CHAPTER 74 — THE UNSPOKEN

Percy was no longer the class president. On the first day, he had thought it would be strange.

It wasn't.

He arrived at the classroom in the morning. He sat in his seat. He opened his book. He told no one what to do. Arthur started arguing about something.

Percy didn't even lift his head. William eventually resolved the issue. Charlotte calmed two students down. Marcus went on about his own business. Nathaniel was eating.

At one point, Percy looked at him. Nathaniel looked at Percy, too.

"President."

Percy didn't lift his eyes from his book.

"I am not."

Nathaniel thought for a few seconds.

"Former President."

Percy looked up. Nathaniel tore off a piece of his bread.

"That's longer."

Percy laughed involuntarily.

"Just call me Percy."

Nathaniel nodded.

"Alright, Percy."

Percy returned to his book once more. Life went on. And surprisingly easily, at that. Sometimes someone would turn to him. Expecting a decision.

Percy would merely shrug.

"Ask your president."

They didn't have a president yet. So everyone looked at each other. Percy wasn't bothered by this. On the contrary... He kind of enjoyed it.

For the first time, he was merely a student. At least for a few hours.

For Clara, the days progressed differently. Leon hadn't approached her after the first incident. For an entire day. On the second day, he appeared before her again.

"Clara."

Clara stopped.

"What?"

"I want to apologize."

Clara watched him for a few seconds. Leon clasped his hands behind his back.

"I shouldn't have grabbed your arm."

Clara's face softened a bit.

"Yes."

Leon lowered his head.

"I am sorry."

Clara waited for a brief moment.

"Alright."

She wanted to walk past him. Leon spoke again.

"There is one more thing."

Clara stopped. Leon looked at her.

"We can truly be friends."

Clara raised her eyebrows.

"You don't want more anymore?"

Leon didn't answer immediately.

"I do."

Clara's face changed again. Leon hurried on.

"But I won't force it."

Clara fell silent.

"I had only wanted to be friends."

Leon looked at the ground.

"Then..."

He looked a little shy.

"Because you are so beautiful, I took a chance."

Clara blinked. Leon lifted his head.

"I am not a bad person."

"Really."

Clara watched him for a long time. She knew people lied. She also knew people did bad things. But she also knew about apologizing. She knew what making a mistake meant.

She made mistakes, too. Percy did, too. Even Holar did.

Maybe.

She wasn't entirely sure about Holar. Clara finally reached out her hand.

"Alright."

Leon looked at her hand. Then at Clara's face. Clara smiled faintly.

"We can be friends."

A smile formed on Leon's face. He reached out. He held Clara's hand.

"Thank you."

Clara nodded.

"Don't grab my arm again."

Leon answered immediately.

"I won't."

"And don't force what I don't want."

"I won't."

Clara pulled her hand back.

"Alright then."

And she continued walking. Leon watched after her. His smile didn't fade.

The corridor on the second floor was silent. Percy was standing by the window. He held a fourth-year book in his hand. But he wasn't reading. He was looking down.

He had seen the hand Clara extended. And that Leon held it. He hadn't heard what they were talking about. He didn't need to, either. He recognized Clara's face.

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And that smile, too. Percy looked for a few more seconds. Then he opened his book. He read the same line. Read it again.

Once more. He understood none of it. He turned the page. Footsteps came from behind him. Galahad stopped.

He looked at Percy first. Then down below. Clara was walking away. Leon was still there. Galahad's gaze returned to Percy.

"Percy."

Percy looked at his book.

"I know, brother."

Galahad fell silent. The sentence he was going to say stayed in his mouth. Percy turned the page. Galahad walked up beside him.

"What do you know?"

Percy didn't answer. Galahad waited. Percy finally closed the book.

"I saw the first day, too."

Galahad's face changed.

"When Leon grabbed her arm."

Percy looked at the window.

"I saw it even before you arrived."

Galahad fell silent for a few seconds.

"Did Clara tell you?"

Percy shook his head.

"No."

Galahad took a deep breath.

"Maybe she will."

Percy didn't answer. Galahad studied his face. Percy didn't look angry. This didn't sit well with Galahad. He knew the angry Percy.

