"I think this matter isn't simple..."
Alicia rested her chin lightly against her fingers as she studied Luke across the small table.
The restaurant was quiet today. The lamp light hung above them like the soft golden moons, casting warm shadows over the polished wooden furniture. The place had a reputation for privacy and the nobles occasionally visited it when they wished to discuss secret matters.
This was exactly the kind of place that she preferred.
"The fact that even your own family neglects you…" she continued slowly, "It means they already expect you to lose."
Her sharp eyes narrowed slightly, "Tell me honestly. Did your uncle arrange few schemes against you or did he attempt to harm you directly?"
Luke exhaled quietly, and for several seconds, he did not answer before he finally spoke, "Both..."
His voice was calm but the calmness felt forced, "Sometimes, it's explicit and sometimes, it's subtle."
Baston continued eating silently while listening. A cream puff disappeared between his fingers. The restaurant truly deserved its reputation since such food was delicious.
Luke leaned forward slightly, "For example… One time, my uncle sent me a box of magic stones."
Alicia frowned, "Magic stones?"
"Yes…"
Luke's expression darkened slightly as he recalled the memory, "He said it was a gift to help with my studies. But the moment I opened the box…"
He made a small gesture with his fingers, "It just went exploded…"
Alicia's eyes widened slightly, "Are you hurt?"
"I was lucky back then…" Luke tapped the silver charm from his collar, "My protection charm saved me."
He continued calmly, "When I confronted him about it, he acted completely surprised."
"What did he say?" Alicia asked.
"He said he knew nothing about it and he promised he would investigate..."
The smile disappeared quickly. Meanwhile, Baston quietly took another cream puff.
Luke continued, "Several days later, another box arrived but I didn't open it."
Alicia already knew the answer, "It exploded anyway? Just like the ones before?"
Luke nodded slowly, "Yes..."
He folded his hands together, "One incident might be a coincidence, but for the two incidents to have the same reaction, it already spelled a problem."
He shook his head, "I don't believe in such coincidences… From then on, I realize my uncle is trying to kill me."
Alicia leaned back slightly in her chair and the lamp light flickered above them.
"Do you find the other reason except the inheritance problem?" she asked.
Luke looked down at the table, "I don't know but I will find out."
The conversation ended there. For several moments, there were only the faint sounds of distant cutlery and the quiet footsteps that filled the restaurant.
Baston remained silent throughout the entire discussion. It was not because he had nothing to say but because his role here was simple.
The old book had given its instruction clearly which was to kill the man who intended to harm the student. The student was Luke and the man was his uncle. Everything else was merely a background information.
Still, he slowly wiped the cream from his fingers. This situation felt incomplete since there were too many missing pieces and too many unknown motives. Eventually, that didn't change the quest.
If Luke wanted to fight back, Baston would help him. The reason didn't matter or perhaps, it would matter later.
Across the table, Alicia remained quiet.
As a noble from another family, she knew better than to involve herself deeply in the internal family conflicts.
The noble world was a maze of the secrets and the traps. One careless step could create several enemies that lasted generations. She would offer few opinions and advices but as for her direct involvement, she must not do that. That line could not be crossed.
However, she still couldn't help thinking about Baston. The fat boy had already proven something terrifying before.
Behind the scene, he already disposed Levan. The merchant who controlled the academy's supply chain had disappeared quietly. He had been involved but no proof existed until now. Still, she knew one thing.
If he decided to eliminate Luke's uncle directly, the consequences would be far more serious.
A merchant's death was unfortunate and a noble's death was political, dangerous, and impossible to hide forever. The meeting continued for nearly an hour before eventually, the discussion ended.
Luke left first and Alicia stood up soon after. Baston remained seated since he had not finished the food. Naturally, he prioritized his stomach first before taking an action.
She paused near the restaurant entrance. She glanced back once and the fat boy sat alone at the table while taking another cream puff. For some reason, the sight made her uneasy.
Was he thinking, planning, or simply enjoying the dessert?
She shook her head slightly. Even now, the memory of him using two rare elements before still lingered in her mind.
The ice and the flare, two elements that most wizards would never possess in their entire lives unexpectedly ended in Baston's hands.
