#Fact 6: Travis was born on 13 July, which is the same date when Octopath Traveler was released 2 years ago, and the story starts when Travis hits his 6th birthday.

~Cyrus's POV~

"This place seems to be tiny, but I swear you will feel in the comfort.", I said to my small guest while opening him the door.

The boy entered quietly as he looked still exhausted by his time in jail, as he started to discover the place.

Earlier, I managed to convince the prison guard to release him on bail, where we entrust the responsibility to educate him in my person.

It was for me the only legal and pacifist way to free this boy, but it was also common nowadays for scholars to be charged to instruct those accused of small crimes, especially young persons, and to make them well civilized enough.

However, I had to say that I had to do this mostly because I had such a feeling of great sorrow for this poor child.

I was able to share his feelings when he explained everything he had on his heart, and I understood with pain that he must have been through difficult trials during his whole life. No one, especially at such a young age, should face all of that pain alone.

But what really could have made him so antipathic ? What kinds of secrets what was he still hiding from me ?

Anyway, I couldn't let this boy staying in that cell any longer, and he too started to have faith in me and accepted to follow me because he felt that he needed to.

After a few minutes of walking, we both arrived at my home which was located more in the south.

The building was quite old and was part of a block which the habitations were similar, and there was only a single floor. I would monthly pay the rent to the owners of the block. Maybe it doesn't seem like an appropriate home for a talented scholar like me, but I was proud to live here.

After putting my coat on the coat rack, I lighted a candle to illuminate the room: it was quite small with a sober style, but there were a few things that differentiated it from a normal living room.

Indeed, there was a desk on the right, next to the closed window, and that furniture was elegantly sculpted from a dark oak tree. It was my workplace at home, there were also a few books which I haven't stowed yet, even a few ones piled up next to the desk's leg, and a jar containing a few feathers.

But what surprised the boy the most was all the bookshelves which surrounded this room: there were a lot of books which were stowed on the sides, and most of them started to be dusty after so many times without being read.

"Wow... You have so many books... Enough to keep yourself occupied for at least one year...", told me the boys calmly, as his voice looked exhausted.

"Well, thank you ! But you know, I mostly rely on them to do some research from time to time, just for looking for the information I need.", I replied proudly when I looked from some bread and water in the pantry before putting them on the dining table. "Are you hungry ?"

"Yes, thanks."

"You're welcome."

He sat at the other side of the dining table while I offered him a glass of water which he started to drink, alongside a chunk of bread.

The boy immediately started to devour it quickly, as he was starving after he didn't eat anything when he was in jail before I sat at the other side of the table and watched him eating his meal with a small smile.

It wasn't that often that I invite someone at my home, like a colleague like Felix or Odette, as all my works and researches didn't allow scholars to have so much free time. So, I was quite satisfied to welcome someone at home, especially towards a young child, as it seems it was easier to interact with them than I thought it would be.

However, I also invited him to know more about him, so I started to come to the point.

"By the way, little one... You never told me what was your name..."

"I'm Travis. Just Travis.", he answered me while eating.

No last name ?

I remembered that he already told me that he was orphaned and homeless, but didn't he even know his family name ?

I watched him attentively and questioned him quietly.

"So... Have you really been on the streets for so long before your arrestation ?"

"Yeah... I'm used to live alone outside... but I can admit that isn't an easy life at all... I had to find a street where I could be alone, to find some food. But not the one we find on the floor, because it's disgusting the food found on the floor... I also have to get warm clothes so I could avoid freezing to death...", he responded to me while finishing his glass.

Such an awful lifestyle for a 6 years old child to endure... I didn't want to think about how he managed to get used to it...

"And you think you felt obligated to rob at people to fulfill your needs ?", I asked him again.

He just finished his bread before he went silent for a while, probably annoyed by my question.

"...I didn't have any money... I had still once a lot of coins in my bag I was carrying with me, but... someone had stolen it from me.", he replied honestly while putting his elbows on the tables.

"I see... But tell me: haven't you at least tried to go for someone and explain to him your problem and the situation in which you were living in ?"

If I were in the same case as him, I would ask for help from a trustable adult instead of continuing to live in the cold...

"... I-I didn't want to go in an orphanage, and neither being adopted by new parents... Cause I just find weird to be forced to wait in such a place for years before having new parents... and without doing what we really want to do..."

What he said was quite true. It was quite common for orphans to wait years before getting raised by new parents, and I even heard some cases where kids grow up and decide to stay at the orphanage to become a caretaker like those who raised them.

Indeed, despite Travis showed me that he wanted the attention of an adult to care for him and to understand him, he didn't seem to be the kind to accept so easily that we decide his fate and preferred to choose the adults whom he wanted to look up.

Generally, this is never easy for a child to adapt himself to such a new lifestyle full of changes, but I believe they all end up being used for the sooner or the latter.

"Honestly, I don't see bad of being raised in an orphanage or a church. Indeed, they are generally directed by a group of nice clerics who know well how to take care of homeless children and help them rebuild their life. It's part of their duty to make sure that a lost kid has to be on the right path leading to the light...", I explained him wisely.

"..."

He sighed calmly as an answer, as he probably didn't enjoy to listen about that talk of the orphanage and neither want to be adopted.

I asked him again.

"I apologize to ask you this, but can you tell me what happened to your..."

"I don't know.", he interrupted me calmly before he replied. "All I know is that they are in heaven..."

I think I shouldn't have asked him about that hurtful subject. Indeed, I already knew the answer and it shocked me.

Does he barely remember anything about his biological parents ?

It hurt me to think about this. Travis's life was so miserable and hard that all his memories about his family already faded away...

Another thing: I couldn't still understand what was his true motivations since he was in the streets.

"But tell me, what did you wanted to do, when you were homeless ?", I asked him.

"I wanted to explore the world."

"To explore the world ? On your own ?"

"Yeah... That dream helped me to forget a little about the hard life I was enduring... Though, after a while, I think that I've found out that achieving our dream was never as easy as we might believe...", he looked down, as he was quite upset.

I shared his bad feelings as well.

Sometimes, it was natural for a person suffering from depression, to dream to accomplish something in his life for he could manage to get through that pain.

Indeed, his dream looked to be really enjoyable to try accomplishing: life is always short for a human being, so it was always important for us to take the opportunity to make incredible things, such as discovering new areas or becoming one of the best sword-fighter of the realm.

It was also common for a young child to dream of exploring the world and its surroundings, to imagine how much it was wide and perhaps to discover unseen places before.

However, it looked like he gave up on his dream after all the awful events he must have faced, and for the first time in his life, he experienced how hard life could be and how much it would make him doubt his convictions...

I answered him calmly while drinking a glass of water.

"Mmh... What you pretend is sadly true, nowadays... For how long have you been alone in that city ?"

"For 4 days... But I've already made a lot of traveling, recently..."

"!!...", I flinched out of surprise when I asked him. "You... you have already traveled alone ?! Without being accompanied ?!"

"Yes, sometimes... But you're quite right to feel bad for me... After all, I'm just a kid and not a big person...", he answered me quietly as he understood my worrying.

I couldn't believe what he told me: was he traveling on his own since his parents have passed away ?! Have he already traveled miles and miles with his short legs all alone ?!

Seriously, how many risks this boy have taken before we met ?!

Though, I have still no clear idea about how much he was organized, as he told me that he had a bag of leaves before someone stole him, and how far has he traveled since he was orphaned. Indeed, I have such a feeling this boy was much more mysterious than I believed...

Once again, he seemed aware that he wasn't supposed to experience all these things at his age, but I reassured him.

"Oh... It's not only because of your age, Travis... Even if it were for a middle-aged person who is well experienced and skilled enough to make such travel, I would be still worried about what kind of risks could cross its road... Though, I believe that your young age is such a factor of my mood of worrying towards you..."

"I suppose you're right... Sorry, anyway, to make you worry for me..."

"No, it's alright... You don't need to apologize for this..."

The young boy sighed as he felt still upset after everything he has been through during his whole life.

