The question must have been a very personal one to Kaichen. I wondered why he wanted to know exactly but couldn’t think of anything. I could tell him everything about anything except what he had just asked . I just couldn’t do it.
I licked my dry lips. My mouth felt dry. “Why do you want to know?” I asked.
“Because…,” he said, cautiously, “it looks like you don’t really want to go back to Acrab.”
“I… don’t want to go back,” I said. Kaichen looked at silently. His gaze gently urged to answer him. I gulped several tis to help with my dry throat and mouth. “Do you have any secret that you wouldn’t want anyone to know?” I asked.
He didn’t respond. “Everyone has sothing they can’t talk about,” I continued. “It’s the sa for too.” It wasn’t a convincing answer. And I know it sounded forced. But Kaichen looked at and nodded as though he understood what I was trying to say. He turned his gaze away from . I felt like I could finally breathe.
“If you don’t want to go,” he said, “You are always welco to stay here.”
He said it in a very indifferent tone like usual. But his words were kind. He could offer that kindness because he didn’t know the future, but I knew it. I had read it.
“Teacher…,” I said reluctantly, “Can I co here even if you aren’t present?”
“Do as you please.”
“Really? Can I co here whenever I want?”
“Yes. You can do whatever you want.”
“Teacher… can I be your official student?”
I had to try my luck. Perhaps another ‘do whatever you want’ could actually make my day. Kaichen raised his eyebrows and pressed on his temples as though he had a headache.
“Do you really want that?” he asked. I jumped. That was sothing I hadn’t expected. I had expected displeasure and rejection from him. Kaichen was a bundle full of surprises today.
“Yes!” I nodded earnestly. “I really want that.”
Kaichen sighed and looked at . “Then it’s done.”
It would be an understatent to say that I jumped for joy. One year. I had thought it would take that long, even longer to beco his disciple. It was an ordeal of monuntal difficulty because Kaichen had never taken a disciple.
He was picky, sensitive, indifferent, cold and hated interacting with people. But no one could surpass him in his skills regarding magic. Which was why I had decided that I would do anything possible: beg, lie, cook, clean, steal, murder… maybe not murder, to beco his disciple. It was the reason why I had volunteered to go with him. I had volunteered to cook and do chores in the hopes that my wish would be fulfilled.
Finally! This was a pleasant surprise… more of a shock. Kaichen accepted as his official disciple!
“Really?” I asked, still not able to believe it. “Please tell this is real…. Teacher, from henceforth, I am your official disciple. Do you really an that?”
“Yes,” he said.
“Then do I have permission to tell anyone who asks that I am your disciple? Can I be called your student when I get the certificate from the Magic Association?”
“Whatever….”
“Then, teacher!” I started murmuring gibberish. This was so shocking. Kaichen looked tired but he made no move to leave. I hurriedly took out a piece of parchnt and a pen out of my bag. I always carried pen and parchnt in case I had to jot sothing down. I wrote on it and handed it to Kaichen. He looked at with a questioning look and took the piece of parchnt and read it. Then he chuckled.
Oh gosh! He is laughing!!! I couldn’t believe it. My mouth fell open, my eyes wide. He took the pen from my hand and wrote sothing in return and handed the parchnt.
I took the parchnt with trembling hands. My heart raced. I read the words on the parchnt again and again to make sure this was not a dream. I could see Kaichen’s neat and graceful writing under my ssy ones.
Disciple certificate
I acknowledge that Dalia Alshine is the only student of Kaichen Tenebre on the continent.
– Kaichen Tenebre: I agree
His na, his affirmative ‘I agree’ and his signature glowed a golden color. It was a magical binding statent. This could never be forged or revoked. This had beco a magical binding certificate infused with his mana.
“Are you happy now?” he asked.
As though he had never chuckled. He returned to his intimidating, cold expression with so difficulty. But his eyes shone warmly. Holding the certificate close to I nodded, and I laughed.
“I am your official student now!” I said happily, “I will follow your steps forever.”
“Oh god… Not for the rest of my life…”
I smiled. “Yes! For the rest of your life. Forever!” I rolled up the parchnt and tied it carefully with a string. I then cast a protective magic on it to prevent it from any damage. Kaichen raised an eyebrow at the use of magic, but I smiled brightly at him and placed the parchnt carefully in my bag.
I thought he wanted to say sothing more, but he turned his head away. I noticed that the tip of his ears had turned a little red. I giggled and was finally able to relax. I felt for the first ti that my life was going in the right direction, that everything was going to be alright. The prerequisite for a perfect, happy life had been achieved.
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