-Chapter 4- New School … Oh Joy

Welcome back, I guess. Had a good rest? Well, let me continue then.

First, let me ask a question. Did or do you enjoy school? Do you like learning? Do you like meeting people there? If you do, that’s a good thing. Most of you probably don’t like it. I belong to that group of people, too. It’s annoying, boring and some of the stuff you learn won’t ever help you in real life. If you don’t study that particular subject, that is. Did you ever have to calculate how fast the population of maggots grows or the possibility of a coin showing tails 3 times? Then there was the homework, which stole the time for more important stuff, like socializing, which didn’t really work for me, or other hobbies. Yes, I was and still am no fan of the school system of the old world. I bet it only got worse after I “left” that world.

If you think a few years back, kids were happy to learn. It was privilege, which showed wealth and ensured a promising and successful future. This privilege was often if not always reserved for the kids of influential men. Boys and girls got different education, too. I know, that one has to be grateful for the progress in that field, but don’t they overdo it a bit?

Well, the system is similar in this world, too. Like in the old times of my old world. The only thing that is different is the difference between male and female. The gender didn’t matter. They had their own rules to determine, who gets to learn what.

An exception are the temples. Every kid gets a basic education until they are 12. Theoretical, that is. If they find a reason to reject you as a student they will throw you out.

I had only 1 year left until I had to visit these lessons. While I was practicing to move mana I watched some kids run around and chatting excitedly about this event. The younger kids were asking the older ones. The older ones tried to scare them. One time I got interested myself. I opened the window and tried asking.

“Hey, how’s that school thing like? “, I shouted. The group of two girls and two boys turned around, apparently surprised to see me. Well it wasn’t the first time. Some kids came to the door or the window at night as some kind of test of courage. They had to knock three times and wait for 10 seconds. To be honest I was much more surprised than they were. I was always going to look who it was. When I heard screams I would always freeze in dread. It looked like my normal expression though. Ah, back to the situation….

As soon as one of the girls, a baby pinkish haired cat girl, ran away in horror accompanied with the usual screams. At least I didn’t end up to be the dumping place for the brown mucus again. By the way it still couldn’t be washed out, so I walked around with a robe soaked in dried up blood. Maybe I would make the perfect ghost in a horror show. Oh, wait, I am already.

The boys just looked at each other and started smirking. One of them, a rather tall elven boy with sparkling, blond hair, looked at me with a superior look, “Why would something like YOU wanna know? Got nothin’ to do with you! Ha. “, patience is a virtue I nurtured for 18 years, this was nothing. Not pissed at all. I am not hitting the wall because I remembered this. The other boy just laughed with him. The girl just stared at me and turned around with a flip of her hair and an “Hmpf! “.

This plan of reforming the future generation wasn’t as easy as I thought. Alycia was just a special case, I guess. A fellow victim and “student” of Adella, who rejected the “boob woman’s” belief. Most of the information I had about this school were from Alycia. I decided to ask Adella later, too. If she decided to stop her job as the goddess of the droll lake, or in other words, when she is awake. My routine of going to the library and body training didn’t change. I added the mana moving practice to this routine. I was able to approximately move the amount, which could fit into a sink for about 10 to 20 minutes. I had no idea if this was a good or bad result, so I tried to and more to my “mana pool”, move it a bit longer than the day before and move it more masterfully than the last time I practised.

My training regime now consisted of 100 each. I know it should have been more, but I couldn’t hold that promise with myself all the time. Sometimes I didn’t rise the amount of times, because I just couldn’t do it. Even these 100 are a bit too much for me sometimes so I sometimes was able to do nearly 100 or still 50 of each. Who knows, maybe that was a good thing. It should be weird enough for a 4- year-old to do such training. For a normal 4-year-old at least.

My days in the library were in a way peaceful. Alycia made me read out her list with words out of these erotic books, but l made sure to leave the problematic words out. I was running out of normal words though. Alycia was really excited about this school. She planned to make a lot of friends and try to help them out like I did with her. It seems like not all kids know each other. Most of the kids just hang out with the children in their part of the dorms.

