Onarr blushed under his helm at Sienna’s teasing, slightly abashed by the fact she’d revealed to the others the purpose of his sojourn. It wasn’t everyday that you dined with the leader of your nation, especially if you weren’t a noble. His father would have described it as the largest honour a Yidlob had ever received. His mother would have believed it to be an opportunity to engage in a Streisand dialogue with one of Jody’s most accomplished free thinkers.

Onarr was just grateful he could finally get some genuine Joru stew in his stomach after surviving Perrench and Rettanese fare for the better part of the last few weeks. Onarr’s concern at getting wrapped up in the personal politics of the Joru president was muddled. On the one hand, the abolition of class was something he had fiercely held a strong opinion for its presence in Streisand debates and with his mother who was against it.

Then again, failed revolutions were the plenty and Onarr had read multiple times of the failed instigated revolutions that Streisand philosophers had tried to instill in Perrene, Rettand and Torragon. Disorganisation and corruption had been their downfall as well as internal sabotage from the nobles. Seeing Ersand’Enise without the atrocious class politics that held it back appealed to Onarr but… would his fellow apprentices see it the same way?

Luckily, he had vast amounts of alcohol to bury his worries in.

Now slightly tipsy from his overindulgence, Onarr felt his tongue more looser in conversation than he would normally have been comfortable with, telling several crude jokes in Belzagg and Joruban to those who could understand and attempting to explain the underlying principles of the Five Magics to his fellow female students in an informal manner. Now that his Zeno had settled them all down, he considered her question for a moment before awkwardly asking his own query.

“ Are you sure it isn’t possible to take more than 4 electives?” Onarr paused before giving a justification. “ I mean, they’re all so interesting. It would be a shame to not take a subject such as…ahem….painting..”

He grit out the last few words with some disdain as he steepled his fingers together.

---

As with the breakfast he cooked, the dinner prepared by Zeno Zemana had been quite delightful indeed, especially in comparison to the tasteless foodstuff she had gotten quite used to as a Lotus Sentry. The food had lifted her mood somewhat, as she were feeling less sombre compared to earlier during the day's activities.

To Manfred as well, the meal had been delicious. Zeno Zemana was not the awful person he had supposed any Zeno would be. Kurbis and Cumin were... being cute and doing cat things. However, he was still in a sour mood.

The Zeno's inquiries then brought Eun-Ji's mind back to the very source of her previous gloomy mood, though fortunately she had already organized her thoughts and feelings about it now so as to not relapse into melancholy again. She looked at the Zeno, contemplating whether or not to inform him of what she had discovered earlier. Penny's words resurfaced in her mind. Would it even be a good idea to report this to the Zeno?

They'd made it all sound so noble, thought Manfred: the learning of skills so that you could destroy your fellow man or else press an advantage over him. How the Zenos of Ersand'Enise had pranced about that stage, making jokes, hobnobbing with politicians, laughing and drinking the way that the officers of Kerrmand had: even Zemana. The way that magic was used and status maintained was bigger than any one man - any group of men. It was an institution and one simply could not make headway in the world against it. That such a wondrous gift from the Pentad should be so jealously guarded by so few seemed a sin.

Then, Eun-Ji's gaze turned to Manfred instead. There was hesitation still as she fiddled with her fingers while her gaze kept on flitting about between the table and Manfred. Finally thought, she made up her mind. "Mr. Manfred of House Hohenfelter. My humblest apology but I... There is something I wanted to speak with you about. Privately."

He'd chosen courses, of course, and okayed it with his master. If this was to be Manfred's education, he would make the best of it. He had little use for the typical magics, though. The kinetic and magnetic as taught here were of little use for his ends. Then, he noticed Eun-Ji: looking at him, and he quickly averted eye contact. He glanced back, though, and caught her gaze. Zeno Zemana was busy discussing something with one of the others. The little one - Mayu - was quite interested in cooking, it seemed, and Karim had discussed the possibility of cooking with cloudmelon. "Mr. Manfred of House Hohenfelter. My humblest apology but I... There is something I wanted to speak with you about. Privately."

Manfred blinked, caught off guard and unsure of the reasons for Eun-Ji's sudden entreaty. "Of course," he replied after a moment, mind racing. Her address was more of that almost-painful formality, but there was a hesitant urgency pushing up against it this time. "Perhaps we should step outside." If there is something the matter, why does she not ask our master? he wondered. Then, it occurred to Manfred that there might not actually be anything the matter. Perhaps she... no, that is summarily unlikely and quite beneath you. He rose and excused himself from the table, making his way to the door.

"Yes... Thank you." Eun-Ji followed Manfred after also excusing herself from the table, heading for the door. After they arrived outside, she took a brief moment in silence before then turning to face Manfred directly. "My apology once more for taking your time, Mr. Manfred of House Hohenfelter... I... That is, I believe there is something I discovered today that I should inform you about." Another brief pause of a few seconds lapsed. Eun-Ji had just realized something; why did she went to Manfred for this? What she were about to tell him did not seem related to the mysterious happening of yesterday night. It was weird, and she didn't fully understand the reason... But somehow she felt like she can trust him. "The registry we biros were given for the course selections. I found out today that for certain students, a hidden message was included in their registry form. It was an extra choice... One for enrollment in a course titled 'Foundations in Drawing, Converting, and Casting in the Blood School of Magic', and registration to that course will not count towards a student's course limit."

There was strong resentment in Eun-Ji's voice, accompanied with a frown, as she spoke the name of the hidden course. "I... One of the students who received the registry with the hidden message was Ms. Penny Pellegrin, and... We talked, and she raised a point that to report this to the school would be folly. I agreed back then but now I am unsure... Should we tell of this to Master Zeno Zemana?"

It was like a splash of cold water to the face. Blood Magic, Manfred thought. Of course they would offer it: no sort of magic destroyed and dominated better and, for all of its pretentions to the contrary, this place was a finishing school for how to dominate one's fellow man. The Zenos had known exactly what they were doing. He tried to avoid glancing back into the townhouse. At the end of the day, this was hostile territory and it always would be. "We could," replied the Kerreman. "By rights, we should." He shook his head tightly. "But I don't think it would do much good." He was going to say more, about how, even if their master was one of the good ones, he'd be powerless against the academy establishment, but he didn't.

Eun-Ji remained silent as she listened to Manfred's words, eyes fixed on his face all the while. She maintained her silence after he finished stating his thoughts on the situation as well, before then letting out a soft sigh of resignation. "I suppose it is what it is then..." Eun-Ji concluded in her mind that it was just logical in the end. The academy was surely involved in allowing the teaching of Blood magic in its ground, it wouldn't have been possible otherwise. So Penny and Manfred were both right, there's little good in reporting this matter. She whispered lightly as she looked away to nowhere in particular. "How vile..." Then, she looked at Manfred once more, bowing politely at him before speaking again. "Then... Should we do nothing at all?"

What a coward you are, Manfred Hohenfelter. The thought bullied its way into his mind, unbidden. There was an almost cloying earnestness to Eun-Ji. She seemed both immensely closed off and yet painfully in need to reach out. She'd reached out to him and he was brushing her concerns aside. They were legitimate concerns: his concerns. He glanced back at her, lowering his voice. There was a hint of conspiracy to his tone. "Now... I never said we should do nothing." His heart beat a little bit faster. This was dangerous. He'd be messing with people much more powerful than himself. "We need more information, though. One or both of us need to get into that course. We need to see what it's about. We need to see who's involved. I am not a spy, but I know something of how they work: you get into the enemy's workings. You learn. You gain their trust. Then, when you strike, you can do some meaningful damage." Crickets chirped outside. Dogs barked and howled under the light of the moons. A wagon rumbled past, its horse's hooves clattering over a nearby street's cobblestones. Manfred felt like a madman. This was not what he had come here to do and yet... he clenched his fist. It had the potential to be far more meaningful, at least, so long as Eun-Ji was on board.

"Oh." Eun-Ji wasn't expecting that. She had thought that Manfred will confirm that there's indeed nothing that can be done. That was how it usually went... And thus she can't help but wonder about it briefly. After a moment more of silence, she nodded, eyes alight with purpose. "Very well. And indeed, I agree that more information will be necessary. And... I was... That is, trained in espionage. Perhaps I should be the one to perform the infiltration... But..." She paused, hesitating. "I am not particularly talented in magic... That is, my abilities are very specific in that regard. And I know little to none of Binding..." The implication was clear. She possessed little to no confidence in actually being able to pull it off. Yet now that Manfred had seemingly suggested it, she was feeling strangely pushed towards the idea. For the first time in quite a long while, she didn't feel like giving up so quickly. "... How about you, Mr. Manfred?"

"I fear my use of the Gift is as specific as yours. I know a little of binding - for practical reasons - but nowhere near enough to call myself adept." He scowled, thinking. "You do not think that you can trust this other girl you mentioned earlier, do you?"

"Hmm." Eun-Ji did not answer immediately, taking a few moments to consider her own opinions of Penny. Then, she shook her head. "Unfortunately, I do not know much about her. Not enough to be sure whether she can be trusted or not. Still... She seemed to possess significant curiosity about the hidden course, and had considered entering the course."

Manfred nodded. "Then she is to be approached only with caution. I feel we must do this ourselves and the both of us entering gives us more chance than only one." He paused. They would have to go back inside soon. "We just need to figure out how to gain entry..." He trailed off, hoping she might have a better idea than him.

Eun-Ji nodded in agreement. "Then that is what we will do. As for the matter of gaining entry..." She paused briefly, trying to think up something. "... Alas, aside from stating our desire to enter the course by adding something to that effect to our registry and hoping that will somehow work, I do not have any other idea. If there is more time we could find other ways perhaps but... Time is against us."