Honestly, that wasn't still uncommon in the realm, to see children living in the cold of outside and stealing crusts for bread for a single meal. But that boy... he was different.

I could clearly feel all the misfortune that remained inside him and understand his suffering more than anyone. For me, it was enough to see him and listen to that boy for being aware that his lifestyle wasn't normal at all. But the worse is that he could have lost faith to people who could reach out for him, who could get him out of this miserable life.

So the truth is that if Travis has reached such awful mental stress, either no one really cared for him, either during all this time, he wasn't able to express himself his true emotions...

Travis then watched at me and asked me curiously in a slightly more positive tone.

"Else, what it's like to be a scholar ? I've heard that you were very famous in that city."

"Thank you to have asked me this question !", I answered happily, changing brutally the discussion's atmosphere.

Honestly, I was glad to hear that despite his bad mood, he was interested to know more about my profession while trying to forget about his bad feelings. Also, I would always feel so excited and proud each time someone asks me about my job and how I feel about these big responsibilities.

Of course, the patience was killing me to explain to him.

"For me, it is such a remarkable and honorable profession that I purse, but it is also an astonishing and thrilling mission that we give me the responsibility. My work consists of research in every domain: History, Science, Astrology, and more. This is for me such a true passion to look for the slightest detail and to study it by recensing every information concerning them. Indeed, I like to write thesis again, again and again, to make sure the book gathering all the research cumulated by our community will be kept in safety in the archives, but also to share our knowledge to the world.", I explained proudly, like how I was telling a lesson to my students in class by putting my heart in it, with a smile adorning on my lips. "Also, some scholars, like me, are also giving lessons to students at the Royal Academy where I work."

"Oh... Just like in a school ?", asked Travis, looking at me while being interested to listen to the rest.

"Of course... But the Royal Academy is a very special one: this institution is considered to be the best place to start doing very prestigious studies. Furthermore, this location is also where our community is organizing a meeting between scholars about a common subject or for sharing all of our research. This place is so prestigious that a lot of nobles are making their studies... including members of the Royal Family."

"Oh, yeah. I've almost forgotten the King was living here, in Atlasdam !", added calmly Travis with a small smile.

"Ha ha ha ! Do you know that I'm also in charge of giving lessons to his Majesty's daughter ?"

"Do you mean... you're even teaching things at the princess ?!", he shouted, quite surprised when I nodded to him and he replied. "You're so lucky..."

"I must say that it represents such a great responsibility to educate the princess Mary, as she is the rightful heir of the throne. As a consequence, it's more than necessary that a high-ranking person like her Highness would require to take very particular studies, especially special lessons about the History of our Country. Indeed, this is for the sake to make her a good ruler and to serve better her people in the future.", I explained to him.

Strangely, I started to notice in Travis something that I wasn't able to perceive earlier: that boy was really driven by an intense curiosity, I could clearly see that gift inside him.

Seriously, I've never seen that in any other person. When I observed him listening to my explanations, asking more questions, and sharing me his reaction, I could see in him such a unique will to learn more about many things, but that didn't only end here.

In fact, now I understood why he was so interested to travel through the realm: he wanted absolutely to discover all the wonderful secrets well hidden on this planet, and he was burning of impatience to witness all these wonderful places by himself.

I've never seen such a gift in anyone, especially from a young child who's normally expected to grow up again and to experience many things again before to reach the age where we start making our own decisions...

That boy was smarter than the majority of children of his age, as he has already built his own opinion about himself and the universe that surrounded him. But perhaps he wasn't very aware of the full potential of his talents yet...

"I would have never known that even princesses had to go to school as well.", he replied innocently.

I chuckled at his remark before I answered him.

"Everyone needs to get some education for having a cultivated and well-informed mind. But tell me, Travis: if you were living without a permanent residence, you must have not gotten an education from an educational institution. Am I wrong ?"

I looked at him with concern, as I started to have some doubts.

He frowned slightly.

"No... I know it might be compulsory, but I was too preoccupied with a lot of things that I never had the time to go to a school one day... So, for me, finding food, money, and clothes was more important than doing some kind of homework or learning maths...", he explained to me in a low tone before he stared at me curiously. "Though, if I have well understood what you told to the guard earlier, you're now my school teacher, right ?... So, should I have to go to school tomorrow for the first time ?"

"Er... Not really. The re-education I've spoken about is a different concept of teaching than you think. And another detail: I won't take any class tomorrow and the day following."

"But why ? Is the princess Mary sick ?"

I laughed quietly at his answer before I corrected him.

"Not at all ! I won't have class tomorrow simply because... we will be on weekend."

"Ah yeah... I've forgot that there was no school during that time...", said Travis with embarrassment.

Despite I could see that he didn't have the attention of going to school before, it seems that Travis wasn't really bothered to finally go in class for the first time and was ready to try, like he already accepted the deal I made with the guard.

However, there was still something I needed to inform him.

"Though... Making you as my student was the most credible way to free you, and you have to know that it's now my responsibility to look after you and your education, as well as to help you in your social integration.", I explained him quietly while he looked slightly confused by what I tried to tell him. "If you don't understand, it's when we assist a criminal, who was done serving his sentence, in his evolution to a state where his exchange with the social world is considered to be satisfying."

"Well... If I have well understood... it helps bad guys who have been in jail to become good guys ?"

"Somehow.", I nodded before I continued. "Though, that doesn't mean I made this request as a pretext to help you. As you told me sooner, you have received no education, right ?"

"Yes... I just know how to read, to count... and also some other things.", told me the boy while he looked thoughtful.

Now, I see.

Thankfully he knew how to read and count, as these basic notions were very essential for a young child to survive alone in the cold streets.

But I still believe it was such a miracle that he was able to live like a tramp for so long, and I was pretty sure this awful lifestyle gave him a lot of experience in his life.

However, no matter how much experience he has acquired during his poor lifestyle, I was very confident that his life would be much better if he was well educated in a school building, between very good hands from trustful tutors.

Indeed, I wanted to show him how much I wanted to help him by doing so.

"Well, I insist a lot on the fact that receiving a good and cultivated education will help you solve your problem. As a scholar with 10 years of experience, I can tell you that a person with a well-cultivated mind could think more clearly and quickly, with fewer risks to find himself in a state of stress, which one of its main factors is the ignorance.", I explained him with a smile like I was giving a lecture as I continued. "To tell the truth, no matter how smart you are, it's scientifically impossible to know everything. But if you find the solution to a problem, it is well possible to think more logically and using the knowledge you have acquired to resolve it."

"Do you really believe... I have to find a way how to think better, so I could fix my problems easier ?"

I put my hand on one of his shoulders.

"You got that right, Travis. Though I'm well aware of the difficulty of the task I'm asking you, so I will help you to do so.", I promised him.

"...", the boy was thinking for a while before he spoke quietly. "After all... maybe it's not a bad idea... and maybe I should have thought about it earlier... Out of curiosity: what kind of things did you teach back at the palace ?"

My lips formed a smile as I was glad that he asked me this question.

"Oh... Interested in a spot of learning, are we ? Then how about I give you a lesson ?"

"Err..."

"Indeed, it's been a while I haven't done an evening class ! History.", I said in a high voice, surprising Travis by standing up from my chair as I started my lesson. "Let's begin there. Specifically, with the founding of the mighty Kingdom of Hornburg..."

I started to narrate him my History lesson about the foundation of Hornburg which was also one of my favorite historical periods, and I knew it so much I almost didn't need a book in hand to lecture. Indeed, I already started the lesson for a few days with Therese and Princess Mary, but I was starting back from the beginning of the chapter for Travis.

I continued to explain for minutes, without stopping, as Travis tried as much as he could to listen to me, but I noticed he got some trouble to follow.

"And there followed... and also... in short..."

Seriously, I really enjoyed reading that lesson.

It was so rich and so interesting to learn that I would be very surprised if I met someone who never heard about it. Each time I shared it at my students, I would be so passionated like I felt like I witnessed these amazing events that I couldn't prevent myself to stop.

