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Marie paced back and forth in a huff in front of a shamefaced Markus and a silent Grace.

"Explain yourself!" Marie demanded.

"I didn't want to continue studying in the Academy," Markus answered in a low voice.

"Why?"

"It was a horrible place, Marie!" Markus retorted with surging emotion, causing Marie to flinch. As he spoke, the mana around him started to fluctuate vigorously as if it were responding to him. This was a natural occurrence with blooming mages peaking into true magehood.

"They say it is a grounds where great mages are born, but it is actually a crucible where those without any form of support go to die a slow and painful death," Markus added.

Marie breathed measuredly to calm her nerves, and retorted, "You already knew the risks before joining. We told you before you went that magehood is a path filled with brutality."

"I know!" Markus bellowed causing the ambience to churn violently.

As he said that, a sudden jolt of rationality struck him and caused his rampant emotions to mellow out a bit. He realised that his aggression was misplaced. He was the one at fault here, and he was in no position to take it out on Marie, even if she was interrogating him doggedly. In fact, it was her right to do so. Both Matron Reva and Marie had done their utmost to dissuade him from pursuing this path, and they both had put forth many rational reasons for it too. Unfortunately, he was too immature at that time to realise it.

"I. Know." Markus reiterated after taking a deep breath to calm himself.

"And I believed in that till just a year ago, before I met Master Larks," Markus continued with a more tranquil tone.

"Life doesn't always have to be filled with conflict. Sure, friction results in a spark that leads to a burgeoning flame, but what remains once the fire subsides is a mass of ash. I realised, thanks to Master Larks, that I don't have to constantly compete against others to become better."

Marie's gaze transformed from disbelief to troubled and finally, after a long time, it settled at acceptance. "I can't force you to do anything, Markus. We don't work that way. I just hope you can be happy with your decision."

Markus smiled and replied, "I am. Happier than I have ever been."

At that point, Markus' expression turned serious and he tilted his head in the direction of the guest room.

"What's wro-" Marie asked, but she was interjected by Markus, "Sis, I need to go up front. Teacher Jeeves is calling for me."

Saying that Markus hurriedly left the room.

Marie slumped down onto a chair and looked at Grace meaningfully. "You haven't said anything, Matron."

"What is there to say? You all may be children, but I know that you are mature enough to make your own decisions. I was already against sending Markus to the Academy, but after you changed your mind on the matter, how could I say no. And now that he is back, truthfully, I'm elated. You don't have to go out for months on end to earn scraps, he doesn't have to struggle through hell..."

Grace sighed and continued, "All I want is for everyone to stay together. I know I am being selfish in asking this of all of you..."

"Matron..." Marie whispered as she hugged Grace. While embracing her, Marie asked with a serious tone, "By the way, let's not forget the elephant in the room."

Separating herself from Grace, Marie asked with a frown, "What do you think about that man? Is he an issue?"

Grace wore a conflicted expression. She wanted to say one thing, but her conscience refused to let those unfounded accusations leave her mouth. Exhaling out loud in defeat, she confessed, "He's good."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means what it means... Argh! You know what? Why don't you just talk to him, I bet you too will start singing his praises after that," Grace grumbled under her breath as her cheeks started to turn a tint of red. For some reason, a certain scene of a lean, shredded and nude man streaked through his idle mind.

"Matron, you aren't making any sense..."

"He's a good person! Okay? He's perfect in every way, is that what you want to hear?"

"I didn't say anything..."

"Argh! Fine! Whatever!" Grace stood up in a huff to exit. Right as she walked out the door, she stopped and spoke in a low voice to Marie, "You should sit in when he teaches. You might find it interesting. Maybe... you'll learn something new?"

Marie chuckled at Grace's bashful attitude and hummed affirmatively. As she observed Grace's retreating figure, Marie stood up and began touring around the orphanage. Although she had left just a year ago, it appeared as though a lot had changed. The differences were more evident out back. Before what used to lay barren, was now adorned with an assortment of seats and benches, as well as multiple chalkboards. Furthermore, the area seemed to have gained more colour as various small figurines, statues, drawings, designs, and writings were put up on display

Along the back wall, there was now a sprawling mural displaying a multitude of novel, never-before-seen, scenes each with characters that looked completely out of this world.

"What are you drawing now? Kano?" A little girl's voice echoed from around the corner. The mural on the wall had seamlessly blended around the edge as if the colours flowed like a tranquil spring through a forest.

"I-I-t's a dragon! He's called Smaug!" A little boy answered.

"He looks vicious!" Dora replied with a shudder.

"He is! He single-handedly annihilated one of the most p-p-prominent kingdoms of Dwarves! Under the Lonely Mountain," Kano explained animatedly.

