First Day of School
The sun's rays dappled lightly through the curtains of my room, reaching my eyelids as I begrudgingly woke from sleep. I heard my mother shout out my name from downstairs as birds chirped just outside of my home. Sluggishly opening my eyes I soon met the world before me, the wooden ceiling of my room coloured stark white with some drawings that my younger brothers had made.
Slowly I moved out from underneath my blankets. This pace continued to the point that I was close to putting my clothes on for the day. On the back of my desk chair I saw a rather rich looking shirt and shorts. Looking down at my pyjamas I saw several holes, stains of food and drinks crusting the majority of the night time clothing. Scratching my head I thought for a few moments until I remembered...
"Oh, crap... It's my first day of school!"
My bedroom door suddenly opened as my mother with her black horns and bright red hair stormed through, a ladle in her hand. The ladle was no doubt going to be used to beat me out of bed or speed me up if I was out already, which I was. Flinching backwards I grabbed my school clothes and brought them close to my chest.
"Silus! Get those clothes on now, or I swear you'll be limping to school instead of walking!"
"Y-yes mum!"
I stripped down to my birthday-suit and swiftly put my school clothes on, my mother watching all of this with a raised eyebrow and tapping the ladle on her opposite bare hand. I had reached a record today... My fastest, ever, time for putting clothes on...
"Get down stairs now and eat... GO!"
She stepped back for me to move past her, her red eyes tracking my every movement. I didn't argue or complain, this had happened way too many times and the times in which I chose to, well, I got my ass handed to me. Running down the hallway that lead to me and my brother's rooms I saw my five year old brother laughing his little butt off whilst I skidded around the corner and straight down the stairs. By the time my mother had caught up I was almost finished eating my food. Being honest, the way she treated me made me happy to go to school, if only to escape her ladle-laden beatings.
"Slow your eating down. You are going to give yourself gut cramps... Seriously, do I have to do everything for you?"
"... N-no mum..."
She sat down at the kitchen table before sending me delicate smile.
"Finish that up and have a good day at school, okay?"
"Yes mum!"
...
I walked through the streets of Tempestus, the labourers and builders walking around with their buddies. Apparently today was a day for them to all have a break. I didn't know what the idea behind the 'weekends' were but apparently the decision came from Rimuru and Silviana-sama themselves. I often found myself thinking about meeting them, talking to them, becoming friends with them... It was a fantasy mostly, a daydream to keep my mind active as I dealt with my brain-dead brothers. Getting pushed backwards as I walked into a construction worker orc I quickly exited my own thoughts.
"Sorry!"
"HAHAHA, no worries lad! Have a good day at school!"
"Ah-yeah thanks."
The man faded back into the large crowd of people that navigated the perfectly clean streets. A buzz of energy was sundering through the city as revelry and parties were prevalent. Taverns and Bars along the way to where I was supposed to go were full beyond comprehension, many buff-looking men and women guarding the entrances to stop any conflicts. Winding through the streets I got lost a couple of time, having to resort to asking questions to strangers to get back on track. Gradually however, I made it to the centre square of Tempestus. It was grand and massive. Stones that I couldn't even name and carvings that were even more articulate and rich-looking filled my vision. There was a large circular platform that stood uplifted from the cobbles of the rest of the square, shining lights consuming the space between doorways made of that stone I couldn't name.
Like me there were hundreds of teenagers, from orcs, ogres and goblins to Lamias, Demi-humans and humans. I scrunched my hands in nervousness as I gazed at all of these people that I would be attending school with. Some were larger than I was, standing at seven foot tall, whilst others were half my size; 3 foot tall. Many of the kids were staring at the sight before them in equal bafflement. Not many people came to the central square due to the lack of a need to do so. My dad had only gone there once to ask for some help in getting employed, a man named Rigurd helping him out with that... Sweat was slowly gathering within my palms as I looked around me in quick succession. I knew no one here and I had no friends whatsoever, my life having been rather isolated since I was learning how to become a smithy from my dad. Unfortunately he threw me at this new school where he said I could make something more impressive of myself.
"Whoa... Those are some statues of Silviana and Rimuru-sama!"
A cute purple haired girl off to the side shouted out in excitement. She was one of the only elves here in the square, her figure drawing not only my attention but those of the other kids around. She didn't even flinch at the attention and just smiled, waving her hand at us all. Many of us felt embarrassed by looking over, turning away quickly. More students with what I would consider fancy looking clothes stepped into the large open area, smiles and nervous glancing showing in equal part.