The dorms consisted out of two buildings with rooms for 3 people each. The first dorm is for the younger kids and the second is for the older ones. I know, you would first think one is for girls and one is for boys. Well, the one for older kids is separated for boys and girls, but the one for the younger ones doesn’t have such a separation.

The kids most of the time form bonds between the people living in nearby rooms. The next time they form new groups was while they visit the lessons.

While Alycia was getting more excited after each passing day I tried not to think about this dreadful event. I was interested in the things they might teach, but I was more than sure that the kids in that class and the teachers won’t give me an easy time. I thought about my time in school.

In elementary I was seen as some kind of virus after half a year. They thought it was my fault that the dog, which resided behind the school died. I took the lunch money from some kids. Just rumours. Of course the origin was Kyle. I’m not sure if he really wanted to make my life miserable or just cover up something. When I changed to middle school my parents divorced. I didn’t really care. My father wasn’t the nicest person. Let’s leave it like that. Of course there were new wonderful rumours surrounding that divorce after some weeks. Why is it that people care for thing you don’t give fuck about? It was stuff like my father murdered someone so he got put into prison and lost the right to see or care for me. My mother divorced shortly after. Then there were rumours that my mother wouldn’t work anymore, drink alcohol non-stop and wouldn’t care for me in any way. This all was just a background story to give me the image of a criminal, violent person. Seems like we had some aspiring psychologists there. I wasn’t sure, but it was probably Kyle’s creation again. He was the only one able to know about the divorce. Our mothers were still friends. In a way. Kyle would talk to me every day, trying to make me feel worse than I already did. Asking if my mother would do certain night jobs to buy her alcohol or if would steal it for her. I kind of snapped a bit. I didn’t stand up and hit him. No, that would be a bit too obvious. He was sitting so perfectly there next to my table. Legs spread. I pushed my English dictionary off the table with my elbow. It landed on the spot I planned it to land on, thinking I did the world a great favour making Kyle unable to spread his seed. His face froze for a bit before the dictionary slipped to the floor shortly followed by him. I put on my brightest smile and said something like “Oh, I am sorry. It seems like I was being clumsy again. Did it hurt? I am sooo sorry. “. It still attracted a lot of attention, but I was too refreshed to hear the whispers in the background. Kyle slowly stood up hands over his precious thing, glaring at me and saying “You will regret this. “. I knew he would pull off some shit again, but this was just too good of a chance.

The rumours didn’t die down. I already told you most of the stuff from high school. Ah, I said something depressing didn’t I. Well, life doesn’t really consist out of happy things or are you telling me you lead the perfect life with no one hating you, with no problems or worries? The perfect family, who doesn’t force you to do anything? No problems in school or in social life? A healthy mind and body?

Even if a person looks like he leads the perfect life it’s never like this. If you tell me you lead the perfect life, you’re the first person I saw.

Back to the story, I got distracted again. Sorry, tehe.

One day, while I was reading some type of novel about some hero party defeating monsters and catching criminals or like I would call it the superhero stories of this world, Adella was paying me a visit. “Oh? Alycia isn’t here? “, she looked around trying to find that shy girl and master of camouflage. “She said, she wanted to “play” with some of her friends again. Sheila, Caelius, Logan and Zeph were their names, I guess? “, I didn’t look up from the book. Alycia asked me to come with her, but I didn’t want to be baptized with that brown goo again and I wasn’t really that excited to see the reincarnated Kyle, too. I seemed like Alycia had a pretty bad standing with her friends, too. I didn’t really want her to be seen as less than a servant. A servant, that’s what her relationship between her and that Sheila looked like. She did similar things to Alycia like Kyle did to me just a bit different. She tried to keep Alycia inferior to her. She was the one who cut her hair, too, because it was longer than hers.

