Following Pinkie's directions, Simon and Kai eventually arrived at a bookstore. After navigating through the crowded market stalls, they stood before a shop named 'Bo's Bookie.' Kai narrowed his eyes as he read the sign.
"Why is this world so bad at naming things?" Kai muttered.
"Maybe it's not bad, just... unique," Simon replied with a small shrug. "Come on, let's go inside."
The shop was bustling with other children and teenagers. Realizing their time was limited, Simon turned to Kai. "We don't have much time. You go check out the notebooks, and I'll handle the textbooks."
"Got it," Kai agreed.
Simon headed toward the towering shelves of textbooks while Kai wandered over to the stationery section. As fate would have it, Jack was also in the shop. He was standing right in front of the notebook display, looking torn between two books in his hand.
"Hmm... should I go with the smooth texture, or the thick one?" he murmured to himself. Behind his round spectacles, his smoky grey eyes flitted back and forth between the two books. At that exact moment, Kai came bouncing over and bumped into him once again. Jack whipped around to see who had bumped into him. The moment he saw it was Kai, his face flushed a deep crimson—matching the shade of Kai's own hair. On the other hand, Kai's eyes widened in realization; he couldn't believe he had run into the same guy again.
"You! You really don't have eyes in your head, do you?" Jack snapped, his voice rising in irritation.
"Are you blind? I was standing right here! Are you doing this on purpose? Tell me!"
Kai wanted to snap back—it was his first instinct, after all. But then, he remembered what Simon had said about the rope: if both sides pull too hard, the rope will eventually snap. Realizing that he was, in fact, the one in the wrong this time, Kai let out a long sigh. He awkwardly ruffled his messy crimson hair and spoke up.
"Uhm, sorry. And I don't mean a sarcastic, throwaway sorry, either. I mean a real, from-the-bottom-of-my-heart sorry for bumping into you again."
Jack narrowed his eyes, clearly suspicious. "Are you mocking me?"
"I'm being serious," Kai insisted, his tone softening. "I really am sorry. Please don't be mad..."
Jack watched him with a deep frown. He had expected Kai to be dismissive or sarcastic like he was back on the boat, but seeing this newfound sincerity caused his bubbling anger to slowly simmer down.
"Just... watch where you're going next time," Jack muttered.
A wide grin spread across Kai's face at those words. It was in that moment that Jack noticed a small dimple on one of Kai's cheeks. It was the first time he had actually looked at the other boy properly. Feeling a strange tug of self-consciousness, Jack frowned even harder and quickly looked away, forcing his focus back onto the notebooks in his hand.
Seeing Jack focus back on the notebooks in his hands, Kai leaned in closer. He rested his head near the edge of Jack's shoulder, peering down at the choices.
"What are you looking at?" Kai asked.
Jack didn't answer right away. Instead, he shot a sidelong glance at Kai, whose head was practically touching his shoulder. He wasn't used to anyone invading his personal space like this. Feeling flustered, Jack gave his shoulder a small shrug, but Kai didn't budge—he stayed rooted there like a statue, completely oblivious to social boundaries.
"Picking a notebook..." Jack finally muttered.
"Aren't they both the same?"
"No. This one has a smooth texture. This one is thicker..."
Kai hummed in thought for a moment. "In my opinion, the smooth one suits you better. The thicker one looks a bit too rough; I think it'll just annoy you when you're trying to write."
Jack hesitated for a moment. He didn't want to just take Kai's advice after all, what could a carefree guy like Kai possibly know about stationery? He probably hadn't even touched a proper notebook in his life. But despite his inner resistance, Jack found himself sliding the thick notebook back onto the shelf. He gripped the smooth-textured one instead. Eventually, he reached for a bulk pack containing twelve of those exact notebooks, making his decision final.
"Whoa... twelve notebooks? You're going to be a real overachiever, aren't you?" Kai teased with a grin. Jack shot him a sharp sidelong glance.
"One notebook for each subject," Jack replied coolly. "It's not exactly easy to make a trip back to Kolavanti Island, so I'm stocking up. You should probably do the same."
