At that moment, Place and Malia returned, with Malia staring at the back of Place's head with a mixture of confusion and excitement in her gaze.
"So what have you been talking about?"
Place sat down and asked, ignoring how the rest of the cafeteria had gone silent for a few moments upon his return.
"Raise has been informing the less-knowledgeable among us of the five 'High' orders."
Emilia pushed a glass of water towards him, which he took with a nod of thanks.
"But there is a more important matter at hand, isn't there?"
Place nodded between sips.
He set down the glass and looked around his company. Everyone except for Malia was staring at him, waiting for him to explain.
"The Custode?" He asked, and with amusement, noticed Emilia's face twitch.
She exhaled slowly.
"Yes, Place, the Custode. Would you do me this favor and tell me why he was looking for you?"
Agne echoed Place's amusement silently, but being long time friends, he could pick up on it easily.
"Hmm." Place hummed, giving Prismella a glance, which made her raise an eyebrow.
"The Custode was here to ask me a few questions related to my recent actions, which all of you have seen, and he will be present nearby for the near future in case his services are needed."
"The services of a Custode?" Agne frowned, his lightheartedness gone. "That doesn't sound good Place..."
Place gave a shrug, showing his helplessness.
"I know, but I've said all I can." He leaned back on his chair and sighed.
Emilia brows were furrowed as she thought back Place's recent strange words.
"So all of that was not just a cryptic prank then?" She asked, already knowing the answer, but still wanting Place to answer otherwise.
Place smiled wryly, and her heart sank.
"I see..." She pressed her lips together, and Agne was doing the same.
"I need to send a letter."
She stated, got up and started marching out of the cafeteria.
Agne let out a drawn-out sigh.
"Sharin above, Place. You never do something by half, do you?"
He also got up.
"I also need to write home about this, see you all later."
Agne rolled his right shoulder as he walked away, and Place turned his gaze to the rest still sitting.
"We're in a shit tank, aren't we?" Otis quietly asked in a statement. The Custode's presence, and Agne and Emilia's reactions had made him realize that something very big was going to happen.
"A very big one." Raise muttered in answer. "But I don't understand a few things." Place's eyes met his.
"Yes?" Place took a bite of his now cold food.
"You kept it under wraps till now, probably to prevent the wrong people finding out, right? So why are you all but declaring it now?"
Place chewed as he thought for a moment about how to word his sentence.
He swallowed.
"I am not declaring it, the only people to know about it are you all." He gestured around the table. "And a very few select others."
"What about the Custode? His presence could be alarming."
"It won't be."
Raise wanted to ask more, but there was something about Place's confidence. Something strange, but the few days that he had known Place painted as him as the type of person who makes sure of everything, so he chose to trust in him.
"Is there something I can do?"
Place looked over at the physically smallest in their group.
"Hmm?"
"Is there something I can do?"
All playfulness had vanished from her voice, and she actually sounded somewhat mature as she spoke.
"Do you have any healing or purifying spells?" Place asked in a similar serious tone.
"Healing and purifying? I can do a bit... Do you think-"
"I can not say any more on that subject."
Prismella stared at Place's serious face, which was broken as he took another bite of his food.
"I see..." She nodded. "Thank you."
"Looks like we need to look up a few things." Otis whispered to Raise.
"I'm not sure about that." Raise looked towards Place for a advice.
"Focus on covering your immediate weaknesses more than learning something new that takes a long time to learn."
Place spoke a few words, then returned to his meal.
"What about me?" Zandre spoke up, feeling that he had kept himself quiet enough.
Place paused.
"You?" His face twitched as he shot him a scathing glare. "First find out what you can do, then come back to me for a training plan."
"But I already know what I can do!" Zandre rebutted.
Place looked like he was ready to throw something.
"Go to a training ground before sunset, and ask one of the available staff to give you a full test, and bring back the result paper to me."
"What is that test a-" "SHUT!"
Place shouted.
"Let me eat in peace!"
He then ignored the gazes and dug into his meal.