I would always narrate it out loud to anyone interested in a lot of passion, as I felt like a great theater actor a front of an admirable audience which is my class. It was truly stronger than me !

"But the king, Edbert if you recall, had his own worries. You see.", I finally finished my lesson when I looked at Travis.

Strangely, the boy looked slightly confused, stunned by my lesson, as he looked pretty tired while trying to be focused.

I took a great breath before I asked him with a smile.

"So, Travis ?... What's your verdict after your first story lesson ?"

"...Ah !...", the boy took his time before answering me. "Well... I haven't clearly understood everything, honestly... But I think it was pretty interesting ! Really, you are such a good storyteller, professor !"

I liked his compliment.

"Thankenee ! I must admit I have sometimes the art to make living lessons !", I answered proudly.

Travis chuckled at my answer, a small smile forming on his lips despite all the pain he felt today.

Honestly, it was incredible that he was pretty interested in the story of the realm, although that subject was in reality on another level for children. Even though he may not have been fully concentrated during my lesson, he did his best to listen to my story no matter how new it was for him.

"Hmm..."

The boy stretched his arms as I noticed his eyelids were heavy.

"Though, I guess you seem very tired after you spent 4 days outside... Do you want to take a sleep ?", I proposed him calmly.

"Yes, please. Thank you.", he yawned while standing up from his chair.

I stood up as well and led him towards my bedroom by opening the door.

"Just go to sleep in my room. The lack of sleep can entertain a lack of concentration. As for me, I will continue to study here for a while."

"Alright. Good night, professor."

"Rest well, Travis..."

He waved at me before he slowly walked towards the bed.

The bedroom, which the walls were an off-white color, looked quite small for a renowned man like I was, but it was big enough to contain an elegant bed made of wooden oak. The sheets were already folded and a white pillow was just waiting for a head to rest on it, as it was 3 times bigger than his own.

A small closed window was present above the bed, and the ceiling was supported by a few large and resisting wooden planks. We can also notice the bedside table where were laid a candle and a few books which I began to usually read again before sleeping.

As soon as he entered inside the room, Travis snuck quietly inside the bed and pulled the warm sheet above him before resting his head on the soft pillow.

He didn't close his eyes immediately, but I could see how much he was tired, especially for such a young child. Indeed, he looked so peaceful, but also so exhausted after feeling so many emotions today, and still quite unhappy after all the trauma he endured...

I kept watching at him, as it didn't matter at all that he was sleeping in my own bed, and that I will arrange another thinner mattress to lie on the ground when I will get some rest later.

I found him already so relaxed in my bed that I have a bad feeling that he hadn't experienced such a comfort every night. Honestly, I couldn't stop to imagine everything he must have endured when he was wandering in the dark streets.

The poor boy... Alone outside at sleeping with the alley cats... Without even receiving a proper education... No child should live in such conditions !...

I felt really shocked. How could he have been alone in that awful lifestyle during all this time ?! To such a point that he even saw someone dying in front of his eyes ?!

By the way, who was this famous person who died a front of him ? Could it be simply his own parents ? That would be quite logical, but I have to remember that he told me he has barely any memories of them...

If I have no idea about his family's name or some description of his parents' faces, it will be very hard to find his origins...

Anyway, during all this time, he was all alone...

Outside...

Unsure where to go and what decision to take...

All that misery until I managed to find him and to get him out of that miserable life... just like I have been saved from a similar one and was found by...

!... May it could be a simple coincidence ?... Or did each time I see him... I see... like a mirror of myself in my youth ?...

Right now, I couldn't stop comparing myself with that young boy.

Me too, even if my memories were still very vague, I reminded 15 years ago when I was alone...

Trying to find my way in the large city of Atlasdam which was totally new to me, and I was looking for its Academy on my own...

All I knew was my complete name, Cyrus Albright, and that I was already passionate to learn knowledge. But unlike Travis, I was directly looking for someone to help me, and that "someone" found me...

And that was how this person helped me to become the brilliant scholar I was today.

Honestly, I didn't have any idea about how I could really help this child, like how we helped me as a teenager. Indeed, I had never taught lessons to any children around Travis's age, but only to young adult students. To tell the truth, taking care of a child was one of the only knowledge I have never learned...

So, I watched myself in a mirror when I finally managed to see her in my imagination.

What would you do... professor Milestones ?

I needed to find a proper way to make sure all of Travis's problems will be fixed and after saving him from these cold streets, I have to save him from his depression.

What I know about it is that he is constantly blaming himself for creating problems for anyone, which explained why he preferred to venture alone outside, and how he started to be so overwhelmed by shame and despair.

However, I didn't believe it was only linked to his hard lifestyle: there were still a lot of uncertainties about his past and where did he get these lightning powers. In reality, I even have a conviction that he may have also tried to make some research on his own about his powers and he could have very well used them several times.

Without doubting that he would be unable to do his own researches about the power living inside him, perhaps he wasn't seeking at the right place and that he needed someone to guide him, and that "someone" has to be... me.

I was most useful to find the best way to seek knowledge and to study it until I manage to find the truth, but it was my passion to do that amazing work.

Yes, I even still remembered these famous words, the ones she told me...

Being passionate for something you like can help you accomplish incredible things, no matter what it is...

Hearing these words again in my head gave me such motivation. Indeed, I liked to seek for knowledge and that was the best way I could do to help someone...

So, I have to use my passion for seeking knowledge to help that boy.

Well, I believe it's time to get back to work.

I watched again at Travis and noticed he has finally fallen asleep.

Now, I could start to get to work and to look for useful information to help me find out about his powers.

So, I checked carefully at my bookshelves and looked for a particular book.

I might not have any idea right now about how he got these blue lightning powers, but there might be a chance there should be an existing book showing examples of ancient magic, and perhaps it would speak about his powers or something close to them...

Where it is stowed ?... Ah ! There it is !

I carefully took a large book from the shelve, and blew on it to remove a few specks of dust which was hiding the cover:

Universal encyclopedia of magic arts

What makes that book so unique is that it was well known by the scholar community in Atlasdam. Effectively, it was a book that compiled most of the knowledge about the magic spells, like the story behind some particular ones or the diverse elemental magic we could summon, such as Ice, Fire, or Lightning.

I had also a book that gathered another more complex spells, but this one really showed the basis to learn about magic and their various spells we could summon after a lot of practice.

It was the ideal book that we could use as a source to create our lessons and to teach how to create magic to scholar apprentices. Indeed, learning magical arts was not only useful for scholars but also advised to help them in their work.

For example, we could use these elemental spells as tools for our research, and also enchanting a secret room to protect it from any threat or other magical spells.

But sometimes, we have to travel through the country, and we are also taught how to use magic to defend ourselves from any brigands or ferocious creatures wandering in the dangerous roads of Orsterra. I also remembered that in the old times, a group of powerful warriors who mastered the magical arts was trained to protect the knowledge of our worlds and to defend it from any evil organizations.

However, because these evil groups have mostly disappeared with time, we could only hear about them in books today.

Though, it was still a pretty useful book to gather any single detail about all kinds of spells per element and the manner of how to use them without risking to hurt anyone.

Thanks to that book, we mostly taught at scholar apprentices how to master spells of fire, ice, and lightning. It was such a passionating lesson, but also a very hard one because it was necessary to have well learned the theoretical lessons, to understand the ancient foreign dialects and we needed to be very focused while we practiced a lot.

It was also possible for some students to specialize themselves more in an element than the others, while I haven't really chosen one in particular. I could even remind that I started to practice magic since my 16th anniversary, and now, I knew such a large panel of spells that I couldn't count, which was very useful for my research or simply study magic itself.

Indeed, there were so many varieties of magic that existed and evolved for centuries, where people keep creating new spells from old ones and to make discoveries, that we could even say that magic was still evolving nowadays.

All of these possibilities might be limitless, but for now, I still wondered how Travis has managed to possess such lightning powers... Was it an innate power, or has he been a victim of a cursed magic ?

