It was the beginning of a new chapter in Zeri's life, with the first day of classes finally here. He woke up early in the morning so could give himself enough time to get to his homeroom classroom. Thankfully, he was familiar enough with his surroundings from the walks he took with Avan and Cosette over the weekend, though he could never be too careful.
This peaceful start to his morning was disrupted due to commotion he overheard from outside his dorm room. He looked outside to see the source of the commotion.
"Look awake! I expect you to be up and ready to go, on the hour, not a minute later. Don't you dare fall asleep on me, or I will slap you. Do you understand me?" A young woman berated a young man.
Franca Martin. A young woman who is strict in nature and a stickler for order. She left her university studies to enroll in Lanseal so she could look after her younger brother.
"Y-yes ma'am, I do. I'm sorry if I disappoint you in any way," the young man answered.
Nichol Martin. An introverted boy who enlisted in Lanseal to prove himself as a man. Demure and physically weak, he's insecure in his words and actions. He relies on others for approval, living in the shadow of his older sister.
The poor boy, Zeri thought, I don't envy him.
"Sorry won't do it," she smacked him by the top of his head. "Time to inspect your room. If I don't think it's tidy enough, you'll stay here and you will clean it until it's spotless. No going to class until I say so. Not a spec of dust, do you hear me?"
"I h-hope it's clean enough to your liking."
"No ifs and buts. Come with me to your room."
"Y-yes, Franca."
He whimpered as she prodded him to move.
None of his business to get involved, Zeri thought. There were times to intervene, like the other week when he stood up for the Darcsen boy harassed by a stranger, but this was not it. He returned to his room to retrieve his belongings and fetch breakfast.
Seeing the morning sky over Lanseal became another reason why Zeri was glad he woke up early. The campus was more beautiful than he could've ever imagined, more so than the photos he saw before of the place. No need to rush to class, just a peaceful stroll.
Or so he thought, when someone else bumped into him.
"Ooof, sorry about that, I didn't mean to bump into you. Are you okay?" A large young man asked Zeri.
"I'm fine, though are you okay as well?"
"Yeah, as okay as I can be," he shook himself off, "I had the feeling this would happen."
Raymond Moen. A young man with a large frame and a timid personality, a gentle giant by nature. He's somewhat clumsy and sometimes stumbles over his words, though he means well.
"No harm done," Zeri said.
An awkward silence followed, as both recognized neither one were good at small talk. Raymond looked too nervous to say anything, while Zeri didn't have anything more he could say.
"Good morning~!" Magari waved from behind. She was in good spirits today, ready for the school year to start and glad to be in the same class as Zeri. When she noticed Raymond, she returned to her usual shyness.
Raymond and Magari looked awkwardly at each other, fidgeting and avoiding eye contact. Zeri wondered if he should do something. Because it involved one of his best friends, he decided to. "No need to be shy, he seems like a nice person."
The approval she received from him was all she needed to open up.
"My name is Magari," she nodded.
"And my name is Raymond. Nice to meet you?" Not knowing how to make a good first impression, he reached out his hand.
His hesitation put her at ease because despite the size difference, they recognized the traits they shared in common. She slowly reached out her hand and shook his. "Of course!" Raymond was now the first friend Magari made at Lanseal.
"Oh hey everyone!" Cosette said cheerfully, waving at the three.
"Oh, hey, Cosette." Zeri was glad to see her, even though he often struggled with showing enthusiasm through his greetings.
The other two didn't say anything right away. Raymond then turned to Magari. "I think we should introduce ourselves to her. If we could do it with each other, this should be easy. Want to go first?"
Magari nodded and turned to Cosette. "Hey there, my name is Magari. I can already tell you're a good friend of Zeri. Nice to meet you."
"And my name's Raymond."
"I'm Cosette, nice to meet the both of you! I take it we're all in Class G, I look forward to getting to know you all better. Did everyone sleep well enough?"
"I slept well enough," Zeri answered as he adjusted his glasses.
Raymond went next. "I would've slept better, if not for-"
Right on cue, all four saw Franca drag Nichol by the arm past them.
"Yeah, that," Zeri finished Raymond's sentence.
"I feel sorry for the kid. That woman scares me, yikes!" Raymond shuddered, wanting to hide behind the closest person.
"With your size, you don't have anything to worry about!" Cosette thought positive, doing her best to comfort him.
"Be glad she isn't your older sister," Zeri dryly added.
"Don't mind Zeri, he's like this, but he means well," Cosette smiled and nodded her head.
"Well, that's good," Raymond looked relieved, "want to walk to class together?"
"Of course, let's go!" Cosette led the way.
All four arrived at the classroom, then broke off. Because they got there early enough, they all easily found a seat they'd like sitting at everyday.
