Kiara could only shrug when the professor made his statements known; in the end, her roommate appeared and she was quickly dismissed to sit anyway. Although, she almost regretted the action, hearing how Sekhandur was being chewed out for his tardiness and worse yet, made to endure a harsher punishment. There wasn't much that could be done for it however, thoughts to ponder for another time though; because she saw clearly an open seat waiting for her as well as the one who occupied the one beside it. She almost sighed but sat beside her sister nonetheless.
"Do I even want to know why the professor was debating with you this morning?" she started off. Eris was a fool if she thought that tidbit slipped past her sight.
"A good day to you as well, Sis," Eris replied, showing her usual sharp wits. Anyone else other than Kira would probably have been greeted by a sharper remark, but teasing her sibling was more enjoyable.
"If I must answer, the truth is that I was merely getting a feel of how this mission will be. Our most steemed teacher isn't very good at making his mind known. Naturally, the only way to be sure is to prod him," she said, taking a short break as the train whistle blowed.
"But, fear not, I wasn't being confrontational if that's what you think. Of course, I cannot control how he will think but surely there's no harm in asking why in the world such a pretigous academy allowed a pair of lowly thieves to sneak in and do as they pleased. I can't be the only one who thinks something is wrong in this whole story. Like the pieces don't match."Kiara ignored the obvious bait in Eris' tone. She ignored a great deal of many things when it came to her sister; better for her own state of mind. Even so....
"I don't think the professor is incompetent, but rather he has a hard time expressing himself to us. Or rather, he only knows one way how. This is also his first class I've been told so he's about as much in the dark as we all are," she started.
"That said, it is odd why we're going on this field trip. Either the professor is that confident in our abilities, his own ability, or it's to give us some real world experience. Either one has a logical standpoint." Indeed, in theory the whole lot of them were in no actual danger and she doubted Professor Nyx could get away with as much as he liked to think when practically every eye in the school was watching them. Between having a Miracle Seven teaching them and their own slow growth, no doubt they were becoming a talking point in the school. Especially after the first day.
"Well, regardless. Are you ordering anything? Also...." A pause; Kiara glanced behind them slowly to make sure they couldn't be heard.
"So out of curiosity, does Ty catch your fancy? I've noticed you two have been...I wouldn't say friendly knowing you, but cordial terms.""Oh, I never said he was. If nothing else, some of his lessons have... interesting practical uses," Eris said as she once again created a buble of mercury, and easily shaped into a doll ressembling her sister.
"But being gifted in a field while excising the others is hardly a thing a human being should strive for. At any rate, time will be the judge of whether my theory is right or not, I suppose," she said as she commanded the mercury doll with a finger, like a lazy puppeteer.
"As for orders, I suppose a cake and some tea could do. Our beloved teacher can say they are gifts from the Academy but we are the ones who pay for it in the end. I see no use for reservations in this matter.""Mmm~?" Eris almost purred as she heard her sister's question.
"Oh my, Sis. Oh my... Are you this worried about me?" she teased in an equally hushed voice.
"Well, I won't deny that he has been nothing but kind ever since we first met but... I wouldn't say there's any more than that. Well, I have other issues in my mind now, but who knows, who knows...""What are you even doing...." Kiara stared at the mercury doll likened in her image, of which now rested in Eris' lap. There was absolutely no reason to be doing this, aside from her trying to annoy her sister again. Still, it was causing no harm, for now, and so Kiara ignored it. As usual.
"Well you don't have to worry abou tme sharing since I'm not all that hungry anyway." Kiara raised a hand, calling forth one of the waiters on standby to place her sister's order before rolling her eyes at Eris' dramatic comments.
"You're making me regret even asking. But I guess you do see him as a friend. That's good." Indeed, she recalled telling her sister weeks ago to try and make some effort of getting along with their peers. So far, it looked to be working. Though she briefly wondered if mentioning Ty's earlier game of who was cutest would cause more good or harm. In the end, she figured it was best not to sour Eris' relations than what they already were. It wouldn't have been long before they reached their destination anyway.
"I suppose you don't understand yet, then. Never mind, you'll do it in time, this is far from the last ace up my sleeve so to say," Eris said as she dismissed the mercury doll and turned her attention to her breakfast. It seemed that Kiara hadn't understood the meaning behind Eris' actions, or noticed the great deal of control it took to do what she did so casually. Not that Eris could blame her sister, since she had been hiding most of her true capacity for the last two weeks.
"That's a shame, though. I wouldn't mind feeding you if you are feeling tired," Eris joked before she took a bite of her cake. It sure wouldn't be long before they arrived at their destination. And, maybe for once, they wouldn't have any problems along the way.
Eris' sentiment, while in the right place, would prove to be incorrect. Not that she was concerned with her sister's parlor tricks; Kiara spent much of the trip in her own thoughts and in silence. Before long, their train arrived to the outskirts of Genelogia, all of them hoarded off the train and following their professor. Apparently they were supposed to head towards a village and along the way, walking was expected. Alot of it. So much walking that, indeed, would no doubt cause some unrest in the students. Much like the train trip, Kiara spent most of her walk in silence, though Eris was around for company. She was always around, always by her side like a shadow. It was only when she saw their professor pause did she pause too, looking around for what could have made him stop.
Then she blinked with some surprise, looking right in front of her.
"Eris, it's spring, right?" She nodded towards the trees in front whose leaves were instead of a deep autumn coloration. Clearly something was off, and the logical answer was magic.
"Hold on, let me try something...." Kiara shut her eyes for a moment, her own mana gathering into the twin points that were her eyes. When she opened them again, a red ring circled over her pupils as she cast her Mystic Perception over herself. However....
"Strange...I can see something faint. It's like looking at gas. It's there, but also not there," she told her sister, narrowing her eyes to concentrate as if that would help. Maybe someone changed the leaves for decorative purposes?
Eris couldn't say that she was pleased with the walk down a rundown patch of woodland. Sure, the great sages of the past always exhorted the value of following nature, and being among it, but even they knew when to draw the line. Eris herself wasn't unacquainted with these kinds of activities, but she couldn't help but think that their teacher was making this harder than it needed to be. Not that it mattered in the great scheme of things. After all, soon enough, they found themselves with something much more intriguiging to comtemplate.
"It certainly was the last time I heard of it. At least as far back as when we got in the school, if the blossoming trees of Class S are any indication," Eris replied to her sister's question as she looked around the curiously colored forest.
"That said, I once read that there are areas where unusual minerals, magic, or both, can make the trees and other plants take on all manner of unique hues. But I don't think this is what's at work here," she said, pointing to the villager.
While the others, or more precisely Ankaa and Alberta, observed how the villager reacted before taking any action, Eris stepped forward.
"Excuse me, sir. Are you alright? We came here from the Capital, is it possible we can talk to the local authorities?"While Eris was bold enough to actually approach the sickly villager, Kiara overheard Ankaa and Alberta's discussion, moving closer to them.
"Alberta's right. We don't know what it is or if contact will spread the infection. More than likely it is magical in nature." Her eyes were still activated and they would try to decipher any trace of mana over the man's condition. Hopefully some insight could be provided.
"We also have to consider the possibility this is the work of the relic that was stolen at the school. If that's true, we have some knowledge of what it's capable of." She looked over at the others in their group.
"We're a large number so half of us can gather information and ask around while the other tends to this man. Assuming we're allowed to act in this situation as students of the field, not the classroom."That last statement was directed at Professor Nyx. For all they knew, he could just as easily order them to sit out of the situation at hand.
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