The only thing able to be heard in the quiet wooden study was the shifting of a pen as it traced the paper with fluid accuracy, the sound of flipping the page breaking the consistent flow.
So...much work....
For once in his short stay at Einsvul, Viv almost felt swamped as he shuffled through book after book, reading, marking, and summarizing on another sheet of paper.
When he had finally come to, Elva had already come back from his training and dropped off various books and materials that the teachers had assigned that day.
Apparently Elva had also told them that he was sick too, prompting a bunch of get well letters from teachers that especially liked him, including Ms. Lilia.
Still, he'd rather deal with the get well letters then clarify that he had only missed class after sleeping in from having fun all night.
For some reason, while Viv was looking through his journal, he couldn't find any entries saying anything specific about Sid.
It was mostly vague strings and blurbs of words which were listed under the page titled "Black Hydra."
"..."
Rubbing his forehead, Viv felt confused as to why his notes were so messy when it came to other things that strayed from the main story.
However, he didn't need to ponder long as a flashback suddenly hit him.
It was when he had first gotten the journal, and after jolting down everything he could remember on the spot, he put it down and laid onto his bed to read a book.
That was, until he would abruptly get up and open his journal again, just to add another sentence of memory that came to mind, before shutting the book and laying back down onto his bed.
This cycle was continue on and on for the whole entire first night, before Viv would eventually fall asleep on his book, pen in hand and journal in the other, pillows and blankets scattered across the floor as the dim lamp would slowly faded to dark...
So he had only himself to blame for this.
Clearing his throat, he came back to reality as he scanned the vague bits of information on the page.
Considerable influence in black market.
Side character not many people paid attention to.
Holds a dark secret.
Likes interesting things.
"..." Is this really all he could remember about unimportant storylines of LaD?
It's strange though, you would think a classic red eyed white hair guy would be more liked in LaD...
Feeling his head start to hurt, Viv closed his journal after writing the word "Sid" under Black Hydra.
"Sid holds a dark secret..? But isn't it kind of expected from such a character..." Viv muttered to himself.
Usually the characters in otome games involved in sketchy things had some dark secret that wasn't so bad that they kept to themself. It could be having ancestry to an evil monster, being cursed, did something bad in the past, it could be anything.
It can't be that bad though...something like human trafficking should be out of question for an all ages game right...?
Pushing this to the back of his mind, he walked outside of his room, deciding to take a stroll around the campus, and possibly any hidden passages to find a way to the outside world.
Just as he stepped out the door however, he immediately ran into an obstacle.
"Ah, you're awake."
Elva was wide eyed as he his hand was still extended out, reaching for the door handle that Viv had just opened.
"Yes."
Viv replied back curtly, frowning as he tried to step past Elva, who blocked his path.
"...Do you, want to eat anything tonight?"
Awkwardly stepping back, Elva scratched the back of his head as Viv nonchalantly walked past.
"No."
Before Elva could reply, Viv had already gone down the stairs and disappeared from sight, his black beret being the last thing he saw.
"..." Elva sighed, looking uncomfortable as he headed inside the dorm room.
"Doesn't he remember that today's the anniversary of the death of our village...?"
The door slowly shut to a close.
—-
As Viv walked along the smoothly paved sidewalks at Einsvul, he absentmindedly looked at the walls as he circled around the entire large campus.
Just how hard could it be to find one easy way to sneak out...
"Oh Vivillian! Is that you?"
A familiar woman's voice whom he hadn't heard in a long time called him from afar.
As Viv turned around, auburn colored fluttering hair almost blinded him as the woman smiled almost dazzlingly.
"I knew I recognized that hat from anywhere!" Ms Emile, the Director of Magic had somehow managed to run into him on his random excursion. Talk about good luck.
"Hello, Ms Emile."
Viv lowered his head to bow.
"Oh no need for pleasantries, what brings you here to the tamed beast stables?" Ms Emile questioned, looking a bit confused as her gloved white hand touched her chin.
Looking at his peripheral, Viv realized that he had in fact made it over to where the Einsvul animal tamers kept their beasts.
"I was just taking a walk around campus, and found myself here." Returning his gaze back to Ms Emile, he restrained himself from looking too bored from the conversation.
"In your normal student attire is certainly interesting."
Ms Emile let out a chuckle as she observed his appearance. "Aren't you apart of the research department? You have no need to be doing physical activity like the rest."
