Illuminating Your Way

Astrea quietly waited in the teacher's office, reading the student's files. She didn't have time before as she was nagged by Cecilia to train and train for her duel. And now, she has to stress how she will have to look after them. She wasn't alone in the room. There were some who didn't have any lessons until next week.

The selective courses began in two weeks. The most popular were things such as advanced level talisman making, alchemy, ghost study, spirit language, magic theory, the art of explosion,...

The last one was strangely the most popular, huh.

Gwenael Silvius was one of the friendly teachers. He explained to her she could go see the ongoing class if you have the authorization of the lecturer. She thought it would be great but she didn't know anyone who would let her approach their students.

The teacher who told her about this actually allowed her to come to his lesson. She agreed and asked what he did. He taught gardening. She found it a little weird that they taught it in high school but she was too bored to question it. That was until she saw what was raised.

Inside the greenhouse, intelligent plants were raised. They could communicate and even move. There were even playing hide and seek with the students. The goal of this course for the year was to raise a plant until it awakened its awareness. It allows the student to better control his energy. It is one of the most important course to take if someone wished to become alchemist or a druid.

Remembering what consist alchemy, she asked :

"Hu... wouldn't the vegetation rebel knowing of what you do with them?"

"Haha! No, don't worry about it. We don't use them in our potions. The plant you see are tree nymphs. They are resident of trees and if they leave the plant, it goes back to be motionless. By helping them grow new vegetation, we help them grow more home and birth more nymphs. It's mutual benefits."

"Heh... How nice."

"Indeed! So why don't you try the same? It's quite hard to put the correct amount of energy inside but I'm sure you are able to do it." said Gwenael smilingly as he held out a seed.

"S- Sure! From which plant does it come from?"

"An apple tree."

"Okay! I will make sure it will grow splendidly!"

"I'm sure you will."

Astrea put the seed in a pot and poured her spiritual energy like she was watering it. She stayed with Gwenael for the rest of the day inside the greenhouse and helped him take care of the plants with his students.

She then left early to find Cecilia. As she was on her way to her school building, she saw Cecilia being confessed by a student. She saw him on one of his knees, his hands holding a bouquet of flowers... with mouths.

"Miss Melba! Please accept those flowers singing my love for you!"

The flower began to sing.

"Oh! Miss Melba! You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen! The moment my eyes laid on you....!"

Oh no... It's too awful to listen to. Not the flower. They are in perfect sync and have good voices. The lyric is just so cringy. Even Cecilia smile is twitching very badly. Should she intervene or not...

Ah! It became unnecessary as the flowers screamed and died... Gwenael would have been saddened to see flowers being used like that. Oh! There was killing intent directed to the boy. Quick run!

Too late...he has been kidnapped by what seemed to be another student. Astrea neared Cecilia and tapped her on the shoulder. She shuddered and turned around only to see a smirking Astrea. It was her first time seeing anything like a smile on her usually deadpan face.

"Being courted right in the beginning of school year?"

"Oh! So you have seen it and yet you did nothing to help!"

"I didn't know if I should have stepped in. Well, next time I see it, I will help you out. Even if it doesn't seem necessary."

"Oh, you mean my fan club?"

"Seems like you know about it?"

"Well... They have been really helpful in evading confessions like these. I'm really thankful to them even if I can't reciprocate their feeling."

Astrea saw many of the bushes shaking. She could even hear sobs and whispers such as 'She said she is thankful!' 'We are doing great! We must do better for her sake!!' 'We don't mind if you can't respond to our feelings!'

Cecilia was really loved. Astrea just sighed.

"Hey! What are you holding?"

"Oh. This is the seedling I got from Gwenael."

"Teacher Silvius gave you one!? He must trust you a lot."

"What do you mean?"

"You see, students don't take them back with them. They must leave their seedling inside the greenhouse to leave them to grow. Teacher Silvius is very protective of them and if there is any problem, he will be there to take care of it."

"Heh. He has good eyes."

"What are you saying? Now I see by what you brother disciple meant by being overbearing."

"I don't see what you mean."

"Hahaha!"

They left and went back to the dormitory. Astrea asked if she could stay for her lesson. Cecilia told her it would be useless as it was about human history and she already learned it in school.

Astrea decided to just waste her time in the teachers' office. She hoped some teacher would take pity on her.

The next day, nobody asked her to join. She moved to ask some teachers but they all ran away from her. She just walked around until she ended up back to the greenhouse. The nymphs recognized her and invited her inside for tea. They were really nice and recomforted Astrea when she complained about being hated.

Gwenael returned from his herb lesson. He was welcomed by the sight of Astrea being hugged by the nymphs. It really surprised him as they are generally timid to strangers. But seeing them so close to Astrea, he suddenly felt he did a good choice to give her the golden apple's seed.

As he thought, her identity isn't what it seems...