The Scepter of Marahuyo

Chapter 019

“This is a new place,” I comment as I look around the cafe. 

The cafe is not the usual loud, raucous hangout that mages frequent. There is no booze being served. Only one or two mages are in the area, where instead of haughty laughter, they are silently reading hardbound books and sipping on their tea.

“Well, you’ve been running away from me for the past few days so I got a surprise from you. But before that, what’s with you these days? Cara seems especially worried.” Olivia says.

“Not much. I’m just confused.”

“About?”

“I want to pursue being a traveling mage,” I whisper and look around the area. “I am planning to practice outside the zone.”

“Oh! I thought it would be about a guy.”

I frown. “I don’t have a guy.”

“Cara says otherwise.”

“She’s been updating you about my life?” I ask. 

To say I'm surprised is putting it lightly. Cara and Olivia had never been close. Rather, they don’t like each other. Olivia hates that mages like Cara act like sluts and Cara dislikes Olivia for being so uptight. 

Olivia nods. “She says you stayed at the inn this weekend. Together with that hunky guy you stole from a noblewoman.”

I open my mouth. “That’s not how it goes!”

“Even Ethan says the same thing.”

“There’s no stealing involved, okay?”

“Then tell me how it went.”

So I told Olivia how I met Aaron at Senyor Pablo’s inn; how I saw him again at the tavern where we celebrated our win against a wakwak; how we spent that same night; and what we did at their inn as I waited for Master Orson. I exclude the part where I got injured due to a paraduno because that will just give her a heart attack.

“And earlier, he came with me back to the Academy because I got injured while we were searching for a Tandayag, those giant wild boars,” I say as I finish my recounting of the events. 

“So he’s just not a hunk but also a sweet guy? And nothing really happened?”

“Why does it feel like you are hoping something really happened? I’ve just met the guy for only over a week!”

“Who knows? Cara seems so certain that you’ll get pregnant because you haven’t gotten the operation.”

“Fine,” I say and take a deep breath. “I will take the operation if ever Aaron and I will get to that, is that reassuring for now?”

Olivia nods. “So the reason why you avoid me is because you think I’ll stop you from training outside the zone?”

Because you’re gonna kill me soon, I think, but instead says, “Because it’s dangerous, I am even afraid and hesitant to do it.”

“As long as you don’t go to the deepest part of the forest, the books say that average mages can survive it.”

“My blessing is not really for combat.”

“And that’s exactly why you’re training right? To be able to be good in combat? So you can be a traveling mage.”

I nod. “Does that mean we can be friends again? Nothing changes? You’re not gonna ask me to stop?”

“I never stopped being your friend, you know. And I won’t stop you as long as you take care of yourself,” she smiles and adds, “And come on, claim the guy!”

I laugh with her. “He’s not a thing to claim. Besides, I don’t think I’m pretty enough for him.”

“My, my, of course you are! What do you think of dressing up for ati-atihan?” she asks. Olivia is referring to the festival of anitos that will kickstart all the independent festivals for each in the coming months.

“We are required to do it. So I don’t really have a choice.”

“No, not that usual get-up. I am talking about making you breathtaking.”

“How would you even be able to do that with an ordinary looking mage?”

“You don’t have to worry about that. As long as you leave it in my capable hands, I can make it.”

“So you’ll dress me up nicely for ati-atihan but how about you? You’re not a mage, you’re not gonna be in the parade that day.”

“Don’t worry about me. What’s important is to make you so stunning that you’ll have no choice but to get that Operation.”

“Shut up!” I say and we both laugh.

It’s always been easy with Olivia. She is a good twenty years old but the age gap did not matter, even before, since we both spend our time on the same things--books.

Suddenly, a waiter comes to our table and sits beside Olivia. He wove his arms around her and says, “So this is the best friend you’ve been talking about?” he asks.

Olivia nods as if embarrassed. I raise my brow. 

“I’m not entirely honest,” Olivia starts. “This is Felix, my beau.”

My laughter stops and I can’t get the right words to say. I scrutinize the man. He’s the same height as Aaron but with shoulder-length, black hair tied on the back. I know who he's trying to copy. Axel. It’s the same hairstyle I saw when I died.

This Felix got an oblong face but other than that, everything about him is good to look at. He’s even more good-looking than Aaron, with his neat appearance, the perfect shape of his nose, thick brows, and thin lips. He’s got a good build as if he is a warrior. He looks like a ladies' man as I remember him to be. This is the same Felix who broke Olivia’s heart after two years of being in a relationship.

I slam the table hard and I hope that Olivia will not hate me for this. 

“I’ve seen you before,” I say but I’m lying. “In the market with someone.”

He withdraws his arm around Olivia and I wonder, how far did they go already? Is this relationship starting or it’s already past that?

“You already know each other?” Olivia asks.

“No,” I say. “I just saw him with a pregnant woman, that’s all.”

I notice the color in Felix’s face loses color. Olivia shifts her attention to him as if waiting for an answer.

“Was it your cousin?” I ask. “She looks a bit like you.”

“Yes, she is.” Felix answers and stands up. “I’ll be back on my shift now.”

Once he’s out of earshot, Olivia exhales. “Was it true?” she asks.

