Strongest Warlock - Wizard World Irregular

"Yes. You\'ve been humming a tune since earlier."

I looked at my reflection in the mirror and saw that there was indeed a faint smile on my face.

I had just finished taking a bath, and Themis had come to my room to help me prepare for the day.

She was one of the quadruplets that the Meredith Clan had sent to accompany me to Brynhildr Academy as one of my handmaidens.

A week had passed since the Initiation Ceremony happened, and I am now somewhat used to my new life in Brynhildr Academy.

My classmates had been treating me well, and my Manor Mates were all good people—well, maybe not all of them.

However, aside from a few rotten tomatoes, I was surprised to find myself enjoying my stay in the academy.

This was the first time that I had been around many people who weren\'t part of the Protector Clans on a daily basis.

Back in the Magdar Kingdom, the only person who was always by my side was Ramona.

Although I missed her dearly and still thought of her from time to time, I knew that I should face the present and move forward.

I thought that it was going to be hard because I didn\'t think that I would be able to find another best friend like her.

However, I met someone who bore the same family name as her.

Her name was Hecate Von Magdar.

Although she shared some facial similarities with Ramona, I knew for a fact that the two of them were very different from each other.

Some people found Hecate charming and beautiful, which I also agree with.

However, I see her as more of a tomboyish and outgoing girl.

Both of us shared the same classes, so we were almost always together even after classes had ended.

Today was a Saturday, so there were no classes. However, Hecate and I were going on a picnic with my brother and his lovers beside the lake located at the back of the academy.

That was also the place where the Water Fairies lived.

All of them were good girls, and they obeyed my brother\'s order without question.

"J-Joanne, you\'re squishing me."

"Sorry, Colt. I was daydreaming."

I looked at my new friend, a blue, fluffy flying squirrel who went by the name Colt.

For some reason, he decided to accompany me, and truth be told, I am more than happy to have him with me.

In the end, the two of us formed a temporary Familiar Contract, with him being my Familiar.

According to my brother, Colt was a pacifist. However, when he gets angry, he could be a very terrifying opponent because he was much stronger than a dragon.

I believe my brother, but no matter how much I looked at Colt, I couldn\'t imagine him fighting against a Dragon, which could obliterate an entire village on its own.

"Your hair is done, Young Miss," Themis said with a smile.

"Thank you, Themis," I replied and nodded my head in satisfaction.

Today, I decided to try a different hairstyle and asked Themis to arrange my hair into a ponytail.

After putting on a blue dress, I left my room and chatted with a few people I came across before leaving Schwartz Manor.

Emma, who was also acting as my Guardian, followed behind me.

I often wondered why she dressed in a manner that made her look glum and plain in front of everyone.

Sometimes, I couldn\'t help but imagine how the teenage boys in Schwartz Manor would react if they saw Emma\'s true appearance. I\'m sure that she would be extremely popular with all of them and would have many suitors.

When I asked her why she didn\'t like to make herself look presentable in the academy, she answered that only my brother had the right to see her true appearance.

After hearing her answer, I thought that she had done the right thing, hiding her true beauty from the rest.

I wonder if all Promised Ones were like that?

Would I also have a Promised One in the future?

When I asked Emma this question, she said that no one in Caer Wydion would dare to have such an honor.

She added that even if my Father didn\'t kill them, my Grandfather definitely would.

I laughed when I heard her say that, thinking that she had just been joking.

I mean, my father and grandfather wouldn\'t really kill someone just because they wanted to become my Promised One, right?

If my brother had one, why couldn\'t I have one as well?

While thinking these thoughts, I finally arrived at Dud Manor.

"Good morning, Joanne," Hecate greeted with a smile.

"Good morning, Hecate," I replied. "Sorry, I am a bit late."

"You\'re not late," she said as she gave me a hug. "You\'re just in time."

My second best friend dragged me to the couch, where we sat together.

"Sir Ethan is still preparing sandwiches in the kitchen with Luna and Lilian," Hecate replied. "I tried to help, but they said that I should just relax and wait for you to arrive."

Seeing the slight pout on Hecate\'s face, I couldn\'t help but smile faintly. Seeing her pout reminded me of Ramona.

Sometimes, I wish Hecate was her.

But I know that she isn\'t.