"Did you see a course code?" Manfred asked quickly, the idea absurd but coming to him nonetheless? If there was such a thing, perhaps they could write it in on the bottom of their pages without arousing too much suspicion. To openly state that they were interested in learning Blood Magic would not do.

Eun-Ji nodded. "Yes. It would be MF107." She caught on to the meaning of his question. She paused yet again, briefly. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath in and out, as if mentally preparing. Then, she looked at Manfred's eyes directly. "...Then I suppose our course of action is clear, Mr. Manfred?"

He scowled, but there was a hint of excitement to it too: a nervous anticipation as he glanced over his shoulder at the people inside. He nodded. "I suppose it is. Also..." He actually smiled a bit. "You don't have to call me 'Mister.' Manfred is fine."

It had been a long time indeed since Eun-Ji found a purpose like this, one she decided out of her own will instead of her superiors. She cannot help but feel a little bit of excitement over it as well. As to Manfred's words... "Oh." It caused her to pause a moment yet again. "Very well... Manfred." She allowed a small yet earnest smile to accompany her words, before turning around to head back in. "Now let us return before the others start to wonder..." And then finished her words with a little bit of laughter.

"Indeed," Manfred agreed. He almost winked: almost. "Please, now: ladies first."

And thus, with their plan decided upon and with a bond starting to form between them, the two returned inside to the Zeno's house.

It was the middle of the night. Linah had already slept a bit, but had purposefully made herself awaken now, that everyone else would be dead to the world. She quietly sat herself on the floor, cross-legged, leaning against her bedframe as she thought.

A lot had happened that day. The first notable thing she’d nearly forgotten about. Something had been off at the reception ceremony, around the time all the rulers were being introduced. She didn’t know what, but she’d told herself she’d at least attempt to gather information on it. This was something she had to remind herself of, because she might disregard it otherwise.

Then, her teammates. Penny spoke casually to the Perrench king, had verbally routed a Belzaggic noble boy with ease. Was she from the sort of merchant family that’d be termed as upstarts? One looking to be ennobled? Why else would she act so comfortably among the upper class? Maybe I’m looking at this the wrong way? Linah wasn’t sure. Perhaps, in due time, she’d have enough clues or knowledge to make a conclusion one way or the other.

Anesin was difficult to get a grasp on. An Eskandish noble, but mingling with others of a “lesser” status perfectly fine. Quiet and watchful. Unafraid to offer compliments. The only magic school she’d mentioned to have practiced was binding, and she’d been the one to reveal the invitation she’d received to be taught blood magic. Of course, she hadn’t known the significance of the assortment of ingredients on her course selection sheet, but she hadn’t seemed impacted either positively or negatively when the hidden message was uncovered. Excellent control, that one.

The Tan Keoulean girl. Penny had marked her as having an agenda. Could a lone student possess and act upon one? Maybe someone’s backing. Just like Na’ir expected regular letters from her, there were surely countless others behind the scenes, meddling. The idea of such a vast web made her mind spin. Blood magic…Linah had been briefly tempted to take the course herself. However, given that she was near certain Penny would go, there was no need to risk herself. Admittedly, she was afraid of the possibility of having such magic used against her. However, if she could use it herself…Well, there was the temptation, wasn’t it? But binding was a skill that yet eluded her, so it would be pointless to attempt the advanced blood magic.

Onarr. A studious youth, who despaired of being restricted in his electives. Who was proud of his knowledge, and eager to share it. A scholar. Yet, he’d dined with his country’s president. Maybe that said more about the free nature of Joru’s leader. But it could be indicative of the boy’s hidden depths. What did he think, to have such an esteemed man’s attention? What had they discussed? Zeno Afraval’s words implied the conversation had some level of significance.

And she’d know, wouldn’t she? A royal. She commented how Penny, Anesin, and she were the life of the party. Had all their attempts to conceal their true topic of interest been for naught after all? Did Afraval mean she knew that they knew? Or was she saying they’d stood out, and she suspected something? Did she approve or disapprove? Linah frankly couldn’t tell.

What a tangled mess of threads to unravel.

Vyrik

It had been tricky but eventually with the aid of some audible magic Vyrik had managed to locate and get the attention of the young Eskandish boy that he had made a deal with just yesterday. Turned out his name was Josune. Following the happenings of his previous days antics, it was clear Vyrik would not be welcomed into Josune’s house nor could either of the boys rightly come up with an excuse to tell Josune’s mother, short of the blackmailing truth, that would sound remotely plausible as a reason to do so. This left them needing somewhere to study. Josune outrightly refused to go to Vyrik’s new place, which was understandable because Vyrik did feel like walloping him on multiple occasions, but it seemed more that it more to do with his stature and not in fact any fear of Vyrik. Vyrik felt a little insulted by that on multiple levels.

Eventually, after a short argument and a few unnecessary subtle insults the duo found themselves at the Arboretum and claimed a little quiet secluded spot.

Jomurr proved to be right, Vyrik was vastly unqualified and unprepared to be a teacher, lucky for him what Josune really needed more than a strict teacher was a friend. While the relationship started off rocky and had a long way still to go, it was clear from the start that their personalities, while vastly different, would eventually compliment one another’s. They mostly argued and insulted each other for the duration of their first ‘meeting’, the blackmail still remaining over Vyrik when he eventually left, although deep down he saw it it for what it really was, a bluff, a means to get him to come back.

Unsurprisingly Vyrik had failed spectacularly to teach Josune anything, least of all how to access the gift. Lucky for him Josune had found interest in the book he had brought along. The younger Eskandish boy was well educated, stumbling only slightly in translating its vast contents, moving through its many pages far faster than Vyrik could ever hope to. He explained to Vyrik the philosophies and ideals written within only to later argue against them. It was an intellectual debate that quickly crumbled to senseless squabbling. Childish antics coming equally so from Vyrik as they did the younger Josune.

They marvelled at the potential possibilities of hybridising natural sciences and chemical magic as the tried to wrap their heads around the theology. Their minds running off on wild and uneducated tangents. Owain was soon instructing Vyrik of things to try.
Vyrik was forced to go and buy a potato while Josune raced home and came back with some simple jewellery. From these Vyrik was supposed to be able to harness a tidbit of lightning.

They had no such luck. Vyrik was far quicker to give up the fruitless experiment than Josune, finding the notion ridiculous. Following a particularly sarcastic retort on the matter from Vyrik, they did discover a game of sorts that they both seemed to somewhat enjoy and could be considered training. Josune had retaliated by throwing the potato at Vyrik and Vyrik had used his gift to draw from its momentum, slowing it and allowing him to dodge the projectile easily. This went on for a while, all manner of available objects joining the potato, and it was fun until it wasn’t, when Vyrik was drained and could no longer dodge them. Josune scores a direct hit that left a scratch right on Vyrik’s forehead. It was at this point he had decided they had had enough and the lesson was over. Who’s lesson it was he didn’t rightly know.

Despite the frustrations, drama and failings Vyrik left feeling good. That mood was taken away from him back at Zeno Mozaru’s house when he further failed to light his candle, instead snapping it in half with a kinetic force. Unable to handle some basic heat transference Vyrik remained silent. Having it pointed out in front of everyone caused him to retire to bed early that night, although he did not sleep. His ears trained on the conversations of the house. As much as his magic would still allow, doing this between tossing the potato from earlier into the air and focusing on slowing its descent.

Orientation at Ersand'Enise was surprisingly mundane. The new students spent the entirety of the day being brought around campus. She had identified several targets worth befriending but she refrained from action. Opportunities would show themselves if she waited, it served her no purpose if she came off as eager.

As a result, the day itself had been rather uneventful for her.

Her Zeno did not seem content in letting that remain the case. Zeno Fades-in-Moonlight had finally made her appearance when they were in the midst of her dinner in her townhome. Carmillia had been waiting for her arrival. Illanaq’s disappearance still weighed on her mind and while she doubted her Zeno would reveal any information to her Biros, Zeno Fades-in-Moonlight was never one for rules. It was a possibility she would leak useful information. Alas, she revealed nothing other than the fact Illanaq was still missing; something that Carmillia was already expecting.

As if to make up for it, Zeno Fades-in-Moonlight proceeded with an extraordinary display of the Gift. Even Jomurr was flabbergasted. Indeed, her magical prowess was astounding. To top it all off, Carmillia was unable to detect where the source of the energy she was drawing from came. It likely was related to her momentary phase out of reality. Greyborn, thought Carmillia. It was included in the profile Bernhard had procured for her. She had only sparse knowledge of viral mana type and none of it explained what the Zeno was doing.

"W-where!?"How? Where did all of that energy come from? How are you maintaining it?"

Although she refused to display such uncouth behavior, Carmillia understood his reaction.

Zeno Fades-in-Moonlight seemed to take pleasure in their shock. As she materialized three stools for each of the Biros, she revealed she had just used dark magic

Dark magic… was something that Carmillia considered to be nothing more than a rumor. Little to nothing was known about it and whatever was known of it was unreliable due to stories always being embellished. And yet, her Zeno had just casually revealed herself as that white whale.

Desire welled up within Carmillia. All her life, she had lacked talent in the Gift. Her accomplishments were a result of her making do with the shitty cards that life had dealt her. If she could achieve this much with her limited magical capacity, the possibilities with dark magic were endless.

Carmillia contemplated her Zeno’s thought process. All the Biros were hand picked by their Zenos.
She had figured the four of them were picked haphazardly given their Zeno’s personality but this changed everything. Jomurr was a prodigy. Leon was rumored to be sunblessed. Illanaq had appeared to be relatively mundane but recent events have linked her to the Traveler. Carmillia was no ordinary person as well but only her merchant influence was publicly known. Perhaps there was more to their Zeno that she had given her credit for.

