"Mina... stop dozing off halfway through the teaching!"

Mina burst out of her reverie bubble, dropping onto the table face first.

It was the holler from Keena, judging her horrendous behavior during the lesson.

"You're getting nothing away from that attitude!" Keena continued in a stern tone.

"But Mina can't resist the hypnosis from the enchanted words of our tutor..." said Mina while mumbling with her face glued to the desk.

"But there is no enchantment from the mouth of our tutor except that sluggish head of yours!" Keena retorted.

"Keena just doesn't seem to acknowledge the latent power of others as Mina did. That's why Keena was unfazed by it." Mina continued in a persistent manner.

The class was currently ongoing, a different lesson from the first, and a different tutor entered.

This tutor was remarkably taller than their handler, stricter in tone, and fiercer in her gaze, overall more intimidating than Tiandra.

Her straight, dark, gleaming blue hair, genetically large in the bust, and fierce and sharpening eyes with fiery red pupils.

Many were rooted to their seat, unwavering, as fear of her menacing pose overtook their will to commit any sudden move.

Except for Mina, like her as always, oblivious, she wasn't fazed nor terrified by her presence, as Mina did know characters that were worse than her in her life, appearance-wise, of course.

The tutor was expertise in mathematics and doubtlessly the course assigned to instruct them.

As the lesson tarried, Mina's perpetual dozing-off demeanor irked Keena, who seemed to be more stressed about her erudition than Mina herself.

Every three minutes after waking, slumber will follow next, and Keena will be elbowed, shaken, hollered, and various other forms to wake her up repeatedly, inducing it to be a routine practice.

As time marched on, the imposing tower bell sounded, and the gong sent waves across the campus, inciting this peaceful land with its clamor, and birds soared upon harking this blaring sound.

The whole session also culminated with Keena getting tired of Mina's nonstop doze-off manner.

It was the period for the lunch break, and many began to huddle around their friends, chit-chatting leisurely.

Mina also revamped from her sluggish state soon as the break surfaced, her energy recharged immediately, hollering in a frolicking tone while having her body stretched,

"Mina wants to eat Garshéa!"

*Garshéa is a traditional dish prepared in the realm with the meat of domestic underworld creatures, the marhog, a hog-like creature.

Mina's sudden energy shift annoyed Keena, as Mina acted sluggish the whole way through the lesson but contrasted during the break, infuriating Keena, who ranted,

"Can you be more attentive during the studies than the break, Mina? Your carefree attitude will eventually take a toll on your study!"

"Why does Keena always pester such a trivial issue..." Mina responded.

"TRIVIAL?! I'M HELPING YOU TO TURN FOR THE BETTER AND YET TO TAKE IT FOR GRANTED!" Keena lost herself to her fury, lashing out at that nonchalant princess.

"Mina is appreciated for Keena's devotion, but Keena really needs to learn to soothe her grumpiness..."

"Grump- I really can't deal with you anymore, Mina. You're really one of the most relentless creatures I ever mingled with!" Keena said while crumbling.

Under this dismal display of Keena, a familiar voice interposed their conversation, it was Konnaugh, who said with a concerned smile,

"Come on, girls... Let's take a deep breath-"

"No, Konnaugh... It's okay. No deep breath can mend this soiled heart of mine anymore. I'm beyond saving..." Keena interrupted him before Konnaugh's catchphrase surfaced again.

Konnaugh just tittered, powerless to the situation.

Keena then recouped her marbles, realizing Konnaugh's return presence, and asking him about his sudden appearance,

"Wait a minute... what happened to you and your familiar, Konnaugh? I thought you were with them?"

"Oh no... Nothing happens, it's just that I saw the heat between you two, and I figured I might as well cool off you two before the worst comes."

"That's very noble of you, Konnaugh! Always place yourself between others when there's a fight. Not many of us are willing to do that!" Keena was mesmerized, praising Konnaugh over his gallantry.

"Unlike someone..." Mina interjected with a sarcastic murmur, hinting at her over her selfish disposition, who shunned whenever the chance was given.

"You're no better, Mina." Keena retorted with a squint.

Konnaugh again tittered, intrigued by their frenemies' relationship.

