[Galadriel]
[Capital City]
It was all the talk around the capital city. The fact that demons had invaded Luminare Academy was a shocking event after all. A prestigious academy such as that actually being successfully invaded. And furthermore it was most shocking that it was demons that were responsible for said invasion.
It was not an exaggeration to say everyone knew what a demon was. Malevolent creatures that spawn from the Abyss. They come in all different shapes and sizes, some more powerful than others or more intelligent than others. Demons were a stain on the world when they invaded, a blight.
Then there were the casualties in the academy—nothing staggering. Twelve dead and sixty injured—something that was going to stain the academy's reputation. Some students were even pulled out of the academy, but the number of students who were pulled out was a negligible amount.
Due to the event of demons having invaded the academy, students were allowed a few days of rest. Some were hauled away within their dorms, some returned to their families, and some chose to visit the capital city.
Mikoto was part of the latter group.
So, walking through the bustling streets with a black dress shirt and pants, he took in the atmosphere. The capital was as lively as he remembered, with diverse groups of people walking the streets and mingling.
Merchants called out for his attention as he passed by, offering goods. He was also drawn towards the different food stalls set up around the square, where vendors were cooking up mouth-watering treats like freshly baked pastries, grilled meats, and sweet pastries. Though he more prefered just eating chocolate. He could go for some.
Of course, he did still receive the occasional gaze due to his mask, but that was neither here nor there. They were merely basking in his awesomeness.
In the midst of all this activity, he caught glimpses of demi-humans and other creatures interspersed among the humans. Some of them were manning their own stalls, selling trinkets or vegetables that they had harvested themselves. Others were wandering around the marketplace, bartering goods or simply enjoying the atmosphere.
("Weird, barring Fiona and that one horned girl, I don't think I've really seen any other people with animal features.") He silently mused as his eyes scanned over a woman with bunny ears atop her head.
Unlike what most would think, there was barely any racism. Though in this world's history there was prejudice and discrimination against certain races, it seemed the people of this world were actually capable of common sense. Things such as demons and Astrothians were clearly a bigger problem than something as benign as breeding conflict over differences.
Of course, there is still a lot of conflict in this world. No wars, though, just fragile relationships between kingdoms. Meaning a war could start at the slightest mishap in one kingdom.
"Hm?" Mikoto ceased his thoughts as he caught a whiff of familiar blonde hair. "Agatha?" The Gregory was situated in front of a stall selling what looked like meat on a skewer. Of course, her not being in the academy meant she was no longer in uniform; instead, she was dressed in a white blouse with a black skirt along with high-thigh boots.
"Tis you." She noted as she threw him a glance.
"Yeah, it's me."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"I am not supposed to speak with you." The blonde suddenly blurted out, and Mikoto could just quirk up an eyebrow at her words, of course it was hidden.
"Why not? I thought we'd be pretty good friends." Well, not really, but he was just trying to make conversation.
"My father told me to avoid interaction with you." She admitted.
"For real?" He questioned, amused. "Lemme guess..." Mikoto cleared his throat loudly as he spoke. "He was all like, 'Listen, here, I don't want you hanging out with that dazzling ruffian who's totally good-looking behind his mask'." He said it in an overly pompous voice.
"Keh-" A small snort escaped the girl as she quickly threw a hand over her mouth.
"Ha, I made you laugh."
"You did not." Agatha quickly denied it with a straight face.
"Uh-huh." Mikoto was not quite convinced of that. "Anyway, what are you doing prancing around? I thought a demon roughed you up." There was a rumor that she and Princess Mirabella had fought a Chaosmaw. And that the two ended up injured by said Chaosmaw.
He wondered if it was the same one he met—the weirdo blue demon. The guy was pretty weak, so maybe not.
"You heard wrong." Agatha stated. "The injuries I have received were nothing but flesh wounds." She clarified.
"Uh-huh. You must be one tough cookie." He noted.
"I am no cookie." She denied it, and he sighed.
"It was a-nevermind." His figures of speech probably did not translate well here. "Anyhow, I heard you and the princess fought together. Got that quality bonding time, huh?"
"What bonding?" She replied with a tilt of her head. "We were merely fighting for our lives."
"Right..." This conversation was going to get very dry quickly, it seemed. "Say I'm meeting up with your brother and a friend at a café later. Wanna come?"
"I refuse." A direct and immediate response from an Agatha, whose face seemed a tad duller now.
"Gotcha, family drama, huh?" That fact was easy enough to deduce or guess.
"It really is not any of your business." She coldly stated.
