Children of Darkness Fragment 3

The academy mornings are early.
For someone who prefers the night, this was an intolerable problem. It wasn't that the bells rang shrilly or that doors were knocked on one by one, nor was he told that he had to wake up, but above all, it was noisy.

After all, there are children of all ages here who have left their parents. There is no way they could stay quiet while getting ready in the morning for the short time before classes begin.
Some run down the hallways, some scream, some fight, some cry.
The clamor expands, echoing off the boring gray walls of the courtyard and the cloisters.

Of course, there are adults in charge. The older children among them also busy themselves taking care of things, calling out to those who cause trouble. However, I don't know if it has any meaning.
All he can say is that it, too, is extremely noisy.
I struggle to understand how they can be so active from the morning.

Every time morning comes, I think of the silence of the house I abandoned.
Unless I was dragged into my troublesome brother's work, I could lie on my bed in my own room as much as I liked, and while there were a fair number of small children in his house, they didn't run around in front of his room.
Perhaps they were making noise somewhere in the morning too, but it was a house large enough that you wouldn't feel it. In terms of scale, it wasn't much different from the academy.

He remembered with nostalgia the birds chirping in the forest and mountains beyond the garden, and the wind rustling through the trees. Only half a month had passed, but it seemed like a very distant thing.
Even without closing his eyes, the scenery visible from his room's window floated vividly in his mind, and he shook his head in a panic.

I abandoned my home.

I abandoned my family, too.

Many of the children who come here are sold by their parents. Some may have come willingly, but it is no different from being sold. This is because this country, this academy, gives a large reward to the parents in exchange for taking the children. The poorer the background, the greater the benefit.
And, though I don't know if they truly understand it, they will not be able to work for their hometowns or serve their parents and siblings in the future. Everything is for this country. They have no choice but to dedicate their lives and existence to this abominable nation that proclaims it maintains the stability of the world.

I am different.
I came here knowing everything. Of my own free will.

I don't know if my parents received the reward money. Even if they did, it would have been a pittance, and in some cases, it might have gone into the hometown's treasury.
The king, who is a distant relative of his, promised to grant him an old maternal title that had been vacant for a long time after he came of age. On the surface, it looks like the king's kindness, worried that the young youngest son of a great house with great power had to go to another country. However, this, too, is merely political maneuvering.
They just slapped an extra title on him so that on the day he has to rule the land of magic, their own country will work to their advantage even a little. It is nothing but a nuisance.

The land of magic says it protects children. Children with magical power use that power without knowing it. Using power is not a bad thing.
For example, many of those in the house he abandoned were born with power, and they have worked for the country since long ago, to the point where it seems like a joke. They learn how to use their power from their parents, siblings, and older relatives. They also learn through their family business that it is something that should not be used lightly in daily life for personal matters.
Children who are not like that, who were born into ordinary families by pure chance, must know how to use it. This is because there is a possibility that they could put themselves and the people around them in danger.
It makes sense. He himself thinks that is correct.
At the same time, he also knows that such things are just a pretext.

If that were the only reason, there would have been no need for him to come here.

He took a deep breath and turned over.
That is not it.

I abandoned my home.

And my family.

Before he knew it, the noise outside the room had quieted down. It seems everyone had managed to start their day safely.
Then what about me? The question crossed his mind.
He had noticed that even the adults here didn't know what to do with him. That was no different from when he was at home. Because of his birth, and his characteristics.
Even though I didn't ask to be born this way.

#WhatAreYouTalkingAbout
#YouAndMagicAndTheStarrySky
#ChildrenOfDarkness