Chapter 14: Meet Class 1-C

I, Kayla, was the last student to enter the classroom of class 1-C. I saw that Eliza was already inside, seated next to a guy who also has white hair and blue eyes just like us.

I could hear my classmates talk about Eliza…

"Isn't that the IJzerhart Daughter?"

"OMG yes she is! She's so beautiful up close!"

"She's so pretty, oh my God!"

"She looks just like Princess Maeve!"

"These two must be related!"

Eliza wasn't focused on what they said. She was talking to the guy sitting next to her.

"That's Gula of Gluttony, isn't that right?" He asked Eliza.

"Yes," she answered. "But don't use our Codenames in the open."

"Don't worry about it. No one hears us in this noise. And even if they do, they wouldn't understand what we're talking about."

"You're so lax," she sighed. Eliza waved her hand to me. But I ignored her and sat down somewhere close to the door.

"What's up with her?" Hidde asked.

"Lilith destroyed her spirit," Eliza answered. "She is completely under her control. So she's the one you need to save, not me."

"I assume you mean Alisha Badila by "Lilith", don't you?"

"Yes."

"I've heard from Head Scientist Nathan that she already took out Gula, and attempted to take out Mandane, Haniya and you. Did it work?"

"Alisha only managed to terrify me here and there. But she hasn't been able to destroy my spirit yet," she answered. "Apparently, she did believe she successfully took out Mandane and Haniya. But they turned the tables on her."

"How so?"

"Alisha tried using Sansula Badila, Benesha's younger brother, as a means to destroy both sisters of mine. Sansula used to be close and intimate with Mandane, before Alisha managed to break their relationship. She also caused Haniya to engage in illicit relations with him, something her family would vehemently disapprove of."

"But Alisha's scheming didn't work?"

"Mandane just doesn't care about losing Sansula. She moved on from the heartbreak. And Haniya exposed herself to her family. She let them know about her music career and what she did with Sansula. So Alisha has no leverage against her anymore."

"Woah, Haniya deserves my respect. What she did is truly courageous…"

"I know right?!" Eliza agreed. "Why did Head Scientist Nathan tell you about Alisha, though?"

"Well, because…"

The teacher walked in. "Silence, everyone!" Looks like we have a female homeroom teacher. "My name is Viola Zomerland, your homeroom teacher. Welcome to Utrecht Metropolitan Self-Development School. I'd like all of you to start introducing yourselves to the class. Who wants to go first?"

"I must say, you're one attractive woman," one of the guys said.

"Fine, you go first."

"Sure thing, teach," he winked at her. He went on to introduce himself, and so did the rest of the class after him…

Name: Willem van den Berg (17 years old, Dutch)

Likes: Playing football (soccer), electronic music, hanging out with friends, learning about history.

Dislikes: Arrogant people, homework taking too long, rainy weather.

Name: Omar Abargil (18 years old, Moroccan descent)

Likes: Basketball, volunteering at the local youth center, helping others, spending time with family, debating current events.

Dislikes: Laziness, discrimination, loud noises in class.

Name: Jaden Jansen (17 years old, Surinamese descent)

Likes: Breakdancing, cooking traditional Surinamese food, reading fantasy novels, watching documentaries about nature.

Dislikes: When people are late, not being taken seriously, unfairness.

Name: Ahmet Demir (18 years old, Turkish descent)

Likes: Playing chess, learning new languages (currently learning Dutch), coding, watching classic Turkish movies.

Dislikes: Being cold, people who don't listen, technical difficulties.

Name: Kojo Ansah (17 years old, Ghanaian descent)

Likes: Playing the drums, drawing, learning about different cultures, trying new foods.

Dislikes: Boredom, bullies, closed-mindedness.

Name: Koen de Haag (18 years old, Dutch)

Likes: Playing the guitar, writing poetry, going camping, spending time in nature.

Dislikes: Dishonesty, loud noises during class presentations, pollution.

