Author's Note: Yeah, that's right, here I am once again, back into Little Wizard Academia.
While I can go on and on about what's happened to me, and what's been going on, I feel like I don't need to. I feel like a lot of the stuff I've been through these past two years is probably very similar to all of you. So with that being said, I'll get to answer these reviews, some of which are over a year old, and get onto the chapter.
"Oh, boy! Things are going to get interesting now! I wonder if Andrew and Theodore are going to have issues with one another. P.S: I'm happy you're writing again."
Well, your wait is finally over.
"Not that I'm complaining, but can you update this story?"
Good things come to those who wait.
And these next two are separate messages, but I'll address them both together.
"Hey, just wanted to check on you."
"I can hardly imagine how the next chapter will go, but make sure you stay up to date on your health."
Thanks to whoever left those comments, it really meant a lot to me when I read them, and it still means a lot now. I had to take a step back from this story because I just wasn't getting enough pleasure from it, not at all even, other stuff too but that's something else.
As a little gift, from me to all of you, I'm going to upload three chapters all at once. So enjoy that.
"I'm not sure about this, Amanda." I tell her through the door. "It feels a little tight on me."
Truth be told, it's a rarity for me to wear a suit of any kind.
My grandfather, Roma, wouldn't spend such major cash for simple articles of clothing. Why waste hundreds of Euros on a suit, when a simple shirt and jeans could do the job just as well?
Wearing this suit is certainly alien to me.
Not at all disheartened by my doubts, I hear Amanda snort at my complaints.
"You better not let that suit go to waste." She tells me. "I spent top dollar on it."
Although everything in Luna Nova has been a first time experience for me, I am always amazed at what situations I find myself in, much like this.
I mean, here I am, in my private dorm room, Amanda handing me clothing through the crack in the door like this is a dressing room in a clothing store.
If I told myself I would be in such a situation when I first set foot on campus, I would have thought I was crazy.
Looking out the window, I see the sun slowly but surely dip from the sky, giving it an iconic orange color. Night is approaching, and the celebration should be starting soon.
I would have loved for Diana and myself to work on our wardrobe together, but just as she wished to keep her outfit a surprise, I supposed I should do the same.
"Why do you even have a suit anyway?" I ask in inquiry. "You're a girl."
Even if we are separated by a wooden door, I can hear Amanda sneer at my question, clear as day, as she states
"That's none of your business, now is it?"
You know, speaking at her through the other side of a door makes it hard to tell if she's serious or not, but either way I guess she's right. I'm just lucky that she's letting me use it in the first place.
Brushing that whole thing aside, I hear Amanda say
"Very soon I'm going to see your nose walk through that door, and you in a tuxedo about a minute later."
I roll my eyes at this.
"Oh haha…" I holler out in obvious fake laughter.
A nose joke, really?
I swear, this girl can really try my patience. She's lucky she's already established as my friend.
"Come on, I haven't seen ya in awhile!" She responds. "Gotta get my jokes in while I can!"
I guess that's true.
After all, I never expected a teary eyed reunion with Amanda when we came back from the island, and that's exactly what happened.
Sure, the likes of Sucy and Constanze only gave me grins and smiles, but Diana was the one who showed me the most passion. And yes, Amanda did express emotions which I've never seen before.
It was really a moment, one which I won't forget anytime soon.
With that in mind, I twist the handle, opening the door.
Feeling slightly stuffy, I finger the collar of my suit, allowing much needed air to circulate as I ask
"How do I look?"
Amanda thinks to herself, a hand on her chin as she ponders what's before her.
Her inquisitive gaze is slowly replaced with a smirk, saying
"Well, I wish I could put a tie on your nose."
I roll my eyes at yet another stupid nose joke.
"Oh, come on-"
"But besides that, I say you look good." Amanda interrupts my complaints. "Diana is going to have a heat stroke when she sees you."
