Our goals

The following morning, Yurika awoke to find quite the sight. Still garbed in the entire cheer uniform was Shoko, now bound and gagged with her own ropes as she sat in a chair, and behind her, Aino in athletic wear with whip cream in hand.

"ARE YOU A NOBLE!?" Aino shouted as she smeared the cream all over Shoko's head and face.

"NGH!" Shoko tearfully responded.

"THEN GIVE ME 50!" Aino shouted as she kicked the chair out from under Shoko, sending her to the floor with a thud.

From there, she held Shoko's feet down with her wind magic as Shoko then proceeded to do sit-ups.

Yurika decided to hide and watch, but eventually decided to reveal herself, embarrassing Shoko further.

"Y- You saw all that... I... So HUMILIATING, KYAA!" Shoko gushed as her face went red.

"I thought you were the haughty type," Yurika scowled.

"I AM! But this curse, oh this SWEET curse! It makes me find pleasure and strength in humiliation."

"It's called masochism."

Shoko turned her head away. "Tis... a curse... most certainly..."

"Face flat on the ground," Aino snarled.

"YES MA'AM!" Shoko cried as she followed the order to a tee.

"Weren't you two fighting with each other on the battlefield?" Calli asked as Aino stomped her sneaker down on Shoko's head.

"Yes. That's what we're normally like. However, each morning, we conduct a ritual of sorts, which at the end of the day is just s and m play," Aino grumbled.

"So you're the "s"," Yurika whistled.

"Don't be mistaken. These rituals strengthen us in mind and body."

"Libido too. Are you two date-"

"No!" both Shoko and Aino snarled in unison.

"Hey, hey, girl x girl is perfectly fine in my book. And speaking of girls, we're short just one. Where's that twintailed train wreck?"

"Her room, probably. She claims she needs lots of rest and privacy after the battle," Calli grumbled.

"After just a kick to the face? She's from the most prestigious noble family in the country. Ah, she must not want others to see my mark of glory," Shoko swooned.

"As if. Now go shave your head and then give me 100 push-ups," Aino snarled.

"MA'AM, YES, MA'AM!"

As Shoko grabbed a razor and began scraping the whip cream off her head and face, Yurika decided to strike up a conversation with Aino. "So you're from Finland?"

"Yes. Completely Finnish, not an ounce of Japanese heritage despite what many might think when they hear my name."

"Are you from the military?"

"Yes... but also no. My family is a family of generals currently in charge of Finland's military. As such, I was raised as if I was in the military, however... as a woman, I was often looked down upon. Thus, I'm forced to work harder than most to prove my worth. I did enlist in the military officially, but to enroll here, I had to take a leave of absence. Knowing my father, it's likely to be considered an official discharge. He wants my brother to succeed him, and me to marry an approved protege and raise more heirs. Such is commonplace for many a noble women. But if I become a recognized mage, I could fight my fate on merit."

"And that's why you came to TIUMP."

"Finland's top magic school is sadly far behind in quality and talent compared to it. Thus, I made the painful decision to leave my homeland behind to come here. HOWEVER, I will always display my Finnish pride, allegiance, and regalia! Behold my outfit! You can see my bra top and trainers have a Siniristilippu aesthetic! My winds bring in the cold breath of my homeland! Kunnia Suomelle [Glory to Finland]!"

"Talk about patriotic."

"I'd watch the attitude. When I become grand magistrate, the entire world shall become the Empire of Finland under my rule. Best study up on your Finnish now, I'll permit no other tongue-"

"Or I graduate as grand magistrate and Finland stays Finland. Ah, but they would need to revise their class system."

Aino went quiet before sitting down and crossing her arms and legs. "Being grand magistrate does not mean you become king of the world, just that you get prestige... Yet even then, others will still look down upon you..."

Yurika also went quiet and nodded before leaving the room. "She sure is haughty, but somewhat grounded. I bet that jab was more at herself than me," she thought as she reached Yabei's room. "Oi, wanna go out on the town?" she called out as she knocked on the door.

No reply.

Yurika shrugged and walked away. Once Yabei was sure Yurika was gone, she slowly opened the door, only to be met with a jumpscare from Yurika from above.

"AAAAHH! GO AWAY!" Yabei cried as she rolled back into her room, cowerwing behind her backpack.

"Yurika-nee's here to drag your ass out of bed," Yurika chuckled as she let herself in.

"I'M UP! I'M UP! DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!"

"Look at you getting spooked. I thought you were some elite noble, but you're afraid of ghosts?"

"OUT! OUT! YOU CAN'T BE HERE!"

Unfortunately Yabei, the shouting only attracted more attention.

"My, what detestable noise," Shoko smirked as she, Aino, and Calli gathered around the entryway.

Yabei began to tear up as her eyes rolled back. "It's over. The artifact is still charging... I'll get exposed, then it's over. Yabai, yabai, yabai," she thought before losing consciousness.

"You spooked her too much. Look, I know you hate nobles, but that was really crossing a line. Girl looks terrified for her life," Calli glared.

"It's just teasing, sheesh," Yurika scoffed as she began to head out of the room.

