Chapter 6: A Substitute (1)
I swear that the people in this place are crazy. They want to involve me in a game? A survival game? God. I know they were merciless but the thing they want to be done, it's just too much.
"Are you aware of the Linus Cup?" The old woman asked when she saw my expression.
DUH! I want to respond her haughtily but I chose to keep my anger. Who wouldn't know about the Linus Cup in this town? "Linus Cup" is a game held every two years here in the Magic World. Schools that are under the category of special abilities competes here. It was already decades since the last time Titan Academy joined in the competition. And this year, Gin's team will compete."
I suddenly looked at the person beside me. Does he not want to speak or react? What is he thinking? Won't he even raise a complaint about me being on their team like they said? I nearly scoffed.
"I'm not even a student here." I reasoned out. Right. I would rather be imprisoned than to represent this forsaken school.
"That's not a problem, Miss Sheridan," said the man. "I will make you an official student here."
I want to laugh at what he said. It's official. These people here are mad. What they are doing is cheating, right?
"You can't do that. That's illegal."
The woman laughed softly. "Not so much, sweetie," she reasoned out, which made me uncomfortable.
"The rule is as long as you are part of this town and enrolled in the Academy you can join. The length of time that you spent studying in the academy doesn't matter. But of course, the students who were staying here for a long time are the priority. Because they were already trained for this specific event."
"Then why do you want me?" I nearly yelled. I think I have an inkling as to why I will go there. "You are going to use me as the bait? I'm going to be the cannon fodder? Just so the students who will participate will be protected?"
"You really do have a wild imagination, now do you?" the woman teased. "Did you see the lady who came here before you?" I felt Gin tensed beside me.
"She is the one you need to replace. She can't join the Cup so we need a person who has nearly the same ability as her. And you are the closest."
Out of nowhere, Gin stood up. He suddenly left the room without a farewell. I'm left here with the two elders. I can't believe this is happening to me. Damn it.
Corrine has a precognition ability. She can predict what will happen within the 24-hour period. Her ability was essential especially to a game that would take a week or sometimes a month. If she can predict what will happen on that specific time of the day, it will become a big advantage to the team and they can avoid the things that would endanger them.
But she can't join. Principal Bins, the old woman, said that Corrine is sick. She has a congenital heart disease. I don't know the specific words that she said, but everyone knew that kind of sickness, a natural illness that didn't result from a battle or from an ability and it can't be cured by any special ability.
She was supposed to be part of the Group. But they just found out that she was hiding an illness. While she trained with the group. they didn't notice any strange things except on a specific instance where she fainted and that was last week. They were only made aware during that time. No one has a similar ability to her here in Titan Academy. I'm the one who has the closest. I can sense danger. And that, as Principal Bins and Headmaster Grey thought, was as essential as precognition.
I don't know whether to laugh or cry at what they said. I thought that they were just messing with me. But they said that as long as we can return to Titan Academy alive after the game, I can freely return to my former life. But they made it sound so easy. Return alive? We can only return alive if we win.
I didn't answer immediately when they explained everything. The offer was not even tempting. I would rather go to prison. But when I recalled Lucas' family and his face when he promised that he would do everything to set me free from this place I suddenly felt guilty. I'm sure that Lucas will do everything to get me out of here. But now, freedom is in front of me, how can I refuse it? I was suddenly filled with hope when reminded that there are people waiting for me. I can return.
So here I am now, walking on the bright and carpeted hallway. Accompanying me is a butler followed by a maid from behind. I don't know where they are taking me. But I know that it's not the dungeon. Because Principal Bins said earlier, I am now an official student of Titan Academy.
"Where are we going?" I asked the butler with a poker face. He looked at me. He paused while surveying my clothes. He looked like he was seeing a piece of dirt on a polished surface of a table. The only lacking is to touch me and wipe his fingers clean as if he just touched dirt.
Even the servants here were dressed beautifully. He was wearing a tuxedo and the maid was wearing a navy blue and white uniform.
"We are going to Miss Aura," he replied in a flat tone, like a robot.
"What are we going to do there?" I asked again. It's four o'clock in the morning.
"You can't appear in the school with that guise, Miss Sheridan," he answered as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.
I suddenly looked at my clothes. Shabby pants, gray t-shirt, and an old coat with some holes. Well, what is it to them if I wear old clothes? As if clothes are related to studying.
"Miss Aura is the adviser of the group together with teacher Apollo," the butler said.
I didn't understand what he said and I won't care. So, I just nodded and pretended that I'm listening. We arrived in a different chamber somewhere in the palace, there are more doors here than the chamber earlier. The area where we are now looked like a living room of a house. A moment later, my attention was caught towards the stairs and there I saw a woman in her middle twenties and she's heading down towards us.
"Hi, good morning," she greeted enthusiastically.
She's too lively for a four o'clock appointment. She was still wearing a nightgown but with a lilac colored satin coat over it. She observed me and I observed her too. She has a shoulder length hair that was slightly curly, dark brown above and light brown below. She has a small face, cheerful and looked kind. I'm taller than her by only a few inches. For the first time, there was someone who looked like a normal person in this place.
"Miss Aura, she is Miss Sheridan," the butler introduced.
"Yes, I know. Principal Bins called me earlier." She smiled at me. "So, can we go now? There's still some time left before breakfast at the Hall."
The butler and maid bowed as if they were handing me over to her. "Excuse us miss," they said politely.
"Sure, go ahead. I can take care of her."
She smiled at me genuinely. Then she excitedly pulled me towards where she came from.
I looked around the room where Miss Aura brought me to. I almost cursed in front of her. How can someone have a room like this? This is supposed to be a school. Not a five-star hotel. "Come on, we don't have much time left."