Not quite sure of what she means by that, I simply respond with
"Thank you, and thanks for the suit too. I didn't really have anything for the party, so it's appreciated that you let me borrow this."
Amanda flashes a smile at me, pleased by my gratitude
"Yeah no problem, just don't forget to wash it before you give it back. I don't want your cooties on it. If you really want to look good, I think Jasminka still has some makeup lying around I can thrown on you."
She follows these words with a chuckle, the thought of me in makeup obviously getting amusing her.
Although her jest of applying makeup to me does get a slight rise out of me, Amanda's mention does make me remember something far better.
The ring.
The one which I acquired from Filicudi, the only semblance of treasure we were able to find on that entire cursed island.
Small enough to where adding it to the school's treasury would have no effect on our debt, but large enough to where it'll make a certain so and so quite pleased.
A faint smile spreads across my face, wrapping my hand around the ring as it lays in my pocket, ready to be taken out at the right moment, whenever that really is.
Really, when is the right time to give your girlfriend a ring?
Obviously, gifting a ring to someone is associated with a request for marriage, and while that thought does have appeal to me, this is no such request.
I would have given it to her if it were a necklace all the same, it just happened to be a ring.
Whatever, I'll think of something, I always do.
Walking outside, only now do I fully understand the weight of this event.
The entire courtyard has been converted for tonight.
Tables of food and drink pepper the grass, lights, people, tents, sounds, and smells run amuck. An entire festival appears to be taking place, the whole square lit up by small decorative flags and temporary festive torches, live classic music, pianos, violins and the like, patrons, donors, students and staff alike all swarm the square like ants. What was once our quiet little Luna Nova courtyard now resembles more of an outdoor diner.
Wow, those investors really went all out to mark the occasion.
"Hey, Ted!" I hear a familiar voice call out. "What's up?"
Turning over, I see Akko, with our two friends in tow.
Lotte gives me a wave, a smile on her face.
"Hello there, Theodore. You're looking well."
I return her smile.
"You too, Lotte."
Sucy simply nods towards me in acknowledgement.
All three of them look very fine in their outfits tonight, something that I would not expect from Akko.
But I suppose this school has been nothing but surprises since I got here.
Speaking of surprises…
"I'm surprised your here, Sucy." I admit, pointing at her. "You don't seem like the type for a party setting."
She seems more of a shut in to me, rather than a social butterfly.
Everyone's favorite alchemist simply shrugs at my remark, stating
"I heard they were serving stuffed mushrooms."
Yeah, that sounds about right.
As the four of us continue to converse, I hear a familiar voice behind me.
"Well well, it looks as though you've already found your friends, Theodore."
Turning around, I see Diana, accompanied by her two friends.
Her blonde hair, well combed as ever, is done up in a simple braid on her right side.
Turquoise earrings dangle as a thin necklace of blue gemstones is hung around her neck, reminding me of something from the thirties. Diana is wearing a light blue dress, decorated with blue sashes of a lighter variety, with a dark blue flower clipped to its front. She is wearing a pair of white gloves, extending to her elbows, complimenting her dress quite well. A pair of even light blue high heels cover her feet.
Overall, she looks extremely stunning, nothing like I've ever seen from her before, even if she is always beautiful already.
"D-D-Diana!" I fumble out, my face growing a thin tint of red
Diana smiles at my expression.
"Hello Theodore." She greets me. "How do I look?"
My mouth and brain both stumble to speak.
"Y-you look…"
I struggle to find the words.
I wish to dispel every word, English and Italian, to declare my love for her and her outfit, but none come forth. She really does look beautiful, the woman of my dreams, and more, unlike any other girl I have ever seen, and ever will. Honestly, it seems as if Diana is straight out of this world, as if she were mythical. Sure, Diana may be harsh to some and can be rather reserved in her demeanor, but she's shown only kindness and grace to me. She's got brains, heart, and looks. I'm blessed to know her.
"You're very beautiful, stunning really…"
Diana giggles at my words into one of her gloved hands, making me blush even harder.