"Anyway, want to join us at lunch? I can introduce you guys to my familiar if you wouldn't mind." Konnaugh openly invited them.

"Sure, I'm kinda curious about what kind of person you hang with too!" Keena said with eagerness.

Meanwhile, Mina just frankly nodded, saying in her casual tone,

"As long as Mina gets to eat Garshéa, she wouldn't mind."

Konnaugh chuckled, finding Mina's unconcern demeanor humorous.

He then tagged them to his friends, guiding them to their whereabouts.

But before Mina was assimilated with the group, a stern voice ceased her movement, requesting her ears to be occupied.

Mina then shifted her gaze without question, wondering who might summon her on such short notice.

She turned, realizing it was Patria.

When words were yet to be sounded, Mina was already drenched in sweats of worry, questioning with a faint quiver,

"What Patria wants from Mina... Mina believes she's already turned over a new leaf... She promises she will not be tardy again..."

The silence was the response, and that menacing look remained, likely she was struggling to voice.

While Patria lingered in her fierce, stern look, transmitting uneasy feelings to Mina, Mina soothed her nerve, reformulating her question in a less agitated tone,

"Mina will not understand Patria if she continues to have her lips closed-"

"Bear this advise, Princess." Patria interrupted, jolting Mina by a shade, and which Patria continued to articulate in her austere echo,

"I'm aware you will not fancy by this injudicious verdict of mine, but heed this, princess. Zaran is not your friend. They are dangerous and cynical, and you will never know the true intent behind their friendly nature. Please, beware of their presence, princess. As I'm saying this to protect you from their possible swindle."

Upon harking Patria's accusation toward Zaran, Mina was infuriated, as the closest to her were mainly Zaran, especially Lilia, Keena, and Chester.

And so she responded with stark bitterness in her tongue and furies in her heart,

"Don't push your luck, Patria! Mina may seem harmless in many cases, but bad-mouthing her friend and family is a big no-no! Mina will consider letting you off the hook for this time, and if there is a next time, Mina will not go easy on you!"

Despite Patria being fearless in most scenarios, Mina's assertion somewhat showered her with terrors and draughts, subtly wavering on the spot.

After Mina lashed out at Patria, her demeanor somewhat completely shifted as if nothing had happened, continuing in her normal timbre,

"If Patria only wishes to discuss that, Mina will now take her leave. See Patria later." Mina bowed, pacing herself to Keena and Konnaugh thereafter, who were waving at her far from her ground.

Meanwhile, Patria silently peered at them, departing with a mumble,

"Princess, before the dawn bleak and the night sweep, you will never fully grasp the deep. When the reality did ensue, I hope your innocence retains, and purity never taints."

She then sighed and turned away.

Before her step was embarked, an obnoxious voice appeared out of nowhere, a voice that she remembered, or familiar, which was whispering in her ear with that angelic light tone,

"What are you murmuring about?"

It provoked Patria a little, who frantically diverted her attention to the voice, realizing it was Laura, the pest she could never get rid of.

"What-" she stuttered but continued coldly, as she always did,

It's none of your business."

"What's that 'dawn bleak' or 'night sweep' thing you were blabbering about? I'm kinda curious," Laura questioned, tilting her head while holding her smile, wondering what Patria might mumble.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"As I said, none of your business!" Patria responded again but in a more intensified manner.

"Come on, just tell me!"

"No!" Patria slowly lost her grip on composure, surging her anger within, but she was saved in the nick of time.

As Laura was called out by Mina from afar, who was hollering with a vigorous wave,

"Hi, Laura!" captivating Laura's attention.

"Hi, Mina!" Laura also responded with a vigorous wave and a chirpy tone,

"Want to join us at lunch?!" said Mina with another shout.

Laura nodded, shouting back at her, "Sure!" and dashed to them immediately.

Before she completely dashed off, she waved farewell to Patria with a smile,

"Later!" said Laura before joining Mina and her group.

Patria remained placid and steely, unfazed by Laura's departure, fully slighting over her farewell, and walked away.

But as soon as she turned away, a yell seized her attention, and it was Laura, shouting,

"Patria! Wanna join us for lunch?!"

