2
2
★ ★ ★
“Well, the truth is…”
Yes, that’s right. The reason you came here today was to ask Mary to recommend you a magus that would be willing to teach your classroom. With your limited information, you could previously only access magi officially on the Clock Tower’s records but there are surely more out there that you don’t know about. Thus, your only choice is to ask someone more experienced and knowledgeable than you for help in this matter.
You briefly give Mary a quick run-down regarding your situation and your desperation for a magus that can teach your classroom. She listens carefully and intently, showing her respect to your troubles. When you finish though, her expression is grim.
“I understand your troubles, Miss Frederica. Regretfully, I must admit that I am not familiar with any magi who would be willing and qualified to teach your classroom.”
“I see…”
You hang your head in defeat. Darn it, that was your last chance that you gambled everything on. Now, you have no leads.
Mary sees your obvious sign of despair and seems apologetic for her answer.
“I’m really sorry. I would love to be of assistance, but I am truly unable to recommend anyone.” She apologizes honestly. “If it were just a new, unestablished classroom, I could probably think of one or two suitable magi, but the problem lies in your students. No one I know would be willing to take on so many troublesome cases in addition to the situation. It would be like asking them to cart a wagon of ticking bombs. The only lecturer I know who would do such a reckless thing is Lord El-Melloi…”
Suddenly, Mary stops mid-sentence. Her abrupt change makes you raise your head and you notice that she has changed to a contemplative look.
“Wait. Actually, maybe… that might…”
She thinks to herself for a moment, keeping you in suspense, before opening her eyes in disbelief at the answer she has come to.
“Actually, I think I know just the person.”
“What!? Really?”
You bounce back up as your hopes are immediately re-kindled. That startles Mary a little and she tries to calm you down.
“Well, yes, but I wouldn’t get your hopes too high up. This person is a bit… eccentric. You see, he was one of my classmates in the El-melloi classroom, but he should know enough Astromancy to take over for your class.”
You nod along to Mary’s description. Just as you thought, there was a magus in another department that could still teach Astromancy. But as your hopes reach a new peak, Mary makes a troubled expression.
“The problem is… he’s not a magus anymore.”
“Huh?”
Her words dumbfound you.
“He quit being a magus. After he graduated, he just suddenly decided to stop studying magecraft. He threw everything away and went to get a regular job in the mundane world. I think he’s currently working as a regular lawyer in the city.”
“Wait. So… he can’t become a lecturer, after all?”
“Not necessarily. He still has the knowledge and skill, so there should be no problem with him re-integrating into the world of magic, as long as he chooses to do so.”
“Is that likely?”
“Well, he did choose to leave the world of magic, so I don’t think he’d return for no reason. But, if he’s still the same person I knew back then, I think there’s a good chance he’ll want to teach your classroom.”
You find yourself gulping. You feel that this is it. This is truly your last and final chance. For the sake of reviving your grandfather’s classroom, you must convince this man to return to the world of magi and become your lecturer.
“So then, would you like me to arrange a meeting between the two of you?”
“Yes, please.”
★ ★ ★
You find yourself waiting for your golden ticket in a café in Southwark, London. Thanks to Mary’s invaluable help, you have been scheduled to meet with the man in question here so you can talk about your job offer. It seems that he is a very busy man, so the only time he could meet up with you was during his lunch break, which is why you are waiting at a café near his work at noon. Before he arrives, you mentally prepare yourself for the destined interview and go over what you know about the man.
Caleb Morse, a former student of El-Melloi II. He had studied alongside Mary and under the greatest lecturer of Clock Tower, realized his inner potential, and was given the stamp of approval to graduate. It is said that all students of El-Melloi II achieve great heights and reach no less than the rank of Pride or Brand within a decade. Despite this rosy path, however, he suddenly threw it all away and abandoned the world of magic in favor for a mundane life. Why did he abruptly change his life path? Why does Mary think he will want to teach your classroom? You don’t know the answer to either of these questions and can only hope to figure them out during this meeting.
At last, a few minutes past noon, the man in question arrives. Through the café door, a tall besuited man steps into the establishment with poise and seemingly points you out immediately. Yet, even though he clearly seems to notice you, he doesn’t walk towards your direction. Instead, he heads straight towards the queue for the counter and patiently waits in line, despite clearly knowing you are waiting for him. His actions, seemingly showing zero regard for politeness, shock you after your fancy lady-like meeting with Mary.
As you just watch him stand in queue for a few minutes, you examine his appearance. It wasn’t what you had expected. He looks… old. If you hadn’t known that he had been Mary’s classmate, you would’ve immediately guessed that he was a middle-aged man. His features were sharp yet clearly wrinkled. His brow was droopy and his expression eternally grim. His eyebags were an unhealthy black that no amount of sleep could ever recover. When paired with his suit, he looked to be more suited for a funeral rather than an office cubicle. That was the sort of impression Caleb Morse gave.
