Merlin's life had changed quite a bit since then.
Unlike before, he didn't have to keep running around. He had a place to sleep and a roof over his head. And this time, the roof belonged to him.
The town he now lived in was very different from the one he came from. For starters, it was far more peaceful, and people moved around more freely.
But something didn't sit right with Merlin.
Fred had assured him multiple times that this was one of the most peaceful divisions. Merlin believed him.
But he still felt that something was wrong.
And no, it wasn't racism against the Len.
It was something else.
Something he couldn't put into words.
Freedom was finally within Merlin's grasp, but it was as if he had long since lost the will to use it.
For a while now, he had followed the same routine. Once it was around high noon, he'd go to the river inside the city and take a seat on the beach beneath a huge umbrella tree.
Then he'd stare into the water as if waiting for something.
Today was no different.
He was there once again.
Staring into bodies of water became a hobby Merlin picked up after his journey through the forest. He did it to keep himself occupied, and strangely, it worked.
Unlike four years ago, Merlin no longer got interrupted by random people passing by and asking about his parents. Now he was old enough for people to leave him alone.
At least, most people did.
"You're doing it again."
Merlin didn't turn around.
He already knew who it was.
Sera walked around the tree and stopped beside him, looking down at the river.
Her yellow hair fell loosely around her shoulders, while her red eyes stood out against her fair skin. She had a remarkably well-proportioned figure, though Merlin rarely paid attention to it.
"Doing what?" Merlin asked.
"Staring at the water."
"I'm not staring at it."
Sera looked at him for a moment.
"Then what are you doing?"
Merlin remained silent.
Sera sighed and sat down beside him.
Merlin glanced at her.
She had been doing this for years.
Whenever she found him sitting by the river, she would come over and bother him for a while before eventually leaving him alone.
He didn't really mind.
In fact, he had gotten used to it.
"What do you want?" Merlin asked.
"Nothing."
"Then why are you here?"
Sera shrugged.
"I saw you sitting here."
"And?"
"And I came."
Merlin looked back at the river.
That was Sera.
She didn't always need a reason.
And yet, she had one this time.
"Hey, Merlin." Sera said, drawing his attention.
"Yeah?" Merlin answered.
"Do you ever think about going to high school?" Sera asked.
"High school?!" Merlin said as he turned his head to face Sera.
She was silent, now staring into the water.
Merlin exhaled.
"Why'd you ask?" he said in a calmer tone.
"I just don't like the idea of you growing old on this bench."
"Now that's one thing I've thought about," Merlin replied. "Not that it's a pleasant thought," he added.
"I still don't think it's a good thing that you were granted freedom from school after one test. You even escaped middle school."
"Even still," Merlin interrupted, "I don't think I'm old enough for high school."
"I can fix that," she told him confidently.
"Fix what?" Merlin asked, already knowing what she meant. "I don't think it needs fixing," he added.
"Good grief," Sera sighed. "You're irredeemable."
She paused for a moment before looking at him.
"If I could get you into my high school, would you come?" she asked with a faint smile on her face.
"Uhh, sure," Merlin answered. "But as long as I'm in your grade or higher."
He gave her a smirk.
"Okay then, follow me," Sera said as she rose to her feet.
"Wait, now?"
"Now."
Merlin stared at her for a moment.
Then he got up.
Sera started walking, and Merlin followed.
They left the river behind and made their way through the town. Merlin didn't ask where they were going again. He already knew Sera wouldn't tell him.
Besides, he could wait.
The streets gradually became quieter.
The familiar houses began to disappear, replaced by larger structures that Merlin had rarely seen before.
He kept his eyes ahead.
After some time, something caught his attention.
A structure stood in the distance.
It was tall.
Very tall.
Merlin slowed slightly.
The closer they got, the more unusual it looked.
It didn't resemble any of the buildings he'd seen in the division. Its walls were thick and mostly solid, with very few windows visible from the outside.
There were several large sections built into it, some extending higher than others.
Merlin couldn't tell what the building was supposed to be.
He looked at Sera.
She continued walking as if nothing was unusual.