She decided not to ask any further questions. Her personal guards were already waiting outside anyway. With a final glance, she left the restaurant.
In the quiet corner of the room, Baston ordered another plate before he went back.
*****
The life at Prius Academy gradually returned to normal.
The magic competition ended and the students resumed their routines with the lectures, training, and study sessions.
Among the academy's noble circles, Alicia's reputation soared. Winning the competition had strengthened her standing dramatically.
Many noble students began approaching her. She had so many offers regarding the invitations, the social gatherings, and the tea discussions. Every one of them was political connections that were disguised as friendly conversation.
Meanwhile, Baston experienced the opposite since the people quickly forgot about him.
Outside the academy, the spectators still remembered the boy with ice magic, but inside the school, only the winner mattered. Alicia was the champion while Baston merely became the background noise again.
Only a few people congratulated him including Panto, several commoner students, and a handful of curious observers. Toward this situation, Baston did not mind.
In fact, he preferred it this way because less attention meant fewer problems.
There would be no pointless conversations, no curious people who were asking the questions, and no unnecessary enemies.
He could simply attend the classes quietly. He could eat, sleep, and study peacefully. Also, he could occasionally complete the dangerous quests from the old book.
It was such a peaceful life, more or less from his viewpoints.
*****
Several days passed quietly, and then, the academy announced the next vacation period which lasted one month.
For most students, this meant returning home. The nobles would visit their families and the merchants' children would help with business.
Panto eagerly prepared to return home and Alicia would obviously return to the Xavierius estate. But for Baston, he had nowhere to go.
The students from the poor class rarely traveled since many cities restricted their entry. Without noble companion or merchant sponsorship, the movement across the kingdom was limited.
The villages were accessible and the same applied to the small towns. A few tolerant cities might also be applicable but it was not much else.
Baston briefly considered traveling but he rejected the idea because traveling meant expenses. He had to think about the food, lodging, and transportation. Money disappeared quickly on the road. In the end, it was better to save.
Besides, Luke's problem still existed. Inside the academy, the boy was safe. As for the outside, the protection vanished. If Luke's uncle truly intended to eliminate him, the vacation was the perfect opportunity.
Luke understood this as well which was why three days before the vacation began, they gathered again at the same place and at the same table.
Alicia folded her hands and spoke first, "I think if Baston wants to accompany you safely, he should disguise himself."
Luke nodded, "That makes sense."
Alicia continued, "He can either become your servant or your slave."
"The servant option is better."
"Why?"
"He can stay near me at all times..." Luke leaned forward slightly, "When the opportunity appears, he can help."
Alicia shook her head, "I disagree since a slave would be better."
Luke frowned, "What is the reason?"
Alicia tapped the table lightly, "No one pays attention to the slave since they are always ignored. People will lower their guard around them and that makes the infiltration easier."
"However, Baston is a powerful wizard. It's inappropriate to treat him as a slave."
"The outside world doesn't know that."
Meanwhile, Baston quietly ate the snacks. Another cream puff disappeared while the conversation felt strangely surreal.
They were discussing the assassination yet the tone felt almost casual. Luke and Alicia seemed oddly comfortable by planning the death of a noble.
He wondered briefly if this was normal for the nobles. Probably, it was quite common through the noble society.
Alicia continued speaking, "If Baston becomes your servant, he needs training. He has to look for his manners, protocol, and behavior. After all, the servants represent their masters."
Luke immediately countered, "People will hardly believe that a fat boy like him is a slave…"
Baston glanced down at his own body. Luke had a point since he was well-fed. The slaves were usually thin, weak, and quiet. He looked more like a traveling merchant's son than a starving slave.
Alicia responded calmly, "And you think a servant who barely speaks will look convincing?"
Baston paused, thinking it was also true. He preferred the silence unless a quest forced him to talk. The argument soon escalated.
"Servant..."
"Slave..."
"Servant…"
"Slave..."
It went back and forth while Baston watched quietly. By then, he sighed inwardly.
"Can I just be myself…?"
Unfortunately, no one asked his opinion. He did not have a choice but to continue eating. Anyway, the cream puffs here were excellent and the taste was five stars. Eventually, the debate reached a stalemate.
