June 1st, year 024 Angels Descent

It had been a few weeks since Johan had finished his visit and had gone on his way back to the Theocracy. Maxwell, in that time, had been coaxed out from his room, and his ‘illness’ seemed to have been recovering though he still had moments of melancholy despite the class’s efforts.

The little break from lessons had ended after Johan had departed, so they had returned to their regular schedules. Only Alex’s lectures had been reduced to single-hour lessons due to an increase in his duties. Maxwell was openly convinced it was his fault no matter how often Alex assured him he wasn’t.

“Ok, class, let's have a big round of applause for Gunter for finally managing the light circle method,” Alex declared, giving a little clap of his hands towards the bashful-looking Gunter.

“Aw, thanks, chief,” Gunter replied, rubbing the back of his head.

“I’d recommend requesting special instruction from Yuu. She, like Gorm, has found some clever ways to use the method, with hers being primarily within the artificing schools.”

“Understood will do,” Gunter replied with a nod.

“Now, to the next order of business. Starting at the start of the autumn term, we will be getting a couple of new kids for our gang,” Alex explained.

“Few new kids?” Daisy repeated.

“Yes seems some downright bastard went and got their primary instructor dismissed with a bet. So now we have a few students who are required to have special education but lack an instructor to do so,” Alex replied.

“You don’t mean…” Kline began before trailing off.

“Yes, a few of your opponents in the competition will be joining our ranks. Now I will say Maelsteez has already been plucked by Mimi, and Hannah seems to descend into a panic attack around you guys. So they won’t be joining us. Gentlemen Jack has been headhunted by Hadean, and I understand they are making a real show of themselves.”

“So the other three will join us, sir?” Gunter eagerly asked, feeling joy at the chance to spend more time with Ironsides and Simon.

“Simon and Ironsides will be joining us; Red, however, has been duly relegated to a disciplinary route within the school.”

“Why?” Kline asked, curious why his self-declared subordinate was on the route for those basically completing their education as criminals.

“He has made a point he has no right to be educated as highly as his ‘boss’, and to learn from the boss of bosses would be the height of arrogance… right character, that one,” Alex explained with a grin.

“So we are only getting two people?” Tasha asked.

“Yeah, more or less… they are in the process of being added to the seal, but due to circumstances, them being added is being delayed till the September term. If it weren’t for that they would have joined us by now.”

“Why can’t they be added sooner, then?” Bea asked.

“It seems likely the Theocracy will declare war and launch a crusade in the near future, so Crozonia has been preoccupied with preparations for that,” Alex casually replied as if a massive invasion was as inconsequential as the weather.

“War?” Maxwell muttered, feeling the roiling guilt within him begin to bubble.

“Maxwell, it is not your fault, and anyone who wants to come for you thinking otherwise will have to get through me first,” Alex said, looking directly at the boy who seemed stuck down in the dumps.

“So, onto the next topic… Summer Vacation!!!”

“Yes, it should be fun,” Daisy said, shooting a quick glance Maxwell’s way.

“Yes, it will be,” Alex replied with a knowing smile.

“I can’t wait for the summer festival,” Bea declared, thinking about all the games she could win.

“I was going to enter a crafting competition,” Gunter added.

“THEY HAVE SWEETS!!!” Tash added, already drooling at the prospect.

“Sorry to be a buzz kill, guys but no.”

“No?”

“No,” Alex confirmed.

“Why No, sir?” Kline asked.

“Simple, I have a lot of requests from the higher-ups to meet your parents face to face. Your folks are important figures in the government, and Crozonia wanted to get a bit of revenge on me. So I will be making home visits.”

“To our parents? Sir, I don’t see why this involves us, then?” Bea asked.

“Simple, you will have to come along with me, and I am not making a lot of round trips back and forth for each of you. We will all go on a nice road trip around the Dark Continent.”

“But my parents live in the city?!!” Bea shouted in response.

“Yes, and they are currently in the third circle fighting a breach of contract with a demon,” Alex replied.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“You don’t mean?”

“Yes, Bumblefluff wants a new name, and well… he has made sure the process is bogged down. Your folks will, funnily enough, be the last I will personally meet.”

“So we will be travelling by cart? Even if we set off now, we would have a hard time being back before the summer holidays end,” Daisy pointed out.

“Good news then, we have been granted permission to use the teleportation gates to get to Port Staine, then skip over to Hades’ seat; we will have to go by road to Vulcan’s forge, then skip over to the Grand Granary.”

“But, sir, none of our parents live in Gluttony’s domain?” Kline pointed out.

“I know by D’Pompador has a few queries and I still have a few obligations to see our homeland doesn't starve. From the Grand Granary, we will go by cart over south Bridgton to the Ironwoods in the west of Greed’s domain and finish up with a trek back home.”

“What about Envy’s domain?” Tasha curiously asked.

“Pffft… ha-ha-ha-ha-ha…. Sorry, you kids may be far stronger than the average person, but you are nowhere near ready for that blighted wasteland.”

“He’s right, Tasha,” Maxwell added. “We could see Envy’s domain from across the Jormungand river, and it is infested with monsters.”

