Leila felt like she underestimated the capabilities of the children in this world. She had always known that children of this world are precocious—especially those who are born with the ability to wield mana. Her gifted classmates had shown her that much for the last two years she spent with them.
Leila was very impressed with the boy's resourcefulness. Many people rarely used what was available to them to actually get the results they want. Although it was quite a feat that the boy had done so easily, the former goddess reckons that someone might have instructed and told the boy this type of method. It's even a simple and effective one to be precise. Before the start of the actual tests, he had already eliminated almost half of his competition.
In the corner of her eyes, Leila observed the boy's next move. He was not doing anything else after the provocation he had done so earlier. The former goddess thinks that he might have understood her warnings and backed off. A smart move, Leila thought as she remarked how intelligent the boy was to recognize when to retreat and when to fight. She thought he would continue bothering them, but sensibly went to find something else to do.
Looking around, Leila saw the very taut postures and very disturbed minds of the children, most of them had fell into a psychological fright. If they won't snap out of it the earliest they can, their results will be affected a lot. At their current state, they will not be able to react in the most critical time. If there was a war and everyone in the room was a soldier, then the enemy will not have a hard time eliminating everyone.
The children are akin to puppets. One small unexpected thing and everything will collapse. Only that these kids are being controlled with some words that actually hold no power on them.
Maybe because children of this world mature fast that they are very capable at many things. But due to them maturing fast that they are easy to fall to pressure and coercion just to fit in. The world requires some sort of balance after all. If one was too blessed, it's not scientific that nothing bad will ever balance the scale. Too much brilliance, the darker the shadow was.
This could be the reason why Harold made precautions for Leila's upcoming elementary life. He made prep talks about life and how to cope if things get too hard. Teaching her earlier that life is not all bright and beautiful. That sometimes what actually makes you happy the most was not the shining glory but the simplest days to pass by.
"....Leila are you also nervous?" Khelly said as she played with her fingers. "Others were too scared before you arrived, none of them wanted to speak and were only looking around in caution. They hadn't reacted much on my arrival other than seeing me lik....."
"I'm not nervous." Leila said as she stared at the other pair blue eyes in front of her. "There is no reason to be one. Are you not confident that you can do well?"
Khelly bit her lips in anxiety. She's not confident to pass. She recognized almost all the children here and only a few were like her who had a little well to do family.
Most children here all had more training and resources than her from birth, so it's not surprising if they get excellent performances. And it's a fact, even if most of them had not shown contempt like Harvey did. She could see the differences every time they are dismissed out of the daycare.
Leila is on the same background as hers at least with how she is on the surface, but she's obviously not a normal child. She's bright and the teacher's favorite with how behaved and excellent she is. Their little big brother liked her lots and the two of them often talk about things most of them don't understand. Do things that were not easily comprehended by their peers. Her friend was clearly many times better than her.
Compared to her—little Khelly is really not capable enough to be the best of the best. Although she is smart, she's not the brightest color in the box, her mama had even said so. She's not a very good girl too, her papa could testify. Everyone is actually much more likable than the loud little blondie.
"I-I don't know. I am uncertain about many things and this is a nerve wracking moment for everyone. I-I am afraid I think." Khelly said with mist forming in the corner of her eyes. She didn't let them condense and form tears, she doesn't want to look too weak and hopeless in the test site. Her tears are not suitable to be shown in this type of area. She's a big girl now! Crying wouldn't look good, Ms. Gina told her before.
Leila saw her actions and didn't comment on it. Instead she encouraged the other to talk, to dissipate the other's nervousness the best way she knew. Comforting the little girl just by staying with her and keeping her company. Which the blond was thankful for, she needed no sympathy, just a company to talk to.
A few moments later a man with the weirdest outfit that Leila had ever seen had arrived in their room.
He had bright green hair which Leila knew was dyed, sickly gold eyes and an outrageous combination of green, yellow and brown colored clothes and accessories. He is quite tall, but little shorter than Leila's father by at least half a head. And what made Leila a little irk with his presence was his smile that is obviously fake in the eyes of the former goddess.
"Hello Children." He greeted flashing that artificial smile. At the sight, Leila knew he was bad news.
The kids replied their greetings in chorus. All curious to the newly arrived man, they intensely stared at him. Inside their hearts, they are questioning if this is their instructor for this group.
"Now that eight thirty had already passed, we should be starting the exam. But we can't have that without knowing each other right?" The man said as he stood into the pendulum which suddenly appeared in the middle of the room.
The pendulum was then elevated and the room seems to expand as the man took out a list out of nowhere. He might have some problems in his eyes as he took a pair of eyeglasses the same way he did with paper. Satisfied that he had all he needed, he began reading the words on the paper silently for a short while.
Somehow looking at him, Leila had an impression that he is alike to a Jester that managed to irk her off way before. Annoying and clearly not the best kind of people to hang around for the sake of your manners and morality. They might be good in public situations— witty and the crowd's favorite, they are basically the type of persons who anger and offend people intentionally or unintentionally without any remorse just for the sake of fun. More than anything, the former goddess distaste the dark humour most of these types of people often have.
