With my night ended and an agreement made I return to the villa and pass out quickly once my face hits the pillow. I have a dreamless night, with no visit from Silus or really anything at all. Just darkness for one second and then suddenly I'm awake.

Slowly I open my still-sleepy eyes and rub them gently getting the sand out of them. As my vision clears I sense a presence in my room and look around. It appears Mekare has returned. She is still asleep sitting in the single chair in my room. I slide out of bed and before I begin getting dressed I notice a pile of neatly folded clothes on the desk in my room. I check them and find them to be some kind of uniform. I assume that it's meant for me to wear today. I put on the surprisingly simple uniform. Just a pair of white pants with brown trim, a red undershirt, and a brown-colored coat on top. I fix my collar and cuffs making sure they are all set and find a pair of polished, brown loafers for me to wear. I slide the shoes on and find them a perfect fit which is strange, but I ignore the potential magic origins of the sizing.

Mekare through all of this remains asleep and gently breathing behind me. I take care not to wake her up as I move around my room getting ready for the day. Once ready I approach the sleeping woman and find that her uniform is a little... undone. It appears to be sitting lower than usual and is only barely covering her chest, and the rest is threatening to fall off. I sigh and take the blanket off of my bed. I gently place it around her and then I turn to leave. Then she shoots awake suddenly and says to me in a fairly frustrated tone,

"There is no way you have that much willpower!"

I turn and face her asking,

"Pardon?"

She sets the blanket back onto the bed and puts a finger on my chest and explains,

"I was clearly asleep and my clothes were falling off, as well as... well... nothing but my clothes falling off! You didn't even try to peek! Much less try to feel or something. What is wrong with you?"

I shake my head and click my tongue disappointedly replying in a sarcastically haughty tone with a hint of a posh British accent,

"Well my dear, there is no fun in the hunt if the prey just lies there asleep!"

She blinks a few times trying to process what the fuck I just said. She then replies,

"So... you want to chase? All I had to do was act... normal and not easy? "

I laugh and shake my head and reply,

"No no... not at all. You could act outright hostile to me, it doesn't matter. I won't fall for whatever the hell you are trying. Why?

Because you make me feel sick. Simple as that. I literally watched your eyes transform from black pits to ones similar to those of my mother! I've watched every person you talk to wrap themselves around your finger, and on top of it all, I just get a bad vibe.

I don't want you near me, much less in any sexual way. You are a chain around my neck."

She frowns and with surprising strength shoves me backward. I feel my feet leave the ground for a second as she does this. Luckily I landed on the bed. Scared of what she may try to do I keep the momentum and roll backward landing feet-first on the floor on the opposite side of the bed.

She fixes her top securing it better before crossing her arms. She scowls at me and says venomously,

"You are literally the most annoying person I have ever met. Hell, I prefer those fat and ugly perverts to you. At least they made my job easier. Then there you are. Somehow getting "bad vibes" from me when I have been doing nothing by throwing my body at you.

Yeah, I'll admit it. I don't really want you in that way. It's just a simple way to control a man. Get him hooked on you, is a pretty standard control method, to be honest. Hell, at your age you may outright fall in love if its your first time! That would make my job and the Dukes job all the easier to keep you in line."

I laugh a little feeling vindicated. I then ask,

"What are you gonna do now?"

She shakes her head and smirks. She then replies,

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"I'll keep going of course, all as if this conversation never happened. You'll break one day, and on that day I win."

I shake my head and reply,

"Well shit. I can't really fault that logic. I guess that's it for now. So... any clue on what's supposed to happen today?"

She nods while taking a deep breath. Her personality changes quickly to the flirty maid she had been doing since we met. She replies,

"Well master, today is the first day of classes. The university prefers to start as soon as possible. Your class list arrived earlier this morning. Here it is."

She pulls a letter out of nowhere and I reach over the bed and grab it. I read the contents and it's really just a schedule. Times and places as well as what class. I look at the pendulum clock on the wall and see I have about thirty minutes until my first class. With a start, I hurry out the door and into the campus. Time for the first day of school blues...