After a few minutes, Caleb finished retrieving his food and drink and finally walked over to your seat with mechanical steps. Giving no greeting, he placed his tray onto the table and sat next to you. It seemed that his lunch was a simple plain bagel and black coffee.
“So. You are the girl that Fargo mentioned?”
His deep, solemn voiced shook you a little as he suddenly started talking. You do your best to hold onto your courage and respond professionally.
“Yes, I am. Thank you for taking your time to come here.”
“You are welcome. Fargo told me that you wanted to offer me a job.”
His manner of speech is curt and brusque and he doesn’t look you in the eye as he speaks. Instead, he focuses on his meal, bringing the hot and bitter coffee to his lips between sentences.
“Yes, that is correct. I’d like to talk to you about teaching at my classroom.”
He takes a bite out of his bagel and nods.
“Very well. You have three minutes.”
“Eh?”
His response startles you. Three minutes? Could it be… did he mean that you only had three minutes to talk with him? No way, that can’t be it... right?
“I am a very busy man and must return to work once my lunch is done. Therefore, you have the three minutes until I finish eating to talk to me.”
He nonchalantly confirms your worries. You are startled to say the least. You had been expecting to have a proper, lengthy conversation in which you could come to know the man, so you had not expected to suddenly need to give an elevator pitch. For a moment, you wonder if he’s actually serious, but when he takes another bite out of his bagel, urgency fills your brain.
Taking no chances, you immediately go over what you can about the details of the lecturer position, what kind of classroom he will be teaching, what material he will have to cover, what the students are like, how much you are willing to pay him, and so forth. You’re surprised at how quickly you manage to speak when pressured; perhaps in another life, you may have had a hidden talent for rapping, or so you would like to believe. Regardless, you manage to get everything you want to say in 2 minutes and finish with battered breath.
As you spoke fervently, Caleb listened to you with an uninterested expression while eating his bagel. You couldn’t really tell if he was or wasn’t actually paying attention at all. Just as you finish, he takes the last bites of his bagel and only has the cup of coffee left to complete his mealtime.
“Hm, 80 points.” He comments lightly after you finish. “Considering your lack of preparation, you managed to speak quickly, clearly, and concisely. You left out any extraneous information and delivered all the necessary details for me to understand the scope of the job as well as the benefits for me to accept. You deserve commendation.”
He nods while drinking his coffee. You don’t really get the point thing, but you understand that he’s praising you. Which means he must have liked your pitch! That’s a great sign. Your expectations rise…
“Then, does that mean you’ll-”
“But I refuse.”
Only to be shot down immediately.
“W-what? Why?”
You cry out with a broken heart. You don’t understand his reason for refusing. Also, you feel like he might have just done a JoJo pose while refusing, but that might have been your imagination.
“To be frank, I have no interest in changing careers. Especially for one involving magecraft. I only came today to hear you out as a favor for Fargo.”
His words clearly reject your every intention, making the past few minutes completely worthless. Realizing that, you feel as if you can’t accept his reason so easily.
“But why? Why would you choose a regular job over a magical one?”
You question him as energetically as you can without drawing the attention of the other people in the café. He does not respond to your interrogation and merely continues to drain his coffee. Swiftly, the final gulp is polished off and he sets down the now empty paper cup. With his meal finished, you actually do expect him to just get up and leave, considering his prior behavior, but he instead seems to have something to say.
“Allow me to be clear as you seem the persistent sort. I want to live a mundane life.”
His voice is crystal clear, and you realize that his eyes have suddenly become sharper and more attentive. There is a hint of determination in his speech, unlike the bareness of his prior words. You can’t tell if this change is due to the coffee or the content of his speech.
“I hold no desire for an exciting and romantic life of magic. Instead, such a lifestyle is nothing but stressful to me. I dislike stress. When I am anxious, my stomach aches and I feel like vomiting. It is the worst sensation in the world. I am currently employed as a Crown Advocate for the British Government. Every day, I face an inexhaustible amount of work to do. When I wake up in the morning, I immediately go to work, and when work is over, I immediately go to bed. I am only able to afford a few minutes for lunch and I do not have any holidays. It is a profession that would drive any man insane. However, it is my dream job. Do you know why? It is because it does not stress me at all. I am always working so I never have to worry about what to spend my free time doing. The office is so understaffed and overworked that I never have to worry about unemployment. The work is so exhausting that I am able to fall asleep immediately every night and I wake up thinking about nothing but work. I do not have a significant other, so I don’t need to worry about spending time with her. All of my family is deceased, so I do not have to take care of them. My life is dedicated solely to my job. Therefore, there is no room for me to stress. In comparison, the life of a magus is turbulent and uncertain. Everyday you must worry about whether you will live or die. Your magic crest may bring you pain at any moment, and every use of your circuits carries the risk of death. Because you represent your family, you are not free to do whatever you choose, and you must care about what others think of you. For me, it is nothing but a brobdingnagian source of stress. Thus, do you understand why I do not wish to become a magus once again?”
