Chapter 7: Behind the Glass
1
The old Osmond, director of the Tristain Magic Academy, sighed as he heard the wooden door creak slightly when pushed. He hadn't been spying with his special magic ball, but he didn't need it to know who was behind the door.
And no, it wasn't his sexy secretary with glossy hair, but a bald man who visited him even more frequently as if he were his true secretary.
Although he didn't take work off his hands, he just wasted his time.
He understood him, but it was still true.
Nevertheless, precisely because he understood him, Osmond greeted Colbert's shiny bald head with a smile.
"I know it's closed, but still, how can one avoid thinking about it?" Colbert responded as if he had spoken. Osmond supposed his look had said more than enough.
"It's something that has never happened before. But a familiar had never run away either. To begin with, the ritual is designed so that only beings willing to help the mage answer the call."
"I know."
Osmond rolled his eyes. Well, he wasn't a professor at this prestigious academy for nothing. And in turn, Osmond hadn't become the director for...
Well. Maybe that wasn't a good example.
"Everything I can say in this conversation, you already know. You've forced me to discuss it to exhaustion. I hope this time you have something new. What should concern us is that familiar of hers, whatever it is, that can gobble up other people's pets, ahem, I mean Familiars and even take on human form. I mean, not me because I have nothing to do with that. But you get the idea."
Words trying to lighten the matter. Nonsense, nothing more. Whether it was his concern or not, Osmond couldn't help but think about the creature's transformation, even though he hadn't witnessed it with his own eyes, over and over again. And what that creature could do with those abilities.
Since it looked human but wasn't a mage or a commoner, but a thing. An animal.
It wouldn't have left the summoning circle after all. It had been destined to be a Familiar, and that wasn't possible for a human.
Its clothes had also caught his attention, from the vague descriptions he had gathered, but that was an old story that could be set aside along with the past.
The mere existence of the creature was a more immediate concern.
He would worry about where it had come from exactly once it was dead.
"There's something... I have a feeling I've overlooked something," Colbert, hesitant, continued speaking in the end. "I can't get it out of my head."
2
Night had fallen.
It had fallen a long time ago, but naturally, Louise was unable to fall asleep. She couldn't sleep and didn't want to, because that would mean the next day would arrive sooner.
If it were up to her, the night would be eternal.
That way she wouldn't have to face the days to come.
To what was left for her, after so many years of effort. Empty hands and a twisted heart.
"This is my home. This is my room," she said, as if she could believe it if she repeated it enough times.
She went to the bathroom, washed her face, looked in the mirror.
She felt like punching it, but mother would find out sooner or later. If she couldn't do magic, at least she should have manners, the education she had received, at least she shouldn't be ashamed as if she were a dirty commoner.
She clumsily rolled out of bed, lacking energy. She went to the bathroom and washed her face as if that would do something. And then she made the mistake of looking in the mirror.
Louise was overwhelmed by the urge to punch the glass, shatter her reflection into a thousand pieces.
The only thing that stopped her was that mother would find out sooner or later. She would make her pay for such stupidity, and besides, if she couldn't do magic, at least she should have manners, the education her parents had given her.
At least she shouldn't be embarrassed with childish gestures of frustration as if she were just a commoner.
"All that is expected of me is to open my legs," she murmured, her voice barely audible, but what did it matter, she was alone, no one would hear her.
No one had ever heard her silent screams.
No, there was Cattleya, she shouldn't be unfair, but...
Louise couldn't complete the thought.
Maybe because in her mental state she couldn't find the right words, maybe it was much simpler and there were no buts.
So she fell silent and laughed half-heartedly at herself.
As if she didn't have enough, she felt a stab of pain in her right hand. No, thousands of stabs. She had only thought about doing it, but it was as if she had actually punched the glass and the broken pieces had pierced her hand, her knuckles, between her fingers.
A horrible pain. To her shame, she swallowed the urge to scream, avoiding disturbing everyone at this late hour of the night.
But not the tears.
Louise cried for the first time since she was a child.
"Everything and everyone... is against me."
Louise finally punched the mirror after all. If it was going to hurt anyway, at least let it hurt for some reason.
It did. She destroyed her hateful reflection.
But, amidst the pain, tears distorting her vision, and her shock from the failure and the day longer than those of the journey to the mansion... It couldn't be anything, but, for a moment...
She thought her reflection had red eyes.
3
The portal that had given Professor Colbert so many headaches flickered during the night like the trembling flame of a candle on a stormy night, resisting, but in the end, its light went out, disappearing without a trace.
After all, its work was already done.
Behind the Glass: FIN
—
Shorter than usual, I know, but I wanted this chapter to focus on Louise. I suppose I could have extended it with her first dinner back home, facing her mother and her failures, or a conversation with Cattleya, but I don't think those scenes would have added much of interest. I improvised most of it because otherwise I get bored, but this is the end of what was supposed to be the first story arc, Home (for the obvious reason) before deciding to go with a more fun title once I reached Chapter 3.
Also if I change the scene breaks format again someone should fucking shot me.