I'm so glad to hear that.
"You look quite charming as well."
She turns to her two roommates.
While they have adorned themselves with stunning dresses and apparel as well, I don't care enough about the two to go into detail.
"Hannah...Barbara, what do you two think of Theodore's outfit?"
As if by clockwork, both girls sneer at me, sharp smirks adorning their faces.
"Wow, your nose actually looks normal in that suit." Hannah responds, her sarcastic point emphasized by a hand on her hip.
"It's not as giant as it normally is!" Barbara chimes in.
Diana waves off the two's answers.
She's not mad at her friends' responses, but isn't exactly pleased by them either.
Can't we go one day without a nose joke? It's not like I can help it. Well actually...
Maybe I can use a potion or metamorphose magic to make it smaller.
Seeing her rival face to face once again, Akko twiddles her thumbs together, struggling to find the right words, her face a slightly pink color as beads of sweat begin to form. This is most unlike her usual antagonistic approach with the blonde, and it's not hard to see why.
Although they may have exchanged a few idle words in the classroom setting, this is the first real conversation. I'm sure that speaking face to face is far different than exchanging remarks from across the classroom.
"I'm uh...uh I'm glad that you're feeling better."
Although Diana's expression remains deadpan, it contains no more emotion than normal while conversing with Akko.
"Yes, Ms. Finnalin and Ms. Faralda made sure I was well supplied on potions to help deal with my symptoms."
Diana glances Akko up and down, taking in her outfit.
"I'm surprised to see you in such attire. But I suppose even someone such as you can throw together a decent outfit, even if it is a tad showy."
Ah yes, their last noteworthy encounter, Akko had accidentally blasted Diana with a sickness spell, crippling her for a few days, and thus forcing Lotte to take her place on the island expedition.
Even if it were only an accident, and Diana and I have both forgiven Akko for her blunder, I can understand why an even larger air of passive aggressive awkwardness would be around the two. It's just something that's always been there, before the island incident ever took place.
It's as if their first meeting was enough to create a tornado of competition that always formed whenever the two interacted.
"Hey!" Akko fires back at Diana's jab, stomping a foot. "I'll have you know we got our outfits from The Magic Items Cafe! They're magical and very old! Probably worth more than your outfit!"
"Is that a fact?" Diana halfheartedly raises a brow, not very interested in the current conversation. "Expensive outfits do not hide poor manners."
"Yeah, you'll always be a peasant from your little Eastern island." Hannah jabs at Akko, a devious smirk spread across her face.
"Do they even teach manners where you're from?" Barbara joins in, a hand on her hip.
Honestly, it seems like the two lackeys are the ones lacking manners.
If it isn't for the fact that Diana is right there, I like to think I'd tell those two girls a thing or two.
Having exhausted all her options against the trio, Akko's face grows with discomfort, throwing her hands out in exasperation.
"Come on, Diana, why do you have to be so mean?" Akko questions. "After all, I did save your boyfriend's life when we were on the island."
Diana's face takes a sudden dip, one of her blonde brows rising as her mouth hangs slightly. Out of all the retorts and comebacks Akko could've come up with, this certainly is one that Diana expected the least.
She turns to me.
"Is this true, Theodore?" She asks, eyes wide and brow raised.
Although I've told her just how dangerous the island expedition faired to be, I was vague in my description, leaving out certain details.
Naturally, I didn't wish for her to worry about my well being, especially when she was already suffering from sickness.
It was much more dangerous than Luna Nova expected, yes, a plane crash and several days lost in the wilds of Filicudi is proof enough of that. But the fact that my life was almost taken several times? That was something that I wished to leave behind back on the island.
"Twice actually." I rub my head, a bit sheepish to admit this. "Once was when a monster was attacking me, and a second time when I was drowning in the river."
Maybe I should learn how to swim.
