“And that’s how I did it…” Ha Zun’s voice vaguely register in John’s mind as he watched Serene’s who sat seats away from him.

  What do I tell her? That my father is plotting against her family?

  Unlike his peers, John had no textbook in front of him, let alone paying attention to what the teacher was spouting, he was barely aware of class he was in.

  He shook his head.

  No, no, no. She won’t listen to me no matter what I say. How would I know what is true and what isn’t if I can’t confirm it with the Perxins?

  Mulling as he flicked the pencil before him, John was adrift in his own thoughts.

  “…John are you even listening to me? Class is over.”

  “Huh? What!?”

  He snapped himself back to reality as the teacher left his class, marking the end of his day. John wasted no time packing to leave.

  “You know, John. I know you are pretty smart and all, but you should pay attention in class.”

  “Yeah, yeah…”

  He vaguely dismissed Ha Zun, barely paid his friend any attention.

  John barely studied for any of his school work, yet despite cramming the week before exams—much to Kahnira’s insistence—he managed to do well for himself, not as well as he would had he studied, but he was still within the top 30 amongst the school.

  “I’m not talking about the teacher here, my brother! I’m talking about me! You’ve been ignoring me the whole day.”

  “!!!”

  John froze at Ha Zun’s words.

  “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

  As of late, Ha Zun had been oddly vocal about, everything.

  John was not sure when did it start, but it seemed that for the past few months, his friend here had an opinion of almost everything around them.

  In the past, it was John who carefreely lead the conversation with Ha Zun, now the tables have turned.

  The once simple Ha Zun had now become a splitting image of him, reflecting of John’s rebellious and headstrong attitude.

  “I get that you worry about things, John. But don’t you think it will be better if you tell them to me? I am, your best friend, after all.”

  “It’s the same old, same old,” John gave his friend a knowing look that they shared often, one that can only refer to the bane of John’s troubles in this new semester.

  “Whaaaat!? Her again!?”

  “Shhh!!!” he hushed his friend, looking around the now empty class as he slung his bag across his shoulders. “Don’t shout…it’s different this time…”

  “What do you mean it’s different!?” Ha Zun made a scowl. “Are you telling me you still think the Perxin girl is innocent after all that she done to hurt you?”

  “Shut up! This is why I kept quiet, you always get angry whenever I bring her up.”

  Or whenever I mention Kahnira…

  He quietly kept to himself.

  Ha Zun had been nothing but a great friend to him.

  Whenever John would be picked on by the others for his father’s career, his appearance, or even his saccomplishments, Ha Zun would be the first in line to defend him vigorously.

  In turn, John did the same for his friend here.

  Ha Zun who was once an unpopular child, became one of, if not, the most popular person in their school. And it was all thanks to John.

  But whenever it came to discussing people John deem important—or once held dear, in Serene Perxin’s situation—Ha Zun would vehemently break into a fit of outrage.

  If John so slightly complimented another student about their skills or how kind they were, Ha Zun’s mood would instinctively turn fowl.

  He had learned better to not tell his friend certain things.

  “It’s always about that stupid bitch, why do you always defend her, John? You just happened to live with the Perxins who now hates you.”

  “…”

  John had no words. His friend was right, Ha Zun was beside him each time Serene dismissed John’s attempts at interacting with her.

  But if John were to give a reason.

  She’s my first ever friend.

  She promised.

  She loved me.

  He had a plethora of excuses, but none of them ever held any merit these days.

  Ha Zun had hit the nail on his head.

  What purpose was there for John to worry about the Perxins?

  They no longer care about John, whatever ties he had with them was severed a long time ago.

  “…”

  “The only talent she has is hurting you. Everyone around her only talks to her because she belongs to the Perxin family, all shallow and pathetic” Ha Zun dissed Serene like he often would.

  “…”

  “What’s so good about that four-ears anyways? John, you and I, we are—”

  Wham!!!

  “What, did, you, say!?”

  Ha Zun was slammed against the wall without warning. John had his elbow pressed against his friend’s neck as his dark eyes coalesced upon the boy’s face.

  “Dude, I was just—”

  “What the fuck, did, you say!?”

  His elbow pressed harder against Ha Zun, restricting both air flow and blood flow to Ha Zun as the boy wheezed and gasped for his dear life.

  “Apologize!”

  John barked into Ha Zun’s ear.

  “Don’t ever fucking say that in front of me!”

  “I-I…ack… I…” Ha Zun’s eyes balls moved as he stared at a distance behind John. “T-teacher…c-coming…ack.”

  “!!!”

  Without thinking, John retracted his arm and dropped Ha Zun back to the ground, just in time as rapid footsteps entered their class.

