Chapter 627: Blabbermouth
Northern glared obstinately into the guy's eyes.
At that point, he almost shivered, scratching the side of his hair and smiling with his eyes. "Ha ha, forgive me. I have this tendency to derail. Sometimes, I can just be talking about serious matters and I just start derailing and talking about things that don't matter..."
Northern's glare intensified, almost shooting lasers. The boy, as he met Northern's gaze, quickly recollected himself.
"Oh bollocks, look at me doing it again. My name is Asterman Fellihman. You can call me Aster."
Northern sighed almost silently, "Alright, Aster. Do you know where people that wear this uniform..." Northern pointed to himself, "...usually go to?"
"Of course. That was actually why I approached you. I am a second-year Artificer. Did you doll up like that because it's your first day?"
Northern squeezed his face, raising a brow.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Oh. You are new. 'Dolls' is a term we use for the other school that loves to wear their uniform all the time, twenty-four, seven. But you know, we are allowed to wear anything we want, as long as it permits you to work without any dangers. Now, this school uniform, for us non- combative students, is just a ceremonial dress."
Northern opened his mouth slightly. "I see... that explains why I didn't see anyone wearing what I was wearing."
"Very few of us stay in Tollimer Dormitory, but yes, that too."
Northern took a glance at the gate. It was there, arching over the gate of the dormitory- Asten Tollimer.
If there was one thing he had noticed since his three days in the academy, it was the fact that this was the norm with almost every building.
For example, the gateman that took him to Professor Heim three days ago had called the building Tryfe Gazel Hall.
And then there was Tollimer Dormitory. He couldn't be too sure until he saw this motif in several other buildings, and Northern considered this too trivial to ask Aster about.
If he could, he would love to keep things silent between him and the blabbermouth, although he doubted if that was going to be possible.
Northern looked at the boy, "So, Aster. Can you take me to the non-combative school?"
"What course? I am doing the Artificing course, like I said before. I am an Artificer, so yes, of course I am doing Artificing, ha ha ha..."
"Blacksmithing and Weapon Forging." Northern interrupted.
"Oh. Blacksmithing?" Aster gave Northern a stare that insinuated he was judging.
"With that body? The guys in Blacksmithing are usually more..."
"Can you lead the way?" The look in Northern's eyes suddenly made it difficult to keep his carefree and running mouth nature.
Aster stifled his mouth and swallowed whatever words he had left.
Then he turned to the right. "Follow me, please."
'Right? Guess I was wrong.' Northern followed the blabbermouth.
For the first few seconds, everywhere was silent. Northern was happy about it. The silence and peace as they walked allowed him to concentrate on the daystar for once in his life.
Its luminance was soft and warm. Because of the distance of the star from them, it was a bit dissolved by several atmospheric rays.
This not only dulled the intensity of the heat emitted but also affected the spectrum of colors it refracted, hence casting a pale violet with a slight hint of golden glow on the surrounding.
It was an ecstatic beauty. Northern couldn't help but picture a family picnic on a rich lush of grass, with these resplendent light rays gently beating their exposed skin.
But he was also well aware that this was wishful thinking.
'At least, right now, it is...'
"So, I didn't quite catch your name, fella."
And this was where Northern's silent peace came to a saddening end.
"I didn't throw it either..." Northern's response was curt and rude in all manners.
His entire disposition was enough to inform any sane person to mind their business and walk
on.
But either Aster just didn't seem to get the message or was born from the laborious womb of stubbornness.
"You know, I am from the Kingdom of Yale."
Northern continued to walk forward without answering, his gaze straight and stern. And yet.
"In the Kingdom of Yale, there are several strong drifters. I don't know if you are familiar with the world of drifters. You should know The Voiceless Crow. He is from Yale and belongs to Shunin Citadel, which is part of the top five strongest citadels in the world. Do you know even he wasn't able to make it to the academy because he failed the exam? They said he was talentless and offered him a non-combative course."
Northern continued walking, painstakingly.
"They say that people in non-combative school will never amount to anything because they are useless. But The Voiceless Crow proved them wrong. Today, he is the best scout to ever exist, and every citadel, even the government, would die to have him.
"I am proud to say I am a citizen of Yale today because Voiceless Crow never gave up, because my elder brother never gave up."
He beamed with a radiant smile and looked at Northern as they trekked forward.
"Don't be sad that you got a non-combative course. If you set your heart to it, you will become strong, the best. You will become great. All you need is determination and a spirit that never gives up."
Northern paused. He turned to Aster with a grim expression darkening his facial features.
"Aster."
"Yes, fella?"
"How many more minutes till we get to the Blacksmithing and Weapon Forging building?"
"You can just call it LaRosa Workshop."
"Whatever the dumbfuck it is called, I really don't care, Aster. How many more minutes?"
"Ooouuu," "Aster feverishly blew air through his mouth like he wanted to whistle. "You are an
edgy one, aren't you?"
Northern's dark and dangerous gaze lingered.
"In ten more minutes, we will probably get there."
Northern dropped his shoulders with a sigh. 'Dumbfuck, ten more minutes to suffer?'
"Lead the way," he said, dispirited.
"Sure." Aster took the front, his relaxing and carefree demeanor quickly returning like it
never left.
He gave it a rest for a few seconds, then his voice rang out again.
"You know, the point I am trying to say is, you can be great too, even without being in the combative school. You can also be like my brother, Voiceless Crow, who is now a Master and a renowned scout."
'Darn, I can't take this anymore!' Northern paused, his brows twitching. He turned his face to
Aster.
Seeing Northern's gloomy face and suddenly feeling an oppressive coldness around him,
Aster gulped, dropping a pearl of sweat.
"Did I ever complain to you, Aster?"
He fervently shook his head. "No, you did not."
"Good. Thank you regardless. I would have needed it if you told me two years ago. But now, I
am great already. Your speech is useless."
Northern went silent and breathed in deeply.
The look in his eyes became even more dark, softly glinting with an azure light.
"Now for the rest of these nine minutes we have left, if you speak again, those nine minutes
are going to be the worst nine minutes of your life, both the past and the future. I promise you Aster, I promise you with everything in me."
As his voice dropped between them, Aster couldn't help but feel like a sharp dagger laced with poison was insidiously sweeping across his thick neck.