With that, he walked away, clutching his bulk pack of twelve notebooks. Kai stood there for a moment, left alone with his thoughts, staring blankly at the towering bookshelves.
On the other side of the shop, Simon was weaving through the aisles, searching for the textbook section designated for first-year students. Despite being in a magical realm, the books here looked surprisingly ordinary—simple and unassuming. It seemed certain that this particular part of the shop wasn't touched by magic. Still unable to find what he needed, Simon climbed the stairs to the upper floor, continuing his search for the required reading materials.
When Simon reached the upper floor, he navigated through the labyrinth of shelves until, finally, he spotted them; the textbooks for the first-year students. They were conveniently bundled together into sets. Simon grabbed two bundles, one for himself and one for Kai. Since the bundles were tied with sturdy string, he gripped the loops and lifted both sets, ready to head back down.
Simon emerged from between the shelves and prepared to head back downstairs. As he reached the top of the staircase, he paused for a moment to adjust the weight of the heavy bundles in his hands.
At that exact moment, someone else was coming up the stairs. It was a boy who looked to be about the same age as Simon. Unlike Jack's light brown hair, this boy had deep chocolate-brown locks that seemed like they would catch the sunlight beautifully. His hair reached nearly down to his shoulders; it wasn't curly like Simon's, nor was it spiky like Kai's. Instead, it fell in soft, elegant waves that flicked slightly at the ends. Since the boy was looking down at the steps as he climbed, Simon couldn't get a clear look at his face. Realizing he was blocking the path at the very top of the stairs, Simon politely stepped aside to let him through.
As Simon stepped aside, the boy finally looked up at him. In that instant, it felt as though the breath had been stolen straight from Simon's lungs.
The boy possessed eyes of the deepest green—not the vibrant green of spring leaves, but a dark, fathomless emerald, like the still surface of a hidden lake. They were the kind of eyes one could dive into and drown in. Despite the cold, distant expression on the boy's face, Simon barely noticed the chill; he was far too captivated by the sheer, breathtaking beauty of him. For a split second, Simon wondered if he was looking at an actual angel.
The boy didn't utter a single word of thanks. He merely offered Simon a brief, fleeting glance before passing by. But in that short moment, Simon found himself instinctively memorizing every detail of the stranger's handsome features. As the boy brushed past him, Simon caught a scent that was as haunting as it was unique. It was the fragrance of night-blooming jasmine—sweet, cool, and mysterious. Driven by an impulse he couldn't explain, Simon turned his entire body to follow the boy with his eyes.
The stranger, however, didn't spare him a second glance, vanishing into one of the many aisles. Even then, Simon found himself tilting his head, trying to catch one last glimpse of him through the gaps in the bookshelves. He was utterly bewildered by his own reaction. Back in the ordinary world, he had seen plenty of handsome actors on the big screen, but he had never felt anything like this. This wasn't just admiration; it was as if he had been momentarily cast under a spell.
Suddenly, Kai's booming voice echoed from the bottom of the stairs, shattering Simon's trance.
"Simon! Did you fall asleep standing up or something?" Kai shouted, effectively pulling Simon back to reality.
Simon blinked, his head snapping forward as he regained his composure. He felt a slight flush of embarrassment, realizing how long he had been staring.
"Coming! I'm coming!" Simon called back. He tightened his grip on the bundles of books and hurried down the stairs, his footsteps clattering against the wood as he tried to leave the lingering scent of jasmine behind.
The moment Simon reached the ground floor, he ran straight into Kai. Kai immediately brandished the two bulk packs of twelve notebooks he had picked out. Simon stared at them in disbelief.
"Why did you buy so many?" Simon asked.
"It's called being prepared," Kai replied, echoing Jack's logic as if it were his own.
"We have no idea how many we'll need. Besides, the paper is as soft as cotton."
"But Kai... if they're too expensive, I won't be able to afford them," Simon murmured, looking worriedly at the large bundles.
"Mah, what are you worrying about? I'll cover for you," Kai said with a playful wink. "I'm the big spender here. You can just pay me back later... deal?"
