Pretending To Be Gilead's Prince and Master Wizard

The school was in chaos the moment I arrived. All the students in our class seemed to be caught up in their conversation as soon as I arrived in the classroom.

Upon arriving in my seat, all of my friends are already inside as well. I was looking at my surroundings when they greeted me with a quick "Good morning!" enthusiastically.

"Do you have the slightest idea what is going on around here?" I curiously asked with my eyebrows hunched together, forming a crease in between.

Ariella, the ever-energetic one when it comes to receiving rumors, leaned her head in so that she could come closer to me.

"Rumors have recently been circulating around Citadel that the world famous musician Lady Margaret Ascart is back." she says in a whisper.

I scoffed at the back of my head. Who would have thought that her presence could create such chaos in school. She is really that well-known, huh?

"They say that maybe, Lady Margaret is already back a couple of months ago and that this invisible lady whom the residents are seeing is none other than her." Ariella added.

That crazy rumor made me laugh after I had intended to push the thought back. All three of them stared at me with wide eyes as if I did something wrong suddenly. All of a sudden, I understood why I did not want to listen to them.

Oh, geez. Me and my big mouth!

"Why are you laughing?" Cailin asked, still wide-eyed.

"Why am I laughing?" I repeated as I was thinking of a valid excuse for my odd reaction earlier. "Well, I only find it amusing to know that people could be so into rumors such as this. Rumors are only rumors. They don't have a valid claim yet if the news is indeed true."

Maggie rested her back on her chair and looked as she thought about all the things I said just now.

"That may be true," Maggie says after a while. "But Lady Margaret has truly arrived in Citadel. At least, that rumor is valid since residents of this city have seen her."

Yes, I know that already. I was also able to see her with my own eyes as well. 

Cailin says dreamily, "I love her. Her solo violin performance at the Grand Theater in their last concert is nothing short of fascinating." She is learning the violin herself, and hopes to play just like her one day.

I think I am going to be sick with all this talk about that girl. I hurriedly came here to avoid that topic, but I should have known that the students of this institution are also fond of her.

Instead of listening to all these talks about her, I pulled out a notebook and began doodling something at the back. I could still hear my friends discussing her, but it didn't matter anymore.

Just then, one of my male classmates, Joshua Mcclaren, bolted inside the classroom while panting. 

In between his breaths, he said, "Guys, I have something to tell you!"

That piqued the interests of my classmates but not me. I continued doodling on my notebook, half-listening to what the guy is about to say.

"Lady Margaret will be paying our school a visit today! She's going to perform a free violin concert at the school auditorium after classes!" 

And as if on cue, most of my classmates squealed in joy upon hearing that. Cailin, for example, jumps back from her seat looking like an eight-year-old kid right now.

"The heavens must have heard of my plea! I won't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get an autograph from her!" 

"Yeah, sure." I was surprised as well to hear myself speak my thoughts out loud. However, I was glad that the girl wasn't able to hear it.

---

Even though I don't want to go, I was dragged by friends to go to this absurd concert of the lady whom I am really mad at right now. I don't even know why I am mad with her either! As if she even knew I existed in the first place!

"Come on, I am not even a fan of classic music! I don't see any reason why I have to come." I said as Cailin, Ariella and Maggie are dragging me towards the school auditorium. 

"I heard Mr. Pumpkin will give us additional points in our grades once we registered our names in the auditorium as one of the spectators. Even I am not fond of those,"  Maggie says.

My lips parted. "Really? I don't remember him saying that earlier!"

"You wouldn't really hear it if you look distracted a while ago during our classes," Ariella says as a matter of fact. "If it is something serious, feel free to discuss it with us."

Even the others looked at me, their eyes full of worry. I gulped slowly. Am I really that obvious? 

"Do not worry, I am fine." I shrugged and smile at them

"And besides," Cailin chimes in. "Consider things as a day where we get to hang out together. The last time we hang out was way back in October, probably," 

I looked at her in disbelief. "We definitely hang out this month at Central Town, remember?"

"Well, Cailin has a point," Ariella agrees. "This would be a way for us to spend time together. Don't you think so, Krisella?"

I gave up and heaved a defeated sigh. Well, they are right though. As if I also have any excuse with me right now that I could ditch seeing that woman's face once again. Probably, I will still be seeing her back at the palace. Pity me, please.

Therefore, I spent the next few hours writing my name on the attendance sheet with the rest of my friends before entering the auditorium. It is uncertain if the other students were also promised additional points to their grades or not, but I see a lot of them.

I keep looking at the wall clock near our left. Currently, it already says five in the afternoon. Once the clock strikes 5:30, I am out of here or else I will end up getting reprimanded by Alex on my way back to the castle.

"Ladies and gentlemen," says one male student that served as the emcee for this event. "Coming back here in her alma matter is none other than Lady Margaret Ascart of Beldovia." 

Woah, I didn't know she used to study here as well. If she wanted to chase after her passion in music, then why enroll in a magic institution?

This lady comes on stage to the audience's awe with her captivating presence. She is so stunning, no wonder Alex fell in love with her. I can only imagine how beautiful she was even when she was studying here.

"Greetings, everyone," she says in his gentle, meek voice. "It's nice to be back here…"

As she spoke, I found myself preoccupied with the thoughts clouding my mind. Feelings of insecurity followed. I felt like I was comparing myself to her, and I knew that was not the right thing to do. 

Oh, never mind. I must get out of here before I am totally consumed by these negative thoughts.

My friends are so concentrated with the violin performance they did not hear my calls to say goodbye. After my third call, I finally gave up and slipped out.

Wearing my invisibility cap, I started walking out of the campus and towards the marketplace of the city. One hand of mine was slid inside my vest pocket while the other one was swinging freely as I was walking my way towards the alley where I will be meeting whoever is now in-charge of picking me up.

And if I am being so unfortunate right now, it was Alex who is now up to the task. Removing my hat, I greeted "Hey," 

"Hey," he greeted back.

After that, no one dared to speak for the next couple of minutes. We were just silently walking, side by side, our gazes focused on the road ahead of us.

This area is already kind of an isolated area, intended only for the castle personnel, so I'd say it's already safe to walk with him without the cap since it's supposed to be for the castle personnel only, as what I recall from Lancelot.

A few moments later, maybe the lad beside me can't take this awkward silence anymore so therefore, he was the first one to break it.

"Why are you in such a foul mood today? Did I even do something wrong?" he suddenly asked. I looked at him as my eyebrows were knitted together.

"No, I am not."

Alex shoots me a knowing look.

"My friends…" I searched for the words to use inside my head. "forced me earlier to watch Lady Margaret's school show earlier. I didn't know you used to go to school together before." 

"Because you never asked."

"Oh yeah?" I stopped walking, and so did he. "If I ask you now what's the real deal between you and her, would you answer me?"

It was the moment when he stared at me, like I should know something but don't know what it is, before he answered my question.

"Nothing. It's all in the past now."

Alex pauses for a moment, purses his lips and smiles afterward. 

That genuine smile…. I haven't seen that ever since his grandmother died. I think my heart just did a backflip after seeing it once again.

"Besides, I am already in love with someone else now." 

Without waiting for my response, Alex starts walking once again, leaving me in a state of shock and oblivion. 

"Who is it?!"

"That, you can't ask missy. It is too personal!"

I tried to catch up and kept on bugging him to spill the information until we arrived at the castle.