… You are speechless. His words were absolute. There is nothing you can say to penetrate his rationale.
Even so, you clench your first. Even so, you grit your teeth.
“That’s… I can’t accept that. That can’t be true. Surely there is something else you are missing. Isn’t there something about magecraft that you miss? That kind of life can’t possibly be fulfilling.”
“Hm.” His response and expression are stern. Though it’s hard to tell, he seems annoyed by your response. Even so, he stays seated.
“Eru, was it? Fargo told me a little about you. You just became a magus recently, correct? Tell me. Why did you do choose to do so?”
It seems it is now your turn to show your conviction. You beat your chest with resolve.
“To honour my grandfather’s wishes. He entrusted me with the family legacy, so I have to live up to his expectations!”
There is no change in Caleb’s expression. If anything, he suddenly looks bored.
“I see. Then, it is no wonder you do not understand my lifestyle.”
“… what do you mean?”
“To be frank, Eru, there is no person I despise more than one who blindly follows their family’s orders. Such people disgust me. But that is not all. You see, we are fundamentally opposite. I was born in the world of magic and chose to leave it. You were born outside it and chose to enter it. We do not just live in different worlds by circumstance. We chose to live in different worlds. Therefore, we will never be on the same level of understanding.”
He gets up. At last, it seems that he has said everything he wanted to.
“Let this be a lesson for you. There are people in this world who value things differently from you, and there is nothing you can do to change that. If you keep that in mind, you will grow to be a fine adult.”
It was at that moment that you realized. His nonchalant attitude, his lack of manners, his refusal to engage you properly, his simple way of speaking… all along he never took you seriously. In his eyes, you were just a kid and he was just an adult playing along. From the moment, he stepped in through those doors, you didn’t have a chance. No matter what you did, it was doomed from the start.
That…
There’s no way you can accept that! You can’t just let yourself be disrespected as such. But most of all, you can’t let go of this one golden chance.
“Please think about it. If you change your mind, please let me know.”
You shout out as he leaves the establishment. Without acknowledging you enough to turn around, the besuited-man merely waves back dismissively, as if responding “I won’t.”
And so, he leaves, your golden ticket floating away with the northern wind. You slump onto the table exhausted from the mere 3 minute conversation. The departmental meeting is tomorrow. This was your last chance to grab a lecturer in time; at this rate, there’s a good chance your classroom’s revival won’t even be approved.
You have almost certainly failed.
… or so you thought at that moment. But sometimes strange miracles do occur. Mary Lil Fargo had ascertained that Caleb Morse would likely take the job and so recommended him. The reason she thought so is unknown, but it certainly exists. Caleb Morse has a reason to become the lecturer of your classroom. But just what is it?
Why will Caleb Morse choose to become a magecraft lecturer?
1. Principle
2. Benevolence
3. Passion
4. Money
5. Love
The outcome is already determined. All you must choose is the reason.
This choice will only affect Caleb's personal characteristics and motivations. The future is already set in stone.
Reference Image: Caleb Morse
Last edited by zikari8; September 3rd, 2019 at 05:29 AM.
2. Benevolence
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1. Principle
The Act of dozing off in the afternoon is a luxury indeed.
Coffee would be nice, though.
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2. Benevolence
Pretty nice quality to have for a teacher.
2. Benevolence also carries undertones of condescension and can have "show off how good I am" as a motivation so I think it's in character with what we've seen
Originally Posted by Faux, July 20th 2019
True Rider
1, Principle
The day of reckoning arrives.★ ★ ★
Early the next morning, you head for the Astronomy Department Headquarters, where the semester meeting is being held. Like always, the building has a couple of strict-looking security guards watching the entrance, but after all the running about you did in the past couple of weeks, they basically know you by face now and let you in without a fuss. Today, however, you aren’t in any hurry as you trot lethargically to the assembly hall with your head down.
After all that you tried, you were unable to procure a lecturer for your classroom. You had wanted to preserve your grandfather’s classroom, but it seems like you’ve messed up. Did you do something wrong? Was there a mistake in your choices? Or perhaps it was simply too reckless to try and make a classroom full of problem students? Lacking guidance and experience, all you can do is think over every choice you’ve made and wonder which one was wrong.
As you approach the assembly hall door, though, you notice a familiar figure casually loitering around the entrance: a tall, lanky man in a remarkably bland, black suit with a grim face besuited a man twice his age. As department heads, lecturers, and other important faculty big-shots enter the assembly hall and pass by him, they give glances of only mild curiosity. You, on the other hand, are absolutely stunned. Of course, the man is no other than Caleb Morse.