And a cold response was her exchange, "Not a chance." as she simply trod away without a fuss.

Mina then patted Laura's shoulder, stating in a soft tone,

"It's alright, Laura. Mina feels that Patria doesn't like us anyway. It's natural she leaves."

"Not really! I think she's just shy!" Laura responded with a bright look.

Upon hearing Laura's remark, disbelief began to formulate within Keena's thoughts, fumbling with what she had heard,

*What? I never thought I would find someone even more dense than Mina! By golly!*

While everyone was in their trance, Konnaugh took the initiative and inserted himself between them, introducing them to his friends,

"So, everyone! Meet Keanton and Y! And I believe Mina, you might have already met Y."

"Oh! Chili boy!" Mina was awed by Y's reappearance and pointed at him with the nickname she set.

"Stop calling me that!" and Y wasn't pleased as usual.

Out of the blue, a boy rushed to the spotlight, asserting in an exalting tone,

"I believe it would be fancy if I, Keanton, take the stand to introduce my fabulous display first, before everyone else." his self-glorification manner grossed Keena out, but not Mina and Laura.

Keanton, a young male Demonkin, his stature was fair, not tall nor shorter than any of them except Mina, to whom he was taller, with a skinny structure, shoulder-length blonde hair with tips curled up, and emerald round pupils for his eyes.

"Fabulous? What's with the quirky phrases? Are you alright?" said Keena with her eyes narrowed.

"Yes, my magnificent, glamorous, fabulous, endearing, charming-"

"Yes... I understand that you're glorious, but can you just cut to the chase and introduce yourself normally?" Keena was bothered, interrupting him before he further idealized himself.

"Alright then! *Ahem* I, Keanton, Keantono 'Anbardron' Marrun, at your service... May your eyes feast on this beautifully crafted mien of mine that will stun your lustrous pupils upon alignment! Behold, I, Keanton, the most fabulous student on the campus!"

While exercising his introduction, he glamorously posed himself before them, where Keena was utterly displeased by his ostentatious presentation.

Meanwhile, Mina applauded his prance with amazement, and Laura just blankly stared at him with her habitual grin.

"Is this necessary?" said Keena, with her brow twitching.

"It will be fabulous so!" Keanton responded with his nose high.

Keena then dived into her thoughts again, questioning everyone who studied in Dragania, especially the ones she knew by far,

*Do all Demonkins study here all haughty and weird? My expectation of this renowned ground is slowly deteriorating.*

On the flip side, Mina rollickingly bounced before Keanton, probing with curiosity,

"Can Mina be like Keanton in the introduction? She wants to be fabulous, just like Keanton!"

Keanton then shortened his distance from Mina, stating in a whispery, weirdly flirty timbre while gently fiddling with Mina's hair,

"Sure, you beautiful adorable princess. You can be as fabulous as you wish! As long as-"

His questionable action then instigated a sudden roar, interrupting him mid-sentence,

"You creepy, disgusting bastard!" while launching herself at Keanton and drop-kicked him, sending him flying away.

Keanton latterly lay on the ground motionless and muted.

Keena then ferociously shouted at him while shielding Mina in her back,

"You can't just touch a girl like that! You creep!"

She swiveled her gaze to Konnaugh and continued blaring, "And you too, Konnaugh! I didn't know you would introduce us to creeps like this!"

"I'm sorry, Keena! On Keanton's behalf as well. I never knew he would commit such a horrid thing myself either since he never did..." Konnaugh was agitated, struggling in this dilemma.

"It's fine, Keena. Mina is fine." Mina uttered while patting Keena on her back.

"No way, it's fine! Letting a creep touch you like that?! It's beyond fine!" Keena retorted.

While everyone was debating over the commotion, Laura and Y just casually crouched before the lifeless body of Keanton, poking him with a stick while conversing nonchalantly,

"Is he still alive?" said Laura,

"I don't think that force is strong enough to kill him, so yeah," Y responded.

***

***

***

After the situation was soothed, Keanton repeatedly bowed to Keena and Mina, apologizing,

"I promise, I would never commit such fabulous negation action again!

"It's fine, Keanton. Mina is still alive and kicking!" Mina uttered in a reassuring tone.