  “I heard shouting! What is going on!?” a teacher from another class arrived with a stern expression as he focused on John. “Sarvod! What are you doing!? How dare you lay your hands on a student half your size!?”

  “I-I…”

  Due to John’s accomplishments—and sometimes antics for disobeying orders—he had made quite a name for himself at the State Academy for being a trouble child.

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  His grades and interschool accomplishments was enough to silence his teachers from reporting to his parents, but it was not enough for them excuse him of his notoriety—he might be one of the top 30, but he certainly was not among the top 5.

  “I’ve had enough of you Sarvod, just wait till the principal—”

  “You’ve got it all wrong, sir.” Ha Zun who had a hand rubbing his neck spoke. “John and I are best friends. We are so close that we were rehearsing for one of his auditions’ play earlier.”

  “!!!”

  “Is that true Sarvod?”

  “I…” John stammered when the teacher’s gaze locked onto his.

  Without thinking, he nodded.

  “Now that I think about it. There is a tryout for our school…”

  “We told you,” Ha Zun smirked.

  “That being said…Sarvod!!!”

  “!?”

  “You should have kept your practice back at home…” the teacher shook his head. “I was convinced that you two were actually brawling it out.”

  “Yes, sir! We’ll keep that in mind!”

  Satisfied with Ha Zun’s attentiveness and John who seemingly knew he was in the wrong, the teacher left. Leaving the two boys to be.

  “We totally fooled that moron. Haha! Hey, John how about—” Ha Zun cut his proud boasting the moment John exited the classroom.

  His friend quickly caught up to him, halted John before he could leave.

  “Dude, what’s the rush?”

  “Leave me alone.”

  John pushed Ha Zun’s hand away from his shoulders.

  Ha Zun, however did not stop, instead, he moved in front of John.

  “Are you still mad about what happened earlier?”

  Ignoring Ha Zun, John proceeded to the coach bay, not speaking another word as his friend pestered him for more answers.

  “Come on, John. I got us out of that idiot’s meddling earlier, that counts as something right?”

  “I’m going back,” he spoke before running to the Savod carriage that was there to pick him up, leaving Ha Zun to reflect on what happened earlier.

  If he stopped badmouthing Serene, we would have never gotten into trouble to begin with. So what if he got us out of that? It’s not though the teachers care. They all try to find reason to tattle everything I do to my family to get in good with the Sarvods.

  “…is it?”

  “Huh?”

  Kahnira had her face puffed, arms by her hips as her scarlet eyes looked at John begrudgingly. “Master… I asked, how was the food today? It’s your favorite fish, salmon.”

  “O-oh… Yeah, it’s great like always…” his eyes lowered as he looked at the half-eaten fish steak, hardly noticing that he was chewing onto a mouthful.

  “…”

  “Kahnira?”

  “It’s not this maid’s duty to pry into master’s life, but allow this maid to inquire today. What happened? Why is Master John so distracted today?”

  “D-distracted? M-me? No, I’m not. I am just tired that’s all.”

  He quickly gulfed down yet another piece of the fish.

  “Mmmm, I like the taste of the gravy you made—”

  Kahnira watched him dubiously, unconvinced by acting after having seen and helped him with his various practice.

  “I don’t know, Kahnira. I just…don’t know what should I think or do.”

  “This is about?”

  “Everything… I don’t know what to think about Serene, I don’t know what to do about Ha Zun, I don’t know if my father is actually conspiring against the Perxins… I don’t know.”

  John had vaguely let Kahnira in on what he heard his father and Ha Lun Mien discussed yesterday.

  Instead of fretting like John had, she soothed him with her gentle voice, assuring him, put John into deep sleep before he could say otherwise.

  “This maid also has no knowledge of what she should do if she were in Master’s position. If master allows…”

  “Don’t mince your words, just out with it.”

  At John’s insistence, a humble smile sprawled on her face as she nodded her head as she would when she took a bow.

  “Master should not be burdened with these responsibilities. I think that master should be spending time with this maid instead of be troubled with these burdens. I for one, would also like master to teach me magic like he would with Lady Serene.”

  “!!!” John’s jaw dropped. “Y-you never told me you want to learn magic. W-what do you mean I should not be concerned with—”

  “This maid also believes that Master would find a way to solve these issues regardless of what nonsense this maid spouts to him,” Kahnira added. “That is why, master should not be concerned with what this lowly maid’s selfish wants are, and instead—”

  “What do you mean selfish desires!?” John had his hands slammed against the table as he stood on his feet.

  “M-my apologies, master. This maid—”

  “You should have told me earlier, Kahnira!!!” John fumed. “How do I not know you wanted to learn magic!? I…” John shook his head when he realized he was shouting. “I would teach you, Kahnira. You just have to tell me.”

