Second Life: Mage and Youth - 10: Preparing

From what they have told me, The Academy was able to send news of my disappearance. They claimed that rather than running away, me being kidnapped was more believable since there were witnesses in the area when I was taken.

There were past reports being claimed that certain students were also being taken away from the academy. A total of over 20 students went missing including me. It was said that the academy tried looking for any sort of reason as to why and who decided to do such a terrible case, but out of all the searching that they did, not a single one of the students were able to return. At least not yet anyway…

Knowing the situation and seeing as how I was able to return, my parents quickly sent word of me being back to the academy. They did this to put a call to my return so that I could put some information into the case.

Bringing in a new set of eyes into the case might help them track down the bastards that kidnapped me and the other students.

But what troubles me about this was because of the number of students being kidnapped. The only person I ever encountered was Elira…and other than me and her, there were four others before her and they were sent to be killed by those bastard. I didn’t even know why we were taken, more than anything, we were just kept inside the cell like animals…feeding us the bare minimum to survive.

And as for the other 19 students taken, I don’t have anything to say about it.

It was worrying to know that more were taken away, and yet despite it so, I was one of the lucky ones.

I just hope that in time, the academy will one day resolve this issue.

When I finally got back, I was too weak to even do anything around the house. My arms and legs were very skinny, so during my time at home, I did the bare minimum to help around. Sweeping the grounds, helping with the garden, I did it all…

After a few weeks, I wasn’t so skinny anymore. And during those times, I did what I could to use my talents in magic.

Because of the meditation I’ve done over the course of the months I was trapped inside the cell, I learned that the difference between before and today was that I was now more sensitive to mana.

Being in a fully healthy body, I was able to fully utilize what I learned.

First off was the ability to conjure the elements…

Just by a simple thought, I was able to produce those flames. And the same with my other compatible element, I was able to bend Earth to my will.

With a single motion of my hand, I could move rocks the size of a basketball at a rather easy moment. I could bend dirt into many forms that didn’t bound the shape of my imagination. The simpler the form the faster I could form it.

At one point, I was able to create a small doll made of rocks and dirt to move like a remote controlled action figure.

Because of this, I was able to help out more in the farm that my father owned.

Instead of working all afternoon to plow the fields, all it took was a single hour to finish it. My father appreciated the help and with that, I started to feel less of a burden at my own home.

Still, even with these improvements in my skill, I still felt the doubt inside as the thought of my own failures at the academy lingered in my heart. The first semester of my own failures kept being a burden…because of how bad my grades were, I couldn’t fully look my parents in the eye whenever they tried to question me about how things were in the academy before I was kidnapped.

I don’t know where things were going after today…but if my parents decide that I won’t be returning to the academy, then that’s fine by me…

***

After a few more days passed, a carriage finally arrived at my house. A carriage that had the academy’s logo put on its banner..

And to my guess, it was one of the teachers from the academy…Madam Alicia. My potions and Elixir teacher.

Having greeted her at the front of my own home, she was shocked to find me all well and alive.

At this moment in time, the academy’s year was finally over. It was now summer time and most of the students went home to spend their vacation. If I was one of those students, I would have been a second year by next semester…but because of the incident, I am now a semester behind.

With Madam Alicia visiting my hometown, she came here to hear about my experiences in the case.

I told her everything…everything that I knew…especially about Elira.

I didn’t know her last name, but knowing that she was a merchant’s daughter, it was possible to find the origins of her identity.

It was the only thing I could do to put some rest under her name…after all we both went through, I still feel frustrated that she wasn’t here with me now.

If she only lasted for another month, we both could have survived…

After I told Madam Alicia everything, she bid farewell…and decided to go back to the academy.

She said it herself that the academy might sent word back of the things that they might be able to reimburse me out of my own experience in thanks for the information.

But even with the things I’ve experienced, I don’t feel like it was necessary.

Still, I said my goodbyes and Madam Alicia finally left.

after two weeks later, the academy was able to send my family a box.

“…?” first off when I opened it was the sight of a few books.

All of which contained the materials needed to go through from the first semester all up to the second semester. These books contained every material needed for the first year level.

And along these books was a letter.

A letter written from the academy’s head principal himself.

It was said that because of the experience of my own capture, I was gifted a chance to once again attend the academy starting from the first year. It was stated that I couldn’t move on to the second year because of how my grades and talent were not enough to compensate the level needed to reach a second year’s course.

