Anasthasia had her fair share in a school setting, but even if she was a student at the time, she already knew how this job is incredibly taxing, more to these entitled brats at that. She could only roll her eyes as nostalgia surged over her body.
'This is absurd. What's he thinking? This wasn't part of the contract—!'
From her subtle reaction, Blake noticed and ruefully sighed. "I know what you're thinking. Please consider this as a favor that I ask of you."
"Why do I have to teach them, though?"
"I agree with her." Daniel concurred, glancing sideways only to see her sipping the tea in peace. Seeing her stature made him jeer at her, "I bet she's only one of those instructors who would want to teach due to connections—"
A soft clink from the teacup, but it interrupted his discourse. Soon as she stared daggers at them, they shuddered.
"Didn't I just beat your sass days ago?"
Daniel leaned back, crossing his arms as he scoffed. "Not until the latter one. You lost the moment you chose to harm yourself as well."
Anasthasia's eyes narrowed, watching his pearly white smug flashed afore her. She smiled amidst, pressing her luscious lips.
Her eyes shifted towards him, who sat upright and leered downward. "Did you tell them what happened back then, Blake?"
Flinching from her seat, he then cleared his throat. "No, but do I have to… everything?"
"That's good, let's just keep it that way."
Anasthasia giggled in silence. Even if she prattled on and on, those plethoras of reasons wouldn't come across them well. 'I will be sure to show them.'
"Mr. Millard, I have a question."
Anasthasia, this time, took a glimpse at the man who stood behind Daniel. Then she sipped back her tea. 'Such a tall man—He must be an athletic type. Fair enough, these three men, including Daniel, aren't near the scrawny figures either."
"Yes, Mr. Russell Silverbow. Please do ask a question."
Anasthasia looked closer; seeing his fringes curtained near to his plum eyes, he raked his crimson hair to the back of his head. This revealed, from the left side, a minute mole above his bushy brows.
With Blake's cue, he clenched his jaw that further defined his bone structure. He glanced at him and spoke without a stutter, "With due respect, Mr. Millard. I don't understand why someone like her would teach in this prestigious institution."
This time, it was Brenov, who shifted from his seat and snapped his fingers. The papers adrift to his palm and placed in the table for all of them to see. "As you can see, she won't like any other instructor. She's exclusive to Lucy Aureole."
When Lucy's name uttered the room, they all backed away with dread washed over their spines. After that, they frantically looked at each other with incredulity.
"Lucy?! You mean 'that' Lucy Aureole?!"
"Please don't shriek, Charlotte Evergreen." Brenov sent a dismissive hand in her way as he clicked his tongue.
"I-I'm sorry, Mr. Mariston." That said, she slumped back to her seat, fidgeting her fingertips.
"But will she be able to teach Lucy?" Chloe queried with her high-pitched voice, albeit hers didn't feel irritable to Anasthasia's ears
"Yes, Ms. Chloe Cliffborne. I can vouch for her abilities." Blake asserted her concerns.
While indulging in lemon tea, Anasthasia closed her eyes as they went on their discourse. Now, they're in their zone—asking questions here and there, yet answered came right away on their inquiries. They ruined her peaceful tea time.
"Mr. Mariston—!"
"I'd like to ask for a moment of silence, please."
Soon as Anasthasia trebled her voice, the awkward silence loomed over them. Eeriness pricked their skin; meanwhile, she remained calm and sipped the lemon tea once more. But disdain conquered her core.
'This tea ran cold…'
Anasthasia took a deep breath as she tapped her fingers on her lap. She glanced at Chloe—she shifted her body close to the couch's edges while she leaned forward. Palms anchored on her thighs. Her butterscotch weave formed into a ponytail that draped to the side, showing her youthful neck.
'Her voice seemed adequate for her figure. I failed to notice her earlier because of Daniel blocking her.'
Her cheeks turned puffy as she pouted, leaving her round lime eyes that glistened—so clear that tears welled up.
"But it's true. I'll do my best to teach Lucy with my utmost abilities."
Chloe jolted from her seat, peering at her with intensity. "Then, will she join our team once more?!"
