Chapter 5: Partying and studying
The next day I wake up and look at the calendar. Friday the 13th. Since I know that, I stay calm, but Ellen fusses about it instead of me.
So this conversation still happens, huh. Being woken up by Ellen, I don't want to stay in bed anymore. I decide to take walk through the halls, when I notice foot steps behind me. Must be Grabby, right? A lucky day indeed. I turn towards him. "Good morning, Miss Ojousama." "Good morning, Sir.", I answer calmly. "I… believe I owe you something of an apology." I just continue looking at him. "I did not give you the chance to explain your actions, because I believed that I already knew the reasons behind them. You may not be aware, Miss Ojousama, but it is considered a traditional Initiation 'prank' to order freshmen to proclaim their 'love' for me. The very thought of which fills them with horror.", he continues. "That must be terribly annoying.", I comment honestly.
A small hint of surprise washes over his face. He looks so much better, then he isn't glaring or something like that. He clears his throat.
"Since it was not your intent to disrupt my lessons, I will cancel your detention and return the ten merits I took from you. And another ten, for having the courage to admit that you had written the letter, and in apology for the lesson you missed out on." See, he is actually not that bad.
He is just resentful, when it comes to students due to various reasons. He wants the best for them and is overly anxious about them making mistakes, which results in him being hated and more or less ostracised. "Thank you, Sir.", I answer with a small smile. Having him apologize to me makes me so… happy. Really happy. Way too happy. He is your professor, god dammit! You're sixteen years old right now! "Please do not feel, that this makes us 'friends', Miss Ojousama. It is simply a matter of redressing the balance.", he comments. "Yes, Sir.", I answer lightly. I know that becoming friends with him is impossible anyways, unless you're forced to marry him due to a failed experiment with a Manus, or something equally overly-dramatic.
In the next blue magic class, Grabby acts like normal again. After class we meet in the gym again, in order to be abducted to the End-of-Initiation-Bullying-party. Hopefully acting surprised won't be too difficult. Being abducted is kind of fun, at least, if you know you will be fine. After we arrive at our location, Damien takes off my blindfold. "Wha", I say, seeing the lake. It's really beautiful. I like being near the water, like big lakes or the sea.
Damien cheerfully informs me about the freshman party and I look at the other students happily mingling together. I shouldn't spend too much time with Damien, he is dangerous after all, but going with him towards Ellen or Virginia will be awkward. And apart from my roommates, I don't really know anyone that much. I'm not that good at socialising, I should work on that… Besides that, I really, really want to take a swim. And so I decide to spend the time with Damien, playing around. But before that, Damien gives me a present. A mango. Well, I DID mention, that his voice was sweeter than a mango, and I prefer mangos over butter anytime.
I guess he couldn't gift me wine, since I'm underage. Which is fine with me, I wasn't a big fan of alcohol anyways. Though I did drink from time to time, my alcohol consumption seemed to be far less, when compared to the other students at my university. To those thinking, that this means, that I was twenty-one or older, I'd like to remind you, that in Germany the legal drinking age for wine and beer is sixteen, and for 'harder stuff' its eighteen. So my true age still remains unknown.
Funny, how I remember so many details about the game, and yet fail to remember my own goddamn age. My name was Louisa Müller by the name, which is such an ordinary German name, it could win a competition for being ordinary. While spending the afternoon playing around with Damien, I almost forgot, that he is kind of evil, since it is so much fun hanging around with him. In case of 'how to socialize' I can really learn from him, he is so open and entertaining. And I got to swim in the lake. It's interesting to swim in robes, reminds me of my childhood. I had to swim in a nightgown for some swimming badge once…
In the evening, I arrive completely tired at our dorm room. Before going to bed, Virginia, Ellen and I spend some time, chatting about freshmen party and stuff. It's a good thing that we get along so well, otherwise I probably would have been quite lonely. I wake up to our allowances being delivered the next morning. Apart from them, there is also a letter for me from my parents. It's a short letter, about how's it going for me and stuff. I don't know how to feel about it.
