February 3rd, Year 023 Angels Descent
Alex and Yuu had just arrived back at the main campus of ‘The Academy’. They had avoided using the teleportation network open to higher-ranking nobles and important messengers to spend a few weeks in transit trying to think up an excuse that would lessen whatever punishment Sloth had thought up for them.
Sloth was at the gates to welcome them. Around him was a slew of other people who had come to also welcome them back. They both could feel a pang of terror as Sloth was smiling at them, especially as they both could clearly see Sloth’s smile did not reach his eyes.
“Gods above, he really is angry,” Yuu muttered as their carriage came to a stop. Jumping down, the pair approached their master and stopped a few steps away, only just out of touch spell range.
“Greetings master… Good to see your eyebrows have regrown,” Alex said, bowing respectfully.
“Three years you avoid me, and that’s the first thing you say?” Sloth seemed to lose all anger and was genuinely confused at Alex’s greeting.
“Indeed, master, Alex should greet you with a proper compliment like how that anti-wrinkle cream is doing wonders,” Yuu said, also giving a courteous bow. Sloth looked even more confused while one eye began to twitch.
“I haven’t been using… Never mind, it is good to see my ‘precious’ apprentices. Now come, we have much to discuss.” Sloth spun on his heel and began leading the way. The pair had little energy to resist and dutifully followed.
“Oh, Elissa darling girl, you can wait here and keep their belongings safe. This is a conversation between master and apprentice. I’m sure it will be dreadfully dull.” Sloth said, turning to face the elf princess who was carrying a house-sized boulder with her. Elissa nodded, completely forgetting their first plan was to keep the absurdly strong elf between them and their master.
Walking through the hallways, they could see numerous awe-filled gazes watching them. In the years since they had graduated, their names were that of legend amongst the student body. Arriving at Sloth’s principal office, they entered.
“Wow, he really is pissed if he isn’t doing it in his home office," Alex whispered to Yuu, who just nodded in response.
“Ok… SIT!!” Sloth barked, to which the pair responded as quickly as they could.
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“I’m sure you know why you are in this office?” they just nodded.
“Good, I’d hate to have to explain. So the punishment for all the mischief you have caused will be one week of no experiments.” The pair blinked in surprise.
“Only a week, master?” Yuu asked.
“Yes, only a week; stealing from the tree of knowledge while bad is not unheard of. Making it into apple brandy, though, was a first.” The pair began to relax; if this was the worst, then they would be alright.
“Ok, now the punishment for the mischief is out the way now for the real meat and potatoes of the punishments.” The pair rapidly paled.
“Yuu,” Sloth turned to face the young dwarf.
“Yessir?”
“Yuu, you caused a lot of headaches for me. I know you were under the influence of that booze. But making a hundred-foot-tall clockwork golem and declaring you will drill the heavens was too much. They had to expand the imperial armoury because of half the stuff you built.”
“But master, I have only rough designs for such a creation?” Yuu tilted her head in confusion.
“Yes, and that alcohol you drank gave you chronological-omniscience. Everything you will learn from the point of your birth to your final death will become available to you. You no doubt will finish the designs in the future and built it based on them.”
“Why am I being punished for that?”
“Because the Dark Lord forced me to oversee the repair efforts, and you know I very much hate working on anything but what I enjoy. Your sentence will be to lead the artificer course as a head professor for an equivalent amount of time multiplied by ten. So ten years teaching teenagers to shape metal and make objects.”
Yuu, at these words, fell to her knees. She could imagine no worse punishment. She wasn’t a fan of kids, let alone explaining the basics to people.
“And then there’s you, young Alex,” Sloth now turned his withering gaze onto Alex.
“I have been stuck at so many meetings not just because of your nonsense but because you sent a transferral of your duties as Gluttony to me. I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW THAT WAS POSSIBLE?!!! If I had known, I would’ve done it centuries ago. But because of your cheeky use of the laws, I have not been able to do any work for three years. Your punishment will be without end. One hundred times the time I lost.”
“Master, I am only human; surely I can’t live hundreds of years to serve that punishment?”
“I know full well you are close to becoming a Lich. Don’t use your temporary mortality as an excuse. You will be teaching your usual kindergarten class for the majority of the week. Only Friday from the fifth period will you teach the dregs of our school. The ones closest to failing.”
“Will there at least be students who are actually capable?”
“That is your task, boy.” Sloth gave his first smile, and it was reminiscent of the first time Alex met Yuu. A smile oozing with the promise of hell to come.
“Now begone from my sight,” Sloth gave a limp wave of his hand to usher them out just as they reached the door.
“Oh, and Alex.” Alex paused and turned to face his master.
“Congratulations on getting engaged.”