Confrontation

“This is her office?” Deveon said as he pointed towards the door.

“Yes.” the female responded in an overly cheery mood.

“Thanks for the help. Who knows how long it would’ve taken me to find here on my own.” Deveon scratched the back of his head as he offered his thanks.

“It was my pleasure. Ah, my name is Alice. Please remember my name. It would bring me great joy.”

“I won’t forget the favor you did for me. My name is Deveon, nice to meet you.” Deveon responded with a smile.

“If you need anything else done I’ll be able to help you.” Alice responded with a coquettish attitude.

Deveon entered the room and saw a woman sitting behind a desk writing something.

“I’m looking for instructor Gale.”

“Sit” The woman responded emotionlessly without looking up from her papers.

Deveon took his seat.

“She must be instructor Gale. I wasn’t expecting the instructor to be a woman.”

Instructor Gale suddenly started speaking without looking up from her papers.

“Lectures are a few hours long. At the end of each semester there will be an evaluation for unranked students in order to evaluate them. The ultimate goal for every Noiran student is to become a ranked student. Students can gain a rank by gaining merits through accomplishing feats. You can go to the schools guild to find a job if you wish to gain a rank. There are only 800 ranks. Anything you need can be acquired on campus.” Instructor Gale was about to continue on when Deveon suddenly stopped her with a question.

“How many students are in this school?”

“Somewhere around 2500.” The teacher answered impassively. “Don't interrupt me again. Save your question for later.” Deveon nodded and the teacher continued without acknowledging his nod.

“Norian doesn’t train our students. We just give them the information they need to grow. It’s up to you to train yourself in your art. That's why your schedule isn’t full with classes. You are responsible for yourself. What you do outside of my lectures is of no concern to me. Your dorm is in the west wing dorms. If you ask around you'll be able to find your way to the west wing dorms; your dorm room has your name on it. You may leave.”

Deveon spoke up again with seriousness in his eyes. “How do I get into Uriel?”

Instructor Gale finally looked up from her work, she had slight disdain in her gaze as she spoke to Deveon, “Someone of your lowly class should consider it a blessing from the gods that you're able to sit here right now. Uriel is impossible for your kind. Don’t utter such disgusting words again. You may leave.”Her tone was a bit forceful.

“I understand.”Deveon got up and right before he left the room Instructor Gale stopped him. Her voice returned to the same emotionless tone it had when she gave Deveon a rundown of how things work in the school.

“I see Alice showed you the way to my office. From the kindness in my heart I would advise you to not get involved with her. I don’t want any commotion to be stirred up in my class. That is all.”

Deveon opened the door and left the room.

“I forgot Saul made a fake identity story for me. Guess I have to stick with being a peasant. I’ve heard nobles have no respect for the low class but there was no need to be so rude about it. Aren’t you supposed to be my teacher?”

Deveon sighed as he walked down the hall.

“800 ranked spots and 2500 students. This is gonna be a daunting task. I have to claw my way to the top and I can’t just stop there. I have to surpass the instructors too.”

While in thought Deveon noticed Alice waiting in the hall. When she saw Deveon her face lit up and she approached him.

“Lord Deveon, how did it go?”

Deveons mouth twitched a bit when Alice addressed him. “There’s no need to call me lord. Just my name is enough.”

Alice shook her head while blushing “ How could I possibly address you so casually?”

“I don’t mind, plus, it’ll be difficult to build our friendship if you address me in such a distant manner. Were you waiting for me this whole time?” Deveon seemed like he wanted to move past the whole naming situation.

“Yes.” Alice refused to meet Devon's gaze, she looked at her feet and her face got redder as she continued. “I thought you might have needed some help getting to his dorm so I decided to wait for you.”

“Are you okay with going to the man's dorm?”

Alice's face got even redder “If it’s Deveon I don’t mind.”

Deveon rubbed his cheek with one finger. “You don’t have to bother yourself with that. I can find it on my own.” Deveon wearily laughed.

Alice suddenly looked up, her face still pink with embarrassment. “No, there’s no way I can leave someone of your caliber to do such a thing when I can help.” Alice's voice suddenly became quieter. “I wish to be of use to you in any way I can.” Alice looked at Deveon as if she was afraid he would reject her help.

