1.2 - Silenced
The room she stood inside, was your run-of-the-mill classroom, with single desks just spaced wide enough for students not to claw at each other. There was a mirror-like chalkboard on the desk, a crystal next to glowed with sigils every half minute.
Distracting, to say the least.
One concerning thing that irked her. Several cliques had already formed, a girl with red hair kept glaring at her, like she was an eyesore. A pair of twins beside her, their faces looked as distasteful as she didn't come here to my friends. Of course, they were objectively beautiful and they looked like nobles. There was no point in rattling her wand so to speak, it would reflect badly on her. And if it reflected badly on her, it reflected badly on the family.
Which would be very bad for her.
She sat down in the chair, adjusting the bow tie on her uniform, and refitting her socks, as she wiggled her shoes. They were going to get sweaty later on.
She did her best to avoid their wandering gazes. Waiting, for this bullshit to start.
There were about ten students in the class, and about half were missing, including Piper, the girl she met early. Who spontaneously decided that they were going to be besties, after nearly torching her hair in half with a spell
A tallish woman entered, her presence was commanding one. She had dark brown hair and round glasses. But what was most striking for Calia was her 'physical features'. Thicc thighs, and an overly large bosom, which cleavage just happens to be revealing. She wondered how many girls here swung the other way, from what she heard, it wasn't uncommon.
The teacher's gaze lingered on her with unsettling intensity. Calia shivered as she looked her deat in the eye, she stared at her like a wild predator, or– was she overthinking things? Then she winked at Calia. Slightly squeezed her neck, it was provocative and it left her rattled. Calia shrank into the chair, swallowing.
The teacher kept an eye on her.
Something throbbed where no one looked.
"Oh, it seems we can't start official introductions. Half the class hasn't arrived yet. But you may call me Miralyn." she said disappointedly.
"You," she pointed at Calia. "What's your name?"
Calia panicked.
Why the fuck did she pick me out of everyone here.
The class stared at her like she was a mole who had just tunneled out of the ground.
"Well…"
"Calia…" she answered. But Miralyn gave her a disapproving look. Of course, she wanted her 'full name'. She coughed. "Argentum."
The red-haired girl shook her head. "You don't look like an Argentum. In fact, you look like a com–"
The teacher cut her off. "Ah, ah, ah, let's leave the heavy banter for later. "
The girl scoffed. The two loony pricks of twins, did the same, mocking her with indiscernible noises.
Well, Calia, it looks like your academic career is off to a great start.
"Come here, Calia." Miralyn summoned her to the front. She got up reluctantly. She handed her a generic wand. With a flick of her fingers, Miralyn cast a spell. Summoning a magical mannequin out of nowhere. "Do you know how to cast a mana bolt?"
She nodded, it was as basic as walking.
"Hit the target please, I'll systematically work out what magic suits you well."
She could blast the target to smithereens if she wanted, but she remembered Hilda's word not, to draw attention to herself.
Calia raised the wand and then brought it down on the doll. Zapping it, and leaving a small smoking hole inside its interior.
"Impressive," Miralyn said.
It was not at all impressive, but deliberately toned down and controlled, perhaps the teacher could see that.
"I can do better!" The red-haired girl called out.
Of course, she did.
"And you must be…"
"Anora Lichtenfel."
Ah, this explains it all. She was from one of the four most prominent families in the country, her ego was rising the day she was born. She needed something to look down upon and Calia happened to be the first thing she saw.
Still, it didn't mean, she was part of the crown families, she could just be some random for all she cared. Calia had one of her intrusive thoughts again if the rules were removed, she'd batter the bitch against the wall, strip her naked, and tie her to a pole. But of course, the 'things' she wanted to do could never come to fruition. Not without losing her sanity and status.
"By all means then, Ms. Lictenfel, do…demonstrate your prowess to the class."
Anora stepped forward, she was regal all things considered, and her fiery hair was something to be jealous of. As they passed one another, she whispered in Calia's ear.