“W-w-w-what are you doing here!?” You ask as you rush up to the man in an almost panicked manner.
He notices you immediately and, without any large reaction, simply replies,
“This is the room for the Faculty Meeting.”
Eh? You have trouble processing the words that come out of his mouth. The room for the Faculty Meeting… so he’s here for the Faculty Meeting? So, he’s here for the meeting? But didn’t he quit being a magus? So why would he be involved with such a meeting, unless…
“D-does… does this mean you changed your mind?”
“Yes.”
He responds to your uncertain question nonchalantly as if stating a simple fact.
You are so bewildered that you feel like a rug just got pulled from under your feet, causing you to trip up and faceplant on the floor. The change in his response is as jarring as a sudden car crash. Just yesterday, less than 24 hours ago, he had refused your offer with absolute resolution, and now here he was changing his mind with a metaphorical shrug. This doesn’t make sense. What happened in the past 20 or so hours? Does he have a dissociative personality? Is he a tsundere?
You clutch your head and try to recompose yourself. Caleb, meanwhile, just stares blankly at you, occasionally looking at his watch as if passive aggressively telling you to hurry up with your mental conundrum. After a few moments, you manage to find some mental ground to stand on.
“Um… can I ask why?” You ask to try and alleviate your confusion.
“Does that matter?”
He doesn’t seem surprised by the question, but instead brushes it off lightly. Still, at least for you, it’s an important question. You answer with sincerity,
“I’d… like to know.”
“Hmm…”
He doesn’t answer. Instead, he just looks away from you and stares off silently with a contemplative expression. For a few moments, you wonder if he’s trying to get out of answering, but he eventually mumbles something almost inaudibly.
“… I remembered an old dream.”
His voice is filled with a sense of reminiscence.
“Yesterday, when I went back home after work, I couldn’t fall asleep. For the first time in over a year, I laid restlessly in bed. For some reason, I kept thinking about your offer and all the problem students you spoke of… and I remembered. There was once a boy who didn’t know what he wanted to do. He felt trapped and without choice in a world of uncertainty. And at that time, it was his teacher who gave him a chance to find his path.”
He turns back to face you, his eyes glowing with uncharacteristic life.
“That’s why, for the students who were like I used to be, I cannot refuse your offer!”
Resolve echoes through his words. It is a different type of conviction than the dead acceptance you felt yesterday. You almost can’t believe your eyes and ears. Is this truly the same grumpy dude you met yesterday?
“Didn’t you say that you hated the world of magic? And you didn’t like me either.”
You voice your confusion at his simple reasoning.
“Don’t get me wrong. I still absolutely abhor this sort of work. My stomach is already rumbling at the thought of returning to the world of magic.”
As if returning to form, he slips back into the lecturing tone he had yesterday and speaks with dull conviction.
“But being an adult means doing the things you don’t like. This is merely for the greater good.”
You can’t tell if he actually feels that way or if he’s just being tsundere. But one thing seems clear…
“So… you really mean it? You’re going to be my lecturer?”
“Naturally.”
Part of you still has trouble, but it seems that he truly is on board. Elation spreads throughout you. You did it. You actually did it. You aren’t sure how you did it, but you’ve completed all the requirements for reviving your grandfather’s classroom. If you weren’t in a public place, you’d be jumping up and down in joy.
“Well then. It is my displeasure to be working with you, Miss Eru.”
Caleb’s solemn voice quickly breaks you out of your celebratory mood. You notice he’s now holding out his hand as if in expectation.
“R-right…”
The two of you shake hands awkwardly. You feel his firm grip take a solid hold on your soft hands and rustle them roughly.
“Hm. 30 points. You’ll want to work on your handshake if you want to make it in this world. If you have time, study up on etiquette. I personally recommend Lady Yumina’s lecture, if she’s still doing that. Anyways, we’re out of time, so let’s head in.”
“Oh. Okay.”
You barely keep up with his pace as he swiftly and efficiently moves things along. Although you still have some qualms about this relationship, you feel a sense of comfort in how assured he seems of himself. At the very least, it’s good that you have someone who knows what they’re doing on your side. After a month of fumbling about not knowing anything… this is refreshing.
Together, the two of you head for the assembly hall. Now, you are no longer alone. You have someone on your side, even if you don’t really like each other. At the very least, that is something to cheer for.
As you get to the door, though, Caleb suddenly stops. His hand hovers just above the door handle.
“Hm? What’s wrong, Mr. Morse?” You ask, sensing something wrong in his movement.