Zeri settled on a seat near the back, by a window. It allowed enough physical and emotional distance to detach himself from the rest of his classmates when he wanted to, while the view from outside let his inner thoughts wander more easily.
A girl sitting in front of him apparently had the same idea. She turned around with an analytical look, though the frown on her face softened when she soon realized he was Darcsen who also wore glasses, just like her.
Mischlitt. An introverted girl who keeps to herself, believing that she's largely incompatible with her classmates. She struggles with expressing emotions and has difficulty in reading other people's emotions. Due to her nature, she prefers the company of her books and studies.
Zeri's first impression of Mischlitt convinced him otherwise, though she soon turned back around, not wanting to be bothered for the time being. He wanted to know her better, already feeling a deep bond with her.
While Zeri was lost in thought about Mischlitt and wondered about how he was already endearing himself to his classmates sooner than he expected, more students entered the classroom. One of them was a young man with brown hair, his short stature allowing him to slip unnoticed past everyone to his seat of choice.
Morris Lling. A young man with dark brown hair who enlisted in Lanseal to prove himself as a real man, wanting to overcome his perceived lack of physical size and strength. A pessimist by nature, he holds low hope for his future, preferring to coast along life.
As Morris blended into the sea of seats, he observed most other students intermingle with each other. He surrendered to the idea he wasn't cool enough to be around other guys, while too unattractive to be around girls. He sighed and looked up at the ceiling.
"Oh hey there, I'd love to say hi to you!" A young girl with pink hair brought his attention away from the ceiling.
"R-really, you mean it?"
"Yeah! I'm going around introducing myself to everyone and I didn't want to forget you. I'm Coleen, what's your name?"
Coleen Celsius. An easygoing girl who loves to chat with all kinds of people about all sorts of things. Her approachability already makes her popular among boys, while endearing her to so many girls throughout the school.
"I'm Morris," was all he could muster, star-struck that a cute girl was giving him the time of day.
"I'll be sure to remember you!" She winked, then left to introduce herself to more people.
Morris was left speechless. He watched Coleen chatted up their new classmates and admired her outgoing nature. Perhaps he'll gather the courage to talk to her again? He wasn't sure how soon.
In another part of the classroom, Zeri observed the same group of students, though he had no interest in joining them. Cosette still looked to be in a good mood as usual. She noticed him, suddenly excused herself from the group, and walked over to ask him, "Say, have you seen Avan anywhere?"
"Can't say I have… why do I have the feeling he overslept…"
"HERE COMES AVAN!" Avan shouted as he slid into the classroom. He picked himself up, patted his clothes, and spotted Zeri and Cosette. "Avan got to class on time!" He pointed to himself and laughed.
"Yeah!" Cosette clapped for him.
"You sure did," Zeri sighed and adjusted his glasses.
"Brighten up, Mr. Grumpy Face. Maybe I should take off your glasses to see if it'll change anything."
"You can try all you want."
"I won't know until I find out!" He immediately snatched his glasses.
"Just because you… Avan!"
Zeri became absolutely flustered, because he relied on his glasses to maintain his cool exterior. Instead, he looked lost, flailing without success to grab them back, while Avan held them far away. Cosette giggled at the fun Avan had at the expense of Zeri.
Then the bell rang and everyone became quiet. When they realized their homeroom teacher hadn't shown up yet within the next few seconds, they went back to loud chattering. This again changed a few minutes later when Hubert arrived, not caring that he took his time, and leaned back against a wall. He wondered how long it'd take for his students to notice him. The answer was several more minutes. He preferred doing things this way because it was less effort on his part, that was outside of his classroom plans. At least Zeri noticed him right away.
"Glad to know that we have decent people in this class," Hubert began with an indirect compliment to Zeri. "To those of you new to this school, welcome to Class G. To everyone else returning, welcome back. I'm Hubert Brixham, and I'll be your homeroom teacher for this forthcoming year." He took out some notes and read from them. "As you all know, we have an ongoing civil war, and by attending this school, you've sworn loyalty to the throne. You're all considered part of the Gallian Army in all but name, that is," he looked at his watch, "until the swearing in ceremony where you'll be taking the oath of office. In the meantime, I still have more to go through."
"Yo, teach, how much more?" Avan shouted.
"Not that much more. Anyone else have questions?"
"Nope!" Avan shouted once again.
He was going to be one of those students, Hubert thought. "Anyway, like I was saying. from that point forward you'll be expected to attend every drill, no exceptions. Hopefully you'll be able to attend every class, since that's also expected. As you all probably know, we're in the middle of a civil war, meaning you will be expected to report to the battlefield at a moment's notice. You'll hopefully become our nation's finest and seeing you killed out there is the last thing we want to happen. Helping your classmates as they would help you will be the most important part about succeeding here at Lanseal. Of course, you'll still have plenty of time to make the most of your school life here. I may be your homeroom teacher, but I'm also here for guidance, to help you however I can with anything that may come up. That being said, I will take attendance."