Calm down, she thought. There was a golden opportunity in front of her and she would be damned if she did not seize it. But first, she needed information.

“Forgive me for my impudence if I’m too direct, Zeno,” she said politely as she took her seat on one of the materialized stools. “You clearly aren’t talking about our studies when referring to our ignorance. Telling us all these things. Displaying the elusive school of dark magic. What exactly do you have in store for us?

---

Leon had a fantastic time with orientation after lunch with the Doge. He didn’t spend much time learning the tour itself. The majority of landmarks around campus didn’t interest him. No, orientation for Leon was orientating himself around the student body. By the end of the day, he had met a good chunk of them and flirted with the few he found interesting.

Leon was in good spirits when he returned to Zeno Luna’s home with the rest of his group. Minus Anna, of course. He was still curious where she would have run off to. She seemed nice. Well, in regards to himself at least.

Leon was simply swept away by Zeno Luna’s performance and let out a small clap when the spell was complete. A sunny barbeque while the time was definitively night, it was very impressive. The ‘sunlight’ wasn’t real sunlight, but Leon felt it being close enough that few could tell the difference. If this was the power of a Zeno, Leon wanted to reach those heights. Just what school of magic was she using? It was by no means an illusion…

Dark magic. The corners of Leon’s smile went ever so slightly down and his eyes opened up with the same minuscule movement. Ever so slightly Leon’s mood changed to a more serious one. This is a considerable shift from Leon’s typical control over facial expressions, however, the change would not be noticeable to people who weren’t watching him.

Leon’s thoughts went back to lunch with the Doge. This Academy was hiding big things because they believe they can get away with it. If Leon didn’t believe that before, the proof was now directly in front of him. A school of magic only spoken of in rumours was just non chalantly displayed before him as if the Zeno didn’t bother to hide it at all.

To further such a drop in Leon’s mood, he didn’t like the sound of dark magic either. To draw from nothing? Foolish. As someone proficient in selling fantasy, Leon had some knack for spotting one. There was always a cost to something. If dark magic was well known enough, he was certain it would be forbidden much like blood magic.

But he couldn’t allow such a serious mood to show. At the very least, dark magic was used to create a feast here. That was enough to set the matter to the back of his mind and sit with his group as if nothing had disturbed him.

“Yes, I am also curious about Carmilla’s enquiry,” Leon stated cheerfully.

---

---

---

Zeno Afraval could not contain her laughter at Onarr's 'enthusiastic' statement. Had she been presently drinking, she surely would've snorted wine from her nose. She wasn't alone in her mirth either. Anesin and Penny both wore sizable smirks. The latter lolled about on a sofa, clearly the lightweight of the group.

"Your voice fairly radiates enthusiasm, Onarr." She let her mischeivous smirk go after a moment, however, and schooled her features. "Tell me, what is it that I can help you with? Sadly, you are bound to two standard magics and four electives." She shrugged. "If I were making the rules around here, I'd change things but, sadly, that isn't the case." She crossed her legs. "You guys are my first cohort and all of the old greyhairs see me as little more than an upjumped tan-zeno, I'm afraid." She stifled a hiccup and focused for a moment, seizing upon a certain familiar set of chemical reactions taking place within her body and stifling them. "Apologies. I'm rather a bit chatty at the moment. Regardless, if you'd like some help choosing, then that's what I'm here for." She blinked and regarded the others. "The same offer applies to you ladies as well."

“I’m just rather…” Onarr struggled to get the words out. “…overwhelmed by my choices. I feel like I know what the most obvious paths for me to choose are but I can’t help but feel as though I’m trapped by this freedom. Back in the Joru Stresian Guild I used to focus singlehandedly on the sciences and the five magics.”

“I came to Ersand’Enise to know more than what I’ve learnt in the guild, but am I limiting my own choices by deliberately choosing subjects that I am most comfortable with or should I expand my horizons?,” Onarr paused before looking at Sienna directly. “What would you do if you were trying to be the best magician you could be?”

The Joruban’s voice had turned slightly sombre and the cone on his helmet tipped forward loosely. His hand wandered over to tighten the strap. Five years spent learning Stresian academics hadn’t helped his brother, no matter how many manuscripts and papers that he crawled through. Conjecture and meaningless theories hadn’t got him anywhere. Perhaps, looking in another avenue of direction would help.

Sienna nodded along as Onarr spoke, pausing pensively before replying. "More than anything else," she began, "I would choose subjects that interest me: whether they're new to me or familiar." Her brow furrowed for a moment and a tumbler and wineglass floated her way. "We don't learn out of obligation, Onarr. We don't learn out of duty." Her eyes took in all four of her apprentices for a moment. "Certainly, we can falsify it, I think. We can spit answers back onto a page to be graded or we can redirect some force into a stone to push it along, but you won't remember a word of what you 'learned' in a year, and you'll have plenty of opportunity to live for obligation and duty when you're older." She paused for a moment, and the shadow of something may have flickered across her features. "Don't choose the path that you feel you should walk; choose the one that excites you to walk." She had been swirling her wine around in the glass idly and now she took a rather extended drink of it. "If you don't wake up each morning with at least one thing that you look forward to ahead of you, then why are you waking up at all?" She shrugged and downed the rest, wiping her mouth with the back of her wrist in a most unladylike way. "Now, if there are any specific questions you have about courses, this is the time to ask."

Onarr considered the Zeno's words for a moment. She spoke true. Well, perhaps, the wine was addling her mind but at least, he knew that the Zeno wasn't lying. Duty and obligation. Were those his excuses right now? His worries sated for the moment, Onarr wordlessly took out a roll of parchment that contained his course selections and pushed it over towards her.

"I have no further enquiries, maám," Onarr's tone then became curious as he pointed towards the Zeno. "Might I enquire what was your favourite first-year course?"

Sienna threw her head back and let out a bark of laughter. It was loud enough that Penny jumped a bit. "Mine? Oh, that was a course they no longer offer." She turned pensive for a moment, and her eyes flicked over her three female students. The Zeno raised her wineglass almost to her lips and then scowled when she realized that it was empty. "Maybe I'll tell you about it sometime." She winked mischievously.

"Oh come on!" Penny blurted. "You're seriously just going to dangle it out there like that?"

"With the utmost seriousness," Sienna chirped. She went for another glass.

"Oh non non non!" Penny reprimanded. "Tu es ivre, grande soeur. Pose le verre à vin." She pursed her lips sternly. "Maintenant."

"Pssshhh," Sienna snorted. "Estoy más sobria que tú, flamenco."

Penny gasped. "Vous vous moquez de mon handicap?"

"Si," Sienna answered, positively malicious.

Penny was crestfallen. She turned to Linah. "Ella me está intimidando," she wailed. "¡Sálvame!" Then Anesin: "Hon mobbar mig. Rädda mig!" Finally, a bit less surely, to Onarr. "Ìkà ni obìnrin náà! Ikà pupọ!" Perhaps he may have noticed that she more or less butchered the pronunciation, but context was everything. "Qui pouvait être si cruel envers une pauvre fille unijambiste?" She fairly draped herself over the arm of her sofa: the very picture of melodramatic despair.

Sienna raised an eyebrow. "¿Es esto lo que estamos haciendo ahora: hablar nuestras lenguas maternas?"

Onarr was unsure of the languages being spoken. He could only make out bits and pieces of each language that was being spoken, and Penny's Joruban was akin to a cat being skinned alive.

"Ṣe eyi jẹ idanwo kan?" Onarr then paused, switching curiously to regard Sienna in Belzagg. "Dit is jammer dat hulle nie vir Joruban in Ersand'Enise aanbied nie. Ek sal aanbeveel dat Penny remediërende kursusse neem."

Penny blushed fiercely. "Traitre! Tu étais censé être de mon côté!" She swatted once, ineffectually, in Onarr's direction before giving up the struggle and flopping back down, deflated.

Sienna let out a full-throated laugh. "Or maybe he just knows who has the power here," she replied, before turning Onarr's way. "As to your question: most certainly not. I fear our melodramatic friend is right: I've simply had too much to drink." She paused for a moment, however. "That said, I suppose that it is a test, in a way. We shall spend two days of each week together for the next year: living, learning, and sleeping under the same roof. I imagine I wanted to gauge my Biros' comfort level and them see mine. Needless to say, you lot have passed."

True to Penny's advice, she laid off of the wine after that. A few more questions were asked and Penny, despite her... inebriated state, almost seemed to get the sense that the Zeno was politely probing. She barely made it up the stairs, fairly tore off her clothes, stuffed herself into her nightgown, and flopped into bed. "G'night, sisters," she mumbled, snuggling under her blankets. Tomorrow, classes. Tomorrow, father. Sleep claimed her within moments.

---

---

The spit was turning. Rabbits were roasting. The soup was bubbling. Luna had reached into the other place and pulled from its easy power. She continued to pull. She could not explain it. It simply was, to her, and always had been, since perhaps a couple of years before she had gotten her first blood as a girl.

She quirked an eyebrow—"Hah! Silence, impudent whelp!"—but then let out a sigh and prodded at some of the coals with a stick. "In all seriousness, what I have in store for youse guys?" She furrowed her brow for a moment, thinking of the coals, of back home, sitting around the fire in the longhouse with Sunny and her parents, or those nights on the great wagon train, under the pure bright stars, away from the great stepped pyramids of the city and its torches that burned into the night, drowning the darkness. Luna was drowning the darkness now, literally and figuratively. Perhaps that was her purpose. Perhaps that should've been her name: Drowns-the-Darkness. She'd always struggled for a purpose.

