As per their natures, the sun came out the next day; the waves got busy wiping the shores, the early birds went out to look for the worms, the fishes got on to do whatever they did under the water, the air went to more places than a whore, the trees stood still and produced oxygen for me to waste, the dead priestesses slept in their new positions after rolling in their graves last night.

Everyone got on with their lives. I pretended to get on with my life, too, as if I wasn't mud-covered from having dug out a former High Priestess and then burying her back. Undoubtedly, I had a busier night than a newly wedded couple.

The sun was midway in the sky when I trod down the dead mountain with the deceased priestesses and went up the mountain with the living ones. I felt like a blasphemously different person as I entered the shrine this fine morning. I snuck in through the back door and went to my room to change clothes and clean myself. I was precisely on time to attend the first class of the day.

I showed up to the class on time, looking as if I was the one exhumed last night. Nonetheless, I was pleased to have made it on time.

"Where have you been last night?" Nuncia asked when I sat beside her for the day's first class. As I busied myself by taking my books out of the satchel and arranging them on the table, I felt more and more eyes on me.

"In my room. Why?" I lied. Nuncia gave me a lingering look. She knew that I was lying; her room was next to mine.

"Oh really?"

"Yes. Where else do you think I could be?" I snickered.

Why? Out in the dead mountain, digging out a dead High Priestess.

"Both of us know you're lying," She stated, "And if you don't wish to tell me where you'd been last night, fine. But have a believable answer ready when you see Vittoria. She'd been looking for you since last evening,"

"How sweet of her," I grinned, puzzling Nuncia even more. As we talked, a certain group of priestesses entered the class, which I detested. I faked being busy and dodged eye contact with any group member, but they had other plans. The group chose to sit right behind Nuncia and me. I felt Arke's breath fan my back.

"You're back," I heard the sneer in her voice.

"Yes, you're facing my back, Arke," I responded calmly. Nuncia sucked in air enough for three people and stilled like a statue.

Arke chuckled and commented, "You have no idea how much we've missed you, Theresa," She groaned, "The classes get boring without you fvcking up,"

"I don't blame you," I replied, "It must be boring to be you," Previously, Nuncia had turned into a clay statue, but now, she resembled a stone statue— granite, to be more specific. Arke grounded her teeth behind me.

"You missed a lot of important lessons. Any idea how you're going to catch up, or are you planning to repeat?" She questioned.

"Thank you for caring so much, Arke. I think I'd be fine,"

"You think?" She chuckled.

"Yes, unlike you,"

"Why don't you meet me back in the woods after lunch. I want to settle some scores," She challenged, cracking her fingers.

"Why in the woods? You don't want others to see me beating the shit out of you?"

"Fine then, I'll fight you in the courtyard. How about that?"

"I'm not that desperate to put you in your place, Arke. I've more important things to do,"

"Like what? Learning to do your laundry 'cuz you're such a Royal? I'm sure you had people wipe your ass for you," She had the last say. I wanted to respond with words that would have made her ancestors blush, but the Senior Priestess stepped into the class, robbing my opportunity.

I gritted my teeth for the rest of the class while Nuncia had turned back into her mortal self. I felt this unscratchable itch to respond to Arke, but she disappeared with her friends even before I could say anything to her when the class ended.

I showed up to the next class, hoping to find her, but she wasn't there. Soon, I realised that it was because Vittoria would take this class for the rookies. If I hadn't sinned so gracefully last night, my past self would have dreaded coming to this class but not me. Not anymore.

Now I could face her with the truth. What I saw in the grave last night was atrocious... it was... I don't have any words to describe it.

All I can say for now is that whatever was there, it was enough to tear Vittoria's reputation— which was the most important thing for a High Priestess after her obligation to the shrine. I felt like the devil's stepmother when Vittoria showed up to the class, unaware of my newfound knowledge.

For a brief moment, our eyes deadlocked as everyone bowed to her except me. She cocked an eyebrow at me as everyone straightened up; meanwhile, I remained standing.

I will never bow to her.

"Sit down," she commanded, and so we did. All this time, her eyes lingered on me with the crushing weight of the boulder. From the look on her face, I could tell that she wasn't thrilled to see me, but at the same time, I saw a hint of relief in her eyes. It wasn't precisely relief but something close to that.