Hubert looked at his class roster and read off the names.
"That should be everyone. We got past the important part of today. I don't have anything else planned for right now, so I'll let you all get back to talking and getting to know each other." He let out a deep breath, sat at his desk, and relaxed.
The students once chattered again in no time.
"Another year of school, another year of bad luck thrown my way. When will I ever catch a lucky break? I'm already starting off to a bad start. They ran out of space within the boys' dorm, so they put me with the girls. What's up with that?" A young man wearing a beanie bemoaned his situation.
Joachim Osen. A flippant and laid-back young man who doesn't worry too much about life, his ability to stay calm in tense situations impressing others. He either complains about his bad luck or goes with the flow.
"We won't mind having you around," Anisette winked, "you're chill and we'll feel safe."
"Yeah, dude!" Lotte gave him a thumbs up. "With enough time, I could interview you about what it's like to live there, it'll be great for my paper!"
Lotte Netzel. The self-proclaimed reporter of "The Lotte Insider," the school's only student newspaper. She is enthusiastic about her work, even if her reporting is sometimes unreliable. A hustler by nature who is always finding ways to push her paper, jumping at opportunities whenever they arise. Likes saying "dude" a lot.
"You're a lucky guy, Joachim," Nichol said in agreement.
"Makes me wish we had a cutie like you in our dorms as well," Anisette winked at Nichol, who then pouted. She really wished she could adopt him into the girls dormitory. Maybe she could work something out.
"Man, why did we have to get Darcsens in this class? They're gonna bring nothing but misery and bad luck, as if we don't get enough of it around here," said Joachim, as he steered the conversation onto the next topic.
"Yeah, tell me about it. I don't know, man," Lotte agreed.
"We'll have to talk to them sooner or later, we can only avoid them for so long." Morris had a point, regardless of how the other students felt.
"At least Darcsens don't intimidate or threaten other people," Lotte said.
"What about the students in the other classes? Do you think they'll pick on us because we're in Class G?" Raymond inquired.
"You have nothing to be afraid of, with your size." Anisette patted Raymond on the back.
Raymond appreciated the gesture. "You're right, they'll leave me alone. I'm glad to have you all around."
"Not like they'll notice me all that well, I don't stand out," Morris added.
"We look out for each other, you're all in good hands. Nothing to worry about!" Anisette also patted Morris on the back.
"That puts me at ease," Morris eased up. "You hanging in there, Nichol?"
"I-I am. I hope I'll be okay this school year. I mean, there's my older sister, but…"
"You're in good hands, too." Anisette petted Nichol's head. "There, there."
Nichol's train of thought was interrupted when he spotted a pink haired young woman entering the classroom. He whimpered loudly as soon as he recognized who she was.
"If I may have everyone's attention!" She shouted as she smacked the nearest desk, "I am Juliana Everhart, and I'm the class chair of Class A!" Juliana loved to make her presence known in the most conspicuous way possible.
Juliana always garnered a wide range of reactions from her fellow students. Some gawked at her because of her attractiveness, while others were intimidated by her mere presence. Other students looked at her with contempt, while yet some others felt indifferent to her. She might as well have been the headmaster of the entire school with the way she spoke loudly, how her voice commanded respect from others, and the way she cast her gaze on everyone she'd get to know well enough.
"Now you're asking yourselves, what am I doing here in Class G? I want to see what this year's bottom of the barrel looks like. I want to get a good look at every single one of you." She had a strong way of talking down to everyone, to which she felt entitled.
Various students murmured.
"Why isn't our teacher doing anything about her?" Morris asked.
"You ask me," Nichol replied.
"Yeah what business does she have being here?" Joachim didn't like her vibe.
"I'm sure she's being nice," Coleen tried her best to be polite, and even she knew her words didn't land like she intended.
"As nice as she'll ever be to most of them," Alexis replied with sarcasm.
Juliana overheard that last comment. She knew Alexis was correct, but she couldn't admit it to the entire class. Instead, she came up with a different excuse. "That's because Brixham trusts me to speak to all of you and he knows me well enough. Nobody else has the patience or fortitude to be your homeroom teacher."
"I have to say, I'm impressed at how she commands respect and authority. I might learn a thing or two from her," Franca commented.
"She probably won't see me, compared to some others," Morris said.
"I mean, you look nondescript," Mischlitt commented without a hint of feeling.
"Unlike me," Raymond added.
