Ancestra chuckled before gazing back at the structures within the tall castle walls. There were gardens of flowers surrounding the academy, cleanly divided by paved walkways railed with iron fences. Students were all around the campus doing various activities, some partaking in taking care of the flowers that they saw. The group's chariot cut through into a large house-sized stable full of varying colored pegasi, getting off and stationing their transport there. The three gave a rundown of Ancestra's placement in the academic semester, which she joined during the second of the total four. With Haruka and Deb hurrying to their classes, Elspeth was left to tell the little girl more about their curriculum, which was "basically college" as Haruka supposedly referred it to Elspeth as. She just parroted the foxgirl's explanations to the little one.
Ancestra was also told about the difference of the passage of time here in the academy, which she did not get at first. When Elspeth simplified it, she then understood that one year in the Academy equated to a week back in the kingdom. In which four years here equated to a month. Dumbfounded by this piece of information, Ancestra was given a tour around the academy for the whole day, was introduced to her homeroom teacher and personal trainer, Harriet Pierrot Winters. Harriet was the first entity for Ancestra to feel the actual feeling of fear from. Sinsear couldn't due to the intensity of the girl's shock at the time.
Harriet was a human teacher who held demonic strength, which she boasted with high pride. She always has a specially designed katana with her name engraved on one side of the blade. Ancestra was told that it was named Lightsbane, the Devourer of Light. Apparently, funnily enough Harriet was the last of the human teachers that taught in the academy along with Deb and Elspeth. The teacher took it from there to tell Ancestra more about the classes and its academical system, with the girl encountering her lost friend Julie along the way in the school.
Ancestra then learned that Julie was also an apprentice of Harriet and that she arrived here a month earlier and was admitted into the academy ahead of her. Though they both entered in the 1st quarter of the second semester, meaning that they aren't too far behind in studying, seeing as most of the classes are hands-on rather than sit-in classes. That was the reason why Harriet had told them that there's no less than ten classrooms in the entire premise of the entire academy. The reason why the grounds are so open and wide is supposedly for students to be able to practice their magic freely.
Harriet had the reputation of being called as such: The Deranged, and the Red-Haired Demon. Both of these stem from the way she fights and acts; incredibly volatile.
"So… why are we in a training room three times the size as the one in Guild Senida?" Julie asked in her deadpan tone, looking up and around the entire field, which was about five hundred meters in both width and length.
"This isn't even a god damn room anymore, Jules! This is an entire arena!" Ancestra sighed, looking at the pastel pink-haired female. She had the same uniform on, and her figure was more prominent than Ancestra's.
"Look. I'm your teacher, aight? And since both of you are not exactly the traditional "mage" type, we'll engage in practical combat training!" Harriet grinned wickedly. The two girls could not help but wince against the red-haired female's penance stare.
"Also, Ancy~ Deb already told me that you two had a mock battle yesterday? He was a bad match-up for you. Like, extremely." Harriet put her hand on her chin and tilted her head to the side in a clean and sharp ninety-degree angle. It was definitely broken. Ancestra stared at Harriet, shocked and dumbfounded.
"I- okay??? I knew that already, but what about you, Miss Harrie-"
"Agh, fuck! Agh, eugh, stop. Don't call me Miss or some other honorific. That makes my skin crawl." Harriet's skin visibly crawled and shivered across her entire body, which scared the living hell out of Ancestra. One could say that's a good thing.
"Okay, sure, but what about you, Harriet? Can you beat Deb?" continued Ancestra after she was interrupted.
"Hmm… Normally, no. Even I wouldn't be able to stand on him." Harriet admitted blankly. Ancestra covered her face in palpable shock.
"But… if I meet the conditions, he doesn't stand a unicorn's spit against me."
"Isn't that supposed to be a Llama's spi-"
"Don't correct me, or I will spit at you like a Unillama does." Harriet pointed the tip of her sword at Julie, who was looking at her with half-lidded eyes.
"Okay."
"What… is a unillama?" Ancestra clutched her head, her shock turning into confusion.
"That blursed creature aside, there are two conditions to his magic. First would be him talking to you, or how many people are paying attention to him, and the second one is the measurement of both your and his "hubris."" Harriet explained.
"Hubris? As in, confidence?" Julie deliberated.
"Confidence is a broad term, which is why I used the word Hubris instead. It means exaggerated pride or self-confidence." Harriet waved her hand dismissively at Julie, whom of which pouted in response.
"So basically, I subconsciously thought that I was stronger than him… is that it?" Ancestra calmed down and thought.
"That, and the first condition of his magic, which would be him talking to you or how many people are paying attention to him." Harriet nodded.
"What does that exactly mean?" Ancestra asked.
"Does it mean what I think it means?" Julie followed up.
"Take a guess." Harriet grinned.
"If he talks to you, it's… pretty much game over. You've fallen for his spell… or something of the other."
"I mean, yeah? That's pretty much it. That's why Haruka told you to "not listen to him."" Harriet then glared at Ancestra at the drop of a hat. The girl tensed up immediately, the Rose flashing her an image of bright red, the same as in yesterday's mock battle. She collapsed to her knees promptly.
"Hehe… You died, didn't ya?" Harriet giggled, extending a helping hand towards Ancestra.
"I… died?" Ancestra extended her right hand subconsciously to be pulled by Harriet.
"Yeah. You saw your vision get coated in bright red, right?" Harriet asked.
"H-How did you know?" Ancestra asked.
"What, you think the "Demon" in my second title is just flavor text?" Harriet raised her eyebrow with a smirk.