Chp.12: Continuing fraternizing

Maldor waited for all the students to leave, and then packed up her things and left the classroom. She was alone that day since Kotaru was in her real body and was waiting for Rhaegal to return to get information regarding the lizardman called Zamor. It was a bit strange not having her next to her, but after all they hadn't been separated a few times during their stay at the academy, and by now she was starting to get used to it.

Maldor had to admit that she really enjoyed teaching. It was a good feeling to see the delighted smiles of the students when he showed them a new spell, or created a new potion, or talked about some great mage of the past or one of his doctrines. And for some reason when they asked questions she felt even happier: it was as if that was a confirmation that she was doing a good job, and that she wasn't just putting things into their heads but that she was really inciting them to be curious and learn.

Maldor had always been curious. She didn't have the same thirst for knowledge as Haku, nor did she have his intelligence, but she liked learning new things. She longed to find out what the world around her was like. She was happy to pass on her passion to someone else, even if they were newcomers. Sometimes she found herself imagining how her students would become once they graduated. Maybe, relying on the curiosity she had taught them to have, some of them could discover something interesting, and see their name written in the history books...

"Hey, why that smile? Did something good happen?"

Maldor recognized that voice immediately, and didn't mind hearing it. She turned to see Isaac carrying an enormous stack of books. "Are you trying a new lightening spell?" she asked amused.

"No, I certainly don't need magic to lift such a small weight. What I'm trying is a balance spell" Isaac replied, and as he said this some of the books on top shook slightly, and his face turned red for a moment as he tried not to drop them. "Don't worry, it was all calculated. It's part of the experiment"

Maldor chuckled at the scene. "Wait, I'll give you a hand"

Isaac shook his head. "Don't try! You would interrupt my experiment. Besides, only a boor could make such a delicate lady fati..."

Maldor took more than half the books he was carrying and she balanced them on one hand. "What were you saying?" she asked with a mocking smile.

Isaac was left speechless. "Uh... you're stronger than you look. In a good way, of course"

"I had a lot of practice at my old school. When I was a student I used to take books to my room, and when I had to return them to the library I usually had a stack twice as high as this one" Maldor explained. Of course she couldn't tell him she was that strong because she was using the muscles of an ogre in that moment. "Why don't you use a spell to transport them? It would be easier"

"I've already used up a lot of my mana to stay awake tonight. I don't think I can waste any more" Isaac replied, who wasn't taking his eyes off her arms and was clearly wondering how she managed to lift so many books effortlessly.

Maldor felt a little sorry to hear that. "Did you spend the night up?"

"I had to correct my students' papers. I had asked them to give me a report on the principles of burning mana when using fire magic" Isaac replied. "They were all very well done, of course... but I always found that subject boring, and therefore reading and correcting them all was a real torture"

"Oh…I see. I'm sorry" Maldor said. "I'll try to help you. So where do you take them? Judging by the amount, are you trying to open a new library?"

"Ah ah! No, we just need to take them to one of the classrooms and put them on the shelf. The students might need them in their next class, so I want them to be able to get them" Isaac replied.

Maldor frowned. "Can't they just go to the library?"

"Yeah, but if the books are directly next to them just when the teacher advises them to read them, they're more likely to pick them up" Isaac said with a chuckle. "Trust me, it's an experiment that I personally did"

Maldor tried to think about that. Indeed, for someone like her who liked to get as much information as possible, it made sense to go to the library often, but the students also wanted to spend their days having fun and relaxing. Not everyone would want to go all the way to the library just to look up a book their teacher recommended. Instead, having him in the classroom was much more comfortable. Maybe she could try it too…

"You still didn't answer my question" Isaac said suddenly. "Why did you have that smile? What happened today?"

"Oh, right. Sorry, it was nothing special" Maldor replied. "It's just... I like the way my students are approaching my lessons. They're asking questions, asking questions..."

"I assume that's a good thing. Curious students will become expert mages. What lesson did you have today?"

"Oh, philosophy of magic"

"Philosophy of magic? Aaaaah! When I was a student I couldn't stand it"

"Why? I find it very interesting"

"How do you find that interesting? A lot of theories made by people thousands of years ago regarding the use of mana, and generally only a tenth of them are considered valid today..."

"Yes, but each of those theories has contributed to our current knowledge, despite the fact that they were inaccurate. Isn't it nice to know what the steps were that led to current magic?"

"Mph! Whatever you like. I can tell you were a bookworm"

"A what?"

"Oh, isn't it used in your country? It means a person who spends a lot of time on books"

"Never heard of it... however I identify myself with it quite well"

"I was sure of it. What did you talk about in today's class?"