"Come on all, y'all shouldn't be hard on yourself. She'll see me for sure, OH HO HO HO!" Anisette couldn't pass on the opportunity to laugh.
So much for trying to maintain control, Juliana thought. She instead walked around the classroom to glare at as many people as possible, to let everyone know she was better than them, a given fact.
"Sigh, you're back, Lotte," Juliana commented in disappointment.
"You know it dude!"
"Still at your tabloid journalism, I take it?"
"It's my hobby and passion, brother!"
"I don't know how you keep writing that rag sheet. I dare you to write more things about me, like you did last year."
"Sure, dude! You give me plenty to work with!"
"If you think you can sully my name with your subpar writing, think again. I'm well above you."
"The name of my paper is the Lotte Insider, dude. You should try reading it sometime, it's only a nickel! You might learn a thing or two from it."
"Tell that to your readership of three people, no it doesn't include yourself."
"I'm open to working with you, we can come up with something that would benefit the both of us. My writing and your status, think of the possibilities. We might even work out some photoshoots! Of course, I'll give you a share of the profits."
"No, no, and no chance in hell."
Magari hid behind her desk the entire time. Meanwhile, Mischlitt and Zeri looked at each other to silently communicate their disdain for Juliana.
"Good to see you again, dear madam," Marion greeted Juliana as she passed by.
Juliana paused to whisper to her. "You as well, glad to see you're in good spirits. I hope Class G is treating you well. You and Alexis are the two people from here I wish were in my class." She always had a soft spot for the both of them because they came from similar backgrounds and their personalities meshed well together.
Once Juliana completed her walk around the classroom, she shouted, "Cut the chatter!" Everyone fell silent. "I'm glad to know some of you respect nobility when you see one. Maybe some of you will learn manners while you're here, but that's being generous. To the few people I get along with, you know who you are, I extend my apologies for ending up in this wretched place. Class G deserves a good leader, instead of whoever you chose to represent you."
"Uhhh," Raymond interrupted, "we don't have a class chair yet."
"You're all more worthless than I thought. Isn't that right, Brixham?"
"Based on past experience teaching this class, you aren't wrong. Yes, Class G is a bottomless pit of students with no hint of motivation," Hubert shamelessly said in agreement.
"He sees the truth. The school is supposed to evenly place students across all classes, but let's be honest, they admitted you out of pity and had nowhere else to put you."
"Yo, teach! I thought you were our homeroom teacher! You're going to let her talk all over us?" Avan shouted, having none of it.
"Avan, not now," Zeri said as he shoved an elbow into Avan's back. It was way too soon for his antics and it was way too late for Zeri to contain Avan from his hotheadedness.
Juliana pointed her finger at everyone, landing in the direction of Avan. "This academy has ill use for a group of failures such as yourselves."
"Who are you calling a failure? I haven't even taken my first test or quiz yet!"
Zeri decided to Avan have his moments, to see how Juliana reacted to him. Only an idiot like Avan would confront her like this. Time to let it play out for as long as possible, because the less Zeri had to deal directly with Juliana, the better off he was.
"Keep shouting at me all you want, it won't change a thing," she rebuffed to Avan.
"My name is Avan Hardins, and don't you forget that, Juliana!" He stood on top of his desk, fist in the air, as he shouted his name.
"Ah yes, you're the younger brother of the late great Leon. I respected him greatly, considered him an equal in just about every way. He used to mention you all the time when we'd talk to each other. Though, I didn't expect you to be like… this. Now I know who got all the brains in the family."
"You take those words back!"
"How did you get into this school? Clearly it wasn't your academics."
"I may have half the brains that you do, but I have the fighting spirit and the drive to do well here!"
Zeri facepalmed. He didn't know how to follow up with that.
"Avan, maybe you should get back on the floor, you might trip and fall," Cosette suggested out of genuine concern.
"Good idea, give me a sec." Avan jumped off the desk and landed without a hitch. She applauded the nice landing.
"If you had a fraction of a brain, you'd suggest a class chair. Then again, you're all such incompetent fools, you may as well choose a Darscen. Not like anyone else in this school will ever take Class G seriously." Juliana said this with the main purpose of riling up Zeri, because she knew the temptation for him to disrupt her. "Anyone willing to save you from your stupidity, Hardins? I'm not leaving this classroom until someone volunteers. I want to see who I'll be dealing with for the school year."
Zeri maintained his cool as best as he could around Juliana, which always proved difficult. The way she was acting here and talking down to everyone with such contempt became too difficult to handle. He wished he could get right into her face and make her back off, but he knew that'd make the situation worse. The more logical approach was to volunteer to become class chair, waiting for the right time to jump in the fray.