He is suddenly making a troubled face and even seems to be sweating slightly as he freezes in front of the door. That worries you. Could there be some big matter that you missed? With the utmost seriousness, he turns to you and responds,
“Shit. I’m really nervous.”
“Eh?”
What did he just say?
“What do I do when I go in there? I’ve been gone for so long, what will they say when they see me come back. I bet they all think I’m a traitor. They’ll probably all laugh at me. No, they’re definitely gonna want to kill me. I’m so dead. I’m so absolutely dead. Ah, no, this isn’t good No, no, no, I’m too scared. My stomach hurts. I think I peed myself. I’m going home. Good bye.”
“EEEHHH!? What are you talking about?”
You grab him before he can run away and he struggles wildly in your hands.
“No, I can’t do this! I knew this life wasn’t for me. I shouldn’t have tried to act cool and push myself. I don’t care about the greater good. Let me go. I’m going home!”
“No, no, no. We have to go to the meeting. Eh? Did your personality change? What happened to the cool adult act? I actually respected you for a second there.”
“I don’t need your respect. You can handle the meeting on your own right? I can’t handle this stuff, so just let me go home for today. I’ll try hard tomorrow.”
“Mr. Morse!”
In the end, it takes you a couple of minutes to calm him down and drag him back into the meeting hall, causing the two of you to be slightly late and earning the ire of the everyone else.
Well, it seems that nothing can ever go too well for you. The trustful ally you gained today was less reliable than you thought. As always, there’s still a long way to go before you can consider yourself a proper magus. Still, now you have finally established the classroom that your grandfather left behind. You have taken the first step.
Your journey has only just begun.
[Chapter 1 End]Note: Thank you for making it to the end of Chapter 1 of Magician Raising Project 2. Please wait warmly for the start of Chapter 2 in the near future.
Chapter 2:
The Boy Blessed with Everything
Date: September 7, 2005
Location: ???
It was a dull awakening.
No dreams. No sudden jolts. Just the increasingly annoying chorus of an alarm and the early autumn sunlight peering in.
The first thing he saw as he opened his eyes was an unfamiliar ceiling. It belonged to no location he could immediately recall, particularly not the room he had lived in for most of his life. Only after a few moments of blank confusion did he remember why he didn't recognize where he was.
"Oh yeah... I'm not at home anymore."
With that realization, the young man understood everything. He promptly shut the alarm and got out of bed.
His name was Damian Albright. 18 years old. Male. Magus. Single.
At the moment, he was a student at the Clock Tower, the Headquarters of Magecraft here in London. After finally graduating from the General Fundamentals department, he had managed to be accepted into the Faculty of Astrology and was now ready to embark on the next chapter of his life. That also meant moving out of his old home and into the student dormitories that had been offered upon his enrollment.
Move-in day was yesterday, just before the first day of the new term. He had brought in his stuff, gave his greetings to his sponsor Miss Frederica, had some brief encounters with his new dormmates, and then went to bed early to be prepared for the first day of school. From what he knew, there were currently only 6 students living in this dormitory despite its much larger size. The building itself was… okay. It was old, but old things tended to be better for magi. In comparison to his actual house, the facilities and amenities were definitely more convenient. There were the obvious downsides of dorm life, but there were clear advantages as well, such as the shorter commute. Speaking of which…
"Oh. The time..."
At that moment, he realized all too late the mistake he made.
Without thinking, he had set his alarm to the usual time, the one he always had when attending class in the years prior. That, of course, didn't account for the shorter commute, so it was now quite a bit earlier in the morning then he intended to wake up.
Well, all things considered, better earlier than later, right? He should take this mistake in stride and use it to his fullest.
Accounting for the time it would normally take to get ready, he had about... an extra hour to kill. It was his first day of his new class, so he should make sure his preparations were perfect.
Now then, what should he do before class?
What should Damian do with the time he has before school starts?
1. Loiter in the open area to see if there’s anyone else there
2. Have a full breakfast
3. Go to the classroom early
4. Go back to bed
5. Write-In
Notes:
Thank you for your patience. Magician Raising Project 2 has returned for now.
As a note, from hereon there will be segments of the quest played in the shoes of other characters. Please enjoy these other perspectives.
2.
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1 - time to socialise!
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Hermes Servant Collection Master Post
2
Can’t work/study on an empty stomach!
The Act of dozing off in the afternoon is a luxury indeed.
Coffee would be nice, though.
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3
3.
3.
★ ★ ★
Date: September 7th, 2005
Location: Student Dormitory
Well, you know what they say: the early bird gets the worm. Best to get to class early than fool around and end up late. And who knows? Perhaps he might find something special in the early morning classroom.
With that in mind, Damian got ready for school – getting dressed and gathering his supplies – and headed out without delay. No one else in the building seemed to be awake yet as the open area was completely devoid of life. It seems he was the only one dumb enough to make such a such a mistake with the alarms.
