Chapter 397: Confessions |
Chapter 397 - Confessions
With his words committed, Kai broke from Valela’s expectant stare. No going back. He needed to tell her. “It’s a little hard to explain. And it may sound a bit crazy. Maybe we…”
His gaze flitted away. Wisps of crystal light swam across the ceiling, tinging the students below with indigo and silver. The buzz of voices, laughs, and rhythmic music seemed to swell, reminding him of where he was. As he’d chatted with Alden, the hall had quickly filled. More students still streamed in from three entrances.
Beside the musicians’ platform, a throng of people besieged the birthday boy. Flynn clapped backs and traded greetings with a beaming smile, yet much of the attention was stolen by the lustrous silver figure on his shoulders, languidly pawing Flynn’s curls. Hobbes basked in the fawning crowd with the chagrin of a bored monarch—purring and inwardly pleased. A slim shape of white and gold peeked among his fluffy fur. The Lucenti kit.
Too many eyes and ears around.
Of course you had to pick a party to tell her. Awesome timing, genius.
Kai slipped the pearl Rain gifted him into his palm. His thumb traced the etched surface. Privacy wards or not, he didn’t want to talk about his past life in front of dozens of strangers. He scratched his neck. “Mind if we look for somewhere quieter?”
Valela threw a look around. “Actually, I was about to suggest the same.” She reached over to take his half-extended hand and tilted her head to lead the way.
“I—yes.” He thought he caught a fleeting grin as he abruptly turned to scan the hall. “There.”
Crossing past the threshold, violins and flutes wove around a steady drum beat as a female vocalist sang. The ethereal melody lingered in the air. Some young couples took to the marble flooring, dancing at tempo. High Dexterity granted them a magnetic grace as they swirled in a choreographed pattern. Jeweled gowns glittered under the pale blue wisps, mixed with a nebulous Light cantrip a student must’ve cast.
Memo 99: The songs definitely have steps.
Kai shook his head and locked onto the opposite wall. A door nestled between tables of refreshments. “This way.” Glancing back at Valela’s amused look, they skirted along the edges.
Through another passage, a jig replaced the ethereal notes under the shade of green and golden lights. Familiar faces mingled among the crowd: Ambrose Willow and Sebastian Elcarin from Combat Magic, and several more he’d seen but couldn’t name. Given how Raelion shuffled promising students into the same classes, it wasn’t surprising that most high rankers knew each other.
Competition fostered the forging of talent, and all that. With some exceptions, they looked more like strutting peacocks and smiling vipers to Kai. He was happy to stay away.
Alden did say all the connected students would be here.
The halls measured thirty paces on the shorter side, enough to comfortably host fifty students each, and there were seven of them. Glimpsing a hint of red, Kai decisively steered them away from Isadora Forlow and her brother into the next hall.
A modest party… right. There must be a quiet corner somewhere.
His hopes dwindled as the crowds thickened. Should he try one of the doors leading out? Where to, though? Attending Initiate Applications of Nature Magic never brought him beyond the first floor of the Arboris Tower. New students often got lost in the labyrinthine structures. And professors weren’t shy with demerits to first-years snooping in restricted areas.
His eyes searched the hall, more embarrassed with each second of aimless wandering, and terrified of when he’d find a spot to talk.
So, hey… this isn’t actually my first life. I’ve reincarnated. Yes, I’ve had all my memories since I was reborn… No, I didn’t sacrifice babies to some unholy necromantic ritual. I’m from a different planet entirely. There wasn’t even magic. And no, it’s totally not weird.
If Kai hadn’t already committed, he might have been tempted to postpone. How many similar conversations had he imagined in his head over the years? More than a few specifically with Valela. Countless imagined speeches, and one chance to get it right. Reincarnation wasn’t a common concept in the Republic. His mother and Flynn took it well, but he still wasn’t sure if his mother believed him entirely, and Flynn took even meeting a siren in stride.
Damn, I’m stalling.
Crossing into the sixth hall, warm orange and gold wisps swirled, suspended above the crowds. His heart thumped in his ears with the beating music. The tempo rose and fell. He tugged at his shirt collar. He shouldn’t have buttoned it so tight. The air felt stifling. Who had set the temperature arrays?
What if she does think it’s too weird?
He never considered Valela might spread his secret. She wasn’t that kind of person and had his trust. But she might not look at him the same after tonight.
