Perhaps we just have a different mindset.
I'm not quite sure, but I couldn't really comprehend what Alexandra was saying.
In my original world, having ambitions or grand goals are considered ordinary. Actually, people would maliciously judge those who don't have dreams rather than those who have. Yet here, it seems that having a grand goal is something not good for Alexandra.
Additionally, I don't think everyone has bad intentions in this world. Take Kendra for example. Or perhaps Faye. Cliopatra is also not bad either. And so is Emilia.
They're not entirely perfect, but everyone has a flaw, right?
At these thoughts, I turn to Alexandra with a timid smile. "Professor, I don't think everyone is like that," I said, refuting her words despite feeling scared in my heart. "I mean, some might indeed have bad intentions deep inside them, but I believe they also have goodness in their hearts, don't you think so as well?"
Alexandra clicked her tongue, shaking her head at me helplessly. "A wise man once said to me that the best teacher for a fool is experience," she said suggestively.
I stood up from my seat, feeling horrified as I opened my mouth. "I…I don't think that's a good idea…"
"Sit down lass, we're not done with this discussion yet," Alexandra said in a calm tone and an evil grin.
I gulped as I sat back down obediently. "Professor, I don't think experience is the best teac…"
"Did you not ask just now when will the training start?" Alexandra said, interrupting me.
"I…yes? No, I mean I did say yes, but I…"
"Don't worry," Alexandra interrupted again.
"It's simple and easy," the red haired woman said comfortingly with her evil grin.
Which didn't make me feel any better. I only felt that the worst was about to come. At that, I grew more anxious hearing the same phrase Alexandra always says, when she is making me do things that are totally not simple or easy.
My brows pulled up together as I opened my mouth to protest, "but I don't think experience is the compatible teacher for me…"
Alexandra gave my shoulder a hard squeeze. It made me shut my mouth as I scrunch up my nose grimacing in pain.
"Lass, I didn't want to resort to this, but you force me, it seems that you need to be taught a lesson, so I guess we'll find out if fools do indeed learn from experience, right lass?" Alexandra said, squinting her eyes with her evil grin as she squeezed my shoulder hard.
I wince from the pressuring pain, gritting my teeth hard as I endured the tight grip on my shoulder.
"Professor, I don't agree with you," I said, staring at her as I tried to endure the pressure she was putting on my shoulder.
The grin on her face deepened. "I know you'll say that," Alexandra said as she tightened the grip on my shoulder even more.
My eyes widen as I groan in pain. "Why are you doing this?" I said in a grunted voice, looking at her beside me.
Alexandra let out a loud sigh, shaking her head helplessly, then she released her grip on my shoulder.
I took a deep sigh of relief, feeling the lightness of my shoulder again, stretching it around.
"Like I said lass, I feel responsible for accepting you as a student here in this academy. Moreover, you're my assistant now, you can't keep this attitude, it will not only bring you harm, but it will also bring harm to me, do you understand?"
My brows crossed together, staring at Alexandra in confusion.
"You must be wondering how your attitude is related to that, right?"
I look at Alexandra in surprise. "How…"
"Your face says it all, you dumb lass," Alexandra said, flicking her finger at my forehead.
"Oww," I yelp, rubbing the middle of my forehead as I frown.
"Lesson number one, do not show what you're thinking in your face, because you're making it easier for your enemies to read your thoughts," Alexandra said, raising her index finger.
Of course I know that. I play chess, but Alexandra is not my enemy. I don't need to put my guard up around her. Plus, I won't harm anyone anyway, so I'm sure I won't have any enemies.
Alexandra flicks my forehead again.
I grimace, rubbing my forehead. "Why do that?" I complain.
"Each time I notice what you're thinking through your face, my middle finger will come flicking you in your forehead," Alexandra explained. "So fix that face of yours."
My brows knitted together as I opened my mouth to complain, but Alexandra's fast reflex beat me to it as she flick her finger to my forehead again.
I hissed as I covered my forehead, scooting my chair away from Alexandra.
Alexandra grin evilly at me. She stood up from her seat as she slowly approached me, cracking the bones on her fingers.
I gulp as I hurriedly fix my face. I stop frowning as I let my heart relax, displaying nothing on my face.
Alexandra stopped walking as she nodded satisfied at me. "Good, it seems you know how to do it properly," she said as she sat in her seat again.
I wanted to complain, but I'm afraid it will show on my face again, so I buried the words of indignation in my heart instead.
"How's your chest?" Alexandra inquired, looking at me.
I looked inside my white gown and saw a vertical scar in the middle of my chest. "It's already healed," I answered, staring Alexandra again. "Why?"
"Good, then we can now start with your next lesson," Alexandra mumbled as she stood up.
The red haired woman then took some clothes inside her satchel bag, throwing them at me. "Go change into these clothes, I'll go wait outside," Alexandra said, leaving me alone in the room.
I sighed in resignation as I started changing clothes. I wore a maroon tunic shirt. It was a shirt with a long slightly tight sleeve made out of linen. Then I wore dark pants, then leather boots. The loose garments were tied securely with a leather belt and lace.
I look like a villager in a mediaeval era. Except these clothes were only worn by a man in my original world during the mediaeval era.
I wonder where Alexandra is taking me to make me wear these clothes in the academy.
'I hope it's not somewhere dangerous,' I thought as I went to open the door.
