Orison | Celeste Academy Series BK #3

Chapter Sixteen ۞ Collaboration

Valeriana arrived just a minute before Gathering started. The Twelve was complete, and everyone had taken their places. She gave them an embarrassed smile at the thought of being the last to show up, trying to remove her mind from the recent encounter with the lady knight.

"Sorry I'm late, you guys." She apologized, taking her seat.

"You're still early. Those people haven't arrived yet."

"Who are we waiting for?"

"Mm." Keelan was currently munching on one of the bunch of sandwiches prepared before them. His mouth was so full he could not even move his jaws to chew. He swallowed. "DevDept."

Valeriana jumped, excitement making her eyes go bright. "Really? They're coming?"

She wasn't answered as they were all busy with things she was uncertain of. However, she was sure it was a yes.

Val then sat there patiently, waiting for them to show up. Time seemed to tick by longer, twenty minutes passing on the clock like a slow agony.

"Aren't they late already?" Charles questioned. "We're all here early, whose time do they think they're wasting?"

Just a few seconds after the fourth-ranker spoke out his frustration did they hear a knock. Heads turned to the door as the knob turned. The entrance was opened and revealed a group of people around the same age as them, seeming clueless and lost.

"Um . . ." The person standing at the very front was looking down at a piece of paper, a matching pair of russet eyes and hair flashing against the dim light. "This is the Twelve's residences, right?"

"What do you think?" Aneeka called out.

"Yes." Rowe kindly added.

"Finally!" He crumpled the piece of paper and threw it behind him, placing one hand on his waist and wiping a drop of sweat on his brow. "I'm sorry if it took so long for us to find this place. It's very secluded from the academy's learning premises."

"So you guys are the DevDept, is that correct?"

He nodded and stepped forward to introduce himself. "My name is Darcius Darlisle, I'm your student leader."

Keelan looked up, his cheeks bulging. "Mmpff."

Elfre slapped the back of his head scoldingly. "He meant to say hi."

"I see." Darcius gave an understanding nod. "Well, it's an honor of meeting you all. I brought four of the best students in our department with me."

The student leader stepped to the side and allowed the people behind him to step forward. Valeriana sat up and erected her back at the sight of three, familiar faces.

"This is Harley," he pointed to the first person with freckled cheeks and thick, round glasses. The seagreen eyes behind the lenses were dotted with signs of anxiety.

"Cail."

Valeriana gave a smile of greeting at her newfound friends and tried to make them feel welcome despite the current air the entire Twelve was putting up.

"Coral." The familiar candy pink hair with wild, big curls bobbed as cheerfully as its owner.

"Hello there!" She greeted. "I hope this project goes well."

"And Zander."

Mr. Purple's demeanor hadn't changed at all. His face showed no care for the world. Unlike Brindon's plain poker face, he was totally devoid of any emotion. Valeriana could not see any change in the activity of his aura. It seemed so . . . redundant.