Valela tugged on his arm. Their hands still linked, but if she minded, she had made no effort to pull away. They couldn’t risk getting lost in the crowd after all. “Is this your first time here? Maybe I could suggest a place?”
Kai turned to her. “No. I mean, yes.” His palms were definitely sweaty, but she’d notice if he channeled Water Magic with her so close. “I might be open to ideas.”
“Follow me.” Her smile flashed again as she turned to glide through the crowd toward a table stacked with crystal glasses and a bowl of a shimmering tangerine cocktail.
Does she want a drink? I should have offered her a drink.
They skirted around a group of students.
“Stop pestering me! I told you I’m not drunk!” A loud student wrenched himself away from his companion. A dragon-bird of sparks took shape above him; its wings shed stray embers as it wobbly flew through the air. “See? I’m fine. I only had two drinks.”
“The peach bowl? You know someone spiked that with a potion.” His friend sighed.
“Tasted fine to me.”
“That’s what you said when you lit fire to the curtains.”
“I see no curtains around. And I don’t remember doing that anyway.”
“Yes, because you were drunk.”
Kai moved in front of Valela as the Fire construct made a swoop; he reflexively gathered mana to his fingertips. Ignoring the peel of laughter, he hastened his steps when Valela pulled him away. Perhaps the Student Codex’s rules held more sense than he’d given them credit for. Mages and drinks shouldn’t mix, especially teenage mages.
“That can’t be safe." Kai scowled.
“Ignore them.” Valela shrugged. “The tower’s wards will smother the spell if anyone casts more than a cantrip without clearance."
“They… can do that?”
Valela gave him an amused look. “You truly have never been to a party.”
“I have!“ Kai raised his head with a harrumph. “Well, not recently. But you should have seen me striking that piñata. Or my victory in musical chairs.”
Her brows creased. “I… I don’t think I’ve ever heard of those games.”
Kai just smiled. “They’re not from around here.”
With an even more puzzled glance, Valela shook her head and moved to a door set in the wall beside the refreshment table.
Huh? Are you sure we can—
Releasing his hand, she tapped a leaf carving in the panel. The door slid open on silent hinges, and she paused. “In here.” Her mouth held a satisfied line when she glanced back at his startlement.
“Wait. Where are we going—” Seeing her disappear inside, Kai hurried after her. The sounds of the party muffled as he entered.
She’d already walked ahead into the narrow corridors typical of the towers’ side passages. Wooden doors with brass pommels stood at irregular intervals. Ignoring the first three, she stopped at the fourth.
The runic lock clicked open at a touch. She poked her head inside. “Here should do. No one will disturb us.” She stepped in and threw a look back. “Are you not coming?”
“Coming.” With a helpless expression, Kai followed. The lounge inside was tiny by Raelion’s standards, reminding him of the cozy reading corners in the library. Even more strangely, a crystal jug and tray of seven-colored sweets lay on a cabinet.
He closed the door behind him. “Are you sure we can be here?”
“It’s what they set this up for.” Valela gestured to the coffee table with a pair of plush armchairs and a velvet couch around it. “It’s party etiquette for the host to reserve the rooms near party halls for the guests.”
Right.
Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
Kai chuckled, but it didn’t look like she was joking. “You’re serious?”
Why not burn money directly? The academy must make a killing.
Valela tucked back a wavy lock, as if just realizing how such extravagant spending might seem odd. “Well, not at every party. It depends on the venue size. The guest list. And the style of party. Usually, there aren’t so many rooms reserved at Raelion. But it would reflect poorly if a Hart heir scrimped corners.”
“I see…” Kai definitely did not see. "Guess it’s… convenient."
“It is.” She bobbed her head, twisting the ends of her auburn hair in her fingers. “It’s very courteous. Some events can drag. Guests may need a break from the noise and pack. Or a place to talk or close deals in private. Well… probably not at this kind of party. They’ll look for a different kind of privacy,” she muttered, then her cheeks flushed.
Kai shifted his weight from foot to foot. Alone with her in the sudden quiet, he couldn’t help but miss the drumming music. “Why don’t we sit? They arranged it for that.”
“Right. Good idea.” Valela moved to fold the gown of her aquamarine dress and lower herself in an armchair.
Kai took the other. The warding pearl already bubbled around them. Only after they both sat, did he realize they now faced away from each other at an odd angle. “Hmm… Maybe we should…” He scooted to turn the legs of his seat on the carpet until their knees brushed.