"It's not about harming you but harassing you, Mina! How can you be so oblivious..." Keena said with a facepalm, subtly shaking her head.

Before another quarrel was about to be re-subjected, Konnaugh stooped in, hollering with a clap,

"Stop! Anyway, guys, it's time we postpone our little chatter to the latter. We should go get some lunch before the break ends."

"Mina agreed!" said Mina with her right arm waving.

"Sure, Konnaugh, but before that. I believe the chili boy, Laura, and I haven't made ourselves known to everyone yet." Keena promptly halted everyone, reminding them of their anonymity.

"Except this little impish princess, I capture everyone must've been fond of her already," she added.

"Mina is not an imp!" Mina retorted with a querulous voice.

"By the way, did you just call me chili boy?" Y also inserted with his eyes narrowed.

"Anyway, I'm Keena! Keena Zaran! Nice to meet you all!" Keena just briefly introduced herself while slighting over those two voices.

"Did she just ignore me..." Y mumbled.

"Laura! Laura Urkon!" Laura followed with a hail while raising her arm.

"Y," said Y while avoiding eye contact, creating a somewhat rebellious look.

"Mi-"

"You do not need to introduce yourself since everyone already knows who you are." Keena interrupted before Mina could herald her name.

"Why can't Mina do her introduction?! Why can't Keena just let Mina do what she wants!" Mina grunted with her cheeks puffed.

"Too bad we don't have much time to extend, princess. You can do your introduction any time you want after we wrap up the important things." Keena replied, hinting to brief the introduction by excluding Mina, who would likely ruin it by prolonging it.

"Mina hates Keena one-thousand times!" said Mina with a snuffy face.

"Make it double for me." Keena also replied with a sullen expression.

"Now, now, both of you. Let us forward this debate later. Now let us go grab some food as I'm pretty sure everyone here is already starving and probably having tantrums because of it." said Konnaugh while standing between them again, advising in a diplomatic tone.

"You're right. Sorry about that, Konnaugh. I believe I got a little bit carried away." Keena apologized.

Meanwhile, Mina simply pushed the blame on Keena, pointing her finger at her, stating, "It's Keena's fault Mina got riled up."

"You little...!" Keena grunted at Mina but sighed without retorts, continuing in her casual tone,

"Shall we go now? Is everyone holding up alright?"

"Yes," Y replied,

"Certainly so!" Laura,

"Fabulous as ever!" Keanton,

"Yes, waiting for your call." Konnaugh,

"Mina wants her Garshéa..." and Mina.

"Let's make our way there then!" Keena declared, pointed to the canteen direction, and embarked on their little journey.

Throughout the walk, laughter and quarrels tailed behind them, forming a beautiful silhouette of a friend group, which captured the eyes of many others.

The lunch break was played in a period, catering to the students with luxurious foods, as many were prominent and wealthy, and a chance was also given to them to communicate, rest, and explore if spare was made.

***

***

***

But a period went like a wind breeze as the tower bell sounded before everyone knew, and the lunch break concluded.

Meanwhile, Mina remained slothful throughout the return journey as she was still stuck in her playful mood, hankering for the break to be longer.

As Keena forcefully dragged her resisting body the whole way back to the house room, who was whining about not returning.

And after students were reassembled in their house room, the tower bell rang again, announcing the lessons recommence, in which students were instructed to be seated before the arrival of their respective tutors.

During the absence of their tutor, Keena continued her task to tutor Mina, who just sluggishly slanted her right cheek on the desk, partially heeding Keena's teaching.

Meanwhile, Keena was wholly submerged in her teaching state, trying her best to educate Mina. But Mina's eyes just flickered, gradually losing her focus on the teaching.

Slowly and surely, her lids were getting heavier and heavier, slowly giving up on sustaining their job until the darkness was her only rendering and faint noises diluted in her ears, where drowsiness consumed her consciousness.

With that, Mina found herself to be peacefully floating around the river of dreams, gliding through this fantasy-like world, but shattered as a shout followed,

"Mina! Stop dozing off like that! You will just be running in circles if you keep up with that lousy attitude of yours!"

