Mr. Shields grumbled under his breath irritably. He loathed the feeling of the fabric on his skin as he paced in front of the group at the training field.

"Now we won't be distracted by those fools who'd attempt to spy," he said at long last.

He cast a stare towards Erik and Ayla and said, "Huntis, Argentine: I trust you've described the situation already. However, I think I need to reiterate the importance once more.

"Aside from those I must deal with, there is to be no one that disturbs me. You'll suffer for that, be sure. And you must ensure there are no issues. None. The Headmaster has set up security so there is little need to be worried about small-scale issues arising... however, those that were mentioned:

"O'Clare, Thatcher, Kanata, Tucker, Rettih, and... Vandiese. It seems that four have some competence. Tucker, Kanata: are you trying to make my life difficult? I assure you that just because your parents represented the smallest-scale physical issue, it is by no means negligible. In fact, it is the closest issue to my world, I'll have you know. And much of the faculty. You are on very, very thin ice. If you do not understand your situation, then I feel you will tomorrow afternoon.

"As for the other four: you are by no means free. All except one, I suppose. Vandiese. Don't think that concession will protect you if you do not act to mitigate damage. Rettih. You are to ensure that there is no interaction between the two - as while Fellstone will instigate the confrontation, it is Salam Rettih that will draw the first blade. You are expected to act as well.

"O'Clare, Thatcher: if there is a time to act, it'll be during the formalities. You know the consequences of permitting restlessness between them - consequences on you, I might add.

"The rest of you, particularly Huntis, Argentine, and Aliel: I care not how you do it, but any conflicts within the class are to be settled after. I lack the patience to deal with your nonsense. As such, if you all so much as raise a finger to another, there will be hell to pay.

"Regarding the attire, I have received word that you are usurping the academy's dress code - if barely. And I'm expected to do the same. I really, really hope there is none that attempts to fraternize with exterior forces any more than is socially necessary. I will be watching."

Mr. Shields' eye twitched when he heard the news of the students (sanctioned) transgressions the night prior. Starting from staying after curfew, to taking control over an entire department that already was - in Mr. Shields' opinion, too - liberal in their options was grating on his nerves.

Even the Headmaster apparently had another a set of new clothes he expected Mr. Shields to wear, having snooped through the staff records for size, body type, and his already significant familiarity with the young man who had no love for it.

Mr. Shields felt that to promote chaos, he'd be used as a guinea pig.

The source did not come from the tailor of Majin, but another. At the very least, that was classified information - even to him.

Lips pursed, Mr. Shields began going over basic etiquette expected of members of Majin Academy.

His lecture took two hours.

It was officially ten o'clock.

"You're dismissed."

Having reiterated the consequences dozens of times over, Mr. Shields was slightly more accepting of their stock-still agreement. At the very least, the message got through, even if the issues were born from the faculty.

Mr. Shields walked away - passing another speeding body.

"Weeeeeendi!"

Wendi's ears perked up for a moment, but she looked past a sprinting, sweating Church, and her eyes opened wide.

She ran through the throng of students once she noticed a sleepy girl on her father's shoulders. The man looked hung-over but otherwise fine. Alyssa was half-asleep as she guided a similarly sleepy Alexi through the crowd.

She ran directly past Church who widened his arms to embrace his sister.

"ALI!"

Church staggered, feeling a dagger twisting at his heart as he looked back.

"... I-I hurt you... I-I won't leave you alone again, Wendi!"

He reaffirmed himself and took off after Wendi.

However, he stalled as he dully looked at the group behind him.

"M-Master?!"

Erin was hugging Wendi from the side, armed with three blades. She chose the smaller ones as she was dressed in a thin, formal jacket, covering a black deep-cut shirt that exposed the white cloth wrapped around her chest. Erin was also wearing black capris, ending between her knee and ankle, with functional, styled boots.

Church's attention drifted to Claude who, while Master of the organization, left much of Church's development to Erin. He was in a loose white shirt, held abreast to his chest with a loaded weapon belt that housed six blades and simple black pants.

He, too, had a jacket, but the bulge from his muscles made it seem largely unnecessary. And he even carried his wife, sleeping, cradled in his arms. She wore a small one-piece dress that perfectly accentuated her body, even as she was nestled in his arms.