Simon gave a silent nod after hearing Kai's words. Together, they made their way toward the checkout counter, where a man named Mr. Bo was waiting. He looked remarkably kind. He wasn't a towering figure with the head of an ox like Mr. Ox, nor did he resemble any of the strange creatures they had encountered so far. He looked like someone you'd meet in the ordinary world—an elderly man with snow-white hair, wearing a cozy sweater patterned in shades of brown and pale yellow.
"Morning, kids," he greeted them with a warm smile.
"Morning!" Kai replied cheerfully. He took the bulk packs of notebooks from his own hands and the bundles of textbooks from Simon's, piling them all onto the counter.
Mr. Bo gathered the books and began calculating the total with practiced ease.
"That will be 30 Sevan coins in total," he announced.
In reality, the bill should have come to 40 Sevan. However, noticing that Kai and Simon were clearly newcomers and still just kids, Mr. Bo decided to give them a ten-coin discount out of the kindness of his heart.
Kai pulled fifteen dics from his pocket, and Simon followed suit with fifteen of his own. But as Simon handed over his share and caught a glimpse into his pouch, his heart sank slightly. There weren't many Sevan left. He quickly pulled the drawstring tight and tucked the pouch away, a small shadow of worry crossing his face.
With their heavy bags of books in hand, they stepped out of the bookstore and headed toward a stationery shop. They didn't think they needed much—just a decent pen would do. However, instead of modern pens, they found themselves in a shop filled with quills. Though neither of them had any idea how to use a quill, it seemed to be the only writing instrument available, so they decided to buy them anyway.
Kai, true to his love for vibrant colors, picked out a bright red quill that matched the shade of his hair. Simon, on the other hand, went with a classic black one. The total came to ten coins, so they each chipped in five discs to cover the cost.
Those were all the supplies required for first-year students. Having completed their shopping, they began making their way back to the ship. As they approached the market entrance, Simon found himself passing by Mr. Ox's shop—the place where they had gotten their map. Although Mr. Ox had kindly given it to them for free, Simon now had some discs in his possession and felt uneasy about accepting such a valuable item without payment.
"Kai, wait a second," Simon said, before walking toward the shop. Mr. Ox was there, just as before, buried behind his newspaper.
"Mr. Ox," Simon called out.
Mr. Ox lowered his paper and looked over. His bovine features remained as stern and grumpy as ever. "What is it?"
Simon reached out and placed two glass discs onto the counter. "I know you gave this to us out of kindness, but the map has been incredibly useful. I just can't bring myself to take it for nothing."
The grumpiness on Mr. Ox's face slowly softened, replaced by a flicker of genuine surprise.
Mr. Ox rose from his seat and picked up the two glass discs Simon had offered. He looked down at the boy, his expression unreadable.
"So, it's actually useful?" he asked.
"Yes! It guided us exactly where we needed to go," Simon replied enthusiastically.
A proud smile finally broke across Mr. Ox's face. "My daughter made that one. She's becoming quite the expert in my map-making magic. That voice you hear guiding you? That's her."
Simon stood there, genuinely stunned.
"Really? No wonder I caught the scent of strawberries coming from it."
"Yeah, that's her favorite scent," Mr. Ox chuckled.
"Then she must be incredibly talented," Simon said with a warm smile.
"Yes, she is. She's going to be an even better cartographer than I am one day," Mr. Ox replied, his voice thick with fatherly pride.
Looking at the warmth in Mr. Ox's eyes, Simon felt a sudden pang of envy for the girl he had never met. He couldn't help but think that if his father were still alive, if they could be reunited, he would want to be greeted with that same fatherly kindness.
Suddenly, the ship's horn blared, echoing through the air. It was a final call for any remaining students that departure was imminent. The sound snapped Simon out of his thoughts.
"I have to go now. Goodbye, Mr. Ox!"
As he turned to leave, Mr. Ox stopped him.
"Wait a moment."
Simon paused. He watched as the shopkeeper pulled something from a drawer—an old, weathered scroll of parchment, frayed at the edges.