"Yeah, don't worry, I won't pry or anything like that." He used to have family drama back home, so he could kind of guess how Agatha was feeling, especially concerning a sibling. Hinata used to be jealous of him; she herself was a fuckup, while he always got the highest marks in class and succeeded where she always failed.
That made her more prone to the punishments of their father. And for awhile, she hated him for whatever reason. But eventually that hate turned into just plain hatred for their dear old dad. It probably will not be that easy to solve for the Gregory siblings, but that was neither here nor there.
"Well, I'll be seeing you then." He gave a small wave as he prepared to depart, but he was quickly stopped by her words.
"Thanks..." She spoke in a barely audible whisper, and he just smiled beneath his mask.
"No problem."
--------------------
[Luminare Academy]
[Conference room]
The room was immense, with high, ceilings decorated with wooden beams
The center of the room was occupied by a massive rectangular table, easily accommodating 30 individuals or more. On either side of the table, high quality chairs stretch the length of the room, inviting attendees to take their seats.
"This meeting is now underway." Professor Gregory announced this as his eyes glazed over the faces of Professor Fergus and Eudora.
"Bah! What damn meeting! There are only three of us here!" Professor Fergus spat out as Professor Eudora heaved a heavy sigh.
"That is because the other professors are currently busy repairing the academy, Alexander." Professor Eudora reminded, annoyance appeared in Professor Fergus's face at being called by his name by a colleague he did not quite like no less.
"Hmph! Then where's that brat, Aleister?" Professor Fergus questioned, Eudora narrowed her eyes at the man for his clear disrespect.
"I bid you to treat your superior with respect, Alexander." She advised, the old man just scoffed.
"Hah! Superior? I've known that lad since he was in diapers." He declared with a hearty laugh.
"Enough." Professor Gregory intervened before a full-blown argument could break out between the two. He pinched the bridges of his nose as he heaved a sigh. "We've no time to bicker like small children. While the others are busy with the academy repairs, we must review the situation." He advised.
"Right. Apologies, Professor Gregory." Professor Eudora cleared her throat as she continued. "The wards are the first thing we'll be no doubt discussing, no?" Professor Gregory nodded at her words.
"Those wards were created by Professor Eugene." Professor Gregory started. "There's simply no 'destroying' them."
"Yet these demons seemed to have no problem with that." Professor Fergus hummed.
"They were completely eradicated, the only ones with that kind of power..." Professor Eudora started lowly as Professor Fergus threw her a glance.
"Would be dear Aleister." He finished for her. "Or that damned Harpy."
"Then another spawn of Aragorn?" Professor Eudora suggested not seeming too convinced by that conclusion.
"One working with demons? Mayhap." Professor Gregory murmured.
"Bah! Talk of wards is boring me." Professor Fergus suddenly declared as both Professor Gregory and Eudora sent him dry glances.
"What are you? A child?" Eudora was bemused.
"I'm older than you, brat!" Fergus shot back.
"Enough, on to the Chaosmaw's." Professor Gregory once again quickly interjected.
"From what Miss Lucinda had informed me, there was a second one." Professor Eudora said as Professor Gregory nodded.
"From her report, all he displayed was high mana levels and the use of a high-tier fire spell." Professor Gregory informed, Fergus scoffed.
"That all?"
"Most likely not." Professor Eudora stated: "It was a Chaosmaw; they are not to be trifled with." She warned. "I heard their kind specializes in 'unique magics',"
Gregory hummed, "Indeed, they focus on one aspect they have the most affinity with. Advancing with that affinity to staggering heights, only Chaosmaw's would have unique magic."
"Yeah, yeah." Professor Fergus dismissed him with a wave of his hand as he turned to Professor Gregory. "You fought one, right?" The older man asked as Professor Gregory nodded his head.
"Indeed." He confirmed as he continued. "We only did battle momentarily when he was suddenly teleported away, though no glyphs had been used strangely enough."
"Glyphless teleportation." Professor Eudora hummed. "But I suppose what we're all truly interested in is who was responsible for that explosion that eradicated nearly the whole forest."
"If I didn't know any better, I'd think that Brat Aleister was back." Professor Fergus mused, and for once, the other two professors agreed.
"True, that level of destruction was nothing to scoff at." Professor Gregory murmured.
"But then who could be responsible?" Professor Eudora asked.
"Hell, if I know!" Professor Fergus spat out, and Professor Gregory was at a loss himself.
"Likely candidates would have been either the princess or Lucinda. But the former was injured and unconscious, and the latter would not dream of unleashing such a spell." Professor Gregory stated as Eudora heaved a sigh.
"Well, another problem for the ever-growing pile."