On the darker and graver look of things, Northern had just grown paranoid about people, especially when it came to believing them.
His immature fear of being used, outsmarted, was making him cynical.
Or was he cynical to begin with? Then became immature and paranoid to top it.
There was nothing entirely wrong with being cynical, but his preconceived mindset that every human was a liar of some sort, and would only use him for their own selfish agenda without consideration for him or his wellbeing... well, needed a fix here and there.
In the end, Northern agreed to the deal and returned to the estate where other students were staying.
He ended up pawning the items he wanted to. Nothing much actually; he just gave away the old items that had been quite useless to him since Hao had taken the useful ones in exchange for some really, really useful items.
Take the necklace that wouldn't come off his neck for example.
And the main reason he had done this was because, now that he could-in a way-gain items, he cleared the old list for the new list to come in.
Of course, he left some of the old important ones. But many were gone; for example, Twilight Dawn was gone. That armor had been his partner in worse days, days when the hope of the future was bleak.
Northern did not break the curfew, so he experienced no problem going back into the estate. In fact, he was just in time to make it for dinner. But he did not feel hungry. The man at the pawnshop had packed some snacks for him.
He called it a kind gesture. Which was kind of strange.
'Maybe he really wants to use me?'
Because why pack snacks for someone you don't know, you've never met before, and call it a kind gesture?
It was weird and suspicious.
But since he did not want to go out until tomorrow, he thought of it as a nice resort to turn to.
He would eat; if there was anything strange with the food, he would know and maybe that would give him a hint to not take the job after all.
As Northern was about to walk through the main door of his assigned mansion while thinking of all this, he suddenly stopped and turned to his left.
"How about you guys just come out?"
It was silent for a bit, the wind drifting almost soundlessly.
Two figures, dark-skinned almost glowing in the light of the night, walked out of the corner of the building and towards him.
Northern noted both of them. The first was a boy, slightly taller than the girl; he had earrings and a strange spectral blade of all the indigo one could get in the night.
Beneath the sufficient moonlight that illuminated the night with a ghastly radiance, it was especially enchanting and fitted the boy's demeanor just the right way.
The girl, however, had a slight hint of trouble and menace playfully clinging to the small and disturbing smile on her lips. Her hair was packed in side buns just like Northern had noticed the first time he met them.
However, she was not carrying any big and oversized bag today.
These are the Kejars?
'They kind of look the part...'
"I heard you were the first to come out of the rift; moreover, you cleared it. You are an interesting person. How were you able to do it?"
The boy's voice sounded a bit different; it was not the soft hoarseness that almost resembled his own but rather the strange accent.
It was the first time Northern was hearing an accent, much less one so apparent.
"Uh well. There's not much to say; besides, if I told you, wouldn't that make you an interesting person too?"
The boy winced back a little and raised his brow. Then he curved out a harmless smile.
"Okay... you certainly are not good with humor. I could teach you for one thing. By that one sentence, I can tell you don't socialize a lot."
"Oh crap, it was that obvious."
The air was silent between them. Northern took a look at the girl who wouldn't stop looking at him weirdly.
He moved his hands and pointed to her slightly.
"I think your sister might devour me whole any moment now."
The boy turned to his sister and frowned slightly, knocking her on the forehead.
She clutched her forehead with both hands and glowered at her brother.
"What the hell was that for?"
"Wipe your drool, Sora."
She immediately widened her eyes, cleaned away the drool, and looked sideways, her cheeks
reddening like tomatoes.
"It's not what you think."
"I don't really care what it was..."
The boy's focus shifted to Northern.
"Anyway, it won't hurt having a strong friend in the academy. I hear you are a student of the non-combative school."
"No. I just find it uncanny. So? What do you say? Friends?"
He extended a hand toward Northern.
Northern looked at the hand then at the boy and the girl.
The word echoed deep into his subconscious. Suddenly, hearing it again did not seem to bode
Not that he did not know what it meant in its earnest. He just happened to have closed his mind to it. After almost considering Raven a friend, the hurt tore his heart in a different way.
He did not just want to have friends because the thought of them betraying him was annoying, and deep down, really, really scary.
What if he cared too much to hurt them?
But he also couldn't deny the practical advantages that came with having these friends.
His eyes drifted back to the boy's hands.
"Do you happen to know a guy in many places?"
The boy frowned, confused.
"Uhm, well, you can say that I guess."
Northern looked at the girl, who was smiling vibrantly. God knows what was going through
her head. The look in her eyes did not give enough hint.
'If he knows a guy... I guess I can be friends with him.'
Northern took the boy's hand.
"I am Kealen Val'keth."
Northern narrowed his eyes for a moment and pointed to both of them.
"Aren't you two Kejars like they say?"
Kealen hesitated, then smiled.
"We don't use the name openly. It's a family custom. Until we're deemed mature enough, we
aren't allowed to carry the family name."
"That is quite an interesting custom."
Northern remarked, filing the information away for later.
"Well, I'm going inside now."
"Oh, of course. By all means. Please do. We will talk more some other time."
Northern paused, raising an eyebrow.
"Talk? About what again?"
Kaelen's smile faltered for a moment.
"Just talk, like friends do...?"
Northern's expression twisted with mild disgust.
"Friends talk? Do I have to talk to you because we're friends?"
Kealen stared at him, stunned.
"I can't tell if you are joking or serious."
Northern let out a faint smile.
"You were the one that complained about my sense of humor."
Then he walked in casually, throwing a wave and leaving both of them a bit strangely
For a moment, Kealen stood frozen. Then, he burst into laughter, clutching his stomach as
tears streamed down his face.
His sister looked at him weirdly but mostly had her eyes on the entrance through which
She suddenly widened her eyes as if she had made a realization and looked at her brother with
"What is it? You are making noise."
Kaelen's laughter slowly reduced until it was just a pearl of giggles and then nothing. He
wiped the small tears in his eyes away and looked at his sister.
"That guy really is an interesting guy."
"Yes. But you forgot to ask for his name."
At once Kaelen froze again.
"Ah right. I forgot to ask for his name."
She looked at him with annoyance and walked away.
"Thanks for nothing."
He watched her walk away for a while, her short flared skirt dancing in the glow of the night,
her shadow growing longer. Then he ran and caught up to her.
"Don't worry, we shall ask him tomorrow, or the next, and the next, or when we get back to
the academy. You have two years to win him for yourself. I'm sure you can do it."
She paused, her big eyes gaining a tumultuous amount of life.
Kaelen nodded with a smile.
"Hmm, you are a charming and amazing girl; there's no boy, strong or not, that wouldn't
cower before your radiant beauty."
She made a finger gesture as she corrected something.
"Yes. But please, I am only concerned with a strong one. The only way I can prove my worth
and maturity to father is by bringing home a strong husband."
Kaelen looked at her with a worried expression.
He continued walking, leaving her behind.
"What was that look just now?"
"I said it was nothing."
She ran even further trying to catch up to him, but he took off and leaped away from the
ground, prompting her to easily do the same.