And what was that kind of lightning power, exactly ? It wasn't the same usual yellow color that would be any of all known lightning spells at all. Furthermore, I even found out that the color wasn't the only difference and that there could be more surprises residing in that strange alternative magic...

But still, I know I might always seek for any coincidences, but perhaps I should also be a little concerned about that famous sea blue color, blue like the Sacred Flame and blue like the Aisenma symptoms, and that was rather strange to me.

Nothing was sure, but I was very concerned for the boy, anyway. He might be cleverer than most kids and knew well how to survive, but I have to make sure he wouldn't suffer as much as he did in his old life.

To sum up, if I wanted to know the truth about him, I needed to find some clues inside that book.

Indeed, it was the most recent collection I could ever possess, as these books were only dating back 15 years !

So, I opened the book and checked at the summary.

Then, I turned carefully the dusty hundreds pages until I noticed a new subtitle.

Part IV: Subtleties of the lightning spells

That must be where I needed to start seeking for the information I needed.

I continued to turn the page, again and again, chapter by chapter, until I finally stopped to a new page which we could read:

Chapter VII: The variety of lightning spells

That part of the volume would explain the different kinds of lighting spells we could create and their variations. It also included strict and long instructions showing to proceed with a few illustrations representing the expected effects, but also a few notes explaining the risks that could create some dangerous spells if we are not careful enough.

Let's see, now...

I started to read attentively the lines written by an old black ink, as I was now very focused on the book reading on the dining table. I also kept the notes I've found from Felix's work earlier in case I could compare some suspicious spells.

While reading, I was also passionated by all that knowledge we were able to gather in that large book for a very long time. Of course, I already knew what looked like the containing of that book, but it was such a pleasure to discover it again for my work, although that wasn't really my work what I was doing...

Anyway, I continued to read for several minutes, without missing any pages speaking about particular spells and their effects.

How to electrify an object...

The basis to contain electricity in an artifact...

Method for materializing an object in lightning...

However, despite my effort, none of the spells which were shown in that chapter helped me.

Nothing related to a blue lightning, for now...

I guess that won't be easy at all to find the truth, but I was very used to find myself in such a situation and I wasn't ready to give up.

However, if ever this book didn't really show what I was really seeking, I guess I will have to find another book that could perhaps speak about Travis's powers. I heard that the Royal Library will still reopen tomorrow despite the incident.

So, I decided to turn the pages backward this time, as I looked for a previous chapter and managed to find it.

Chapter II: History of the lightning magic arts

This chapter which could also be found for the other parts showing the other elements was a long recite of around 20 pages which were telling the origins of all kinds of spells of lightning. It included notably the stories of how were found the different sources of lightning magic according to the point of view of many witnesses which were as old as were the old times and also translated in many languages as possible. Indeed, that chapter also showed an explanation of the first observations made about lightning in generals and how the first Men were able to master it and to create the very first spells of magic. Sadly, these details were still too vague because of the lack of knowledge of the old Times.

If I couldn't find any spells related to blue lightning, perhaps that chapter could hardly contain some elements about a kind of strange lightning magic and give me some clues about Travis's magic.

So, I started to read it carefully, while being more focused as texts were longer and may contain more useful elements than in chapter 7.

Interesting...

Reading the story of all these amazing spells was fascinating to me. As I was very passionate about the story of our world, this chapter was able to make me very pleased.

The writing style nailed matches perfectly with the astonishing stories which were told, so astonishing that it would be hard for most of the community to believe these writings.

One of these stories was telling an old but well-known legend: there was a city of gold which prospered in an unknown place, with so many gold bars as far as the eye could see. All treasure hunters who were motivated by greed tried desperately to find that mysterious city, but only one person was able to find it by simple hazard, and it was a wizard.

This wizard, whose goal was to find any forms of magic, lost himself during a storm, so he found himself in that city of gold. But when he reached that place, there was still the storm and the clouds were menacingly filled with many bolts of lightning. And suddenly... a violent thunder stroke the city of gold.

But that thunder was strangely particular: as long as the sky was stormy, the thunders kept electrocuting the entire city of gold continuously, and tempting to take a single gold bar could lead to an awful fate...

However, the scholar wasn't very interested in precious stones, and he instead carefully approached the lightning and extended his hands while focusing himself. Then, thunders started to electrocute him for hours, long hours... until the storm was gone.

When he woke up, the famous scholars discovered that he was now able to create sparks from his hands: he uncovered the secret of the lightning magical arts !

At the end of his journey, he enhanced his lightning spells and taught all of his knowledge to the next generations of scholars.

Though it was only a legend, and there were several versions of the stories told differently, but it was such a thrilling story to tell, and I believe the stories told in chapter 2 of the parts involving other elements would be as thrilling as well !

Anyway, I wasn't only reading that book by pleasure, as I have a mission to accomplish if I wanted to save that boy from his endless problems.

Right now, I didn't have any will to close the book and to take a rest, as it was totally contrary to my principles. Actually, there was someone who needed my help and there was still a chance I could help him now. I wasn't able to help my friend Felix in time, and I wouldn't want to face myself if I repeated the same mistake with that young boy.

Even if it could take me the whole night, I won't close that book as long as I haven't found any useful pieces of information.

~Travis's POV~

"Waaaaahhh !..."

It's so good to sleep in a real bed !...

I calmly woke up from my bed, or rather from the bed which I was borrowing.

It's been a few days since I haven't slept in a real bed instead of an uncomfy haystack or inside a wardrobe. But even though I started to have a liking to sleep inside one, I was still wondering if I still really deserved this after everything I've done.

Anyway, I wasn't expecting I would meet that famous professor Albright so soon even though I didn't make any effort to look for him since I arrived in that city. I heard that famous people like actors or singers in the real world didn't want to be always seen by fans or journalists and preferred to stay discreet. But this time, it was he who came to me himself...

I have to say that he was very nice to me even though I didn't want his company in the first place. He knew what I was feeling and he wanted to help me as the others did...

In the first place, I just wanted to refuse his help because I didn't want anything bad to happen to him because of the misfortune I would bring to others... However, I was also sick to always think I would create problems to my surroundings, but I never worried about myself more than the others.

Honestly, this was MY problem all this time. Feeling worried for people who got hurt was hurting me too, and I never wanted to find a way to not worry for others anymore, as it was completely impossible to not be worried.

But with him, I have the feeling I could get an answer to my question. That professor seemed to always have the answer to my question, and he was explaining so well, if not fully understandable, that he was like a living book that answered at everything.

I couldn't still believe he was able to make me change my mind when I was in jail, but perhaps I too I was responsible to not notice that problem I had since the beginning, which was the biggest one of all the problems I ever had...

So, I just believed I needed to listen again to that man's advice: I didn't want to feel bad anymore each time I make a decision, and I would like to look on the bright side for once. For now, he was the only one who could do that...

That's why I decided to follow him, despite I just met him even if he was very nice, just to finally get the answer to my question:

What is my place in this world ?

However, I was also wondering about why he wanted to see me in jail, and what was the "investigation" he was talking about...

He told me that he heard about that blue lightning I made, and perhaps he was interested in my powers... but why ? He didn't truly want to explain to me last night...

Seriously, I couldn't imagine any reason for why he wanted to see a street thief like me in jail for his investigation. Was he just interested in my superpowers ? Or was it something more important ?...

I have no idea, but I was sure he wanted to help me fix my problems in addition to send me to a school very soon. We have even discussed a lot about this last night.

Anyway, I wasn't finally able to lay low in that city.

I stretched my arms again as I noticed I was alone in the bedroom, but there was a mattress on the ground.

Perhaps the professor Albright already woke earlier while I was still sleeping. I heard some people would wake up very early to work...

So, I calmly left the bed and peered at the door I opened.

"Good morning, Professor... Professor ?"

I saw the professor who was still sitting at the dining table, but he was now lying down on it, resting his head over his arms like a pillow while a large book near him was wide open.

It surprised me.

Is he... sleeping ?!

No !!!... He couldn't have worked during the entire night !!!

I crossed the room quickly and went towards him, as he was sleeping calmly like a baby.

