Chapter 132: It’s the Beginning?

- Abelis Academy City, Abelis Academy Testing Hall, 1 Week Later - Alice de la Serpanis IV's POV -

The trip from my honorable mother's estate in the Northern Twin City had been long, especially since it was the first time I'd travelled so far before. The sights and sounds that I experienced on the long train ride would have been the best experiences of my life in any other circumstance, my life being extremely sheltered up to this point, but the absence of my only stabilizing relationship soured any excitement I may have had initially. What's more is my mother had taken my request for my cousin to join me had been denied. Instead, she had sent my other cousin with me. A "gift" she had told me. B-But mother surely has my best interests in mind, even "if" she and her sister both sent the person that had been bullying me for my entire life. The person in question, coming from the Southern Twin City, had arrived several days before we needed to leave for the Academy. Her continued "jokes" had already nearly driven me to tears in that time but I just needed to use her harshness as a learning opportunity. She's family after all and family knows best, all of this pain was for my own good. It had to be.

[Ah, there's the little crybaby. Have you seen the one we were sent to put in her place yet? The bitch seems to be avoiding me, I'm sure her whore mother told her to not antagonize us out of fear. That's the only explanation for her not greeting us yet! Ohohohohohohoho!] - Minerva de la Manchen

[M-Maybe she wasn't told about our arrival? I-I'm sure she has classes to w-worry about as an upperclassman?] - Alice de la Serpanis IV

[Ehh?!? What was that little crybaby? Did you just dare to disagree with me? after all that I've done for you all these years?] - Minerva de la Manchen

[N-No! I-I would never! I-I just-] - Minerva de la Manchen

[Just what? You just wanted to throw our friendship back in my face by defying me? That's the only explanation, or did you just make a stupid mistake? Go on, just say you are a stupid, baby crybaby that doesn't think before she speaks. If you do, I'll forgive you for hurting my feelings so much.] - Minerva de la Manchen

[I-I'm sorry big sis, I didn't mean to hurt you.] - Alice de la Serpanis IV

[And?] - Minerva de la Manchen

[I-I'm just a s-stupid, baby crybaby t-that doesn't think before she sp-speaks.] - Alice de la Serpanis IV

[You're forgiven of course, I'm nothing if not magna- magnani- lenient for my beloved little sister. I know you didn't mean to hurt me like that.] - Minerva de la Manchen

My heart leapt as I was granted forgiveness. In my stupidity I'd hurt my family, the only people to care for me. When she'd said how much my words hurt her my heart had nearly jumped out my throat, but she'd been kind enough to forgive the stupid me. After all my clumsy and stupid self would never have been able to make it as far as I have without the guidance of my family. Big sis Minerva, as sad as her words make me, only has my best interests at heart. I know it.

[NEW STUDENTS PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE TESTING HALL FOR PLACEMENT! NEW STUDENTS MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE TESTING HALL!] - Male Teacher

- Abelis Academy City, Abelis Academy S-Class Testing Hall - Rose's POV -

It was strange, I had been in school less than a year, much less if you counted the 5 months that I'd been carousing around in the forest, yet I found myself as a second-year student. Even more, the test we were about to take was one that I'd never been required to do because of the direct recommendation of Auntie Laura. Yet another benefit to being directly related to literal royalty. Although her obsession with etiquette was terrifying. A shudder would pass through me every time I remembered those years even now. Even as a former adult the thought of redoing her training, something that she'd threatened me with multiple times now, utterly terrified me. I wasn't even my fault that etiquette was so difficult! Not only was I not a female in my previous life, on top of just being from a completely different era, but I was a normal human being. Sure, my parents were rich, and they'd given my little sister and I basic training for social events but that had mostly boiled down to staying out of the way and only speaking when spoken to. Although, in my sister's case she'd been expected to speak of her accomplishments I, had not. With my own schooling and post-schooling career being less than impressive I'd been mostly expected to shut up and avoid embarrassing them rather than actually interacting. Even now the thought that my own parents WANTED me to interact with other noble's regardless of how impressive my accomplishments were, was humbling. In my previous life I knew of good parents, I'd heard of them from friends and coworkers and seen them on TV, but actually experiencing that love for myself showed me just how different my upbringing had been. I really hope Mary got away from them. With the way that laws worked on Earth it was extremely likely that she'd been sent back to live with those monsters and, while I tried not to think about it, the thought terrified me.