When I thought about it my expression turned grim. “Hmm. I see. Are you maybe jealous now that she doesn’t pay to you? Hahahaha. You don’t have to glare at me like that. “, I was not in the mood for stupid jokes like this nor was I jealous in any way. “Well, it would be good if she found some other friends, though. She doesn’t notice it yet, but they aren’t good for her. Ah, by the way. Are you happy, that you are allowed to go to the lessons? Hehe, you can thank big sis Adella for that! Lilika was just too adorable to refuse her request and you are just too talented to not give you some education. “, after I heard that I looked up from my book with wide eyes. “Y-you are responsible for that? “, I had an awkward smile on my face. I couldn’t shout at her for that nor could I tell her what I am thinking about this idea. My survival was more important! “Yes! That Boobs woman can’t do anything against my suggestions concerning the lessons. I am the person who founded these lessons in this temple after all and I know enough things about her, which would lead to some wonderful scandals. “, another thing I was surprised about. “You founded this? You are a teacher? “, if that was true maybe I could avoid the harassment and maybe restart operation “Brainwash Future Generation “. “Well, I do teach history and writing, but there are other teachers, too. Can’t do anything about that. I am not that good with things like math, magic, sword fighting and so on. Ah! I have to go I detected someone entering. “, with this my hopes were half shattered. I still had the chance to restart the operation, but I had less time to act.

That year flew by much too fast. I felt like I didn’t really do anything. My magic didn’t improve nor did my physical strength. I did find out Lilika and Adella are friends since some time after asking Lilika about her relationship. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the birthday thing. The birthdays that get celebrated are the 10th and 15th. That had some historical background. So if you were wondering about this, now you know.

So my first school day was in autumn. It’s not called that here, but let’s not make it more complicated than it already is. I can tell you later if you are that interested, just tell me. Anyway on that day Lilika was especially nervous. “Are you sure you have everything? Don’t let them bully you, okay? If they do, tell Adella, you hear me? Ah, here is some food for the breaks. Share with Alycia, too. “, she didn’t stop to talk and to look at me worried. My mother mother never really did it that long. She didn’t worry that much. “Liliii, I-I will be fine, so, please… stop wiping my …. Mouth with that! “, I tried to defend myself against a sobbing Lilika attacking mw with a white handkerchief. I was afraid she would wipe my skin away with that thing if I let her.

I ran out of the room with some kind of bag, filled with some paper something equivalent to a pencil and the lunch Lilika gave me. The building, in which the lessons will start in, was next to the main temple and could be accessed through there, too. It was a building with two stories. I saw some kids I knew and a lot of kids I didn’t know before this building. In the centre of the masses was Cealius showing a perfect business smile while talking to the kids. Some were glaring at this scene from afar. These were most likely the first victims. Alycia was bringing Sheila some water and proceeded to carry her bag to the next position Sheila was moving to. Adella was standing with some other priestesses in front. She seemed pretty bored. While everyone was focusing on the mass of people in front I was raising my fringe, which grew quite long. My fingers wander over my forehead, touching the two bumps on it. They did grow a bit bigger, but I could still hid it under my fringe. My hair grew quite long over the time. I did cut it to the best of my abilities but it still grew to shoulder length with some strands longer than the others. My fringe was easy to cut so it looked decent.

When I heard a really loud cough from the front I hurriedly covered my forehead with my fringe again. It was the High priestess starting her speech.

“Ehem… So as every year we allow our young children to get a good education to give you the means to bring good to this world and spread the teachings of the benevolent Ione. Now- “, I didn’t bother to listen more.

It was like the speeches of principles. Long, boring and the best thing to sleep to. Adella seemed like she would turn into the goddess of the droll lake again. Most of the kids didn’t pay attention, too. These were 5-year-olds after all. The boy called Logan was playing catch with another kid. Sheila was playing with some red haired boy knights and they were engaged in fierce stick battle. The other kids were chatting. The only exception was Cealius. He looked like he had a lot of trouble. His hands were over his mouth and he was sweating more than our old P.E teacher after running laps in summer.

I was wondering what caused him so much hardship and hoped it would cause it for him for all eternity.

“-Okay, Now let’s hear a word from the founder of this system. Miss Adella Maneglide. “, Adella awoke from her half sleep when she heard her name being shouted in a really loud voice. “Eh- Ah! AshxSilver is the cutest! “, yes, it exists here, too. Ash and Silver were characters from that hero story series by the way. With that statement everyone grew silent. Not because of the content but by the volume. Though the priestesses, Kyle and me where having a blank expression. I didn’t expect this at all. Well, it didn’t really bother me if I am not part of any of that shipping stuff.

