Darksteel

Epilogue; How to enroll students...

                                  (Two years later.)

Asta watched, with Alphonse napping on his lap, as carriage after carriage pulled up to the front doors of the mansion, dropping off boys who looked both excited and a slightly nervous.

He knew the feeling.

Over the past two years, Adalain Academy had been reborn; it was now a place where boys came to learn about the Monsters, rather than slay them. Graduation existed only as a series off tests, and the students were free to come and go as they pleased.

It was wonderous, really.

Mr.Potter had done an excellent job of running the school, and while Smithy no longer taught Monster Slaying, he still had his Weaponry class. 

Miss Bywater, in the meanwhile, had left the school after the fall of the Headmaster and she was quickly replaced by a new, kinder teacher. Likewise, Miss Ruse also mysteriously disappeared and her place was replaced as well. Still, everything else was much the same as it had always been... yet better.

So, so much better.

Shifting in his wheeled chair slightly, Asta suddenly felt a presence beside him and looked to see Nico smiling down at him and a moment later she bent lower to kiss him on the cheek, sending a familiar thrill through him. 

"Good afternoon, my love." he whispered, grinning.

"Ah, only nineteen and already a flatterer." Nico replied blushing and flicking her long, black hair over her shoulder. She then straightened and turned to watch the carriages with Asta, her eyes shining as she continued, "I received word from Adar today; he's having a wonderful time ruling his kingdom--apparently, throne lineages pass to the youngest son rather than the oldest there."

Asta smiled, "And Jin? Have you spoken to him?"

"Blimey, I've never seen a young man so excited. He's getting to teach Potions and Poisons here at Adalain; you should've seen his face when I told him." Nico replied, laughing, "This school year should be interesting..."

They were quiet for a moment then, up until Nico turned to him, gazing deep into his eyes, "Asta, what about your family? We can go find them now if you would like. We're free."

Thinking for a moment, Asta considered it, then shook his head.

 He had made a family right here at Adalain; his Guild mates were his brothers, and he had a girl he loved. Reaching up to stoke Nico's cheek, he murmured, "I have all the family I need right here." Maybe, one day however, he WOULD search for his family, but not now.

He had a class to get to.

Biding farewell to Nico, who kissed him warmly one more time, he rolled his chair down to the mansion with Alphonse still on his lap, refusing to get down and walk. 

Rolling into the mansion's corridors, he made his way to the library and past the portrait of Blue and Jeremiah that hung on the trunk of their favorite tree, their still faces gazing out at the shelves of the library, their expressions almost serene and by far the best work Asta had done yet.

But the portraits were not what the young Monster Lord had come to see, and as he made his way further into the library, he suddenly saw them.

Near the fireplace sat a group of young boys, their faces young and innocent, twittering excitedly as they saw Asta coming toward them, their lips sprouting off a hundred questions at once.

"Are you really Asta Featherstone?" one asked, eyes wide.

"What's it like being a Monster Lord?" another burst out exitedly.

Chuckling, Asta bid them all to sit down in their seats, then rolled his chair to the front of the room and cleared his throat for silence.

The boys waited expectantly.

Asta looking upon them all-- at their eager faces ready to learn all they could about the wonderful world of Tirus-- he prepared himself for the first of many lessons he would teach as a professor at Adalain. And thus, smiling, he began;

"Welcome, gentlemen, to Adalain Academy."

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