Much to my surprise and chagrin, the next three hours of classes were rather ordinary. We just ran laps and did some exercising under Serathen's watch. With him, further testing was done on where each of us is lacking.
And while the exercises were ordinary. They weren't easy. Far from it.
As before, I was struggling to keep up with my peers. Not only lagging behind in terms of magical skills, but also in physical skills. And it's not just the boys. Even the girls lap me easily enough while I struggle to keep going.
The smidgen of respect some of them had for me after winning against Selvan quickly disappeared again. After my frankly embarrassing performance of the remaining day.
Again. The only thing I have at the moment is my grit when it comes to this. So I try my best to do more of everything others do. However, my classmates aren't just talented. They also all work hard. Some more than others. But all do.
Otherwise, they would have never made it into the prestige class of the best school.
So even though I try my absolute hardest, I can't compete whatsoever. "Huuuuu." Completely drenched in sweat by the time we stop. `Still standing though.`
I'm not perturbed, of course. I don't intend to keep things like this. `Watch. Next week I'll be faster and stronger. And the week after that even faster.` If anything, my motivation only rises with each obstacle in my path.
`Damm. I was never this hard out for pushing myself back on earth? Is this the power of actually numerically seeing your advancements?` I wonder while I lumber out of class. Thinking about how many more people on earth would try to better themselves if they actually saw stats like I do now.
Name: Daniel Blackwell
Age: 15
Gender: Male
Body/ Strength: 8/ Endurance: 9/ Toughness: 8
Mind/ Acuity: 30/ Wisdom: 10/ Intelligence: 11
Soul/ Destiny: 1/ Fate: 3/ Radiance 9997
With more than enough time to check my status screen while I shower in one of the many shower rooms reserved for students using the training hall.
Each shower room, of course, is designed for only a single person. So these noble children don't have to shower together and get embarrassed.
`Ehh. They are coming along.` Of course, with how much I have been studying, the stats that saw the biggest increases were wisdom and intelligence. At this point, they had cleanly surpassed my physical stats.
And strictly speaking, the whole mind category easily blew the body category out of the water. Mostly thanks to my, once again, rising Acuity. A stat that seemed to just level up passively.
Though there is more to it than that. `I'm getting used to seeing out of just one eye.` It had started back on that mountain. My training to regain my depth perception. And it was going decently well. I was getting used to doing things with just one eye.
I also had full control over both of my hands again. The thumb of my right hand by now completely healed. Though forever slightly crooked. But it doesn't interfere with me doing things, so it's alright.
`Just more reminders of the need to be strong in this world.` I think while drying off and redressing in my normal uniform. Before I head out to eat.
Being one of the last people to arrive from the prestige class. Because I took extra time in the shower to calm my racing heart and stop sweating.
It's also not like everyone was eating in the cafeteria today. It's Friday, and after school, after all. The cafeteria was unusually empty since a lot of people probably went out to eat with friends or maybe even family.
Not empty enough for me to remain unbothered, however. I can feel a pair of eyes following me the whole time I grab my food. An older girl, possibly a second or third year, stands at the bottom of the stairs to the second floor, glaring at me like she is trying to burn a hole through my back.
Staring until I finally sit down. At which point she walks over with swift, angry steps. Stopping only once her shadow falls over me. The auburn-haired beauty was glaring down at me like I killed her puppy or something.
But she appears to be content with just looming over me and glaring. Since she refuses to say anything. Possibly waiting for me to address her. Which I won't do if she comes at me like this. Hostile from the start.
I just begin to eat my food. Until I can basically hear the veins popping on her forehead. The timing of me lifting my tray and her slamming her palm on the table was almost perfect.
"Ahh!" She whines in annoyance. "You really are as infuriating as they all say." My reaction. My raised eyebrow, still apparently not the reaction she hoped for.
"Wipe that smug look off your face." She growls as she leans closer to me. Until our noses almost touch. "I don't know who you think you are. But if you believe you can mess with Sir Tharros, you have another thing coming."
Her threat and her attempt to stare me down to intimidate me. Meant nothing to me. All it did was make my eyebrow rise higher. Amused confusion on my face. "Really? This is what you came to bother me about?" Disbelief evident in my voice.