Juliana, anticipating Zeri's course of action, denied him the opening by keeping the heat on Avan, a much easier person to mess with. "I dare you to be class chair," she looked at him.
"Avan will do it!" Cosette blurted out and raised his arm. She immediately removed her hand out of sheer embarrassment.
"Yeah, I'll do it!" Avan shouted, as his arm remained in the air.
Everyone was stunned into silence. Zeri swore at himself for hesitating, because the opportunity now passed him, and he'd regret it for the rest of the year.
Juliana was dumbfounded. "I thought I was joking. Clearly you can't be serious, Hardins."
Avan shook his arm. "I am very serious, and I'm going full throttle into this!" He ran to the front of the class room and pointed all around, "Hey all of you, Class G, you're with me as class chair?"
Everyone shouted "YES" in unison, including Zeri, who muttered it in defeat.
Avan stood face-to-face with Juliana, feeling rather proud, "I told you! Take that, Juliana!"
Juliana was having none of this. She crossed her arms and smirked, looking upon him with contempt. "Your words are empty as your head right now. I'm glad Leon isn't here, because if I was your older brother, I'd disown you."
To Avan, insulting his older brother was one of the worst offenses one could commit. He'd do anything to defend Leon's honor.
Zeri preferred to not see the collateral damage Avan might cause, so he intervened. "I think you're being quite unfair on him. Sure, he's the most impulsive person I already know and he tends to speak before he thinks, but you should give him a chance. It wouldn't hurt to show some generosity." Zeri struck a balance between not entirely putting down Avan, while not giving too much credit to Juliana. "Maybe you should recognize he's his own person and more than just Leon's younger brother."
Several students hollered at the exchange of words.
"Who told you to speak, Darcsen? I was talking to Hardins, not you. Clearly you know who you're talking to?" Juliana wanted to humiliate him so badly in front of his classmates. Avan didn't care about his pride, but Zeri was another story.
"I believe my friend Avan is done speaking. Let me take over," he shifted his glasses for dramatic effect, preferring to be subtler through his actions and words, compared to the more bombastic approach to which his red-haired friend was far more inclined. "While I'm disappointed as you are that I didn't end up class chair, I'll be there to help him out. After all, someone needs to look out for him."
"Good luck with him, I already have my hands with Class A."
"I feel sorry for them. They probably fear you because treat them all as pawns for your ambitions. If anything, everyone is much better off here without your style of leadership."
"If you think you're that good, then why did you end up in Class G? You should treasure your intellect while you still can, because these group of failures will rub off on you. I hate to see your mind go to waste."
"On the other hand, I have the potential to make this entire class smarter with my presence. Maybe you should learn to see things from different perspectives, it'll do you plenty good. You're a smart woman, it'll come easy to you."
Nobody talked down to her like that, she hated it. "You're testing my patience, you know that?" Every time she came up with something, he fired back. It was the way he'd come back at her with his dry wit, how he stood there like an immovable object, even though she was quite the unstoppable force, and her pride refusing to let her admit he was on her level. "
"I'm fully aware of it," he paused, "Juliana Everhart." He emphasized her name in a way that riled her up, like nothing else.
"What gives you the right to address a proper noble like that?"
"I'm on the same level as you. Someday you'll admit it."
"If that was true, then why did your kind lose their last names? That's what they got once the Valkyria conquered them for razing so much of Europa."
"If they actually did. There's increasing scholarship theorizing it's completely false, which my kind has all along. You should listen to other people all the time, instead of yourself, as smart as you are." If Zeri didn't say it, nobody would. Magari was too shy to speak up, while Mischlitt didn't want to get involved with others. While he preferred to cite various sources he'd have on hand, his conviction mattered most in this moment.
To Juliana, the facts didn't matter. She was more concerned with saving face in front of Zeri. "I despise you so much, you impudent beast."
"Ah, getting more varied in your words. That's the person I know so well," Zeri smirked. "I'll let you and everyone else in this class know that I'm the furthest thing from a beast, though it's preferable to how you usually call me a dog. Telling me to sit won't work, as much as you wish it did." He crossed his arms. "My name is Zeri, by the way. You should try saying it more often, it won't be that difficult for someone bright and talented like you."
"Try me, I dare you."
"If you didn't have that attitude of yours, maybe you'd be pleasant to be around. Maybe you'd make actual friends."
By now the entire classroom went silent, letting this confrontation play out to its fullest.
The exchange of words got Juliana nowhere, so she stomped over to Zeri and leaned in, staring him dead in the eye, only inches away from full contact.