"A map I made myself," Mr. Ox said, handing it to him.
"A map of the entire Mythaion."
"Mythaion..." Simon whispered, eyes wide.
"Yes. Just tell it where you want to go, and it will guide you. I've traveled the world to gather all that data.. it'll serve you well. Use my daughter's map while you're on Kolavanti, but use mine for anywhere else."
Simon looked from the scroll to Mr. Ox, deeply moved.
"Thank you so much."
Mr. Ox offered a faint, uncharacteristic smile and a nod.
"Simon! The Lady is going to leave without us!" Kai's voice boomed from the distance.
Simon hurriedly tucked the map into his bag.
"His name is Travor," Mr. Ox called out.
"Call his name when you wish to use him."
"Got it! Goodbye, and thank you again!" Simon shouted back, running toward Kai. Behind him, Mr. Ox stood in the doorway, waving a silent farewell.
Simon and Kai dashed toward the ship, clutching their heavy bundles of books. The vessel was already humming with the vibration of its engines, and the gangway was moments away from being retracted.
"Simon! If we don't make it onto that ship in time, I'm going to tie you to a tree and leave you here!" Kai threatened through ragged breaths.
"I get it!" Simon shouted back, his legs burning as he pushed forward.
Jack stood on the deck, taking one last look at the island they were about to leave behind. When he spotted the two figures sprinting frantically toward the dock, his eyes widened in disbelief.
"These idiots..." he muttered under his breath. He gripped the railing tight, leaning over as far as he could to bellow at them.
"Hurry up! You morons, the stairs are coming up!"
Simon and Kai were in a dead heat. "Lady Morotha Tulip! Please don't be cruel to us!" Kai wailed at the ship as if it could hear his plea. Simon, saving his breath, simply focused on the narrowing gap between the dock and the wood.
Simon reached the gangway first and scrambled up. Kai followed a split second behind, but the mechanism had already begun to lift. He had to lunge forward, his feet finding purchase just as the stairs started to retract into the hull behind him.
Simon scrambled onto the ship first. Kai was right behind him, struggling to make it up, but before his feet could touch the deck, the gangway retracted completely. He was falling. In a split-second reaction, he hurled his bundle of books onto the safety of the deck just before he lost his footing. He was moments away from plummeting into the gap, but Jack and Simon lunged forward, catching him by his arms just in time. Kai was left dangling precariously over the edge of the ship.
"Ahhh! I'm dead! I'm a dead man!" he wailed at the top of his lungs, eyes squeezed shut in terror.
"Shut up, you moron!" Jack barked. He and Simon hauled with all their might, dragging Kai's flailing body back over the railing and onto the solid deck.
After pulling Kai up inch by inch, he finally collapsed facedown onto the deck the moment his feet touched solid wood.
"Ah... I'm alive. I'm actually alive!" Kai groaned into the floorboards.
Jack stood up, dusting himself off and straightening his clothes with his usual composure. "Being disrespectful of time is a dangerous habit," he remarked coldly. "Lady Morotha never waits for anyone. I trust you've learned your lesson."
Simon nodded in silent agreement, while Kai, still pinned to the deck by exhaustion, could only manage a weak thumbs-up. After a moment, he lifted his head and looked at Jack.
"Thanks.." he muttered sincerely.
Jack adjusted his glasses and gave a brief, formal cough. "It's good to see you're capable of showing some gratitude," he remarked before turning to walk toward the ship's interior. As Kai struggled to find his feet, Simon reached out a hand. Grabbing onto Simon's arm, Kai pulled himself up. The ship was now steadily pulling away from the island. The two of them stood at the railing, watching in silence as the shores of Kolavanti began to recede.
"Thanks to you too, mate," Kai said sincerely. Simon smiled and gave Kai's shoulder a light, reassuring pat. "No worries," he replied softly.
They remained there until the emerald forests of Kolavanti vanished entirely behind a thick veil of mist. Now, they were finally sailing toward their ultimate destination:
The Willowgate Academy.