CHAPTER 112: THEN WITH WHOM?

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Caius left the Magi History classroom and made his way to Professor Kragsten’s office. After a knock to announce his arrival, the door clicked and swung open to show he was allowed entry.

"Professor," Caius called to her as he entered.

"Caius," Cynthia said with a smile and gestured at the chair opposite her desk, "Sit."

As he approached, Caius noticed the Tray Cynthia had on her desk. There was a small kettle that released a noticeable stream of steam and on either side of the kettle were tea cups.

Cynthia must have noticed him observing the tray of kettle and cups because she gestured at them as he sat down.

"Tea?" She offered, "They’re quite filling actually."

"Huh..." Caius said, "Sure."

Cynthia picked up the kettle and poured steaming tea into both cups while shaking her head.

"I heard about what happened to you after school the day before yesterday. I’m sorry," she said, and handed Caius a cup that he stretched out his hands to receive almost immediately.

"It’s alright," he assured her as he raised the cup to his lips and took a sip.

It tasted good. But it certainly wasn’t filling. Though that likely had to do with what he was. He could detect so many magical properties and advantages to the tea that he should have been enjoying but just didn’t.

It bore the question, what is helpful to a Vampire? A True Vampire, to be precise. ’Vampire Spawns’ as Caius used to be are much more loose with their requirements and thus, cannot truly be considered in this.

The answer is so obvious, you would roll your eyes; Blood.

Now of course, that’s the simple answer and it’s the core of it but there is a bit more involved. Blood is sustenance to Vampires, it’s their source of strength and their evolution but it’s quite literally the very core of their being, and whatever potion or pill that could ever have a beneficial effect on Vampires has to involve Blood, and the process to create such is called ’Blood Alchemy’.

Not every True Vampire dabbles in this. There is a simpler go-around like keeping vials of blood siphoned from their kills for emergency feeding and it works... enough. It works better than the simpler healing magic that most normal humans/humanoids can do so they’re usually satisfied.

They’re usually satisfied because there is a level of intricacy and care involved in ’Blood Alchemy’ that makes the chances of success so low. Only a very rare few ever think it important enough to dabble in.

One of those few was Anton Orlock. His Blood Experiments—before taking the path of mutations—were a form of Alchemy taken way too far.

"Caius?" Cynthia called when Caius had spent a minute staring at the tea in his hand but looking like he wasn’t even looking at it or through it and more like his mind was simply far gone.

Caius’s eyes became focused immediately he heard her call and he raised his head to smile.

"Sorry," he said, "I got distracted."

"By what?" Cynthia asked, not really demanding. More curious.

"Thoughts," Caius said vaguely.

"Would some of those thoughts happen to involve those extra lessons with me?" Cynthia asked with a smile.

Caius looked at her with a bit of confusion. He was just starting to understand what Cynthia was getting at when she waved her hand and a device on her table came into view, projecting a message like a hologram.

"I won’t take much of your time so you can get back to Break. Clearly, my tea isn’t enough," Cynthia said in a jokingly upset voice. Her stormy grey eyes looked so excited that a very jovial side was really starting to show.

Caius laughed.

"No, no," he said, "It’s good."

"You stared at it for a minute," Cynthia said, wrinkling her nose at him still with that jokey voice.

"Because of ’Thoughts’. Not because of your tea. I assure you," Caius said and laughed a little more.

"Hmph," Cynthia said and gestured at the hologram being projected above her device as she said,

"In any case, this is a request for permission to have your Extra lessons on the first day of the weekend.

I considered having you stay behind for an hour or two every day and decided having an entire day to teach and for you to learn, was better. It also happens to be a day of rest so why not be productive?"

Caius nodded with a knowing look on his face,

"And I’m sure it doesn’t hurt that it cuts down Mage-Knight Training with my Father by a day," he said.

"An interesting but no less coincidental outcome," Cynthia said innocently, and then her expression became serious again as she added,

"Of course, this is only for permission from the Headmistress stating my case. I had to be more... convincing following the incident the day before yesterday.

To learn that a student was attacked on his way home from school and might have been watched while at school, has been very distressing. But we are assured that Lochxen remains secure and the environs of the Academy are also being more carefully watched. All under the administrations of the Professors."

Cynthia spoke in such an official tone that Caius had a feeling the words were not actually hers but rather those of the Headmistress. She was currently a mouthpiece to assure him he was safe.

He sighed to himself.

’Athenodora, what have you done?’

Cynthia continued.

"When the message reaches your father, it will be passed along with as much assurance as the Academy can offer that you will be safe while you lecture within these grounds. Whether it be during the weekdays or the weekend.

My hope is that your father accepts..."

"He will," Caius said.

"I like your optimism but that incident has made things more complicated..." Cynthia started to say in a reserved tone.

"He will," Caius insisted, "I’m here, aren’t I?"

For all his anger when the incident happened, Lucian hadn’t stopped Caius from attending school today because, although he might have lashed out, he knew Lochxen was not really at fault. Still, Caius had a feeling he’d have a bit of convincing to do when he arrived home from school, that day.

"That is true," Cynthia said and smiled again as she sighed, "You are here."

"And I will be here on the first day of the weekend," Caius assured her.

Cynthia looked into his assured face and then at the message waiting to be sent and then back at him before she made a swipe and the message was gone.

"It’s done," she said.

"Great," Caius said and stood up to walk over to the door.

He had a hand on the handle and was just about to pull it open when he smiled at Cynthia,

"One thing though. Could I ask that we start the lesson next weekend and not this coming one?"

Cynthia paused and then furrowed her brows as she looked at him suspiciously,

"Why?" She asked.

"I might have a prior arrangement for this weekend," Caius answered gently.

"Here, at the Academy?" She asked.

"Yes," Caius said.

"And you won’t be with me?" Cynthia asked.

"Most likely not."

"Then, with whom?" Cynthia asked.

"Come on, Professor," Caius said with a smile, "You said it yourself. Lochxen is safe. What does it matter who I’m with as long as I’m here?"

"Caius!" Cynthia called and stood to her feet.

Caius gave her a gentle wave,

"Relax, Professor. It’ll all work out. And believe me when I say, I can hardly wait for next weekend. So much to learn..."

With that, he left the office and closed the door behind himself. This could not have come at a better time. With the added security he had been placed under, he had very little room to do what he had to do next. This gave him one day to spend away from the scrutiny of his Father and the Hellsingers.

Now all that was left, was that conversation with Arlette...

Just then, Caius caught a familiar scent and looked up to see Eloise. The space around her rippled like she had just canceled her Frequency-cloaking spell.

"Hey," he said, "Shouldn’t you be at the Cafeteria?"

"I came to find you," she said and studied his expression, "You looked happy."

"Did I?" Caius asked.

"Yeah, at first. Now you look scheming," she said in such accurate descriptions of Caius’ expressions that he could only chuckle.

"Are you busy?" Eloise asked then.

It was clear from the look in her eyes that she was hoping he said no. And how could Caius not oblige?

He shook his head.

"No, not really," he said.

"Then walk with me?" Eloise asked as she stepped toward him, reducing the space between them to only a few inches.

Caius smiled and gestured,

"Lead the way."

With a little thrilled giggle and a turn of her head that swung her pretty golden-brown hair at his face, Eloise turned away from Caius then and led them away from Cynthia Kragsten’s office door and down the corridor.