She'd sat staring pensively for a moment and the kids were looking at her like she was some sort of senile old codger, lost in thought.

"Sorry," the Zeno joked, "Senior moment." She was only nine years Leon's senior. That was crazy. His face... he reminded her of a few boys from her hometown. "The Academy's real purpose is not to teach magic. I think you're smart kids—most of you, anyways." She needed some levity. She watched their reactions with an expectant smirk. "You've figured that out. Anyways, it's really here to study magic, to regulate it, and to control it—make sure it stays within the right hands. Some of that is well-intended and some is...not."

"I get a foreigner pass." She continued, shrugging. "There are perhaps a dozen Nashibansek in all of Constantia and I'm certainly the only..." She tried not to scowl as she said the hateful word. "Greyborn."

No family for you, Luna, no future, no happy ending. Gone by forty. Of late, she had already begun to feel that tug—the tug toward the other place. "So I get away with saying things." She took the soup from the fire and set it down on some stone tiles nearby. From the other place, she sculpted bowls and spoons and brought them to her apprentices' hands. "Truth one: there was an assassination attempt yesterday. The arch-zenos and a member of the Dieci Volti stopped it, but it was a diversion." The Zeno swept some hair from her face, a nervous anticipation twisting her insides.

Why are you doing this!? She could not say. It was stupid, but the untruths had built up upon her like a weight and she needed to drop some. The arches were unfathomably powerful. She had never encountered anything else like them, except for... him. Strong as she was—and she was strong—Luna doubted that she'd be able to stand up to even the weakest of that cabal... nevermind a monster like Hugo. "The Traveler or his agents broke into the Forked Tower," she continued. "Something was stolen, but they couldn't have done it without inside help. The arches spent hours last night searching, but at least one of them is on the other side, secretly." Soup poured itself. She tried a spoonful and was satisfied with it. Momentarily, she hesitated, not sure whether to continue with this insanity and say more.

So much for getting Bernhard to do more snooping, thought Carmillia. Zeno Fades-in-Moonlight was basically spilling the beans on nearly everything. She now knew for sure why her and likely the entire student body had their memories tampered with.

Even though she had her suspicions, having it confirmed in such a matter of fact way left even her perturbed. The Traveler's involvement was one thing but that at least one of the Arch Zenos was a double agent? All this and more that was yet to be said given that this was merely regarding truth number one. Not to mention the cherry on top that was the dark magic bomb she had dropped just prior. Carmillia had certainly expected many things to occur in Ersand'Ernise but not this many and in just two days.

She turned to face Leon, who was sitting in the middle of the three Biros.

"And to think, Leon, we were just worrying about love letters a few hours ago," she said. "I don't suppose you know how to lighten the mood up for this?"

Leon found himself agreeing with the true purpose of the Academy as Luna had described. Magic is supposed beautiful, it need not be dangerous. But so often can be used to empower those who would use it for their own ends at the cost of others. Nothing better confirmed Leon's belief than the attempt on someone's life just to cover up a heist. Control is nessecary.

As for the matter of double agents, Leon could assume this was the same thing the Doge had talked about. He needed a way to sneak in that tray to the Arch-Zeno's tower. Maybe then they could pull back the veil of how far the Traveller's claws had sunk into the Academy. He needed help for that but he wasn't sure who to trust just yet.

It took a while for Leon to register that someone had addressed him. Snapping out of his thoughts, he shook his head a bit. "Ah, yes from love letters to regicide, quite a shift in the day's events" he let out a small laugh. "The Traveller is certainly an intimidating fellow, I've seen that first hand. But I'm just a student who is looking to learn some magic. I don't exactly have plans to beat the guy in a magic duel or anything." Leon laughed to mask the half truth.

"Plus, we have such a feast in front of us. How about we enjoy the meal and worry about the impending threats later." Leon said in a very reassuring way. "And to answer your question Carmilla, I do have a way to lift the mood." Leon left the table and took a jog into back into the house. After a while, he reemerged with lute in hand, giving it a strum has he peacefully walked back to the table with a smile. It didn't take long before he had a good tune going.

Luna had been in a mood. That girl was gone, people were lying, and she felt like nothing so much as a fraud. She'd been about to spill it all out, damn the consequences, like a child pulling a tantrum. Leon was a blessing. She'd chosen him for his relaxed nature. It usually matched hers, but he was sunny like Solstice, where Luna was usually melancholic (and even more so now). She breathed a long sigh and took another spoonful of her soup. "Thanks, Leon I needed that. Maybe we all did."

Almost sheepishly, Jomurr raised his hand and she smiled in his direction. They sat there for a bit, listening to the lute. Luna hummed. The tune was oddly familiar, like one from back home, and she wondered where he'd learnend it. Jomurr drummed on his knees and snapped his fingers, and things quieted down.

"I'm sorry if I freaked youse guys out," she said after a bit. She took some corn and bit into it, using a touch of kinetic to pick the husks from her teeth. "I don't want you to worry. This kind of intrigue seems... normal, believe it or not. You're kids going to school. I was in your shoes ten years ago. Enjoy your first classes tomorrow and know that I've got your backs. If you ever wanna know anything, I'm an open book. That includes spooky ol' Dark Magic." She took another bite and swallowed. "Now feed your faces and we'll worry about the scary stuff when it's relevant."

Carmillia silently cursed at how effective Leon had been. She had wanted a lighter mood to ease their Zeno into spilling more information. Instead, Leon had calmed their Zeno a tad bit too much and despite her words. It looked like she wanted to save the conversation for another day.

Jomurr was also oddly quiet. Carmillia wagered his elitist worldview had crumbled upon learning that the Arch Zenos were not all united. Even high nobles and mages were not immune to the folly of men.

"Thank you Leon," she said with a smile. Carmillia silently took spoonful of her food. As delicious as it was, her foul mood meant the taste was lost upon her. She would have to seek out Zeno Fades-in-Moonlight another time in order to learn more.

As Leon played, he didn't seem inclined to say much at all. He seemed happy just letting his new friends enjoy the song over their meal. He only took breaks in order to enjoy the meal himself. His mind wondered to what the future had in store.

Jomurr was quiet, deep in thought. That there was a traitor among the Arch-Zenos, that the corruption of the Traveler and his titillating, corrupting message for the lower classes had spread so far had the potential to be a sobering realization and yet... Zeno Moonlight was, herself, common. She was clearly no fan of the school or the establishment. People often paid much attention to what was being said and precious unquestioning little to who was saying it. He ate his food, he went with the flow of things, and he kept his opinions to himself. Much as the people around him acted friendly, it was profoundly clear to the young duke that he was among enemies of the most insidious sort. And to think that I almost trusted you. He tore deep into the rabbit with his next bite, thoughts and intent hidden under the guise of eating.

---

---

---

The hours of Eshiran gave way to the hours of Dami and those, in turn, the hours of Ipte. Students slept - most of them, anyways. Zenos, Arch-Zenos, and world leaders slept, yet Ersand'Enise was alive at night, subtly alive in ways that its founders had never anticipated. Owls hunted in the trees of the arboretum, geese honked and flapped on Hedda's Lake, and the shingled spires of the city's great buildings played host to all manner of crows and ravens, who looked down upon the humans with the instinct and disinterest of animals.

For the second night in a row, the highest light in the Forked Tower blazed into the blackness and mist clung to the walls and houses. Sailors stumbled out of the taverns, up and down the gangplanks of ships. The great, groaning light pulsed across the sea, with its churning waves and jagged reefs and cold, dark waters. In the shadowed alleys and filthy hovels of Mudville, money changed hands, hooded figures met and conspired, and a bedraggled-looking ex-Zeno attempted to sell potions and sealed items of dubious quality to those who passed his humble shop. Eventually, however, even Mudville fell into an uneasy semi-silence. Flags hung limp on their posts. Rats scampered through the trash. Four moons shone like mismatched eyes in the gloom.

But then came the sun, and banished these visions of the night. It started as a shy glow and became inevitable. Sharp shadows yawned and stretched across the plazas and rooftops. People did the same, within their houses and bedrooms. Ersand'Enise awoke, though its sleep had always been light and fitful.

The fishermen were always first on the streets. There were servants, sweepers, and vendors. Today, however, they were joined by flocks of Zenos. The learned mages fluttered out from their homes, papers and scrolls in hand, on a yearly pilgrimage to Balthazar Hall to submit their students' course selections.

The students rose early as well. Some had slept better than the others, but it was natural for there to be a sort of anticipation in the air. They dressed, they ate, and some even bathed. They said their goodbyes, for some would likely not see each other again until their next weekend at the Zeno's.

Then, the young scholars headed off to Balthazar Hall, where all had been advised to pick up their schedules. So they gathered in those long lines, which - Thank Dami - at least moved fairy quickly. It was fertile soil for gossip, bravado, flirtation, and other, more innocent forms of conversation, but especially the first. It seemed as if at least some of their number had encountered something... interesting in the morning. However, when students finally received their schedules and the keys to their dormitory rooms, they were hustled off to class for all manner of orientations just the same. There, the youths found faces both new and familiar.

