Under The Moonlight

Chapter XII

Siessylt Andreana Georgianne Griffiths' POV

SH*IT.

Paano niya nalaman? Does this man study history? Or perhaps ancient language?

Kenneally, sabi niya sa akin na wala ng makaka-alam ng lenggwaheng ito! She said that this language is something people learned almost a thousand years ago! Bakit alam 'to ng lalaking ito?

Tiningnan ko ang bruhang nagturo sa akin nito. Nasa likod siya ni Aristaeus, halatang nagtatago. Kumulo ang dugo ko. Mamaya lang siya sa akin, kakatayin ko siya.

Kailangan kong mag-isip. Anong ida-dahilan ko? Hindi ko naman na pwedeng sabihin na tinuruan ako ng isang nagsasalitang hayop. Mapagkamalan pa akong may sayad sa utak. Think! Think! I need to think fast!

"Siessylt? What did you learn?" Dad asked slowly.

Ano ba! Hindi na nga ako makapag-concentrate eh! Magtatanong ka pa!

"Uh, uhm..." I pretended to be confused. Para naman na para akong batang hindi maiintindihan kung anong tinatanong nila.

Daddy sighed. "It's okay, sweetie. You can tell us." He smiled at me. As if he was telling me to trust him and that's okay.

Okay, fine! Magsisinungaling na naman ako. Saan na ako dadalhin nito ngayon?

"Uh, Uhm... Actually, I found a book about it." I said sheepishly.

This is all part of the act!

"Where did you find it?" tanong nung Aristaeus. His eyes were sparkling.

Deep inside, I gave a disgusting look. "I found it in the garden." At bago pa man siya maka-sagot ay dinugtungan ko na. "But the book disappeared three months ago, someone took it. I only know the basics like yes and no, and what, when, where, why and okay."

I can see the disappointment in his eyes like a kid that was crying over a dropped lollipop. "That's too bad." He sighed. "All of the the books and texts about the lingua signans are limited and some of them have not been translated yet." tumingin siya sa akin ang ngumiti. "For you to be able to find an already translated one, you are quite lucky."

I smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, too bad." pero deep inside, I am laughing. 

Bakit ba ang mga tao dito ay daling mauto? Pinaniniwalaan agad nila lahat ng sinasabi ko. Well, hindi ko na problema iyon.

Daddy clapped his hands. "Well. Now that's settled. Everyone," he turned to the guests, "Meet my daughter, Siessylt Andreana Georgianne." he patted my head, "And Siessylt, they will be your tutors in the next six months." he pointed the one he called Lady Minerva, "Lady Minerva here will be teaching you about the social etiquette and manners." the lady nodded and smiled at me, as a response I also smiled at her. 

"This over here is Headmaster Arthurious Andino, he will be teaching you everything you need to know about the mana."

"Hohohoho, you can call me Arthur, my names is too mouthful."

I only smiled at him. He seems to be a very cool Grandpa.

Daddy pointed at the man who he called Aristaeus kanina. "This man here, is the youngest professor in the history of the empire, he will be teaching you history, philosophy and arithmetics."

"I will be looking forward to teaching you, Lady Siessylt." he said.

After that I bowed to them courtly. "I will be in your care, teachers." I looked up and smiled at them. "But please, call me Ann, Siessylt is too... weird."

Dahil sa sinabi ko na iyon, lahat sila ay natawa. Well, except kay Daddy, he acted like he was in pain. And everyone in the room mocked Daddy because of his weird naming tendency.

"NOW, ALL you need to do is....."

Habang nag-e-explain si Professor Aristeaus kung paano makukuha ang quotient mula sa division, I yawned. Bakit ko ba kailangan na matutunan pa ulit ang mga bagay na ito? Kasalanan ko din naman to eh. Kung hindi ko ibinida ang chess sa harap ni Daddy edi sana nagbabasa ako ngayon ng librong mas interesante pa kesa sa Math.

As I played with my pencil, doodling nonesense to the paper infront of me, hindi ko napansin na nahinto na pala sa pagsasalita si Prof. Agad kong inayos ang upo ko. Naku naman!

"We just started one week ago. You already started to slack." Binaba niya ang hawak niyang libro. "What's wrong?"

Hearing his question, I sighed and sumalampak sa lamesa. "I don't know. I just feel like I already knew this." of cours, this is a lie. Alangan na man na sabihin ko sa kanya na alam ko na lahat ng ito.

Naramdaman kong lumapit sa akin. "What? This subject?" 

I heard the dragging of a chair, umupo siya tabi ko.

"Yes. Everything that the professor teaches about arithmetics." I said honestly.

Narining ko pa ang pagsinghap niya. He cleared his throat. "O-Okay. Then what do you want to learn?" tanong niya.

Inangat ko ang tingin ko sa kanya. "Can we just focus on the history? It's more interesting."

Oo, sa totoo lang mas gugustohin ko pang malaman ang nakaraan ng mundong ito kesa sa pag-aralan muli ang math. Mamatay ako kapag magpapatuloy pa ang pagtuturo niya ng math.

He fixed his clothes before standing. Nakita kong may kinuha siya na isang worn out na notebook.

"What is that?" tanong ko. 

Bigla na namang sumulpot si Kenneally sa tabi ko. Kahit naman na si Kenneally ay isang mataandang feeling bata ay hindi niya din gaanong alam ang mga pangyayari sa nakaraan. Dahilan niya, hindi nakalimutan niya daw. Ewan ko sa kanya. Hindi niya makalimutan ang ang tao noong kapanahunan, pero ang mga nangyari ay hindi niya matandaan.

"This is my personal book. Well, notebook." Umupo siya sa tabi ko. "This holds all the facts that I've gathered throughout my life."

"Your personal book?"

Ngumiti siya na para bang ipinagmamalaki niya ang mga nagawa niya. Ngumiwi ako ng palihim. What is wrong with him?

"Yes, personal. This book right here is a compilation of the facts that are proven. Those from history books? All of them are mixed with the authors perspective and are not really based on facts." Itinaas niya ang librong hawak niya. "This, however, is all facts."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa sinabi niya. Oo nga no? sa lahat ng mga nabasa kung mga history books nitong mga nakaraan mga linggo, lahat ng iyon iyon ay iba-iba ang bersyon. Hindi sila consistent sa isang fact, lahat may halong kung ano.

"Wow!"

Of course, kailangan kong ipakita na namamangha ako sa kanya para maging bata ako sa pananaw niya. At payagan niya akong mabasa ang libro niya.

"Amazing, right?"

Para naman tumaas ang tingin niya sa sarili niya.

"Yes! Amazing!" At sabay kaming natawa.

Yes naman. Ipinapahiram niya pa sa akin ang personal niyang libro.

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