The Novel's Sidekick

Q: Who supposedly had hobbies in music and other arts among the twelve heroes?

A: From all the little tidbits in the book, I can make out that Manas was supposedly good at music, but most of the others held some expertise in other arts, like Ayaan in painting, Kish in reading and writing.

- - -

"No!" Julies shouted dramatically, as if his life was severed.

"Keep your voice down!" I glared at the guy and apologised to Yeriel again. She was probably thinking we were no better than the circus crew. Nah, considering it was her, it most likely was not, even if we did appear like circus clowns.

"Why?" Julies asked in a whisper.

"What why?" Then I remembered something important. I got permission from my aunt to enter this room, but Julies did not. "Please tell me you did not just sneak in without anyone noticing."

“Of course, I did not sneak in.” Julies said proudly. “I barged in. I think those blokes will come pretty soon.”

I smacked my forehead.

"Why, boss?" Julies almost screamed again, but I stopped him, holding his mouth with my palm. I gave him a glare that was meant as a last warning before letting go of his mouth. He continued in a whisper again, "Boss, you are perfect. Why are you trying to be borin' like her?"

'I would like to believe that too.’ I sighed inwardly.

"I know it will be tough for you and others," I said, slowly rising up. "But I can't help it. It has been a good year and a half, but now I have to retire from delinquency. A man needs to grow up sometime."

"No, this is a dream, right?" Julies said, and he pinched his own cheek as hard as he could. "I didn't believe it when I heard it from that weird duo, but hearin' it out of your mouth. . . I ain't believin' it, either."

"By the way, where were you these last few days?" I could not help but ask. The baldie before me was no less than a mystery.

"I was . . . somewhere," Julies said in a low tone. "But by no way, I will miss the festival and the night of the five moons. So, here I am."

I did not continue to push him on the topic, knowing it would be for nothing.

"Boss, you seem to be . . ." Julies said, looking at me peculiarly, standing up, "Strange."

"Here's a bald dude who wears sunglasses even in the dark, and only Ishar knows where he was for the last two weeks, and he's calling me strange." I clicked my tongue while I wondered what Julies picked up in the little exchange. Certainly, I did not go with the pretence all the time. After that incident with the awakening. I felt terribly familiar than I would like, but appears things couldn't be hidden from everyone.

"Well, we all are pretty strange," Julies admitted, "but you appear a tad extra strange today."

"Really?" I sighed inwardly. "I guess you have to accept the new me then."

Julies was about to say something, but I handed him half of my leather bounds, before glaring to make sure he stays silent.

"Yeriel," I said and took the other books from her, "I think I already have enough books on Fundamental Magic."

"But there are a few more that would be useful—"

"I think I'm good." I cut her out. Honestly, I have no idea how much of this book I could even digest to even try out more. "Let's go to the knight's side before someone comes to catch Juls. I need to pick up a few more from there too."

"Do you even need my help there?" Yeriel asked me casually.

Evidently, she had no more ideas about the Knight department than I had about it.

"Do you want to go back to that Kimber kid?" I asked her in return.

Yeriel showed an uncomfortable expression. She was supposed to be there working as the archive assistant, but things like that Althan did to her really gives her the creep.

"Come, come," Julies said, "Perhaps you will learn to grow some spine stayin' near Boss."

I shook my head and was about to berate Julies, but Yeriel did join, muttering under her breath. "I will get the fine than to go back there now."

"Is it really this hard all the time?"

"No," Yeriel said in a whisper, eyeing the path and then her eyes directed towards me. "But I would like if you do not involve yourself in it."

"Why?"

"Don't you remember?" she aside incredulously. "Last time you went all violent like always, and because of that, Yasmine suffered. Words are alright, but please don't be violent like you always are."

I raised an eyebrow at her words and nodded. Well, even though I had the intention of helping her, I would like to do it without violence if I can. As we walked, I found Julies seemed to be staring at me frequently with the same peculiar gaze.

"Strange," he muttered.

The areas allocated to the knights were far limited compared to the magus and other stuff. The knights were, after all, not much of a reader's sort. Though one would be shocked to find out, lots of the upper-level students have regular coming and going here. After all, this world has very few options for entertainment.

"Boss, will you not think about it?" asked Julies for about the 3rd time as we arrived there.

I ignored the short, bald guy, taking large strides that Yeriel was having trouble covering. Surprisingly, Julies was fine with his thin and short body, though it appeared that he was running. We covered the separation corridor between the two departments of the archive and the part allocated to the knights was not even one-fifth of the archive. Honestly, I can't blame them. After all, the magi, seekers, or scholars were mostly interested in books.

At that very moment, I entered. A few familiar faces greeted me. It was the Ben-Kyle duo, my training friends in the morning. Each one of them had books on their arms, but they were mostly talking among themselves.

But my eyes drifted off towards another person sitting on the other end of the study table with her hair unbound. Burning white hair, pale white skin, and a soft frown on her brows. She was reading a thick volume of books with a pen and paper in her arms.

A couple more open books were before her on the table, as she was taking notes. Oh, Ishar, I thought. She looked too cute for me to handle. I might fall in love with her if this continues.

I knew this was Scar's residual emotions left inside this body, but I couldn't help but stare at her in a mesmerising way. Yasmine was like a dream, a dream that I did not want to wake up from.

Or I am just a simp.

I finally remembered why Scar had dislocated Althan's arm back then. It was because he said something bad about Yasmine, though the core of the fault was none other than Scar.

"Look, Oscar is here," Ben said in the middle. Even though this guy was loud most of the time, staying in the library for many days had put some sense into him, unlike my underling, Julies, who still followed me here.

