The Perfect Knight and the Illusionist (BL)
Chapter 4: Introduction Time

Chapter 4: Introduction Time

LEO

I sat in the seat farthest from the front of the massive classroom. Small as I was, I probably should have taken a seat at the front...

But damn... I already made a nuisance of myself earlier when I crashed into... Mauricio Vayleencraft!

That man was intense.

I remembered he was looking at me during his (amazing) speech at the ceremony. Being in the front of so many people was already crazy, but to have the guts to actually LOOK at people while speaking!

Unthinkable for me.

I actually spotted him from like twenty steps away in the hallway on the way here. He was with a group of guys, chitchatting. First day at the Academy and already making friends... some people were just built different.

The nearer I got to him, the more nervous I was, so I thought I’d just kind of quickly dash past. Not only because of him, but also because all the guys around him just seemed so strong, and there was that other guy with dark hair who gave off weird energy.

Stupid me just had to trip right there and bang my head against Mr. Vayleencraft’s legs...

I was dreading seeing them again after introducing myself as an idiot like that on my first day. I could barely concentrate on what the teacher at the front was talking about.

Then I noticed that people were standing up one by one, taking turns, starting from the front. That brought back memories.

Horrible memories.

So this was it.

The dreadful ’introduction time.’

I hadn’t gone to school for many years, but back when I did, I had to do this every year. And every year I managed to botch it in a new way I couldn’t think of if I tried. Sure, I prepared for it this time, again, like I did every year, but when I listened to other people introduce themselves, it just made me more aware how much less prepared I was.

Was it because I was supposedly dropped as a baby that I became stupid? Dad always joked about it. Not in a mean way. Well, I know I’m not THAT stupid because back in the village there was this boy Alex who actually was stupid. But to be fair he was a good boy. Nobody treated him badly either.

Yeah, people back in the village were nice. Everyone stuck together when time got tough. When a villager needed help, we all helped. During the festivities, we shared food. God, I miss them already. Davi and Abe are probably down at the river fishing now. The weather’s nice today. I wonder if the weather’s nice back in the village too. It probably was. I wonder if they caught a big fish. I remember we caught this massive fish last summer and the adults in the village said it was the biggest fish they’d ever seen. Mom cooked it for everyone and it could feed TWENTY people! And then there was this one time—

"Hey, it’s your turn."

"Yeek!"

I let out a scream as this burly guy who was sitting in front of me turned and spoke to me all of a sudden, in his very, very low voice.

Looking around, I saw that all eyes were on me. I saw (and heard!) some girls giggle.

I can’t let this happen again. I’m going to be a knight now. Be strong, Leo. Dad told me. Be strong.

"I’m LEOOOOO!"

I roared.

The class went quiet and then burst out laughing. I could feel the heat on my face.

"Please state your full name," the teacher at the front said, but when our eyes met, I felt that he was actually kind, encouraging, even.

"Leo... Skylark."

A few more giggles, but the teacher quickly shushed everyone to be quiet.

"Tell us more about yourself," he continued.

"I... I come from Erdville. It’s a small village in the South. It’s—it’s very far from here. It took me two weeks to travel. But in the summer it’s very nice. There was this one time we were at the river and that night we ate twenty people. But people are very nice there. When things get tough we get sticky. I have a really nice Mom and Dad and—"

"Leo, I think that’s enough. Thank you," the teacher cut me off in the middle of my speech, which panicked me. He must surely have thought I was an idiot. I had to explain and defend myself here. First impressions were important and all.

"I was dropped on my head as a baby!"

The class erupted in laughter, but the kind teacher quickly raised his hand to command everyone to be quiet.

"Thank you. P—please take a seat now," he said.

As I bit my lower lip and sat down, my eyes caught Mauricio looking at me (pretty much everyone was. I didn’t know why it had to be him that I saw again). But...

Why was HE blushing?!