There, they found that they all shared a pair of classes and they either learned or did not learn. Zander Mozaru tested them immediately and confidentially. He wanted to see where they were at but had no patience for any trying to humiliate their peers. Alcaster Serra played a word game with the youths to put them at ease and asked them at the start of class to choose an adjective in their native tongues to describe themselves and in Avincian at the end of class. He also stroked his beard a great deal. He seemed greatly fond of that or else it was a nervous habit. In the afternoon, they met their magic specialty instructors. Sectoxomactex boasted of his many exploits and demonstrated a few high level spells before encouraging his students to show him what they could do. Randan Kedd explained how magic was a science and how any of them could master it so long as they could read and put in a solid effort. He dismissed them early since it was their first day. Luria Colloy gave them readings and lightning rods. Born-on-Solstice held her class outdoors, under the 'Mother Sun' and did wellness activities. Jurgen Mendenhoffer drilled them like they were soldiers but then let them go early, while Alois Lascand droned on about their solemn duty as Binders. Tannifer Marbrand had them draw nearly to capacity and blow things up on their first day, and there was a dark kind of glee in her eyes as they did so. Some students, however, were fortunate enough not to be taught by mere Zenos, but by one of the eight Arch-Zenos of the Academy. Ardredelle Latvar guided her students through rudimentary chemistry and, by the end of class, had each other able to induce a feeling of hunger within a preying mantis. Giacomo Giarrone had each of them share why they'd wanted to be binders, despite the school's sometimes unsavoury reputation. He gave them cookies and told them that there would be plenty of hard work ahead and that they should see to their sleep and health for the time being. So that was what they did. Once their orientations were over, the students ate, they chatted, they explored, skipped, and sauntered through the academy grounds and the city.

The chaos of this first real day of academics was a longstanding tradition, and perhaps practice for the (in)famous Trials of Ersand'Enise, which would be kicking off in less than two weeks, on Verdimas, the Day of Skills. In this spirit, they endeavoured to read maps, ask questions and figure out where they would be staying and who they would be staying with. They retrieved their bags from their Master Zenos' homes, the basement storage rooms of Balthazar Hall, or the private arrangements that they had made. The dormitories were divided by class: noble, merchant, and everyone else. That this arrangement served to separate some friend groups spoke well of the world that these young people were building, at least from a certain perspective. Others, however, found themselves very near to their friends or even sharing rooms. It was an exciting time indeed and, were the elaborate preparations for the Conclave of the Five Thrones that they had passed in Arc-en-Ciel Hall any indication, tomorrow's events would only add to it.

---

---

Vyrik

Balthazar Hall
Vyrik was in line behind the others of his group, yawning and snacking on breakfast leftovers when he noticed it. Like a tinder catching a single spark it began. He was beginning to think he had gotten away with it, the ‘incident’ at the ceremony that was. But no, it had just taken awhile for the spark of gossip to start, the tinder of his story dampened by all the other happenings and excitement going on. But now this, this situation was a fire pit waiting to combust and the lines couldn’t move fast enough. It started with a simple odd whisper here, a subtle pointing and smirking over there. A soft silence when he passed a group all eyeing him. He could physically watch it spread, moving like wildfire from mouth to ear. That flame was now undoubtedly lit and travelled down the rows of chatting students. He tried to keep his head down and shrink out of sight, but it was pointless, he stood out too much. He just had to lay low until it burnt itself out. When finally at the front, which didn’t take as long as it felt, he grabbed all his things and quickly hurried off to first class.

Sensing and drawing.
Zander Mozaru

A life in the slums had taught Vyrik to be untrusting, and while he still didn’t trust Zeno Mozaru, the man was proving to be reliable and was quickly becoming familiar. Vyrik was glad that he was teaching his first class and remained focused for the entirety of it, not going beyond but not shirking either. He gave the man his full attention and even went as far as to take notes, although they were more for him to use later with Josune. He tried his best in the confidential testing but was sure he did poorly. His grasp of Arcane and binding was shockingly poor while his ability to convert was near non existent. Maybe he was broken.
He didn’t let these thoughts or emotions interrupt his class however, for some unknown reason he was trying to earn a modicum of the Belzagggic’s respect and make up for his aloofness while staying at his house.

Avincian
Alcaster Serra

Vyrik enjoyed games but was slow to warm up to the word game, but as it went on and he got a feeling for it his competitive edge caused him to be more vocal and take a tiny step out of his shell. He found the old teacher of this class to be almost comical in his traditional style attire. He seemed to know a lot about a lot and had strong opinions on all things. Overall he talked too much for Vyrik’s liking.
When class was over Vyrik hung around awkwardly until all others had left, wanting to question the old teacher in private.
“How can I improve my RAS?”
He asked.
“I mean, theoretically what are all the possible ways?”

Lunch.

Three square meals a day of the quality and proportions they had been receiving was a foreign concept to Vyrik’s stomach. Not accustomed to the easy access of food he had treated breakfast like it might be the last meal they provide him, now as lunch rolled around he found he still wasn’t hungry. He thought about eating just for the sake of it as it did taste rather good but decided against it since he wasn’t feeling up to the social commitment it required, instead he headed straight to the arboretum to relax by the river and practice some of the lessons from his first class.

---

TLDR
Balthazar Hall->Class->Arboretum
Noticed people notice him.
(Probably not as bad as he thinks)
Tried hard in both classes
Skipped lunch and went to the Arboretum.

---

Ah, the first days of classes, a joy to him. Despite an eventful morning with a fricking aberration on his nightstand. Karim knows about aberration, and the fact that he saw one right next to him was eye-opening. He had never seen one before, much less the size of a large apple. Admittedly he was tempted to absorb its power. But, knowing about the possible cravings and other bad side effects of absorbing it made him reconsider. So he simply alerted someone with authority, and hopefully, it will be clean up so. Still an encounter with an aberration and wondering why one appeared on his nightstand. It should not stop him from enjoying the day and his first classes. However, combined with what happened at the ceremony or what strange thing happened and this. It did stay in his head during the morning hours.

Sensing and Drawing/Conversion
So far, Karim had liked his first teachers, even if one of them. The teacher for his Conversion class was.... a bit odd, mainly in his teaching style and how he dressed. His Sensing and Drawing teacher was alright, but nothing to write home about. Maybe it is just the first day, and perhaps this teacher will surprise him. Who knows, and his morning encounter with an aberration was still in his mind. Though its presence would lessen as the day came progressed.

Mathematics/Avincian
Mathematics, a subject that Karim has a love/hate relationship with. While he is good at math and is expected to be good at math due to his family being merchants. He finds the subject utterly boring and a chore to learn. Still, Karim tried his best to focus and not seem bored. He does not give the wrong first impression to his teacher. When his Avincian class came around, Karim was more active and less bored. Even if he has no problems with speaking Avincian but did have some with reading it, so it was a welcomed subject to him and kinda an easy one. Still, his teacher was fine and seemed to enjoy teaching the subject, so that was a plus.

Lunch
Then came lunch, and while others took their time to eat their lunch. Karim tore quickly through his as he had something to do today outside of classes. For he was expecting a shipment of cloudmelons from his parents and, if he was told right. They should be here about now and so after quickly eating his lunch. Karim departed the lunchroom and headed down toward the docks. Bringing someone with him to help him carry the melons in exchange for some of them. It was only fair, and it should not take long.

---

---

Leon sat at breakfast with the rest of his team and Zeno Luna. On the surface, he seemed happy and content. Eating in a blissful manner as if nothing was wrong. As if an abberation wasn't found on a night stand this morning.

Put who placed it? His first suspect was Luna, of course. After her display of dark magic, perhaps she saw fit to provide him with a morning abberation snack. Equally, Leon found the possibility quite likely that the others in his group would have received the same 'gift'. Outside of that, it was possible someone had snuck into the home. But first he had to confirm how the others had reacted to it; and there was a simple way to find out.

"Ah, I almost forgot." Leon said in a cheerful voice as he gave a flick of the wrist. A replica image of the apple sized abberation appeared in the middle of the breakfast table. "Anyone else see an abberation in their room this morning?" His expression a more serious focus as he went to analyse how the three would react to this sudden placement.

In truth, Jomurr had seen an aberration on his nightstand. It had been the size of a small firemelon and he had absorbed before a servant or lesser magic user like Carmillia might've. It was both his privilege and solemn duty as a member of the nobility, after all. he had to protect them. Of course, he wished he hadn't. That was only the second one he'd seen in his life, and the first had been much larger - the size of a man - so he and his brother had wisely avoided it. Truly, he wished he'd done so with this one too. His head pounded and it was an effort not look at Leon's poor approximation of an aberration with some eagerness.

He shook his head innocently. "I... an aberration?" he responded, concern in his voice. "Certainly not." He stared at it, face equal parts wonder and worry, or so he hoped it appeared. "There's one in your room right now?" he continued. Quickly, he turned to Carmillia, "This is ill news," he declared. "Did you, too, encounter one?"

For her part, Luna placed her utensils back on her plate, glanced at Leon uneasily, and then at Carmillia. "I'm gonna second that question and then, regardless of the answer, we're going upstairs and checking this out."

"I did encounter one," Carmillia responded. "It's still there upon my nightstand. I was planning on bringing it up once we were done with the meal."

Of course he gets in the way again, she thought.

Carmillia had briefly contemplated absorbing the abberation when she saw it but had quickly waived away the thought. She knew of abberations and that they've been known to appear everywhere. That said, it was far too much of a coincidence for it to appear on her nightstand. The memory manipulation on their first day had wounded her pride. She was a player, not a pawn.

Given that none of the townhome's residents tended to violate the privacy of the others, she had planned on leaving the abberation there till she had more information. That plan was now ruined thanks to Leon. The only silver lining was that her suspicions were now confirmed. The abberation had not occured naturally.

"I'll lead the way," she said.

Carmillia started heading towards her room.

Leon assessed the developing situation as he sipped his drink. He could conclude that Luna was not the one responsible. Her response would be out of place for someone trying to lie about it. As for the other two, Carmilla also saw an abberation and didn't touch it where Jomurr 'certainly did not'.

