The World Of Sally

Chapter Seventeen: To Know Ones Power

A DAY had passed since Sally and the crown prince’s argument. Like what the crown prince ordered, she never showed in front of him. Helios is quiet but Felix and Athena can tell that he’s in a bad mood. Athena is worried but she can’t voice out her feelings since she’s afraid that the crown prince’s anger might fall towards her.

“Your highness, Sir Robia and Athena, good day.” Both of them looked behind and saw Ethan who’s smiling at them.

“Hello, Ethan.” Athena greeted her back, Felix smiled at him while the crown prince only stared at his face.

“Have you heard about the ‘La Dolce Shop’?” He asked them.

“You mean that popular shop in the capital that sells delicious desserts and refreshing teas?” Athena asked.

“Yes. I was planning to go there. How about we go together? It’s my treat.” Ethan offered. Athena’s eyes sparkled. This is her chance to soothe the crown prince’s foul mood.

“Your highness, brother, how about we--”

Her words were cut when she saw that both Felix and Helios were looking at the woman who walked away from the crowd. Due to her black hair and small body frame, Athena can tell that it’s Sally. Athena’s mood decrease and her shoulders drop.

“Your highness? Sir Robia?” Ethan called. The two of them snapped and looked at him at the same time.

“Ah, that would be nice. How about you, your highness?” Felix asked.

“… Alright.” He answered.

“The carriage is waiting in front of the entrance,” Ethan said with a smile and glance at Athena’s disappointed face.

“Lead the way,” Helios ordered to him.

“Ah, yes.” He answered. He turned his back and started to walk while the three of them followed him.

They arrived at the store Ethan was talking about. There’s a lot of people inside and finding a vacant table is hard. Thankfully, Ethan planned a reservation before coming to the store, guessing that it will be popular amongst nobles. They sit on the chairs facing each other and waiting for their orders to come.

“There’s a lot of people here,” Athena muttered in astonishment. “I can’t wait to taste their food here.” She added and put an enchanting smile on her face.

“Yes. It’s becoming popular these days.” Ethan answered her. Helios remained silent while watching the view outside the window. The weather is fine but he never felt happy about it. He’s still in a foul mood. He can feel a sense of defeat deep in him and it irks him so much. An image of a smiling and calm woman showed in his mind making his eyebrows wrinkled.

“Your highness, are you alright?” Felix asked as he noticed his expression.

“Yes.” He answered but Felix knew he’s lying. He shut his mouth and felt a sudden worry towards Sally. He knew that the attention of the crown prince brought both trouble and blessing, a very representation of both good and bad omen.

‘I’ll bring her some of the desserts here. It’s been a while since I saw her.’ He thought.

“Come to think of it, you have a lesson about mana leveling soon. I heard it from Mr. Bolton that it will be the day after tomorrow.” Felix asked Athena.

“Oh, yes I’ve heard of it from my classmates as well,” Athena responded.

“It’s a basic yet important lesson especially to us who had mana inside our body. However, despite the increased take of mana from nature, there are still limitations in doing magic and curses.” Ethan muttered.

“Yes, I'll try my best,” Athena said with a smile. She turned to face the prince. “Your highness, since you are the top one student, may I heard a few tips from you?” He looked at her and saw her shining eyes full of enthusiasm.

“… Just do what the teacher wants you to do.” He answered. That was the lamest advice they ever heard but what can they say? The prince is stubborn and a person with a head that always erupts like a volcano. (A person who’s always angry.) After eating, they returned to the academy. Felix is holding a paper bag of desserts. He wants to give it to Sally.

“Excuse me but I have to leave, your highness. I have something to do.” Felix said. Helios stared at him then at the paper bag and back to his face again before giving him a nod. “Thank you, your highness.” He muttered.

“Brother, where are you going?” Athena asked him.

“Finding Ms. Esther.” He answered before turning his back and walking away.

“I’ll be going now as well,” Helios muttered and left the two. He’s heading to the library to read something then going to his last class of the day.

---

Sally is reading behind a big tree behind the school building. The wind is cool and gentle, and the sound of the branches is soothing in her ears. She felt calm and at peace. She turned the page of the book she’s reading when someone called her.

