Visiting the Academy

[Next day]

Demon and Aster were ready to head out but Hisha wasn't ready yet and wondered what was taking her so long.

"Hisha, can we come in?"

There was no response so they just go in.

"Excuse us."

Demon and Aster saw Hisha had a very foul look on her face and the dress was ripped.

"Seems sister really hate's dresses."

"That's an understatement."

Hisha saw her hair and also didn't like it so she messed that up as well.

"Well we still have a little time left so let's fix her up."

"Aster go get a formal suit of yours, from when you were her age."

Demon walked up to her and saw the dress was short, so she shouldn't have trouble moving around in it. The maid Liz had taken in to consideration that she didn't like long dresses and Hisha could move comfortably in the dress.

"Hisha? Why did you rip your dress an made your hair messy?"

"Liz worked hard to make you look pretty and made sure the dress was short so you could move around comfortably."

'I'm not a lady, I'm not pretty and I don't want to be.'

Demon sighed. "Hisha, there will be times you have to wear dresses."

'Then I don't go to those events.'

Demon knew she was an expert in countering everybody with her words, and she almost always won the argument.

Aster came back with a formal suit. "Sister please don't rip this, this is my favorite suit from when I was young."

She looked at the suit, it was black with hints of blue.

'I won't rip it.'

Aster helped her in to the suit and Demon brushed her hair and tied it in to a ponytail.

"Now let's get going or else we will be late." 

[Academy]

The 3 of them arrived and Hisha didn't want to go in. Demon and Aster knew she still had trouble with big buildings so they patently waited for her.

The head of the academy greeted Demon and saw Hisha hesitation and anxiety.

"We are very honor that Lord Demon came to visit us."

"Headmaster Ciel, we thank you for making some time in you busy schedule so you could show my daughter Hisha around."

Hisha whispered to her Aster. 'Brother did you really study at this place that is full of pest and vermin?'

Aster looked at her baffled, but then again she had a keen senses so she could tell even from a distance.

"Hisha not all the kids in here are pests or vermin, there are a few butterfly's in this place too." He whispered back.

'Hmm… I doubt that.'

Demon and the headmaster walked up to the two.

"Hello Lady Hisha, Welcome to Fraglantia."

Hisha stretched out her hand and the headmaster shook it.

"Well since Lady Hisha is more of an outdoors Lady, why not start with the tour of our outdoor activities?"

'Alright.'

When they were done with the outdoor facilities it was time to go inside but she still hesitated.

"Well there is a big library inside. If you walk through this door you will be in the library."

She opened the door and saw a huge library, there weren't a lot of children at the moment so it wasn't a problem.

Hisha went to look for books and when she found one she was already in her own little world.

"I think this is about the only place next to swordsmanship classes that Hisha took a liking to."

"Forgive my rudeness, but is Lady Hisha aspiring to become a knight?"

"No, my daughter didn't express what she want to be or what to do."

"Well that's not entirely true father, she doesn't want to be a lady and doesn't want to marry."

"Considering that she was a very feral child when we found her 3 years ago, she grew this much in this short of a period of time."

"Are there other difficulties she had accept for buildings?"

"Her behavior would be a big issue, but also people in general, she still can't handle crowed places and just recently she started to get in to the mansion during the night."

"We gave our sister a special made greenhouse so she could get used to buildings. But I think we can't prepare her in time for having her stay in a dormitory. Pushing her and pressuring her result in various incidents, walking away, being warry of that person, and in some cases she will call for her familiar or let out her uncontrolled magic."

"How is she with children her age currently?"

"She gets along with only one cousin of hers, the rest of the family children she doesn't like. My sister has very keen senses so even before exchanging words she can already tell."

"I did taught her to call people who annoy her pest, and people that angers her vermin."

"Just when we arrived at the gate she already asked me if I really came here to study between the pests and vermin. And that was even before the tour started."

"Hmm, that is some very strong sense of surrounding, what in battle give her a high chance of survival and adjusting." A man spoke.

"Teacher Lugu, how have you been?"

"And here I thought young Lord Almenara was a prodigy, I guess your sister took that place from you."

"Only if she decides to come here."

"Excuse my rudeness for overhearing the conversation, but I heard your sister was a feral child when you found her."

Aster nodded.

"Do you think you could convince your sister to come to my class in half an hour, so I can assess and help her a bit with pointers so she could practice at home."

"I'll try."

Aster found his sister emerged in battle strategies and magic books.