“Ehm, I mean. Ehem… I- I like to welcome the new kids to this school and hope you will have a lot of fun while learning new things and grow more tolerant for new and different things. “, she tried to cover up her slip up, but I think neither I no other people who understood what this was about would forget this statement before.

We weren’t that many kids. Maybe 30 people. Enough to make create one class. I guessed right. We were all put into one class. The classroom was spacious and had room for everyone. The tables were single seats and turned to the front. I sat on some chair I could read fast. I ended up on the third row on the wall side. In front of me sat the guy with red hair, Sheila was fighting some time ago. Behind me was a girl with grey hair and dog ears. Her eyes were coloured blue. She had a grim expression on her face. She seemed like a loner. Another type then Alycia. Or she was dangerous. Next to me was a guy with shoulder long blue hair. It was not light it was a strong blue. He stared at the front with an empty look. He seemed like a person without care in the world and lost in his own world. Cealius was sitting in the front row on the window side. He was surrounded by some girls, who kept on talking to him. Alycia sat beside Sheila in the back.

I heard some whispering from the sides.

“Hey, do you see these people there? Did they know each other before?”

“Well, who knows? That girl, Tiana, never talks to anyone and she looks so violent. I think, she wouldn’t talk to someone like that. “

“You think? Then what about Lycus? He is weird and he always says weird things. Maybe they all like that stuff. “

“Naah, Dex only ever talks about fights and picks on other kids, he would never be friends with him."

“Who is that guy? He-he looks scary…. “

“The ghost form that room! I heard he talked to some people sometimes. “

“H-he’s a ghost? “

“The priestesses say he is an incarnation of the evil god, that black hair shows it!…. See his clothes? He walks around in blood covered clothes. “

Ah the cruelty of little kids. Starting in a whisper and then turning it into shouts for the person in question to hear it clearly. Looked like I was surrounded with hated people. That task got a little harder just at that moment. I wanted to start the brainwashing with someone popular other than Kyle. It was easier to spread a belief though someone with influence. Tell a celebrity to promote something and loyal fans will buy it. I didn’t mean advertisement, just in case you misunderstood me. People who are excluded by the community they live in are more open to new things, but they can’t help spreading this thing and probably making it more hated by other people.

The first lesson was a math lesson. It’s something I don’t really need. I wasn’t the best in math, but I am able to add and subtract.

The teacher introduced herself, but I didn’t really bother to remember it so let’s call her Teacher A or just A. Saying teacher all the time is tiring so let’s settle with that.

After her introduction she made us write the numbers from one to ten. Of course I finished it faster than the children surrounding me. Kyle finished fast too.

“Okay kids, let’s stop the writing. How about we look at each other’s work? Walk around the room and look at everyone’s numbers, okay? “, all the kids stood up and walked around the room. They didn’t really look at the papers they were just walking around while taking short glances on the paper. They didn’t want to see others work, they wanted to continue. Some kids did look seriously at the numbers. It looked like this at least.

After everyone sat down again the A asked everyone, which one they liked best. The first row said Cealius then the class started agreeing, with the exception of a few children. After some time a different thing could be heard other than “I agree “and “That’s right “.

“I think Zeki’s is better. “, it was a lazy kind of voice, but it still was loud enough to be heard though all these voices. It was the blue haired guy next to me. He sluggishly rose his hand and looked at the teacher.

“Oh? Maybe the others didn’t see Zeki’s yet. Who is Zeki? “, a priestess who doesn’t know me. This was a rare thing. I was wondering why that guy knew my name without me ever meeting him. He pointed at me and took my paper away. “Ah, Hey! “, I didn’t want to get even more attention. The murmuring started again. “O-oh … I see… “, the face of the priestess showed a shocked expression for a moment. I hoped A wouldn’t cause trouble for me. "I think… there are still some mistakes there. He should learn a bit from Cealius, than it should be better. “, my way of writing numbers was almost the same as Cealius’. I knew this was going to happen.