  “For a m-maid to ask her precious Master s-something so…selfish… I…”

  “Selfish? If you telling me what you are thinking is selfish, then I want you to be the most selfish person alive, Kahnira!”

  “!”

  Seeing the look on her face John retraced his words, “I-I don’t mean for you to tell me everything, only if you want to.”

  Trickle…

  “!!!”

  “T-this maid d-don’t deserve s-such words…” Kahnira had her hands held up her cheeks as she rubbed the stream of tears that came from her eyes. “M-master has given this l-lowly maid a new life a-and now he grants me…” Kahnira shook her head and tempered her tears before she could say anymore.

  “I…”

  The maid recovered herself in no time, perking herself upright as she gave a bright smile to John.

  “In that case, I shall heed the words of my honorable Master.”

  “You were crying…”

  “They were tears of joy, my Master.”

  “Y-you still want me to teach you magic right?”

  “Certainly!”

  “Good, good…” John nodded to himself, not knowing what to say after having seen Kahnira’s teary face.

  “Master, this maid wants to say something to you,” she had a hand raised like an excited child. “It’s about master’s conundrum with the Perxins.”

  “R-right, go ahead.”

  “As long master follow the Three Raisons that my father speaks of, this maid believes a solution would be found.”

  “The Three Raisons? I think you told me that sometime back…what was it again?”

  “With power, comes the need for responsibility. And with responsibility, brings the need for will to strengthen it. With a strong will comes the need for power to act.”

  Kahnira recited the words she had once divulged to him, word for word.

  “Ah, that one. The one about power, responsibility and will…” John scratched his head. “I don’t see how this applies…”

  “My papa said that people in this world are govern by these three aspects of the world.”

  “T-three aspects… of life?” John stuttered.

  “First, there exists people who follow blindly the path of power are like master’s father, someone who relentlessly seeks to control people for they themselves have the least discipline over their own.

  “Second, there are those who lack responsibility of their own actions. These people become a slaves to their greed and cares for nothing else. They are people like the slave traders that you freed me from.

  “Lastly, there are people who are ignorant of their will, are people who bends to the whims of everyone around them, these are those that betray you at your most crucial of moments.”

  “Woah…”

  “My father coined the phrase such to remind me to not give into the vices. Power tempts corruption, responsibility harbors resentment, convictionless ensures death. By mastering temperance over the Three Raisons, that is how we surpass our flaws.”

  John had his eyes opened wide, “I didn’t know you were this smart, Kahnira, are you sure your father worked as a servant?”

  The maid lowered her head, covering her flushed face with snow white hair, “M-master is being cheeky again. T-this maid doesn’t deserve your praise.”

  “I’m serious, Kahnira!” he hit the table again, “How come you never told me any of this? You should be teaching me instead of the useless school I go to.”

  “M-most of it is from papa’s teachings, master. He worked as a servant only after he met my mother, mama also said something about him being a respected general of the Waters before his life on land.”

  “Life on land? General of the Waters?”

  Kahnira shook her head, “He never told me about it, stating it was too complicated for a little girl to get herself involved in.”

  “O-oh…” John had his eyes darting around. “D-did he teach you anything else? Anything else like this at all?”

  “There are a few more lessons,” the maid bobbed her head, counting with her fingers as she recalled what she had been taught by her deceased parents. “T-this maid will have to write them down if M-master is interest.”

  “Yes, please!” John sparkled with joy, his face had gotten close to Kahnira, looked deep into her beautiful eyes. “I-I’ll also teach you magic while you teach me.”

  “There is no need to force yourself, master. I will teach you what papa told me as long you ask of me.”

  Kahnira then turned her head slightly to the ground.

  “O-of course, t-this maid is elated to have master t-teach her too…”

  “Hmm?” What’s that?”

  “N-nothing. T-this maid was mumbling nonsense to herself.”

  John raised a brow at Kahnira, but shrugged when he remembered something else.

  “Ah right, something about these three…three…”

  “Three Raisons.”

  “Yes, that. How would I know how to use them? I get the idea behind it, but how would I go about following it?” John muttered, buried deep in queries that came along with his new understanding. “Kahnira, what about you?”

  “!!!”

  “How do you apply the Three Raisons?”

  “M-master… t-that’s a difficult question for m-me to answer,” the girl’s face had become almost as red as a tomato shifted about her seat. “If m-master is curious t-then this maid—”

  “If you don’t want to tell me… it’s fine.”

  His boyish face drooped into a lonely but understanding expression.