Hearing my confirmation, Diana's face grows blank for a moment, a rare moment for the usually collected witch, before she turns her gaze back to Akko.
Slowly and gently, Diana puts a hand on Akko's shoulder, Akko, as well as everyone present, letting out a slight gasp in collective surprise.
A thin, warm, and welcoming smile spreads on Diana's face, clashing with Akko's shocked, jaw dropped, pale as a ghost expression.
I honestly don't believe I've ever seen her like this while in Akko's presence, the best I've seen being a forced politeness for mere politeness sake.
Diana holds this warm gaze towards her for several seconds, my heart skipping a beat as Akko continues to tremble and sweat under the pressure. With the most compassion and sincerity I've hear, Diana says
"Thank you, Akko."
I swear, I never would've believed it had I not seen it with my own eyes.
Diana removes her hand from Akko's shoulder, before giving her an approving nod, still smiling at her fellow witch.
Akko stumbles, gulps, and slightly shaking, responds with her own nod in kind, Lotte's expression not far off.
Even Sucy, who normally bears a blank expression no matter the situation, shows slight hesitation in this situation.
"Okay, am I the only one whose eyebrows are raised?" Hannah whispers to Barbara, the two also baffled by Diana's actions.
Yes, because you penciled them in that way.
With this business settled, Diana turns back to me, another pleasant smile on her face, the previous interaction now gone with the wind.
"I also became acquainted with another lady here, one that I'm surprised to see."
Now it's my turn to be surprised.
"Who is it?"
There's not much that would surprise Diana, she is usually a perfectly calm and collected individual. I remember she mentioned she has an aunt, Daryl. That surely would've been a surprise, but I doubt Diana would be able to bear a smile while referencing her.
"She's chatting with a few other students right now." Diana recalls. "She's very eager to see you again."
Nope, definitely not her.
"See me again?" I ask Diana, a brow raised as I follow her. "What do you mean?"
This catches my curiosity to its finest. Honestly, I can't think of any girls here that would want to see me, never mind that I would want to see. The only ones that would want me in their company are already here.
Upon my questioning, Diana's mouth curves into a thin smile, amused by my curiosity.
"She wanted to leave it a surprise."
We only go a few feet as I notice a familiar face in the crowd of Luna Nova students and guests.
Whatever drizzles of confusion I have now become rogue waves, crashing against my subconscious, and I almost want to scream.
I'd recognize those reddish brown eyes, and grey ponytails anywhere.
Although there are five of us, she extends her arm into a handshake, directed towards us all, her typical confidence expressed in a wide grin.
"Greetings, Theodore, and Theodore's friends who will soon become my friends!"
Anchovy! I thought I wouldn't see her until the school year ended!
Akko's mouth opens as she grows curious, being the first one to step forward.
"Ooooh!" Akko beams at the prospect of a new friend. "Who is she?"
I waste no time.
"Akko, this is Anchovy." I introduce the two, a large grin on my face. "She's one of my oldest and best friends."
"Hehehe." Anchovy sniggers, amused by my introduction as she scratches her head. "For a while, I was Theodore's only friend, but it's great to see he has finally taken initiative and branched out!"
Anchovy exaggerates this point by slapping me on the back.
"Although I wonder why you can't have any male friends as well."
"It just happened to work out that way." I respond a bit sheepishly.
I've always been a quality over quantity guy anyway.
"Do you like Shiny Chariot?" Akko asks her, the excitement of meeting a potential fellow fan clear as day.
I honestly believe that's her icebreaker at this point.
Although, I can't say that I've heard her mention Family Force Five much as of recent. It must've been a phase.
Without losing her confidence, Anchovy, still grinning, unsurprisingly replies with
"Never heard of her!"
"Hello." The Finn extends her hand towards my friend. "My name is Lotte Yanson, pleased to meet you."
"Well, look who it is!" My native friend spins around to greet Lotte. "Aren't you the little so and so that Theodore told me so much about?!"