On the assumption the Traveller was responsible for this, it would make sense that Jomurr was left out given his noble blood. But on the other hand, Jomurr could have absorbed his abberation and lied about it. That conclusion left up the question of who is responsible for the small abberations. For now, Leon could not be certain of it one way or the other.

Leon could at least take comfort that Carmilla had equally ignored the temptation of abberant power. She was the only one here he felt comfortable trusting.

"And I will follow." Leon left his seat taking his last bit of bread from breakfast with him to follow Carmilla.

When they reached Leon's room, it took Jomurr only moments before realizing that the aberration before him was noticeably smaller than the one that had occupied his nightstand this morning. The alarm on the Zeno's face was palpable but, at this point, he scarcely trusted her. In fact, he did not even trust that she wasn't involved in the spreading of these aberrations. Already, she had sought to turn him and his fellow apprentices against the academy. She had used what she claimed was Dark Magic. She had lied through her teeth about the nature of Anna's disappearance. He did not have any proof, but he sensed it on a gut level. Perhaps she was with the Traveler and perhaps she was not, but Moonlight had her own agenda, hidden beneath a mask of casual, disarming, and nonthreatening disregard for protocol.

"This is... strange," she said, examining the thing for a moment. "I suppose you don't have any idea when it appeared, do you?"

Presently, they moved to Carmillia's room, and Jomurr noted that her aberration was smaller still, almost as if each person's aberration had been tailored for them. And if you put them there, he thought, you know that I absorbed mine. You know that I did my duty as a noble. Was this some sort of test?

"In any any event," Moonlight announced, "It was good that you didn't touch these. As a greyborn, they're no bother for me, but they can do horrible things to some people, I'm afraid." She regarded each of them, in turn, and lingered on Jomurr for perhaps a half-second longer. She shifted uncomfotably and stalked to the doorway. "For now, the hour is less early than it was. You should be off to your classes. It's your first day. Enjoy yourselves. I have people to talk to and questions to ask. I will handle this."

There was something almost... earnest about her tone, and for the dozenth time since he had known her, Jomurr wondered if he had not misjudged her. He shook his head slightly to clear it. "Yes," he replied, "you are correct and I bow to your wisdom. It will do us no good to linger on such grim matters, though I am curious to see what comes of your research and I remember your promise to be 'an open book' with us." Without anything further to say, he prepared to return downstairs, ready to head out the door and begin his day in earnest.

Leon left the house satisfied with the exchange. There were still plenty of questions left open about his companions, but he wouldn't get much more answers for the time being. It was off to classes now.

---

The school day was rather bland for Leon. Starting off with Mozaru’s test in sensing and drawing. Leon had taken a window seat and was currently as shirtless as he was every morning. This made displaying his drawing capability easy as he was doing it throughout the entire class.

Equally, Serra’s Avincian class was another breeze. Pick an adjective to describe himself in Revidian and Avincian? Well, Leon knew how to say magnificent in ten different languages. So for the majority of the class, Leon spent at a window seat absorbing the sun’s rays.

The way Giarrone ran his class had piqued Leon’s interest. Hearing others’ reasons for exploring a specific type of magic had illuminated him to all the different desires that draw someone to magic in the first place. His interest was held the whole time as he listened to the others describe their reasons for learning Binding magic. Unfortunately, Leon had little to say when it came around to him. Binding magic was not his primary interest when it came to magic and he had hardly seen all it had to offer. When asked to share, Leon answered honestly that Binding was an extension of Arcane magic to him. Allowing him to extend his abilities in another school further rather than using binding for its commonly intended purposes.

Leon had been looking forward to learning Arcane from a master. So he was hit with an overwhelming sense of disappointment when he attended Kedd’s class. Magic is absolutely not a science, it is an art form. Clearly, this teacher could comprehend the true beauty of magic if he were to say silly things like that. At least the Zeno was right about one thing, reading and effort were the best ways to master it.

Finished with orientation, Leon spent the rest of the afternoon sitting under a tree in the Arboretum. He snacked on an apple while practising his lute. It was oddly quiet compared to Leon’s recent endeavours. Perhaps he was getting some alone time in while he could. The nighttime was approaching and it would be anything but serene.

Once Leon felt inclined to begin moving into his dormitory, he left the park.

---

Leon was happy to have received such a big room for himself at the castle. He certainly didn’t mind having to stay in the commoner's district, especially when his friends in high places could arrange something like this. Leon got to work moving into his room.

First were the large closet and drawers where he began packing in his clothes. Neatly folded pants and shirts were placed in the drawers while particularly extravagant garments were hung up with the capes, which were ordered intently by colour. Next was the bookshelf, which left something to be desired. Frankly, it was too large. While Leon had a reasonable collection of books, the unused space made Leon look… uneducated. Perhaps he could pick up various tomes just to fill it up. Third, setting up the large mirror, squeaky clean and without a smudge. A table to the side held jewellery and valuables. Next to that was another larger table with arcane trinkets and tools for magical practice and applications. Finally, a large double bed which Leon took meticulous effort to make nicely.

By the time Leon had finished moving in it was already dinner time. With an excited grin and lute in hand, the boy descended the stairs to the mess hall to meet his company for the night.

It was to be the first night in the dormitories and Leon wasn’t wasting the opportunity to make a strong first impression. During dinner, he encouraged other students to enjoy the wine with their meal while he played a tune.

One drink, two drink, three drink, four. Leon plays his lute and they ask for more. Dinner had come and passed, but few had gone. Most of the students were still around drinking, the party was on.

It wasn’t long before the drinks had hit the crowd and Leon had little need to maintain his lute performance. Instead, the tempo of the night was held up by the rhythmic clapping of the crowd. Leon danced on the floor, the tables, with girl, with guy. He danced until his legs hurt then he danced some more. But this behaviour wasn’t brought on by the alcohol, no, it was from Leon’s passion for the art itself. Which was being displayed for all to see.

At one point, Leon pulled his now-famous trick. He lit his cape on fire and danced while it burnt up the fabric to his neck, drawing upon the power of the flame the whole way. It was risky. Given that he was fully sober the last time he performed it, there was a decent risk of Leon burning himself. But hey, he was a lucky guy. The finale came with a flash, but then he continued.

It was the early hours of Ipte when Leon finally finished. The dance had become more reminiscent of tired mass hysteria at this point and he was fine with throwing in the towel. He was more than impressed at those still standing and invited some to his room if they felt so inclined.

---

Onarr found his classes at Ersand’Enise today to be the equivalent of the training courses provided to novices at the Joru Stresian Guild. He split up from his primary group of classmates who filtered out of Zeno Latvar’s room like a school of fish. Their last lesson had by far been the most boring and the most difficult. Instilling hunger within smaller creatures had been somewhat challenging for him to adapt to. He was used to small rabbits and the various fare the Stresian Guild would catch for their chemistry lessons. Focusing his efforts on a praying mantis was akin to threading a string through a needle.

Mozaru and Colloy were the most efficient and least taxing of his abilities. Onarr thanked Shune that he wasn’t born a Truecaster like most from Joru were. It would have been embarrassing to demonstrate in front of the Zeno that his ability to draw and sense magical energies was zero to none. Colloy’s was the most dangerous yet easiest for him. Focusing the ambient magnetic energy in the atmosphere into his lightning rod seemed child’s play at first but he’d quickly found out it was more difficult than it appeared. The rod was unwieldy at first but the Joruban adapted to it after a minute of fiddling around with the current. He had been using his helmet for so long as a conductor that his magnetic talents had been honed towards using it. It was like using a sword right-handed instead of left-handed.

It was now that the Joruban found himself wandering the empty cobblestone vistas of Parade Street at night. He could hear the cacophony of music and raucous shanties being sung by his drunk classmates. He had enough alcohol with his Zeno group yesterday. Addling the mind was not something he could do to relax under his new circumstances, especially with the political wrangling that his President was trying to achieve. Onarr’s shoulder sagged as he sat on a nearby bench, the activity of the day finally sinking into his bones. He wondered for a moment whether he was prepare to bear the enormity of the task before him. The penance for his journey.

His brother would never forgive him if he dawdled in Ersand’Enise.

“ Mrrrreeeeeooooowwwww”

Onarr’s head perked up. What was that? Was it the goose again? He quickly disregarded the question as he felt a velvety sensation brush against his feet. He looked down and saw a cat. Well, a child of its kind, a kitten would be the proper terminology. It was coal black with luminous brown eyes with its coat of tawny fur draped over its tiny body. It moved one of its paws and began to bat curiously at Onarr’s boot.

“ Intriguing, ” Onarr then knelt down, gingerly lowering his hand towards its head. The kitten flinched away first before gently leaning into his touch, emanating soft purrs as he continued to scratch behind his ears. Strange. Feral, undomesticated cats were usually skittish. He hadn’t approached it with foodand he was sure he didn’t step in any catnip.

The kitten then leapt towards his helmet in a blur, his view briefly obscured before it curled around the base of the cone. He could hear the screeching sounds of claw on metal as the kitten found purchase. Its tail swayed in his eyes like an errant fly as he considered the absurdity of what just happened.

Would he have to report new pets to his Zeno?

“ Well, I can't tell whether you're a bad or good omen.” Onarr paused before asking the feline currently resting on top of his helmet. "What about you?"

“ Meow.”

---

Place(s): Zander Mozaru's Home → The Academy → The Merchants' Quarter → The Castle(Commons Dormitory)
Time: Taldes, Vardes 28, Dami-Zept 54 | Late HI(Dawn) → HD(Nighttime)
Interaction(s): None in particular

---

FIRST DAY OF CLASSES

Save for the particular event in the morning, the first actual day of school turned out to be rather devoid of event for Eun-Ji. She woke up early at dawn as she often did, although the event in the morning caused her to skip her internal martial arts practice; it had weighted too heavily in her mind, so much that she were very quiet and seemingly absentminded all through breakfast and during the short travel to the Academy. In reality, she was not so much as being absentminded as she was being deep in her own thoughts. As she reached the first class, she had fully sorted out her thoughts and returned more to her usual behavior. What she needed to do was clear. She had resolved in that she needed to start gathering information on how to destroy those... dangerous unnatural things.