Because it's ridiculous. Selvan didn't seem like the type to ask anyone to handle his problems. Not that our match even was a problem for him. It felt more like he simply saw it as a lesson.
`So that meant she did all of this out of her own volition. Probably heard about our duel from one of my classmates and decided to confront me about this to regain his honour. Honour, I never even hurt.` The ridiculousness of the situation makes me shake my head in disappointment.
My words, coupled with my reaction, of course, were not well received. As is to be expected. "Yes, it is!" She nearly screams. Looking like she was about to swing at me. "How dare some lowly rat like you even touch him? Much less humiliate him like you did. Huh? What excuse do you have for embarrassing him like this?"
Her outburst just makes me shake my head again. A sigh escapes me as I shrug my shoulders. "I don't have an excuse. Because I didn't do anything wrong. We sparred. He lost. It's as simple as that." Telling her exactly how it is.
But logical arguments rarely work on emotional or upset people. And that's true here as well. "Tss. You think anyone will believe that? You just got lucky. And you'll regret this. I'll make sure your life here is hell. For as long as you last in this school with your pathetic skills."
"Pfff." I chuckle and roll my eyes. "Yeah? Get in line then." Simply mentally sorting her into potential enemy territory. Though it's not like I plan to take any of these so-called "enemies" seriously. Until they actually do anything worthy of considering them enemies.
The fact that I refuse to be intimidated, coupled with my snappy comebacks, beat yet another bully back. The girl walked away while tossing her hair over her shoulder like a true villain. Muttering under her breath the whole way.
The amusement I drew from the interaction lasted long after I'd finished my food. My thoughts only centered back to more important things once I reached my room.
"Weekend. Wuh." I celebrate making it through the first week of school fairly unbothered. Since I was halfway sure I'd be kicked out of school by now. For getting caught up in a fight or something.
But so far things have been going fine. `Well. Let's not go that far. Things are alright. Not fine.` Luckily, I wasn't planning on interacting with anyone over the weekend. I was planning on purely focusing on studying and training.
"I still have the rest of the month to choose from the elective classes anyway. So let's use this weekend to catch up a little more with my peers." Another promise. One of the rare few I actually end up breaking.
By midday on Sunday, I felt like the roof of my room was going to drop on my head. "Huuuuuuuuuuuu." The sun was shining. The weather was, as always, nice. And my head and body hurt from all the torment I have been putting them through.
So I made the executive decision to take a break and walk around the academy grounds for a while. Maybe peek in on some of the elective classes. Just for fun. And to de-stress a little.
Rereading the documents to remind me of all the classes available at the moment and what will be available in later seasons. "Let's see. Summer elective classes."
There were the categories of "cultural and artistic". "Sports and Competition". "Scholarly and Intellectual". And "Lifestyle & Indulgence". Each offering two to four elective classes.
These categories were the same across all seasons. But the elective classes registered under those umbrella terms changed from season to season.
For Summer, there was. Grand Theatre Productions. Oceanic Cuisine and Banquet Hosting. As well as fashion and textile craftsmanship. Just in the Cultural and Artistic section of the documents alone.
Sky Polo. Archery Tournaments. Fencing & Duelling Etiquette for sports and competitive electives.
Rare Manuscripts and Antiquities Studies. Cartography and Expedition Planning for Scholarly and Intellectual Pursuits.
And last but not least. Summer Wine Appreciation. Perfume Creation. Cryptic Poetry and Symbolism for the Lifestyle and Indulgence classes.
It's only after I ponder my choices for a while as I walk around in one of the many gardens of the school that it clicks. "Wait. Summer isn't going to last much longer than a month. So is there even a point in choosing a summer elective this year?"
Considering electives only become mandatory after the first month of school, I didn't need to choose any summer electives this year. So instead, I recall what the autumn electives were.
"There was…" Ceremonial Music and Instrumental Mastery. Fashion and Textile Craftsmanship. For cultural and Artistic.
Hunting Expeditions. And chess. For sport.
Astral Observation. Rare Manuscripts and Antiquities Studies. For scholarly past times.
