Four days in the future Auther found himself in a bath house fitted awkwardly in the second floor of the palace.
He had been there for about thirty minutes or something he didn't know, whichever genius brought in the inventor of a polo shirt failed to bring in a watch specialist into this world.
Today was his awakening day an auspicious one, the sun was blocked just enough to be cool but not too much to be called cloudy. The servants were chirpy giving off an intoxicating energy of hope.
For what exactly he didn't know, what was really eating at his mind was what Lana said, it brought his whole world vision to a place unknown.
"...Mercury..." that single word made him sweat despite being immersed in water. For some unknown reason Lana had some vague idea of chemistry.
The idea of her being from Earth hit him but she was too inconsistent to be from there. Hence the next things that terrified him.
"Where did you hear that from?"
"...My friend?..."
The past days for Viola had been tormenting three days ago when she found enough courage to talk to Auther the rumors of him and Lana dating hit her like running into a brick wall.
She was not devastated perse but perturbed she was by the idea that she may be jealous.
Today she will be forced to sit with him in the same carriage for a while stand beside him and every other formal things while actually grappling with the very real possibility that she might be attracted to this stupid kid.
In the dresser she fidgeted with her clothes her hair everything about herself sounded a bit odd. She knew it was because of those little things called butterflies in one's stomach.
"No wonder his hair always looks good when you are this anxious it's only natural, who knew beauty actually needed this much work." she said to herself ready to cut her curly hair after she realized it looked bad in a bun.
It was a weird time for her she has never experienced this never thought she ever will and now like a lovesick teenager she is forced to.
Lana the main cause of Auther's problems had some of her own, she being the potion master had to spend time with Neon the alchemist i charge.
Awakening ceremonies are events in which though luck and aptitude makes the most difference a very good alchemist can weather the blows of the worst of results.
Like feeding every chicken the highest quality feed even if it is a bad converter it won't be that bad, now Neon was essentially the best feed for the prince. Lana a casualty of circumstance.
"Why can't you grind the seed properly...why are you so inept...filthy whore..." she had to stomach that all the three days.
Now Neon is not a senseless Villain nor is he a narcissistic Buch bag Lana isn't a saint in any regard, she took something he can never give back, her dignity was the least she could give.
The two found themselves in the carriage Viola looked outside even when there was no reason to do so deliberately avoiding eye contact from the pre-occupied Auther.
'Why is this kid so distant?'
"What happened it's your big day after all, or are you nervous?"
"Why do you suddenly care?"
"The kiss..."
"Instructor Viola is lovestruck is she?"
"I will cut out that vile tongue of yours."
"You got no chill in you do you?"
"Stop using your own slang nobody understands."
"Plenty of people understand they are just not here."
Viola mistook that as teenage drama not knowing of the fantastic world Auther was actually alluding to a world that didn't make him overthink everything. A simpler world.
"Instructor I'm the furthest thing from nervous the kiss also made me think too much." It was a lie he couldn't tell her the truth but he could tell a different lie.
Viola smiled against herself partly because the new lotion that came out had a habit of setting people's faces in place and partly because she didn't like smiling in front of people like Auther.
'Why am I a bit more confident in showing this kid my soft side was the fight that good?' She thought to herself.
At the church by the time the two arrived another carriage had arrived, bearing the seal of the royal house it could be nobody else but Queen Elizabeth herself, Auther's mother.
Walking out she was dressed in a black dress with a veil covering her face, as extravagant as it was she had worn it so many times it felt routine. She had always worn black ever since Auther's father died, long before she became queen.
Auther avoided even seeing her.
"Do you think she ever smiles?" Viola asked Auther.
"I've never seen her do it but I've only seen her like four times, oh five counting this." He obviously had some issues with her.
There was a huge congregation waiting for the star of the occasion Auther himself, he felt a bit crushed by expectation, hard not to be when you see a child malnourished smile waving hands at you as if you can solve all the problems the world has.
There were all sorts of people at the cathedral entrance mostly commoners and low leveled nobility, the higher up folks sat inside the cathedral. All sorts of people who had nothing do with his life but were so keen on him today.
Their carriage stopped and they had to get off Auther looked as confident as he could convince himself he was, it mostly worked. It worked a bit too well each time a person looked at him their worried face turned to one of glee. It had that effect on everyone.
"Freedom! Freedom! Freedom! All hail King Auther!" They shouted in unison, he meanwhile consumed by dread and embarrassment, he wanted the earth to open up and swallow him whole.
Inside the cathedral still the obnoxious shouts were still heard, this time the people were not hopeful they were entirely neutral a few of his pairs looked a bit excited a few looked envious and the rest curious but the adults poker faced.