[√]Lady of the White Rose

2: Decision

VESPER

I wipe my lips after drinking the last drop of milk before facing father and brothers. They're all calmed down now, but it took me a while.

Ang iinit ng mga ulo nila, ni hindi man lang nakinig sa paliwanag ko at nagsilabas ng mga sandata nila. Ang hirap magpalaki ng mga kapatid at ama. Hindi naman sila ganito lagi, minsan lang.

"Have you all calmed down?" I ask.

Father cleared his throat. Kuya Kaido diverted my eyes and focus his attention to his coffee. While Kuya Iklis click his tongue and took a glance behind the window.

"You should have clearly said things," sambit pa nito. "Who knows what you mean by you want that gardener."

"I never said that!" I denied promptly.

"You said you want him!" Kuya Iklis insisted.

"I said that and not him! Get your facts check first, Kuya." I scoff and cross my arms in my chest. "What I mean is his magic-"

"Then, we can call one of the Grand Mage to transfer that bastard's magic to you." Father decided.

Napahampas ako sa mesa ng wala sa oras dahil sa pagkabigla sa sinabi nito. What does he mean by transfer his magic to me? And is that even possible?

"That's not it father, what I mean is I want to learn magic!" nahihirapan akong mag-explain sa kanila, kung ano-ano ba naman kasi ang mga pinag-iisip. Malayong-malayo sa nais kong sabihin.

Binabawi ko na ang sinabi ko kanina. My life is not boring...it's stressing.

I feel like dying in stress when I'm with my brothers and father. Maybe, it's the reason why I started having all those weird dreams since I was stress dealing with my family.

Humugot ako ng isang malalim na hininga bago hinarap ang pamilya ko. Kahit na hindi kami kompleto ay hindi ko naramdaman na may kulang sa buhay ko.

"Are you sure?" paninigurado ng aking ama. Duke Vallerian Von Frontera, my father's name. A distinguish swordmaster and among the greatest in the whole continent. He rose to fame not because he's a duke but because he's strong. "A magician's path isn't easy, princess."

I ponder for a moment before answering with a firm tone. "I want to be a magician, father."

"Baka naman nadadala ka lang, V? Have you ever seen a real magician before? That gardener, though can use magic isn't actually a magician. Because if he is, he won't be here doing a gardeners work." Kuya Iklis said as he stare at me as if trying to know what I'm thinking.

"Oo nga, mas mabuti pang pag-isipan mo muna ito ng mabuti." Dagdag ni kuya Kaido. I frown with their remarks and was about to answer them when he continues, "Alam naming seryoso ka dito, kahit na kakakita mo pa lang ng mahika ay alam naming seryoso ka. Pero wala namang mawawala kung pag-iisipan mo ito, hindi ba?"

"Your brothers are right. Think about it and if it's really what you want..." Nagkatinginan pa silang tatlo at tila nag-uusap ang mga mata nila na sila lang ang nakakaintindi. Kuya Kaido shrug and Kuya Iklis sigh before bringing the cup of coffee in his lips and take a sip.

"We'll contact the Magic Tower and have you tested if you possess enate talent for magic. Remember Princess, you can't just become a magician just because you want it, okay?"

That's what they all said and as an obedient daughter and sister as I am, I took their advice and ponder for days and nights. Pinag-isipan kong mabuti, ng maigi at talagang sumakit ang utak ko kakaisip kung talaga bang gusto kong maging isang magician? O tama nga ang sinabi ni kuya Kaido na baka nadadala lamang ako ng aking emosyon?

Like, I was just fascinated by it? Baka sa una lang 'to at pag nagtagal ay mawawalan din ako ng gana. O baka dala lamang ng aking kyuryusidad?

I don't know. I still can't tell even how many days had passed. Do I really want to be magician?

I want to... at the moment. But I'm worried about my motivation in the future. Because magic, like what father said, it takes more than just hard work to achieve, enate talent is needed. Though I'm not that really worried since I'm my father's daughter...

I sigh.

Isinara ko ang librong binabasa dahil tila wala ng pumapasok sa utak ko. Hindi ako makapag pokus sa aking binabasa dahil sa kung saan-saan lumilipad ang aking isipan.

I think I should walk in the garden to clear my thoughts. Mabilis kong tinawag si Abby upang samahan akong maglakad-lakad sa harden. Mataas pa ang sikat ng araw kaya naman nagdala ito ng payong upang hindi ako mainitan habang naglalakad.

"May kilala ka bang magician, Abby? Someone you know personally and not just those famous magicians we heard so much about?" makaraan ay tanong ko dito. Kahit mataas pa ang sikat ng araw ay hindi naman gaano kasakit ito sa balat, masarap din naman ang simoy ng hangin, presko at walang polusyon, isama mo pa ang matatamis at kay gandang pakinggang tinig ng mga ibong nagsisiawitan sa kalangitan.

Ilang sandaling nag-isip si Abby. "Nako My Lady, pasensya na, wala eh. Tanging ang dalawang Grand Mages lamang kilala ko." paumanhin nito.

"Ganun ba..."

"Bakit nga pala bigla kayong nagkahilig sa mahika? Dati naman ay wala kayong pakialam dito? Sabi mo pa nga, I'm contented with my life, I don't need to study anything. Because studying is like taking a stone and smacking it in your head! " may kaartehang pag-ku-kwento nito na sinabayan niya pa ng pagkumpas ng kamay at pagtaas ng kilay. "You were like that before, so what happened now?"

I grimace with what she said. I suddenly wanted to turn back time and smack my past self for saying that! I can't believe I was that foolish!

"'Wag mo ng tanungin kung ano'ng nangyari, isipin mo na lang na nagbabagong buhay na ako. Aren't you happy that I'm now not only interested in dresses, gowns, jewelries, tea parties, balls and fame? That I now actually have something I wanted to pursue, like for real this time. I don't want to just waste time in parties and then grow old and fade away without leaving any traces behind that can prove that once, a lady named Vesper Frontera existed."

And I wanted be remembered in the field of magic, though our family was best known for being a knight family since its foundation. I wanted to be known for something else, something that isn't in the common norm of our family.

After that day, I made up my mind and visited father in his office. I told him that my decision is final, that I want to walk the path of a magician no matter how hard it is.

After I told him that, father's expression was rather unreadable. Hindi ko mawari kung nagustuhan niya ba o hindi ang aking desisyon. Sa sandaling matapos kong sabihin ang aking desisyon ay tinitignan lamang ako nito ng ilang sandali, ilang sandali lamang 'yon ngunit kinabahan ako ng husto sa hindi ko malamang dahilan. Pagkatapos nun ay sinabi nito na magpapadala siya ng sulat sa Magic Tower at hintayin ko na lamang ang kanilang magiging tugon kung kailan maaaring pumunta sa kanila.