The World We Live In

Ch 42: Brain

Schooling in Burningshield was not really bad. I didn't expect it to be this good, though. I thought it would be boring and checkmate for me as the frontliner of this class.

The 'school' was kind enough to provide us some books and pencils. The teacher offered us feathers and ink to write but I might have lost my patience during the lesson if I had to write with that kind of mindblowing item. Well, that was only for me, maybe. I could see Mamoru and Jin casually writing with feathers.

"You have ... like the worst handwriting I have ever seen in my life in any dimensions, Olivier..." Storm commented after peeking at Olivier's note. Fortunately, it was indeed the time for discussion so the teacher didn't mind a chit-chat. "You should fix your handwriting. It's hurting my eyes."

"My handwriting exists to not please you," Olivier rolled her hidden eyes. "Maybe you should ask Reanne to check your eyes. Your eyes are full of hatred for handwriting."

"Yes! That's right!" Jin agreed on whatever. "If it really bothers you so much, let's switch seats!"

"Dude, you are not big and tall enough to cover the sun for Aura..." Storm shook his head. "Come back later and I'll switch."

Storm was successful in making Jin smile a flat one.

Honestly, I kinda envied the back row's liveliness. There was nothing here even if I had beautiful handwriting or anything. I just couldn't find myself happy sitting on this very seat. I laid my head on the table, looking in the direction Lance was. He was busy taking notes which was kinda of enchanting for me. Lance was always eye-catching every time he was serious. But he was also seriously annoying at times.

I turned to the left side where Jemi sat. He didn't take any notes in his book. The scenery outside rendered him speechless.

"Whazup with the outside?" I casually engaged in a conversation.

"Summer here is different than in the mainland or even Cowie..." Jemi explained his observation. "Usually we would limit our activity because of the heat. Sometimes I even see people complaining about the temperature, but I don't see even a single person talking about the scorching heat. They all look happy."

"Don't you think it's on different temperature?" I asked thanks to my curiosity.

"See that sick girl," Jemi demanded me on observing Olivier. "Her hair is so messed up because of the heat. It's the same temperature as in Cowie based on that girl's hair."

"... You calculate the temperature based on... Olivier's hair...?"

"Ya."

"......"

I decided to look at Olivier who was still diligently taking notes. For a few seconds, she took a breath from the window. Her nose moved real fast, like a dog. She whispered a thing to Reanne who sat on her front, maybe to express her nose's feeling. Well, I didn't think it was because of the heat, though, as I never saw Olivier do that in Cowie.

"Do you like talking to Jemi that much?"

Now I needed to divert my sight to my right side, to Lance who was still writing.

"What?" I was shocked with his question.

"Do you like talking to Jemi that much?" Lance repeated his question.

"Where did this come from?" I turned the question back.

Lance sighed and stopped his writing.

"You were looking at me and not trying to talk to me but you talked to Jemi instead," Lance explained. "Do you like talking to Jemi that much?"

I rolled my eyes. What in the freaking hell this boy was thinking? I didn't even notice that I took 'favorites' on talking to someone. As if he didn't know that I was indeed talking to everyone!

"I talk to everyone, oh my God you are so annoying!" my emotion exploded. "Don't you see that? or you won't?"

Lance shrugged. If we weren't in a classroom, I would already hit his head with something dull and bring a lot of misery and adversity to his life.

"Well? You want to put me on fault here after all of the apologies I did and you still won't forgive me?!" Lance made another discussion not so discussion.

I curled my eyebrows. I even couldn't believe that my heart said compliments for this freaking jerk with jumping topics.

"So, what do you want to talk about? About me not talking to you or about me not forgiving you for all of the mistakes you made?!"

Lance rolled his eyes, purposedly to repay for my rolling eyes earlier. Oh my holy cow, I swore if killing someone was beneficial, I would be a hero right now.

"You can't ask for someone's forgiveness with that kind of attitude, young man."

I and Lance needed to feel content as Mamoru silently listened to our bickering and offered comments. He filled his discussion period with reading I didn't know books whatever... while carefully understanding our small fight.

Or MAKE IT BIG, LANCE! I DARE YOU!

"You know nothing, Mamoru," Lance refused Mamoru's comment which seemingly took my side.

"Oh really? Tell me more," Mamoru replied with his hands still flipping through pages. "I would like to hear a statement or two from a guy who pushed his forgiveness to be accepted by a woman."

Okay, no kidding. I'm sorry, Aura, but your lover is kinda cool.

"It's just a human's right to be forgiven but it's okay if it can't be forgotten!" Lance made his line. "I don't apologize once! I did it two times!"

Mamoru smiled a small dimple-y.

"A killer just killed your whole family and asked for your forgiveness. Would you forgive him?" Mamoru asked.

"I..."

"Oh, I know you will. Pardon me. You just won't forget, I suppose," Mamoru tilted his head, closed his book, and stared at Lance's eyes. "You will forgive your parents' killer, won't you?"

Lance might be smart, but I had a gist of how Mamoru was way superior to him. The vibe Mamoru had just now was completely a vibe of a strategist who had already seen numerous wars. I almost lost my defense on Mamoru because he was Jin's brother but... Mamoru... was a total opposite of Jin.

"Anyhow, what I wanted to say is to behave yourself here," Mamoru opened his book back and continued his reading. "You know how the King asked us personally to behave so the opposites wouldn't have any hole to strike in so you better be."

Lance who stood up had to feel 'happy' and sat back on his chair. Calming down, finally. Yet, something bothered my mind: Mamoru asked Jin to be the next king. If Mamoru was this perfect at dealing with outsiders, why didn't he take the throne?

Please don't tell me...

"Hey, Mamoru..." I asked after Lance behaved himself.

"Yes?" Mamoru turned his head to me.

"...What kind of ... weapon do you use in war?" I asked very carefully. "I'm sorry, it's just because I can't imagine you to hold any weapon..."

Mamoru laughed and rolled his left sleeve, revealing his not muscular but not skinny arm.

"I use this as my weapon..." Mamoru pointed at his head, smirking at Lance to leave a shiver on his spine.

I remembered what Mama Charlonzi said. Mama Charlonzi might be weak and not that powerful yet she possessed observations and perspectives. She was the reason behind the successful Charlonzi. It was exactly what she told me...

"If you want to destroy a group, kill the brain."

Now I know the reason behind Burningshield's destruction. Mamoru was no longer holding the kingdom back.