It was also written that they would compensate the whole year’s worth of tuition for me to attend the academy. Meaning that for the first year, I was free to attend without worrying for the price. They also added that the tuition that my parents weren’t able to upheld from the last year’s second semester would be cleared off.

From reading that last part, I learned that my parents didn’t have the money saved up to pay for the second semester…yet I was able to attend because of the loan that they took from the academy.

Its heart breaking to know about it, but knowing what was now written, I gave these news to my parents.

Hearing that everything was finally settled in the academy, my father couldn’t help but fall to his knees and start crying.

The burden and the shame that he couldn’t carry for being the pillar of the house took all the tolls in his body. Yet after seeing that he didn’t have to worry about my future anymore, the weight on his shoulders were lifted into the air.

Even to my mother, she rejoiced.

They couldn’t let this chance pass.

They simply agreed that I would once again take this chance to start over again.

But once they said it, i felt the burden in my heart weigh even more.

I needed to say it…I needed to say to them that in the first semester of me at the academy, I was a failure…that I couldn’t catch up with the rest.

And when I said it, my family could only look to me with surprised face…

“Its okay…” said my father as he held my shoulder with a soft grip.

“We don’t know what its like to study in the academy, but it must have been hard. Even so, we know you did your best and you didn’t give up.” he said.

“?!”

But I did give up…or at least Thill Cicial did…but I couldn’t say it.

Looking at my father’s expression…the person who raised me and decided to bear the burden of paying for my tuition to attend the academy, despite how poor we were…I couldn’t say to him that his son was weaker than he expected…

The burden of keeping it inside me ruined my sense of soul….

But I kept it inside and sealed it…

Thill failed his parents…but I wont.

I promised myself that I would never go to where Thill fell and failed as a son.

So I took the chance given to me by the academy.

The Academy was set to start again in just under two months. So I had a lot of time to prepare myself over by using the materials the academy gave me to prepare.

This time I wouldn’t fall behind…I would change and I would be better. I made this promise to myself in my past life…and I’m making this promise here. Nothing going to change…

Two months…I have two months left.

The next morning, I did the usual field work with my father.

After half the day, I had enough free time to do my studies, with that said, I couldn’t always do my studies in my home. Instead, I decided to go to a hidden spot in the forest. A spot where Thill used to practice his magic before he attended the academy.

it wasn’t so deep in the forest, but it was deep enough that if ever I practiced doing some work on magic, it wouldn’t bother the village.

When I made my way to the hideout, on my way there…I encountered a person who was a friend of my father…and a brother to my mother.

The Woodsman of the village, Uncle Cole.

“…Hmm, what are you doing in these parts of the woods boy?” asked Cole.

“N-nothing.” I said.

“Hmm, if you’re thinking of going back to that hideout of yours, I’d go against it. I few bears came about and made it their home.”

“Eh?! Are you serious?”

“Yep, you’ve been gone for a long time, so it was obvious that a few animals would make a cave their home.” he said.

And by the context of his words, he was right. The hidden spot I was planning ot go to was a cave. It was perfect place to keep my head out of a dark room. With how this world doesn’t even have electricity yet flowing from power lines, all we relied as a light source was a candle and a torch. So studying in the night wasn’t really a good deal.

“Hmm hey uncle Cole, do you think there’s another place out here that I could use to study?”

“Hmm, I think I do. Follow me.”

For him leading me to a place perfect for studying, we arrived at an open field. A grassy plains fit to be used as a picnic or a camping spot.

“…Look over there. Do you see that tree over there that’s on the center of the field? That’s the perfect place to study. The shade is good and the breeze is relaxing. Its not as far as your hiding spot was, so going back home wouldn’t be an issue.”

“Its perfect!” I said as I was ecstatic.

“The only problem here is that you’re not the only person using that spot.” he said.

“What?”

“The Village Elder’s granddaughter also comes here from time to time. She and her dog comes here to play…so if you don’t mind some other company from time to time, it won’t really be a problem.” he said.

“I guess…it won’t be. Thanks uncle Cole.” I said.

“No problem, just keep working hard. I know you’ve been through a hard time lately, so this is the only thing I can do for you.” he said.

After that, Uncle Cole left to do his business while I went to the shade of the tree.

It was there that I started studying.