The dark side of things

The students were led through a door to an unknown direction by Lisha, all still shocked and excited by the previous speech.

Cecilia seemed to be the only one who felt uncomfortable, her shivering was only partially related to the freezing temperature between the stone walls.

The more they advanced into the depths of the castle, the more it became in line with what she had imagined just minutes ago.

Red carpets spread from wall to wall, faded works of art in precious metal frames every few meters, the torches that were fixed at first on the walls changed to crystal chandeliers as they progressed towards the center.

When they reached their destination, the hall had already surpassed Cecilia's thoughts. It seemed to be built around the idea of how to spend the most money for some unknown reason. Looking down, Cecilia thought her eyes were deceiving her when she noticed that the gun between the cobblestones was glinting very suspiciously like gold.

After a long wait in which no junior dared to make a move to ask, one student hesitantly approached the plush armchair in the corner.

"These are not for you to use." Maybe it was because of her previous speech, but Lisha's words seemed to have a huge impact on the students. The junior almost jumped back, apologizing repeatedly.

After her feet were already itchy and her head ached, a door decorated with precious gems, arranged in the form of ancient runes, so enormous that Cecilia was sure it was a beautifully arched wall was opened without the touch of a human hand, giving a full view of the professors and other students waiting at the end of the even grander hall that the door revealed.

What is the purpose of them waiting for each other? Cecilia wondered. 

Well, it turns out the other side waited less than she thought the moment one of the elderly teaching staff spoke:

"And now, for the last caravan of the juniors! Those with few abilities or means! Receive them with applause!"

Very faint applause was heard around the room.

Cecilia blushed with shame and anger as she walked down the hall, cheered on by one of the more enthusiastic clappers - Devin.

"From this caravan I guess we will not receive any kind of donations....?" The elder professor, who she was quite sure was mocking them on purpose, paused, waiting for a contradiction that didn't come.

With an expression of 'as expected' he completed his words, "Now, each of you new students will sign a blood oath in front of the saintess's ashes, promising to serve the supreme purpose of new knowledge and keeping our world sealed. You shall not hurt the lesser nor fawn over the luckier. All of you will stand on equal ground, great or small, from now until the end of your existence."

Despite the beautiful oath, the behavior of literally every wizard she came across indicated otherwise.

How hypocritical.

Despite her deep disdain, she knelt along with the other juniors, who, together with her, turned out to be the bottom tier of their grade.

The professor waved his hand over their heads, causing, in some mysterious way, a single drop of blood to drip from their hands without a cut.

"This entanglement between you and the saintess cannot be separated.

Your body, from now on, will always be lighter by one drop of blood."

He snapped his fingers, and the ash urn of the supposed saintess disappeared as it had appeared.

"As the vice principal of this institute, I am withholding the price of this dinner from you, you shall dine with your fellowmen care-free tonight."

Despite the words he said, he clearly pointed to a small corner table with no tablecloth,very different from the beautifully arranged tables in the center. It was definitely not possible for it to fit all of them.

Hypocrites, such hypocrites.

...

 Later.

Lucius sat leisurely on the long-untouched principal's table. The tip of his shoe raises the chin of the old vice principal who is kneeling under him.

"I'm glad to watch how excited you are to see me, Verman." He smirked at the obvious shiver that went through the vice principal's body.

"I will reexamine the development of things this year, up close." He wiped the dust on the table with his finger. 

"I shall prepare the old research institute for you..."

"As teacher." He blew the dust from his finger onto Verman's stunned face.

The vice principal stuttered in an attempt to change his mind. "the-the student are not.. not suitible to your guidance, sir."

"You were so much cuter when you were little." He patted Verman's cheek, in what might have come across as kind if he hadn't done so with his shoe.

"I don't care about the little moves you've made in the past," he said, bringing half comfort, using the carrot and stick method: "Just know that I will not tolerate disrespect for myself as long as I'm here."

"Yes sir, understood sir."

"Good," he got up, stepping over the vice principal's back on his way to the door.

"Good night, Verman; I hope I won't eat you alive and so on."

As he closed the door behind him, he whispered under his breath: 

"Now, let the real story begin."