Anasthasia, inwardly, had taken aback. 'Oh? Is there something I don't know—?'
Brenov clapped his hands, which garnered their attention. "Alright, we get the consensus. Let's get on with the orientation."
Russell raised his hand as he quipped, "An orientation? Wait, before that happens, I don't think we have agreed about such things."
"I don't think that's right to conclude things that way." Charlotte harrumphed, crossing her arms again. "The past teachers were nothing but clout chasers, all for His Highness, Daniel. Only talks but not their skills deemed unworthy."
"I agree. We are fine without any instructors."
"If not as your instructor. Then, Daniel, do you want to accept Miss Ana as someone who can guide you for 'The Great Hunt' event?"
"I don't mind, Brenov. I'm curious how many tricks up in her sleeves."
Anasthasia smirked, reciprocating Daniel's expression. "Now I like that. We can throw away all this farce."
Blake stood up and extended his arm with a pendant that contained a distorting crystal. When it glowed so brightly, they stood in unison. Anasthasia, however, sat in such a comfortable way.
"Miss Ana, you should stand." Russell reminded her of his grievous tone.
"Is there something important—?" But she halted as soon as she noticed how the place distorted weirdly. From the weird warps and distant colors in the area, she realized what happened. They all bent their feet as though they readied themselves on rough action.
'Oh, mass teleportation. I see how convenient it is now. They have reached thus far as well.'
When the warped finished, she saw how they relocated at the training ground in a blink of an eye. Which then she waved her hand.
Bending their knees readied themselves as they hit back to the ground, stabilizing their position. All of them remained upright. They all looked their way to Anasthasia with smugs. Brenov and Blake eyed with worry only to find out she wasn't there.
Fortunately, no spectators found this time around.
"Where are you all looking?"
Anasthasia remained afloat with her robe fluttered alongside her blonde weave. Her mind sensed the ambient mana in the area—so rich and whatnot that her confidence skyrocketed.
She was living in her fantasy.
Afterwards, she rested a hand on her hip, flashing them with her warm smile.
Arching up, all of them were in awe, more so with Blake, who had reverence in his eyes.
Anasthasia swooped down and gracefully landed with a single clack on her court shoe. "Shall we start—?"
Chloe, right now, dashed forward and clasped her arm. "Miss Ana! T—That was a flight spell, right?"
Utterly in shock, Anasthasia painted it all over her face. The sudden shift in her demeanor was something she didn't expect. Nevertheless, she answered her inquiries, "Yes, it is, through wind magic. I can also do the same for other types of primordial elements."
"Is that true? That's incredible—No! It's beyond fascinating, can I learn something like that?"
Her eyes sparkled like Blake's, which she found even weirder. "We'll see about that."
Blake interrupted them as he coughed lightly. "Going back, I'd like you all to reveal your weapons."
The students gawked at Blake from his enunciation.
"I beg your pardon, Mr. Millard. But did you mean weapons—"
"Yes, Mr. Silverbow. Not the training weapons, the real weapons."
Series of noises erupted among them. Anasthasia had no idea what they're up to, but she had a bad feeling about this, especially the words that muttered from Blake's mouth.
"You may also unleash your true potential—set aside the 'limiters' for now."
They all commented that Anasthasia couldn't be bothered and took her time to fix her cloak and hair.
"Miss Ana."
"Yes, Blake?"
"You may also use 'Seraphine' for this time around."
Anasthasia arched her brow, facing him. "Why would I?"
"Don't underestimate them, that's the only thing I can say." Blake shook his head.
"Well, I did see the 'limiter' effects that you mentioned."
"So—"
"So what, Blake? If you want, they can all come for me at the same time." Anasthasia hugged her arm while her eyebrows knitted.
"You'll surely regret this." Daniel's hands clenched into fists, which he roared at them, "Everyone, release the limiters and show her your weapons. Let's see how she'll react when she sees it again!"
Soon as they revealed, her face drained from horror-struck. Chill foreboded in her heart.
'No! This time, it's different! Even Daniel's—More powerful than before!'