“Eeeeeeeee!!!” Tasha began to practically vibrate in her seat.

“No, Tasha, gods above, why did you have to catch Elissa’s monster-fighting bug? Regardless we will skip Envy’s domain, so it will be a simple six-eighth tour of the continent. How kind I am to let you all have this experience.”

“Six-eighths?” Bea repeated. “Sir, the continent only has seven domains.”

“There is the Dragon Nest Mountain Range. May not be a part of the shadow empire, but it still is part of the continent.”

“As if we could ever go there and not be eaten,” Daisy replied with a chuckle.

“Well, two people in this room could,” Alex replied, glancing at Maxwell.

“Sithy is rather fond of you, Maxwell, and he would never let the wild whelps even graze you.”

“Nice to know,” Maxwell replied with a weak smile.

“So be sure to pack for a long journey. Get some pocket money ready for souvenirs. We will be setting off in a couple of weeks at the start of the holidays.”

“Yes sir!” the class chorused in response.

“Now I have to walk Freki with Alison. She has been getting a bit grumpy lately about the limited alone time she gets with me. She even yelled at me the other day,” Alex said with a quick wave goodbye before he was out of the door.

“I’m surprised sir is actually following our parents' requests,” Daisy muttered aloud.

“Yes, they are not meant to be able to interfere with the school nor the students,” Bea replied.

“It is that very policy that enabled my brother to become such an ass.”

“Maxwell… You know as well as I do Celes was a right prick from the moment he was born.” Maxwell lowered his gaze, unable to meet Kline’s because he knew it was the truth.

“Still, it might be nice to see family… I kind of miss them,” Maxwell said with a wistful look in his eyes.

“I can’t share your enthusiasm, sadly,” Kline replied as he began to shake like a leaf at the prospect of seeing his father, especially now after everything he had done and been through.

“I myself would be happy to introduce my folks to the chief… and Bea as well,” Gunter added before blushing a deep shade of red.

The class collectively had to restrain an exhausted sigh. The pair thought their evident love for one another was a well-kept secret. This is despite the fact that even a blind man could tell they were in love. Johan having very literally recognised their affection during his stay.

Despite this, the class had agreed to let them work it out themselves because while it was blindingly obvious to anyone watching, they had yet to take that plunge, and Alex had strongly advised to let them jump themselves and not to push them.

“What about you, Tasha?” Daisy asked, looking at the absent-minded elf.

“Huh? Oh, I dunno. My dad works in the capital for some weird department. My mum sends me letters that use lots of bold writing and repeat the same phrase.”

“What’s the phrase?” Maxwell asked.

“Don’t be too dumb, darling. Her handwriting gets really unhinged the more letters I send home to her, letting her know how I’m doing.”

“I… I imagine it would have that effect. Hopefully, seeing you will assuage her of those worries.”

“It should be interesting seeing sir meet my parents,” Daisy added.

“Why’s that?”

“I sent them letters telling the whole truth about sir and what we are learning… minus the sealed things obviously… they keep sending me letters telling me to quit his lessons. Thankfully due to the non-interference with students rule, they can’t force me to. I will enjoy seeing them meet with Alex.”

“What have you told them about him then?” Tasha asked, amused at the prospect of them meeting their mad teacher.

“Everything, from him taking us to a tavern the first day to getting us to fight in a tournament. They are very worried about my future…”

“Aren’t you supposed to be the good girl?” Maxwell asked with an arched brow.

“Hey, I can have a rebellious phase, you know?”

“Wonder if sir will also meet Simon and Ironsides' parents?” Tasha wondered aloud.

“Unlikely… they are both orphans,” Gunter replied.

“How tragic.”

“Yeah, they met in an orphanage and grew up together and worked as adventurers starting at the very bottom and working their way up.”

“Speaking of adventurers… how did the rank exam go, Tasha?” Daisy asked.

In their free weekends, they made it a bit of an outing to go out and do adventuring tasks. They were very minor ones, but they had built up a reputation; with the help of the titan adventurer, who they met their first day and the guildmaster, they had gone on far more reasonable quests for their ranks.

It seems Alex had more than thrown them in the deep end but had also tied rocks to their feet. Traditionally you don’t do such a difficult quest for your introduction to the profession. They had learnt a lot, though, with the help of the guild staff and had even gained enough progression grades to rise to upper bronze.

“It went brilliantly. I took down a Stoneboar on my own with them watching. They kept muttering how is this girl only a bronze,m” Tasha replied, puffing her chest in pride.

“I had something similar happen when I did my progression,” Bea added; ever I need of cash due to the expensive nature of demonology.

To many outsiders, demonology would seem like a very easy school of magic, and it actually was. But the problem arises due to the cost of maintaining it. It is even the origin of the saying money is the root of all evil. Because without enough funds, evil abandons you.

“I’m sure sir was exaggerating how bad Envy’s domain is. You’ve only seen it across the river, so what if while we are in Port Staine, we sneak out and do a few quests in the wastes?” Tasha suggested.

“We’ll see when we get there,” Daisy replied, her need to parent their little group overtaking her desire to be rebellious.