My first class of the day, which is around ten in the morning is something about physical modification according to the paper. I didn't really read it all that well. I get into the room which is slowly filling up with students who quickly find seats next to someone they know. I find an empty seat somewhere in the middle and plop down. The classroom looks like a small arena. The seating only holds about fifty to seventy people and in the center is a dirt rectangle that appears to be some kind of fighter pit.

Looking around the room I see all the students have their servants with them carrying all kinds of supplies, mostly books or similar materials. I feel utterly unprepared, with nothing but the clothes on my back and a now crumpled schedule in one of my pockets. The whole room suddenly stands and faces the door. I follow suit noting that they are showing respect to someone. Everyone bows and I realize who it might be. I bow at my waist as the princess enters the room. She stands at the doorway for a moment before making a beeline right for me. She grabs my collar and says in a not-very-kind tone,

"Why are you all the way back here? You are a high noble and remember... You owe me a rivalry."

I follow her as she pulls me toward the front and shoves me into a seat nearby. Her servant quickly takes the seat next to her and opens up what appears to be a blank book. The servant produces a quill and ink and her duty is obviously a scribe. The princess is that much of a lazy ass. I sit in my chair a bit awkward as the whole room stares at us and I hear the rumor mill start grinding to life all around me. I hope nothing comes of this...

Suddenly out of the corner of my eye, I spot a very slight minty color from below me in the fighting pit. Before I can turn and see what it is a hand grabs me by the arm and I am pulled violently over and into the dirt. The wind is knocked from me and I cough loudly as there are a few chuckles from the students above. I say from the ground,

"Violet... was that really fucking necessary?"

She simply laughs and replies,

"Yes, it was! My assistants are all... well injured at the moment so I need someone to use as a practice dummy while I demonstrate for the class."

I ask,

"Why the hell are you a professor?"

She shakes her head and in a glum tone replies,

"Well... it's kinda a requirement in the kingdom when you are at the level I am. You are required to teach classes here to "Pass on your skills" or something like that. It's stupid but I can't change the rules... yet."

I slowly get to my feet and dust myself off. I simply reply,

"Please no broken bones... not this early in the morning..."

Violet is not the kind of teacher that just does syllabus work on the first day. She in fact begins teaching right off the bat. She is a fairly good instructor, describing in detail how to strengthen certain aspects of your physical body. I was used as a target for her brutal punches and had to punch her when she hardened her body. Not my worst experience ever, but it sucked. Once class was over she gave me a potion and sent me on my way.

I have to hurry to my next class which of course is on the other side of campus. Something called magical equipment class. The room is effectively a giant smithy. The professor is a very old man who when I enter is working on a sword. I take a seat and wait for class to begin. after a time the old man finishes his blade and turns around. He makes eye contact with me and jumps in surprise. He shouts,

"Oh boy! I thought I'd have another lonely year!"

I look around me and see I am the only student in the class. I give the old man a smile and he clears his throat before starting,

"Welcome to the magic equipment class! I am professor Smith funnily enough. I am the kingdom's head expert on enchanting and also a blacksmith! In this class, we will make all kinds of fancy tools and weapons! What's your name young man and what do you do?"

I reply,

"My name is Isa Hasslerouge. I have access to runic enchanting after creating an empowered tool."

The old man's eyes go wide and he laughs heartily while hobbling over to me. He asks,

"May I see it? "

I nod and pull the metal object off of my belt. He looks it up and down before nodding. He then says to me,

"Well since you are the only one in the class I won't do any normal lectures. The forge is open to you. You may freely work and study your craft. I have books on regular magic enchantments as well as a few old tomes about the old runecraft. So use them. Ask me if you have any questions, but I'm sure I'll learn more from you than you from me."

I nod thanking the old man before going and getting myself familiar with the forge.

After a while, the bell tower rings, and I head to my next few classes. The rest of my classes are theory classes. The only interesting class is the ritual-based magic class. Other than that I just pay attention and get through the day. It was interesting when multiple people almost fought to sit next to me during these classes. I guess everyone wants to move up in the world.

Finally, the day ends and I return home. After supper, I retire for the night. I guess school isn't too bad here. I just have to keep my nose to the grindstone and I'll be fine. I also plan to work on my runic crafting as much as possible.

Thinking of my day and being content with my near future I finally fall asleep...