The smiling Percy, too. And the Percy who went mad while fighting. This Percy was quieter.

"Do you want to talk to her?"

Percy looked at the window. Clara was no longer in sight.

"No."

"Why?"

Percy thought for a while.

"Because I don't know."

Galahad furrowed his brows.

"Know what?"

Percy squeezed the edge of his book.

"I know that I want her to tell me."

"But I also want her to want to tell me."

Galahad's gaze softened. Percy continued.

"If I ask..."

"She won't have told me."

Percy lowered his eyes to the book.

"I will have found out."

Galahad didn't answer. Percy opened his book again.

"They are different things."

"Yes."

Galahad said this immediately. Percy looked at him. Galahad nodded.

"Very different things."

Percy returned to his book once more. This time he was able to read the line.

In the afternoon, Olsen called him. The fire training ground was empty. When Percy entered, Olsen was waiting.

"Nineteen percent."

Percy nodded.

"Yes, sir."

Olsen pointed to the chair in front of him. Percy sat down. Olsen didn't sit across from him. He remained standing.

"Did you try twenty percent?"

"Multiple times."

"And?"

Percy looked at his hands.

"It's not working."

Olsen nodded.

"I know."

Percy raised his eyebrows.

"How?"

Olsen smiled faintly.

"Because everyone gets stuck there."

Percy grew attentive. Olsen raised a finger.

"Nineteen percent is not a number."

"Neither is twenty percent."

Percy remained silent.

"People mistake progress for stairs."

"They think they will climb one more step."

Olsen shook his head.

"Sometimes there is no step in front of you."

"Nor is there a path."

"Because you've misunderstood walking."

Percy's gaze shifted. Olsen continued.

"The twenty percent wall is not thick."

"Stop measuring the thickness of the wall."

Percy frowned.

"Could there be no wall?"

Olsen smiled.

"Now you're thinking."

Percy fell silent. Olsen looked at the training ground.

"You learned to use Fire."

"You learned to shape it."

"You learned to direct it."

"You learned to reuse the part that scatters."

Percy thought of the Rise of Fire. Olsen looked at him.

"But knowledge and understanding are not the same."

"Being able to do a thing..."

"Doesn't mean you understand it."

Percy was listening quietly. Olsen opened his palm. A small flame formed.

Calm.

Almost motionless.

"A child touches fire."

"Learns that it burns."

"A warrior throws fire."

"Learns that it kills."

"A master controls fire."

"Learns how it moves."

Olsen extinguished the flame. Then he looked at Percy.

"The wise one asks something else."

Percy waited. Olsen spoke slowly.

"Why is fire, fire?"

Percy didn't answer. Olsen didn't answer, either. The silence dragged on. Percy finally asked.

"Are you not going to tell me the answer?"

"No."

"Why?"

Olsen smiled faintly.

"If you learn my answer..."

"You reach my twenty percent."

Percy's eyes widened slightly. Olsen pointed at Percy.

"Not yours."

Percy remained silent for a long time. He liked this sentence. A lot. Olsen began to walk. Percy moved alongside him.

"If you can't open a door..."

"You don't always push harder."

"Sometimes you are in front of the wrong door."

Percy tilted his head slightly.

"Then how will I find the right door?"

Olsen stopped.

"When you stop searching."

Percy waited for an answer. Olsen raised an eyebrow.

"That's it."

Percy's face fell.

"Sir."

"What?"

"I thought the ending would be more impressive."

Olsen looked at him for a few seconds.

"You are seven years old."

"Go think."

Percy laughed.

"Alright, sir."

He headed for the door. Olsen called after him.

"Percy."

Percy turned.

"Stop chasing the twenty percent."

Percy frowned. Olsen continued.

"Chase Fire."

"The twenty percent will find you."

Percy didn't laugh this time. He nodded.

"I understand."

Olsen shook his head.

"No."

Percy stopped. Olsen turned his back.

"If you understood, you'd already be twenty percent."

Percy just stood there for a few seconds. Then he smiled involuntarily.

"Now that was better."

In the evening, Percy returned home. Clara arrived a little while later. She sat next to him as always. Percy closed his book. Clara looked at him.

"What did you do today?"

"I talked with Mr. Olsen."

