Roland was more focused on making sure he wasn't in the direct line of sight of that wand she was waving around.
On the other hand, the girl was still very much beside herself.
"Who is he? Why did you bring him here? Why does he smell funny, and... who told you to run away without my consent…?"
*Chomp-Chomp-Chomp*
"Nom-nom-meow meow? Me-ow- meow-hehehe." It sniggered lazily, almost disregarding the girl's words.
Roland made a hmm sound. With his chin still propped against one hand, he narrowed his eyes questioningly. He was sure that cat understood every word they were saying. A sudden whimper caught him unawares, and Roland stumbled a few steps away from the sobbing sounds beside him.
"Waaah! You're so mean. I've done everything you ask for! And you're always up to no good! Shame on you, Sir Mynx a lot. Shame on you."
Roland jumped his attention between the two. While he could somewhat imagine how frustrating that thing would be, he didn't think it earned such a response.
"H-hey, you know, if a pet doesn't listen to you anymore…you can always, you know…get rid of it?" He suggested with an earnest, childlike smile.
Two stern gasps cracked through soundless air. Roland was surprised by that reaction. 'Did I say something wrong.' He wondered, scratching the side of his head.
His answer appeared in the form of an enraged little girl, refinding that boiling energy with which she had opened their greeting. This time, her fingers pressed against his chest.
"Hey! Now listen here…err- weird and f-fuzzy h-hair boy. You don't just go around saying crazy things to people. That's not good manners. And that's how you earn yourself in Belle's bad books. And if you're in Belles's bad books, you're in Sir Mynx a lot's bad books. And if you're in sir Mynx a lots bad books, then you're in Belles bad books, and if that's not clear, then I-"
The cat had already left the trunk and waltzed unbothered between them. It stopped as it passed Roland's foot and lifted its tiny head up to meet his gaze. Then it opened its perfectly shaped leonine mouth, and a loud yawn broke free. Then it twisted rather purposefully towards Belle and…said?
"Be a good disciple, Belle, and clear up some of this mess for me, would you."
Roland was stunned into silence, blinking a few times at the talking cat.
"Oh, and If you're feeling slightly daring, stuff a few of those mana crystals in your blouse fir me. Come on, I've grown tired of this place already."
Roland raised his two eyebrows and stared in awe. The girl named Belle reluctantly gathered herself. Just before she could say anything, the cat interjected.
"Oh, and bring him along. If you'd like."
Belle sniffled her runny nose and wiped her cheeks, which were stained with her cries.
"Wh-why should I?" She sulked halfheartedly
The feline sniggered in a playful tone.
"Well, my young apprentice, that's because if you want to acquire that yearly bonus, you've already started spending by the way. Why don't you steer your efforts to something more…achievable?"
There was a wicked grin which startled Roland a little.
But its words calmed the girl down. It was her turn to think quietly. There was a tiny spark of realisation and then confusion.
"Wait, the acolyte's quota? H-h-he's a potential acolyte, you say…h-him?" Belle pointed directly at the side of Rolands face. Caring little about whether or not he had any issues with his personal space being invaded.
By this time, Roland was no longer concerned about that persistent finger prodding between his chest. He shared the same astonishment as Belle, for different reasons, of course.
Staring aimlessly at the talking cat, he repeated that buzzword over and over again.
'…acolyte?'
***
Roland smiled wryly, watching Belle effortlessly pull a large trunk into the centre of his room.
"And remind me again, how your things ended up…here?" He asked dryly.
Belle grunted, dragging the trunk a few more inches to the centre.
"A girl told me too. She said this is where they keep the things nobody wants. Come to think of it, she wore a very amused smile whilst she led me here."
Roland grimaced darkly. These kids were getting out of hand at this point.
Belle observed the trunk before finally freeing the golden talons away from their secured lock. She rattled the chain free and pushed the lid of the trunk away. A cylinder-shaped disk rose out from a thick tube. Belle turned the dial and shifted the compartments to their respective places.
Roland watched the large trunk rise into a speculative brass workbench. The top rows were filled with different-sized coloured glass bottles, and the bottom with scrolls and a few thin books. Belle finished forming the tall stand. On the very top, there was an empty space for a large oval-shaped object to sit in its middle.
Belle stretched her body and gently applauded her efforts. When she finally shifted her gaze towards Roland, her adorable joy vanished. Watching him with an indifferent gaze, she seemed to have remembered something.
Rather begrudgingly, Belle walked over to the miniature work bench and shuffled a few things against it before she withdrew away, leaving a small vial of yellow liquid inside.
"Take off your shirt, please." She almost mumbled between her teeth.
"Sorry, what was that? I couldn't hear you?" Roland lied, emphasised by cupping his ears towards her.
Belles's gaze narrowed before she cleared her throat loudly and stared daggers into him.
"Your shirt, take it off. Now!" She held out her wand towards him threateningly.
Roland raised his arms to comply, "Anything you wish, Lady Belle." He didn't waste any time and took his shirt off. He took a curious look at his youthful, slender body. Each time he looked at himself, he was reminded how young he had regressed.
