Casual meeting

Here they sit, my companions, or should I say co-conspirators. They're discussing some absurd plans, their voices echoing in the dimly lit room. My eyes trace the lines of their faces, lingering on the small details that give away their personalities. To my right, Alik, the oldest among us, restless and brash, his fiery red hair mimicking his volatile nature. The veins on his hand protrude as he bangs his fist on the table, advocating an all-out attack on the academy. To my left, Nessa, a petite woman with striking green eyes. She looks so delicate, you would never guess the perverse pleasure she derives from torture.

Across from me, our source of information, Orion. His hair falls over his eyes, hiding them in shadow as he speaks. "We still haven't found the location of the artifact, it's practically impossible to do so unless we take action," he informs us, his voice low and strained, "the Principal, Lady Moira, has sealed it well. However, we now know that apart from her, two other people are in the know - the Vice Principal, Sir Malcolm, and Professor Thaddeus. The best possible option would be to extract information from them."

As soon as Orion concludes his briefing, Nessa jumps into action. "Why don't we poison Malcolm~ I want to touch him~ ooh~ the screams, how I wish to hear them~" Her suggestion of poisoning the vice principal and threatening him while he writhes in agony is predictable. She revels in the idea of causing pain, the mere thought bringing a sickening smile to her face.

My gaze drops to the cup of tea in front of me, its soothing aroma completely out of place in this atmosphere of tension and intrigue. I take a sip, letting the others squabble amongst themselves. Their chaotic deliberations serve as mere background noise, their voices fading into the distance as my mind ventures off into a more intriguing possibility.

V...

A rush of exhilaration courses through me at the mere thought of his name. The image of his soft, wide-eyed expression sends a shiver down my spine, setting my senses ablaze. Oh, the thrill of corrupting innocence. There's something incredibly enticing about the idea of him, of all people, joining our ranks. But not just joining us... Becoming one of us. ooh~ The second I saw him I knew I wanted him. He loved my dragon so much I had to let him keep it~ How I wish for him to be enlightened by our lord~ I want him~ I Will get him, Such a fragile man, such a helpless boy~ I will make him mine and we'll both be enlightened by our lord.

The noise of the others dies down suddenly and my thoughts are brought back to the present. I realize they're waiting for my input, for my decision. I suppress a sigh. Their pettiness wears on me, but it's necessary for the sake of our mission. "Why not simply confront the Principal?" Alik grumbles, his eyes gleaming with an eagerness for violence. "Together, we might be able to overpower her." I look at him, a soft smile playing on my lips as I slowly shake my head. "No, Alik. That's not how we'll proceed," I say, my voice remaining calm despite my annoyance. He immediately retorts, but I raise my hand to silence him.

"The way I see it, we have a better alternative," I start, my voice echoing in the silent room. "Professor Thaddeus... Yes, we'll use him, during the midterms he is in charge of security."

The room falls silent, everyone's eyes fixed on me. I lean back in my chair, a pleased smile on my face. I love this part. I love the suspense, the quiet before the storm. I revel in it, letting it build before I finally shatter the silence.

"We'll get him then, for now, let's focus on obtaining more information, there is a high chance someone might betray our cause, I will not let that happen."

As I sit there, the echo of my declaration lingering in the air, the room descends into an uneasy silence. Orion, for all his secretive, quiet demeanor, is the first to break it.

"Are you certain?" His dark eyes are filled with confusion and doubt. "Why would someone betray our lord? How could someone do that?" I can see it in his eyes - he can't fathom why anyone would go against our lord. Unfortunately, not everyone can see his true might.

"Why indeed," Alik echoes, his fist clenched tightly, a fiery look in his eyes. He too is struggling to understand, his loyalty blinding him to the harsh reality of our situation.

Nessa is silent, her green eyes seemingly lost in a distant thought. But I can see it in her, the understanding, the realization. She's always been the most pragmatic among us, aware of the darker sides of human nature.

Before anyone else can voice their opinion, I cut them off, my voice slicing through their confusions. "It doesn't matter who it is," I say firmly, "it doesn't change the fact that we will free our lord. The academy might already be aware that a group has infiltrated their grounds. All of you must stay vigilant and slow down the speed of our growth."

The suggestion sparks a wave of dissatisfaction. One of our more ambitious members, a young man by the name of Elias, is the first to protest. "We cannot halt our progress," he retorts, his voice filled with impatience.

My smile fades, replaced by a hardened expression. As I release my mana, the room plunges into darkness. Do these bastards not understand the importance of freeing the lord!? Who's going to take responsibility if we're found out because of their pathetic actions!?