When Hecate looks at me, I see respect, admiration, and a bit of affection.

The reason for her expression was due to the fact that she was the current Saintess of the Order of the Tidebringer.

She knew of the stories about me and my brother and had stated that she traveled to the Shire Continent just to see the two of us.

Hecate also handed two separate letters to me and my brother.

They were letters Ramona had left for us before she left the Magdar Kingdom.

These letters were enchanted letters, and they had been passed down from one Saintess to the next in hopes that one of them would take the journey from the Magdar Kingdom to personally deliver this letter to us.

I still hadn\'t read my letter because I believed that I\'d be crying again if I read my best friend\'s letter to me.

Unlike my cowardly self, my brother had already read the letter that Ramona had given him.

When he asked me if I wanted to read it too, I declined his offer. I simply felt like my heart was not ready yet.

He respected my choice and said that if I ever wanted to read it, I could ask him at a later time.

Although my brother tried to hide it, there was a hint of sadness in his voice. I didn\'t know if my brother loved Ramona or not.

Perhaps, I am still too young to understand such things.

I still didn\'t know what it meant to fall in love.

But I truly wish that when that time comes, I would be able to face it the same way my best friend faced it—loving unconditionally despite knowing that she and my brother would be separated by time and space.

"What\'s wrong?" Hecate asked as she cupped my face. "You suddenly look sad."

"I\'m just remembering someone dear to me," I replied as I looked into Hecate\'s hazel eyes, which seemed to change colors as the sun reflected off their surface.

Hecate\'s gaze softened before pulling me close to her chest. She then lightly patted my head and hummed.

The melody she hummed was very familiar. It was the same melody that my first best friend would hum when we were together like this.

Sometimes, I wish that Ramona was indeed Hecate.

It was hard to not feel suspicious, and there were times that I entertained thoughts of Hecate being Ramona.

But if she really was my best friend and had somehow found a way to meet us after hundreds of years, then why didn\'t she reveal her identity?

If she was really Ramona, I\'m sure that my brother and I would be extremely happy to be reunited with her.

Still, after a week had passed, she didn\'t show any signs that she was the person I was hoping to see.

"Don\'t worry," Hecate whispered as he continued to hug me. "One day, your wish will come true."

"My wish is impossible to come true," I replied.

"It\'s not impossible," Hecate pulled back and smiled mischievously. "After all, she loves you and your brother very much."

Feeling my heart beat wildly inside my chest, I dared to ask the question, which I had been wishing to ask.

"Is she alive?" I asked.

Hecate then placed her hand on my chest, where my heart was beating.

"She is alive in your heart," Hecate replied. "And the power of magic comes from the heart."

Her words were like a prophecy to me, and yet, I didn\'t know if I dared to believe her or not.

But her gentle gaze and mischievous smile, which reminded me of my friend long ago, made me wonder if it was really possible.

"Please stop teasing me, or I\'ll hate you." I pouted.

Hecate giggled and simply held my hand.

She looked at me as if daring me to hate her, which I was unable to do.

At that moment, my brother arrived with Luna and Lilian.

He was carrying two baskets, which I believed were filled with sandwiches and other food that we would be eating for our picnic.

"Sorry for making you girls wait," Ethan said. "Shall we go?"

Hecate and I nodded, following behind my brother and his lovers as we left Dud Manor.

Just like always, I gave my new best friend a sidelong glance and saw her looking at my brother\'s back with a sad smile on her face.

It was as if she wanted to touch him or hug him from behind.

But Hecate never did anything like that.

She simply looked at my brother\'s back, keeping her distance.

Sometimes, I think that she was waiting for something or someone before finally showing her true colors.

Suddenly, the image of a certain Mermaid Princess appeared inside my head, making my eyes widen in shock.

\'What if… no. This is impossible.\'

Perhaps Hecate felt my gaze because she turned to look at me with a smile.

She then gave me a playful wink, which made me wonder just who she really was and what her purpose was for coming into the academy to see me and my brother, who were seeing someone else whenever we looked into her beautiful hazel eyes.

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A/N: Only one chapter today. We are having a strong typhoon, and I am having difficulties due to rain invading my apartment building. Kekeke.

E/N: Rain, rain, go away. Don\'t come back until the author is done writing chappies!

E/N: It\'s not me. - Rein