Lotte's face blushes slightly at the thought of being talked about. However, my friend pays no mind to it, herself grabbing Lotte's hand in a confident shake.
"Pleased to meet you too, Lotte!" Anchovy declares with a hardy laugh. "I've heard a bit about you from our mutual friend! He thinks highly of you!"
This doesn't help Lotte's reddened face, herself quickly shooting a glance at me, practically begging for an explanation.
I greet Lotte's flustered expression with a smile, replying with
"It's true."
With that side conversation done, I turn back to Anchovy, grinning.
"So, what are you doing here?" I ask, not even attempting to hide my joy. "I'm glad you came, but you're the last person I expected to see."
As if sensing my pleasure in seeing her, Anchovy chuckles to herself, saying
"I had acquired information of this celebration through the news outlets. When I had learned that Theodore and his two friends ventured to Filicudi, and barely came out alive, my ears were burning! And it was a fire that could not be quenched!" My friend declares in a grand fashion, waving her fist in the air. "It burned inside of me until just this very moment! Yes, Theodore! I absolutely had to attend this celebration!"
"Although I didn't receive any message from your grandfather, I can say the rest of your family doesn't hate you." She quickly back tracks, correcting her style of speaking. "I mean, that they love you!"
Anchovy's confident expression momentarily sags by the apathy of my grandfather.
"Honestly, he didn't really seem interested in passing a message onto you."
"Well, figures of him." I hear Diana scoff to herself.
I turn to face her, herself giving me an encouraging smile.
After her visit to Rome, she was well acquainted with my grandfather and his interesting personality. It goes without saying that he is indeed short on love, although it is something that I've grown up with, and thus used to.
Maybe that's a bad thing.
My conversation with Anchovy, and thoughts of my grandfather, are interrupted as I notice someone at the corner of my eye, someone who appears to have been watching me this whole time.
What sets him off from the rest of the adults here is that he is not an adult at all, but looks to be the same age as me. I can say with certainty that he's the first other male I've seen on campus. He also bears a striking resemblance to Mr. Hanbridge. Although, I have never met the man, Headmistress Holbrooke showed us a few photos of the family earlier.
Putting two and two together, it doesn't take a genius to figure out who he is.
So, this guy must be Andrew.
"Hello there." He greets me, seeing that I have caught his gaze. "You must be Theodore, the only wizard in this school full of witches."
Before I can respond, I can't help but notice the change in Diana's mood.
Diana's usual pleasant expression grows cold, her face tense, her eyes filled with focused.
"Hello there, Hanbridge." She greets him. "Fancy seeing you once again."
Although her words may seem warm, her tone is anything but.
"Ah, Diana Canvendish." He acknowledges her, showing Diana the same low energy he showed me. "It has been a while since we last spoke."
"It has, indeed." She replies, the cold edge still present in her voice.
Although it's not much, I can still sense the slight tension in the air.
These two obviously have some sort of history together.
"Are you two friends?" I ask, pointing at the both of them.
I can't help but hold my breath as I wait for a response.
He's nobility, Diana's nobility, and I come from a fallen family, some may even say broken.
While I don't even have the slightest idea of a romantic connection between the two, especially considering the relationship that Diana and I have, I can't help but find myself jealous. I know that Diana is a beautiful woman; even the blind can see that. She's beautiful, intelligent, caring, and everything in between. Anyone would be lucky to have her, and she's also mine. No one else can have her.
"We go back to childhood." Diana answers. "Although I wouldn't describe us as friends."
"Well said." Andrew nods at her statement. "You were so tuned into your books and magic as a kid, you often scared the other children. In our years of childhood, I can't say I remember you having one actual friend."
This new information surprises me.
I would have assumed a smart, beautiful and warm girl like Diana would have no trouble making friends, her noble blood aside. I mean, everyone in Luna Nova is practically drawn to her like moths to a light, myself included. Very strange indeed, although I can somewhat relate to Diana and her interest in magic, and the side effects that followed.