"Oh!" Erin looked back and forth between Church and Wendi. "She's gotten really pretty, hasn't she? Wendi, you'll show me around the place later, right? I want to see what I've missed."

"Y-yes!"

Wendi's attention was on Ali for the most part, but she did happily reconnect with Erin.

Church ran up to them. Looking longingly at Wendi, he righted himself and asked Erin, "Master. I hope it will not inconvenience you, but I'm to attend to Wendi's safety throughout the day. I'd be happy to show you around as well."

"Is that so? Well, so be it. Wendi and I have a lot to talk about though so please stand away from us a little."

"I-I see..."

Church was delegated to the rear as Claude laughed and smacked his back. Hard.

"Leave the four of them alone and you can watch by our sides. Church, do you speak Sumerian?"

"... I cannot, Master. I focused only on the training."

"That so? I see. Well, whatever. Almer doesn't speak our language so bear with it."

Almer nodded. He understood more than enough but speaking it was a different story. He looked at Alyssa who seemingly got to know Erin in their time apart and he handed off the sleepy Ali to his wife. She, in turn, gave him Alexi.

Erin immediately took Almer's role and cheerfully carried the little girl up onto her shoulders as Wendi looked about the scene jealously.

Even so, with that impetus, the three began speaking with Erin translating a little in a rough accent. She was in the field for five years and spent a lot of time with training recruits from all over the land; it was only natural she'd learn some of their closest neighbours' languages.

Church was just the one being trained to ever higher and higher levels, lacking Erin's obscene talent for the blade so he didn't have the time to spare for other pursuits.

"Oh! Mathias, Erik, you two wanna tag along? We'll be wandering around for a bit, get something to eat, and the like. We're to meet your teacher and the headmaster, too. Sounds dull, but no matter."

Erik looked at Mathias who shook his head.

"Huh, okay. We'll spar later then!"

Claude looked a little disappointed, Erin turned to sigh as well, and Mathias retreated back a pace. Erik finally understood but was smitten just the same.

"... I wish my dad was a battle-maniac..."

'No, you don't. You really don't,' Mathias thought as he hid behind Lisanna.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

Claude shrugged and then his face lit up. "Oh! Lisanna! When we checked in, it seems that your Father was in a meeting with the Headmaster. I'm sure he'll be out soon if you want to meet up with him."

It was Lisanna's turn to hide behind Mathias.

Claude saw the scene and laughed uproariously.

He motioned the group forward and they soon quickly left at Wendi's guidance. It seemed they opted to tour the training grounds first and walked passed the group.

Mathias bit his lip and ran forward a note to his father. And ran back just as fast as he saw his father reached for his blade with a brilliant smile.

"Awe... that's no fun. Anyways, fine."

Mathias reiterated what his previous note said, just in case.

"I won't do anything if that bastard doesn't."

Claude's group finally walked away.

"... Hah..."

Erik patted his shoulders. "I'm jealous, but we'll have to-"

"Lisanna."

A well-dressed man appeared. From the simple silver-cufflinks to the moderate cloth, he seemed little more than a typical merchant. However, he was Alexander O'Clair, the patriarch of the fifth wealthiest family in the country.

He scanned the cloth. "Five gold? I see. If for building ties, it is a bearable expense. Come with me."

He motioned an aid forward who seemed to record the cost.

Three others stood at his side. One was a middle-aged woman who kept her sight to the ground; there were two other women who seemed younger, but bore the same expression, largely. One was hardly older than the students, themselves, but she carried an infant with her, swaddled in a luxurious cloth.

It was a male.

"... Y-yes... F-father..."

"Bring Fellstone's son."

"Yes."

She lowered her head and dragged Mathias by the arm from the group.

Once the two were nearby, the middle-aged woman smiled weakly and grabbed Lisanna's hands. "... You've grown beautiful, Lisanna," she said, stroking her own platinum blond hair.

"Yes... Mother..."

Lisanna looked away.

Alexander glanced at Mathias and said, "I've been briefed. You obtained an injury that takes time to heal. You need not speak, but answer my questions as they come; they'll require a simple yes or no. For example, are you Claude Fellstone's son?"

Mathias hesitated and nodded once he saw Lisanna's detached gaze.