"Uh, I did an oral test about the Wutanian-Quranian model, and then I introduced the concepts of the specification and the Mendolian classification"

"Are you there already? Congratulations! Get ready, because when you start talking about the individual groups of animals your students will go crazy, I tell you from experience. Especially when you will talk about the mammal-like birds, there you will feel their brains explode"

Maldor couldn't deny that: the mammal-like birds were one of the craziest groups of animals she had ever read in the books. They were creatures that possessed many avian characteristics, such as feathers, a crop, air sacs, the ability to lay eggs… but at the same time they also developed hair and the ability to secrete milk like mammals. Some of them were easily recognizable, for example the griffins: even if they seemed to be the result of a perverse mating of a lion and an eagle, it was still easy to understand that they belonged to the group of mammal-like birds. But most of the animals in this group were so strange that it was almost impossible to classify them at first glance. An example were the manticores: seen from the outside, they resembled a monster with the body and mane of a feline, the tail of a scorpion and the head of a human being. But in reality, they were mammal-like birds. Only the feline body was covered in hair: their mane was in fact composed of incredibly long and thin feathers. The scorpion tail was actually a structure composed of several layers of keratin which gave it its bizarre shape, and the venom it produced was a highly corrosive acid produced in the stomach and stored in the goiter of the manticore, which unlike normal birds does not located on the throat but slightly below the chest. The animal also possessed air sacs which allowed it to conserve a lot of air and lighten its body, giving it great resistance. Finally, the human face was actually a cunning deception: the manticore in fact used it to lure humans into its trap, and had even learned to partially imitate the cry of a wounded human to do so. In reality, behind the human mouth was a sharp beak that the manticore could extend out to eat and retract when it no longer needed to. In short, a truly bizarre animal that using only the eyes was difficult to include in any group, and therefore it was necessary to study it thoroughly to get a clear idea. And the manticore was just one of the many mammal-like birds that seemed utterly inexplicable. Consequently, Maldor would not have been surprised if her students would have serious trouble understanding why they were classified in that group.

"My advice is don't be too vague. Even if it costs you a few more lessons, talk about these things specifically. The students will be less confused if you explain it to them" Isaac said. "Anyway, if you've already reached that point, I'd say you can afford to lengthen the lessons on this topic a bit"

"I'll think about it. What about you? Do you have time to extend the lessons?" Maldor asked him rhetorically.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're wicked?" Isaac growled, though not viciously.

Maldor shrugged. "Just a couple of people" she answered amused.

The two reached Isaac's classroom and began stacking books on the shelf. They arranged them in order of importance, so that it would be easier for the students to find them. Very often Isaac ended up finding out that they didn't like that particular position, and so they had to empty the closet again and change everything, often earning a punch on the head from Maldor. At one point she, exasperated, casted a spell and spilled all the books on his head, but Isaac emerged from the pile unharmed, albeit a little bruised, and his only reaction was to laugh out loud, which soon it also infected Maldor causing her to laugh genuinely.

They continued like this for a while, at least until Kotaru appeared at the door: "Oh, Maldor, you were here! I was looking for you for... uh" she stopped noticing Isaac's presence, since she couldn't talk about certain things in front of to human.

However, Isaac didn't seem the least bit bothered. "You've already helped me so much, Maldor. Go ahead, I'll finish this by myself. And thanks for everything"

"Fine, but if tomorrow I find you still here to change the position of the books I swear I will not just the shelf on you, but the whole ceiling" Maldor warned him, making them both burst out laughing again. Kotaru smirked too, but there also seemed to be a hint of concern in her eyes.

After that, the two said goodbye and left. As soon as they were back in their quarters, Kotaru explained to Maldor what she and their siblings had been saying during the meeting. "...and therefore, Darbi has already communicated to us that Haku intends to use this information to convince that guy named Zamor to help us"

"And if it doesn't go well I guess Rhaegal, Corgorin and Serengal will kidnap his wife and Haku will use that as a weapon of blackmail, right?" Maldor asked, who by now knew their way so well that he could predict the decisions of the others.

Kotaru nodded. "Exactly. Haku prefers to talk to him first, because if he consents, the effect would be better... but if it goes wrong, then we'll use our classic blackmail move" she replied. "Either way, we will have our leader of the revolt. At that point, everything will be ready for the great escape"

Maldor smiled happily. She was elated that she would soon be able to hug her brother again… but for some reason, when she thought that their plan would soon be completed, she also felt a little sad.

Kotaru's eyes resumed a worried tinge. "Anyway, why do you keep fraternizing with that human? He's no longer of any use to us, we know where the portable gate is and how to get it"

"Yeah, but I still have to keep up appearances, don't I? I can't begin to ignore him for no reason" Maldor answered, then she smiled. "Besides, I don't mind his company. He's pleasant. He laughs in a really funny way, did you notice that?"

"I noticed, I noticed..." Kotaru murmured, without losing the concern in her eyes.