And perfume creation. Tea Leaf Appreciation and Brewing Arts. As well as cryptic poetry and symbolism. For indulgence.
`Hmm.` Out of all of them, there are two very obvious choices for me. Only two that really interest me. And those are the two in the scholarly and intellectual category.
"Astral observation is definitely a must." I mutter while plopping down on a park bench and staring up into the sky. Looking at the visible reflection of the yellow twin moon. Dazarel.
The one thing or being I still attribute my understanding of magic to. "Yep. Definitely a must. And that antiquity study also sounds nice. But I wonder if I would get into trouble for picking just those two? Since they are in the same category."
Just on the off chance, picking two of the same category isn't allowed. I ponder what else sounds interesting. "Hmmm." `Maybe I should finally pick up an instrument. I always wanted to learn one.`
I'm a big fan of music, after all. But I can't just listen to music whenever I want in this world. So getting to play my own songs doesn't sound like a bad idea.
So I really think about it. `You know what. Might actually just pick up three if they let me pick both of the scholarly ones.` Setting my mind on finally learning guitar or something similar.
Though picking three electives might cut into my precious training time. But considering that most other students will most likely pick more than two electives as well, I figure it can't be that bad.
`I still have plenty of time until I am forced to choose electives anyway. I'm sure I'm going to change my mind and rethink things a few more times.` So for now, I stop worrying about it and go back to enjoying my day.
Sitting in the quiet park for a while longer before I get up and walk back to my room. Thinking about the other seasonal electives while pondering which I should pick in the future.
"Winter has…" Ice Sculpture and Winter Artistry. Gilded Woodworking and Carving. Fashion and Textile Craftsmanship. For cultural and artistic.
Curling. And ice dancing. For sport.
Mythic Lore and Ancestral Tales. Cultural Gastronomy. Winter Astronomy and Comet Watching. For scholarly pastimes.
And Exotic Animal Husbandry. Winter Perfume Creation. Cryptic Poetry and Symbolism. For indulgence.
"And last but not least, Spring has…" Runic Calligraphy and Decorative Inscription. Courtly Dance and Gala Etiquette. Botanical Garden Design. Flower Arrangement and Symbolic Floristry. Fashion and Textile Craftsmanship. For cultural and artistic.
Equestrian Excellence. Hawkry and Falconry. Garden Croquet. For sport.
Classical Rhetoric and Oratory. Perfume Alchemy. For scholarly past times.
And Tea Leaf Appreciation & Brewing Arts. Cryptic Poetry and Symbolism. Perfume Creation. For indulgence.
`Definitely going to pick up Winter Astronomy as well.` The reason some of the elective classes seemed to repeat was that they were about things that change with the seasons.
Like how perfume creation and experimentation were basically available year-round as an elective class. Much like fashion and textile craftsmanship, it was different from season to season.
It was a sin for a noble lady not to be caught up with the newest fragrances and fashion designs, after all. What was trending and stylish was just as important to many as their grades.
They care for appearances after all.
Which is probably why they thought this would hurt me. The fact that someone vandalized my door while I was gone.
"Filthy Peasant" and "Unworthy" were written in bold letters on my door. `Damm. Really showed me.` Of course, I just ignore it and go back into my room. Leaving the graffiti alone.
Because I couldn't care less. `Oh no. What will I ever do? The outside of my door that I see so rarely is ruined.` Still wondering how the state of bullying in this world ended up like this.
`I was kind of expecting way worse from actual Nobles.` But maybe that was just an effect of everyone here essentially wielding deadly weapons at all times. `Maybe it's just fear keeping everyone in check? I guess in this world, picking a fight with someone is like picking a fight with someone in the Marvel universe. You never know who has superpowers and can fuck you up.`
I shake my head to dispel my thoughts. So I can refocus on studying. The whole reason why I had come back to my room in the first place.
"Focus. Focus." The rest of the day was spent with my nose in the books. The day, over before I knew it.
Marking the actual end of my first week in Oridalis Academy. Quite the eventful first week, all things considered. With me secretly hoping that things will ease up a little in the future. A doubtful wish heard by no one.