As he exited the dorms, though, he surprisingly ran into someone he didn’t expect.
“Ah, hey. Um… Damian, was it? Good morning.”
Just as he opened the dorm’s main doors, he came face-to-face with another resident trying to enter. She was an energetic-looking young woman with grey hair and large blue eyes. The glamour of her irises was so bright that they reminded him of ultramarine diamonds.
“Ah… Hello.”
A bit taken aback; Damian barely manages to utter an awkward reply. Was it because he wasn’t comfortable talking to strangers or just awkward around women?
If he recalled correctly, the girl’s name was Fiona Venilia. She was another student living in these dorms, which also meant she was his classmate too. He had briefly met her during move-in the day before but didn’t get the chance to get to know her. The only reason he remembered her last name was because it sounded like vanilla.
“You’re up rather early. Are you an early riser too?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
In reply to her beaming smiley question, he merely shrugged. His voice bordered between indifference and annoyance; it was immediately clear that he wasn’t one for small talk.
Though it might’ve made for chatter fuel, he didn’t bother to ask why she herself was up so early; it was evident from her appearance. She was dressed in proper sports attire and a closer look revealed the sweat glistening on her skin. It was obvious that she must’ve been out enjoying an early morning jog, not too rare of a habit for Londoners when the weather permitted it.
So, since there was nothing to ask, nothing to talk about, nor anything that interested him, he saw no reason to stay there any longer.
“Well, then, see ya.”
He nonchalantly bid farewell and stepped out of the door without waiting for a reply.
“Oh, okay. See you in class!”
Leaving behind that cheery remark, he stepped out onto the awakening city of London.
When one mentions the Clock Tower to an outsider, the immediate image that comes to mind would be that of the infamous landmark that towered over the city. The second image would be that of a dark, labyrinthine underground dungeon straight out of an RPG. Neither would be incorrect, but for a student of his level, his environment was much more mundane.
While it was true that a large number of workshops were underground, there were also quite a few buildings above ground as well. One of them was the classroom Damian Albright was now enrolled in, the one owned by Frederica Eru. The Twelve Faculties of Clock Tower all had their own sort of satellite city near London where the bulk of their above ground facilities were: classrooms, dorms, research building and so on. The Faculty of Astronomy was no exception. One could call these cities their Department’s main territory or turf, so it wasn’t often that magi from other faculties would intrude on another faculties’ area without intentionally picking a fight. Thus, it was also true that most of the magi in the neighbouring area are ones associated with the area’s Department.
Which is why it’s not uncommon to run into another student of the Faculty…
“Ah.”
Not too long after leaving the dorms, on his way to his classroom building, Damian happened to run into another person he knew on the streets. Was their something in his fate about chance encounters today? Damn, he should’ve divined his horoscope before he left in the morning!
“Good morning, Albright. How are you today?”
The girl greeted him politely, but in an apathetic voice. Unlike Damian’s harsh growls, the girl’s cold demeanor felt more robotic than standoffish.
“Hmph. Whatever.”
In response, Damian merely scoffed and ignored her entirely. Turning his head away, he continued walking without giving her any attention.
He didn’t like talking to her, so he decided to shun her completely and hurry to class.
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“Oi, why are you following me!?”
He finally shouted out after a few minutes of her walking silently behind him. Was she some sort of haunted ghost clinging to his back? Take a hint when you’re given the cold shoulder, woman!
“… I’m not following you. My destination is this way too.”
The girl replied plainly and then walked ahead of him.
“Eh… uhhhhhh, tch, fine.”
Unable to argue with her, he clicked his tongue and clamped his mouth shut.
Walking behind her with his head down, he couldn’t help but think what an unpleasant start to a morning this was. The girl was someone he knew rather well; her name was Angela. They had been classmates in General Fundamentals, and she had graduated at the same time as him but enrolled into another classroom within the Faculty of Astronomy. If one were to summarize it, their relationship could be best boiled down to a rivalry. It was his burning passion to not lose to her, but at the same time, he didn’t like interacting with her either. That was the kind of person she was to him.
And so, in awkward silence, the two walked down the streets of England towards their respective destinations. In due time, they passed the boundary field that cut off a specific part of the city from outsiders. It was in this collection of streets that a large number of Astronomy research buildings and workshops were located as well as the general location for his classroom. It’s likely that, as another Astronomy student, Angela had business here as well, so he couldn’t blame her for coming here either.
Well, soon enough, they’d reach the Frederica Classroom and he could bid farewell from seeing her. Woohoo!
Just as he was thinking that—
“Well, well, look who had the guts to actually show up.”
A loud, harsh voice pierced the silence of the early morning streets. Just outside his destination, Damian’s journey was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a haughty-looking young man. Two others stood behind him with equally gaudy looks. They were all dressed in nice suits, like they just came from Sunday Church.
