Pretending To Be Gilead's Prince and Master Wizard

My mouth can't help it but yawn most of the time during Mr. Pumpkin's class and I tried my best not to be obvious about it, especially in front of the teacher.

I wouldn't be in this kind of situation if it weren't for what I said the other day during the royal council meeting, that I-- as the fake prince-- would be there during visits once per week to every city, town, and village especially the remote ones. Those were being taken care of by Lucas and his team, but I and the rest of the team had to go thorough check on the nearest places in the capital city just to ensure the people's safety there.

Yesterday night, we visited Adalor, the third-largest city here in Gilead in terms of area and population-- next to Cordova. And we just started this visiting rotation yesterday. You really can't blame me if I ever suddenly decided to sleep in here in just a wink.

Since I was the one who suggested making it a habit of visiting all places under the rule of Prince Arthur, then it is really not in my position to complain about it. Sighing, another yawn is threatening once again to escape my mouth.

I nearly had slept during our second-period class, but Ariella was able to tap me on the shoulders twice when she must have seen how drowsy I looked today. And knowing her, I did not miss the chance to see the worried look plastered on her face right now. She might be asking some questions later during our break time, so I better prepare myself for that.

Just then, the school bell rang, and everyone sprang up to their seats and some of them had the guts to immediately leave the room without waiting for the teacher to go first. How rude of them for doing so.

"For those of you who are still here," our chemistry teacher says, looking at each one of the students who haven't still left this room including me. "I will be assigning you homework to be passed tomorrow before we'll begin with our next topic."

The teacher, which is a woman in her mid-30s, was temporarily occupied while scanning her teacher's manual for the homework she was talking about. When she must have seen it already, she instructs us to answer ten equations that were definitely more complicated compared to the ones she demonstrated earlier.

Before dismissing us completely, she adds, "And oh, don't share this information with those who chose to leave early after the discussion. I had already kept track of who those are, so I will know whose paper I will not include for tomorrow's homework. Am I clear?"

"Yes ma'am," 

"Alright then. You are now dismissed."

I was glad to finally stand up from my seat and walk with my friends towards the cafeteria to grab something to eat. And though I am not really hungry, I needed to at least eat something just to wake my senses up until the very last minute of attending my classes.

"Look at you. Black circles around your eyes are already visible around them that I, a person that can't see well, can see it from afar with my glasses on," Cailin suddenly pointed out my right eye. She was right though, that is why I could really feel my eyes heavy with it, like any minute from now my body will just shut down on its own to have some rest.

I pouted, "Is really that bad?"

All three of them nodded their heads.

"Yes, it is."

Feeling a bit worried that my mentors would also see that on my way home, I faced my friends once again and told them to wait here just a bit before dashing my way towards the counter. They didn't ask about it though I could definitely tell in their eyes and the confused looks plastered on their faces that they are curious to find out about it.

There has been no line since I came and therefore I was able to immediately tell the cashier what I needed-- that is a small pack of ice, a small, clean bowl, and a new clean metallic spoon. Upon receiving the things I needed, I went straight to the women's restroom and started on my home remedy I learned from my mother whenever your eyes start to swell.

"They are right," I whispered to myself the moment I saw my reflection on the mirror and how my eyes are currently swelling underneath. "It really looks bad indeed."

I started laying the ice inside the bowl that is now half-melted already, and dip the spoon into its cool waters before applying it under my eyes to prevent the swelling to get even bigger. Flinching a little to know how cold it was under my skin, I still continued applying it though.

"Oh, mom is right. It works without even applying healing to it," I whispered once more as I looked at my reflection in the mirror and saw how the swelling reduced, until I ran out of ice and my face didn't look bad now.

Returning to our table, it was then also the time for us to go back to our classroom. We only had thirty minutes for our breaks and one hour for our lunch. I spotted Ariella and the others already heading towards the cafeteria when they saw me walking to them.

"Here is your bag. Let's all go now to our next class," Maggie says and hands me over the bag. I received it wholeheartedly.

"Thank you."

After a few struggling hours of fighting off sleep, the game was officially over when I dozed off during our last-period class. I was just resting my head on my right hand when my eyes automatically shut and my head was bobbing up and down even if I wasn't asked any question.

And then… there it was again.

My dream, the one that always appears in my vision. A picture of a girl with beige hair and has a pair of ash-colored round eyes holding the hands of her tall-looking father while they are walking together. By merely looking at it, I think they were having their usual father-daughter bonding in a park as I stood there in the corner, watching their every step.

"Dad, are we going somewhere?" asked the girl.

"Didn't I promise to buy you strawberries? Yesterday, your dad's pretty busy with his work, and now I will make sure to make it up to you, my sweet little angel," her father says.

Ahh… so they are now heading to somewhere where there are strawberries located. That must have also been the girl's favorite, like me.

Wait a minute…

I just stood there, watching them as they walked the beautiful roads under the shade of maple trees. And then… something happened that interfered with their plan. Regarding what happened, I hadn't the slightest chance to see it since my dream was abruptly interrupted by two consecutive loud taps on my table that caught me off guard.

And that is when I remember I was still in Mr. Wimbshaw's class after meeting the furious gaze of our terror teacher.

Since I rarely misbehaved in class, I was off with a mere warning that the next time I will dare to sleep in Mr. Wimbshaw's class, I will be having my first-ever detention since I came here in Gilead Academy. If that happens, then that would have destroyed my academic records and therefore would not be qualified to be a wizard in the future.

I have to bang my head against my palm several times just to keep myself awake while I was walking towards the castle and making sure that no one suspicious is currently following me at the same time. Luckily, I met with Lucas at the marketplace, and suddenly. I don't have to worry about the second one anymore.

"What? Training will be delayed with the archbishop and Alex today?" I repeated upon hearing Lucas's news of them going out of the castle for a while to run some errands. 

I was still deciding whether or not that is some great news to celebrate when Lucas added, "I think I will be meeting with some very important guests in my office also today. It is about a charity program that I am organizing to keep the orphanage going."

I have finally decided. This is some kind of great news after all.

"Really?" I said, enthusiastic and all. But then I suddenly remembered being courteous and repeated, this time feigning sadness in my tone. "Really?

Knowing me, Lucas only chuckled at that and shrugged.

"I should be on my way now," Lucas smiles, and then I was alone here in the prince's office for the next couple of minutes. 

The lad made sure to lock the door behind him, and I took this opportunity to rest my head even just for a while. And then I was off to sleep once more.

---

-THIRD PERSON-

All three mentors of Krisella have sneaked up inside the office and sighed in relief to see the girl now dozed off in the prince's now empty table.

"She really seems tired from all that visit we'd let her do plus her academics," Lucas said, worried.

"Yes, so the best thing that we could give to her now is some few hours rest," Lancelot says.

And with that, they all left the prince's office and suddenly decided to play two rounds of chess in the lobby.