Magic wasn't something that was talked about in my childhood. Not because it was discriminated against, it just wasn't relevant. Any interest that I showed in the craft wasn't directly disapproved of, but it certainly wasn't approved of either.
"It's no secret that magic has been on a slow decline for centuries." Andrew continues, sighing to himself. "I'm surprised my father decided to invest money into this place, considering it'll probably face another financial crisis soon anyway. It's like putting makeup on a corpse, it'll all go away eventually."
Ah, so he's one of those people. I can tell why Diana doesn't think highly of him.
"Hey!" Akko fires at the man, her cheeks puffed out in angered determination. "Magic might not be as popular as it used to be, but Shiny Chariot told me that believing is my magic!
"What fitting thoughts for a witch…" He retorts back. "And did this 'Shiny Chariot' ever consider the future of magic, or was she solely focused on the present?"
Akko's face grows a deep red as she growls
"What did you say?!"
Without waiting for Andrew to respond, Akko shoots her head towards her dorm mates.
"Let's go, girls!" She commands, grabbing both of their hands as she drags them away. "We don't need to listen to this!"
"I'll talk to you later, Theodore." Lotte says, waving me goodbye as she gets dragged away by Akko.
With that, the trio leaves, leaving Diana, Anchovy, and myself alone with Andrew.
After returning the wave to Lotte, I glance back, noticing Andrew analyzing me, a hand on his chin as his eyes probe me curiously.
"Which family do you hail from?" Andrew inquires. "I would assume that one dating a Cavendish to be of high nobility as well, but I do not recognize your features."
"Ah yes…" I mumble under my breath, failing to suppress a sheepish smile. "High nobility, definitely..."
Although I've always talked the big talk, being around Diana, a real and active noble, has humbled me somewhat. I know now that although my family once held great influence in the past, it really doesn't mean much to those who have kept their power.
Putting an exaggerated hand against my heart, I stare at Andrew with focused eyes, holding my head up high, nose and chin even higher.
This is how nobles act, right?
"I come from the distinguished Sempronia family, based in the ancient city of Rome, The City of Seven Hills, The Eternal City. A key family in the Roman Republic, Empire, and beyond, you've probably heard of us."
"I have not." Andrew simply responds, stroking his chin.
I feel my face grow warm.
Yeah, I kind of figured as much. One rarely hears of the happenings of noble families nowadays, so a family of past nobility wouldn't even register for most.
"W-Well, we're well known in Italy." I try to recover with a facade of confidence. "Our linage dates all the way back to the Roman Republic of antiquity. My family was involved in all facets of Italian history, from the Roman Empire, Italian Unification, to the modern day. We are a family of generals, warriors, bankers, and politicians. Sempronia means 'forever', and just like our name suggests, we are eternal just as the grand city of Rome is. Just like the aqueducts and colosseums my ancestors left behind, we never die, and will forever stand the test of time."
After my speech, I shoot a massive and cocky grin at Andrew as I place my hands on my hips, proud of the many achievements and titles under my family's belt. There's no way he can't be impressed with that.
In the corner of my eye, I can see Diana face palm herself.
Rather than grow impressed like I expected, Andrew still stares at me, as if trying to read me like a book.
"Is that a fact?" He questions.
"Yes, it is."
I leave it at that.
First impressions are important, and after how quickly he caused Akko to storm out, I can say his first impression wasn't that great.
Causing three of my friends to turn away, souring the good mood of the party, and casually brushing off my family's long and impression history, all within a matter of a few minutes. This guy seems like fun.
"But you have me curious." Andrew continues. "Why would a male attend an all girl's magic school?"
His inquiry does raise a brow.
I'll admit, early on there were some students and staff alike that thought the worst of me for attending Luna Nova, thinking I was nothing more than a teenager with his mind in the gutter.
And while I did get a great girlfriend, it was hardly my intention or reason for coming.
It's simple.