"Good. Lisanna is my third daughter, the third of my children with Lain, the woman you see before you. The others are my other wives. Bran, the infant, is my seventh child and first son. He is the heir of O'Clair family group. Do not mistake Lisanna's position within the family, understood?"

Mathias narrowed his eyes a little but nodded the same.

"Fellstone blood, no matter. Your family is useful to me as a counter-measure against the Rettih's that side with the Thatcher group. However, that usefulness is extended to your sister, Erin, and your father, Claude. Those that actually dare to bear the name proudly. Do not mistake your position."

Mathias raised a brow at the man.

"We'll continue later. Lisanna, show me your classroom."

"Y-yes..."

She lowered her head and guided the man - her father as her stare was locked to the ground.

Mathias stood at her side, slightly behind her, as he quite his attention focused towards the man who spoke to his aid.

"... Take note of the spell formation in the walls. They're new modifications to reinforcement enchants that will decrease material expense by about three-percent in the housing sector."

"Yes, sir."

"The floors also have a timed, self-cleaning enchantment which will minimize maintenance costs by about six percent. Note it."

"Yes, sir."

The man spent no time talking to Lisanna, asking about her life here, nor anything else. Rather, he appraised the new changes in the building that was closed off to him after his graduation and he immediately sought to improve his industry.

Even if he didn't, Mathers Thatcher would do it.

There was no reason to spend on trifling matters like his third child's quality-of-life. Her sisters were either married off or were in boarding schools. He had no time to waste on those who could not succeed his name, but he was thorough enough to ensure that they would be prepared to aid his future heir. It would also harm his reputation if they were not cared for to some extent.

They arrived at the classroom.

"I see. No significant changes. Individual variations in composition, but nothing worth-while. Lisanna, take me to the library."

"Y-yes..."

She did.

Mathias, all the while, was growing irate. Of the questions, the man posed, none were directed at his daughter; rather, they were directed to him. And most involved patronizing him.

"Mathias. You are the son of Irina Vandiese, so I presume you are the one who treated the scars of Lisanna, correct?"

He nodded stiffly.

"And did you charge?"

He shook his head.

"Very well. I don't care about another wasting their time for my benefit. If you are to charge, the going price is a gold per square inch of scar-tissue. It is a surgery that is conducted in black markets, with a rather meagre success-rate. I hope you keep that price in mind if you are to pursue Lisanna. Business intelligence is paramount in this world or you will starve."

Mathias turned away in disgust.

"No matter. It would be beneficial to acquire practical knowledge pertaining to parlour magic. It is highly sought after, but each significant one operates under a covenant of secrecy and tends towards base-treatments. It's quite lucrative for those that step out of the bounds."

Alexander turned to the rows of bookshelves. Scanning with an expert stare, he looked at the new releases.

"Note the authors and contact them later."

"Yes, sir."

They were vetted by the school and displayed so there must be some information that was noteworthy.

"The rest is unchanged and we do not have time to scan through every trifling title. Lisanna, take me to the dorms."

"Ye-"

Mathias scribbled a note and passed it to the man.

"You need to prepare for the exhibition? I see. To have a poor showing would shame my name. I'll request another guide. Lisanna, you're dismissed."

"Y-yes..."

Lisanna, with heavy steps, left the room mechanically.

Mathias was behind her as he felt Alexander's stare pierce into him for a moment before turning to take time to analyze the library once more. Once the aid finished scribing the names of the authors, they soon left.

However, Mathias pushed Lisanna forward and dragged her out of the school as he quickened his gait.

"... What the hell was that?" His hoarse voice growled quietly.

"Uh... s-sorry... m-my F-father is... a bit..."

"I don't care about him. I care that you're actually following his orders."

"B-but... you do the s-same with your p-parents, right...? It's to be expected..."

"My parents don't do that. They may be unreasonable but at least they care. He clearly doesn't. So why the hell are you following his orders?"

"... I-I can't... just not," Lisanna said, downcast. And jolted up when Mathias pressed his hands on her shoulder. "What?!"

"I think you can-" He turned his head and coughed. "What happened to wanting to be the best...? Or whatever. Is that for you or for him?"

"F-for...!"

"Is it something that you want or something he wants?"

"Tha-... I-I-"

Mathias shook his head. "He's intolerable, that much you know, I'm sure. So are you doing it to impress him?"

