Chapter 6.5

Adelle Bernicio sat up grumbling in bed, taking her time to wake up. It took a full minute before she decided to hear her mother calling her to bring in the mail. She scratched her head and her eyes.

“Ow.”

Adelle threw a book at her sister. She missed. Etel continued snoring. Adelle rubbed her eyes more and yawned. She threw her blanket onto the floor and slipped off her bed. She walked across the blanket and approached the other bed, miraculously avoiding the dropped hardcover.

“Etty.” Adelle pushed at her. Etel kicked. Adelle pushed harder.

“Adelle!” Their mother shouted. “I said, get down here!”

“Ugh!” Adelle slapped her twin’s leg before stomping out of their bedroom. “I’m coming already!” She shouted down the stairs. The girl stopped in the kitchen doorway and glared at Patricia of the Fish Bernicio, who was turning off the stove.

“Go get me the mail.”

Adelle rolled her eyes as far back as they would go. She slouched and trudged to the front door. When she returned, she threw the letters on the kitchen table.

“Why are you giving me an attitude right now?” Patricia frowned at her.

Adelle slumped her shoulders far down and groaned. “Why do you always make me do everything?”

“Then, do you want me to do it?” Patricia slid the mail towards herself using two fingers and rifled through them.

“I never said that!” Adelle shouted.

“There wasn’t anything else?” Her mother checked the return addresses again, ignoring the outburst.

“...No? I brought whatever was there.”

“Nothing from your brother?”

“I just said-!”

“Lower your voice.”

“Grr!” Adelle shook her fists and spun on her heel.

“Where are you go...” Patricia let the question die and watched the little girl storm away. The loud thumps of her going up the stairs, followed by her bedroom door slamming, answered it anyway. Patricia sighed. “I was going to ask her to wake up Etty for me...” She mumbled at the empty kitchen space.

Patricia placed her hand on the kitchen table and pushed, shifting her weight off the chair. She stepped over to the stove and picked up her handheld from the adjacent countertop.

“Patty,” Bella Doherty Bathōry could be heard smiling through the connection. “Good morning!”

“’Morning, Bella. Did you hear anything from Linette?”

“In general? Yes, she sent a few letters.”

“Lucky you. How are the kids doing?”

Bella’s silvery, soft laughter rang through. “Aw, has Ciel gone cold comms again?”

“He does this every year.” Patricia tsked.

“Lin said they have someone new at the school – someone interesting. I’m sure they’re having fun.”

“Yeah?”

“She said he’s a first-year, I think. Apparently, he’s going to be in the Tournament...? Let me see if I can find what she wrote... hold on...” Bella shuffled through her nightstand drawer and picked up the last correspondence.

“A first-year? Are we talking about a mock tournament?”

“Maybe? She said she’s nervous... Ah. Here it is. His name is... where... ah, Lath Core? I think that’s how you say it?”

“What a strange name.”

“Right.” Bella skimmed the rest of the letter. “No, I think it’s the real one. She’s tutored him in the first week and... he’s already Level 2? A first-year...?”

“That makes no sense.”

“I know. I don’t think Stewart even... oh. Or maybe he did? I guess technically it was his first year, after he transferred to Magic.”

“I suppose that could count. Wait, let me sit down...” Bella laughed again while Patricia eased into her seat. “But,” she put her elbow on the table. “Stewart was a genius. And he was older, so he had better control than students at Level 1 normally do.”

“True... and there is a reason he became the next professor instead of you or me.”

“Right? He was better at Water than even a Fish and a Tree child...Well, who knows.”

“We’ll probably see when we go watch? Are you going to go?”

“If Ciel competes, of course. I keep checking the mail to see if the invitation came... haha.”

“It is late, right? I thought it would have come by now. And Freddie says he hasn’t heard anything about it, either.”

“Fred? He’s involved?”

“Haha, of course! It’s Linette’s first time in the Tournament. He’s taking time off to see it.” The drawer sounded closed with a light thud. “He said Sylvie is gonna be there, too.”

“What?”

“Yeah, so he says.”

“We’re talking about the director, Wiosenne?”

“Yeah.”

“Whatever is going on? It’s like a who’s who...”

“It’s crazy, right?”

“Totally. I hope the kids will be okay with all that pressure.”

“Oh, true. If Linette is already nervous from now, won’t it be harder for her during the match?”

“Hm, you think? She’s strong enough to wipe the floors with everyone else, though.”

“Oh, yeah?” Bella giggled.

“I doubt anyone will be a challenge for a direct descendant of Water.”

Bella’s laugh doubled. “You don’t sound very confident in your son.”

“I lost to you every year, didn’t I?”

“Oh, come on, that was a million years ago, Patty.”

“You’re making us sound old. At least I’m still in my prime.”

 “Good. Stay healthy. For a long, long time.”

“Ah, sheesh, Bella.” Patricia ran a hand through her hair. “Thanks.”

“Tell me next time you’re going to the Clinic. I’ll drop you off.”

“Huh? You really don’t have to...”

“Better me than your husband, he’s absolutely useless at these things.”

“That’s... actually, I can’t argue with that.”

“Haha!”

“Okay, come with me next month.”

“You got it, love.”