"Hisha, there is a teacher of the swordsmanship class who wants to have a practice match with you."

'Is he strong?'

"He is, because he was my teacher when I studied here."

'Oke, I'll trample him in no time.'

She put the books back on the shelve and fallowed her brother.

"Hisha this is my instructor when I studied here."

"It's a pleasure to meet young Lady Almenara, I'm teacher Lugu Lamenta."

Hisha looked at the man bud didn't feel intimidated by his looks.

'It's a pleasure to meet you. So my brother told me you want to pick a fight with me?'

The man laughed. "It's just a little practice match, to see if there are thing you need to adjust in combat."

'Practice, picking a fight, isn't it all the same when you ask somebody for a sword match.' She shrugged her shoulders.

"Hisha…"

'I know there is something called common curdesy among knights, but that doesn't apply on the battle field or in a fight in general, the strong will always win, but that doesn't necessarily mean strength must come from the body.'

Lugu was impressed by her words.

"Well since the Lady doesn't need to change…"

'But I do need to change cloth, I promised my brother I would not rip this suit.'

"Oh…, well fallow me then, so I can give you some suitable cloths to wear."

Hisha fallowed the instructor without a problem.

Hisha and the instructor arrived and she saw a lot of young boys waiting.

'Are you going to make a display out of me?'

"No, they are my students and it is time for their class."

"Listen up, this is Lady Almenara, sister of Aster Almenara and daughter of Demon Almenara."

"She is here for a tour and since I need to assess her you better watch and wait till we are done."

Some children murmured negatively but she heard it all.

'Teacher Lugu, mind bringing, him, him, and him to me so I can beat the crap out of them as a worm up.'

Aster, Demon and the headmaster also came to see, but she was already creating trouble.

They both sighed.

"Well Lady Hisha is just displaying individualism, what is not bad at all. She is just true to herself what is a good thing."

She attacked all the boys and got them down without an effort.

Lugu was impressed.

'Well it's not much of a warm-up but it has to do.'

She took her stance and Lugu started his attack

Hisha who had observed her brother for 3 years had copied his moves to perfection.

Aster was surprised she had copied his moves and was flawless in them in just 3 years.

Lugu who observed her with every blow and strike also noticed this and was impressed.

He then managed to drop Hisha's sword but she casted a magic spell that looked weak but used it as a distraction and moved behind Lugu climb on him and held him in a choke-hold.

He dropped his sword and surrendered.

Hisha got down from him and stood in front of him.

"Lady Hisha did that on purpose, make me drop your sword."

'I did because if I didn't we would be here for a long time. Sometimes it's better to end a fight quick instead of extending it.'

"That's true."

"Teacher she used magic and that is forbidden."

'Hey!, did it ever cross your mind that a real battle doesn't fallow rules, your enemies will use under hands method to kill you.'

'There are no rules on a battle field, the only rule there is, is to take out you enemies fast by any means possible. You sheltered and privileged boys would die in a battle in mere minuts.'

'My magic flame wasn't powerful or anything.'

"She is right, her magic flame was merely a distraction for her to get the upper hand. And while I would love to see more, I can tell she is not only a prodigy with the sword, but she is also proficient in hand to hand combat, even if she would be in a forest wounded, she has the skills and the mind-set to survive."

"Lady Hisha? There are some improvements you should make in your posture, overall I'm afraid there is nothing to teach you, combat wise."

"But I would like to know how you normally train.

'15 laps of running, then another 10 laps of running after the soldiers who are training, stretches and then sword practice, every morning.'

'O and lately we do mocking battles in the forest because the soldiers are teaching me strategizing. While I don't battle in those mocking battles I make up the strategies for them.'

"So Lady Hisha is already training to be a commander."

She nodded proudly. 'And also instructor.'

All the boys were stupefied by what they heard.

"But teacher, she is only 9 years old, how is that possible."

"That's because of the people around her, they saw her potential, and probably thought to test her first to see if she understood what they wanted to teach her. Whether she failed or not wasn't an issue because they know she has years to grow and get better at it."

"Lady Hisha just work on your posture a little more and if you do decide to come to the academy, I will have you help me train the boys as an instructor."

He then whispered. "If you do, then you have out done your brother, not only as a prodigy of the sword, but you also become the youngest instructor of the academy."

"What do you say Headmaster Ciel?"

"Well I see no problem in that if Lady Hisha wants to."