Deveon sighed. “If you really want to help me so much you can show me the way.”

The worry in Alice's eyes were suddenly replaced with joy and she led the way.

Deveon and Alice chatted while walking to the west wing dorms. Alice was in an extremely cherry mood. As they walked, every student that saw Deveon gasped and started talking.

“Alice, why does everyone react to me in such a way and why did you talk to me like I was someone with prestige?”

“Everyone is showing awe in your presence because of the drednogs. Drednogs are such high valued creatures. For you to have two pulling your carriage is a testament of your prestige.” Alice started to look like a love struck girl as she continued, “Not only that but you touched the drednogs. Drednogs usually don’t like people touching them but those two didn’t mind your touch. You must have exuded a lot of mana pressure to get them to be obedient to you. Anyone could tell you're a prodigy from a high ranking noble family.”

Alice looked at Deveon then quickly averted her gaze back to the ground; she started blushing again. “I apologize for my spiel but couldn’t contain my admiration for you.”

Deveon remained silent for a moment.

“For my own safety I should make sure there is no discrepancy between what I say and the story Saul created. If I were to lie about my background the teachers would punish me for pretending to be a noble. My real past would be discovered and that’ll probably lead to me getting executed while the Nightenwing family just gets a slap on the wrist.”

Deveon started laughing “I think you’re mistaken. Those drednogs aren’t mine.”

Alice looked at Deveon, the passion and shyness in her eyes got stronger “To think that you would also be humble. Your good character is something I wish to become.”

“No really those drednogs aren’t mine.” Deveon waved both flusteredly. “I’m just a peasant. Apparently my father saved a wealthy merchant so the merchant gave my dad the money to enroll me in this school as reimbursement. I assume the Drednogs belong to the merchant. He told me that he’ll provide me with transportation to the school.” Deveon laughed and continued walking.

Alice stopped her steps. Deveon turned around and reached for Alice. “Is something wrong?”

Before Deveon touched her a block of ice suddenly exploded between him and her. Deveon fell backwards and held his hand as he winced.

“Don’t touch me you filthy mongrel.” All of the emotions Alice had on her face earlier had been replaced with disgust.

“What the hell is wrong with you!” Deveon shot back to his feet.

“Shut up, how dare you deceive me you filthy pig.”

Students started to gather around them due to the commotion Alice was causing. One male shot out of the crowd and placed himself in front of Alice.

“That peasant deceived me with the intent of bringing me to his room.” Alice suddenly had tears in her eyes as she let out her grievances.

“You bastard. You dare make a move on Alice.” The man bought Alice's story and directed his anger to Deveon.

“Get real. A few moments ago that bitch was all over me. She offered to show me the way to my room.” Deveon was also enraged.

“Hpmh, what a blatant lie. I belong to the best magus in this school, why would I visit the room of a nobody like you.” Alice's acting skills were superb. She spoke with such passion anyone would’ve believed she had been wronged but none of the students in the area believed her story.

A student in the crowd suddenly spoke up with his voice slightly trembling. “Alice it would be wrong of you to attempt to put someone of his status in such a plight.”

Alice turned around with a fervent fire burning in her eyes. “My fellow students don’t be deceived by that lowly ones false bravado. He is nothing but a peasant who’s living off the good grace of a wealthy merchant. Yet he dared pay the people of our class back by trying to assault me.”

The man who stepped out to defend Alice thrusted his hand out and a strong gust of wind hit the student who oppressed Alice earlier directly in his adobenen. The student vomited then hunched over grabbing his stomach. Those around him looked at him in disgust. Everyone else attitudes took a complete 180 turn as they all started hurling slurs at Deveon.

The man who stepped out to defend Alice took a step towards Deveon. “Kneel down and clean Alice shoes with your tongue animal.”

“Please. I don’t want his filthy saliva on my shoes. Just give him a good beating and make him return to the rat hole he came from.” Alice's eyes were filled with contempt.

“You guys are crazy.” Deveon toned down his anger and turned to walk away.

He suddenly felt a small strange pressure close in on him so he dodged to his right. The next instant the concrete he was standing on a second ago cracked.

Deveon looked at the man with blood lust in his eyes. “It’s been a few days since someone annoyed me this much.”

“Hmph, do you actually believe you can compete with me?” The mans lips curled up in contempt.