Merlin looked back at the structure.
His first thought was that it looked like somewhere they would keep military equipment.
"Sera."
She glanced back.
"Yeah?"
"That's your school?"
"Yep."
Merlin said nothing.
He looked at the building again.
Then back at Sera.
She smiled slightly.
"What's that face for?"
"Nothing."
Merlin continued walking.
There were no students outside.
No groups of children.
No teachers.
Not even people passing through the entrance.
Just the building.
And the silence around it.
Merlin's uneasiness grew.
Sera noticed.
She didn't say anything.
She simply kept walking.
Eventually they reached the entrance.
Merlin stopped for a moment and looked up.
The structure towered over him.
He had no idea what he was walking into.
Sera stepped through the entrance.
After a brief pause, Merlin followed.
As they walked through the hallway, Merlin could hear the echo of their footsteps.
The entire place was empty.
No voices.
No conversations.
Not even the distant sound of a class in session.
Until Merlin heard another pair of footsteps approaching from behind.
He looked back.
A man, probably in his thirties, was walking toward them.
He wore a black suit and a pair of glasses.
Something about his face looked familiar.
He was still too far away for Merlin to be certain.
"What a surprise, seeing you here, Master Merlin."
Merlin stopped.
The man's voice carried a noticeable accent, making the way he spoke sound slightly different from what Merlin was used to.
"I honestly can't think of what could possibly have brought you back to a classroom environment, especially after you managed to beat my test."
The man adjusted his glasses.
"So, please, do share your tale."
He stopped in front of Merlin, patiently waiting for an answer.
Merlin finally recognized him.
He was the man assigned to oversee his middle schooling.
Or at least, he had been before Merlin bypassed the system entirely.
Merlin looked up at him.
The man was still waiting.
"She brought me here," Merlin said flatly.
"Lady Sera?"
The man glanced toward Sera.
"Well, well. You haven't attended school in days, and now you return only to bring another little smart-ass with you."
A grin slowly appeared on his face.
"I see you're still in character."
He suddenly laughed.
It was loud enough to echo through the hallway.
"Come along. I'll show you your new classroom."
He turned and began walking.
Merlin and Sera followed.
But the moment the man turned his back to them, his expression changed.
The laughter disappeared.
So did the grin.
His face became completely unreadable.
It was almost as if he had become a different person.
The man led them through the empty hallway without saying another word.
His footsteps echoed against the walls.
Sera walked beside Merlin, while he stayed a little behind them, quietly observing everything around him.
Eventually, they stopped in front of a door.
The man opened it and stepped aside.
"This is your classroom."
Merlin looked inside.
There were more people than he expected.
The room wasn't particularly large, but every seat was occupied. Students sat quietly at their desks, most of them focused on whatever was in front of them.
Merlin's eyes moved across the room.
No uniforms.
At first, that surprised him.
Then he noticed something.
Even without uniforms, they all seemed to follow the same dress code. Their clothes were all just brown and white with different styles but no fancy patterns, there was something else, they all had an emblem on their clothes... Though in different places it was still the same emblem.
It almost looked deliberate.
Merlin stepped inside.
The moment he crossed the doorway, several people looked at him.
Not the curious glances he was used to.
These were different.
Quick.
Cautious.
Some immediately looked away.
Others kept watching him.
Merlin frowned slightly.
The room was quiet.
Too quiet.
It didn't feel like a classroom.
It felt like everyone was waiting for something.
Merlin glanced at Sera.
She had already taken a seat.
"You'll be fine," she said quietly.
Merlin looked at her for a moment before finding an empty seat.
He sat down.
The man turned toward the door.
"I'll handle your registration."
Merlin looked up.
"Registration?"
The man paused.
"Yes."
His tone was completely different from before.
He sounded more Professional.
"I'll be back."
Then he left.
The door closed behind him.
Merlin stared at it for a moment.
Then he looked around the room again.
Nobody spoke.
Nobody moved much.
The tension hadn't disappeared.
If anything, he could feel it more clearly now.
Merlin leaned back slightly in his chair.
What exactly had Sera brought him into?