The poor man... That shouldn't be easy at all to work at such an hour... Seriously, the life of an adult was much tougher than I could imagine...

What is that ?...

I checked curiously the book he was reading which was left at a certain page.

It looked like at an old grimoire where the pages were quite yellowed and there were a lot of sentences written in a surprisingly beautiful elegance.

I also decided to check the cover behind:

Universal encyclopedia of magic arts

Wow... Is it a true book of spells ? Like in these fairytales stories with wizards and all ?

Perhaps that book could even show how to learn magic ! Now, I understood why professor Albright spent the whole night reading it !

By curiosity, I decided to check the page where the professor left without waking him up.

It was strangely different from a normal magic book because this page was well detailed and written like it was a novel, that book that didn't have any picture.

Though, I still wanted to read a part.

The electrization phenomenon by friction results from a transfer of electrons from one body to another. For example, when we rub an electrically conductive object against another one, it is theoretically possible that the electrified body could be provided with electric charges...

It's so well detailed... How could we learn that by heart ?

I didn't have any idea about all these tough words like "electrons" or conductive, especially because I wasn't used to learning science as I never went to school before.

But if I have well understood, if we rub a thing with electricity on it against something else, we could give it electricity too or something like that...

Wait...

Talking about electricity, was he reading more about magic electricity just to know more about my powers ?!

Has he really read so many pages just for me ?!

I felt still bad for how tired he must be... but honestly, I felt reassured and grateful towards him about how much he cared about me and how much effort he used while trying to fix my problems...

I wished to have felt that as well when the others helped me too...

I decided to calmly wake him up.

"Professor... Professor..."

"Hmm... Ha !"

He suddenly woke up, surprising me a lot, as he was perhaps having a good dream.

After regaining his senses as soon as he was awakened, he yawned quietly while hiding his mouth and noticed me.

"...g-good morning, Travis.", he saluted me with a smile.

"M-morning, professor !!..."

I looked at him with concern, surprised by the manner how he woke up.

"It seems you look quite worried for me. Is something wrong ?"

"Y-you really couldn't have studied during the entire night ?!!", I exclaimed worryingly.

He calmly chuckled when he nicely ruffled my hair while answering me.

"No, no. Do not worry. I managed to take some sleep a few hours after you fell asleep, I remember it was around 2 hours after the matins. Then, I might have gone back in my studies 4 hours later, I believe."

He slept for only 4 hours ?!

How could he be able to spend more time to work than sleeping ?

That's not human at all !

I was still really surprised by the habitude he would take, and I could still see his eyes being so tired...

Garrgle !!

I heard my stomach grumbling, as the chunk of bread from last night wasn't enough to fulfill it when the professor stood up and spoke.

"Oh !... My apologize ! I forgot to prepare you the breakfast ! I'll take care of it right now."

"Th-thank you, professor...", I answered him quietly.

He cleared some space on the table where he was working and proposed to me a few treats which I wasn't used to eat.

There was a piece of gingerbread, which was more cheesy and mellow than normal bread and served alongside some slices of bacon. I never knew that we could even eat meat during breakfast, but it was quite good. This was accompanied by a glass of water.

Professor Albright was also taking the same thing, but he has a cup of hot tea instead of a glass of water that he took his time to drink.

While we were eating, I noticed he was still sometimes checking the page where he left in his book, working even during his breakfast.

"Aren't you too tired, professor, after working so hard during the night ?", I asked him calmly.

He smiled at me.

"I thank you to worry about my health, Travis. But you know, I'm used to waking up sooner for my work. Like say the famous expression: "the early bird catches the worm."", he yawned again before he showed me the page he has been reading."Look, I managed to find some information about your power's properties. Tell me, did you somehow rubbed your body against a wall ?"

"Err... Yes, kinda. I remember that my back hit the wall when I fell in that city, and my powers were activated at this moment..."

"When you fell, you say ?"

I nodded at him.

I still remembered where the vortex led me and where exactly I fell in that city. And the landing wasn't painless, as usual...

"Interesting. That just confirmed my theory.", said the professor while thinking about something.

"Your theory ? What do you mean ?"

"Well, this is based on this phenomenon of electrization of corpses. When your body and the wall have entered in contact, the electricity you must have unleashed also entered in contact with the strong structure. Scientifically, your body must have accidentally given some magnetic properties, which is proved by the attraction of metallic objects, such as keys.", he explained to me calmly as I tried to listen while understanding.

"Oh... I didn't know I had the power to make things attracting metallic objects ! Though, it has already happened a few times that I attract a few ones myself !"

"Well, I see now... However, there is a contradiction bothering me: theoretically, this is scientifically impossible for a basic structure of bricks to gain this phenomenon, although it would be certainly possible if it was made of a metallic structure instead...", he told me while reading again the same page with concern.

"So... how it is possible ?"

He smiled as soon as I asked him the question.

"I have a theory about this: there is a possibility that, in comparison of natural lightning or electricity created by magic, your powers might have more advanced properties out of the ordinary."

"More advanced; you say ?...", I replied, feeling very curious about my superpowers as I wanted to know more. "So, that means my superpowers are stronger than the thunder which fell from the sky ?"

"Well... your magic has more particularities which make it more unique and sophisticated than natural thunder. Indeed, the lightning spells used by most scholars practitioners look weaker than the lightning you would summon."

"Perhaps it's because they are blue..."

"This is indeed an interesting question: why are they blue and no yellow ?", he asked me quietly, a smile adorning his face as he stared at me patiently.

It seems that he wanted to ask me a question and that I had to answer it instead of the opposite. Maybe he just wanted to know what I thought about it...

"I don't know. Perhaps there are also red lightning, green lightning, or even brown lightning if there are blue flames."

He chuckled calmly when he explained.

"Though, there is no clue of their existence, as this is the same case for lightning colored by a sky blue. This volume didn't have sadly any knowledge about that particular magic, and it's up to scholars like me to hunt for any information which is actually unofficially known."

He yawned again, as he was quite proud of his work and the research he attempted in that book while I was impressed.

"Wow, that must be a lot of work for you... But if you say you really like it, so now I understand why you often take more time to work than to sleep."

"You're right, I must admit I would sometimes prioritize work instead of my other passions. Once I get to thinking about a thing, I oft become lost to the world. There was a time when I was so engrossed in a book, I failed to notice that my neighbor's house was on fire."

"Mmh... that's must be very tough to be so focused in a book as a scholar...", I answered him, enjoying his motivation but also worrying for his health, as I decided to advise him in return. "But you still look pretty exhausted, professor. I think you should sleep a little more and think more about your health than your work. Last night, you even said that the lack of sleep can entertain a lack of concentration."

"Quite true, Travis, quite true... Aaaahh...", he yawned again before he added. "I shall endeavor to be more vigilant on my sleep hours."

"If that could help you, perhaps you should try to write at which hour you start to work, you eat, and you sleep. You said that it was impossible to remember everything, so maybe that could help you while you learn everything you want.", I advised once again while smiling calmly at him.

After all the useful advice he gave me to help me feel better, I wanted to help him in return so he could feel better while working as well.

This man looked to have worked during his entire life, and I wanted him to know that he couldn't do his entire time to do his job. Indeed, if he was less tired, he could help him better.

I just had a nice idea in mind when I checked at his paperwork next to the large book and asked him.

"Can you give me some papers and also the feather you use to write ?"

"Oh, you mean the quill ?"

I nodded at him.

I might not be used to do that kind of thing by myself, but I remembered in my old life to have seen a group of teenagers heading to school, and they all had a kind of carnet that they called "schedule". They would also ask to themselves something like "at which hour class is over ?!" before reading their useful schedule.

So, I wanted to make a schedule as well for the professor but not only for his work, but also for his resting times !

All he has to do is to tell me his working hours and I was just gonna make sure he didn't work too much outside them.

So, he gave me a simple piece of old paper, alongside the quill and a sort of pot filled with ink.

"Here, with the inkwell."

"Thanks."

I looked at the paper again, as I tried to imagine how the professor's schedule would be like.