  “I just thought it would help me…”

  “You’ve got it all wrong, master!” his expression riled Kahnira up with the most concerned voice. “T-this maid isn’t denying master… She’s— I-I’m embarrassed to tell master a-about m-my Three Raisons.”

  “???”

  Kahnira placed her fingers together tapping as she meekly spoke, “Y-you see, t-this maid never placed much emphasis on philosophical framework such as these 3 raisons. As long this maid could live a life without worry, there was nothing much for me worry about.”

  “Then…”

  “That was until I was captured by the slave trader…”

  “B-but you said you were in captivity for less than weeks.”

  “Those two weeks felt like two lifetimes… Had my parents not perished overnight, I-I would have known what to do.” Kahnira’s eyes watered. “Had I been smarter and not be fooled by the prospect of food, I would not be captured.”

  Kahnira’s parents met their demise while they worked in the manor of her father’s friend. By the time Kahnira went out looking for them, the manor was left in scorched ruins.

  “This maid used to think that the Three Raisons are one and the same, preaching to be a noble person. But I have begun to see what papa was saying.”

  Though five years older than he was, John had always thought of Kahnira to be a responsible girl who was much more mature than he was, a girl who might as well be his elder sister.

  “I-it changed when master said he wanted to free me in that dark alley.”

  “!!!”

  Kahnira looked at him with a warmth enveloped his body. Her scarlet gaze looked into him with admiration beyond comprehension.

  “When you came to me, I…started to hope.

  “I aspired to be free from the slave trader. To seek a life that was beyond wishful ignorance, to be a girl who would not be tricked by others because of her naivety.”

  “I…thought… But it’s not your fault, you lost your parents, you lost everything, even I would be tricked if someone offered me food and shelter.”

  Kahnira shook her head.

  “It is still my fault, master. My papa and mama taught me better, but I don’t practice it. The responsibility lies on this maid.”

  “T-that’s…not fair…”

  “I blamed myself every day I was locked behind bars... Whenever this maid was brought to potential buyers, this maid pretended to be useless to avoid being taken away by horrible people. And whenever I was alone, I cried myself to sleep, knowing that papa and mama would be disappointed if they knew my stupidity costed me my life.”

  “…”

  “That was until, you arrived.”

  “M-me…?”

  “The way you came rushing into the forsaken alley that night...the way master moved with a grand purpose, the concern you had for a foolish girl like me…

  “M-master, when you freed me, you undid the horrible fate that my stupidity consigned me into… Master John, it is you who gave me the chance at life again. You fought for my freedom, you placed your life on the line, for someone like me… Someone you don’t know…”

  “…”

  “From that point onwards, this maid came to a realization with her newfound freedom. You, my master, had given me the power to reforge my own world, it become my responsibility to dictate my life as I wish, and this maid’s will was to follow you. Because master was the one who showed me the importance of my Three Raisons.

  “That is why, my m-master is now… m-my responsibility, the source of my power, and my w-will to live.”

  “I…I…” John stammered. “I thought I told you to not live like a slave. But here you are doing exactly that!”

  His face was red, there was a scowl on John but not as much as the flustered expression that he was displaying.

  “M-master, don’t misunderstand. This maid is with master of her own free will. It is what I, Kahnira decided for myself.”

  John had his mouth opened, ready to retort but Kahnira quickly continued before he could.

  “That is why, like this maid, Master John will have to decide things himself in accordance to his own Three Raisons. However long it takes, this maid shall be by your side to watch over you.”

  “!!!”

  “Master can choose to give up on the Perxins, confront your father, or do nothing at all. Even not knowing what to do, doing nothing is a choice in of itself. That is why, this maid wants thinks master should do what he thinks is the best for him and not what this maid thinks.”

  “B-but h-how would I know what to do? Do I or do I not act? I…don’t even know what choice is the right one.”

  “Master.”

  A gentle expression came from the girl with white hair.

  “Neither does anyone.”

  “!!!”

  “The world is filled with uncertainty as much it is with absolutes, people much smarter than you and I have pondered on things that weigh much more in scale and gravity. Even with their great abilities, they too are plagued with this age old question.

  “We can only do what we think is right to the best of our ability, forget the what ifs and what nots, we live in the present, and the power to change it is in our hands.”

  “I-is that something your father said also?”

  To John’s question, the girl’s scarlet eyes widened, breaking into a bashful giggle with a pink flush on her.

  “T-that’s this maid’s own view, hehe.”

  “I see…” he uttered with a renewed outlook of his predicament. “The power to change, huh?”

  “Yes my dear master.”

  Kahnira’s lowered herself before him, raised her hands to caress John’s cheeks as she stared into him with great pride.

  “The power to change hearts, minds, and souls belongs to you.”