Chapter 274: Troublesome Curiosity

Mid Afternoon - Mid Winter : Atlas, Bahamut

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- Krystallo Ragnarok (A few hours prior) ~

"Krystallo, how about you? Do you know what this rune is for?" The professor gave me a curious look as he motioned toward a glowing rune on the wall.

It was a rune far more complex than he was showing previously, but I hardly noticed that change. "It is a rune that would shoot a thin beam of water, professor!"

His smile quickly turned proud. "Hoho, that is correct, but you are missing another component." Momentarily turning back to the class, he moved to the side and made the rune significantly bigger. "If anyone can tell me what else it does, I will bring you the treat of your choice tomorrow."

The eyes of everyone in class immediately lit up as they all focused on the rune.

Several people quickly jumped up and raised their hands, hoping for the professor to choose them.

"Young Pílinos, what do you think?"

The young boy in front of me immediately answered. "Does it heat the water?"

"Hoho, that is a good guess, but not quite... How about you, Miss Fterá?"

She immediately jumped up out of her seat. "Is it lightning magic?" Her humanoid form's avian wings twitched with excitement.

"Yes! That is correct! Now, can you guess what that lightning magic is for?"

She immediately hesitated before finally blurting it out. "Is it using the water as a medium to extend its range?"

The professor's smile immediately widened. "This class truly exceeds my expectations! Be sure to tell me what you would like after class."

Several students looked disappointed after hearing that she was right, but most were still eagerly listening, knowing another opportunity would likely arise.

Finally turning back to everyone else, the professor shrunk the rune and picked up two fruit off his desk. "That is correct. Did everyone hear that? This rune is meant to give pure lightning spells better range and increased potency... Allow me to demonstrate!"

*thump* *tap* Carefully setting two fruit on the far end of his desk, he took a few steps away and stuck his hand out

"Now, if I use a simple Bolt spell with 50 units of mana, assuming I use half of it for control and half of it for strength, what will happen to the fruit?"

Several students immediately jumped up before the professor pointed to a boy in the middle. "With only 25 units for strength, if it doesn't deviate, it would only blacken the skin and maybe knock it off the desk."

I quickly nodded in agreement. -At that range, it would barely be able to kill a rodent...-

We all watched silently as a yellow glow appeared in the professor's hand, and thin arcs of lightning became visible. *crackle* *zap* *cracke-CRACK*

With a bright flash of light and a loud crack, the fruit on the desk turned black and was sent rolling over the edge. *thump* It was exactly as we expected.

"Now, what will happen if I use the rune I just showed you all on the other fruit, this time omitting the control mana? Remember, the rune's mana ratios are 7 part lighting, 2 part wind, and 1 part water."

This time he gave everyone a moment to think before pointing his palm at the other fruit. *glow* Most of us expected him to call on someone, but the next thing we knew, a thin glowing beam of water, hardly a millimeter in diameter, appeared and connected to the fruit like a string. *crackle-POP*

The fruit exploded instantaneously, sending steaming chunks of fruit flying out towards us faster than we could react to, but the professor thankfully caught it all. *vwooom*

Most of us were simply frozen, myself included. -W..why did it react so violently? Even the 50-unit bolt he used on a fruit in his hand didn't react like that...-

The sight sparked my curiosity and made countless theories start blowing through my mind.

The professor smiled, seeing me fall into thought. "It seems that wasn't the reaction you all expected." He seemed proud to stump us, but especially so for me. "Does anyone have any ideas?"

No one raised their hands this time.

Except for me, at least.

"Yes, Krystallo."

It was a bit of a shot in the dark. "Is it because the water being used as the medium superheated and exploded inside of the fruit?" -I remember Brother showing me what water can do when heated quickly in a confined space...- But no matter how I wanted to twist it, I was clueless about why it happened so suddenly, especially when the water wasn't even boiling on its way to the fruit.

"That is indeed part of it! Great job!"

His praise was something I would usually love, but this time it fell on deaf ears. I wanted to know why it happened.

But unfortunately, that desire was left to fester. "For homework today, I would like you all to write your own theories for what you believe happened. Don't feel bad if what you write sounds like nonsense or if you know it isn't right. Something is always better than nothing." He smiled, seeing the students' mix of eager and disappointed looks. "Haha, I will give a bag of stoneberries to those with good answers, so think hard! Tomorrow, we will discuss your theories and eventually go over what exactly happened. Until then, you are all dismissed!"

As everyone started getting up to leave, theories continued to rip through my mind, and my gaze slowly turned to the floor. -The water wouldn't gain enough heat to explode when hitting the fruit on its own, so it must have to do with the lightning magic... So, think... What did the lightning do to cause that...-

But I was eventually pulled out of that trance. *tap-tap* -Hm?- Quickly noticing the room was already mostly empty, I looked to the side and met eyes with Fterá. 