"Thank you, too, Travis. I must admit that having a better organization of my work schedule must be useful for my research.", he answered me proudly, enjoying my help when he added. "Though, I noticed that you didn't seem familiar with the quill. Can you show me how you write ?"

"How... how I write ?", I answered nervously, as I didn't clearly understand his question but I finally replied. "Okay..."

I watched attentively at the piece of papers above my eyes, but before I soak the quill in the inkwell to write, I started to hesitate a little.

After soaking the tip of ink, I used my left hand to hold tightly the paper when I finally started to write.

I took my time, as it wasn't as easy to write with a quill than with a simple pencil, and making sure to not press hard to not tear the paper up

"There."

I finished to write as we could read my name:

Travis

The professor checked attentively at my writing style when I told him with little regret.

"Yes, I know. The letters are too big... It's because I'm not used to write a lot."

That was true: even though I managed to learn how to write in my hold life, it wasn't an easy task for me and it would always make me fully concentrated to do so.

I also wrote a letter to Tressa a few days ago, and it wasn't easy to write without making stuns. But I couldn't ask her to help me writing a letter which was for her !

Anyway, I felt quite bad for my writing, but professor Albright reassured me.

"This is not a big deal if you don't know yet how to write properly yet. What you need the most is experience."

"Experience ?"

"We could gain experience in many domains: making bread, fishing, and, of course, learning. When a person practices a hobby, his initial attempts are generally simple to do and he is just starting to learn the domain's basics. As long as he continues to work in that hobby, he will learn again and again, until he will be able to do an action unconsciously. This is how we get experience: by evolving our skills progressively, and by also harder ones if we are experienced enough after practicing on a regular basis.", he explained to me calmly, as I listened to him attentively when he added. "In your case, if keep practicing at writing simple lines like "I'm learning to write", you will find out by experience the right and comfortable way to write. Just look."

He took the quill I used and dipped it inside the inkwell.

He then took the paper I used as I observed him writing on it quietly, as I noticed he didn't seem to use any effort.

"I would advice you to write slowly...to take your time to form your curves... and you will manage to have a decent result."

He then showed me what he wrote:

I'm learning to write

I was quite surprised: compared to mine, his writing was really beautiful and the letters were much smaller than mine. It was even well clean and written in such an elegant style.

But because he was an experienced scholar, I also believed it was normal that he got used to having such beautiful writing.

"Oh... That really makes sense.", I replied curiously when I noticed a bunch of other papers that seemed to be part of his work, and asked him. "But tell me, professor: why, in all of your papers here, some of your letters look quite hard to read."

Yeah ! It even reminded me of the book's writing style which was sometimes unreadable for me !

He noticed it.

"Ah, the true reason is that when I work, I'm used to think fast, such as I would write faster than usual. But there, it's just a different case ! He he !", he felt quite embarrassed when he insisted again. "But one more time: it's ALL about the experience !"

I felt quite amused, but I was also impressed.

Even though the professor advised me that it would be better to learn how to write properly, it kinda amused me to see that he too he would rush while writing so much that it becomes unreadable. Though, maybe it helped him to do his work quicker do he could have more time to sleep.

Anyway, I really liked his advice, and he was truly right about it. Since I entered that game, I learned a lot of things that helped me better such as using my superpowers, fighting with a wooden sword, and many others.

Indeed, I experienced so many things when I befriended with the others that I felt like I was changing. That's right: I started to see things differently thanks to that experience.

Though there was something else that hit my curiosity, so I asked.

"But tell me, professor..."

"Just call me Cyrus."

"Professor Cyrus... I would like to know why you really accepted to help me last night... Why are you so much interested in my powers ? I just felt that... it's not only because it's your job to discover new things..."

It's been a while that I had that question in mind, but I never had the opportunity to ask him last night, and also because I was very tired. But though, I was really concerned to understand why such a famous man like him would help a street boy like me, as all of this was still unclear to me.

Cyrus sighed calmly, his smile slowly faded away when he answered me calmly.

"You say right. My motive is more than just generating knowledge..."

"Yeah... Indeed, you even told me last night that you were in an investigation. But what kind of investigation it is ?"

Strangely, I noticed he was a little worried, for some reason, and it worried me as well.

He slightly moved his chair a little forward and looked seriously at me when he spoke.

"Listen. I do would like to tell you, but I'm not allowed to reveal some recently discovered information at anybody in that manner, especially about what I'm inquiring now. So... everything which I tell you needs to be kept secrets for now. Do you understand ?"

He looked really serious, so that must be something very important, but what ?

Anyway, I kinda understood the situation and promised him.

"Yes, I do."

~A few explanations later~

Cyrus told me everything which happened yesterday when I was in jail, and it truly shocked me.

One of his friends, who was also a nice scholar, has been infected by that Aisenma disease just like the big man I've seen at Bolderfall and S'waarki, and he couldn't do anything to help him... That must be horrible for that poor man to become so crazy and to be taken away at a place we didn't want to go...

He also told me that there was a Sacred Flame which just awakens at the city's palace and acting weirdly, although Ophilia never told me there was one in Atlasdam.

His friend also told him that he has seen a purple pillar of light with his own eyes, the one I've seen with H'aanit at S'warkii. He even tried to study more about it and also heard about the 2 others which occurred at Clearbrook and inside the brigand's den. Seriously, I would have not expected someone to study them, but that was still incredible !

But now, the poor guy couldn't continue his own research anymore, and I felt so bad for him.

And so, Cyrus wanted to continue his research at his place and solve the mysteries behind the disease and the flame...

I couldn't believe so many things could have happened here in that city !

"Well, these are all the information I've gathered for now...", finished the professor.

"Okay...", I felt so upset after hearing this story, so I apologized to him. "I... I'm so sorry for your friend, by the way... He didn't deserve to catch that damn disease..."

"Thank you. When I think that his research of the pillars of light would have been really useful to study them, despite the Headmaster's opinion...", replied Cyrus, as I could see he looked pretty upset as well when he continued."However, there is no way to let some of my colleague's work be done in vain. As a scholar, it's my duty to gather knowledge with the one gathered by my fellows."

"So, are you telling me that my powers, the Aisenma disease, and the sacred flame are the same magic because of their blue color ?", I asked him, wanting to know more.

"It's not only about the color. I just have a theory where all of them share the same magic source which has been created in a way or another. But if we had more knowledge about a potential origin, that could help us a lot.", explained the professor.

"..."

Now, I knew why he wanted to do that research so much. All he wanted was to cure people of that bad disease and he was doubtful about the Sacred Flame's behavior. I might have no idea how a flame could hurt as long as we don't touch it and burn our hands, but I believed as well that it could become dangerous if it was acting like that.

Cyrus didn't want someone else to suffer as his friend did, but something told me that he has the feeling that the situation could be more dangerous than we thought.

Honestly, me too I ain't liked what happened to those people when they catch that damn disease. Indeed, I have also the feeling that since I arrived in that game, a lot of weird things have occurred in this world, between these giant pillars of light, that sort of the first flame which just appeared yesterday at Atlasdam, and of course, I couldn't forget the yellow helmet man...

I have still no idea who he was, but he was often behind the origins of most of these events, and perhaps he knew something about that... or worse...

I don't think he would be responsible for the Aisenma disease, but I figured out something else: wherever I go or whatever I do in this video game world, I had the feeling I will cross his path again at a moment or another...

But if ever he knew all these secrets, and by seeing how he looked with his modern helmet and his leather outfit, he could even come from the real world just like me !

Indeed, I understood something else: if I wanted to know more about that game world, I have also to figure out more about the real one...

I watched at Cyrus again: he looked so determined to figure out the truth about all these blue events, but I didn't think he could really find the truth if he didn't know anything about the real world.

Yeah... the real world...

It's been a while since Cyrus was watching me with patience. He seemed to be always ready to listen and expecting to learn something about me again despite I believed I told him a lot last night. I knew that he wanted to know the truth for helping me, but it looked like he was aware that I wasn't telling him everything...

But... to say the truth... was it really a problem ?