Alexandra stared at me, then she made me wait outside. Afterwards, Alexandrs came out wearing a brown tunic shirt, dark pants, and leather boots and belt. Her satchel bag is diagonally strapped to her torso.
"Carry your companion with you, we're going on a long trip," Alexandra said as her eyes and lips twisted to a crescent shape, displaying an evil grin.
My heart thump in my chest, feeling that unprecedented danger again. I gulped nervously as I tried to remain my face plastered with a neutral expression.
I went back inside and carried the sleeping red rabbit in my arms.
"Let's go," Alexandra said as she started walking.
After a while, I soon notice that Alexandra is leading me to Penelope's office.
"Professor, are we meeting the dean master?" I said.
"Yes, we need to ask for a leave of absence first," Alexandra replied. "And her consent for making you take a special course under my guidance."
I nodded understandably, but deep inside I prayed, hoping that Penelope wouldn't agree.
Shortly afterwards, we finally arrived in front of that familiar huge wooden door with intricate designs.
Alexandra knocked, then we waited, and slowly, I heard a loud dark noise in my ears.
My brows knitted as I became confused.
Alexandra hit me on my forehead, and I hurriedly fixed my expression again.
Suddenly, the door opens revealing Penelope. Her red eyes turn to look at my clothes then she raises her brow inquiringly.
Alexandra took the lead as she cleared her throat. "Dean master, I'm taking this student in training outside the academy. I'm her assigned inspector during the registration day, so I'm going to use the special education course system on this student under my guidance, and from now onwards, she is now under my supervision," she said.
Penelope pursed her lips then she opened her red blood lips and said, "are you two leaving now?"
Alexandra nodded at Penelope. "Yes, the sooner the better," she replied.
"I see, then come inside first," Penelope beckoned.
Alexandra nodded, then she turned to me. "Wait here," she said as she strode inside.
Penelope closed the door leaving me waiting and standing outside. After a while, the door creaked open again, and Alexandra beckoned for me. With a deep silent sigh, I entered the devil's den.
After that, Penelope made us both sign a waiver form. With my thumping anxious heart, I slowly sign the contract, writing my name on the waiver form. I left my finger print on it with my eyes half closed and my fingers crossed together.
After that, a huge black hole then slowly appeared. "It will lead you straight to a nearby alley on that place," Penelope said.
"Thank you Penny," Alexandra said, then her dark eyes turned to me, and said, "after you lass…"
I gulp nervously as I hug the sleeping rabbit in my arms for some mental comfort.
"Hurry up, it's not easy to hold a portal," Penelope complained as she narrowed her eyes, glaring her red eyes on me.
I took another deep silent sigh as I slowly entered the black hole, and as soon as I entered, I got transported to a dark alley. The rotten smell of garbage welcomes my nostril. I scrunched up my nose as I waited for Alexandra.
After a short while, the red haired woman appeared, walking out from the dark hole, and slowly, it disappeared out of thin air.
"Let's go," Alexandra said as she started walking.
I felt my heart pounding, feeling anxious as I followed after her.
My leather boots move step by step on a narrow street covered in dirt and mud. My eyes roam around, seeing houses framed in thin wood walls and thatch roofs. No windows or doors. Only holes covered in curtains blocking the view of the inside of these houses. Some even don't have any cover on those open holes on their houses as the cold inside displayed nothing but the sleeping bairns and children laid on the straws.
Boys or girls, old or young, they all have skinny figures looking malnourished. They wore dirty worn out tattered clothes. Their eyes look like a dead fish. Dim and no life.
The wind howled, passing in this cold alleyway. I swallowed, creasing my brows together.
"Professor, where are we?" I said, looking around cautiously.
My inner brows pulled up together looking at the poor life of these people.
I felt a hard flick on my forehead, and instantly, I plastered a neutral expression.
"This place is now often called the City of the Dregs, but its original name is Nilad City; it was named after a Nilad plant. A type of flower shrub adapted to harsh marshy conditions, and it typically grows near the river bank or any wetland areas," Alexandra explained.
As we walked more, we slowly came out of the dark alley as we reached the street market.
It's a public open-air market filled with stalls and many different kinds of people. People bantered at each other in the stalls. Vendors yelling at the top of their lungs advertising their goods.
The pungent smell mixed with fish, meat, vegetables and other products entered my nose. It was the familiar smell of markets. Even in this world, public street markets still smell bad. It didn't seem that different from the market in my original world. Except this place just sells different kinds of products.
"So are we still at the Maple Kingdom?" I said, staring ahead and looking around in awe with my mouth hanging open.
Alexandra flicked my forehead once more, and I hurriedly closed my mouth as I fixed the expression on my face.
"Yes and no, this was one of the conquered and colonised lands of the army of our kingdom, so technically speaking, you could say that we're still at the domain of the Maple Kingdom," Alexandra replied.
"Walk close to me, or you might end up getting lost, it would be hard to find a lost child amidst this huge crowd," Alexandra warned.
I nodded as I walked closer to Alexandra.
"Thief! Someone catch that thief!"
Somebody among the crowd suddenly yelled as the crowd turned into chaos. I hugged Pula's sleeping body securely near my chest as I followed after Alexandra, but I got pushed around, and before I knew it I was already separated from the red haired woman.
My brows pulled up together worriedly. I tried to walk more as my eyes searched everywhere, finding a woman with red long curly hair.
Slowly, my footsteps stopped, and my eyes widened, standing in the middle of the crowd as I mumbled, "I'm lost…"