Though I do have memories of them raising me, it's not like I still depend on them. I guess it feels nice, that they still think of me, and haven't forgotten me due to the memory spell of the academy, but at the same time, it reminds me about my parents in my past life. Though I'd like to think, that it is not really a past life, but that this is more something like a 'break' from my other life, to which I will return after the May Dance or so. I mean, this whole thing is too ridiculous, for it to be final, isn't it? Thinking about these depressing thoughts, I can't help but feel a bit homesick. Great. Argh whatever, time to visit the mall. I'm too depressed to study, some distraction will do me good. I arrive at the mall, only to stroll around a bit. I want to save some money for magical items. After arriving back at the academy, I decide to write my 'parents', so that they won't worry about me. Or even forget me. Mhm, what to write about? I guess I'm going to write about how well I get along with my roommates and how I study a lot. That should reassure them, that everything is fine. The next day I walk through the gardens with a book under my arm.
It wasn't easy finding a book in this sorry excuse of a library, but I have high hopes, that it might interest me. I plan to read it somewhere in this campus-park, so that I can enjoy being surrounded by nature as well. The weekends are REALLY extremely boring here, without any electronic devices… I especially miss listening to music.
While looking for a nice place to sit down, I come across Damien. He looks at me oddly and ignores my greeting, to tell me, that he is not bored enough to spend time with me. I haven't asked to spend time with him, though, I only asked, what he was up to. Alright, another event. While he brushes past me without further notice, Virginia appears behind me. "I told you so."´, she tells me, even though I haven't said anything and agreed with her on Damien being evil from the beginning.
"What?", I ask her a bit confused by her out-of-nothing-statement. "That he's evil" Sigh. I knoooooow! Better than you, actually.
"I was just talking to my brother about him, to get the scoop.", she adds, even though I didn't ask her to. "He's a total womanizer. William says last year he left every sophomore in Butterfly Hall crying in the bath room at some point. He gets girl's hopes, when they then fall in love with him, he dumps them."
"His womanizing skills are impressing, but I'm not dating him?", I answer slightly irritated about her intervention. But then again, considering Damien's aim, I guess I really should thank her for being such a caring friend. "The point is, he's a jerk.", Virginia concludes. Can't argue with that. "Forget you ever knew him. You'll be better off." Can't argue with that either. "Come on, let's go to the gym and play." Finally, something interesting to do. I abandon my book for now and follow Virginia to the gym. Having the opportunity to play sports so often, is really the only advantage of this academies leisure opportunities.
The rest of my weekend I spent mostly reading. On Monday morning Virginia finally mentions founding her sport club, and I immediately agree to join it, of course. For magic classes I choose classes from all colours, but focus on black and blue a bit. Blue and black magic match each other well and are the most useful in my opinion (at least for the exams), while green magic interest me, since it is about healing and stuff. I care about red and white magic the least, but I plan to raise my magic stats more or less evenly for now. Specialising in a certain type of magic only makes sense in the game, by actually attending Iris Academy, it doesn't make sense yet, as I don't even know, in which magic types I'm talented right now.
On the Wednesday the 18th we sign up for clubs. Donald really is surprisingly good at singing. It's a pity, that there is only a choir, and no music club, as I really miss music, but I suck at singing. I actually used to play the clarinet in school, which was a conversation option for the MC on Grabiner's path. But since it's been some time, that I last played it, I probably wouldn't tell anyone. My 'avatar' also used to play the clarinet according to my memories. Coincidence? Or is it adapted to me? I look around the various clubs for a bit. Ellen already drags me towards Donald, before I can even decline. There is no way to avoid these events, huh?
On Thursday, I visit the sports club for the first time after classes. I'm a bit surprised myself at how good I am at running. I did a lot of gymnastics in my past life and also tried out various other sports, so I could've been considered athletic as well, but I was never that fast. Having contradicting memories surely feels strange.