Name: Lucas de Jong (17 years old, Dutch)

Likes: Playing video games, skateboarding, watching science fiction movies, reading comics.

Dislikes: When the internet is slow, being interrupted, not getting enough sleep.

Name: Noah Alonso (18 years old, Colombian descent)

Likes: Playing soccer, dancing salsa, learning about rainforests, helping his family with their restaurant business.

Dislikes: Rudeness, not having enough time to do everything he wants, bad coffee.

Name: Xian Li (17 years old, Chinese descent)

Likes: Playing table tennis, playing the violin, learning about Dutch history, trying new foods.

Dislikes: When people stereotype others, being underestimated, wasting time.

Name: Hidde de Ridder (18 years old, Dutch)

Likes: Fencing, watching historical documentaries about kingdoms and empires.

Dislikes: Cruelty to animals, littering, people who are always negative.

"You do come off as some sort of a knight," the teacher said. "But there's more to it. You're a royal knight; a kingly knight!"

I think that Hidde is a homunculus. There's no other way to explain his white hair and blue eyes. He also looks like he could be a brother to either Eliza or Maeve, or to both of them.

14.1

The girls also introduced themselves…

Name: Freya de Vries (17 years old, Dutch)

Likes: Playing the flute, reading fantasy novels, learning about different historical periods, spending time with her friends.

Dislikes: When people are bossy, not having enough time to read, loud noises in the library.

Name: Aisha Osman (18 years old, Somali descent)

Likes: Writing poetry, reading classic literature, advocating for social justice, spending time with her family.

Dislikes: Ignorance, intolerance, littering.

Name: Ebru Aktaş (18 years old, Turkish descent)

Likes: Playing volleyball, painting, reading historical fiction, traveling.

Dislikes: Math class, being bored, unfair treatment.

Name: Sakura Nakamura (17 years old, Japanese descent)

Likes: Practicing judo, playing the piano, learning about different art forms, watching anime.

Dislikes: Being rushed, not understanding something, not having enough time to practice.

Name: Chloe Laurent (18 years old, French descent)

Likes: Acting, volunteering at a local theater, learning different languages (currently learning Dutch), reading French novels.

Dislikes: Disorganization, people who are always negative, not being prepared.

Name: Amalia Hernandez (17 years old, Mexican descent)

Likes: Singing in the school choir, drawing fashion designs, learning about different cultures, helping to organize school events.

Dislikes: When people give up easily, being treated differently because of her background, not having enough fabric for her sewing projects.

Name: Sophie Dondersteen (17 years old, Dutch)

Likes: Playing the flute, reading science fiction and fantasy novels, volunteering at the animal shelter, going hiking.

Dislikes: When teachers drone on in lectures, not having enough time to read, being cold.

Name: Demelza Pietersen (18 years old, South African descent)

Likes: Playing rugby, volunteering with children, learning about marine biology, spending time at the beach.

Dislikes: Injustice, people who are unkind to animals, pollution in the oceans.

And of course, Eliza and I also introduced ourselves. "Why is there a 50/50 ratio of the genders?" Eliza asked.

"Because we might pair you up in duos," the teacher answered.

"But two males or two females can also pair up though," Hidde said.

"Society functions and even exists because we have both men and women collaborating. We want to create a similar environment in this school, so that you will all become exemplary men and women at the time of graduation."

"Does this school adhere to a specific religion?" Freya asked.

"We are Abrahamic."

"Are we also going to read from the Bible?" Koen asked excitedly.

"Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy… Where do you think this school fits best?"

"I'd say Genesis," he answered.

"Why?" She asked.

"Because this school is brand-new and all. So this is the beginning."

"I'd say that we've already passed the beginning…"

"What?"

"Everything that transpired in your lives up to your application to this school, including taking the entrance exam, is part of "Genesis". Since each of these influences your individual rank and class rank within this school. Being in Class 1-C means that all of you are average at best. You aren't that good that you'd be placed in classes 1-B or 1-A, neither are you that defective that you'd be placed in classes 1-D or 1-E."