“I’m surprised you have the gall to actually continue attending classes, Damian Albright. Did you really think you could live on peacefully like nothing happened?” The man in front yelled.
His face was twisted into a wicked grin and sharp eyes. At the same time, the two people behind him began cracking their knuckles and necks, as if preparing for something violent. It was clear that these three had no good intentions, but…
“… I’m sorry, but who the hell are you?” Damian asked, completely lost as to what was happening.
His lackluster response quickly threw the trio off.
“Oi, how the hell have you forgotten us already!? Are you braindead?” The mean-looking man retorted before regaining his composure. “… O-oh, I see. You’re trying to play dumb. You almost got me. But that won’t save you. Did you think we’d forget what you did last year?”
Damian tilted his head in confusion. What he did last year? What was this dude talking about? What happened last year…
“Oh, right. You three are the bastards I beat up. I remember now!” He realized.
That’s right. Not too long ago, he had ended up in a fight with three other students and ended up hospitalizing them. So, they finally got out of the hospital and were seeking revenge, huh?
“Hmph, you sure have a lot of nerve daring to oppose the heir of the noble Erlewine family and expecting to get off scott free.” The leader of the trio declared, his voice dripping with inflated ego. “I’ve been waiting all summer to get my revenge, and I shall do so post-haste!”
“… and so, you’ve been waiting here to ambush me?”
“Precisely. Once I learned you were enrolled to this classroom, I knew it would be the place to settle our score.” Erlewine boasted. “Though I must say, it’s almost too fitting for a low-blood peasant like yourself to have become a student at this shoddy excuse of a classroom. Hilarious even!”
“…” Damian remained silent and gritted his teeth to restrain himself.
It seemed that getting his ass kicked wasn’t enough to teach this pompous asshole a lesson. He wanted to sink his fist into the dumbass’s face again, but he got into quite a bit of trouble last time. Though interpersonal violent quarrels weren’t officially banned in Clock Tower, it seemed that kicking the ass of some high-ranking noble’s heir had its share of trifles. He’d rather not go through that again.
“So, you’ve come for another beating? Last I recall, this didn’t go well for you before.” He growled, partially trying to scare off the assholes.
“Hah, don’t think the same result will occur. You won by a mere fluke last time; I wasn’t fully prepared for the barbaric assault of a plebian. But no longer. I shall demolish you with the full power of a true magus. And furthermore…”
Erlewine suddenly snapped his fingers. The very next instant, several other men appeared, having been hidden behind the other neighboring buildings. In a few moments, Damian found himself surrounded by magi.
“Really? You’re gonna just bring more lackeys to help?” Damian sighed.
The newcomers to the situation were all young men of similar ages, dressed similarly to Erlewine and his gang. In other words, they were members of his clique, idiots following him for his noble heritage and the benefits it entailed. How sickening.
One, two, three… there were 10 guys in total including Erlewine. And it seemed like they had no intention of calling off the fight now. What a pain.
“… need help, Albright?” Angela, who had been silently watching the whole fiasco, suddenly asks.
“Sod off. I ain’t gonna let a girl fight my battles.”
That said, what should he do about this?
How should Damian handle the ambush from enemy students?
1. Just beat them all up.
2. Run away
3. Try to get past them and into the Classroom Building
4. Try to de-escalate the situation
5. Write-In
References
1.
1.
3
The Act of dozing off in the afternoon is a luxury indeed.
Coffee would be nice, though.
[Collection of my Servant Sheets]
Now Revamped!
★ ★ ★
Date: September 7th, 2005
Location: Frederica’s Office
“Hmm hmm hmm~ la la lah~ ♪”
With a pleasant mood, you, Frederica Eru, hummed to yourself while seated in your brand-new office.
Quite a bit of time has passed since that fateful faculty meeting and it was now the first day of the new school year. Since then, a lot of busy work has happened, but you’ve managed to muddle your way through. After those experiences, you feel like you’ve grown a bit as a magus, at least in mindset. And perhaps as a reward for those trials, you’ve been granted the use of your own office in the main department building!
Well, in truth, it’s not a particularly glamorous space. The room itself is rather small and barely has enough space for the bulky desk they gave you. But it’s yours. You can do whatever you want with it. You can have like… meetings and conferences and uh… backdoor deals… Whatever you come up with, you can do it! You don’t have to work out of your apartment anymore like some frugal overworked student. Surely, this is a sign of your rising status in the world.
And, oh, just the sound of it is magnificent. A personal office… So professional. So adult. So grown up!
“Weeeeeeeeee!!!”
Filled with the joy of feeling mature, you began chuckling as you spin around rapidly in your chair.
You’re an adult now! You’re a proper adult now! Such happiness deserves at least 100 chair spins.