If Leila guessed the personality of the man right, then that explained the fake smile on his face. He might have been sent over here to look after the children due to some blunder. And from the observation the former goddess had discerned, he seems to have a love and hate relationship with children. His body language tells as much as his eyes subconsciously train into their forms.
"To start off the introduction. I'll start with myself and follow Mr. Buttons. After that will be decided with a piece of paper that Mr. Buttons will be drawing later. And to Mr. Buttons and the ones after him before you start your introduction please raise your hand so that you can be seen." The man said as he snapped his fingers. A series of letters formed by mana that appeared in the air, it read as "A L J U R T H Y N E S''
"So my name is Aljur Thynes, a magic engineer from the Gendle's institution of Magic. I was also a professor there, teaching magic theories and applications. Now Mr. Button the stage is yours."
A boy with brown hair raised his hand in accordance with instructions. He was then elevated by some sort of spell that allowed him to float in the air. With how sudden his ascension was, the child momentarily panicked and flared all about. It took a few while before he was calm enough to introduce himself.
Seeing all that happening, Leila knew she and this Sir Thynes would not get along well. Pranks, tricks, revenge and all sorts of manners are acceptable to Leila. Only sadistic satisfactions from such acts angers the vindictive entity the former goddess was.
She understood that there are some things that she cannot judge and must not dip her hands in. But children and those who did not wrong you should stay out from it. They are innocent until they wrong you first. This was her doctrine when she was once worshiped by her followers.
From the mirth she saw glinting on those sickly golden eyes, the former goddess is thoroughly angry. She wanted to teach the man a lesson of not targeting the innocent. He is simply sadistic at this point!
But now is not the time to do such a thing, so Leila decided to make the man pay after the test is done. She cannot stand him for doing such a cruel game to still unguarded children. From the very moment of her existence, such acts are unforgivable to her and even now there is not much difference in her personal principles.
The introduction went on. The process to know who the next child to tell about themselves was increasing and growing a little dangerous, they need to reach out to a glob of spheres that appeared upon them when they are done talking. And without warning, after they had the sphere they were dropped to the ground without any warning or regard for their safety.
Leila almost springs into action when one of the children is not prepared well for his fall. Thankfully he had a friend that took care of him as he was descending. Afterwards it was all calm like this was normal.
This made Leila question if teachers outside of the daycare are actually as bad as this sorry-of-an-excuse-of-man. It turns out, this type of teacher is more common than she could ever imagine, especially if they teach magic. It was the environment that taught them to be like that even if they don't want to be harsh to their students. Harold will tell him more about his experiences and learn this fact.
Though Aljur is one of the few exceptions that does this just because he likes it. Not that anyone could sue him because of this. It was a teaching method that was actually encouraged by some schools. Hopefully it will be outlawed sometime in the future.
When it was Leila's turn to be called, she made sure to make enough preparations for unexpected situations. She trusts not a single drop of the thing called atom, that this man will not do anything that will harm her. So far the man is down right sadistic and lawless in her opinion.
Like the others she raised her hand and was lifted in the air. Bowing her head so that no one could see her mouth, she whispered into the mana in the wind to be gentle on her. She has to be careful not to be harmed for the sake of her mother, she needs no more stimulation with how high strung she is.
She took a deep breath and commanded her blue eyes to meet this pathetic man's own golden pair. With a clear and firm voice she uttered her introduction.
"Leila Dynes, five years old from Class 3-B." Leila said simply. Honestly she had nothing else to say about herself. She's not like the kids before her who had some sorts of background that she can boast about. Even if she did have some, it held no real value for her. So she won't be telling it for all to hear.
The man met the child's eyes and felt amused with the challenge he sees inside of them. He intentionally raised her a little higher than the measured height he set and dropped her. He wanted to see how that calmness changed into something else.
But to his disappointment, the child was expecting it and changed her posture to lessen the air resistance and landed safely.
He saw the child stand firmly; he wanted to raise her in the air once again. He deliberately didn't allow her to get a sphere to call the next child to introduce. But he thoroughly underestimated the defiant child.
Just as he was prepared to say that the child needs to go back in the air, the child showed a sphere and called out the next child. It gave him no reason to find trouble with her.
Leila immediately resumed her previous position next to Khelly. She then blends into the background and becomes low-key as she can. That stunt was way too eye-catching than she anticipated, so she's taking care not to stand out anymore than she already is.
Feeling the eyes of the man brush to her direction once in a while, she knew she'll be stared at for the whole period. Something tells her that the man will get back at her for the offense she committed against the man. So she's ignoring it the best she could.
But still it's an uncomfortable experience. Everytime the eyes fall upon her, it burns her scalp whenever she feels such pointed gaze over her. Keeping her cool, she did nothing about it as it won't do her much harm for now.
Instead she made special attention to her classmates to look after them. It distracted her well enough from the scorching eyes, thankfully nothing bad had happened in the rest of the activity.
Editing progress: 6/42
Edited: 1/3/21 13:37