Chương 16: "A Ruff Morning (2)"

In the original novel's prologue, this day at the academy was meant to be the first major turning point. She recalled how the story went: Arthur and his childhood friend Liana, in an attempt to get to the academy on time, took a "shortcut." This, however, only caused them to arrive late to the academy. Shortly after they set foot on the massive academy grounds, a demon in hiding launched a surprise attack. Celestia clicked her tongue.'

That ridiculous author,' she thought, ' Setting up a grand academy, only to have a single demon attack it.' It truly was the height of cliché. Half a century ago, the Demon King had been slain by the legendary hero. Since then, demonkind had gone into hiding, biding their time. The sudden appearance of the Tower and its ominous 15-year deadline had been interpreted by many among the Demon Race as a harbinger of the Demon King's resurrection.

The Orthodox Faction of the world; the alliance of Humans, Beastkin, Elves, Dwarves, and other races that had banded together under common cause, saw the Tower as a divine trial bestowed on them by the Gods. Somewhere in their hiding, the demons had received a prophecy. —The Demon King's revival will be thwarted by a hero from the new generation. To demonkind, this meant one thing, find and eliminate any potential new heroes before they could rise.

And what better place to find the world's most promising young talents than Summit Academy, the very institution gathering youths aspiring to conquer the Tower and earn glory? Thus, the demons had begun to move in secret, planting spies and agents wherever they could to sabotage the efforts of the Orthodox Faction. The attack during the academy's opening week was one such act of sabotage, a bold attempt to sow fear and perhaps kill a prospective hero while he was still green.

Celestia sighed, recalling how the novel portrayed it. It was just a singular demon, one that could kill a veteran knight. The creature hid itself in the academy, looking for an unassuming victim. It had ultimately found Arthur, of all people. The thought made Celestia roll her eyes. Arthur was undeniably brave and gifted, but he had been just a freshman student on day one, and somehow he ended up vanquishing a demon. He nearly died in the process, of course, only triumphing by the skin of his teeth.

Liana had been instrumental too, as the silver-haired girl had a latent gift for healing magic in the story which awakened to save Arthur at his moment of dire need.

"Such a generic setup," Celestia muttered under her breath, absentmindedly fanning herself even though the morning was mild. Martha glanced up from her notebook at the sound of Celestia's voice, thinking that her Miss called her.' One demon attacking the entire academy… If the demons really wanted to eliminate or instill fear in the next generation's heroes, why send only one?' It was a glaring plot hole that had bothered her even as a reader of the novel.

The carriage had a gentle bump, pulling Celestia from her thoughts. They had passed under a grand stone archway marking the entrance to Summit Academy's domain. Peering out the window, Celestia saw that the books had not been exaggerated, the academy grounds were vast, an entire campus nestled in a mountain and surrounded by dense evergreen forest. A well-maintained path wound through the trees, wide enough for multiple carriages, and indeed there were other carriages visible ahead and behind hers along the route.

Some carried noble families delivering their children in style, while others looked to be public carriages ferrying groups of students who could afford the fare. Off to the side of the path, Celestia could see clusters of students on foot, hiking up the trail with their luggage carried behind them by hired porters or on their own backs. The road emerged from the thick woods to the sight of an immense open courtyard. As her carriage rolled onto the cobbled plaza, Celestia's eyes widened ever so slightly.

It was like entering a small city within the mountains: a central quadrangle spread out before her, easily large enough to fit several football fields end-to-end. Beyond the lawns and walkways stood imposing buildings. To the north end of the grounds, built against the rising slope of the mountain itself, were three soaring towers of differing heights; mage towers, by the look of them. They were cylindrical and made of smooth grey stone, with small windows spiraling upward.

'Those must be the personal laboratories or offices of the three Archmages on the principal-council.' The academy was famous for its trio of Archmage principals, each of them a master of a different school of magic. The carriage circled a central fountain where water danced and sprayed in a gravity-defying magical display. Finally, it veered toward one side of the massive courtyard, heading closer to a cluster of buildings that seemed slightly removed from the academic halls.

Celestia spotted a signpost they passed: "Female Dormitories" with an arrow pointing further along a split path. After a few more minutes, the carriage slowed to a smooth stop in front of one of the dormitory buildings, which were all four stories tall. Martha quickly tucked away her notebook and stepped out of the carriage first. She turned to offer a hand to Celestia as the young noblewoman descended. Celestia emerged with one hand lightly holding her skirt, the other still gripping her closed fan.

For a moment, conversation around the dormitory entrance hushed. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. A small crowd of students had gathered near the dorms, some arriving with their own luggage, others simply chatting and enjoying the social scene before the day's events. The carriage's arrival and its distinctive crest drew attention immediately, and when they saw her, recognition sparked murmurs.

Celestia Von Reingarde was known to many by reputation. Whispers darted from student to student:"That insignia's from House Reingarde, isn't it? A ducal house from the Empire…"

"…I heard that Celestia Reingarde was attending this year."

"She's really pretty… but I also heard she's… um… not someone you want to cross."

"I heard she made a maid from her estate cry and beg on her knees for spilling tea once!"

"No way, really?" In the novel, Celestia von Reingarde had indeed been painted as a traditional antagonist: a proud young lady who looked down on commoners and rival nobles alike, quick to humiliate anyone who offended her. Martha began organizing the unloading of Celestia's belongings from the carriage with the help of the carriage footmen. Celestia stepped fully down onto the path, smoothing her skirt, and glanced around with an expression of mild disinterest.