The silence fell again.
“So…” Kai started and swallowed, mouth dry.
“So?”
Stop stalling.Just blurt it out.
“So… Do you go to many parties?”
Not that. Why is it so hard to say?
“A few. As much as I need to at Raelion. And those that Lys drag me to. They’re fun once in a while. More than the stiff gatherings I had to attend in Higharbor,” Valela spoke tersely and without pauses. “This one is large, but quite tame. Honestly, I can’t believe Flynn managed to get a hall and invites for his friends.” Her voice regained its usual cool with a giggle.
The conversation tapered off. Their gazes skimmed each other; Valela smoothed the lace of her dress, though he knew he had her full attention.
No more distractions.
Beyond whatever there might be between them, they were friends. And he wanted her to know the truth.
Words stuck in his throat. With an effort, Kai forced them out, proud of how steady his voice sounded. “So… about the thing I wanted to share. It’s part of why I can’t be with anyone for now. But also much more than that. It’s how I grew up. How I learned magic so quickly. And it’s who I am.”
Valela leaned forward. Even her Poise couldn’t hide her spark of curiosity.
The speeches he’d prepared now felt woefully inadequate. Kai wrung his fingers. “I have the memories of my past life.”
Seconds seemed to stretch as he waited for a reaction. Finally, he took the courage to look up at her furrowed expression.
“You mean like dream remembrances?” She asked with puzzlement. “I read of dreamers who catch glimpses from other lives.”
“No, they’re not dreams. Nor glimpses. It’s like how you remember what you did last week. I just never forgot the life before I was born in the archipelago. I remember all of it, more or less. About as much as you likely remember about your own life. Some events are more blurred than others.”
Kai fought to put forth a calm facade.
Well, she didn’t immediately accuse me of lying or storm away.Not the worst-case scenario.
Valela looked him over with a thoughtful expression, murmuring under her breath. “That would explain a few things…”
“What?”
“Huh, did I say something?” She blinked. “I was just thinking. Did… did you always have these memories?”
“Yes.”
“Even how you died?”
“Yep, I’d just turned seventeen. I had a genetic heart condition. So everyone knew it was coming. ”
Her shoulders drooped. “Oh… I’m sorry. I was indelicate.”
Seeing her earnest sadness, Kai failed to suppress a smile. “Sorry, sorry. Just… It’s the first time I’ve received condolences for my own death. But I appreciate it! Though, don't worry about it. I’m over it.” He forced down another chuckle. “As you can see, it didn’t stick.”
“Alright then.” Valela crossed her legs, studying him. “I have more questions.”
“Ask away. Anything you want to know. Just… I’d be grateful if you didn’t write it down,” he added, seeing her produce a notebook and pen from the folds of her dress.
“Oh.” She blinked down as if just realizing herself. “Sorry. Old habits. I won’t.” She cleared her throat with a slight flush. “If you don’t mind me asking, were you human?”
“Yes… I was the same species.”
“Did you look similar?” She drew a finger in a round motion. “Is it possible it was the same bloodline?”
“Not really. And definitely not.”
“I see. Is that how you learned Space Magic? I could never figure that one out.”
Kai smirked. “I’m actually self-taught. Just lots of practice and some Luck in the Sanctuary. Also, you should know another detail. My past life was in a different world than Elydes. There was no magic, no mana, no skills.”
Her expression alternated between humor and disbelief as she worked her mouth, trying to compose a coherent sentence. “No mana? How… How would life even exist? How did you breathe? How would plants grow or beasts thrive? The land would be desolate. And no skills or magic? That’s… Humans would never survive without them. Not decently.”
“Really, it wasn’t that bad. Bit boring perhaps, compared to here. Though most people would likely say we had it easier. I forgot to mention, there was also no Guide and no beasts. No other races.”
From her face, he might as well have told her they didn’t have oxygen. “How…” Valela went blank for several seconds before she slowly recomposed herself. “I just can’t imagine it. No skills and no ambient mana. Your world must have been so strange.”
“Yeah, I guess it would be for you.” Kai chuckled and imprinted each of her expressions for posterity.
“I do have more questions.”
“As I said, ask away. We have the whole night. Some of it. We should join Flynn later. But we can continue another day. If… if you want.”
“I have time tomorrow.” She perched on her seat, emerald eyes intent on him. “How did your kingdoms function and advance without skills?”
