I am glad about the break my head is still pounding from the big influx of information's. I just hope the world knowledge skill will be less tiring as I know more about this world. While I did notice many similar things it seems to be vastly different in others. Now that the break has started I should focus on the assigned mission to me. Partially to find out which role exactly I am to play in this Game.
Since I decided on playing the antisocial passive person I should observe the situation first I guess. My eyes wander around the room. With me included there are 30 people in my class. My world knowledge skill flags some of them as nobles giving me the names of those it recognises. Like the nephew of the Queen from the Astras family. From a neighbouring kingdom. Or there are the twins of the Lotus family. They are baronets and the Vassals of the reds. There are also the heirs of the Cerceus Family and the Night Family. And I notice the oldest daughter of the Amaryllis Family. Those three are Vassals of the Blacks
I remember from what I read in the news paper that all the victims where commoners. So far I've seen 15 of them in my class. Usually the quote is more like 5 nobles in a class of 25 commoners but that must be because the conflict with the Tristis ended about twenty years ago.
But back to why commoners are the target. The thought that someone doesn't want them here is one that one I know realistically from the experiances of my old world to be true. Although I am not sure how much of noble superiority is actually around here. Maybe it's more like having a boss in a company. Like he has all the work so he decides what is to be done.
It is also a possibility that the culprit wants to let it seem like that or simply wants to create chaos. Any other options for a motive will become known over time. Three victims mean a serial killer at least be the definitions most thriller shows have given back in my world. I will have to play the waiting game it seems. Good thing for me is that I know how to do that well.
***
When thinking about how such a first meeting in a new class could go about I have to think about my own experiences. Groups don't tend to react well to the new, worse even when that person turns out to be somewhere besides their norm. Fitting in was never something I did well in my other world. It simply wasn't something for me. The others always noticed that and later I was to stubborn, had lost any interest in fitting into their nice little boxes.
The first to react to an intrusion of their norm are those whose sense of self is the most fragile. They tend to try to push others around, trying to show they are the superior ones. Bullies. The Queen Bees. Or whatever else I could name them. They usually are a pain in the ass. From what I know due the information's the game has given me so far I am in a high social position, but I don't want to turn into one of them. I hope the world knowledge skill won't go on autopilot again. While useful in keeping the persona of the character I have processed it is also making me feel like a helpless prisoner in my own body.
My attention returns from my thoughts to the people around me. I pretended to add details to my lesson notes while I wait. I had hoped here in this world maybe the Queen Bees are smart enough to not stir the beehive. I sigh quietly under my breath as I notice three girls walk up to me. My newly acquired aunt seems like she would react and prevent them from speaking to me. I make a gesture to signal her that it is okay for them to approach me. I am curious after all what kind of show the bullies of this world have for me.
The three girls walked down the stairs to my seat. One of the girls is the obvious leader of their little group. It is all over her posture of self-righteousness and the other two girls tag behind her. Her hair is red but not the dark Bordeaux colour my aunt has more like chopper.
"So, you are the new one, a Black? I don't believe you are part of the main line. I've heard they all got themselves killed," her tone is patronizing, "I am Lanira Blair Sun and the prettiest in this class. Those are Mara Ovia Moon and Claudia Biff Ricardos," she stops for a moment taking a breath before leaning closer to my face. Then she speaks again: "And we have the say here. Don't interfere with us and we will have no problems. Oh, and if you do, I will make your time here hell." Her words hold promise. She will see to it, should I oppose her, she will try her best. Yet she has butt heads with the wrong person there I was never one to submit to bullies.
From what my skill supplies me, she is the oldest daughter of Earl Sun, Earl Sun is a Vassal of the Red Family, they are fighters. Supposedly he is actually a very warm-hearted and kind man that dotes on his children. Maybe a little bit too much when I see his oldest now.
I observe them for a short while. I stay silent, Lanira seems to take it as a sign of acceptance and tells me: "See you are already starting to do a good job." Her voice sounds like she is gushing over the cute new puppy in her collection.
