Chapter 8: The second exam and an invitation
After the vote we assemble in the gym again. Aaand I have won. Yei . I wonder, if Jacob is disappointed.
I wonder if Jacob would've been forced to marry Grabiner, if he would've won, and the player and the student body simply never found out. But I doubt that.
He probably would've called Potsdam, without losing his cool. He seems to be rather composed, besides he cares more about Minnie than about Grabby.
In the evening I meet with Grabiner in the conference room. "So, you were successful." "Yes, Sir", I answer him cheerfully. "Very well, take these keys and report here at 5 am tomorrow morning, to begin your duty." "Yes, sir.", I answer, a bit less cheerful. I'm a morning person with sleeping-problems anyways, otherwise I wouldn't have accepted. "So you were aware, what your duties involve and still wanted to run for the position?", he asks a bit perplex about my calm. Is that unusual?
"Well, you were given the information ahead of time after all." "...Right." The folder really isn't the reason as to why I know about my duties, but oh well.
I wake up at 5am the next day, without problems. After dragging myself to the dorm bath, I just brush my teeth and my hair, before I head to the post office.
I unlock the door with the key given to me by Grabiner and start preparing the student's allowances. Write the students name on the envelope- fill the envelope with 5 dollars- close the envelope. Somehow this seems inefficient to me. Maybe I should prepare the envelopes beforehand. I just need to take care, that a missing letter wouldn't lead to a missing allowance. After the allowances are prepared, I have to sort the post, to deliver it together with the allowances.
After I finished up with this strenuous task, I take a nice, relaxing shower. After showering I return to my room to revise my spells a bit. I work best in the morning, even more so, as it's still quite. Soon Ellen and Virginia also wake up, Ellen way before Virginia, of course. Since everyone's awake now, I stop revising my spells and relax the rest of the day, by reading a book. Or at least I'd like to, but the book really doesn't interest me at all. Otherwise I would've read it already after all. Frustrated I head back to my room and grab paper and some pencils. I'm not exactly good at drawing, but I like doing it.
Besides, it's a good exercise for concentration, which on the other hand is needed for becoming a good magician. I sit down in the park and try to draw the scenery, ignoring the other people, while humming a wordless melody to myself.
On Sunday Jacob storms into the gym, while we're playing there, and tries to persuade us, to use magic while playing. I know, that only chaos would ensure, if we would actually agree to his proposal, so I agree with Virginia. At the beginning it seemed, as if Kyo would be on Virginias side, but then he sided with Jacob, like in the game. I wonder whether he already sees Jacob as a threat and wants to use the opportunity to 'accidently' hurt him, but then again he really doesn't seem to dislike Jacob yet. The next week I go to classes as usual, focussing a bit more on blue magic again. Because I like blue magic. Also I want to decorate our ceiling with an illusion. On Friday Minnie finally invited me to her study sessions, so I spent a part of my Saturday trying out her study sessions.
Minnie is good at explaining and has different priorities set, so we complement each other well. Looks I became more of a workaholic since coming here, which is mainly caused by my boredom. Though I had those tendencies even before attending Iris academy, just like my parents.
Good thing, I used the Saturday for catching up with my studies, since the next exam is on Friday, as Virginia informs us on Monday.
This week I decide to focus on black magic. On Friday I head towards the 'examination room' in order to be teleported into the dungeon. I'm not really nervous,
since I know more or less how the dungeon will look like. But when I open my eyes after being teleported into the dungeon, I don't see any abyss in front of me. I only see a bit of the earthy floor, apart from that I can't see the walls of this dungeon. The ceiling of the dungeon glows lightly, not enough to see much, but enough, so that I'm not completely covered in darkness. I use green magic to enhance my eyes, to take a closer look into the dungeon. Still no abyss in sight.
Maybe this dungeon differs from the game? I venture into the dungeon, while using black magic in form of Inscription from time to time, in order to avoid losing my orientation. The dungeon has a natural shape and soon I stand in front of a deep abyss, next to it lie some pile of rocks. Not so different from the game anymore.
I already have searched the other directions, and therefore know, that the other paths are all deadlocks. In one of these deadlocks I found the stone bridge, and I decide to use the blue teleportation magic, in order to cross the abyss. I could also strengthen my body and jump over it, but to be honest, that's a bit scary for me. Maybe I don't fit into horse hall, I don't seem to be very adventurous. After inspecting the side a bit more, so that the teleportation will be successful, I leave for the bridge. Due to my inscriptions, I have no problems with finding the bridge again, even though I'm not good with orientation.
Inscription is really useful in real life, in contrast to the game. After carefully weaving the teleportation spell for the bridge, I head back to the abyss.