On the flip side, Roland sat slightly surprised by how smooth and toned his slender body was.
'All that training looks to have paid off.'
He cocked one of his eyes to the side and noticed the young girl's face was completely red. Belle defiantly raised her nose, and with a hmph sound, she turned her entire nose away in protest.
"Hmph, lousy sweet talker." She said delicately, trying to snatch a peak at Roland. "And that's master Belle to you, no-good rascal."
Roland was already drifting into his own world, taking in the various strange-looking things the blue-haired girl carried.
At this point, Roland felt it was safe to assume this little girl, alongside her talking cat, was part of that mysterious world he had heard about, the world the original owner of this body sought after obsessively.
Roland didn't believe in coincidences. But somehow, his steps had placed him along this path, steering him towards these mysteries and into a world where his every fibre was beginning to yearn for in discovery.
'Wizards? She's a wizard?'
His thoughts drew a boyish smile across his gaze.
A swell of excitement raced through him. Roland could think of at least 5 good reasons why this was an opportunity made in heaven for him.
'Did that cat person say something about me becoming an…acolyte, was it?'
There was nothing that resonated more with his soul than learning magic. How could his mind, constantly filled with sciences, not be drawn to the evolution of logic? Roland went on a tour through his mind into the realm of the unknown. But in reality, he kept quiet and obediently sat there in wait.
Ever so often, he turned towards the tabby cat in the corner, lazing around whilst enjoying the soft bed beneath its body.
Belle uncorked the seal before delicately swirling it around.
"Don't waste your time expecting anything. My master only talks when it's necessary. Sometimes, you might never hear his voice for almost a year."
Belle explained between focus.
She poured a gentle amount against her two fingers and scooted a little closer towards Roland from the front.
"Sit straight, put your hands against your lap, yes, like that and try not to move."
Starting from the top of his chest, she traced a line directly down to his bosom. Roland's nostrils were hit with a strong smell. Belle finished off by making a ring around his belly button.
"This is Nogroa oil. It's the perfect way to trace the flow of mana inside a person's body.
"I'm going to have a Quick Look inside of you. Again, keep still." Belle's hands went rummaging around his stomach for a few minutes now. Roland had to catch himself more than once from squirming away underneath her cold touch at times; otherwise, the process wasn't so bad.
Belle had already closed her eyes and had fallen into a state of focus, he noticed. Roland observed her carefully as her mouth continued to mutter inaudible things. A small cycle of silence passed before Belle's almond shaped eyes fluttered tiredly open.
Roland wasn't surprised by the next set of reactions following that distant look. Surprise. Deep concern and then finally a douse of scepticism laced with traces of fear any time her gaze brushed over his stomach area.
Belle rose to her feet soon enough and started pacing around the small clearing. With all these things bundled into his room, Roland realised this wasn't the room for all this.
The anticipation weighed heavily on him. Although he might've guessed what she likely found looking inside.
"Er-we-well?" Roland spoke out
His voice halted Belle on her hot heels.
"Well, what?" She narrowed her brows in response.
"I mean…am I…did you find…sigh. Am I good enough to become an acolyte then?"
Roland could feel his heartbeat pacing quicker, since when had he become so afraid of something. This distant and yet familiar feeling took him back to a time where he first applied for the galactic federations army.
He was 16 and a naieve recruit looking to find his way in life.
Roland rubbed the side of his head in deep wonder. It felt like he was losing something each time he discovered a memory fragment.
By now, Belle folded her two arms and found a secure seat against the edge of his bed.
"There are two things I know to be true in this world," Belle explained, holding up two fingers.
"One, a broken core almost disqualifies you from living a peaceful life. Just getting out of bed should be gazillions times more painful than a normal person, and if you're lucky, you live out the rest of your life waiting for one infection to the next to consume you.
In reality, it's equivalent to having half a working heart.
Number two, sticking with the heart analogy. A single core plays a role similar to that of your heart. But you have two cores in theory…two…two… hearts…"
She said the last part purposely slowed to enunciate her point.
Belle's gaze was becoming more and more narrow. To the point it borderlines scrutiny even.
'Why does it sound like I'm being interrogated?'
"Sigh, long story short, kid, I've never seen anything like it. And there is absolutely no guarantee you can use magic. But, since it is practically an essential law to both test and guide anyone suspecting to possess the talents of an initiate, I'm under oath to go ahead and give you a chance."
She went rummaging around the back of the personalised box of wooden compartments and took out an old scroll with a blue ribbon tied to the end. Roland thought it was old on account of the discolouring of the long page. It was practically dark golden brown with dark and light splotches.
Belle wore a questioning look whilst she stared at the scroll in her hand in silence for a few minutes. After she concluded the wrestle with her internal discord, she handed the scroll over, exhaling a deep sigh.
"Here's a list of Rank 0-1 basic spells. You manage to learn one of these, and I'll consider you competent enough to attend the enrollment trials. I don't have time to teach you much, so we'll call this a crash course."
Roland caught the scroll practically bundled into his lap. It was heavier than he expected. And smelt just as old as it looked.