Did she think that I was going to kill myself over her insult?

Ha! Not before I make her swallow her words.

"Today, we're going to revise since the final assessment's only a month away," She declared with a malicious flicker in her eyes. I knew where she was going with that.

"But we still hadn't completed half of the Marine Alchemy—" When one of the priestesses protested, Vittoria waved her dismissively at the girl and said, "Those are trivial. We've covered the critical part of the curriculum. It's time to revise. Let us start, shall we?" She asked with phoney polish. I stayed as quiet and motionless as a boulderstone while my fellow rookies agreed hesitantly.

"Good," she snapped, "Let's start with some Necrome spells. Theresa, what are the elements required for its execution?" She demanded.

"I don't know," I answered truthfully. She knew well that this was taught in my absence, yet she asked me these questions. She was doing this purely for amusement as it was her pastime hobby to pick on me.

I will allow her to enjoy it for the last time.

"That's a straightforward question, Theresa," she insisted.

"I don't know,"

"Let's try again,"

"I don't want to," I snapped.

"It's not the Royal Palace, and I'm not your Governess, Theresa," She reminded.

"At least, Governesses know how to teach," I dared to respond. A few priestesses gasped at my savagery. Most girls here would rather die than look Vittoria in her eyes, but that wasn't my nature. It would be an insult to the God who gifted me this temper if I chose to behave well.

"Well, a Governess teaches children, and if that's the approach you prefer, I could get one for you," Vittoria stated sarcastically, making the whole class roar with laughter. I wouldn't say I appreciated that God might have gifted some other girls the same temper, but acceptance is the first step towards humility. I glowered as a subtle smirk tugged the corner of her lips up.

I wonder if she'd smirk the same way if I told her what I did last night.

"This lesson was taught in my absence," I gritted.

"That's not my problem," she snarled before moving on to the next priestess. This went on for a while. Vittoria didn't leave me alone. She quizzed me later in class, making fun of me at times I could not answer, but I kept calm.

I counted the seconds until Vittoria's class was over. I sat there, still and silent, even after the priestesses had left the class. Vittoria didn't leave the class yet as she looked at some writings submitted by the priestesses.

It was only her and me in that room then. She seemed busy with the writings, but both of us were aware of each other's presence, just like the prey and the predator in the wild.

"Get out," she spoke calmly after a while, without looking up from the writings. Her words etched a smile on my lips.

Finally.

"I thought you'd be happy to see me," I grinned after walking up to her table.

"What gave you that impression?" She contested, still not looking up from the scrolls.

"Your reputation would tarnish by controversy had my body washed up on the shore. I know you were looking for me last night,"

She remained silent and continued doing her work. I didn't miss how her body tensed at my words.

"Where were you last night?" She asked cautiously.

"You want to know?" I snickered. She ultimately looked up at my face and gave me a prolonged, formidable stare as she piled the scrolls and stood up. She didn't reach my height, but that didn't count. Wherever she lacked, she made it up with her fierce eyes and savagery.

"Wherever it was, you can crawl back there," she commented coldly. My smirk turned into a smile as I leaned against the table and stared her down, using the advantage of my height.

"You want to know," I bit my lower lip, unable to contain my laughter. My retort gave away the hints. She narrowed her eyes like a feline and studied me for a long moment, ultimately recognising my unusual demeanour.

"Where were you last night?" She asked grimly this time, in that demanding manner— the same way she inquired of my brother's response after my every return from the mainland.

"On the dead mountain," I breathed. She arched an eyebrow at me and gave me a stern look.

"You seem to have balls to do that," She remarked.

"Want to know what else I have got the balls for?" I provoked, the smile on my lips evaporated to reveal a snarl on my features. The two of us stood in silence with our eyes locked into a stalemate.

The room turned so quiet I could hear the tides crashing on the rocks, I could listen to the seagulls, I could hear the sun singeing in the sky, I could hear my own heart drumming against my sternum. The silence grew heavier with each breath, and with that, Vittoria's eyes widened... gradually until they were rounder than the sun.

Intense fury filled her features as realisation hit her the way waves bashed the rocks. By the speed of thunder, she rounded the table until she was standing in front of me, burning hotter than the lava.

"You dug her up, didn't you?" She growled.

"Don't have your panties in a twist, Vittoria. I know I'm not the first one to do so,"

_