The emotions on Y/n was unidentifiable as she sat to the rounds of other students who listened to Mogamett's story about his past memories during the Ideology class.
It was a sight to see at first, everything looked well and happy. But the more things had showed about aristocratic greed, the more magicians dying from either overuse of magic, human's direct hatred due to frame ups or dying through sickness, Mogamett began to question the lives of magicians being under non magician's leadership.
Y/n looked indifferently, leaning her chin on her fist. Whether magician or not, humans with evil hearts tend to treat other beings the same way. The greed of something they couldn't have.
But she steeled herself. Leadership may not be easy. But locking hundreds of thousands of human for their lives to be slowly robbed away like livestocks isn't what something he should have done.
If others say one must sacrifice for the sake of millions, well, Mogamett seemed to have his logic the other way around. Sacrificing hundreds and thousands of lives for the comfort of thousands.
The opinions halved when they heard the story. But surprisingly, no one hated the director for what he did. No one blamed him, no one pointed out their thoughts publicly but some did showed rejection about this system.
"My clan are often born as healers. We're exploited by the royal family, used as tools to kill others." Sphintus suddenly spoke. Y/n turned to him with sympathy and worry, but didn't speak much. "Rejection means exile."
"Magicians in our country are rare and seen differently. We are hated and driven away." another spoke.
"But did you hear what the director said? Even if our parents are non-magicians, they'll still be able to live here in peace."
"This country is already great enough."
"This country..."
"This place..."
The praises gradually rose and the topic about slaves continued.
But as she listened more and more over the exploitation that's happening not just on slaves but also on Magicians, she stood up, gaining everyone's attention. "Obelia will always welcome magicians." she said seriously. "There have been a magic tower that was built for mages and even in different business, magicians are openly able to make a living. Slavery had long been abolished and illegal."
"Obelia?" the prosperous country of Obelia that people dreamt to live at. Hearing that magicians were treated way better in that empire, everyone felt the need to live there more, hoping their lives would change in a positive way.
"Is that really true?"
"I heard that the emperors that lead the empire were generations of strong magicians."
"But it's impossible to get to Obelia. The expenses and we're also ignorant of the place." One magician responded with a sigh.
This country will soon come under Obelia. If that time comes, she will ensure that Magicians will be able to live with their heads held high! "I will talk to my soon to be brother-in-law about this matter." She muttered under her breath, Sphintus turned to her, actually hearing her mumbling and asked.
"What does your brother-in-law do?" he asked.
The girl, who was busy thinking and was actually distracted, replied unconsciously. "He's the master of the tower." she responded.
Sphintus blinked twice, looked at the young lady beside him and frowned. "Really?"
"Yeah. He's the strongest magician in the empire--" Y/n paused and looked at Sphintus with realization. "That's right. He's the strongest magician in Obelia. Hundreds of years old by now so he must have quite the knowledge..."
"Your brother-in-law is hundreds of years old? Isn't he basically your grandfather now?
Y/n blinked and looked at him. "No, he's about the same age as my sister now."
Sphintus got even more confused. What kind of logic is that?
"Anyway, that's no longer important. What I want to say is, the tower welcomes magicians. If not, I'll ask him to accept more." She betted on her name quietly and tried her best.
"Your family is really powerful." Sphintus commented as he looked at her seriously.
.
The next day, Mogamett specifically lead the students towards the fifth district.
Everything had been back to it's usual and Y/n still felt the undeniable displeasure with what's happening. As a person who is also studying the same thing as the crown princess, she knew how important it is to lead the country. She understands that it's hard to maintain a prosperous empire like Obelia. But Y/n knew somehow that there's a dark side in that prosperous country. One that her father is not even aware of.
The illegal businesses had always been a headache. Bandits and pirates are no jokes as well. Y/n couldn't help but sigh.
She only followed Titus-- actually, she was dragged by titus as they hurried into Marga's small house. The little girl was still sitting in the bed while the director carried the little girl im his arms.