“Hm?”
Just as you’re celebrating, though, the magic transponder on your desk – apparently phones are too modern – begins to sound. How surprising; you weren’t expecting any calls this early in the morning, especially since you only came into the office early because you were too excited to sleep last night. Classes haven’t even started yet, so what could possibly be the problem?
“Um, hello? This is Frederica Eru speaking.”
You answer the transponder by pressing the glowing symbol on it. Listening carefully, you hear out the person on the other side of the call and—
“EHHHHH??? He did what!?”
★ ★ ★
Date: September 7th, 2005
Location: Underground Holding Cell
Under the main Department Building for the Astronomy Department, among many other things, there was a set of holding cells independent from Policy’s much larger jail center located elsewhere. You weren’t familiar with the history behind it, but simply seeing it tells plenty about what it was probably used in the past – and may still occasionally be used for. It was this place you found yourself running to even before the first school bell sounded after the worrying call you received.
Apparently, one of your students, Damian Albright, had gotten into some sort of trouble and ended up being hauled into the holding area. They didn’t mention the details, but such news was bad for obvious reasons.
The moment you arrived, you were made to wait a bit before a warden-looking man stepped out to greet you.
“Let’s see… so you’re here to pick up Damian Albright, yes? Are you his custodian?” The man asked in a lax tone.
“Y-yes, that’s me, Frederica Eru!” You responded earnestly before your anxiety takes over. “I-is everything okay? What did he do? How many people did he kill!? Ahhh, wait, I don’t want to hear it!”
“Calm down, miss. Nobody’s dead; he hasn’t killed anyone. He just got into a small fight, that’s all. We only threw him in there to let him cool down.” The warden replied. “You might not know this, but the boundary field in there has a pacifying effect, so we sometimes put kids there to make them calmer.”
“O-oh, I see… Phew.” You sighed happily.
So, it wasn’t anything too horrible. That’s a relief.
With that confirmed, you began listening attentively as the warden read out a reported summary of the events.
“Let’s see here… it seems that he beat up ten other students on campus to the point of losing consciousness. They’ve all been sent to the infirmary now and the reports aren’t too good. Definitely some broken bones for all of them and one student in particularly had his face crushed severely. We have an eyewitness testimony from another student though that the other students were the aggressors. Hah, what a riot first thing in the morning. Kids, am I right?”
The warden began to laugh, but quickly and awkwardly stopped after taking a look at you. Perhaps he was thrown off a bit by your young age.
“A-anyways, there isn’t much to go over other than some property damage from the fight. Lots of blood spilled on the pavement and craters from spells. Will you…”
“Ah, yes, I’ll cover the damages.”
“Great, then that’ll be all. He seems to have calmed down too, so we can release him now. The rest is up to you.”
With that settled, the warden stepped back into the holding area, leaving you to wait.
Ahhhh, what a troublesome situation right off the bat. The school year had just getting started too and this had to happen. You could already imagine what the rest of the Faculty would say once they heard about this incident.
“Wow, a brawl on the very first day. What kind of things are they teaching in that class? I certainly wouldn’t want my children studying there.”
“How barbaric. I suppose that’s only to be expected when a muggle is in charge of a classroom.”
“If this is how one of their students act, I’m sure the rest of the bunch must be just as uncivilized.”
Ugggh, just thinking about it hurt a little. Your reputation just keeps getting worse, huh?
Status Change
After a bit more waiting, the warden finally returned, this time with Damian in tow.
“All right, kid, you’re free to go. Don’t come back soon, ya hear?”
“…”
Not answering the warden’s warning, Damian simply walked to you with a downcast look. He didn’t say anything nor look you in the eyes either. He seemed rather upset, but you aren’t sure if it’s about his treatment or his own actions.
Looking closer, you’re surprised to notice how clean he looks. In sharp contrast to how violent the scene had been painted to you, his appearance was immaculate. Forget any injuries, there wasn’t even a speck of blood or dirt on him. How strange.
Anyways, that wasn’t the important thing. More importantly, as the one responsible for him now, you needed to decide how to respond to the situation.
Even before all this, you knew about his track record of violence in the past, but there had been a small hope in you that such a thing wouldn’t happen again. In the end, though, such a thing happened again. For the sake of your classroom’s reputation, you’d prefer if something like this wasn’t a common occurrence.
So what should you do now?
How will you respond to Damian’s recent altercation?
1. Scold him
2. Punish him
3. Counsel him
4. Leave it to Mr. Morse
5. Do nothing
6. Write-In
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A wise and beautiful woman who exudes an aura of grace. She is a sly, cunning, manipulative person who always gets what she wants, whether through trickery or ruthlessness. Her own fighting abilities are low, but she should not be trifled with. What does she ride? Men, of course!