She was wearing her usual bright smile. "Hehe~, I told the professor to bring us some of that 'Velvet Cake' we saw in the bakery after classes the other day."

My train of thought immediately shifted as my mouth started to water. "Really?! He said he would bring that?" -That tiny little cake was almost 50 gold...-

"Yeah! He said he would buy it for us to share since we have improved so much recently!"

-I guess it makes sense that he would be wealthy, but isn't he spoiling us a bit too much?-

Classes started back up on the winter solstice, which was just a couple weeks ago, and our rune and magic theory professor was switched out to this man, so he was still new, despite having won over the hearts of his students already. 

Of course, I had no reason to complain. He was especially knowledgeable on everything he taught, and his teaching methods were extremely involved, especially when compared to our previous professor. -He really knows how to grab everyone's attention too...-

Finally getting up, I followed Fterá out of class and into the colossal hallway that could easily fit an ancient. It was time to head to our next class.

But I wasn't looking forward to it. "Do you think she will actually tell my parents if I skip class again?"

"Uh, yeah?" Fterá looked at me like I was crazy. "Has she ever not followed through with one of her threats?"

"Haah..." Our history professor was truly like a witch out of some story.

Having already learned a lot of history from Mother, ever since I joined her class, I had to constantly correct her on topics she was teaching.

And it wasn't just small details either. Even some of the significant events she tried to tell us about were plainly wrong. -And she would never admit anything... To an extent, I feel like she is lying on purpose...- But that was a bit too much of an assumption. "I just wish I could tell the headmaster..."

"Ah, right; where did you say he went?"

"Siratha. I don't know why he went there, but he left about a month ago." Finally turning into a different hallway, we eventually made it to the room. "Haah..." *click* The moment the door opened, I could feel her gaze. -Maybe I should tell Mother about her...-

Quickly making it to my seat, I chatted with Fterá for a bit, and the class eventually started.

But it was nothing short of excruciating. 

As usual, the professor said countless things that were wrong, and no matter how much I wanted to ignore it, some of the statements were simply outlandish.

She, of course, made it difficult for me to say anything regarding what she was 'teaching' and gave me her usual warnings about interrupting, but I no longer cared. -The moment the headmaster returns, I will just report her...-

But as I went to leave the class after being dismissed, she stopped me.

"Krystallo." Her annoyed look was much more visible than normal. "If you are going to continue to 'correct me', even after my warnings, you are welcome to not attend. However, you must pass this class to graduate, so think carefully. Our next test is in 7 days."

Seeing my expression as the professor turned back to the papers on her desk, Fterá was quick to drag me out of the room. 

"Are you crazy?!" She was always the one to try and mitigate things since she was one of the professor's favorites. "No matter who your parents are, they won't be able to save you if you get expelled! Why don't you just try and learn from her? She wouldn't be a professor here in Atlas if she was stupid."

"Haah..." I couldn't deny her. That fact was actually why I initially doubted what I remembered from Mother's lessons when first attending history class, as well as why I was always the only one to speak up about what she taught. -But I can't let her just get away with it... I'm not sure how she got this position, but she clearly isn't worthy of it.-

It was at that moment that I finally steeled my will to ask Mother if she could do something, even though I believed it went against our family rule about relying on the family name.

However, Mother's reaction wasn't exactly what I expected.

"Your professor told you WHAT?!" Her calm expression morphed with shock the instant I mentioned what the professor was trying to tell us a few days prior.

"S-she said that Bahamut left Hera Monachikós to die because he believed the way she ruled was-"

Bloodlust immediately appeared in Mother's gaze, making me nervous to say anything more, but she instead just looked at Father with a gaze of fire.

However, he looked just as upset. "It seems I need to have a talk with the Vice-Headmaster about who they have chosen to be a professor."

"I agree. I will contact Myles." Mother's expression softened, and intent to kill vanished the instant she turned back to me. "Sweetie, you said your friend's name was Fterá, right? Why don't you bring her here after your rune and magic theory class? While your Father and I look into this, I will give you two lessons."

I immediately nodded as my nervousness was replaced with excitement. "Okay!"

"For now, Osto, you know who to visit. I will send a letter to Mother, and Myles, as well as try to reach the headmaster."

Father quickly nodded in agreement. "Alright, I will be back soon."

He quickly left the room and headed to the door, but although we expected to hear him throw the door open and slam it behind himself, we heard nothing after he opened it. -Huh? What is he doing?-