Grading Report for Gwynevere Grim:
Basics of Casting: Satisfactory Marks
Advanced Close Quarters Combat: Adequate Marks
Magical History: Perfect Marks
This student displays exemplary enthusiasm, but still lacks magical talent and combat skills. Her grasp of elven history is far above average, and she seems to enjoy reading more than practicing magic.
As far as Chosen One goes, she is not a complete disappointment, yet, for her to achieve your wish of defeating the King of Terror, well.
I am afraid that is a far cry from reality.
Report from Aldwyn Demeteor on Gwynevere Grim delivered to the desk of Elder Archimedes.
----------------------
The Dean thoroughly punished all involved in the fight. Teddy, for some reason, received one of the harshest punishments. Yet, with him ruining Anastasia's plan to bully Gwynevere Grim, the rest of the semester went fairly smoothly.
No adult-aged children to harass Gwyn; she had Elise by her side the entire time. The Princess only occasionally attended school in the past and therefore had not taken many classes in her lifetime.
During lunch, Gwyn hung out with Artero, Elise, Teddy, Myria, Leo, and Astrin. Where they all got to know each other little by little.
Gwyn could also feel her knowledge of the world improve, as well as her own magical and physical abilities.
She was still beyond a novice's level, but she was making noticeable improvements.
Gwynevere even learned some basic alteration spells that she could now cast with her divine catalyst somewhat consistently.
Artero helped improve her magical ability, while Elise helped improve Gwyn's fighting techniques.
Her routine went as follows:
Breakfast with either Elise or Artero or both. School during the day. Hanging out with Elise or Artero. Reading documents in the basement of the Gilded Towers by night.
They even recruited Gwyn's friends to help find documents on wishes. Only some of them actually enjoyed reading, but they made notable progress. They cleared out maybe one-twentieth of a singular room of the eighteen remaining chambers.
That was Gwyn's life, relatively peaceful, no King of Terror, no attempts on her life. The occasional alone time with her two contractees.
Now that the Autumnos semester was coming to a close for the Wintumnos break, the students were excited about the upcoming Wintumnos dance. The way the dance was described to Gwyn was eerily similar to that of prom on Earth.
"Have you decided who—"
Gwyn cut off Artero.
"Not this again. It was bad enough with the Ela Lunaris festival—you can't do this to me."
"What?"
He played coy as he shot a spell at the target dummy, instantly hitting his mark. He had installed several training dummies that had a suspicious resemblance to Anastasia. Gwyn would spend hours practicing in the dueling courtyard of the Kosmairian Estate.
"You're supposed to be teaching me magic, remember?" Gwyn asked, trying to cast her spells, but they would only work about a third of the time.
Her pronunciations and construction of the spells were perfect. However, she had trouble envisioning the spells. She would often get… distracted.
"I am teaching you magic!" He said, shirtless, muscles glistening in the sunlight.
"Right…" Gwyn sighed. "Artero, you do realize I only have five years, right?"
Artero grimaced.
"Well… technically, you have less than that."
"As much as I would love to spend the rest of my meaningless life between your legs, can we focus?"
Artero could feel his manhood shrink.
"I suppose, but—"
"But nothing, you will teach me magic, and if you are good… then we can have fun," Gwyn said with a slyness.
Artero immediately focused and continued his lesson.
"Right away, Honey!"
Later that night, Gwyn was in the basement of the Great Library in the Gilded Towers.
Gwyn, Leo, Astrin, and Elise were all reading through a few scattered documents, still searching for a single hint of anything to do with wishes. Elise spent the most time reading out of anyone.
"Mr. Book, how many different documents have we gone through so far?" Gwyn asked.
"Thirty-three hundred and fifty-eight!" He shouted proudly, flapping wildly.
Elise and Gwyn groaned simultaneously.
"Artero never pulls his weight when it comes to this," Elise complained.
"We have to trust them," Astrin said. "Um…"
The elf suddenly wore a particularly confused expression.
"What's wrong?" Gwyn asked.
"Do you often get writing like this…?"
Astrin held out the paper as if it were a rancid rag.
Elise and Gwyn immediately looked at one another and looked at the top of the page with excitement, scrambling over one another to be the first to read it.
Gwyn cheered.
"Our favorite author! Ollaz! He's back!"