“Ms. Esther.” She looked beside her and saw Felix with a smile.

“Sir Robia, good afternoon.” She greeted.

“Good afternoon to you too.”

“Why are you here? You don’t have classes this afternoon?” She asked.

“I don’t have right now but after this, I have to attend my potions lecture.”

“I see.”

“May I sit beside you?” He asked permission.

“You may, Sir.” She answered with a smile. Felix took a sit on the ground while Sally moved away a little to have a small gap between them, but that gap vanished when Felix moved closer to her. She didn’t argue with him because she might ruin the tranquility of the place.

“Here, this is for you.” He handed her the paper bag full of desserts. Her mouth gaped open as she looked at him.

“T-This is too much, Sir. I can’t eat all of these.”

“It’s alright. You can share it with the others.” Sally laughed inwardly at his remark. How can he say those words when she had no people around her except them? Since she already had a conclusion in mind, she smiled as she faced him.

“Then let’s eat all of these. It’s nice to have someone with you when you eat, right?”

Felix stared at her. His lips lift into a sweet smile and his golden hair flowed with the wind.

“Alright. How can I refuse such a wonderful invitation from a beautiful lady?”

Sally laughed and shook her head.

“Thank you but I hardly believe your compliment, Mr. Robia. If you keep on complimenting me, I might believe that I am what you told me.” She grinned.

“You should start to believe me then.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I mean, compliments, they’re nothing but words…”

Silence falls over them.

‘How can she think of that when she is beautiful?’ He thought. Her black hair flowing with the wind, her silver eyes, and her pale, gentle face, were enough to make a man wonder of her origin. An embodiment of mystery.

“Have you heard about the mana leveling?” Felix asked her.

“Yes. I heard it’ll happen the day after tomorrow.” She answered.

“It’s the basic technique sorcerers and magicians must know. A process of increasing one's mana by meditating and getting pure energy from nature. The training will last for a week to prepare yourself for the examination.” He explained.

“I read about that in a book, sir. According to it, increasing mana is the basis of the basics but it’s also a dangerous technique because it can make the person insane due to extreme mental abuse and fatigue.” She added.

“Yes, that’s true. That’s why I’m here to tell you a few about mana leveling. It’s entirely different from the second part of the exam before and a little complicated.” Sally stopped eating mid-way and glanced at Felix with wide eyes.

“Sir?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you so much, sir.”

“I’m glad I’m of help, however, are you going to keep calling me ‘Sir’ when we’re friends?” He asked. Sally stared at him for a moment before opening her lips again.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, sir.”

“Why?”

“Because calling you by your name is too much for me.”

“Too much?”

“Yes. There’s a line that mustn’t be crossed. There’s a huge gap between us and you are higher than me so I need to know my place, sir.”

“Nonsense!” Felix said in disbelief and laughed shortly. “How can you say that? My kind of friendship is equal to everyone.” He added.

“Still, I don’t want to, sir.” She refused.

“I still remember what you told to us. About the ‘lines’ you’re talking about, nonetheless, we’re friends and friendship holds no boundaries.”

Sally didn’t answer and remain smiling at him. As he stared at her, he can sense the thick, invisible wall between them as they talked. He realized that ever since the day she met them, there’s always that huge gap between them. A wall or a line that she won’t and never will cross.

“However, I won’t force you. I’ll understand you.”

“Thank you.” Feeling a bit happy with his response, she started talking random things again with caution as they ate the desserts he had for her.

---

Helios is inside the library, reading a book. He likes reading but today, he can’t focus. His mind always drifts him to the scene of a sun setting and a woman with a calm and smiling demeanor. Feeling defeated, he lean on his chair and sighed heavily.

“Damn it.” He murmured as he slides his fingers to his red hair. His eyes shifted to the person a few meters away from his table. Her black hair is always a mess despite being tied on her head and her skirt crumpled, however, like she always does, she ignored her image in front of anyone else. She took two books and went to the last shelf then turn to the left hiding her presence from anyone inside the library. Due to curiosity, Helios stood up and walked towards the last shelf. In the corner, near a small window, Sally is sitting while reading a book. She’s too focused that she didn’t feel Helios’s presence beside her. “For the mana leveling?” He suddenly asked.