"We are average in regards to what?" Freya asked.

"In everything, or in some departments. Think of academic skill, personality traits, athletic abilities…"

"So is this school going to help us improve ourselves in these departments?"

"That all depends on you. Only those who graduate from class S; the Classroom of Eden, are the successful ones, who will be able to become anything they want, and to receive and accomplish whatever they want."

"Class S? Not class A?" Eliza asked, confused.

"Class A also has its perks. Being that they are one shot away from class S."

"How does one get in class S?" She asked.

"Only 1 male and 1 female will be able to enter class S. It is reserved for the students who do something phenomenal. Two students are already in the class, but there are ways to overthrow them and take their place."

"Such as?"

"For example, if the class president of class 1-E single handedly manages to raise her class to the rank of class A, she would be rewarded with class S status for accomplishing something that is nearly impossible."

"But how would we be able to be rewarded with class S?" Freya asked.

"I don't know. Just do something that would positively impress the school. It can be anything."

"Who are the two students in class S?" Eliza asked.

"They could be anyone in one of the 5 classes…"

14.2

The teacher asked us to hand over our smartphones. She gave us devices from the school itself afterwards. "The device you all are holding are special smartphones made for this school's students only. You are unable to reach out to the outer world, or to connect to the outer world with these devices. For the 4 years you'll spend in this school, you'll be isolated from the outer world. Holidays excluded, of course."

None of us liked this development. But apparently, it was mentioned in the application forum of the school…

We had to vote for a class president afterwards. We did this by writing the name of the student we want to elect on a piece of paper.

We just met each other and forgot a bunch of names. So this was a difficult task… Anyway, I voted for Eliza. Because Alisha ordered me to vote for her.

Turns out that most students did the same. Eliza is popular because she's the IJzerhart Daughter, and Maeve's lookalike. It makes sense that she would win the elections.

"You'll also need to elect a vice president, Eliza. And it has to be a man," the teacher said. "But you don't have to do that this instant. You have until Friday."

"Alright," she replied.

"You're now free to explore the school…" The teacher said.

I wanted to leave the classroom and head to Alisha to report to her what had happened in my class. But Eliza stopped me; "Why don't you tag along with me and Hidde?"

"What for?" I asked.

"To explore the school grounds."

The three of us walked through the shopping mall. We came across several shops, eateries, restaurants, an arcade, cinema, supermarkets, you name it… This school truly has it all.

The three of us walked past Alisha talking to a very beautiful girl; she has tawny skin, wavy dark-brown hair and amber eyes.

Alisha doesn't seem all too happy. And there is something off about her… She has red eyes and fangs. Is she cosplaying as a vampire or something?

It looks like Eliza and Hidde didn't notice the two in the crowd… "Are we done?" I asked. The three of us received a notification on our phones. Princess Maeve invited us to Mandane's room for an emergency meeting.

"Emergency meeting?" Eliza felt shocked. "Did Lilith do something again?"

"This is a bit different than usual…" I said. "She also invited others besides us. She invited Hidde for example. So she must have invited Maurits and Zephyrine as well."

"What is going on…"

"I guess we'll find out as soon as we get there," Hidde said.

The three of us headed to Mandane's dormitory room and knocked on the door when we arrived. Maurits opened the door for us.

"So what's going on? Why is almost everyone here?" Eliza asked.

"Not everyone is here yet. So wait until Haniya and Tifsa arrive."

"Who is Tifsa?" Eliza asked.

"Another homunculus, of course," Benesha sighed.

"How many more homunculi are there, Hidde?!"

"I honestly don't know! But in this school, there should only be a total of 13; Princess Maeve, you, Kayla, Benesha, Mandane, Zephyrine, Eleonore, Minah, Maurits, Haniya, Tifsa, Alisha and me."

We heard a knock on the door, so we opened it. It was Haniya and Tifsa; they finally arrived…