Clara leaned in a bit closer.

"Twenty percent?"

Percy shook his head.

"Not yet."

Clara smiled.

"You will do it."

Percy smiled, too.

"I know."

Clara waited for a few seconds. Percy looked at her.

"What did you do?"

That was the moment. Clara's lips parted slightly. She thought of Leon. She thought of the first day. She thought of Galahad.

She thought of today. She thought of Leon's apology. Then she looked at Percy. Percy was waiting. Clara smiled.

"I didn't do much."

The smile on Percy's face didn't change.

"I see."

Clara relaxed. Percy opened his book again. Clara leaned her head on his shoulder. Percy didn't push her away. They stayed like that for a while.

Clara began to speak. She talked about her classes. Talked about Charlotte. Talked about Nathaniel's food. Talked about William getting stuck on a question.

Percy listened. He laughed occasionally. He replied occasionally. Everything was normal.

Almost.

Clara finally stopped talking. Percy turned the page. In the past, Percy used to tell her things, too. Today, he didn't. Clara hadn't realized this yet.

The next day, Leon came again. This time he only said hello. Clara returned his greeting. The day after, he walked beside her. Clara allowed it.

The following day, he talked about the lesson. Clara answered. Leon wasn't crossing the line. At least visibly. Clara thought this was a good thing.

Maybe she really had misunderstood. Maybe Leon wasn't a bad person. Maybe he had just made a mistake. That's why telling Percy was becoming unnecessary. She hadn't told him at first.

If she explained it now, it would be weird. Another day passed. Then another. Every day, it became a little harder to tell. Every day, the silence became a little easier.

Percy didn't ask anything. And that brought Clara relief. What she didn't realize was this. Percy was also telling her less now. First, the little things.

He didn't share the entirety of his conversation with Olsen. He didn't talk about his discovery in the fourth-year book. He didn't mention the questions he asked Galahad. Then other things.

Unless Clara asked, he didn't speak. By the time Clara realized this... Days had passed. One evening, Percy stood up early. He tucked his book under his arm.

"Where are you going?"

Clara looked at him.

"To Brother Galahad's."

"Why?"

Percy walked toward the door.

"I'm going to ask him something."

Clara waited for a few seconds. He used to elaborate. He would say what he was going to ask. He would say why he was going to ask it. Then Clara would tag along behind him.

This time he didn't tell her. A small sense of unease formed within Clara.

"Percy."

Percy turned. Clara searched for something to say. She found nothing.

"It's nothing."

Percy nodded.

"Alright."

He opened the door. Then he stopped. Clara felt a spark of hope. Percy looked back.

"Good night, Clara."

Clara's smile was a little delayed.

"Good night, Percy."

The door closed. Clara was left alone.

Galahad was waiting outside. Percy walked up to him. They started walking together. They didn't speak at all for a while. Galahad finally asked.

"Has she still not told you?"

Percy looked straight ahead.

"No."

"And you?"

Percy frowned.

"What about me?"

Galahad looked at him.

"You're also stopping yourself from telling her things."

Percy's steps slowed.

"No."

Galahad didn't answer. Percy took a few more steps. Then he stopped. He really thought about it. What had he told her today?

Yesterday? The day before? The expression on Percy's face shifted.

"I..."

Galahad waited. Percy cast his eyes down.

"I didn't know."

Galahad came up beside him.

"Now you do."

Percy raised his head. He looked at his brother for a while.

"Am I doing it wrong?"

Galahad didn't answer right away. Then he ruffled Percy's hair. Percy didn't object.

"I won't be the one to decide."

Percy frowned. Galahad smiled faintly.

"You will."

Percy turned back forward. They continued walking. After a while, Percy spoke.

"Brother."

"Hm?"

"Can we talk again tomorrow?"

Galahad looked at him.

"Sure."

Percy nodded.

"Alright."

The two of them proceeded down the dark path. The house grew smaller behind them. Percy had realized it for the first time. People didn't always make a decision to drift apart.

Sometimes they just didn't say one thing. Then another. Then one more. And one day, when they turned and looked back... They would see the distance that had grown between them.

No one had walked away in a single stride. But they were no longer side by side, either.