Mina sharply peeled her eyelids, adding in a sluggish manner,

"But Mina gets exhausted each time she pays heed to words..."

"You know, when Ms Tiandra entered the house room, the test began. Meaning that the time left in your expense is getting thinner and thinner. So, Mina! Stop wasting your time and get your head into the game!"

Despite the time between her and the test getting shorter and shorter, Mina just moaned, kicking her leg in the air, huffing with glumness while having her jaw placed on the desk, glozing over on studying.

However, this gruesome one-on-one tutoring between Keena and Mina only lasted so far, as their handler, Tiandra, rejoined the class with a stack of paper in her embrace, hollering,

"Rise and shine, my fellow pupils! The test, as promised, is here! The time does tick as swiftly as we discerned. Hopefully, each of you did reserve spare time for revision in the area I instructed this morning. Otherwise, those who failed the test may be required to stay back after the academic day. As I will personally address you with your shortcomings."

Soon harking those words, nervousness was the left of most of the students, especially Mina, who rose from her sluggish proportion right after and frantically flipped the book, urging Keena in a quivering tone,

"Kee- Kee- Keena! Please teach Mina now! Mina doesn't want to stay back!"

"How ironic, now you're worried... Even though excessive time was given to you beforehand."

"Pretty please..." said Mina, her eyes glittering, hoping to earn Keena's favor.

But Keena resisted her charm and stated with a stern tone,

"Too late for that, Mina. Even if I wished, I couldn't. Just look over there..." said Keena while pointing at their handler, adding,

"She is already distributing the test paper..."

Soon lining up her eyes with her handler, Mina panicked even more, shouting, "What!" plaguing her thoughts with nothing but sheer apprehension, fidgeting on the spot while moaning and sweating.

A bright idea then popped inside her head, who quickly turned to Keena, pleading in a ruffled tone,

"Can Keena be benevolent this time and exchange Mina with her answer during the test?"

"What? You're now implying us to cheat?!"

"What? No!!! What Mina suggested is a mutual decision! If we both voluntarily share the answer, it will not be counted as cheating! Since no one is getting cheated here!" Mina clarified.

"Wha- what?! What are you saying?! What do you even mean by that?! Do you even know what cheating is?"

"Please... Keena just shares Mina your answer with. And Mina promises that Mina and Keena will not be in trouble!"

"Ain't no way I want to join that skeptical scheme of yours."

During their hectic debate, a half-suppressed chuckle appeared before their ears, startling both of them.

It was their handler, humoring at their quarrel, which also advised in a tender yet stern tone,

"Young Mina, please refrain from misconduct during the test. Such demeanor only led to a fruitless future, and I, as your handler, wouldn't want that."

After harking her handler's advise, Mina sighed deeply and dropped onto the desk with her head, moaning.

Her dejected state caused Tiandra to titter as she was as powerless as she wished to assist Mina in this situation, she added before she moved on,

"Before I go, here's the test paper. Please, pass it to young Mina, would you?" Tiandra pulled two papers off her stack and hovered before Keena.

"Sure, Ms Tiandra," said Keena, grabbing the test paper off Tiandra's grasp.

Once the paper was off the possession of Tiandra, she proceeded to the back roll, where Keena slid one of the test papers to Mina afterward, asserting in an assuring tone,

"Don't worry, Mina. After this test, I will still tutor your studies. For now, just... give it your all."

As Keena reassured Mina, she flattened her paper, gripped one of the pencils, and readied to start the test.

Meanwhile, Mina lingered on the desk with her cheek slanted, hovering her opened palm before Keena, asking with a drawl and unhappy timbre,

"Can Mina at least borrows a pencil from Keena..."

"That's what I can do..." Keena responded and handed Mina a pencil.

Before the test was officially started, an assertion was derived from their handler, asking in a loud tone,

"For those who have yet to receive the paper I distributed, please raise your hand."

No one raised.

"Then may the test commence. And please stow away the test-related objects from the desk, and remember, no cheating!"

After declaring the test, Tiandra summoned an hourglass, flipped it upside down, and set it precisely to the test timer.

There, Mina gawked at her test paper, fumbling over each question and silently dying inside.