100

No Mistakes

Akari finished her assigned books within two days, surprising Dean. He pulled out 100 books for her to read and left her alone again. Akari didn't mind reading, because the books were opening up her eyes into a world of magic. She needed to learn the basics before she begins wielding it.

Ever since Akari came to her apprenticeship with Dean, Serena had been coming over every day to cook for Akari. Dragging her away from her books to eat a hot meal at least once a day. There were days that she didn't even go back to her bedroom to sleep. She would read the books into the night and when she woke up the next morning, she found herself sleeping on the couch in the library, with a pillow under her head and a blanket over her. Since then, the pillow and blanket stayed in the library.

Akari's life has become a routine for the first six months with her teacher. She would be given books to read with a time limit and every time, she would finish ahead of schedule, which would cause Dean to slightly frown before giving her more books to read.

After six months of reading over 800 books, Dean sighed heavily at Akari before he sat across her.

"Did you read all those books?"

"Yes, Teacher Koya." Akari nodded her head.

Dean stared at Akari with doubt in his mind so he began to question her. Akari immediately answered all the questions he asked in detail. From which book, chapter and page.

Akari's vast knowledge surprised him and excited him. His apprentice was smarter than she let on and what he expected. After two hours of questioning her, Dean was finally convinced that everything she read, she memorised.

"Do you have any questions?" Dean asked.

From there Akari began asking the questions she had been waiting to ask him. When she began reading the books, she didn't go find Dean to ask her questions because she didn't want to be an inconvenience towards Dean. She waited until he could give her his undivided attention to ask her questions. Akari and Dean spoke for another three hours on magic and would have continued, if not for Serena making them go eat dinner.

Even at the dinner table, they ate and talked about magic. Akari's eyes shined with excitement and happiness. While Dean's eyes shined with indulgence. He explained everything to her slowly and clearly before moving on to the next topic.

When they were done with dinner, Akari and Dean went back into the library and from there they talked into the night. It wasn't until the morning birds began to sing their song and the light rays of sunrise did Dean finally ordered her to go to sleep. With a disgruntled look, she did as she was told and left him behind in the library.

Dean watched as Akari left the library and waited until he heard her door close. He sighed heavily and waved his hand once and all the books went back into its place.

Dean didn't know the emotions he was feeling. It had been so long since he felt anything and yet his little apprentice made him feel awake again. As if the last 300 years of his life, he had been in a perpetual dream.

At first Dean thought Akari would pester him at every turn. He thought she would constantly speak to him and try to have meaningless conversations with him, but to his surprise. She was even more quiet than he was. There were even times where he would enter a room then exit it not even knowing she was there until he turned around to look at the girl whose nose was stuck in her book. She was so quiet and so still, that she blended into the background.

And when she did speak, she was thoughtful and intelligent. Question after questions, she challenged him and delighted him with her knowledge. There were even times that she corrected him, which surprised him. Dean was very happy with Akari. He could wait to see how far she could grow as a mage.

"Sir." Green said as he knocked on the door as he stuck his head in.

"Come in." Dean said as he waved Green to enter.

"I've finished weeding the herb garden and the flower garden. I've chopped all the wood and---"

"Just say what you have to say and stop beating around the bush. What did your wife send you here to ask?" Dean said as his right eyebrow raised up to question Green.

Green was wringing his hat with his large hands in nervousness.

"My wife... was just worried for your new apprentice." Green said.

"Don't worry." Dean told him. "I know."

Dean's eyes looked away and his eyes became lost in his memories. Akari and Misah were two drastically different people. Akari had black hair and lavender eyes, while Misah had blonde hair and blue eyes. Akari was quiet and observant. While Misah was lively and chatty. Akari was studious and mature, while Misah was mischievous and stubborn. Akari was intune with herself and others while Misah unobservant and willful. Akari caused no trouble, while Misah caused a lot of trouble.

They were so different in so many ways, but they were similar in other ways. Their facial features were the same. Their height were the same. The light that shine excitedly in their eyes were similar. Even their smiles were similar as well. The way they brushed their hair back to hook it behind their ear was the same.

Dean closed his eyes and rubbed his face with his hand and sighed heavily. It had been 180 years since Misah died. 150 years since he stopped thinking about her.

"Sir?" Green softly said.

"I know. Tell Serena, that she doesn't need to worry." Dean said in a hollowed voice. "There will be no mistakes with Akari."