Passing Classes

Passing Classes

Passing Classes

The fellowship gathering concluded, and we started making our way back to the dormitory. My thoughts were dominated by the children of the former Veronica faction. I wanted to let them see their families, but that was out of the question. The purge had to happen. At most, I could only try to minimize the damage. But how?

“Lady Rozemyne!”

“Oh, Raimund.”

He had suddenly appeared from around a corner, having no doubt come from Hirschur’s laboratory in the specialty building. His light-violet cape fluttered behind him as he made his way over, but he was stopped in his tracks when my apprentice guard knights assumed defensive positions. It was to be expected, considering that he was an Ahrensbach noble.

Raimund took a step back, his eyes wide, then spoke to me from a distance. “Lady Rozemyne, I have a message from Lord Ferdinand. Would you like to hear it?”

“Did something happen?!”

“Er, not quite. I went to show him this”—he pulled out what appeared to be a slightly smaller version of a recording magic tool—“and he recorded a message on it.” Ferdinand had apparently turned it away, maintaining that it could be made even smaller—but not before leaving a few words for me.

“Play it. Play it now,” I said, leaning forward. “I want to hear it.”

Raimund nodded and touched the feystone.

“Rozemyne, it is I,” came an unmistakable voice from the magic tool. I was hit with a wave of nostalgia, even though it really hadn’t been that long since his departure for Ahrensbach. But as the message continued, such pleasant feelings quickly dissipated. “I hope you have not been neglecting your studies now that I am gone.”

Crap! I really have been!

“Remember your vow to come first-in-class once again,” the message continued. “Allow your or the duchy’s grades to slip and I will show no mercy.”

I clapped my hands on my cheeks in shock, looking entirely like The Scream —but it was then that the voice coming from the magic tool softened.

“Remember, however, that your task is not to secure better grades than last year. I am simply saying that you should not let them fall. That should not be difficult, no?”

“The same as last year... Right.” I clenched my fists. “Somehow, that makes it feel so much more doable.”

“I do not believe it possible for you to raise your grades any higher...” Charlotte muttered from behind me.

“Shh! Don’t tell her, Charlotte. She’s finally motivated.”

Ah! Hold on! It really is impossible for me to do any better! He tricked me, didn’t he?!

I glared at the magic tool as it continued to speak.

“Wilfried, Charlotte—the same goes for the two of you. I anticipate that you shall attain results befitting the charms that I gave you. Come the Interduchy Tournament, I expect to hear that Ehrenfest’s students once again passed all of their classes on the first day. Anything less will not be tolerated .”

“Ngh!”

“No way...”

This demand was especially hard on Charlotte, who hadn’t managed it last year, and she began to tremble beneath the immense pressure. I reached out to console her, only for Ferdinand to suddenly call out to me.

“Ah, yes. Rozemyne.”

I froze. His voice sounded... kind. Uncomfortably so. It was the same, warm tone that he often adopted right before making an unreasonable demand. I turned my eyes from Charlotte to the magic tool still in Raimund’s hand.