[NEW STUDENTS PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE TESTING HALL FOR PLACEMENT! NEW STUDENTS MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE TESTING HALL! CURRENT STUDENTS MAKE YOUR WAY TO YOUR PREASSIGNED CLASSROOMS!] - Male Teacher

[That's us. We should get going, wouldn't want to be late.] - Malaise

[I-I feel sick! Do you feel sick? I think I should skip and go to the nurse, yeah!] - Veronica

[...nausea.] - Shade

[I-I-I-It'll be fine guys! Yeah! Definitely! R-Right my Lady?!?] - Argent

[Calm down everyone, you'll be fine! Everyone worked hard and did everything possible to prepare for this. Believe me when I say that I believe in you.] - Malaise 1 Believe in the Kamina that believes in you! LOL

[Pfft! Unintentional <anime> references aside, everyone has prepared themselves well. We’ll all be fine.] - Karen

[I-I believe in you too. U-Umm, I mean… I’m sorry!] – Urz

[Hnng! S-So cute! Anyway, no need to apologize Urz, we’re happy that you’re supporting us! Although you could probably use a bit more support yourself, you just keep growing in ALL the right places if you know what I mea- OW! Why?!?] – Veronica

[Quiet you! Ignore her Urz, a-although she might be right about the size issue though. We’ll take you to get something more… comfortable later.] – Malaise

[…big.] - Shade

[Hey guys, much as I hate to break this up, we should probably start heading towards class if we don’t want that Loli teacher of ours to use that hammer on us next.] – Rose

[Heine! Get inside this classroom and stop flirting with new students or so help me I’ll see if a hammer can rearrange your brain for the better!] – Legal Loli Sensei

Cute. Both the unintentional anime reference by Malaise, and her reaction to hearing yet another English word only to barely hold herself back from asking the meaning, and the support of one of our newest, and cutest shybeans, Urz.

Barely holding myself back from howling with laughter as I ignored Shade increasing her bust size momentarily to Urz’s size I reminded everyone of the temperamental nature of our hammer wielding teacher. And, while she was currently occupied by a certain pervert that was harassing some red-faced soon-to-be first years it wouldn’t be long before she turned her attention to the rest of us. Or not.

[Oi, I think we’re safe for the moment, look who’s coming over.] – Veronica

[Oh, hey pipsqueak, been a while. Angry as ever, aren’t you?] – Gilgamesh

[Pipsqueak?!? Who the hell is stupid eno-?!? G-G-G-Gil- I mean Manic Blade?!? W-Wh-What are you doing here?!? <Gyaaa! W-Why didn’t I put on any makeup this morning?!?> ] – Legal Loli Sensei

[Ah, well about that. The bitch shapeshifter ordered me to sit in on some of the classes for now. Something about not wanting me to “accidently kill off any of her precious students with my training” or some such nonsense. Not sure of why she’s so worried, Rose ended up coming out of it perfectly fine! Ahahahahaha!] – Gilgamesh

[Ahahaha. Y-Yeah, so you’re here because? <Stupid question Lolianne! Stupid!> ] – Legal Loli Sensei

[Oh? Well I figured I’d rather start with someone I know first, plus I wanted to see how one of my previous students is doing in teaching her own students.] – Gilgamesh

NO I’M NOT! I wanted to yell at my idiot master that his so-called “perfectly fine” example nearly died several times during his supposedly “safe” training. The atmosphere around the two of them kept me from interrupting however as the smol-sized teacher put off enough hearts to make me start hallucinating them around her. As much as I wanted to correct his mistake I couldn’t bring myself to get in the middle of “that”.

- Abelis Academy City, Abelis Academy Dorms, 5 Hours Later - Rose's POV -

The next few hours were a slog to get through. Even with our studying the sheer amount that was shoved onto us all at once was immense as our day started with general studies tests while gradually moving to harder and harder subjects. Luckily the last two were some of my favorites in this new life so I felt quite refreshed in spite of the heavy workload. History and Practical Uses of Magic. I mean seriously one is literally straight out of the Silmarillion and the other is actual magic?!? What more can you ask for?

Regardless even I felt the extended day getting to me so the suggestion that we do even more nearly made me groan outloud.

[Phew... finally done with tests! Now, it's time to party!!!] - Karen

[P-Party?!?] - Urz

[Let's get nekkid! Wooo- ow!] - Veronica

[Quiet! Anyway, what did you have in mind? It's a bit late today for anything major but we have a rest day tomorrow. Did you want to go somewhere specific?] - Malaise

[First, we get some added support for Urz then how about we get some swimsuits for our next day off?!? It's nearly beach season after all!!!] - Karen

[Putting aside whether you need a swimsu-] - Rose

[That sounds amazing! Let's go my Lady! We need to show off the elegance of your beautiful body a-and perhaps invite some of the boys so that they can revel in their jealousy... n-n-not that I'm thinking of showing off to anyone specific or anything!] - Argent

[I want to go too, I'd never turn down the chance to see babes in skimpy clothes!] - Veronica

[I-I-I might also... want to go... maybe...] - Urz

[...sounds fun.] - Shade

[Hah... fine....] - Rose

[Sounds like it's decided then, we depart for sexy fashion show in the morning!!!] - Karen

[And with that I'm going to sleep so that tomorrow comes quicker. Night.] - Veronica

[That's your reason?!? Anyways, night to you guys as well. Urz, be safe on your way back to your room.] - Malaise

[...escort?] - Shade

[I-I-I'll be fine, n-night everyone.] - Urz

[Goodnight!] - Everybody

And so, we all tried to pass out in our own beds so we could greet the next morning as fast as possible. Except for a certain horny slimegirl that I had to kick out of my bed halfway through the night.