hasn't said a single word. I have been watching her for almost ten minutes now but her mouth hasn't even moved. Only her eyes, which have redden like an overheated iron bar, and opening and closing rapidly, trying to hold on the tears that want to come out. I suppose I have to ask first.

"Wh-"

"That's was my ex-husband." She finally starts talking. Good, she saved me the trouble.

"Your ex-husband?" They divorced?

"Yes. When I was ten years old. I got married to the Silonias. It's a powerful family in charge of the army in Floras, my home country. But when my mother disappeared, I begged him with all my being to persuade his father in sending a rescue party. But the bastard ignored me. Even his mother never answered to my letters. Then when my father died, he divorced me by letter. He sent an official letter signed by the prince of Floras who was present during our wedding telling me that our engagement was null and void."

"I see." I suppose you have had it rough as well.

"His whole family abandoned us and that shit didn't even have the decency of divorcing me face to face."

Her face turns red and her eyes become swollen. She really wants to cry.

"I always thought…Sniff…I always thought that if you are honest with people…Sniff… If you…"

"It's okay to cry, you know."

She looks at me with pitiful eyes then like the beginning of a storm, she grabs my hands and starts crying on my uniform. I…I am sorry Lanuvel. I would like to tell you those words. To apologize as the one who brought all this on you. But you are not the only one who suffered because of me, you will certainly not be the only one because the path I chose isn't going to be smooth and filled with justice. That's why I can only apologize to you in my heart; until the day I won't have to anymore.