The Princess of the Forgotten Tale (Frozen Series #1)

Chapter 17: The Other Side

My life had a complete turn as I stayed in the academy and lived my life as a student. The hours turned into days and before I knew it, weeks already passed.

At first, I wasn't used to it, all the studying and hectic schedules, the required lessons to learn in each subject. I used to have the time of my life and control it, but now, everything seems to be out of my hand.

Sinusubukan 'kong isingit ang pagtakas ko tuwing gabi pagkatapos ng curfew, then do what I used to do before, which is the sole reason why I entered this academy. Ngunit sa sobrang daming kailangang gawin at sobrang nakakapagod pa ang mga ito, lalo na sa mga practical class, madalas na bumibigay na ang aking katawan at nakakatulog na ako agad.

I admit, this kind of exhaustion was something that I never got to experience when I wasn't still a student. Malayo ito sa mga training namin ni Doris at Garnet sa gubat, sa mga pagtugis ko sa aking mga misyon, pati na rin sa pakikipag-laban ko sa mga mababangis na hayop na bigla na lang umaatake.

This, this was a different kind of tiredness. But it's not at all draining me. Maybe at first. Siguro hindi lang ako sanay, but I kinda like what I'm doing, surprisingly. Dito ko rin napagtanto ang pagkakaiba ng mga karanasan ko sa loob ng academy sa naging buhay ko sa gubat.

Mas malala ang mga training na ginagawa dito sa academy, maraming uri at may mga technicalities at maaari ka pang gumamit ng kung ano-anong armas, na halos lahat ng uri ng pakikipaglaban ay kailangan mong aralin. But you never get to use all of the things you learned during training, not until you face a real enemy. You just learn, but you never really get to engage with an enemy.

Meanwhile, outside these walls is reality. Sa labas, hindi mo kailangan, o mas magandang sabihin na wala ka nang oras para aralin pa ang lahat ng mga bagay na kailangan mong matutunan sa pakikipaglaban. Your enemies won't tell you beforehand when and where, and how they will attack you. They'll just come barging in front of you, as you live your life aimlessly. You get to experience a real fight first before you'll know what you need to learn.

Aside from classes related to our powers and how to use them in physical battles, there were also basic and normal, or academic classes for those who didn't have any intentions on being on battlefields, katulad na lamang ng mga sinabing special courses na nabanggit ni Garnet nung nakaraan. There are courses offered for those who wanted to be in the military, to enter the palace and perform royal duties, for those who wanted politics, and more. Those are the things that I have the least interest in.

It was all new to me, this kind of life, far different from what I used to have. Everything was a first, from meeting more mages from different parts of Avalon, stronger and better than me, from learning new things, studying for the sake of acquiring knowledge. This student life was something I didn't know I'd be fond of.

I didn't just say that.

We were currently inside a dimensional arena having our elemental class. Professor Schuyler just announced our agenda for today, in which we're going to reach a minimum power level on a moss green-colored and rectangular contraption located in the middle of the arena, where the number will appear on the surface of the device.

"Four hundred." It was the minimum power level that we needed to reach. "That was an average number. There are no rules on how you're going to attain that level, but you can only use your element. Any unrelated actions will result in a failing score. Remember, you only have a minute to do it." He briefly explained like it was something one could do easily.

"Hindi ko alam kung nag-jojoke lang ba si sir sa sinabi niyang average number lang ang 400 para sa power level. 200 nga ang hirap nang makuha, 400 pa?!" Narinig 'kong reklamo ni Crimson habang natatawa pa, a painful laugh.