Avoid The Lead!

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A few things happen when an average student suddenly starts dominating in all academic fields...

At first, everyone would be shocked.

Followed by everyone's curiosity.

Followed by doubt.

And finally, these broke apart into admiration, or praise, or encouragement.

... Or suspicion, or envy!

When Carla Winters first started becoming excellent at her studies, it was a process which took months, so people were a little more understanding.

But Celia's rise to prominence happened in a week!

Which led to accusations that she was cheating with some kind of spell...

But when the school board summoned and tested her, no such thing was found, and they were more in awe of her!

"That was a complex set of spells! Even the Palace Grand Mage's direct students would find it difficult!"

"She's a genius!"

"A rare, one-in-a-thousand genius!"

After two weeks of the teachers singing Celia's praise, the top students began studying furiously, determined to safeguard their positions, but it was almost too easy for Celia to take them out one by one.

~"Shameless! You're using knowledge from past lives!" Taze teased, but she simply smirked.

~"Whose fault is it? I have so little time to match a certain person's excellence!"~

Taze flushed and remained silent after that.

In Celia's free time, she read book after book on strange curses and poisons, and more often than not, Taze would approach behind her and give an endearing hug, which nearly made her forget what she had been reading.

"Celia, I don't understand! You insist on studying instead of spending time with me!" He usually complained.

Sometimes, Celia caved and followed him out. Sometimes she pointedly ignored him and continued studying.

One day, she turned to scowl at him.

"Tch! Will you still deny being ill? Selfish! Are you planning to die and leave me behind?!"

"Ehehe." He nervously scratched his head. He had forgotten how evasive he had been about it.

He had also forgotten that Celia was a Healing Mage, and in the original life, she jumped into action if he so much as sneezed!

But this was something too dangerous.

"It's not like that..." He explained. "I know what is wrong with me, but there's no way to stop it for now."

"But we can-!" She began, but he touched a finger to her lips.

"No one even knows I school at Elfsworth, as I'm supposedly wasting away in the East Wing. Anything we try to do now, will only alert the enemy." He gently took her hands. "Trust me. I won't lie down and die easily."

Celia lifted a hand and caressed his face. "I'll listen to you... But don't expect me to be reasonable, past a point!"

He knew what she meant.

Since Vitav rewrote their fates, Taze always died somewhere in the Fall of his seventeenth year, and they were halfway through the sixteenth year.

That left roughly a year.

He squeezed her hand. "I understand." He simply replied, then kissed her knuckles.

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The rest of the year went by in a flurry of notable events...

For starters, the name 'Celia Scarlett' was now a well-known name in Luxia, as numerous teachers had boasted about her to other High Mages, and students had spread word as well.

The Grand Mages had visited Elfsworth to personally Test her, and the Palace Grand Mage acknowledged she was more brilliant than his own pupils!

And as the Scarlett Family was one of the most prominent families in Luxia, Lord Scarlett's study was now almost knee-deep in proposal letters!

Next, Lady Flora finally succeeded in orchestrating a few minor calamities around the Capital, and directing Vitav to resolve them.

This made him a well-known hero and vigilante in the Capital, and once he became so popular, King Vien was forced to reveal him to the public.

Before long, he received numerous proposals from prominent families, of which the most notable was from the Eastern Sea's Royal family, offering him Princess Larya's hand in marriage.

With Vitav's rise to fame, Crown Prince Tazeus's illness became public knowledge, further pressuring King Vien to depose the Crown Prince and hand Vitav the title.

Meanwhile, back at Elfsworth, the school prepared for its annual Winter Ball, which was followed by the graduation ceremony.

By now, Celia had surpassed everyone in her year! But for some reason she couldn't find Taze's name in the rankings at all.

"Did you forget?" He asked that night, as the two sat atop a roof in the Academy.

Celia's head lay on his shoulder, and they held hands, admiring the beautiful snowfall.

"I snuck out of the Palace to attend Elfsworth. It would be a problem, if I show up in the records!"

"Ah! I did forget! Won't there be other records?!"

He chuckled. "I know a powerful Mage who is already destroying every record of my name from the Academy, and after the Winter Ball, his spell will make everyone forget the name 'Nowen'!"

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The next day found Celia in the dorm lounge, drinking a cup of strawberry tea, and musing over her thoughts.

Her birthday was in a few days, just before the Winter Ball, and she had the option to go home and celebrate it, but she couldn't bare the thought.

Vitav likely didn't know of her existence, but whenever she recalled the many sixteenth birthday, eagerly waiting for his arrival, the thought left a sour taste in her mouth!

No. She would spend her birthday here with Taze, and use the beautiful memory to wipe away the bad ones!

"Miss, are you ready to dress up?" A quiet voice interrupted, and Celia looked up to find one of the Dorm maids present.

Celia nodded and followed the maid, but another maid intercepted them, handing her a letter.

Curious, Celia opened the letter to find her father's neat handwriting in bold lettering!

~~~

CECE!!!

FORGIVE ME IF I'VE WRONGED YOU!

FIRST YOU INSISTED ON MOVING INTO THE DORMS, EVEN THOUGH I COULD HAVE OBTAINED A SPECIAL PERMISSION FOR YOU TO COMMUTE FROM HOME!

NOW YOU BARELY EVEN COMMUNICATE THROUGH THE ICE MIRROR!

AND NOW I HEAR FROM THE SCHOOL THAT YOU'RE NOT RETURNING FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY!!!

~There were actual tear stains at this point~

DO YOU NO LONGER LOVE YOUR PAPA??!!

~~~

Celia squeezed the letter, and then squeezed her eyes shut.

'Papa... You're more dramatic than ever! Simply say what you want!'

After bathing and dressing, Celia finally brought out her own ice mirror.

She usually contacted her father at least once a week, but for three weeks now, she only thought of Taze, her studies, or her upcoming birthday, so she hadn't paid any attention to her father!

She sighed and cast a small spell on the mirror, which made it shine a bright white light, and made Lord Scarlett's own mirror feel mildly hot to the touch.

The mirrors usually shrank and could be worn as a necklace, which meant Lord Scarlett could carry it with him, and if the temperature grew hot, he knew Celia was trying to reach him.

If it grew cold, an impostor was trying to use it.

Celia hadn't been wearing hers, but she vowed to wear it from now on! What if Novia or her mother tried something?!

Lord Scarlett raised his mirror from his chest, and it grew to its usual size.

"Cece!!! How can you abandon your Papa?!"

But Celia jutted out her bottom lip, widened her eyes, and made them turn down in sadness. "Papa! How can you say such heart-wrenching words?!"

And thus the drama competition began!

She had long learned to counter her father's drama, or she would end up following his every whim!

Now, Lord Scarlett was insisting that she come home for a birthday ball, but she was insisting on spending her birthday at the Academy.

In the end, it was decided that she would host a birthday ball in the Academy, but her father could attend with a few guests!

"Phew!" Celia sighed in relief.

But her face fell in an instant.

Her father would most likely know what Taze looked like...

'Taze won't be able to attend the ball!'

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