"Is this the one you want to take?" Mogamett asked.
The sentence raised Y/n's brow. The sentence was quite unpleasant. Specially when he used 'this' towards a little girl instead of 'she'.
Titus happily reached out to Marga as the girl did the same. Both hugged each other.
"Then, shall we head back?" Upon his announcement, everyone turned and started walking.
As they did, another little boy approached Mogamett with a big smile. Both Y/n and Aladdin walked side by side now as both observed.
"Sir magician, I want to go out too!" The boy happily said, clutching a dirtied palm to the director's rob. Both didn't expect--they actually expected but doubted the old man would be forgiving.
And their expected expressions are indeed made to life as Mogamett heartlessly kicked off the boy, causing for him to sit in the cold floor. He moved his hand gesturing someone away. "Shoo, shoo" he mouthed as if waving off a dog.
Confirming her suspicions, Y/n felt more complicated in her heart. "This person. I'm wrong about him." She murmured.
Aladdin turned to her, seeing the displeased look in her eyes as they left the district.
Upon going up, Titus was indulged with a small house in the beautiful second district. He left the dorm and urged Y/n to move with him. Y/n was almost red with embarrassment. Cohabiting in a house is so much different than being dorm mates. The girl cannot fathom what water Titus had been drinking to have this kind of conclusions in mind and would still think innocent of it.
Politely declining, there goes Y/n's first day in the lone wide dorm room and enjoyed the peace it offered.
Upon the arrival of the second day, Titus barged in and told her to move with him in the house again. To which Sphintus heard and was greatly shocked. Aladdin still innocently thought nothing wrong about it due to experience.
"Absolutely no!" Sphintus defended Y/n's dignity that moment.
"Why not?" Titus asked.
"Because an unmarried man and an unmarried woman in the same house is very inappropriate!"
"Marga is with me. It's not inappropriate at all!" Titus responded.
"That's the point! You, unmarried boy in a marriageable age and her an unmarried lady in a marriageable age and a child!" Sphintus pointed out with all his dignified might. (14 is a marriageable age in this AU orayt. But that does not mean, I will marry them already so bear with the uncomfortable little setting of mine)
Titus pouted. Marga and Aladdin knew nothing of this sort of arrangement as they watch Sphintus being the reasonable person and Titus being the spoiled young man who cannot let go of his dorm mate and even wanted them to cohabitate.
Y/n was still too stunned say anything at the moment. But Titus the soon reasoned out that Y/n should be with him to let another girl be with Marga.
"You can just consult me when you have... lady problem." She waved.
"Why is it inappropriate? We're not doing anything wrong."
"Oh, in the eyes of public mass this is clearly not allowed. Women needs to keep their dignity too. Although the dorm is still a little okay, but the house is not." Sphintus massaged the center of his brows with the snake in his neck still coiled and coaxing. "Also, don't force a lady to live with you if she doesn't want to."
Y/n quickly nodded. "What Sphintus said is quite reasonable. Although we are friends, there still needs to have a boundary between opposite genders." She added.
"So, you really don't want to live with me and Marga?" He asked, his face looked deflated and pitiful while holding Marga's hand as if he was a father whose wife had abandoned him and their only daughter. If someone saw this scene, they would have really thought so.
"No, but I will visit everyday anyway. The sleeping quarters are just different." Y/n shrugged.
"I guess that's fine too." Titus responded with a sigh of defeat.
"Alright. Now that it's settled, let's tour little Marga in town, shall we!" Y/n quickly followed with a new activity in which everyone had agreed on to.
The day had been quite long but unsatisfactory as they weren't able to show too much sights for Marga to see and were not able to buy enough items for the girl as well. But the child was still content with seeing the world where she could see the beautiful sun in the skies and be able to play with the people she has grown love for. After spending a day with them, hugging each of the big brothers and sister she seemed to have earned happily as a sign of thanks.
One day, when she grows up, she swore to repay all these kindness with all her heart.