Honestly, I don't know if I was brave enough to do it. I might have well gotten along with many people in that game, but I never had the opportunity to tell them who I was really...

"I believe... it is the time, right ?", I said in a low tone.

Cyrus noticed how much I felt.

"Travis, I know that might be hard..."

"I know, I know... Me too, I think I couldn't keep everything for myself. Indeed, perhaps if I didn't for a while, I might have fewer problems than I have now.", I answered him honestly when I added. "All I wanted, is not to get other people into trouble because..."

"Of knowing, too much ?", he calmly interrupted me when he spoke reassuringly. "It's alright. I'm well aware of all the risks I could undertake if I manage to know what you know... Still, I know how much that hard from you, but you can still take your time..."

"No. I'll tell you everything right now if I have to", I stopped him.

I could still feel well nervous about everything I was about to reveal to him. It's been such a long while since I hid so many secrets from people I knew, and that I thought it would be a bad idea if I told them the truth about me. Because if I do, what will be their reaction ?

However, even if I didn't enjoy that idea, I didn't want things to become harder for me and the others if I don't. Perhaps that was my only hope left, to help me feel better and accepted... and I was really tired to suffer so much of keeping everything in my heart.

I have to think otherwise like how Cyrus advised me to, so that meant I had to do things differently, which means telling the entire truth instead of keeping it secret from anyone, so I could help people differently...

As long as I could help people and even myself by doing so...

I watched Cyrus who took his inked quill and was prepared to take some notes in another piece of paper.

"However, I'm warning you. It could be still long, and maybe you won't believe me sometimes..."

"Just go on. I'm ready to listen to your story.", told me Cyrus while he looked attentively with concern.

That's it: I made my choice and I couldn't go backward for now.

I took a great breath as I felt quite nervous, but I managed to stay calm before I started my long story...

"Alright..."

~Meanwhile, at the Royal Palace~

~Therese's POV~

That lesson is truly exciting !...

The warm sunlight started to come through the window and started to illuminate my bedroom.

Already dressed in my soft dress made of white silk, I was still in my studies, sitting at my desk with a smile on my lips.

There were a lot of books gathered on the desk sides, alongside an empty inkwell which I just finished and a used quill. We could also find more books and others works on the shelves around, alongside with a few glass bottles full of ink.

I was having my face stuck in my history book, which was telling the amazing story of the foundation of Atlasdam and it was really passionating ! These stories were so well detailed that they seemed alive, and all these events which contributed to the Kingdom's creation were so amazing one after the other.

All these wars which occurred centuries ago, opposing all the clans which conflicted domination and exercising their influence, have such an impact on how the world looked today, especially Atlasdam.

Alongside the lost Kingdom of Hornburg, so many historical conflicts and events occurred in that city, and were influenced by amazing historical figures like knights and scholars. All their actions and decisions had a big impact on the fate of the world.

Also, my homework for the next class was to read chapters 3 and 4, but I already reached the fourth one as it was a pleasure for me to read.

However, the lesson was so rich that it made the reading difficult and the learning tougher, as there were still some parts I haven't learned by heart yet, but I still had a great time to read that passionating lesson.

In fact, there was nothing more passionate than professor Albright's lessons. He had such a talent to narrate his lesson, and his beautiful voice explained so well that I would sometimes listen to him more than I could read my book to learn.

Indeed, I would like so much to learn even more as many ways as possible to show him how much I wanted to learn History, but each time in class, I couldn't find the courage to dare to ask him questions like how mary does.

What does it take me, yesterday ?...

I was really stupid to hide from him while I was finally about to have a real conversation with him. I knew I was quite shy, but I was stupid to haven't done otherwise.

As a result, I was completely shameful when the professor saw me and I ran away without saying anything. Seriously, what was wrong with me ?!

Still, I didn't have any problem to speak to the other scholars and ask them for questions, but the professor Albright... he was just special.

Why can't I even manage to go talk to him ?! What does he really think about me ?!...

Knock knock !

I heard a knock on the door of my bedroom followed by a voice.

"It's me, Mary."

"Come in."

The door opened as I saw Mary entering my bedroom.

As her blonde hair looked always so nice and shiny, she was already dressed in her elegant yellow dress she was used to wearing in the court. She was smiling calmly while carrying a few books around her soft arms.

She looked at me and said calmly.

"Good morning, Therese. How are you doing ?"

"Well, I'm fine...Thank you.", I answered her calmly when I asked. "Is there something I can do for you ?"

"My inkwell is empty, so I was wondering if you have..."

"Yes, of course."

I stood up from my desk and searched for what she asked me.

I looked at all the many ink pots gathered on my shelf and took one which hasn't been opened yet.

Then, I gave it to her.

"Thank you.", she told me gratefully as she explained to me. "As time passes, I noticed that my status is forcing me to write more than usual, nowadays. Perhaps Germaine will believe one day that I eat all the ink !", we both chuckled together before she watched at my desk with concern. "Tell me, Therese... For how long are you studying ?"

"2 hours...", I answered in a low tone.

"2 hours ?! Don't you think that you're working too much ?", she exclaimed slightly, as I shook my head as an answer when she replied. "Seriously, it's quite common to see you awake sooner just to have your nose stuck in a history book the next minute after ! Believe me, I think you should sometimes think more about your health than at your studies."

"Thank you, Mary, but I'm fine. I do like a lot that new lesson from professor Albright we just got yesterday. It's so rich in history, and we could read it under a lot of perspectives. Really, it's passionating."

Mary was very nice to worry about my working schedule, but it was stronger than me !

Each time I discover a new story lesson, I couldn't prevent myself to take a break from reading.

I decided to accompany her at her chamber, as we walked through the palace's corridors, both carrying a bunch of books between our arms.

"You would always say that at each lesson given by him. Though, I must admit that the foundation of Hornburg is the one who interested you more than the others.", told

me the princess when she smiled and fell in her thoughts. "And you're right to enjoy that special course. Among every lesson the professor Albright gave us, it was this one which gave me more will to follow his class."

"You say so ! Indeed, I'm also more than curious to know about the creation of such a mysterious kingdom who had fallen recently. I cannot believe it's been 8 years already...", I frowned.

"That's true... That is horrifying that King Alfred has been killed by one of his knights..."

We still both remembered, when we were children, what his majesty, the King, and Mary's father, told us the tragic defeat of the fall of Hornburg.

The kingdom has been completely defeated by a large army of enemies, including a traitor in their ranks, who have reversed the situation during this war, destroyed everything on their way, and killing King Alfred, the last ruler of Hornburg. Even our own Kingdom wasn't able to do anything to save them, as King Alfred insisted to handle the war without exterior help, but the enemy was bigger than they thought. As a consequence, Hornburg has been wiped off the map, and it was one of his Majesty's biggest regret to not be able to help them in time.

It was a total defeat.

We could also say that Atlasdam and Hornburg have so many things to share in common, and both of these city-states truly made the pride of their respective kingdom. Indeed, we tell so many legends about how these cities were both in the heart of conflict and were even in the war against each other alongside other clans.

Though they were so many important details in the books that we weren't really sure to understand well some parts and how to interpret well the events, thankfully the professor Albright was there !

He knew how to tell his lessons by seeing the events on a whole different level. Each of his stories was so passionate and mindblowing that we would both feel like in another world, where all the tales told by the wonderful voice of the professor were coming to life. Indeed, we could really feel all the passion he had for his work, which was in perfect harmony with our passion to learn.

He, Mary and I have built such a strong professor-student relationship which increased at each lesson told, at each question he asked us... But I had also felt that my feelings towards him were different...

And, I don't know how to express it.

I felt quite pensive when I watched Mary.

"Tell me, Mary..."

"Hmm ?..."

"What do you think of... the professor Albright ?", I asked her without thinking.

It wasn't very clever from me, but I also wanted to know her own opinion to help me understanding.

She smiled quietly.