"... I-I... I don't know, okay! I j-just don't know!"

Lisanna jolted back and covered her face.

Mathias stepped forward and she shook. He kept going anyways. Placing his scarred palm on her head, he grumbled, "so long as you don't touch my fur, I can at least do this much. It is no problem to get my father to deal with him during the banquet, have you between me and Wendi, and then you don't need to listen to him, right?"

"... Th-that... it isn't that simple!"

Lisanna crouched down and Mathias followed suit. She was stroking her platinum blond braid nervously with one hand as the other covered her face.

"Because your mother is there? I'm sorry if it sounds cold, but she had every opportunity to leave and willingly stayed with the man after, I guess, she couldn't give him what he wanted. That isn't your cross to bear."

"... That... but still!"

"When was the last time you saw him?"

"... B-besides the d-day before school s-started... th-three years ago..."

"And her?"

"F-five..."

"So why not leave it at that? You're a different person than back then - it's only natural. So just rely on us on a little more."

"But... I-I can't... I can't be selfish... I can't...!"

"Didn't you ask me if you could? And what's wrong with being that way?"

"... L-lots of t-things...!"

"Like what? Sometimes you'll get what you want?"

Lisanna snorted, "so, so if I were to ask for the fur?!"

Mathias scowled and smacked her head lightly. "No. You can ask - and sometimes I'll think about letting you touch it, but right now you have to earn the privilege of touching it!"

Lisanna grumped, "what is with you and that thing?!"

"... You'd know if you felt it. Now, I'll tell you what, if you make sure I don't have to speak at all during the night, I'll let you touch it. That's it. One touch. And then you go - and stop thinking about it."

"What if I want more!?"

"Earn it," he said simply before covering her mouth.

He grabbed her, led her forward, and took the path to the dorms as Alexander noticed them, but still headed to the arena. He recalled there being new storage buildings and thought to try to see if he could find any activation crystals for the training field. Assuming it was unlocked.

Lisanna resisted for a while, but Mathias turned her forward and pushed her back. Alexander saw the display and his mind went to how best to start a new enterprise with parlour magic once he secured ties through Lisanna.

Defiance could work to his benefit; more troublesome to deal with, but most lucrative opportunities were.

"C-can you stop touching me now," Lisanna grumbled as they were nearing the dorms. There would be a lot of people there and she did not want to start a misunderstanding. "If you keep doing that, I'll demand to sit on the fur, like last time."

"...?!"

He scrawled a note.

'In your dreams. You have to earn it.'

"But I can still ask, right?" Lisanna looked at him hesitantly, "you said that, right?"

He nodded.

He may not like her requests, but so long as they were kept at requests, it was bearable. Regret poured over him as he thought of exposing his fur to great danger, however.

"I won't threaten it, you know? I'll just sit on it. And we can talk about how you need better dreams."

'I don't want to hear that from you. And touching does not equal sitting.'

"H-hey!? What's that supposed to mean?! I-I don't know why, but at least it's better than yours! And if you still want to touch me, then you better prepare yourself."

Mathias rolled his eyes and let go. Lisanna grumbled involuntarily before she turned away haughtily.

"G-good. Now let's go. I really, really hate how we're in the middle though..."

He nodded.

It meant he probably had to compose a lot more notes than he did prior. Just thinking of it made his hand cramp up.

Once they reached the dorm, shoulder-to-shoulder, Lisanna rocked to the side, hitting him. He ignored the first time, even the second, but the third he turned to glare at her. She whistled and looked away.

'... Maybe I shouldn't have said she could be selfish... it's annoying,' he thought belatedly, shaking his thought away at first, but it quickly returned once the fourth time happened.

Lisanna cheered up seeing his displeasure, a normal reaction in the morning, so it was much easier on her. And then she tried to scream.

She couldn't.

A mask of water covered her face and the water threatened to drown her.

Mathias nodded at the disappearance of the red-eyes and tear-stains and smiled to himself as she struggled to try to pull the mask off.

It did not go into her mouth and the water washed away in seconds, but it was more than enough to unnerve her - and he felt it enough as payback for before.

She stomped ahead into the lobby, seeing many, many more people inside and the two retreated back into their room.

And the second they did, Lisanna plopped herself right on his bed.