"Brace yourself, you're gonna have one hell of a year." she bumped her slightly, sending Calia off course, nearly flying into another student's desk.
"Oops." she giggled aloud, playing aloof.
We'll see you fucking whore.
Anora's stance was perfect, strict almost educational. She moved the wand with pristine grace, then effortlessly shot forward the bolt of mana. The dummy exploded and then evaporated in the air. The class erupted in applause.
"Very good Anora, perhaps you have what it takes to become a sage."
The girl did a cutesy curtsy. Calia turned her frustration to the girl, her pent-up mana flaring. The teacher turned to her in shock but said nothing.
Most of the students were oblivious to mana sense, but she knew it since she was a wild orphan, she needed it to get by.
Calia caught between anger and a confusing attraction, seethes in silence.
The teacher coughed, "Let me go see what happened to the other students."
Anora and her clique watched her with mocking eyes, whispering and giggling. But it was fine, the wheel turns as it always does. They were childish, and they would regret it soon. She turned away, she was not going to give the satisfaction of a response.
It turns out, the other students had ended up in the wrong class, which was at the opposite end of the hall. Piper had come in jubilant and immediately flopped in a chair next to her.
"Miss me?" she asked Calia, who responded with a bright smile.
The teacher returned shortly after, and handed out a thick rule book: A few rules were immediately ruled out as "of current importance". They indicated the following in summary explanation:
"No unconsented combat between students. No sneaking out past 10 PM. Mandatory attendance. Absences lead to… physical punishment." Calia raised an eyebrow at the word, her mind unhelpfully conjuring up naughty images of being strung up and paddled on her bare butt.
Unauthorized duels were forbidden. Healing magic required permits. Unsupervised demon summoning or time travel? Death. Plain and simple. Nobles retained their privileges, but school politics took precedence. And, of course, bullying was prohibited—a rule that felt laughably hypocritical given the environment.
"There's one more unlisted rule, you should take note of. And this applies to you, noble, commoner, or criminal," everyone had her attention. "Open promiscuity and sex are absolutely prohibited. You will be publicly shamed in response to breaking this rule, or even worse. To those who believe your status protects you from punishment. Let me make it clear. Your status as a noble is irrelevant in the eyes of the state, the Academy belongs to the state, and the state is above all."
One could argue, that the state was god. If only the state had done enough to protect her childhood.
Some giggled, others scoffed at the idea.
Piper peaked up, enthusiastically, blushing. "But Ms. Miralyn." there aren't any men here, why would we have sex?"
Calia smiled. Piper was indeed sweet and summer, she'd hate to corrupt her.
The teacher gave her a looking stare but didn't answer. The teacher learned forward. "Let me be clear again regardless of your sexual orientation, Open promiscuity and sex are punishable by public shaming and potential flagellation. We as an institute have a reputation to uphold."
The class settled shortly after, and then chaos unfolded.
Anora threw a piece of paper at Piper, "What a stupid girl, must be from some backwater up north."
Piper got angry, puffing up her chest. "So what!' She threw back twice as hard.
That set off an avalanche. Soon, the room was alive with crumpled notes and stifled laughter. Calia stayed still, watching the chaos swirl.
These are supposed to be adults? Perhaps most women weren't smart.
Behavior like this wasn't tolerated among her personal tutors. Zero tolerance. Then again, she'd never been allowed to leave the eyes of family and the estate. So she never received public schooling.
And while the class was distracted. Miralyn's eyes lingered on Calia, openly licking her lips like she was desert to be swallowed up. No one seemed to notice. Calia tried looking away, but Miralyn's gaze was hypnotizing.
Calia shifted trying to shake the mental images forming in her mind. She imagined her towering over, putting her in a hard-to-get-out position.
Then it was over. The illusion was broken.
Miralyn casts a [Silence] spell. The class instantly stopped in fright, silence fell, heavy and unnatural.
Unable to speak. It was tight, like several ties of magic rope binded your body, and roped your mouth closed. Calia stiffened, in that moment her mana coalesced inside, unable to flow, it took everything not to burst out and explode.