"I think he's such a remarkable man.", she told me proudly when she explained. "Indeed, I have great admiration for the scholars and all the amazing knowledge they were able to gather for countless generations, but in my opinion... I believe the professor Albright is the most brilliant and wisest one. Really, when we were attending his class, I could feel how much he was putting all his love for teaching us the history of our country, and also... he reminds me a lot of professor Paul."

I still remembered the professor Paul as well: it was Mary's tutor when she was a child and instructed her a lot for her studies, such as the Kingdom's geography. He was rather a serious man, but he was also honorable and forgiving, and we both liked him in our youth. But today, he wasn't working at Atlasdam anymore, and he left for an important trip somewhere in the realm.

Mary continued to speak.

"I also believe he has such a talent to analyze all the knowledge in all of his lessons and to make sure he is reciting a true story that makes people want to listen. Listening to his voice makes me understand how good he is to transmit us everything he knows.", she smiled calmly as she felt dreamy. "And this is what I like the most about him. Since the first time we attended his class, I've never experienced such a will to learn again, and again everything which comes out of his mouth. And by the end, I've finally figured out something, thanks to him."

"And what is it ?"

"When I learn so much useful knowledge with him, especially about the story of the land of Orsterra and its secrets... I have the feeling to serve my people already. As I will one day be the one to sit on the throne, I'm more than sure that learning the most knowledge I ever will help me to lead them better and to make the best choices I will have to do. With that, it relieves me to improve my cultural knowledge because I know that the most I do, the better I will be a good ruler.", she answered me, as she looked as determined to learn even more as she was grateful towards him. "And this is why I will be very indebted towards him. However, if ever I manage to become a queen, I'm not sure if all the knowledge I've learned will be enough to pursue my reign, and that I will need good advisers to help me in my task. So... I would like the professor Albright to be at my sides."

"!!!..."

I didn't expect she already has in mind such an idea like this one !

Me too, I agreed to say that all of Professor Alrbright's lessons would be useful for Mary to handle her future reign, but was she really serious to have him part of the Royal Council ?!

No, it's not like it wasn't a bad suggestion at all, but... !!!

I felt quite nervous inside when a voice told me.

"Tell me, Therese...", Mary looked at me curiously. "You seem very attentive and curious towards him, but I don't believe it's only because of his talents and his workmanship..."

"Uh ?..."

"So have you... a crush on him ?"

"!!!!!...."

IS SHE SERIOUS ?!!!

I immediately felt so nervous that my face became as red as a tomato and I was very flustered, trying to justify myself !

"ERR... BUT WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT ?! THIS IS NOT BECAUSE I LOVE ATTENDING HIS CLASS THAT I WOULD WANT TO BE SO CLOSE TO SUCH A MAN OF HIS STATUS !!!..."

The golden-haired princess chuckled at my attitude.

"It's alright, Therese ! I was just messing with you, you know !"

She nicely puts her hand over my shoulder, calming me down.

I sighed annoyingly, full of shame.

"Sometimes, you would truly get wrong ideas..."

"I know.", she said as we both entered inside her chambers.

The princess's chambers could be considered as one of the most beautiful chambers in the Palace, or even in the whole realm. The room was slightly wider than my chambers, with the walls covered by probably the most beautiful wallpapers of the Kingdom, which showed so well the harmony between the color green and yellow with flower patterns. The floor too was covered by a magnificent tile that goes so well with the walls, alongside the canopy bed which the curtains and the sheets have almost the same patterns.

And just like in my bedroom, there was a desk filled of many books and other paperwork, surrounded by shelves where were stowed many books and other decorations.

I accompanied Mary who just put all of her books on the desk, alongside with the inkwell, and opened her book of History while she told me;

"Though, I can still understand how much you admire him, and how much you like to study his lesson and learn them by... OUCH !"

She suddenly hurt herself while turning the pages.

"Are you okay, Mary ?!", I shouted worryingly when I examined her hand, especially one of her fingers. "!!!... You're bleeding !"

The princess frowned slightly at her pain, but she managed to stay calm and kept smiling as she sat on a nearby chair.

"I should be more careful, next time while turning the pages. Frankly, books and manuscripts can be so dangerous for your fingers !", she joked quietly while staying positive.

"Wait ! I'll get some medical supplies right now !"

I left her chambers and ran through the corridors in a hurry before I finally reached my bedroom.

Then, I looked for something particular among all the books, inkwells, and other products gathered on my shelves...

There it is !

I found a glassy pot filled with salve and took it. It was a useful medical product for the small cut or other minor wounds, and I had one in my chambers because we never know what kind of incident could happen, even in our bedroom...

But thankfully I have some !

I then walked back through the corridor in direction of Mary's chambers.

Honestly, I sometimes worry for her: with all her princess duties and all the responsibilities she had to face, one of the reasons she kept a positive behavior is because she didn't want to show to anyone all the problems she endured alone. Each day, she would continue to progress for helping her people and become a dignified queen in the future.

Indeed, Princess Mary was my friend, and like a sister to me: we both knew each other since our childhood and both attended the same classes together. Furthermore, I encouraged her in her duties and at always seeing her working slightly more than I would, it was really impressive how she would make a good ruler. When I think she has been such a tomboy when she was a kid !

I went back to Mary's bedroom and saw the door slightly opened with Mary still sitting while covering her wound and blowing on it.

I came in and advised her.

"There's still a little bit of salve. Please, let me..."

"Thank you for your kind help, Therese. But I'll do it myself, if you don't mind.", she answered me calmly, still positive.

As soon as I gave it to her, she opened the pot and seemed to know how to take care of her wound without difficulty, still smiling.

I still believed she wasn't supposed to do it by herself, so I apologized.

"I'm sorry... You know that I would often freak out at the sight of blood..."

"No, don't worry, it's fine. Thankfully the wound heals fast."

She showed me her wounded hand, and surprisingly, it looked like the wound itself was just gone !

"You're right...", I replied calmly, feeling quite reassured when I reminded something. "Oh ! Maybe I should leave you doing your duties..."

"Thank you again, for your help ! But remember: don't force yourself at studying too much and take care of your health as well !", advised me Mary one more time.

"I'll think about it ! See you later !"

"See you later, Therese !"

I waved at her while slowly closing the door, leaving her to her duties, and walked back in direction of my chambers.

Today, I decided to go to the Royal Library, instead of always study inside my bedroom. I believe it would still reopen after the incident from yesterday...

Sometimes, I believed Mary was quite right: I would often spend too much time studying, even if it was a subject which I liked a lot, and I would also go to sleep at late hours.

But I think I was supposed to be the one to tell her all the advice instead ! She would often take a lot of time for her duties and thinking about the other before herself !

Indeed, she seemed to want to learn more from professor Albright even after she will finish her studies ! She was so motivated to accomplish her role of the future queen at her best that she wanted to get even closer from him, and I find that quite... awful.

Me, I don't think it would be good for such a scholar like him to be part of the Royal Council someday, as it didn't look like him to have responsibilities like these. And for Mary... it's not like I despised her choice, but I believed she could still find someone else competent to assist her...

As a matter of fact... I don't think a relationship between them would be a good idea.

There must be something I must do just to keep them quite away one from each other...

I finally had an idea in mind, but I felt really hesitant about this one...

Should... should I dare to do such a thing ?!

~

A/N: Well, sorry again for the wait ! It took me the whole month to write that chapter !

You know, I just started back to work, and I also want to focus more on my studies as my situation isn't easy at all to handle. Indeed, I never told you that, but I have still no idea about what profession I want to do in the future, and I have to think about that ! I'm trying to juggle between that, my book, and other activities and that's not easy at all !

Though I won't give up that book and I'm still trying to find a way to write 1500 words per day without taking too many breaks.

And now, the little Travis is starting to grow up (not physically) and starts to make decision for the well-being of the others and himself. As you know, there is always that kind of scene in a movie when the hero is depressed and start to think clearly about what he wanted really.

Soon, Travis will make that kind of choice too...

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that book, and please, listen to Princess Mary's advice: BE CAREFUL when you turn pages while reading book, it also happened to me a few times to get my fingers cut ! BOOKS ARE DANGEROUS !!

See you next time for the next chapter !