The lights flicker out, the walls crack and tremble under the immense pressure. There's a sudden gasp, a cry of surprise, and then the thud of bodies hitting the ground. The lackeys have succumbed to the force, falling unconscious.

The tension in the room is palpable, a tangible force that sends shivers down the spine. Beads of sweat trickle down the faces of everyone in the room. They might be strong, but they are still slightly less powerful. I can feel their fear, their surprise at the sudden release of my mana.

"Lia, please..." Alik's voice cracks, echoing in the silence. "We've set up layers to block any activity leaving this room, but you might end up breaking them, revealing our position."

His plea hangs in the air, a desperate attempt to bring me back to my senses. I withdraw my mana, the room gradually returning to normal.

Standing, I look around the room, my gaze landing on each one of them. My expression softens into the familiar smile they're used to. "I hope you understand, Please make sure to clean this room," I say, my voice soft yet firm. The room remains silent as I make my way out, leaving them in a state of shock and awe. I know my point has been made. Our lord's freedom is paramount. It's a lesson they won't forget.

✶ ✶ ✶ ✶ ✶ ✶

Location: ???

〖They have infiltrated the Academy. So far, they have not been caught,〗 comes the cool voice, heavy with information.

[mmmh... we have given them all the resources to infiltrate it, this should be a given. The beast has corrupted their minds. What are the chances of them retrieving the artifact?] the other voice responds, nonchalant and uncaring, as if discussing the weather.

〖Although they were corrupted, their minds are still sane. The chances of them retrieving the artifact and freeing the beast are 78%. They chose to play the waiting game.〗

A chuckle fills the space, the sound echoing off unseen walls. [They chose the safest option? It seems their minds aren't fully corrupted. Well, it doesn't matter as long as they release that beast there shouldn't be a problem.]

Silence prevails for a moment, a heartbeat, before the conversation resumes. 〖They will enact their plan during the midterms. I have prepared seats to view the test. Apparently, there is quite a handful of capable people.〗

[Indeed,] the response comes after a thoughtful pause. [However, we still need to prepare for 'that' day.] The final words hang in the air, heavy with ominous undertones, before the room is once again swallowed by silence.

✶ ✶ ✶ ✶ ✶ ✶

Walking into the cooking classroom, I can't help but stretch my arms up high, working out the kinks from the previous lesson. The room is filled with an array of wonderful scents, my stomach grumbling at the tantalizing promise of good food. Looking around, I see a variety of commoner students - this is unsurprising, cooking being more practical for them than the noble students.

Glancing over my shoulder, I see Biana, my sleeping beauty, trailing behind me, yawning wide as she hugs her beloved pillow. I've never seen someone so attached to their pillow, it's almost as if she has a pet.

Sighing, I saunter back to her and land a solid smack on her back, pushing her forward with enough force to speed her up. "Come on Biana, stop being so lazy for once," I grumble, trying to urge her to move faster.

She just yawns again, giving me an expression that says 'I don't care' and continues at her snail pace. "I took this class because you promised I would be able to sleep," she mumbles, her words barely coherent. She's too sleepy for her own good.

I raise an eyebrow at her, "What bullshit are you saying! I said it would be easier with me, I never said you could sleep here! Ugh, dude, all you think about is sleep, how do you not get tired of that?"

Settling on a chair, she yawns again, her eyes already closing as she snuggles into her pillow. "My pillows have some sleeping runes on them, they enhance my sleep by over 500%," she reveals, a faint smile curving on her sleepy face.

I choke on my own words, "500...% isn't that way too much... How are you asleep already, wake up! What are you, a cat!?" I exclaim, smacking her forehead. But she's out like a light, a soft snore escaping her lips. It's like trying to wake the dead.

Shaking my head, I turn to face the classroom again. I can already see my fellow students setting up their stations, the sounds of pots and pans clinking together filling the room. The cooking instructor, a kind elderly woman, is going over the plans for the day's class.

"For the first ten classes," she announces in a cheerful tone, "I'll be giving you all free reign. Cook what you want, experiment with different ingredients. Use this time to discover and develop your culinary skills!"

The room fills with excited chatters as everyone starts planning their dishes. I'm no stranger to the kitchen, having spent countless hours cooking meals for myself. What don't tell me the instructor is as lazy as Biana? How can she say that when half the students don't know how to cook? What the fuck! Well, whatever it's not like it matters to me.

Turning to the still-sleeping Biana, I nudge her awake. "Oi, wake up. What do you want to eat?" I ask her, hoping the mention of food might stir her awake.

She mumbles something incoherent, snuggling deeper into her pillow. Rolling my eyes, I decide to take matters into my own hands. "Fine, I'll just make whatever I want. You'll have to eat it whether you like it or not," I warn her, poking her in the side.