In the weekend I finally buy those glasses, to help me with studying in the mall. The rest of the weekend I spent reading books and walking around in the park.
I also saw William playing with a ball and tried to ignore him consequently. But he noticed me and greeted me.
Now, I can't simply pretend, that I wouldn't have heard him, since that would be rude, right? Reluctantly I walk over to him and also try to play with the ball, like he does. I don't like these events, they feel so strange… Apart from that, I also revised my spells a bit, putting my new, awesome, magical glasses to use. I have the feeling, that I am a lot more diligent than the average student at this academy, but I'm still very nervous about the first exams.
I have tendencies to be good at studying but bad at practical application.
On Monday morning Ellen tries to interrogate Virginia about our first exam, but as expected, Virginia can't tell us much. I probably know more about it than her.
I wonder, if the dungeons will really be like in the game? That would be kind of strange…
Anyways, isn't it cheating, that I know so much about the exams already in that case? Not that I can help it. For classes this week I choose a mix of all colours again, but focus a bit more on blue magic than last week. During the week I have problems with sleeping, since Virginia has a lot of vivid dreams about her Brother William and octopuses and detonating bananas and stuff. Must be fun having so crazy dreams, but I wish she wouldn't talk so much in her sleep.
On Thursday Grabby announces his study session, which I attend, of course.
His questions seem to be a bit deeper about the nature of the different magic colours than in the game, and some students, who have focussed on their favourite subjects while neglecting the other types of magic, have problems with keeping up. "Miss Ojousama, give an example for a dual spell on a beginner's level and explain how to weave the two different magic types into one spell.", Grabby addresses me.
I proceed to explain, how you can combine the spell 'Farsight' with 'Inspection', in order to safely examine potentially dangerous objects, or objects out of reach
and how to simultaneously weave both spells, which is a lot more difficult than casting the spells individually, since a lacking form results in the magic interfering in itself, destroying the spell. Being able to concentrate is very important for the spells to function, with a tired mind difficult, or unfamiliar spells are impossible to master. And doing magic tires the mind, the more unfamiliar or the more difficult a spell, the faster your mind is exhausted.
Therefore, practising the spells is very important, so that doing the spells gets easier and your control over them becomes more precise.
Also you'll be able to do more complex versions of the spells, if you deepen your understanding of a spell.
Grabby seemed to be satisfied with my explanations about the dual spell, as he simply nodded and turned to the next student, to ask him about how to combine two spells of the same magic type, called bi-spells, which are equally difficult, since you have to keep the overview about which part of the bi-spell belongs to which partial spell, though you won't have to worry as much about the spell collapsing due to magical interference, caused by the difference in colour.
The division of magic into colours wasn't randomly decided, as humans like to categorize stuff, but is deduced from actual differences in the nature of the magic, such as the movements needed to draw the magic into a spell. About combining different spells, though we are already discussing the theory, we are still far away from actually doing so. Right now, learning how to uphold two spells at the same time, without combining them into one spell is already challenging enough.
While Ellen answers Grabby on how to reinforce the casting of a spell, in order to increase its effectiveness, Grabby suddenly interrupts her, "Mr. Danson." "Yes, Sir?" "As you do not appear to need these revisions, you are excused. You may find more challenging material to occupy you this Saturday in detention.", Grabby yells at him. "Yes, Sir.", Donald answers, acting as if he would mind going to detention, even though this was probably his aim all along.
He suffers from an attention deficit after all, due to his sickly twin sister Virginia. Childish, right? See, that's why I couldn't see him as a potential love interest.
Though he is cute, and I hope this family conflict will be resolved, because it would be good for him. I wonder, what he did in order to get detention.
Maybe I should have watched him, since I knew he would get detention for something. But then again taking notes is more important.
After study session I go straight to my room to relax. It was really strenuous, but now I have a good feeling about the exam tomorrow.