It was quite funny, how a few days in Ersand'Enise had managed to give her more personal missions (two) than the last few years of her life (zero).

As for the classes themselves, they had been "normal" for Eun-Ji, for a lack of a better word. Eun-Ji had no trouble in Sensing & Drawing, having already been trained to an adept level in all the sequences of the process of spellcasting. She remained fully neutral and humble throughout the class, with a concealed eagerness to improve. The Avincian class had been interesting enough. While she was already fluent in Avincian, the practical lesson in the form of the word game had been anything but boring. The lunch that came after the lesson was not particularly eventful as well. A pair of fellow students of Tan Keoulian descent had approached her, taking their seats near her. She was wary at first, but soon relaxed and politely appreciated the company after being sure that the pair were really just normal students and not fellow emperor's agents; they weren't even from Tan Keoul even if they were of Tan Keoulian heritage.

Born-on-Solstice's Arcane Magic class after lunch was pleasantly held outdoors much to Eun-Ji's liking, while Jurgen Mendenhoffer's Kinetic Magic class after that had caused Eun-Ji to default to her military disciplines due to her being indeed actually a soldier. In both of these classes, she didn't learn much on this first day. But then again, it was indeed only the first day. And all the same, she displayed a kind of muted eagerness to learn and improve in the lessons.

Jurgen Mendenhoffer's class had been the last for the day. Eun-Ji left the Academy without much ceremony after that, quickly heading by herself to the Merchants' Quarter to procure some supplies; mostly dried non-perishable foodstuffs and also some inks, parchments, and a few books that she believed will be able to give her clues, any clues at all, in understanding Blood Magic and Aberrations.

Afterwards, she had been mostly cooped up in her room in the Castle, fully focused on reading the books she had bought and writing down whatever useful information she managed to gain through the books. It was not until dinner time that she emerged out of her room and much to her surprise, she found that an impromptu party had somehow started in the mess hall. It was... most definitely not her kind of environment. She did noticed that the man who had given her the rose the other day, Leon Solaire, was seemingly being the heart of the party. Regardless, she tried her best to steer clear from the rowdiness, instead picking up her meal and a glass of water before finding the quietest corner possible in the mess hall to eat by herself.

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It was during the first hour of Ipte that a letter slipped itself beneath Penny's door. She moaned and rolled over in bed, thinking it some more foolery from her neighbours. They were good fun and she'd spent a couple of hours with them earlier, but Madeleine also fancied herself a wit and did not know when to quit. Still, there was the possibility that it had to do with Arcel. He was in town, though they hadn't had the opportunity to speak like she had with father.

She started swinging an arm out to grab one of her crutches, but stopped short and looked over first. After the morning's incident, it was hard not to be paranoid. Satisfied, she slipped it under her arm, rose, and made her way to the door.

"1201A Brandenmeier Place," she murmured, reading what was on the envelope as she picked it up. "Mr. Gaston Normand."

The teenager scowled, body language almost pouty. She knew those codes. The first one meant that this was to go to the Eskandish contact. She did not know his name. The second one meant that it needed to be done immediately. Was it truly so urgent? She sighed. She knew that it was. It was politically sensitive. She took a couple of steps back, fixing her hair into a semblance of order and already starting to change clothing. The walk was not particularly long, but it was late, she was tired, there were stairs, and... by the Pentad, yes, the girl with one leg had been someone's first choice to bear this message. Penny did not know what was in it and told herself that she did not want to, yet she burned with curiosity. Presently, she finished shrugging into a simple dress and riding cloak. She did up a few buttons and fastened a tie around her waist. Best not to know, she told herself, taking a moment to slip into her shoe and out of the door as quietly as she could.

The nighttime air was cool and clammy on Penny's skin and an almost-unnatural mist hovered amidst the great shadowy spires and towers of Ersand'Enise, shimmering and ethereal in the light of three pale moons and one in blood red. She stopped to rub away some goosebumps and pull her cloak tight around herself, continuing onward. The eyes of animals watched her in the darkness, gold, lime, and orange. Once every minute, the beam of St. Elmo's Light swept across distant rooftops, brightening them before continuing out across the sea. Yet, it was not that light which concerned the young Perrenchwoman most, for looming there over the city of the Mages like a great watchful eye was that lone light blazing in the highest window of the Forked Tower.

---

"What is the matter, Cumin?" Mayu noticed Cumin lying down with his tail wrapped around his body. It almost felt like he was pouting. She had struggled to keep him in her room when she left for her lessons. He had been behaving oddly the whole morning. She could not trust him to not get up to mischief if she allowed him to roam the townhome. Mayu gave him a little scratch on his neck. It was his favorite spot. Unable to control himself anymore, he let out a reluctant purr.

"There, there," she said. "I'm sorry for keeping you in. I would let you out if you behaved yourself more, you know!"

Zeno Zemana had said they were allowed to use the ingredients in the kitchen. She planned to make him his favorite fish stew. As she opened her room door to head down to the kitchen, Cumin took the opportunity to dash out. Feeling a sense of déjà vu, Mayu chased after him. Unfortunately for her, Cumin messing up the townhome was the least of her worries. The door to the townhome had been left ajar; either someone must have came back or she had forgotten to close it herself. Regardless, Cumin had noticed it and had dashed out.

Even after empowering herself with kinetic energy drawn from her surroundings, catching the cat proved no easy feat. It was strange, Mayu did not specialize in the Kinetic School of Magic. Her self-enhancement was mediocre at best but she was still moving at a pace that would put a grown man to shame and yet she could barely keep up. Cumin was fast. He was slippery and he took advantage of the fact that Mayu would always slow down right before she caught him out of fear she would hurt him.

Eventually, she lost sight of him somewhere in the arboretum. How can such a white cat hide so well in all this green?! she thought. Mayu frantically looked around in hopes of spotting the white furball. Instead of white fur, she saw white hair.

Carmillia Carbonneau had decided to spend her luncheon alone in the arboretum, away from the hustle and bustle of the dining hall. She was ruminating over the morning’s events. Her thoughts were interrupted by Mayu.

“E-excuse me,” said Mayu. “We met yesterday. I’m a Biro under Zeno Zemana.”

It seems I’ve become jinxed after my enrollment here, thought Carmillia. Everyone seems to love getting in the way of what I want to do.

“Yes, we did,” she said with a smile. “You’re Mayu of House Iovina. To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“I-I’m looking for my cat!”

Carmillia raised an eyebrow. She did recall seeing two cats when they were at Zeno Zemana’s townhome the day before. One of them must have belonged to the Rettanese girl before her. Great, she thought. My meal is getting interrupted so I can look for a damned cat.

“I haven’t seen him… but we could look him together, if you’d like?” she responded. Please say no.

“Thank you so much! I need to find him before luncheon ends.”

Fuck.

Mayu would skip her lessons if she had to but the best case scenario was to find him before luncheon ended. Forgoing lunch was a small price to pay.

“Is that him, by any chance?” said Carmillia. She pointed behind Mayu.

“Ahhh!!” yelled Mayu.“Cumin!”

---

Ce putain de chat!

Carmillia was throwing all mannerisms of curses around within her own thoughts. Though she was capable of using general spells from all the common schools due to her childhood education, she had a lower RAS than Mayu and lacked the ability for powerful self-enhancement. Even though it was clear Mayu was not skilled with kinetic magic, she still outpaced Carmillia. Time and time again, she had to chase after Mayu. Time and time again, the kitten would escape after it seemed like they cornered him. It was not normal.

The speed at which the small white monstrosity moved was abnormal. By the third time, Carmillia picked up on the fact that the kitten was somehow drawing kinetic energy from it’s surroundings. She had not noticed the flow of kinetic energy being drawn into the cat because it had been camouflaged under the energy both of the girls had been drawing from themselves.

She had heard of corvids and primates possessing the ability to use the gift but never a cat. It seemed Ersand’Enise was not planning on letting up on it’s surprises any time soon.

“You’re not getting away this time,” said Mayu.

They had managed to chase Cumin out of the arboretum into the merchant dormitories. They were now at the end of an alleyway. Cumin was caught between them and a dead end. There were just a few minutes left before the end of luncheon. It looked like they were going to catch him before classes started after all.

As if mocking her, Cumin turned about and jumped at the wall. The kitten kicked off sides time and time again to ascend and climb over the building.

“W-what?!”

At this point, even Mayu had noticed it. Somehow, Cumin was using kinetic magic. He was not drawing as much as Mayu or Carmillia was but he did not need to. He was small and light. Just a small amount of kinetic energy was more than sufficient when combined with his natural athletic abilities. Did he possess the Gift all along? she thought.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to scale that,” said Carmillia, doing her best to keep her breath in check.

“Luncheon’s almost over,” she continued. “Perhaps we could continue our search for him after classes?”

“I think I’m going to keep looking for him,” said Mayu.

Carmillia paused for a bit. It did not seem like Mayu was intending on giving up the chase. It would not do for her to stop giving aid if that was the case. True, she had done more than enough for someone who was essentially a stranger but it did not sit well with her if she had to be the one to withdraw her aid. Her image had to be maintained.

She snaked a tiny tendril of chemical energy into Mayu’s head.

“He looks like a smart one,” she said. “I’m sure he’ll be fine. If he doesn’t show back up at your townhome once classes are done, I’ll continue helping you search for him.”