“Same as yours? You don’t need fancy skills and numbers to learn and grow. The Guide does make it easier, but you’d still be you. Maybe a little dumber when you’re young. We had no race grades. Imagine everyone being at the bottom of Red.”
“That…” She looked baffled. “No wonder you fell ill so young without mana.” From the pity in her features, she must be imagining some kind of war-torn dystopia. Her gaze wandered the room, fixing on the mana-powered crystal chandelier.
Kai snorted a laugh. “We also had lights. We weren’t cavemen.”
“Cavemen?”
“Uhh, nevermind. I meant the average quality of life was good.”
“How is that possible, exactly?”
“It’s complicated to explain fully.” Kai scratched his cheek. “We had machines that could do much of what magic does. Some of it better. Most people carried a portable House of Mirrors to communicate in their pocket. It linked to a network that stored nearly all our knowledge, and it was way more affordable. Imagine an infinitely long book. But also able to play music and visual records. Anyone could add and edit, or contribute to it.”
“Anyone? That seems chaotic. But still similar to the Guide.” Her hands reached for her notebook again, then she dragged them back to her lap. “How did your gods build something like that?”
“No gods, we made it. By now, it’s probably even more advanced. Some always wanted to create an artificial intelligence. Like turning all information into— uhm. Guess it would be a bit like the Guide. One that could talk and behave and reason like a person.”
Valela went quiet, considering. “That’d be… horrifying?”
Kai laughed. “You aren’t alone with that opinion. We had lots of stories about humans building technology that gained sentience and took over the world.”
“Then why would you want to— Wait! Is that what happened to the other races on your planet? How did only humans survive?” Her eyes widened.
Kai chuckled. “It was always just humans. We had wars, of course. Lots until they invented weapons so powerful that they would assure mutual destruction. Then it was peaceful. Mostly. There are always more assholes. Sorry, that’s another tangent.”
“No, I’m interested.” Valela nodded, mumbling to herself. “That level of destruction— Even a mana calamity… no, uhm. If they could be summoned at will… Makes sense… How did those weapons work exactly? What about your Guide?”
“That’s a little complicated…”
Flynn and Mom never asked so many specifics.
“Uhm, did I tell you about dinosaurs?”
“Dinosaurs…?”
“Yeah, huge reptiles. Bigger than some Yellow beast even without a grade. Though they went extinct.”
“All of them?” Valela blanched.
This is more fun than any party.
The more he spoke, the more her questions grew, her prim demeanor replaced by hungry curiosity. It was wonderful, and a little depressing. But mostly wonderful. After all his apprehension, she was only interested in how humans survived on Earth; his reincarnation made a footnote at best.
He hadn’t reminisced like this in a very long time. His mom didn’t seem to believe him enough to ask those kinds of questions. And Flynn was more of a practical guy than a scholar. This made everything he remembered feel more real.
“Did I ask something odd?” Valela frowned at his staring.
“No, nothing.”
A fleeting suspicion narrowed her eyes before her mind carried her elsewhere. “Your name. It couldn’t have been Kai. What was it?”
“Well…” Kai couldn’t suppress a laugh.
“What?” She pursed her lips. “What’s wrong with that question? Did your people not use names?”
“We did. Just… you already know mine.” Kai managed to calm his laughter and smirked. “Matthew.”
Valela blinked. “That— No, did you really use…”
Kai grinned. “Of course, I did!”
“Of course…” She sighed, then chewed her lip. “Can I ask a more personal question?”
“Sure, go ahead. It’s been so long."
“If you could go back to your old life… would you?”
Oh…
Kai rubbed his neck. That had once been a recurrent thought. “Naturally, I’d like to visit. But not if it was permanent. I spent most of my life sick. There’s not much I could do—”
“But if you weren’t?”
“Still, no.”
“Why?”
“I like my life here. I—” The warm crystal lights suddenly flickered. Just the shortest stutter, though both of them stilled. The mood cooled into cautious observance. “Have you ever seen them do that?”
Valela gave a slight shake. “Not at Raelion.”
“Me neither.” Kai stood up, listening to Hallowed Intuition. “Maybe we should check—”
Dropping Rain’s privacy bubble, his ears caught something odd, faint but unmistakable with his Perception.
“Are those—”
“Screams.” He confirmed.
Screams that Raelion’s wards should have blocked.
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