Chapter 006
1259 Words
Master Orson pats my head and says, “If you are too anxious about something, how about coming with me next Friday to Pablo’s inn?”
I let go of him. Really, not a day has passed, and there are already two people I hugged. This thing about waking up after my death has been confusing me.
“So? What do you think?” he prods on. “If you go with me, I might also get that free meal, or meals, that Aaron was talking about.”
“Don’t tease me,” I say. “You know I’ll never go there.”
“Why? You said you’ll go.”
“I did, but I didn’t mean to visit too soon.”
“Ah! I never thought that would be your technique, making them wait. Some guys like that, good, good. Is it an Olivia influence?”
I scrunch my eyebrows at him, then remember that I am still close to Olivia as a sixteen-year-old, and Master Orson would often find me in the library as we pored over books together.
“No?” he asks.
“No, I am not even sure why we are having this conversation.”
“Because you are sixteen years old, so i think that I should start already with the s*x education.”
“What the hell?!” I exclaim. “I--”
“Words,” he interrupts.
“Fine.” I say and take a deep breath. “I don’t need your s*x education, okay?”
“If you will not undergo the Operation, you’ll need it.”
This is one of the instances that I hate talking to him. Him, acting like a parent, which he is not, is a pain in the ass. He is one of my teachers, and receiving special treatment from him gains me enemies, him being a Scepter and all.
“I had a bad dream so I am thinking where to get the books to read about it.”
“Bad dream?”
Ugh. Why did I say that!? I was supposed to tell him about my rebirth! Now, he thinks I’m a little kid who’s sad that there is no one to tuck me in at night. Even the image alone disgusts me.
“How bad was it? Dreams often signify your inner fears. But sometimes, it’s your gut instinct warning you of something you didn’t want to accept. Which is it?”
Why did I even think of lying to him! For all the anito’s sake, this old man is like a second father to me. How could I not trust him not to laugh at me?
“I don’t know either. I think I’m just confused.”
“That is why, to clear your mind, let’s go to Pablo’s inn on Friday. It’s a quiet place, you can easily think of your problems there. And most of all, I’m nearby.”
“Aren’t you always on the border every weekend? To fight the monsters?”
“Yes. But since Master Deborah will return, it will only take an hour or less to check.”
“But your one hour always takes more than that.”
“If you miss me and get lonely, Aaron will be there the whole day.”
“Now, you’re teasing again.”
“Nothing will be lost if you give that young man a chance, you know.”
“I don’t know him. He also doesn’t know me enough to like me.”
“If knowing every detail about a person is a requirement to get together with someone, then no one will ever get into a relationship. Really knowing a person will take years, you know.”
“For an old man, you do have liberated opinions.”
“For a young girl, you are not having fun enough.”
“I can’t believe you would be such a bad influence.”
“Having a lover doesn’t always mean a bad influence.”
“And you think that guy will have a positive impact on me?”
“Aaron could be. He’s a nice young man.”
“To me, it sounds like you hate him.”
“How did you arrive at that conclusion?”
“Because you are pushing me to join the Scepter selection. And Scepters don’t take lovers other than the Ruler they protect.”
“Oh, they do have lovers, but the emotional connection should not--Wait, how did you know that?”
“Of course I know about the Scepters and Rulers. It’s taught as part of the curriculum.”
“No, not that, the first sentence.”
I try to remember what I said, then gasp at the realization. Of course! Master Orson only told me that he was pining to send my application for the Selection when I became twenty years old. That will be four years in the future!
“I--” I swallow. How am I going to escape this? Should I tell him the truth? Wait--“So you are really planning to force me into the Scepter selection? I’m only sixteen years old!” I evade.
As if caught doing something terrible, Master Orson smiles. “I’ve been discussing it with Pablo.”
“Why would you discuss it with an outsider?”
“Pablo is not an outsider.”
“To you. But to me, he is!”
“Fine, calm down, okay? That’s why I’m asking you to come with me, to train in the woods.”
“I don’t feel like coming anymore.” I say.
“You will need the training. If you are going to join the Scepter selection, you need real-life experience to improve your blessing.”
I stand up and face him. “I’m not gonna join. That’s final,” I say, remembering the last scenes of my life, especially the look that Olivia gave me as I lay dying at her feet. That’s something I don’t want a repeat of.
“Holly,” he starts. “Being a Scepter will change you in ways you wouldn’t predict. It did for me.”
I’m not even bound to be a Scepter. Once the current Ruler dies, Olivia will come as the new Ruler. If I let him, I will go down the same path. Yes, I saved Axel at the end of my life, but I also want to be more than just his savior.
But what was the name of the Ruler again? Was it Meruem? I don’t remember. “May I ask who won the Ruler selection? Is it Meruem?” I remember the mages talking about him being the best bet.
“It’s his younger brother, Lemuel, who won.”
“Who’s that?”
Is that the same person who won in my past life? I never really knew as I was too preoccupied with my Scepter Selection and Olivia’s Scepter.
“He looks like he’s got a lot of promise. Even more so than her brother. Just didn’t know how Meruem managed to hide him until the actual Selection.”
I heard that Ruler Selection is worse than the Scepter selection. Scepter selection is the most balanced one, mixing both the Swords and the Quill. Sword selection is the most physically taxing. Quill is on the mental side. But for the Ruler, you need to be cunning and have above-average physical traits. It’s the Selection that hits the emotional side. And I’m confident I wouldn’t want to be on that.
To be continued...
- Writer
