Athena was having a very bad day. Rumors were already starting to spread in the academy. Everyone whispered and snickered as she walked past them. Even her friends would laugh at her. But then again, they weren’t really friends, just superficial. She wasn’t much of a social person, preferring to stay away from people and any social gatherings.

But she was a good alchemist. That nobody, not the girls who laughed at her, nor the teachers themselves could deny. But she wasn’t a noble, and it made her life utter hell.

But she trudged on, despite all of it, because she believed in herself. That one day she might be the greatest alchemist and healer in the world. By then, she would be laughing at the pettiness of all the idiots who surrounded her.

She was getting a bit paranoid though, and she knew that. Though it wasn’t her fault if she was seeing things that would make a grown man crap his pants. In fact, she already was paranoid, so a couple of moving and things moving in the shadows didn’t make much of a difference.

The bell rang. The professor dismissed the class. Time for lunch.

She took the last seat, and sat down alone. Not many sat next to her, but she didn’t care anymore. She had learnt enough about her fellow classmates that was glad to be sitting alone.

That didn’t make life any easier for her though.

She sighed and began to eat the mush, while keeping an ear out for rumors.

“You know that adventurer… what’s his name?”

“Is he Gastor?”

“No, he’s the one-“

“Felicia?”

“I asked what was his name, not her name, idiot.”

“Oh. Then is he Jave Snowborn?”

“Yes! Apparantly he’s gone missing for more than a week now.”

Now that particular rumor caught her attention. She had heard about the adventurer a year ago, and she loved him. Well, not really, but she loved the idea of an orphan on the streets becoming the best adventurer in his town. Sometimes she had fantasized about going through the same thing herself, laughing at all the people who dared doubt her.

“Oooh! I bet that noble… darn it, what’s his name?”

“Drygg Kyras?”

“Yes! I bet he had something to do with it.”

“Yes. That commoner should have learnt to stay in his place. Just like that bitch over there.”

She tensed, anger threatening to control her. But she didn’t do anything, pretending to have not heard them, and continuing to eat.

“Hey bitch!”

Snickers could be heard throughout the hall. She ignored them and continued to eat.

“Oh, looks like she has some sort of problem in her ears. I bet she got it from her-“

She shut them out, not hearing any of the words. She did hear the words, but they just flew over her.

Then suddenly her table was knocked over, toppling her and spilling food all over her face. She kicked the table off her face, and got up, wiping the food off.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She heard some crass insults and some snickers, but she avoided them.

She opened her eyes and turned to face them. All of them.

“Who did that?” She calmly asked.

Everyone went silent. She had no idea why. She was expecting them to laugh, joke, or anything but this. But she accepted it all the same.

“Are you all cowards? I want to know who did that!?”

At this point she had no idea who was talking anymore. She had never done anything like this before. But she was so fucking sick and tired of all this shit, so she embraced it.

A couple members pointed to one group. They’re faces paled when she looked at them. She had no idea why. They were the same group she was listening to earlier.

She pointed to them and asked-

“All of you, have you no better job to do? It’s almost as if you’ve got your cock up your brains.” She shook her head in pity. “ I’m sorry for you. I’m just sorry that you won’t get anywhere with your pathetic lives.”

The leaders’ face reddened with anger, but he was too embarrassed to do anything about it, as was the rest of his group.

Then she simply walked out of the hall to go to the washroom. She washed her face and clothes and used a simple heat spell to dry herself.

While she was walking to her room, a voice called out to her.

“You know, that was one hell of a performance.”

She turned around to see a young man leaning against the wall and claping. He stopped and said;

“Though, as much as I loved that fact you finally stood up to yourself, you’re gonna find yourself in trouble. Lots of trouble.”

“Oh, and what’s it to you?” She asked.

He shrugged.

“Just thought that you have good talent, and it’d be a waste to see you die.”

She narrowed her eyes.

“Oh, and I’m Damen, by the way. If you need a friend, I’ll be here. Trust me when I say I know how much of a pain it is to deal with nobles.”

He offered his hand. She took it.

“I’m-“

“Don’t bother, I already know you’re name and all that stuff. I’m a rogue for a reason, right?’

“And why should I trust you?”

He shrugged again.

“Like I said, those nobles are a pain in the ass, and it’s always good to have some allies with you.”

“Right… why do I have a feeling I’ve heard you’re name before?” She asked.

He shrugged again, a grin on his face.

“I might just be part of the Frost Men adventurers group.” He said.

She gasped, and stared at him with an open mouth.

“Yeah, yeah, it’s not that big a deal, but anyway, I got to be going. Have a project that I’m working on.” He said, then turned around, walking down the corridor.

He stopped midway, then turned around, and yelled;

“You’ve got an impressive Aura, you know that? I’d be working on it if I were you. You know, assassins and all.”

Then he turned and disappeared, leaving Athena staring wide-eyed and open mouthed at the spot he was.

***

End of chapter 10