The bridge covers the abyss perfectly, the teleportation spell was a success. Once on the other side I turn down my eye-sight to normal, as I blink into the bright light at the end of the stairs. Outside Potsdam is already waiting for me, in order to congratulate me and gives me 5 merits. Nice. Feels good to ace an exam.
To be honest, it WAS fun to test my magical abilities. I can't wait for the next exam.
On Saturday I decide to visit the mall like Virginia. As soon as we arrive, Virginia starts looking around wildly, instead of heading straight to the arcade or a café´, like she usually does. Turns out, she's looking for a birthday present for Donald. I suggest her to buy an instrument or something like that. I'm not creative enough in finding presents in order to suggest her something else than the game's choices, so I don't even try this time.
On Sunday Minnie talks to me about the Dark Dance. I already know a bit about the Dark Dance due to the game, but my memory is quite blurry regarding that part, so I decide to consult with Grabiner first. Maybe I can find more about it, than in the game. Yes, I know. I'm totally following Grabby's route right now.
But so long as I don't cross the wards, should I see him collapsed on the floor underneath a Manus, nothing will happen. And I have enough confidence in myself, that I will avoid sacrificing myself to a Manus, since I already know, that this situation might occur. That being said, I head out to find Grabby.
I finally find him in some of the classrooms, sitting at the desk and scribbling in his book. I knock at the door. "Excuse me, Sir?" He looks up to me. "Can I help you, Miss Ojousama?" "I have to authorize some funds for the Dark Dance, but I don't know anything about it.", I answer him. He closes his book and clears his throat.
"You are familiar with the traditions of All Halloweens, and the festivals for the dead?", he asks me. "Well, I do know a bit about Halloween…", I answer.
"Many cultures hold that at this time of year, the boundaries between our world and the Otherworld grow thin, allowing spirits and monsters to pass the veil. The Dark Dance is a custom in which spirits are invited to take part in celebration with mortals as their equals. It is held in the dark –thus its name- so than no one can see, who or what is in attendance. Do not attempt to get around this provision. Spirit folk are bound by many rules. Those who break the rules are punished harshly."
"Yes, sir.", I answer. "The ceremony will take place on Halloween night and last until 3. Classes are cancelled on the following day, to allow time to recover. As for the choice of incense, I have no particular expertise, you should consult with Miss Cochran." I bid goodbye and go find Minnie. I wanted to ask more questions, but he really looked reluctant to further the discussion. Maybe I simply should've agreed with Minnie. On Tuesday I witness Virginia giving her present to Donald. As expected. Even though we have completely different classes today…
On Wednesday an expected catastrophe happens. Damien tries to re-establish contact to me, by pinning a pink card on our dorm door. Ellen notices the card of course first, while she tiptoes around the topic on whether she should ask William out to the dark dance. I sigh, while looking at the card.
Dear Elise, Please don't throw this away. I know I deserve it. I've been terrible to you. You deserve better. I should have told you what was going on. Please meet me tomorrow before the Dark Dance and I will explain everything.
Oh no, Damien wasn't terrible to me. Not yet. But he sure will be, if I give him the chance. And a pink card. Seriously? It doesn't suit him, in my opinion.
Maybe I'm just racist/sexist, but pink is not the colour of choice, I expect from a male devil. But wait. In the game, an event in which Damien attacks a student will unfold, whether the player meets up with him, or not. Maybe, I should meet him, just so I can protect this other student?
But he would attack me and I would lose 'magical power' either way. And I prefer another person losing 'magical power' over me losing 'magical power', sorry.
Apart from that, I really want to go to the Glen, even if it is with Damien. Should I act along, until then? So long as I don't meet him in the gym at night, it should be fine, right? I should be able to distance myself enough from him after that, shouldn't I? Ok, I'm not a horse for show, I'll take the challenge and 'get along' with Damien. For the food! Finally, it's Halloween. I wonder, if attending the Dark Dance will be fun. I like dancing, and I miss music. Since it's a dance, there should be music, right? But before I can enjoy myself, I'll have to meet Damien.
Damien tells me the expected lies, about how he pushed me away, in order to protect me or something. I pretend to listen, while thinking about how to best act towards him. I don't want to lead him on, after all, but I do want him to go for me enough, to treat me to dinner. In the meantime, Damien finally reached the point, where he asks me, whether we could still be friends. Ugh, how to answer? "I don't know… I guess? You mentioned, that you pushed me away, since we were becoming friends and you couldn't deal with that, could you even deal with that now?" "I see. I I'll have to think about that.", he answers and disappears, after wishing me to enjoy the dance. So it was interpreted as the not-if-you-can't-trust-me-option, huh. Makes sense. Since that's dealt with for now, time to join the Dark Dance.