"He has the best writing, or at least a nice reprieve from all the boring news reports, shipping manifests, unreadable nonsense," Elise said, nodding furiously.
Astrin put her hand to her chest.
"Brother… can you believe they like that stuff?"
"What's it about?" Leo asked curiously, sitting next to Gwyn and Elise.
"Not you too…" Astrin said, slumping forward.
"Well, my dear Leo… I am glad you asked," Gwyn said, fluffing the document and adjusting her glasses.
~
"I win again!" Mr. Keeper shouted, scooping up everyone's gold pieces.
"How do you always get twenty-one?" Artero pointed a finger at the green Lotmon. "You must be cheating!"
Myria threw her cards forward.
"He doesn't win every time… you just lose every time." She said, her expression as dull as her words.
"Yeah… you are terrible at this, Artero, like… really bad," Teddy said.
"It's not my fault! Elves are too sophisticated for simple card games like this," Artero said pompously.
"What are you talking about?" Myria asked, laughing. "You always ask for another card when you are at twenty. Your strategy is terrible."
"The goal is to get twenty-one, yes? If I get twenty-one, I win!" Artero proclaimed, as if what he was saying was obvious.
Teddy laughed at him.
"More gold for us, right?"
He fist bumped Myria and Mr. Keeper.
"See, lad. Cheating? Me? Never… never…" he smiled. "Would everyone like to go again?"
Myria and Teddy both nodded.
"No! You win every time." Artero pouted. "What's the point…"
"Oh, lad, don't be like that," Mr. Keeper said consolingly. "Here."
Mr. Keeper pulled out a little brown coin with his face etched into it.
"What's this?" Artero said, inspecting the coin. "Why is it so ugly?"
"Ugly, why ye…"
Mr. Keeper lunged at Artero, but Myria put a hand on his shoulder and stopped him.
"It's worthless. Is this currency from your time?" Artero asked.
"Ah, that's more useful than you know," Mr. Keeper explained.
"How so?" Myria asked. "I have to agree, it does look like a rusty piece of gunk."
"Ay, it is a bit rusty, but it still works… I'm assuming…" Mr. Keeper made an unsure face.
"What does it do?" Artero asked.
~
"She rested her breasticles on my testicles. A pleasure inferno."
Gwyn was only able to barely finish the sentence without being sent into a fit of laughter.
"Oh my goodness, this Ollaz fellow—"
Elise interrupted Astrin.
"Is a genius?"
Astrin furiously shook her head.
"Who would anyone write such awful things?" Astrin asked.
Gwyn continued.
"She shaboinged on my sausage. I felt like a ham sandwich in a summer solstice."
"Gods!" Astrin shouted, but she hid a smirk.
Unfortunately for Astrin, Elise caught it.
"Did you just smile?"
Astrin began to sweat.
"Me? No… no… this is deplorable writing. No good at all."
"Why are you hiding your laughter then?" Her brother pressed.
She appeared crestfallen.
"Brother… not you too…"
"I'm your twin, Astrin. I can tell when you're lying," he said firmly. "You want to read this, don't you?"
She crossed her arms.
"What? Me? Read this smut, absolutely not."
"Come on, Astrin, join us, have a good laugh," Elise said.
"Yeah… join us…" Gwyn said like a brainwashed zombie. She slowly crawled towards the elf.
"What are you all doing?!" Astrin began to panic.
"Join us! Join us!" They all chorused, and Astrin screamed as they backed her into a corner.
~
"Interesting… so it was a way to make a quick getaway if you were being…" Realization dawned on Artero. "A cheat! I knew you were up to something!"
He reached for the Lotmon's throat.
"Lad, lad! I wouldn't give it to ye if I was cheatin'. Think this through," Mr. Keeper said, hiding behind Myria.
"I don't think he's cheating," Myria said plainly.
"Just take the coin, Artero. It's probably the only thing you're ever going to win," Teddy quipped.
"Sick burn," Myria said and gave Teddy a high five.
"Thanks!"
"So, who's down for another round then?" Mr. Keeper said, shuffling the cards.
Both Myria and Teddy agreed, but Artero was hesitant. He unfolded his pockets, and a dust bunny fell out. He has already used all his gold betting.
A coin flipped his way.
"One last round?" Teddy asked.
Artero caught the coin mid-air and slammed it on the ground with confidence.
"There is no way I'm losing this one!"