Luke rubbed his forehead, "This is pointless…"
Alicia agreed, "Then, we decide with a coin..."
Luke pulled a silver coin from his pocket, "If it lands head, Baston becomes my servant. If it lands tail…"
"He becomes a slave..."
Baston slowly swallowed the last piece of cream puff. However, something felt strange and he didn't know why yet.
Luke raised the coin, "Ready?"
Alicia nodded, "Ready..."
Luke prepared to toss it. The coin glimmered briefly under the lamp light. It looked ordinary which was silver and round. There was nothing special yet Baston suddenly raised his hand.
"Wait…"
Luke paused, "What is it?"
Baston frowned slightly and his eyes remained fixed on the coin, "Where did you get that coin?"
"From my pocket…"
"That's not what I meant…" Baston's voice became quieter, "Where did you originally get it?"
Luke thought for a moment, "From my uncle…"
The room suddenly felt colder. Baston leaned back slowly. His mind moved quickly from the old book, the quest, Luke's uncle, the exploding magic stones, and the coin toss.
"Don't toss it…" Baston said quietly.
"Why?"
Baston stared at the coin then he spoke a single sentence, "Because I think that coin might explode too."
The silence swallowed the room. For a brief moment, neither Alicia nor Luke spoke.
The lamp light above their table flickered softly, casting the wavering shadows across the silver coin that was resting between Luke's fingers.
"You're joking, right?" Luke finally asked.
Baston slowly shook his head, "Your uncle already used the exploding magic stones twice. If he wants to kill you, there is no reason for him to stop there."
Luke stared at the coin again. The small object suddenly felt heavier than before.
"You think he enchanted it?"
"I don't know," Baston replied, "But since it came from him, that alone is enough reason to be careful."
Alicia leaned forward slightly. Her eyes studied the coin with a new seriousness.
"Let him check it…" she said quietly.
Luke hesitated but then he placed the coin carefully on the table, "Alright…"
Baston stretched out his hand. A faint chill spread across the wooden surface.
The thin white frost quietly crept from his fingertips, sliding over the table like the silent mist. Within seconds, the silver coin was sealed beneath a thin layer of ice.
Alicia's eyes widened slightly. Even now, the cold aura of Baston's magic still felt unnatural. The temperature around the table dropped several degrees.
Luke swallowed, "What are you doing?"
"Just making sure nothing will not go wrong..."
The ice thickened, followed by another layer. The small coin soon became trapped inside a solid crystal of pale blue frost.
Baston flicked his finger lightly and a sharp cracking sound echoed. For a few seconds, nothing happened before the sudden reaction came.
"CRACKKK!"
A dull explosion burst inside the frozen sphere.
The ice cracked violently but the surrounding frost absorbed most of the force. The shards of frozen mist scattered across the table like the shattered glass.
Alicia instinctively leaned back and Luke's chair scraped loudly against the floor. However, the explosion never fully erupted since the ice magic suppressed it.
The smoke curled weakly from the cracked frost and the silver coin inside had been completely shattered. The silence soon returned to the room.
Alicia slowly exhaled, "You were right to be careful…"
Luke stared at the destroyed coin with a pale face, "That would have scalded my hand…"
Luke clenched his fists. For a moment, the anger flashed across his face.
"He really wants me dead…"
Baston did not answer. Instead, he reached into his pocket and placed another coin onto the table. This one looked completely ordinary.
"Use this one…" Baston said.
Luke stared at the new coin, pondering if another explosion would occur.
Alicia folded her arms, "Are you sure this one won't explode?"
Baston shrugged, "It's mine... It should be safe..."
The statement seemed convincing enough. Luke picked up the coin and the tension returned immediately. The coin spun slowly between his fingers.
"Same rule…" he said, "Head is the servant and tail is the slave..."
Alicia nodded calmly, "Alright..."
Luke inhaled then he flicked the coin into the air.
The silver coin spun beneath the lamp light. It went higher and higher until it began falling back toward the table. Just before it landed, Baston narrowed his eyes.
Because for some reason, he suddenly had a strange feeling that this coin toss might decide far more than just a disguise.