Within a minute or two, the area directly around Celestia cleared as students found excuses to distance themselves. Some suddenly remembered they had orientation pamphlets to read on the other side of the yard; others decided now was a perfect time to hurry and find their own dorm rooms. The effect was almost comical, a halo of empty space in what had been a fairly busy entryway. Only Celestia, her maid, and the carriage staff remained at the center of this exclusion zone.

However, as seconds ticked by, Celestia's patience began to wane. She expected by now that a dormitory staff member or academy official would have been around to help students.

'Where are they?' she wondered irritably. It was unseemly for someone of her standing to be kept waiting. Celestia's eyes swept the front of the dorm building, searching for any staff uniform or someone who looked like they were in charge. Instead, she saw only a handful of lingering students who hadn't fully fled her presence, and they all looked too frightened or unsure to meet her gaze. Martha noticed her lady's displeasure and quickly approached.

"My lady, if you'd like, I can search inside for the dormitory supervisor—" Celestia lifted a hand to halt her. Her sharp crimson eyes zeroed in on the nearest student at hand, a lone girl who stood by a rosebush a few paces off, as if trying to make herself invisible. The girl appeared to be about Celestia's age, perhaps a bit younger, with purple hair reaching her shoulders. Celestia walked forward, fan now unfurled elegantly in front of her mouth.

The sudden movement made the purple-haired girl look up, eyes widening like a deer's in headlights when she realized the notorious Lady Reingarde was heading directly toward her.

"You there," Celestia said coolly, her refined voice cutting through the silence. She pointed her ivory fan at the girl in an almost accusatory manner.

"Show me where the dormitory room assignments are posted." Celestia's command held her rooted in place. Large hazel eyes blinked behind thick-framed spectacles as the girl struggled to respond.

"M-me?" she stammered. Her gaze darted left and right, as if hoping Celestia might have meant someone. But there was no one else in the immediate vicinity; fate had left her squarely in Celestia's sights.

"Who else?" Celestia prompted.

"I'm waiting. Where can I find the room assignments? Or the dorm staff, if they deigned to show up today." The girl swallowed hard. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out at first. She was clearly overawed, not only was Celestia stunning up close, but her fierce reputation magnified the intimidation. The girl could see the fine details of Celestia's visage: porcelain skin without a blemish, those piercing crimson eyes framed by long lashes, and just the hint of disdain on her expression.

Celestia's golden hair, styled in an elegant half-updo for travel, gleamed like a halo. Combined with the immaculate dress and the confident posture, Celestia looked like the type of noble to have someone expelled with a snap of her fingers.

"I… I believe the dormitory supervisor should be in the lobby," the girl managed to squeak, looking back down to stare at the ground. Celestia tapped the tip of her fan against her opposite wrist, impatience growing.

"Speak up and look at me when you talk. It is rude to mumble to the floor when someone addresses you," she chastised her.

"S-sorry, my lady!" the commoner girl blurted as she raised her head before quickly bowing again.

"T-the dormitory staff should be around here somewhere to help you check in…." She trailed off, realizing even as she said it that no staff member was in sight. The blonde noble's eyes narrowed a fraction, and she glanced pointedly around them at the conspicuously absent attendants. The girl winced.

"Um… t-they were here earlier… maybe they're busy with something else right now…" she added hastily.

"I-I can show you the dormitory lounge where the room assignment charts are posted." Celestia regarded the trembling girl in silence for a moment, then gave affirmation in the form of her fan snapping closed.

"That will do. Lead the way." Her tone made it clear this was not a request. The girl bobbed her head.

"Y-yes, right this way…" She hurried toward the dormitory's main entrance. Celestia followed at a leisurely pace, Martha and the carriage footmen a step behind her, carrying her belongings. Inside the lobby, the air was cool with the faint smell of something herbal. It was a spacious room with vaulted ceilings and a polished marble floor. A grand staircase on one side led to the upper residential floors. There were a few cushioned benches and potted plants arranged to make the space inviting.

Notice boards and framed charts lined one wall, and it was toward these that Celestia's reluctant guide led them. The girl paused before a large bulletin board where numerous papers were tacked up in neat rows.

"Here it is…," she said softly.

"These sheets have all the freshmen students' names and their dorm room assignments." She scanned the papers quickly, running a finger down the list of names.

"Um… Reingarde, Celestia von… yes, it's right here." Celestia stepped closer. Sure enough, printed next to her name was a room number: Room 207. Martha peered over her shoulder to see as well. As Celestia turned to leave, the purple-haired girl beside her suddenly made a tiny gasp. Celestia glanced back, eyebrow raised in question. The girl's face had gone pale.' Celestia's room is next to mine.'

This plain, unremarkable commoner girl, Anna, who got into the academy through hard study and a scholarship, was going to be dorm neighbors with the most feared noble girl in the school. Anna's knees felt weak. Sharing a wall with Celestia… what if she made too much noise studying at night? Would Celestia retaliate? All sorts of horror stories floated through her mind, each more dramatic than the last. Celestia looked at Anna as she unfurled her fan.

"Lead me to my room," she said. She then turned on her heel and motioned to Martha. Martha dipped her head towards Anna before dutifully following her mistress. Anna stood frozen in the lobby for a short moment before following after Celestia.

"I'm doomed," Anna muttered, envisioning a year of tip-toeing on eggshells and praying not to invoke Celestia's ire.