The academy cafeteria had a sort of closed off section for high ranking mages. A bar of sorts with a calm, relaxing atmosphere and a lavishly furnished area. It was a cafe franchise owned by a family of nobles.
The menu offered here consisted of higher priced meals but the area wasn't constructed specifically for eating.
It was counted as a private study area for students. It was called the crypt(TM).
After combat classes Sheila recommended coming to the crypt(TM), for a quick snack and enjoy the calm.
Their classmates were quick to comment on their loss when the combat classes came to an end.
So now the group was sitting at an isolated corner with rather unhappy expressions. Except for Alicia who was busy scanning the menu list with a craving smile.
"Hey guys there's no need for us to look so down. At the very least we proved that we're strong!"(Deloris')
"No, we proved we're strong you proved you can annoy a girl to death."(Sheila)
Deloris wanted to say a sharp response but knew she was right. He had wanted to prove his efficiency in dark Mancer magic but all he had done was target a single enemy.
Hannah and Kyle on the other hand were indifferent to the loss. As for them what mattered was their techniques in developing their magic spells.
Hannah seemed to be more proficient than Kyle was and Alicia wasn't very good at all. Studies related to alchemy were better suited for her.
Kyle wanted to learn Shinobi arts more than Mancer magic since it better suited his interests.
After the group decided on their meal from the menu it took a short while before it was all delivered by two students wearing the cafe uniform. Hannah was a bit curious and asked the leaving students why they were in the uniform.
The taller of the two had a smug smile and his chest seemed to swell with pride.
"This is part of our business assignment, we're third years and whoever can make the most money from public service jobs wins evolved grimoires!"
With no farther explanation the students walked away.
"Business assignment..."
Hannah was still a bit confused but the enticing smell of freshly baked pastries returned her to what mattered.
Alicia was the first to strike up a proper conversation.
"So... does anybody know when we're supposed to have our first alchemy class."
"Should be starting in ten minutes if I'm guessing correct."
Hannah had memorized the timetable but wasn't sure of the time. Come to think of it how did the people of the world come up with the concept of time.
Did they have clocks? watches? or was it some part of their conscience. Hannah was sure that they were aware of the meaning of time but not how to calculate it. So she decided to ask.
"Hey do you guys have a watch right now?"
"Hmm? Oh yeah I have mine on me."
Deloris searched his jacket pockets and pulled out a rather small pocket watch that had a silver chain attached.
Now Hannah was sure they had a way to calculate time. Hannah then borrowed Deloris pocket watch and observed it closely.
{a maximum of 24 hours...odd}
"Umm... excuse me but it's time for students to be returning to classes."
A soft frightened voice was heard and the group looked up to see a very short timid girl wearing a white apron with golden floral embroidery. She looked to be younger than 10 years at the least.
"We apologise we were just leaving anyways."
The group got up and silently left the cafeteria to return to the classes building.
They weren't blind, they had seen a group of student waiters and waitresses lurking in the opposite corner glaring at them with dangerous eyes. Almost as if giving the message of, (dare you touch her and we'll drop your corpses in potassium cyanide.)
All in all the visit to the cafe was relaxing and the group were in good spirits now. When they entered the classroom they could only see a few students walking about gathering their stationery.
"Where's everybody else?"
"Oh? we were told to go to the alchemy lab and bring our notebooks along. They haven't left for long so you don't have to worry."
The remaining students gathered their stuff and left the classroom and the group followed after them quickly.
The alchemy lab wasn't far from the classes building but was quite large compared to the classes building. There were members of the disciplinary committee standing outside the building doors like guards. The building seemed to be only one storey high but was large in its own right.
As soon as the students entered the building they met a rather bored looking woman sitting behind a desk made of finely crafted birch wood.
"Please state your names and classes."
All the students present did as required and the woman gave a single student a red card with golden letters imprinted onto it.
"Your class is having a lesson in room 12 so just go down the corridor, turn right and it should be the first door to your left."
She gave a smile to top it off and returned to whatever she had been doing before.
All the students followed her instructions and were now standing before a large iron door. The student with the card put it into a slot beside the door and the door opened.
Inside were the rest of their classmates standing in a rather large room with all sorts of equipments.
There were weapon racks, cauldrons, herb jars, mannequins and more. When all of the students were in the room the iron door shut close and the lights in the room grew brighter.
A large bear in a lab coat and wearing leather bracers was standing in the very centre of the room.
Everybody was surprised as they could have sworn he wasn't there before.
The bear had shiny brown fur and a tall build. The lab coat was a perfect size as it concealed several of the tools hidden inside.
"Hello"
The bear had a heavy accent that was kind of shaky. His mouth barely opened but his voice was clear to discern.
"I'll be your alchemy teacher for your first two years in our academy. After that you will be in the hands of my senior colleagues. I would like for us to have a fun lesson today so how about we learn how to make golem constructs today!"
Hannah was now sure of it, he had a sort of shakiness in his speech but his accent barely covered it. He stood taller than any of the students in the room at over 190cm at least.
Alicia was excited to be learning something as interesting as golem constructs. Kyle was also interested.
That was how they spent their final lesson for the day. In the end nobody understood the concept of golem constructs.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★