Sally stopped what she’s doing and looked at the prince beside her with a surprised expression.

“Y-Your highness!” She called with wide eyes. “Greetings.” She added as she stood up and bowed in a curtsy.

“What are you reading?” He asked.

“Uh, all about mana.” She answered.

“I see.”

Silence came between them making it more awkward but Sally broke it.

“I apologize for interrupting your time, your highness.”

She apologized.

“Why are you apologizing? It is I who broke my own leisure time.” He answered. Silence took over the place once again.

“Ah, I see. I’m sorry for speaking without thinking, sire.”

“Apologizing again? You had a bad habit.” He shook his head. “Follow me.” He ordered.

“Sire?”

“Accompany me.” He said. Sally’s grip tightens as she stared at Helios’s back.

“I beg your pardon?”

Helios stopped walking and turn to face her with an irked expression.

“Can’t you understand? Why do you keep on asking?” Sensing his irritation, Sally immediately apologized.

‘But, didn’t you tell me to not show myself in front of you again?’ She wondered as she looks at him with a puzzled expression.

“I apologize, your highness. Yes, I’ll follow you.” She answered. Helios turn his back and went to his table.

“Sit down.” He commanded. Sally took a sit on the chair in front of him. Other students kept on glancing at them and Sally felt bothered by the unwanted attention.

‘I’ll make sure to thoroughly hide my presence next time when I visit the library.’ She thought.

“Excuse me, your highness. I’ll start reading, please tell me if my presence is a hindrance to your work, I’ll leave immediately.” She said.

“Shut up and start reading.” He muttered feeling more irritated by her words. Sally only smiled and open the book once again. Helios silently read the title of the book. It’s about mana and basic things in increasing mana. Helios moved his gaze and went back to reading the book in front of him.

Sally can’t concentrate on reading at all. Her heart is beating loudly as she kept on reading nonstop the word ‘concentration’ in the book.

‘I can’t keep going like this. At this point, I won’t learn anything. Should I leave?’ She asked herself. ‘Yeah, I should leave.’ She answered to herself. She closed her book and gaze at the crown prince in front of her, unfortunately, the crown prince is snoring in front of her, with his head on his arms laying on the book. ‘I can’t wake him up. It will be rude.’ She thought and sigh.

“Oh well…” She mumbled and continue reading the book in her hands however her eyes kept on glancing at the person sleeping in front of her. His red hair is messy but it still looked good on him. His lips are slightly parted showing a little of his white front teeth and she can hear his slow breathing. She thought, what makes him so tired that he fell asleep in the presence of another person.

Time passed slowly, the crown prince slowly opened his eyes. The golden orbs immediately went to the woman who’s staring at the view outside the big window. The sun is already setting giving orange light to the library. Helios looked at her eyes.

‘How come those pretty silver eyes hold such melancholy in them?’ He thought while staring at her face in secrecy.

---

The day of the mana leveling came. Every student was nervous about the examination. Athena is sitting silently on her chair in deep thoughts.

She just saw the crown prince and Sally together in the library the other day. No matter how much she shoves the memory away, she can’t forget how the crown prince stared at Sally with so much curiosity.

‘It hurts…’ She thought. The teacher who was assigned to guide them regarding the activity called Athena’s name. She stood up, slowly went in front, and faced everyone. Her radiance increased as the sunlight hit her and her blue eyes shone like jewels. Everyone was astonished and bewitched by her.

The other thing that they noticed is, she didn’t smile.

She closed her eyes, feel everything, small orbs of light surrounded her like stars in the night sky then her body was engulfed by pure white light. She’s shining like the moon amid daytime.

“Level: Outstanding!” The teacher muttered both shocked and amazed by her. The crowd cheer and the light disappeared.

Sally who’s looking at her is surprised and admired her more. As expected from one of the top students in the academy. Many students were called but no one surpassed Athena, not even Sally herself. However, despite the result…

Athena didn’t feel satisfied and remained to frown until the class ended.

***