Chapter 140: Reasons for Insanity

- Abelis Academy City, Magical Theory 101 Classroom, Next Day - Rose's POV –

Much had changed in the last few weeks for school. While outside of school day-to-day life seemed to have slowed down considerably inside the classroom things were finally starting to heat up. The first few days after we’d finished our homework we’d waited with bated breath for the temperamental teacher to give his assessment on how much we needed to learn. Well, the rest of the classroom had.

Those of us who knew Gilgamesh, or Manic Blade as everyone else knew him, weren’t worried in the slightest. As someone that not only knew him but had also gone through his training I even had an idea of where the old man would begin his training to get our class up to snuff. And I was correct of course.

[Well, as I said last time we were together I think it’s about time we started upping the difficulty a little bit. Now that the majority of the class is able to maintain their spell for the entire class I’ll have each of you pair up against each other for the next phase. Kurata will assign you equal groups so that you end up with someone of similar ability.] - Gilgamesh

[Yes Master! Please. Come to front one at a time. This one will assign each of you a number.] - Kurata

Yep. He started exactly where he had with me. Although luckily for the class he was a bit less aggressive with them and slowly allowed the class to get the hang of it alone rather than forcing them to with violence. Although if I was right it seemed that was about to change.

Another thing that had changed was the assistant that Gilgamesh had brought in from the second day onwards. Not recognizing him myself since I’d only met him a single time it’d been Karen who let us know his identity. Quite loudly if I may add. I guess he’d been her first opponent during the tournament and after realizing his weakness he’d apparently begun training under Gilgamesh to overcome his lack of power. I’d learned afterwards that this made me his so-called Senior Sister which came with a large amount of respect apparently. Honestly speaking though I doubted that Gilgamesh was being a proper teacher, somehow I couldn’t imagine him taking such a thing seriously. Poor guy was likely only being used as a gopher...

- Abelis Academy City, Training Field, Next Day - Rose's POV –

Pairing the entire class up I was a bit upset to be separated from Karen, but it made sense since, out of everyone here, I was the only one to have actually gone through this training. Our class was also uneven so there was going to be one extra regardless. Because of this I ended up paired with the one person I was most dreading. Master Gilgamesh himself.

[Now that everyone is paired up let’s get started. Because of the uneven number of students Rose and I will demonstrate what we’ll be doing. Keep a close eye of how she moves. FYI this WILL be on the test along with an essay on the nature of Mana. This first test will be an open book test for the writing portion but that won’t help you if you can’t apply the information you learn. Rose, if you will begin.] - Gilgamesh

<Tch! Shitty old man and his shitty revenge... Just you wait...> - Rose

[What was that?] - Gilgamesh

[Nothing. I’m ready.] - Rose

Damn him and his good hearing. Our dynamic had been like this ever since we first had breakfast around that campsite several months back. Each of us getting back at the other in turns. At first, I’d been freaked out by the power difference between us but that had rapidly vanished and, while I’d grown to care about him a bit, there was nothing more joyous than needling the old bastard. Especially since he could take just about any beating you gave him.

Regardless I needed to give the rest of the class an example of what we’d be doing. The class that had no clue that I’d previously been trained by this sadistic old teacher. Over the last few weeks, it’d become increasingly obvious that the teacher knew me somehow but whenever any of my classmates brought it up we’d avoid the subject. Not exactly the best strategy but I also didn’t feel like acting like strangers. Despite this I was quick to shut down any suggestions that I was somehow a former lover or his illegitimate child since both outcomes disgusted me. Plus isn’t the age difference here absolutely a no-go?!? What’s with the imagination of these children?!?

One thing that I had made obvious though over the few weeks though, was that I was extremely proficient in the lessons planned. This even led some of the class to gossip that Gilgamesh was my former instructor. True of course but they would always add a little to the end for some reason by saying that I was forced to hide us knowing each other because of a forbidden love between a noble and her tutor. All the while the group of girls would squeal like it was the best thing they’d ever heard. Reminded me of those trashy novels that Mary used to read, except in those the forbidden relationship was always with a big brother type character for some reason. Hell, I think one of her novels even had some sort of branch family drama with a long lost half-brother and sister or something like that. The butler one? Oh well either way it had similar themes which made me wonder if all young girls had the same delusions of love between people that shouldn’t have those feelings.

Ah, Gil is ready.