“You’re right,” responded Mayu. She felt strangely relaxed after Carmillia’s comforting words. Simultaneously, she felt a growing confidence that Cumin would be fine, despite his out of characteristic behavior.

“Thank you, Carmillia,” she continued. When Zeno Fades-in-Moonlight’s group had shown up to their townhome the day before, they had not talked much beyond simple pleasantries at the time. Now, she was convinced Carmillia was a good person.

While Mayu was appreciating her, Carmillia was inwardly wishing the accursed kitten would get run over by a horse.

“You should go on ahead first,” said Mayu. “I left my books for my arcane lessons back in my townhome.”

No longer out of breath, Carmillia gave a small curtsy before heading off. As annoying as the whole debacle had been, she had discovered a potential pawn.

---

“Cumin!”

Mayu rushed towards the kitten curled up on her bed. It seemed like he had doubled back to the townhome after escaping them. Cumin purred as she cuddled him. He seemed content and basked in her embrace. It was possible that all he had wanted to do was get some exercise.

“Don’t you ever do that again, okay?”

---

When Manfred had awoken in the morning, he'd been greeted by a hole - pitch black - in the fabric of reality. He'd heard of aberrations, of course. They were a growing problem. He'd never actually seen one before. He'd considered absorbing it, to be honest. He'd been told all sorts of bad things by the people in charge of magic, which usually meant, from his experience, that this thing threatened their dominance. It would not do to draw suspicion, though, and perhaps there was some truth to their consistently dire warnings. When he arrived downstairs for breakfast, Zeno Zemana was just getting back in from his morning run to Balthazar Hall. Karim was already downstairs, chattering excitedly about a shipment of cloudmelons coming in from his parents. They exchanged greetings and he cast about for the others. Mayu, he could only hear: muttering and scolding Cumin from somewhere upstairs. Eun-Ji, too was there, and she was often somewhat quiet and pensive, but even more so today. She was not her usual self.

The Tan Keoulean was already downstairs, sitting down on a chair absently. Her mind seemed like it wasn't really focused, with her staring at nothing in particular while being completely silent. She did notice Manfred after a while, and gave a simple nod in greeting. It didn't look like she was in the mood for conversations at all, as if she was too bothered with something or simply too tired for it. After that simple nod, she returned to gazing absently at practically nothing.

Definitely out of sorts, Manfred thought, and he wasn't one to pry. He nodded in her direction as well and that was the entire scope of their interaction. He'd made up his mind to tell the Zeno about the aberration and wondered if she'd already done the same. Busy pondering, he marshaled the awareness to at least rise and help set the table.

As he was doing so, however, he noticed Karim slide towards their master and speak in a low voice in Virangish. The Kerreman furrowed his brow. Zeno Zemana looked surprised and then concerned. His eyes moved quickly past Eun-Ji, however. "Manfred, my boy," he exclaimed, in his trademark manner, "can you watch these strudel for a moment?"

"Of course, Master Zeno." Manfred rose and stepped dutifully towards the cooking area, too proud to admit that he had no idea how to cook strudel. Just don't burn, little buddies - delicious little buddies - and we'll be good here, he thought at them. Eun-Ji out of sorts, Karim wanting a private audience with the Zeno, Mayu unusually cross about something. Had they, too, seen aberrations on their nightstands?

In the event, Manfred didn't burn the strudel, mostly because the Zeno swooped back in with perfect timing and took over. When he had a moment, he mentioned that he, too, had seen an aberration this morning. It was still there and he did not know what to do with it. He received a pat on the shoulder, some assurances, and a lovely breakfast. He fed a bit of it to Kurbis. Now that he thought about it, the cat had seemed skittish this morning. Something was undoubtedly wrong. The question was "what?"

---

When he lined up outside of Balthazar Hall, Manfred was loath to gossip, but also more motivated than ever to start making someheadway against the mysteries that this place had thrown at him. Aware of the effect that he could have on certain women, he found a group of Perrench girls and eventually got them to admit to having seen aberrations on their nightstands as well. They'd made a sort of game out of making each other reveal whether or not they'd absorbed those. Two had even admitted to receiving the Blood Magic Course invitations and one, he recognized from the previous day: the one-legged girl, Penny, who'd spoken with Eun-Ji, who was perhaps not to be trusted. Standing next to her for an extended period, there was something that stuck him as familiar. He wasn't sure what. Her face... reminded him of Nina, somewhat, were she a few years older.

---

His courses were...courses, for the most part. Mozaru was a disciplinarian, but one of those offbeat types. Manfred managed not to stand out. Alcaster Serra's word game bored him. He managed not to stand out. Luria Colloy worked them hard and gave them these little rods. Karim was there and there was a short boy in a heavy bascinet helm who seemed amused, but Manfred had no use for lightning and decided that he would learn next to nothing in the class. It was Jurgen Mendenhoffer's class that he'd been looking forward to. He knew the Zeno, of course, though he found that he received no special treatment. This man, at least, was a magusjaeger, and Manfred did his utmost to perform to the best of his abilities. He noticed a similar commitment from Eun-ji, who seemed to be doing a little bit better than she had in the morning.

---

Manfred's evening, however, was fairly mundane. He settled Kurbis into his dormitory and the cat was less than happy at being moved again, but it couldn't be helped. The Kerreman found himself next door to a studious Torragonese named Selio who he exchanged polite greetings with but little else and across from a boastful and obnoxious Belzaggicman - Jomurr Ikon - who he took an instant disliking to. Being at the very end of the boys' wing, he was close to the girls, and a pair of Eskandishwomen - Marlijn and Anesin, in particular. The both were... rather distracting and he was almost glad of the usually-locked door between he and them. This is not time for the wolf to be loose in the hen house, he scolded himself. He had hoped to reconvene with Eun-Ji in the evening, but she was over in the commons dormitories and had seemed very much in her own head today. So be it. He wasn't exactly sure why he'd found himself caring so much about what she would or would not do. In fact, he found himself mildly annoyed at his preoccupation... but still a bit disappointed that they had not met up. He thought about making the trip over, but decided that she would do what she would do and they would reconvene when either of them had anything worth sharing.

Awakening:
Not having yet replenished her supply of reading material Yimu had for once decided to turn in early. She’d already memorized most of the factual information in the books she’d brought after all, only a little of which was new to her in anything but wording, and it wouldn’t hurt to be able to wake up earlier anyway.

When she awoke it was in fact earlier than she would normally do so, something she’d no doubt have been grateful for in light of previous experiences where she'd accidently slept in, had her attention not immediately been drawn to the aberration hovering above her nightstand. At least she assumed it was an aberration, the appearance matched what frustratingly little information she’d been able to find about the oddities.

The gears in Yimu’s head began to turn, quickly shaking off any of the residual grogginess that remained from having just woken up. She knew that aberrations were generally considered to be dangerous, but that there were also rumors that they could raise one’s RAS if absorbed at the cost of a headache and some cravings. Hell at one point she’d considered trying to find one to test those rumors and raise her pitiful RAS, but had given up when she realized she had no idea how to find one and that her time would better be spent on more surefire ways of improving herself… Now though, finding the thing wouldn’t waste any of her time at all.

Actually, looking at the risks she wasn’t sure there was much of a reason not to absorb the aberration. Supposedly aberrations were particularly dangerous to non-mages, but that wouldn’t be a problem for Yimu, and if the things actually could increase RAS, Yimu could even see the potential for that whole thing being a wives tale spread to keep common folk from competing with the upper classes, though she supposed there wasn’t really a way for her to safely test that. The other possible side effects, headaches, addiction, mood swings, hardly even registered to Yimu, she was more than confident she could deal with such things. If anything, not absorbing it would be a travesty.

Her decision set in stone Yimu set about absorbing the aberration, before her roommate had the chance to wake up and see it.

Classes:
Yimu was glad to have finally received her timetable, and made a point of having it committed to memory by the end of her luncheon. The courses themselves were about what Yimu had expected, which was to say immensely enjoyable.

Zander Mozaru’s class on Sensing and Drawing afforded Yimu the chance to show off a little, as while she was far from the best, sensing and drawing were both things she’d had plenty of practice with. While she was slightly disappointed that her first class didn’t exactly teach her much as she would have liked, Yimu could respect the practicality of gauging the students capabilities in the first place, a teacher that knew what they were doing would be one that could teach her more in the long run.

Her second class, Avincan with allcaster Serra, was enjoyable for a whole different reason. Yimu could practically feel herself learning, and the prospect of understanding a whole new language, brought to mind several books she’d in the past encountered but hadn’t had the ability to read. While she hadn’t brought any of those books with her, she was sure she’d come across more, especially if she looked for them, and that was a tantalizing thought indeed.

Yimu’s third class, Binding Magic with Alois Lascand, was probably her least favorite class of the day, not for lack of interest in the subject overall, but simply because she couldn’t bring herself to care all that much about “the solemn duty of binders'”. She sincerely doubted that anyone with ethics so dubious so as not to get what Alois spoke of, was going to be swayed by it, and she’d honestly would be a lot more interested to learn about binding magic itself.

Where her third class had been Yimu’s least favorite however, her last, Chemistry Magic with Ardredelle Latvar, was probably her favorite. Chemistry Magic was probably the field of magic she’d had the least practice with. Sure she’d done some rudimentary research into the theory behind chemistry and chemical magic, but she was yet to actually put most of that research into practice, something she was more than a bit disappointed in herself for. Actually, doing that was almost a weight off her chest and though she’d never admit it, when she’d managed to induce hunger in the praying mantis, Yimu had felt more than a little bit of that childish “I made that happen” kind of pride.

Reserved for future use.