I shake my head. “No. I was lying. I never saw him with a pregnant woman.”

Olivia leans on her chair. “But he doesn’t have a cousin.”

I stay quiet. 

“Just when I thought, I found the one. You see, he’s so sweet and damn--” she drinks her tea and says, “I guess I’m spared. We were planning to do it tomorrow. He says he’ll take responsibility if ever.”

“Want to follow him later to be sure?”

“No. I want to ask him directly.”

“You think he’ll admit it?”

“No. He’ll probably sweet-talk me until I believe in him.”

We look at each other and after a while, she says, “Fine, you win. Let’s follow him later.”

********** 

It takes two hours before he says a quick goodbye to Olivia and finally leaves. We follow him. He lives close to his area of work. There are a couple of places he stops by and buys some items, which look innocent. Like most of the people in Marahuyo, he lives in an apartment in a five-floor building. There is no guard so we are allowed to enter the building until he stops in front of one of the doors.

He looks around and we hide just in time before his eyes pass over us. When he turns the key on, a thin woman comes out. There is a protruding in her belly and she looks tired and spent. She places her arms around Felix’s neck and kisses him on the mouth. That’s when Olivia cannot stand it anymore. She goes out of her hiding place and stands before both Felix and the pregnant woman.

“May I ask how you are going to take responsibility for me when you already have a responsibility?” she asks.

Felix looks visibly shaken. 

“So who is she?”

The woman frowns at Olivia. “I am his wife!” she says and steps between Olivia and her husband. She looks concerned, but if her husband treasures physical appearance more than the inside, then I won’t blame her if she’s uneasy.  

Olivia is kind and pretty, very idealistic too. Her jet-black hair is always loose. She has perfect light brown skin, red lips, a shapely figure, and enchanting eyes. She is a caring person who you can always feel comfortable with but once she’s gone, you’ll look for her presence. 

“Any excuse?” Olivia waits and I hope to all the anitos that her connection with Felix is not as deep yet as the previous timeline.

“I’ll take care of this,” he whispers to his wife and to Olivia, he says, “I don’t have any valid excuse,” he says and closes the door after his wife. 

Olivia frowns, displeased at what he says. She crosses her arms in front of him and says, “I won’t leave until you give me a proper reason.”

“Fine!” he says as he runs his hand through his hair. “I thought you were mage the first time I saw you! And you know what the mage’s reputation is! They just f**k around until they get any position of power either here or abroad! Have you seen my wife? Being pregnant is taking a toll on her body, she has no ability to satisfy my needs!”

“So, you courted me so I can satisfy your carnal needs.”

“Exactly. But you are so proud and proper that months after and you are still keeping yourself from me!”

“Which is a good move! If not, you could’ve gotten what you wanted and then left me wherever you think I am suited for!”

“We can wait for my wife to die. Have you seen her? Her life is getting wasted,” he moves closer to Olivia and winds his arms around her waist. “In a year or two, she’ll die and we can be happy together.”

They didn’t, I thought. I know that Felix had a wife but I didn’t know that she’s frail. I’m not even sure if she’s still alive in the next two years or not.

“How many are there?” Olivia asks as she removes Felix's arms around her. “How many lovers do you have aside from me!?” she screams at him. This is the first time I’ve seen her angry and I want to step between, but I can’t. I know that this is something she should resolve on her own.

“A couple mages,” he answers.

“Figures,” Olivia says. “This is the reason why you courted me even if you can court anyone you’d like.”

“You’re the only one who thinks having a dying wife matters. The mages don’t care about it, as long as they’ll have me at their bed. You should change your perspective too. We can do it now, in my room. My wife’s used to hearing the moans of other women.”

“How dare you disrespect your wife!” Olivia screams. “I can’t believe you are this rotten! You should have been taking care of her! You said she’s dying but all you do is think about your own selfish needs!”

My heart warms for Olivia. I feel proud of her. She should be envious of the wife, but here she is, trying to defend her. 

“You hypocrite, I know you badly want to f**k me too.”

Olivia slaps him and I want to use my magic on him, cut off his limbs maybe, but I stop myself. Mages can’t hurt ordinary people, especially not in retaliation for these type of things. 

“Dream on,” Olivia says. “For all your life, you’ll live in this shallow state. You’re not gonna know love because you don’t know how to give it.”

“I can give it to you in bed,” he alludes.

So I get out of my hiding place, separates the two, and punch Felix in the face. He’s forced back and a tooth falls on the floor. He’s about to look back at me when I give him another punch. His nose breaks.

Being a mage, I am stronger than an average human. We need the strength to kill monsters, so fighting against a human, even if I am a mediocre mage, is nothing to me. I can easily beat the crap out of him if I want to. 

“This conversation has been longer than expected,” I say. I reach for his collar and say, “You dirt, if I ever see your face again, I’ll give you more than two punches. And you will lose not only your tooth, and break not only your nose. So if I were you, you should apologize by now or I’ll really lose my patience,” I say. 

I watch the change in his composure and his attention shifts to Olivia. “I’m sorry. I won’t show myself to you anymore! Please, I’m sorry.”

“You better be,” Olivia answers and turns her back on him.

I follow her and before we climb down the stairs, she says to me, “Thank you.” and we both make our way back to the library. 

To be continued…