"Some physical activity is better than none."
"I do suppose you're right. Being stuck in a workshop all day certainly isn't healthy." Ms Emile shrugged.
Suddenly, a worker from inside the stables called out.
"Director Emile! I didn't realize you were here, apologies for not greeting you." A stable boy ran out, panting as he bowed before Emile. "Sorry to trouble you, I just need you to verify some things here before you can go back."
"Oh yes, that's fine by me." Ms Emile nodded, as she turned to Viv. "Sorry, I have business to attend to, I'll talk to you another time."
Viv didn't respond as he nodded, and quickly made his escape to the other side of campus.
What Viv didn't notice however, was how he passed by a certain professor with gray hair, and a tired complexion.
Professor Strong was silent as he observed Viv, but slid past without saying a word.
Finally making it to the other side of the campus, Viv breathed a sigh of relief as he found himself in the center of a cozy garden maintained by the magic gardening club.
"Fantasy worlds like this truly have it all, don't they..."
Muttering to himself, Viv sat on a wooden bench placed in the center, near a luxurious water fountain.
The garden was amazing to the look at, fruits, vegetables, flowers, all different variety of plants surrounded him, maintained carefully with magic to grow and look pretty.
So far, he hasn't found any good way to successfully sneak out of Einsvul, and plus he had to be especially careful as to not attract too much attention.
Just imagine if I get caught one day and the Crown Prince and his lackeys get involved...
Thinking of it casually, Viv felt rather stumped.
Should he just ask the seniors at Einsvul for any ways to sneak out?
Before he could think any further, he noticed a boy sitting under the shade of a tree, reading a book with leisure.
As the wind whistled past him, Viv felt a hint of nostalgia go through him as he saw the dark colored violet hair that waved within the wind.
The true scholar of Einsvul.
The boy, who seemed to be an upperclassman by a year looked up when he felt someone looking at him, and met gazes with Viv.
What a nice pair of violet eyes.
The pair stared at each other silently, before they both respectively turned away and went back to their own thoughts.
Didn't expect him to meet him here...
Viv got up, dusting himself off as he went to take his leave.
Unlike him, the boy that he had just made eye contact with would revolutionize the magic technology scene, and invent several ground breaking ways of how to raise plants with magic.
He would be recruited and introduced into the storyline later into the game, but for now he was still an unknown little student with low self confidence.
But he didn't have to interact with him.
Viv walked out of the garden.
For now, at least.
...
"Ugh, dealing will all those animals is tiring..."
Ms Emile let out a sigh as she took a breath, walking towards the wooden bench in the beautiful school garden to take a seat.
The cold winter air was as chilly as ever, yet the plants in the magical garden were as healthy as ever without any external protection.
She liked relaxing at this area, with little people coming other than the student gardeners.
However, she felt something a little strange about the garden today.
"Hm...?"
Humming to herself, she leaned back on the bench and touched a flower, which seemed to tremble at her touch.
Turning to look around her, Emile began to feel uneasy.
"Why does it feel like they're looking at me...?" She muttered to herself quietly, as she scanned around her to see if it were her imagination.
However it didn't seem to be her mind playing tricks on her, as all around the garden, at an ever so slight bend, all the plants had tilted towards the park bench.
Strange.
She remarked in her head, but didn't dwell on it as she relaxed and sat back onto the bench. Spotting another student reading underneath a tree, she had the urge to go bother him.
For some reason, whenever she saw a mature demeanor, kid or adult, she couldn't resist the urge to have fun and tease them.
Hm..could this be why she pays more attention to that kid Vivillian?
"Director Emile." Suddenly, a voice called out from behind her.
One such mature person seems to have arrived.
"Oh hello Professor Strong! I was just thinking about you!"
Emile spun around with an immediate bright professional smile, hiding all her inner thoughts in an instant.
"...Thanks?"
Professor Strong raised an eyebrow, as he crossed his arms. "Are you done registering the new tamed animals at the stables?"
"Mhm, this year the students had troublesome beasts to register so the stable boy couldn't do it." Emile stood up from the bench, smoothing out the wrinkles on her coat.
After hearing that all was well, Professor Strong eyed the kid sitting under the tree with slight weariness, but then regarded him as not important enough to be a threat.
"...What's the current news with the rumors?"
"It still hasn't been confirmed." Was Emile's quick reply.
Professor Strong frowned. "There's been evidence of black market organizations beginning to buy components that could be used as explosives."