Hisha giggle a little.

At the end of the day they went to the office of the headmaster and had a little talk.

"So Lady Hisha what is your impression so far?"

'I still stand by my thoughts, there are too many pests and vermin here.'

"Hisha mind your words." Demon spoke.

'Well swordsmanship classes were interesting but now that I'm already labelled too good to attend, then there is only the library left.'

'Even if I took up the offer of instructor there is still the issue because of meetings and what not, I have no experience and currently see those things a nuisances.'

'Plus I like to study on my own pace and not in a class, because even if something looks interesting if I lose interest in it then I'm stuck in boredom for the rest of the semester.'

'I don't want to stay at the dormitory.'

'And I'm more of an outdoor person then indoor, I currently have the freedom to do what I want when I want, but if I come here then I don't have that, I can't see my father and brother whenever I want.'

'I don't like to eat without them or sleep without them near me.'

She then looked at her father. 'I really tried my best today and endure this big building and the amount of people, but I'm still not comfortable coming here.'

'While it all looks nice and they have the material I need to expend my knowledge, for me it's not worth it to come here and not have you or brother near me.'

The headmaster had listened to her carefully.

"Lady Hisha, while you still have 3 years to prepare, if you still by that time find it difficult, why not enroll as a part-time student first, you have access to the library, you can go to lectures and you don't have to stay in a dormitory, at the end of the day you can go home."

'Is that possible?'

"Well you're not the first student who enrolls as a part-time student, we had a few more in the past. They graduated top of their class and are successful businessmen today. And even one of them is a great Lord to his people."

'Who is this great Lord?'

"Lady Hisha only has to look next to her."

'Father was a part-time student!?'

Demon nodded. "Well times and my circumstances are different from you Hisha, but I did graduate from this academy.

'I'll think about it.'

Aster and Hisha went out first and Aster carried her out of the building.

Demon and the Headmaster chatted for a little longer.

"Hisha, were did you learn that spell?"

'In a book in the library.'

"Well you said you were good at memorizing… how many time did you watch me practice before you started to train?"

'Uhm…6 times.'

'Brother can you help me with my posture?'

"Sure Hisha. And you are giving me a good excuse again to not sit in to those boring meetings."

'If you wanted out of those just say so, I can think of ways to help you with that.'

Aster smiled.

He raised her high up above his head.

"My little sister grew so much in past 3 years, you went from a feral and almost wordless girl to an very outspoken girl who now want's her father and brother near her all the time if she could."

'Is that a bad thing?'

Aster lowered her again. "I don't think it is a bad thing, it just shows that our familial bond has grown a lot and you trust me and father."

"Hisha, your still a child, and 3 years is a lot of time to adjust and learn more and overcome more."

"I think you will have overcome your phobia of crowded place and big buildings by that time."

'Brother your too confident in your sister. Even if I do get over that, I still stand by my thought's, I don't want to leave home, I don't want to be in a place where I'm surrounded by pest and vermin every minute of the day without having the possibility to escape if it's too much for me.'

"What if Blaze enrolled 2 years after you?"

'Then he will be alone, because I plan to graduate in 2 years after enrolling.'

"Well considering you can memorize thing very well I wouldn't be surprised if you did."

"My sister is not only smart, she is also beautiful, and you have father and mine personality, your brother is even more proud to have Hisha as his sister."

'Brother did you have a sister complex ever since I was born?'

"He has."

Hisha saw her father and jumped out of her brothers arms.

Demon pick her up an carried her. "While I was completely broken by the news of your mother's death and you being missing, your brother's world came down when you were missing and we both never stopped searching for you despite the family protesting."

Hisha hugged her father. 'I'm glad you two never gave up on me.'

'I have been meaning to ask you something father.'

"What is that?"

'Is it possible for a familiar to live of the mana of person who is not it's owner?'

"It is but if that person has its own familiar then it is very dangerous for that person."

'How so?'

"Because that person can lose its own familiar in the process if it too long."

"Hisha, it's about time you form an official contract with Cerberus."

"While Cerberus lives of your mana and is your familiar. The state we found you in was dangerous because he had manifested in your body. So I and your brother had to summon him by force and I had to make a temporary contract with him."

'Is that even possible?'

"It is for father, since he has a big mana pool and a great force."

'Then can we do that tomorrow?'

"Alright."

'Make sure those pest stay away from the mansion tomorrow, I don't want them near.'

Demon and Aster started to laugh.