Love Potion

✬ --- ✦ Chapter four : A fancy party ✦ --- ✬

It was the last day before the break, the last day of intense work for all the students at the Academy. There was an eerie silence in the hallways, like the calm before the storm. Everyone was holding their breath, pushing through the last hours. But Max knew the minute break would start, everyone would gain a renewed vigor to celebrate.

She was walking towards the teacher's lobby, her last report on "the effect of wild elemental magic on the environment" ready to be handed to her professor. It was the last one of a long list of reports she had to do these last few days. The moment she handed in the report, she felt like a huge weight was lifted from her shoulders. Only one practice test left in the afternoon and she was finally free !

Max's face winced as she remembered the test. Even after days of practice with the Remdragons, she was still not able to cast an advanced spell properly. They figured she either had so little mana that it was impossible for her to cast magic, or she was not capable of gathering the mana she did possess into a spell. They weren't able to help her much but Max felt happy to have someone trying to help her. She did make some progress thanks to their help and she was confident this time she wouldn't completely fail the test at least.

She went to the main hall, hoping to catch Sidina to have a quick lunch with her. Unfortunately, they had a very different schedule these days and it was hard for them to meet. Since her friend was nowhere to be seen, Maxi went to the Administration office to double check Sidina's schedule. According to the big board, students in advanced elemental magic were still composing for another hour. Disappointed, she almost left the room without seeing the letter waiting for her in the little mailbox with her name. She was surprised, there was nothing this morning, so it wasn't something from the post office. It didn't look like a letter from the administration either. Maybe something from a fellow student ? Or maybe it was just spam for some random festivity she would never have time nor courage to attend...

Intrigued, Max opened the letter. Inside was a fancy royal blue card with "A Night to Remember" written in silver calligraphy on the front. On the back was a message addressed to her :

In celebration of the end of the first semester, The Remdragon Club cordially invites Maximillian Croix and her friends to an evening of revelry and comradery at The Drunken Basilisk.

Please come in jovial spirit. RSVP by stamping below.

The invitation was terribly over the top but felt genuine. She wondered which Remdragon could have sent this to her. Could it be Elliot ? Or maybe Gabel ? It could not be Riftan, right ? She blushed at the thought. No, there was no way it could be his handwriting. Actually, it felt more feminine than anything. But there were not many women in the Remdragon club...

Max's thoughts moved to the invitation itself. She could ask a few friends to come with her. Sidina would surely love the idea of drinking outside the academy, and Maxi could also ask Anette and her brother. Yes, if she was not alone, she could surely go without feeling too awkward. Actually, she would seem rude if she refused to go; they were so nice to her !

Well, most of them. Uslin was still very cold to her, and Riftan ... Well according to Ruth he was like that to everyone so it was not like he did not like her ! Moreover there were other members she never saw, and she was curious to meet them.

She took a pen in her bag and signed the card as asked. The piece of paper shined faintly as the spell engraved in it activated.

What a fancy way to invite someone, Max thought. It really shows how the Remdragon club is on another level from anyone else in the Academy... and especially me.