"We can't draw a final conclusion just from that..." Director Emile let out a sigh as she rubbed her temples. "Or lest we anger the public even more. If it turns out it were just rumors and after the accusations become public, someone then decides to take action, who will take responsibility?"
Professor Strong clicked his tongue, as a rare curse escaped his mouth.
"Those fucks."
Surprised, Emile's head whipped towards him as she blinked in matter of factly.
"I didn't expect to hear that coming from you."
"...Apologies, it is rare for me to slip up."
Professor Strong quickly looked ashamed as he lowered his head awkwardly.
"You..."
Before Emile could respond back, a pair of girls from the gardening department made their way into the garden.
"Ah! Hey Director Emile! And h-hey Professor Strong!" The girl stuttered as she smiled brightly, clutching onto her friend for support.
"Oh hello girls, do you need us to leave while you work?" Director Emile smiled as Professor Strong shrunk away.
"It's fine, today we aren't doing a big maintenance." The other girl replied.
"Mhm! So just keep relaxing Ms Emile!"
"A-And you too...P-Professor Strong...!"
Finally, the two girls couldn't hold it in anymore as they ran away laughing, leaving Emile dumbfounded.
"...What could be so funny?"
She muttered.
"..."
Professor Strong stayed silent. He would never tell Emile of all people of the embarrassing incidents that he had been going through for the past weeks.
Meanwhile, Emile secretly grinned within her mind as she observed the gears in Strong's head turning.
Of course I know why they are laughing...
The rumors that circled through the campus could only eventually end up in her ears.
Your fly was down while teaching, you tripped over a tamed mouse pet while entering class, you showed up to class with crazy bed head that made you look electrocuted...
Emile felt her eyes curl as she looked at Strong.
Despite acting so aloof all the time, you sure are clumsy...no wonder the students love you.
Professor Strong felt a shiver run up his spine, as he looked around uneasily.
Just as Emile opened her mouth to say something, a sharp cry broke through the peaceful silence of the garden.
Deja vu...?
"Director Emile! The animals at the stable have gone rogue!"
The stable boy from before panted as he ran frantically towards them, looking like he had gotten into a scuffle.
"Where did they go?" Professor Strong replied back with a solemn glint in his eyes, this year the beasts were especially hazardous, and the damage would be serious if they were to go rampant.
"I was in the middle of cleaning up the stables when someone pushed me into an aggressive beast!" The stables boy panted. "The large beast broke down the stable doors and all the animals went wild and followed behind...!"
Professor Strong turned to Emile.
"Emile, make an announcement for all students to stay indoors until further notice." He curtly left these words behind, as he disappeared from sight.
Director Emile grit her teeth at the unexpected disaster, and she used her magic item to connect to the school's speakers.
[Emergency! Students of Einsvul are to stay inside and absolutely do not go out no matter the purpose. If you are outside, seek shelter indoors immediately or into a secure location. Beasts from the stables have gone rogue and can potentially cause death, avoid all animals on campus. I repeat, this is an emergency! This is not a drill.]
The moment she finished her announcement, she began to blast it her voice in a loop as she used magic to increase her agility.
She left the garden just as fast as Professor Strong, the peaceful sound of the water fountain being broken by the blaring alarms.
Meanwhile, the boy under the tree let out a gasp as he overheard the whole ordeal, and awkwardly climbed up the tree to hide.
—-
Vivillian slowly strolled alongside the walls, examining each crevice, looking for weak spots.
"My legs hurt."
This was the conclusion he had reached after all that effort.
I should probably just return back to the dorms...
Viv thought, as he sighed.
Suddenly, an ear hurting alarm began to blast on the school's speakers.
"Agh..!?"
He let out a wince as he covered his ears, but the speakers still blasted loud enough for him to make sense of what was going on.
[...If you are outside, seek shelter indoors immediately or into a secure location...]
What the hell? Rampant beasts?
Without hesitation, Viv immediately began to book it to the closest building towards him, one of the spare classrooms used for clubs.
Cursing inwardly, Viv thought about what bad timing that announcement had been.
He had gotten extra close to the wall to examine it, walking in grass to do so, the spare classroom was still at least several tens of meters away, across the grassy sports field.
Also, since when did a rampant beast event happen in LaD...?!
Running towards the spare classroom, he failed to notice a dark beast that peered at him silently from afar.