"Wah! He's so horrible! I don't like him," Dora commanded.

"Just wait, Dora. The scene isn't finished. I can't stop halfway," Kano reasoned.

"But I hate him! He sounds like a meanie!"

There was a pause in the conversation. Right as Marie was about to turn the corner and call out to Kano and Dora, the little girl spoke up in a voice filled with uncertainty, "Kano? Can you ask Teacher Larks to give me the next chapter of the comic you showed me yesterday?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?"

"Argh, Kano! Please do it... Pleeeeease? Please. Please. Please. Plea-"

"Fine! I'll ask him. B-B-But why are you being so difficult? Just talk to Teacher Larks."

"I want to... But I'm afraid that he will hate me?"

"Why would you think that?"

"The old lady from the village never liked me. She said that I was unruly and impolite. It wasn't my fault! You know how hard it is for me to concentrate with all the voices!"

"Maybe you should talk to Teacher Larks about it. He helped me w-w-with my dyslexia, maybe he could help you with yours?"

"I guess..."

Marie's eyes widened in disbelief as she digested the information from around the corner. 'Kano has dyslexia? What is that? He can read now? And what is this about Dora hearing voices? What the hell happened while I was away?'

She shook her head, cleared her thoughts and called out, "Kano! Dora! Are you guys there?"

""Sis! You're back"" Two elated voices responded. The twins hopped out and rushed towards Marie with bright smiles glowing on their faces. Marie was once again shocked at the sight! Mainly because this was the first time she had seen Kano smile so wholeheartedly. Since his childhood, the boy was constantly sulking or crying, he was the embodiment of depression if there ever was one. But now, it was as if his entire personality had undergone a 180-degree shift. Maybe the boy itself was abducted and replaced by an imposter. If not for his now intermittent stutter, Marie feared that it might be true!

"Did you draw all of these, Kano?" Marie asked with an encouraging tone.

"I did! Do you want me to explain them?" Kano replied with an expectant gaze. Marie nodded while picking him Dora.

"This is the Big Bad Wolf," Kano explained. "He's the worst!" Dora added, "He destroyed the little piggy's houses, and ate little red riding hood's grandma!"

"Dora! I w-w-want to explain," Kano said with a wronged tone.

"Anyways, this is a Genie," Kano continued. "He's good. He can grant you three wishes!" Dora interjected mischievously.

"DORA!" Kano bellowed angrily. "I'm not talking anymore."

"No! Please Kano. Dora, stop annoying Kano, I want to hear him speak," Marie reprimanded lightly.

"Humph! He's just showing off all the books he's read," Dora retorted while folding her arms.

"You're just jealous that Teacher Larks gave me all the books and gave none to you!" Kano uncharacteristically egged Dora.

"Am not! I bet he will give me just as many books as he gave you if I ask him!" Dora talked back.

Kano stuck out his tongue as a provocation, causing Dora to reach out to grab him.

"Stop it! You two, what have I told you about fighting?" Marie said sternly.

""Throat-jabbing, biting, eye-gouging, and crotch-stomping are off-limits when fighting against family members. Everything else is fair game."" The twins recited monotonously.

Marie coughed in embarrassment and immediately corrected them, "No! Fighting is off-limits! We must use our words! Now apologise to each other and call it quits!"

"Sorry Kano""Sorry Dora" the twins muttered half-heartedly and slumped away, leaving Marie by herself.

Marie rested her hands on her hips and stared blankly at the colourful wall.

If there was one thing Marie was proud of about herself, it was her skills in handling numbers. Maybe it was her superior aptitude, or maybe it was through her years of practice after swimming in the deep end, Marie didn't know. What she did know was that there wasn't anyone better than her in a 10-kilometre radius. In fact, even with all the unsavoury rumours about her lurking around the Merchant's Guild, and regardless of her young age, she was always the most sought after when it came to short-term finance managers or consultants. And it was precisely because of her skills and perceptivity with numbers.

Through her work, Marie had become an expert in gauging and catching mistakes, errors, and oversights through a single glance. Her mind could notice trends and falsifications in financial records as though she were reading a children's book.

This ability of hers also translated to real life.

As Marie swept her gaze around the orphanage, her mind started to churn at a rapid pace, crunching some imaginary numbers and forming corollaries.

There were many unbelievable and drastic changes in and around the orphanage. Of what she had seen, all of them had been positive in some sense. Markus had become more assured and confident. Kano had come out of his shell and was putting himself out there. The old, drab and dull orphanage had now gained some colour and liveliness.

And all of these changes could be tracked down to one deviant variable.

"Teacher Larks... Maybe I just might sit in and see what all the fuss is about?"