Chapter 53:Intelligent and clueless

For the second time today, Simon had someone freak out about the fact he had tamed another monster girl. This one was more annoying as Daniel started to become increasingly animated thee he further explained his situation. The juxtaposition of his gaunt, half-dead, disheveled appearance to his over-active presence was hard to get used to as it flew against Simon's reasoning.

He wondered if the moniker F.D. had something to do with his extremely energetic nature.

But, while they talked they managed to get into the halls of the training grounds. He once more felt the sense of vertigo he was beginning to associate with spatial manipulation.

It also helped him get his mind off the powerful guards, something in him was drawn to them when he stopped looking at them as a threat.

Having a reason to ask a question himself instead of being the one to acquiesce to Daniel's bombardment, he took the opening.

"Did we leave Planar University?"

Daniel's answer was lightning fast.

"Hmm? Oh! No. The training grounds are just splintered into multiple fragments of reality stacked on top of each other."

That explained absolutely nothing. Simon caught everything he said but again, had no clue what it all meant.

"What?"

"Right... Sorry, it's hard to get used to you. You are intelligent and clueless which is sorta weird."

Simon shook his head.

"As I have already stated repeatedly, I do not take offense. The fact that I am not accustomed to any of this is simply the truth. You do not need to apologize or explain yourself."

Daniel pointed at him in accusation.

"See! You just talked like you are some high-class noble! How the fuck is a guy supposed to get used to that and the 'I am a child from a rural village' act?"

Simon sighed.

"Can we move on?"

Daniel seemed to come back to him as he looked down blushing as he answered.

"...Yes."

"So?"

Simon urged.

Seeing the escape out of the hole he dug himself he took it.

"Well, the stadium of the training grounds is the most cutting edge in the entire freaking continent and many nobles kept trying to 'book' it for private events. The Headmaster got very annoyed at this, but instead of having a falling out with the nobles, a more creative solution was in order. He split the reality into chunks to essentially create multiple copies of the training yard. Don't ask me how. I still think the magic is nonsense. I am just spitting out the bullshit fed to me."

Simon was wide-eyed at the implications but as he was about to explain his shock a memory from his childhood resurfaced. One of soft mom and Dad. He blurted.

"Spatial Rending..."

"What?"

Still reminiscing he absentmindedly explained what he was taught.

"Spatial Rending. Tearing space into pieces. When this happens reality tries to rectify it by dumping a massive amount of energy. If someone is skilled enough they can manipulate it to create 'mirrors' of the space usually under the complete control of the one who makes it. I think the term for making these replicas was coined as Reality Splitting."

"WHAT! THE! FUCK!"

Simon was brought out of his reverie by an incensed Daniel.

"Dude! Please! Just pick a lane and stick to it! This flip-flopping is seriously messing with me!"

The truth of the matter was that Daniel liked to categorize people based on their ability and usefulness to him. It helped him to divide his time and effort among people he may want to associate with. Then further note down their ticks to engage with them more efficiently and productively. Simon was throwing a massive wrench in that thought process and he had to vent his frustrations.

He kept his tone jovial, however, to make sure he did not go into the bad graces of this twisted monster of a tamer.

Thankfully Simon took it as such as he just scratched his head. He was about to say that he was taught this by his parents when something stopped him from going further. It was like an inner voice telling him no. He listened and stopped trying to explain himself. Instead, he just shrugged and asked.

"Wanna move on?"

Daniel's 'jovial' anger deflated as he nodded.

"Yeah."

"So… My advisor told me to get a feel for my monster girls in combat. Any idea where I can do it?"

"Oh right!"

Daniel jumped at his proclamation and dragged him across the crowd followed by a quiet Amy and curios Stella.

After walking across the marbled halls taking in the fancy murals and hurrying tamers and monsters,  they arrived in front of the many wooden countertops strewn across the wide open space. Inside stood one of the familiar three-eyed petite monster girls he had first come across when he had chosen his subjects to learn.

"Hello! My friend here would like to register as a combatant!"

All three eyes locked on Simon from whatever she was doing as they did their familiar glow.  As the psychic link began Daniel took a respectable step back.

'Name?'

"Simon."

'Simon, Special student category 8. Known tames: White Wolf and Cat Maid. Listed names, are Amy and Stella. Is this you?'

"Yes."

'Very Well. You have been listed as a new tamer category 5. Please follow to a designated assessment zone for further instructions. You will not be allowed to delve or take part in any action pertaining to the training yard until the assessment is complete. Do you have further inquiries?'

"Any extra bit of information I should know?"

'If the question is general, it will more than likely be answered in the assessment. If it is not you may come back for further information. Any specific inquiry?'

"No."

'Then please be assessed if you wish to be categorized as a combatant.'

"Okay"

Her eyes stopped glowing as she went back to her previous engagement, with a very seductive twist that he found to be shared by others of her species.

"Alright, Simon! Time to see what you can do!"

And then he was dragged to the assessment zone.