Zeri saw Juliana's usual haughtiness give way to the cold intensity that rose above the surface of bravado, the kind that shattered lesser people into ice shards. It was like a winter storm enveloped these two away from the rest of the classroom. He felt frigid gusts blow through him, reminding him of the mountain villages he'd visit with his family to see relatives, but here he had only himself, the seconds slowly passing.
"Zeri," she said coldly, "Do you not realize that I rule this academy and everyone obeys me? I know full well you can handle me, but not everyone will be as restrained like I am. I wish I could do something about that smug face of yours. I see it all the time in my thoughts, I wish you could leave. I hate you more than anyone. I hate that you got into Lanseal. I hate everything you stand for. I hate you."
The words refused to escape him. All he could do was listen to her.
"Don't tell me I don't have friends when you barely have any. You know how you endeared yourself to the nobility with your charm and wit? Things are different here. There are people around here who would love nothing more than to beat your face into the ground. To them, you're nothing, you're absolutely nothing. I better hope you have good people you can call friends, because you won't last long if you go about things alone. You will learn the hard way."
Juliana leaned into his ear and whispered, "I will always be watching you, Darcsen. Better watch yourself, if you know what's good for you."
His words finally came out as she was about to pull away. "Like you ever give me the chance to do so."
She leaned back in to whisper her parting words. "You can't escape me."
Juliana turned around, flipped her hair, and walked out of the classroom. Silence followed because the students were reeling in from the spectacle that took place, before they chattered once again. Zeri felt the emotional blizzard dissipate, glad that she was gone, and felt the warmth of the people around him.
"You did great out there, I'm impressed, you should cheer up a bit!" Coleen congratulated Zeri, which made him feel better.
Zeri then spotted Mischlitt. Both nodded at each other and acknowledged how relieved they were that Juliana was gone for the time being.
"I agree, you did great out there. I also appreciate how you rebuked the Darcsen Calamity. I wanted to put it into words, but dealing with Juliana wasn't worth the effort. Then again, dealing with most other people is a waste of time."
"We should discuss Darcsen history and culture sometime. It's not often I get to talk about it with someone else."
"I'm most comfortable in the library, away from everyone. I can even point out some books worth reading."
"It works for me."
"That's good. If you excuse me, I'll need more alone time. It's nice knowing another Darcsen around here."
Zeri again looked around the classroom and spotted Alexis.
"You did well," she said succinctly.
"Thank you."
"Would you like to join Marion and I for tea?"
"Maybe another time."
"There will always be a seat for you, we appreciate your company."
"Likewise."
Zeri didn't expect to endear himself to so many people, but he appreciated the respect people gave him for confronting Juliana
He heard Avan shout "Anyone want to hit the gym later today? I need to let off some steam!"
"Count me in, I'm getting restless" A young woman with orange hair waved.
Rene Randall. A carefree young woman who loves to participate in sports. She is well known for her athletic ability and was recruited by Lanseal because of it. Her energetic personality and willingness to lend a hand to other people makes her easy to get along with.
"The more people, the better!" Avan continued to shout.
"I'm your guy!" A brawny young man waved as well.
Reiner Tristan. A young man known for his outgoing personality and his energy, whose strong sense of justice is his drive throughout his everyday life. He enjoys climbing, physical training, and various sports.
"We got ourselves a group!" Avan flexed, along with Rene and Reiner.
Zeri wished he had Avan's ability to shake off the encounter with Juliana. If only things were that easy.
His beef with Juliana was nothing new, based on their many past encounters, but the two of them never before butted heads in a very public setting like a classroom. What remained the same was the tenacity between them, a game of wit, ability, and getting into each others faces. He could never raise an arm against Juliana, but he was thankful that she never slapped him for whatever reason. Unlike the social circles among the nobility to which he became accustomed, she was right about him starting from nothing at Lanseal. Juliana had a head start since she'd been here for about a year, putting him at a major disadvantage. The high regard for which the students held Juliana forced him to carefully consider his words and actions. He wondered if he let his pride get to his head too much, but only time would tell.
"Yo, man, you seem to be a good guy to be around," Joachim tapped Zeri on the shoulder, "I've never seen someone stand up to Juliana like that before."
"And you seem to be unfazed by the whole thing." Zeri retorted.
"You get used to it after a while," he shrugged. "I've lost count of how many times she'd peek her head in here, something about asserting her authority."
"I wish I could get used to her. She always has a way of throwing me off guard."
"I'd ask you for advice on how to deal with people, but I go with the flow, man. It's worked for me, despite whatever bad luck gets thrown my way." He paused and pointed both thumbs at himself. "The name is Joachim."
"And my name's Zeri."
"As wound up a person you almost seem to be, you're pretty calm right now. I mean, I've never dealt with Juliana, she looks in my direction and that's it, but I want to know how you do it."