I hoped that blue haired guy would stop saying anything about that now. He seemed like he wanted to say more, but was interrupted by A. “Okay, practice your numbers in your rooms a bit and you should improve a lot. Now let’s practice them a bit more here and move on to the next lesson, okay? “, that’s all we did today in math. I was happy we didn’t do such a thing again, because I was afraid that blue haired guy named Lycus would drag me into the spot light again.

The next lesson was writing with Adella. “Hey there, kids. Feel like learning how to write? I know it may be a bit hard at the beginning but it will work easier later I promise. Let’s start with some easy things. Try writing your name. Oh, and for Zeki and Alycia. I got some special things for you. “, Adella gave me a paper with some text on it. Handwritten of course. There are no printing machines here. “Try copying it and filling in the words in the second part, got it? You are a bit in front of the other kids in ability. It would be boring for you if you’d just have to do the same thing you learned nearly a year ago right? “, this was pretty boring for me, too, but it was better than starting with simple things again. I had the attention of the whole class on me again. I shared the spotlight with Alycia this time though. She couldn’t really decide if she should be happy or scared. You could see the conflict on her face. I sat down and started writing. “Hey, Zeki. How do you write this? “, that Lycus guy was leaning over to me and showed me his paper.

He decided to use the symbole for moonlight as way to write his name. He didn’t do a bad job but there was place for improvement. “You to it like this. That line isn’t necessary and that line comes here. “, I corrected his symbol and turned back to my task of coping that text. It was an excerpt of Adella’s favourite book. Yes, it was an ero book again. She made a 5-year-old copy stuff out of an erotic book. As an adult and teacher this seemed like a failure. Lycus was still staring at me. “You are good. I thought you would be more. I don’t know, ghosty. “

“And what does that have to do with me being able to write? “, this made him think for a bit, giving me time to finish the copying of the text. I started my second task. This part was out of one of the hero books I read in the library. “Are you an evil god? “, that was quite direct. Better then talking behind my back without confirming anything. “If I were, do you think I would just stand there quietly while being used as dump for shit coloured goo? Hey, maybe it was shit. “, the last part were my thoughts again. It began to become a habit to say my thoughts out loud. Was it part of that shitty goddesses curse?

I finished my task in no time and was left alone until the end of the lesson. Lycus seemed to not care about his surrounding and would just do what he thought would be interesting. It wasn’t something bad to work with. Even if I couldn’t finish that operation quickly, I was at least able to make progress. No type of progress is bad, right?

The next class was this worlds’ version of P.E. Swords play training. The teacher was a slender small priestess. Some of her pinkish locks were poking out from under her headwear. Let’s call her S, okay? Because this teacher is a real S, even if you don’t expect it. She had a gentle smile on her face while saying this. “So you brats want to learn how to fight with swords? Forget it. I won’t let you play even with sticks. Let’s have some endurance training. You kids are full of energy, right? Especially Miss Sheila and mister Dex, right? You think I didn’t see what you did at the entrance ceremony? Okay, start. “, everyone was dumbfounded and just stood there. “GO, I said, fufu. “, she changed her voice that quickly that everyone flinched and started running.

I was running a bit more slowly than the others. I didn’t want to be knocked out just because of some sport.

It didn’t work that well though. I did train my body, but my endurance never could be trained because I wasn’t allowed to go outside and run there. I was knocked out after one round. S came closer to me and crouched down “Right pace, good boy. Wrong technique. You have to breathe slower and suck the air in through your little nose and out though your mouth. Panting like a dog is a no-no. “, she did give me good advice, but I would have preferred if she didn’t bore her finger into my back. It hurt like hell and I couldn’t move to escape that finger.

Lycus was the one who helped me up and brought me back to Lilika’s room with a worried Lilika in it. Her eyes looked like she couldn’t rest at all.

This was my first school day. The fun only started. That was the time where I wished I had my old life back.

See you next time. I go think about something else, now that I remembered this pain of p.e.

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Authors note

As always, if you find grammatical or spelling mistakes or awkward formulations place type me the places where they are and what I should change in the comments. Suggestions are always welcome. If you just liked the story you can write a comment too XD

And again as always

Thank you so much for reading my story!