That call from Ben not only broke my mesmerised state, but also told the people present here that the prodigal son had returned to the library. On that note, Scar had been to the library before, but not for study or something along those lines, of course.

He had only come here to look at Yasmine, or else how could someone like her get to like him? Like many others, Scar was still a somewhat arrogant snob himself. He had put quite the work into the courtship before she even gave him a chance.

"I see you are quite serious about this," Kyle said to me, gazing at the books in my hands.

I nodded and found Yasmine looking at me.

"I heard you joined the Magus Department?" she asked, as if could not believe it. "I thought you hated studying. What made you change that mindset?"

"There are a lot of reasons," I said and rested the books on the desk, not subtly. It made a big thud as I took a seat across from her. Yeriel joined the seat next to Yasmine, while my bald underling brought out a chair as there were none available nearby. "But the gist is, I no longer want to live like a moron anymore."

"Is this the truth?" she asked again as the cute frown deepened. "Or is it just another plea to ask for money from me?"

"Have I ever lied to you?" I said. Well, that was subtle, and I think it was what Scar had told her every time before doing something drastic. And yes, Oscar had never lied to Yasmine, though it can't be said he was completely truthful as well. Scar did not even leave the women he liked out of his dirty plays. I continued, pointing at Ben and Kyle. "You can ask these two about it."

Kyle looked at me, but chose to keep his silence. Bastard, I will give him a good beating tomorrow. That depends on whether I can catch him off guard. My training was going well, but I was still not prepared enough. Well, it has only been over a week.

"It seems to be the truth," Ben added, as Yasmine gave them a look. "He has not missed any morning training five days in a row now."

Yasmine transferred her gaze to me again and gave me a good look in the eyes. I reckon she did find something different about me, though she was not sure. And the look on her face showed she was hopeful about me, though I couldn't tell if she trusted me or not.

Scar had pulled enough shits on her to doubt him. If it was any other girl, they might have left already, as my first girlfriend did. Crap! I was reminded of my embarrassing past again.

"What are you reading?" Yeriel asked and took a look at the papers. I gave her thumbs up inwardly for saving me from the stares.

"History," Yasmine said with an exhaustive expression. "For a job interview."

A frown appeared on my brows as I heard that. Apparently, Yasmine would graduate in a few days after the knighthood ceremony. She would leave and join the Knight Regiment of the Mahener empire.

That was alright, as Scar was meant to join that as well, or promised her to, but unfortunately, here I am still in my freshman year. What worried me was what would happen next.

"Wow," Yeriel said with a start, "I did not know you needed to read the biography of the twelve heroes and so many other legendary figures to get a job. Not to mention with your expertise."

Yasmine said uncomfortably, "It's a specific kind of job offer, where I will get to learn a lot of other things as well. Not to mention, it would be an honour if I got the job."

I sighed upon hearing that. I knew what she was talking about when I heard the job title. It was the job that would get her into trouble and eventually kill her. I was about to dissuade her from that, but Yeriel went on.

"That reminded me you will be leaving in a few days."

"Yes." Yasmine lifted her head from the books to look at me. I gave her a pressed-lips smile as the conversation hovered on a silent awkwardness. Every one of us here knows of our history, but they know nothing to amend that.

"The Night of Brilliance is coming in a few days," Kyle said awkwardly. "It's the last of this year, I and Ben plan to go for moon gazing in the Starfall mountains. Anyone would like to come?"

"You know what, I have not seen the moons from there even it's about a year I have been here," Yeriel joined as her eyes sparkled. For a typical Endian young woman like her, it was only of the holies occasion. "Yasmine, how about us, we lots, visit for moon gazing before you leave?"

Yeriel looked from Yasmine to me, and so did the silver-haired maidan, and Ben-kyle duo joined in the staring as well. That left only Julies, well, let's just forget about Julies for a second.

"Why are they all looking at me?" I asked, "Surely, I know you can find a better event manager--" Abruptly, I stood up, noticing an image in one of Yasmine's books.

I almost lunged towards her and pulled that book from her. "Hey," Yasmine said, but my eyes were on the picture in the book. There was a portrait of a woman in her mid-twenties on the entire page. Even though the book was quite old and the picture was just a copy, I could make out that the person was strikingly beautiful.

Long silver hair like Yasmine, but this one was more beautiful and significantly otherworldly. Somehow, her face felt a little frightening. But that was not the reason for my astonishment. But because the name had been written below it.

Adriana, the one who tried too hard.

It was the name of one of the twelve heroes that saved humanity a thousand and five hundred years ago in the battle against the demons. So, the reason for my astonishment was that the name was not written in any of the languages of Shrankor, but in something of my old world. Something I am familiar with. It was handwritten in some twisted form, but it's pretty easy for me to make out.

"Adriana Proudsmith," Yasmine said, finding my interest. "They say her beauty was so peerless that even the kings of their time raged war for her. For her sake, there was some fighting between the twelve heroes, too."

"Who drew this?" I asked in a shaking voice.

"Obviously it was Ayaan List, her husband," Yeriel answered. "There was only one painter among the twelve heroes. Why are you asking dumb questions?"

"Did he write this as well?" I asked, pointing towards the text below the portrait.

"Yes," Yasmine said. "It is written that Ayaan List created this type of code and nobody, as yet, has found a way to decode it."

I could not help but laugh at hearing that. It was not something Ayaan List had created, but some twisted version of the common language of my old world. But that was a bigger issue here.

The issue is that there was another person before me who transmigrated to this realm fifteen hundred years ago.

Things just got a bit complicated here.

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Edited by Mysteries. Proofread by kqwxz.