"You ask me. And I want to know how you stay calm, you know, with everything at this school. You've been here for a while, yeah?"
"You got it. Yeah, sure, there are the drills, there are the people who wear their pride, but the biggest worry in my life? Whenever they have those special lunches that everyone wants, but they only make so much of, and them running out by the time I get there. Like, whoa," that last part he said with a lack of energy. "And I'm, oh well, guess I'll slouch off to the nearest seat, get over it in a few minutes, and get the regular food. Then someone comes up to me and gives me their lunch without saying anything, and then walks off. I pause for a second, then dig in."
"That's some strange luck you have."
"Tell me about it." Zeri was impressed with him. I mean, sure, there was Avan, but Joachim was another kind of person who found his place in Lanseal. "Wait, how do you survive here?"
"You do it, I guess."
An older gentleman with a fine-trimmed beard looked at a map of Gallia hung up in his office, then to a full set of medieval armor to the side. He was proud of how he decorated the office, giving it the rustic feel where all felt right within his world.
Laurence Kluviert. Headmaster of Lanseal Royal Military Academy. The scion of a family that has produced officers for the Gallian military for generations. While an accident prevented him from being deployed for active duty, his abilities as a staff officer ensured his continued rise through the ranks. He was eventually promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General and appointed the headmaster of Lanseal. In addition to overseeing the school, Laurence acts as the liaison to the army's chain of command.
Earlier in the day, he'd spoken before the student body for the first assembly of the year, where he gave his welcoming speech and swore in the incoming students as officers of the Gallian Army.
Another school year, another set of familiar faces and new arrivals. Even though he's seen many students in his career, more than he could ever remember, he rest assured in the fact those students remembered him.
He heard the door knock.
"You may come in."
Zeri entered the room. "I'm here, sir."
"Here, take a seat." The older man raised a hand, pointing at the spare chair. "I've heard all about you, Zeri. I'm glad to finally meet the person behind the name."
"It's an honor to meet you, sir."
"Apologies about your application taking so long to get through. I'm glad to finally see you in person, after hearing so much about you. Hope the school has been treating you well."
"Of course, sir, I'm glad to be here, it's always been my dream to be admitted into Lanseal."
"You can be at ease."
Zeri relaxed on the formalities. "More than happy to. It's been quite the day."
"I bet, haha!"
"I'm sure I'll get used to school life here soon enough."
"You're a natural fit. Sounds like you've been giving Juliana heavy competition for being a star student, I'm impressed."
"You flatter me, it was bound to happen."
"I appreciate your wit," he chuckled. "Don't let Class G's supposed reputation get to you, they're all good people, and you're in good hands." Laurence shuffled through some papers. "The school faculty looked over your profile and aptitude testing, and we decided that you'd be best trained to become a shocktrooper. Your past combat experience helps, which should give you a head start, and you'll be a natural fit for the role."
"Thank you, I'm glad my preference for the role was taken into consideration."
"Of course. That being said, you may be excused. I'm quite the busy person, with everything going on. Have a good school year."
"You too."
Zeri bowed and left.
Laurence leaned back into his chair, giving himself a moment to rest before meeting with the next person. "You have that 'it' factor, Zeri," he mused, "where you go from here should be interesting."
Marion and Alexis sat together and drank tea at a student lounge in one of the dorms.
"As much as I like being around our new classmates, I'm glad we can meet like this, my good sir," Marion looked warmly at Alexis.
"The feeling is mutual, dear madam," Alexis smiled back, then sipped her tea. "Ah, this blend is good."
"It definitely hits the spot," Marion took a drink as well. "We have good people and people seem to like us a lot. Class G won't be as bad as people make it out to be.
"Though," Alexis looked around in concern, "I'll feel sorry for anyone who may admit their feelings for me. I don't feel ready for that sort of thing, you know? It's flattering, though"
"I completely understand. I'm flattered too by people who may have feelings for me, bless their hearts. You can take any of the attention, you handle it better. Maybe we should make a game out of how many love confessions we'll get."
"I like how you think."
Marion giggled. "You know, that might be fun."
"If things get too much for you, or if some of the boys won't leave you alone, you have me," Alexis winked at her.
"I appreciate you being a reliable friend."
"That being said, it shouldn't deter us from being around the rest of Class G. Even if some of them are full of doom and gloom."
"Or on the meek side, and not team minded."
"And Avan… being Avan."
"We should give him a chance, he seems like a good person." Both laughed gently.
"I wish Zeri could join us. I miss having tea with him, he's always such a gentleman."
"As wonderful a gentleman as you are."
Alexis blushed.
Magari stepped into the library, relieved to be in a quieter place compared to the homeroom. She left her bag by the side of a chair, then set off to familiarize herself with the library and the materials within its shelves. After a while, she returned with some books to across the table. She'd start on the books another time, but this was more her way of making the space her own.