***
Right then I want to interfere and tell her to leave me alone, but someone beats me to it. "Leave her alone," I hear a deep voice coming from my right side. The boy sitting in the seat next to me has spoken up against them. He is now glaring at the three.
Lanira isn't faced by him in the least: "And you think you have a right to interfere in noble affairs Crimson Boy?" She chuckles and scoffs at the boy that seems to be of common origins. Before he can answer for himself a dreamy voice from my left side answers her: "If you say it like that. He may not be able to but I am. Am I not? Or do you think a daughter of the Ducal House of Blue has no right to be part of noble affairs?"
This girl seems like a kind innocent one, yet her words and wit are as sharp as a knife. Again I want to step in prevent it from turning into some kind of powerplay between a ducal house and a lower noble. When I look to my left side, I see a small girl with blue hair and blue eyes glaring at the Sun daughter. It reminds me of a thing told in my old world. Be wary of angry small people; they only seem cute. Now I understand what they meant.
"No of course not, I wasn't trying to imply that Lady Keeva," she tries to mend the situation, but Keeva is not finished yet. "Oh, you did not?" she starts, "Then I must have heard it wrong. Not only did you tell Lady Black she had to listen to the daughter of an Earl, but also tried to dismiss her position as part of a Ducal Family. And if you had listened in History when we had the history of the Ducal Families, you would know that in the Black Line, it doesn't matter if they are part of the line that inherits the headship or not. They all are Blacks and have the same rights. The only exceptions are the Heir and the Head of House."
Her rant leaves me with a slight smile on my lips. I should remind myself to never anger this girl; she would kill me with no effort at all. Maybe even only with her words. Lovely. Yet there goes my preventing a powerplay as she has pretty much done that already. I sigh again under my breath.
"That wasn't my intention at all, Lady Keeva. I only had the intention to guide the new girl into the ways of this school," she tries to excuse her behaviour. I don't want the situation to be more of an argument than it already is, so I tell Lanira: "I think it's time for you to return to your seats as the break nears its end." She seems like she wants to argue but the Moon girl takes her arm to stop her. They walk back to their seats Claudia stumbling behind Lanira and Mara. That could have gone way worse I guess.
***
When they are away, I turn to my seatmates. "It seems like I own you my thanks. Although," and I lay my punctuation there, "I had it all handled," I tell them. I then sigh and decide to burry a potential bail: "I may have already introduced myself earlier, but I am Lukida Aneseris Black. I would prefer to be called Lukida or Miss Black if you insist on formalities. I am not here on any official functions."
"I am Keeva Galena Blue, Daughter of House Blue. It's nice to meet you. I am sure we will be great friends," Keeva tells me. At this moment I am very much reminded of Luna Lovegood or rather how she was portrayed by the fandom. A bubbly girl, with a dreamy look in her deep blue eyes. She seems soft-hearten and kind. Like a gentle soul that knows many wise things. Yet also full of wit equipped with a very sharp tongue.
The dark-haired Boy is the next to introduce himself: "My name is Nakoda Cole Crimson. I am only a commoner but if you will have me, I would gladly be your friend." He seems a bit shy because he isn't nobility. I smile a little to assure him. I have no intention of shutting him out just because of something like that. The background of a person has never mattered to me before. I hope this won't change in this game.
"I would be happy to befriend both of you," I responded to their introductions. Sadly our conversation is cut short because the next teacher steps into the room. Our next subject will be Algebra. Not my favourite but it's a needed subject.
The lesson is boring and the Miss Cervix isn't making it any better. A voice reminding me of Professor Binns. A style of teaching like Snape's portrayed from the view of Harry Potter. This lesson is a tedious torture. Numbers, calculations and graphics all told about in that monotone voice. Scribbling in my notebook I try to follow the contents of this lesson.
After a short while, I started to play City-Country-River with Keeva and Nakoda silently to make the lesson bearable. We are lucky she interprets our City-Country-River-Game as taking notes or we would be put before the door with buckets of water in our hands trying to keep the arms up. The first few rounds are my wins but the next three are won by Keeva and the last one is won by Nakoda. So, the lesson goes by until the break begins.