My family, in ancient Rome, the Sempronians, were great magic users, using these special talents to excel through the ranks of society and government. But now, the art has been lost, magic and wands have been replaced with shady business deals and backroom backstabs, ruthless.
Magic made my family great once, and it can surely do so again.
"I'll admit, I didn't know that this was specifically a girl's only school. It is strange that they would let me in, but I assume it has to do with the school's thin financial budget…"
I trail off as I begin to question myself.
This guy has been pretty cold, and Diana doesn't seem to think too highly of him, they have some kind of history. At the very least, Andrew seemed to be slightly insulting to her, stating that she had no friends in her childhood, and all the other kids were afraid of her. I can add that to the list of transgressions.
No, I don't think it's worth giving him an honest response.
"I just wanted to see what Luna Nova looked like on the inside." I simply shrug.
"But why are you here?" He pushes me further. "Magic is on the decline, as I already explained to that one girl previously. Any attempt to revive a dying breed such as this is merely a waste of time and energy. Adapting to the ever changing modern world is far more clever than holding onto a rotting craft from antiquity."
Despite my previous attempt to simply shrug him off, his words just keep burning right through me.
And it seems like yet another bullet can be added to the list of his many transgressions committed within a short period of time. Causing one of my friends to storm out in frustration, bringing up a past which may still sting for Diana, paying no attention to my family's history, and now insulting magic itself.
I can't help myself but to be drawn back into the conversation.
"Magic might be on the decline, but I wouldn't call it dead, not yet. It still has its uses, and anything that can be used should be used."
"It appears the male mind can be corrupted just as the female mind can." He responds, tilting his head slightly.
Before we can continue further, we hear a sound in the far off distance, loud enough to stand out from the rest of the party noises.
Looking over in the sound's direction, we see Professor Finnalin, arms crossed across her chest, her face even more cross. She appears to be scolding the destructive magic teacher over something.
"Faralda please…" Her superior begs, sternly trying to deescalate whatever scene the other teacher is currently making. "Your actions are must unbecoming of a witch at your status. You're a professor of Luna Nova, not some college kid."
"Why do you always have to judge what I do?!" Faralda exclaims, throwing her arms up in exacerbation, her cheeks slightly pink, a slight slur in her voice. "You always act like your better than me!"
While I'm sure wine has been allocated to the staff and other adults present, it seems as of Faralda has had a keg all to herself, perhaps even indulging in her own personal stash and then some.
"Sure, you might've failed me back in Alchemy III, but I can shotgun a rockstar faster than you, Ms. Prissy!"
To prove this point, the teacher pulls out her iconic drink, a sugar free Rockstar, from seemingly out of nowhere. Faralda's Adam's apple begins bouncing, the yellow liquid disappearing like magic down her throat within seconds.
Smashing the now empty can against her forehead, Faralda dunks it into the nearest trash receptacle, turning back to her fellow staff member.
"Look who's failing now, Finnalin!" She declares, boldly jabbing a thumb at her own chest.
Her actions leave the older professor speechless
"I like this one." Anchovy declares to me, pointing at Faralda.
You know, I kinda do too.
"Actions fitting of a witch." I hear Andrew mutter in reference to Faralda. "It honestly doesn't surprise me that a so called teacher of this academy would openly act with little restraint."
"Hey, Faralda is actually a great teacher." I defend her. "She's the best destructive magic teacher on campus."
"Does it matter?" He lazily responds, his interest in this conversation now gone. "I'll admit, I assumed a male student in an all girl's magic school would be more interesting, but you seem to be just like the rest of them, a mere cardboard cutout. You magic users are all the same, whether witch or wizard."
And with that, he departs, leaving the three of us to deal with the fallout.
Author's Note: So yeah, this isn't the actual end of the whole party. The original chapter was around 11 thousand words long, so I just decided to cut it up somewhere in the middle of the word document. Continue onto the next chapter for the rest. Enjoy.