"Oh? That pack. That's the one that ate up my lightning," Shoko mumbled as she took notice of the backpack.

"What do you mean?"

"Before your arrival, I fired a miniscule bolt of lightning at her pack, yet I wasn't able to hack it. Instead, it seemed to absorb it and amplify its power."

"What do you mean "hack"?"

Shoko's face lit up. "Oho? Have you not heard of computers?"

"Of course I have. The schools I went to had them, I have a smartphone-"

"Smartphones and computers are not the same."

"But don't phones have-"

"STOP! Trust me, DON'T argue with her on this! When it comes to tech, she's a huge junkie. She won't shut up if you get her going," Aino warned.

"Noted. So then you're saying you hack?"

"But of course! It's my greatest pleasure, and my professional career. Why, I've increased my wealth tenfold thanks to all the hacking-"

"It's illegal, right?" Calli grumbled.

Sweat ran down Shoko's head and face as she slowly turned to her, forcing a smile. "N- Nobles do have a different set of rules."

"Not if their accounts are the ones you're hacking into."

"... THEY HAVEN'T CAUGHT ME YET, OK! B- But if I graduate magistrate... They can't arrest me... IMMUNITY TO HACK!" Shoko nervously shouted.

"So we've got a revolutionary, a Finnish nationalist, and a black hat. What a lovely little coven."

"With twintails out, that just leaves you as the only one whose goals we don't know," Yurika noted.

Calli's gaze narrowed as she turned to walk away. "Normal. I want to be normal again. I never asked for this uncontrollable deadly power."

"But don't you have some say in what power you choose at the start?"

"So goes common theory, but there are always exceptions."

"Can you use any other kind of magic?"

"No. I'm busy enough controlling my mana to keep my whole body from becoming nuclear. Then I'd have to wear a full bondage suit, and no, don't even think of saying that'd be hot!"

"You can't use basic air magic?"

"Air!? How the hell-"

"Radioactivity comes from the elements, the periodic ones, which are either solid, liquid, or gas. Your toxins spew out like a gas, right? So shouldn't basic air magic be in your repertoire?"

Shoko began to scowl. "You know of the true theory then. Shouldn't be surmised considering you hit me with fire and sand."

"Fire and- what!? But your magic is glass!" Calli stammered.

"And? How do you make glass? By burning sand with fire. And if I know fire and sand creation magic, that unlocks a whole new set of skills for me. Just hit the books on how toxic fumes are made and what makes things radioactive, and you'll have a bunch of spells you can build from," Yurika shrugged.

"It's not so simple. I'm aware of the theory, even know how to create the plants used to make my ropes with water magic. But just cuz I can make those plants, doesn't mean I can create any plant I want. Life magic is the most complex field to fully master," Shoko stated.

"But that's why we're all here; to master shit. There's a reason most of the greats became great after coming here, and that's because of the resources. The teachers teach the advanced stuff, the library's got advanced texts, magic may be widespread, but no one knows every damn thing about it. That's why we learn instead of trying to wing it. Now come on! To the library! We're gonna read!"

"Thought you said you wanted to go out."

"After the library!"

Everyone shrugged and followed Yurika out. Once they were gone, Yabei regained consciousness, but found she wasn't alone.

"Don't think I've forgotten due to all that's transpired. We still need to properly asses your abilities," Shuna glared.

"Uh, um... they're... sealed?"

Shuna let out a heavy sigh. "I had my doubts, but the glutonaria artifact proves it; you're completely manaless, aren't you?"

As Yabei's eyes began to widen in terror, Shuna quickly attempted to calm her down. "No, no, you're fine! YOU'RE FINE! I won't tell! So calm down."

"Trust... How can I trust you?" Yabei stuttered, her tone far more menacing than usual.

"I'll let you decide..."

"Cut out your tongue."

"No."

Yabei brandished a knife and lunged for Shuna, but Shuna effortlessly pinned her down and gagged her with shadowy hands.

"An esteemed noble with no mana, and a commoner with extraordinary mana. I'd think you two were both reversied, yet your birthdays are far apart from each other. Regardless, I'm still in charge of you. I can understand your fear, your distrustfulness of others, but here, you are safe. This is the coven for those that are deemed misfits. And I, the teacher that will nurture you. I hold no allegiance to the nobility, only to the headmistress. We ALL are first and foremost loyal to her. Selling you out would betray her core values. You are safe. Relax. Relax, and I will help you achieve your goal."

The shadow hands slowly vanished, freeing Yabei from their bind.

Wearily, she sat up and faced Shuna. "I want... I just don't want to be killed for being born an elite noble without mana. If I'm the magistrate, they won't be able to raise a hand against me, even if I reveal my secret, full blast."

"Everyone has their own reasons, just or not. Our job as teachers is to help students achieve those feats by teaching them all we know. Now, let's go. I'll give you one-on-one training to help level you up."

Yabei was still anxious and didn't fully trust Shuna, but had calmed down enough to deem the offer as rational. Putting on her boots and grabbing her backpack, she followed Shuna out of her room.