Q&A Session

The class returns to the classroom, Libarius standing in front of the lectern and Gracia behind him. Libarius scans the students.

“I noticed during our match that Lucky is missing.” Callidus answers him.

“He said that he felt too unlucky to go to class when he woke up this morning.”

“As I said, ‘by coercion or force,’ there’s no time for being a layabout, we have a fight on the horizon.” He points his cane at a student, a boy with deep purple hair and fine features. “And who are you?” The lanky boy stands up.

“My name is Poto Venia. Mr. Mitis, I apologize for my absence yesterday, I needed to help out my family with an urgent matter.”

“Don’t hold back during the fight.”

“Ah, um, yes sir.” Libarius returns to addressing the class.

“Now then, to return to what truly matters. Gracia and I have come up with a strategy for our preparations. Rather than the vapidity of lectures, I would rather us be running drills. Furthermore, until the time comes, I would like to instruct each of you on an individual level. Of course, as time surely cannot allow such a thing, sacrifices must be made. Those sacrifices being Theo, Stella, Callidus, Victoria, and, as I’ve now decided, Poto.” A wave of shock passes through the students, all unsure of what to do after the result of their match. “Ask your questions, I require you to understand properly.” Callidus stands up, irritated.

“Why won’t you do anything for Ms. Sidus!?”

“Simply, it would take all my effort to do much of anything, and all that just to not even have an effective force at the end. The same goes for Theo. You, Victoria, and Poto are all strong enough already.” Calldus grits his teeth until he realizes something strange.

“Hold on! If you already think I’m strong enough, then what was the point of that whole fight!?”

“You might be strong enough for this upcoming fight, but you are certainly not strong enough not to squander yourselves as that weakling has.” Callidus grits his teeth then sits back down. Castor begins to ask a question.

“Why were you with Poly?”

“Who?”

“Polydeuces.”

“Ah, him. You see, I had intended to start your training, as I had happened to spot you while I was roaming the halls. It’s rather embarrassing, but I fell for your trick.”

“It’s not a trick, we’re just twins! And that was during class!”

“As we’ve discussed, these classes are hollow and pointless, your time would be better spent contributing to my research.” Gracia interjects.

“Just come to class and stop trying to do tests on them!”

“Any other questions, or have you understood it now?” Flamma asks a question.

“Umm… I’m sorry if this is inappropriate, but how old are you?”

“Eighteen.”

“I’m also eighteen.” Callidus clicks his tongue.

“So you really are barely older than us. You might as well just be upperclassmen! Geh. So you must be like, super geniuses, huh?”

“Indeed. Though I would never have grown so strong were it not for Father, and I imagine it must be the same for you, Gracia.”

“I wouldn’t be here if he didn’t believe in my potential. Ah! But, I was actually tested! I’m not like Libarius, I actually know what I’m supposed to do!” Flamma asks another question.

“I noticed that you’re calling each other by name, and… other such things. Did you already know each other? Like, from your lessons, or something…” Callidus comments.

“Ah, like childhood friends. Good catch, Flamma. Those kinds of stories have been popular lately.” Castor comments.

“Are those the kinds of journals you’ve been getting recently? How do you even sneak those in? And why does Lucky keep letting you get away with it? Are you threatening him?”

“What do you take me for, Castor? It’s because I give him his own journals.” Victoria comments.

“Ignoring your blatant rulebreaking, I don’t think either of you have the wiggle room to fill your heads with things like that.”

“I’m keeping my mind sharp with light reading, what’s wrong with that?” Castor interjects.

“Defend Lucky!”

“…he’s a lost cause.” Gracia interrupts.

“Umm, should we really be moving past Callidus breaking rules so quickly?” Callidus answers.

“It’s not important. It’s a stupid rule. There’s a rule against leisure items in the dorms.” Libarius is shocked.

“But is it not the duty of students such as you to read those great works, no small number of them written by your teachers and their peers?” Gracia corrects him.

“I doubt that they would class those kinds of journals as ‘leisure.’”

“But what could be a greater source of entertainment or relaxation? Barring, of course, performing research yourself.” Callidus answers.

“I pick up fiction journals. They’re good, but nobody around me seems to share that opinion. And I get fortune magazines to help out Lucky.”

“Both seem wholly worthless. What could better serve to pass the time than reviewing the literature?”

“You can save the speech, Theo already tried and failed. So if you could keep these sorts of topics between yourselves from now on.” Theo begins to flip through the pages of his textbook slightly more frantically. Libarius responds, his voice unchanged.

“Something about such a comparison is deeply displeasing. Never make it again.” Castor comments.

“Callidus, why are you the other class representative when you act like this?” Callidus answers without looking at Castor.

“Maybe because I’m stronger, kinder, handsomer, and everyone just generally likes me better?” He smiles at Stella across the room. “Is that more or less right, Ms. Sidus?” Stella looks away sharply, hiding her face from Callidus, and nods slightly. “Well that’s what the people think, Castor.”

“I think you’re a violent moron.” Victoria adds on to Castor’s point.

“Indeed. No matter how strong you are, you’re mostly just a bundle of vices and bad habits.” Libarius brings down his cane once to silence them.

“I believe we were asked a wholly pointless question that has gone unanswered?” He looks to Gracia, having already forgotten the question himself.

“Me and Libarius met two days ago.” Callidus can hardly believe it.

“That can’t be right! Why does he listen to you then?! Mr. ‘Might Makes Right’ over there…” Callidus thinks a horrifying thought. “Hold on, Ms. Vis… are you—” Gracia interjects quickly.

“No! I’m definitely not stronger than him! Don’t expect that sort of thing from me!” Libarius stamps his cane as though in disagreement.

“Come now Gracia, at the very least, in a stark contrast to these fools, you ought to be able to defeat me as I am now.”

“You can barely cast a spell.” Gracia covers her mouth quickly with a hand as Callidus interjects.

“No no, he can definitely cast a ton of spells.” Libarius answers him.

“Nay, I cast your spells, so trite were they. It is quite a depressing affliction I’ve been cursed with, the inability to cast spells of my own power, and forced to grapple with the inferior spells of your dull minds.”

The class goes silent as they try to grapple with the fact, the fact that their teacher is such an absurd existence. This young man, cloaked in all black, barely older than them yet more skilled in magic than any they’ve seen, barely concerned with anything else.