[Woah! She’s just dodging everything while keeping the spell going?!?] Male Classmate

[H-How fast!] - Female Classmate

[Kyaa! The despair as the young princess is forced to fight her destined lover is so bittersweet!!!] - One of Them

[C-Could I do something like that???] - Female Classmate

[Wooo! Keep it up Rose! So cool!] - Karen

[Ohohohoho! Bow down and worship my Lady Rose! Her magnificence is beyond you plebians!] - Argent

[Kyaaa! The look on her current lovers face while she watches her fight her former lover makes it even better!!!] - Another of the Same Group

Geh! Could you bring back the enthusiasm a bit there Argent. I mean I know you let the class know that you’d pledged yourself to me on like the 2nd day of school but “some” of the class had taken that a different way than the one you intended. Speak of the devil one of them is muttering to herself while breathing heavily! Oh, and there’s another of “that” group...

[Good job Rose. Okay class now that you have an example you can get started on your side. Choose one of each pair to act as the one that attacks and the other one will focus on maintaining their spell. Kurata will call out when it’s time to switch.] - Gilgamesh

[…] - Entire Class

[Well, get going!] - Gilgamesh

Our demonstration over I noticed the look of awe on some of my classmate’s faces. Some of them, like my group of close friends, were aware that I’d gone through this training previously. Because of this the fluidity with which I dodged the heavy blows raining down on me while effortlessly keeping my spell active was nothing new to them. Everyone else however...

- Abelis Academy City, First Year Dorms, That Night - ???’s POV –

Somewhere else on campus a certain Lamia couldn’t contain her anger as she threw yet another stuffed animal at her cowering peer. It was obvious that this was only the latest thing that she’d savaged the smaller girl with however as around her was the remains of several pieces of furniture. Luckily the timider girl hadn’t been directly hit by the much heavier objects, but this had been by design as, while their mothers wouldn’t intervene in a little bullying, they’d likely change their tune if visible bruises showed themselves on either of them. Thus, Minerva had calculated exactly where to throw the furniture to torment her weaker cousin without actually hurting her. The sight of her cowering gave her a thrill that nearly, but not quite, alleviated her anger. It was just all going wrong!

[How, in the Goddess’ name, are we supposed to humiliate THAT?!?] - Minerva de la Manchen

[…] - Alice de la Serpanis IV

[I asked a question! Actually, don’t answer, as much as I can’t think of a way to pull down that bitch, you’d be even less useful.] - Minerva de la Manchen

[M-Maybe we s-should make friends instead?] - Alice de la Serpanis IV

[Friends?!? FRIENDS?!? Do you hear yourself?!? You remember what our mothers said about that demon and her family right?!? They’ll bring down our country on our heads! We need to expose their treachery to the Royal Family in a way that they can’t refute! After what that man told Mother we can’t let them bring our beloved nation to ruin...] - Minerva de la Manchen

[W-What if t-that man was lying?] - Alice de la Serpanis IV

[LYING?!? So, you’re saying that our honorable mother’s aren’t able to tell when an inferior creature is lying to them?!? Is that what you’re suggesting?!?] - Minerva de la Manchen

[N-No! I-It's just... S-She's just so nice to everyone... I can’t think of her as a bad person is all...] - Alice de la Serpanis IV

[Oh, you poor naïve child. This is why you need me around. To protect you from yourself. Can’t you see that her niceties are only an act? She says a nice word here and a kind word there and the next thing you know she’s got all the gullible fools hanging off her every word. Look at what she’s done to you. She’s made you question your own family. Such demons must be stopped before they infect our great nation and our family, the Serpanis and Manchen, are the only ones that can make it great again. By destroying that family we’ll be the only ones to decide the direction of our Nation. And if the Royal Family can’t see that, they deserve to be replaced by their betters.] - Minerva de la Manchen

The words spoken, whether in jest or seriousness, would have led to execution or imprisonment for an adult no matter the context. And even spoken by a child they’d have led to consequences that would even stand the chance of ruining even a Ducal House. If they were reported to the Royal Family at least. Unfortunately for the young fool that spoke such words that is exactly what would happen as the one watching the two listened in on them. Those words were more or less the death nell for the Serpanis and Manchen families. Or at least for the current family heads since the power vacuum of just removing a major family would likely bring ruin in equal amounts. But such things were for later as for now it was enough to get to the bottom of what the loudmouth had said. Someone had told the Serpanis and Manchen heads something and the next thing needed was to find out who it was and what they were told. Someone was manipulating Anguis nobles, and such a thing was unacceptable. With such thoughts one of several shadows watching over the young nobility vanished into the night to report to their mistress. When everything was done perhaps their home would be much changed but that was beyond their paygrade...