This was the kind of space where she always felt the most comfortable and knew she'd spend a lot of time here during this school year.
The thought of a nap became appealing. Well, just one wouldn't hurt. She rested on the table and dozed off.
Several taps on the table startled her awake.
"Good place for a nap?" Mischlitt asked.
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," Magari was flustered.
"It's fine, I wanted to look at what books you had." Mischlitt shuffled through the books Magari laid across the table. "Ah, it's been a while since I read fiction. You'll have to give me some recommendations when I need a break from non-fiction."
"I'm more than happy to! I was getting lonely here in the library."
"I'll be here often. I might not always be responsive, but rest assured, I'm not ignoring you."
"I don't think we properly introduced ourselves, I thought we did so before," Magari pondered.
"A lot was happening earlier, to be fair. I'm Mischlitt."
"And I'm Magari."
"Between you and Zeri, I wasn't expecting to make friends this soon."
"Me too, actually. Speaking of Zeri…"
"Oh hey, I'm here, as promised," he said as entered the library.
"Oh hey, Zeri," both said.
"As I was just telling Magari, I'm glad we can talk in a more peaceful setting. The classroom was too chaotic for my liking." The library being a significant calmer place allowed Mischlitt to be more verbal.
"I tried my best with the chaos," he added.
"I'm impressed at how you brought up the Darcsen Calamity," Mischlitt said, "I wish I could put it into my own words, but I never had anyone to discuss it with."
"You're talking to the best person for it. I've done my reading and I want to pursue the truth." You know, it's nice not being alone for once."
"You seem to get along with a lot of people," Magari pointed out, "but, I think I get what you mean."
"I'm glad I get along with the both of you," Zeri replied.
Both Magari and Mischlitt were happy to have him around.
"There have to be some books around here on the topic. Who knows what we'll come across," Magari exclaimed.
"Likewise," Mischlitt added.
"This is my first time here, so either of you lead the way."
All three went searching.
Aliasse wandered around campus with seemingly no direction. Such was her life.
She eventually passed through a large courtyard, seeing students chattering about who knew what and hanging out with each other. Some students looked in her direction and wondered what she was doing there, but most didn't notice and or didn't care. A lot of them talked about sports, which she knew nothing about, so she was completely lost whenever she overheard other people talk about them. It all sounded fun, but Clementia told her not to get too involved with other people because it would draw more attention than her mama preferred. It's why Aliasse wore a hooded robe to conceal most of her body and her Valkyrian silver hair, with only her face and her red eyes visible. She hated wearing the thing and someday she'd tear it to shreds.
A lot of these people were talking and doing nothing else, she thought to herself. Were they friends with each other? Aliasse heard the word before, but never understood what it meant. Clementia told her that it wasn't worth understanding and the young girl, whose world was very small, didn't ponder much upon it. She guessed friends were something other people made, not her.
Feeling uncomfortable being around this many people, she wandered aimlessly once again.
This took her to a shaded area in a secluded corner of the courtyard, where she noticed a disheveled looking person sitting by himself. He looked like he was just in a fight, based on some cuts and bruises. Wait, this meant he was a fighter, just like her! A different kind of fighter than the Valkyria warrior she was trained to be, but still! Nobody seemed to bother him. If was alone all the time, and she was alone all the time too, maybe she could approach him? That's what she thought.
The person didn't take long to notice Aliasse. "What're ya lookin at?" He glared at her. "You look like you've never seen a person before."
Erik Kampmann. A problem student, he is known for often getting into fights. His reputation as a troublemaker means that most people don't believe a word he says. Intimidating and uncooperative by nature, he prefers to be alone. The fact that he was recruited by Lanseal still amazes people, but his fighting prowess is undisputed.
"I've seen people before!" She was so happy to have someone else to talk to.
"Well, that's good, I guess." He barely knew this girl and he already came to the conclusion that she was weird enough to not be afraid of him.
"Mind if I sit next to you?" She asked seemingly out of nowhere, which caught him off guard. He wished she would bugger off, but he couldn't be arsed to express it.
"Fine, don't do anything, don't talk to me, you can sit here for however long," he said begrudgingly.
"Okay!" She went on over and sat several feet away.
"Sigh." Erik sat there with his arms crossed, happy to go back to minding his own business. He wished he was by himself again, but maybe the right kind of company was what he needed, even if this girl was a total stranger. Aliasse was being quiet, at least.
Zeri didn't know what to expect going into Class G. Some people he knew from before, a lot of unfamiliar faces, but people he'd all get along with. Maybe the eclectic group of classmates weren't so bad after all.