People gazing like this was my own way of dealing with the pit of butterflies that burrowed its way into my own body. That was when there was a flash of powder or some sort of material, like those that my father used when forging swords. The material vanished as taking its place was a woman with silver hair and skin like that of the moon at night. Her eyes were strangely golden and glowed as she stood there. Her clothes were weird as they suited her perfectly but had some sort of magical glitter that hung around her form. This was when some gasps radiated outwards and I noticed the two fox-like ears on her head, her elven ears also twitching along with them.
'What species is she...? That's crazy...'
She was completely silent as she looked over all of us, her eyes eerily slinking from one person to the next. I didn't know if it was intentional but she was acting really creepily. Then, beside that woman was another flash, except this time, it was bright blue and faded much quicker.
A man dressed in dark blues and light blues appeared, his hair also bright blue. His eyes were golden however as he also looked over us, his head turning towards the woman beside him before returning to where it was before. If these were our teachers I think I'd struggle to learn anything this year...Especially since the lady was so... So....
"Hello everyone. If I could have everyone attending the university stand before us so we can better communicate?"
My thoughts interrupted I rashly stepped forwards and got into the front line of students that would face these people. Only after a few moments did I realise how stupid I had been. I could have just sat in the middle of the group and not have had to meet their gazes head on. Luckily enough though, I got to stand next to the elven girl from before, her purple hair slightly tussling in the wind as she gazed at the elven-fox-weird woman with unadulterated glee.
'What is wrong with this elf? Did she hit her head and suddenly finds everything so exciting?'
"Good, good. Thank you. Now, let me explain where you will be going."
There was shuffling from the students in the crowd behind me, a luxury I wished to have at this exact moment. Everyone was listening to her but some people were practically hanging onto every word she said. I didn't get it... 'Maybe she's important?'
"University... A place where people can learn new skills, advanced skills and advanced topics. A place where information flows freely, much like the river that flows through Tempest. You have all been accepted into Tempest's first University and perhaps its most unique one. Please look up and tell me what you see."
Unevenly we all looked up, many delaying for a few seconds before looking up. I too followed, my vision showing the massive floating landmass that Silviana-sama had apparently formed the other day. It was a feat that made me amazed, especially since my dad explained that he saw the whole process... He said she was a dark-elf woman with extreme elegance and power, her every breath like a hurricane and her magic unheard of.
I didn't know if he was being fully truthful with me but the idea of working for that woman and being able to even say hello to her sounded like bliss to me... It was definitely not about her beauty at all... I sunk into my thoughts once more as the sky changed for me, the sky now completely blue and the clouds much closer to my body than it was before. Dropping my head down to check on what happened I saw a scene that was beyond bizarre. A sight so scarily alluring that It made my heart pump at double its usual speed.
Gems worth a lot of money lined every building that met my gaze. Materials that I couldn't even comprehend made the walls and roofs of the multiple multi-storied buildings. That wasn't even the most crazy thing. There was an enormous mountain in the background that had a building that could be said to have been built by god-like beings. If someone had said that the god of light lived there I would simply nod. The size of that one structure seemed to make the house that me and my family lived in seem trivial and brutish.
"This is the 'Celestia Arcaneum Astraea', the University that you all will be attending... Specifically, that building on the mountain behind me. Each of your families will have the option to move into one of the accommodations behind me, within a week your families will be given the option... Now, let us show you your University..."
...
The woman showed us through each room, explaining the use and need for it. There were game rooms that we could play ball with or swim in. Classrooms of such a quantity that it made me wonder If i could traverse the entire building from one class to another. She showed us light things that you could touch and receive information from, she called them pads or something, it was all magic to me.
By the end of the tour we had seen only a quarter of the University apparently. The section that teenagers would have access to. Supposedly there were going to be little kids in another segment and adults in yet another. The last wasn't mentioned for its use but I figured that It was probably a secret or not decided yet.
"Silviana-sama, will you be teaching classes!?"
I heard one of my classmates call out towards the woman, using the name of one of the leaders. Frowning, I expected the woman to deny the name, perhaps shrugging it off as a teenager making a mistake. How wrong I was...
"Maybe every now and then. I am very busy usually. Most likely you will get guidance from official teachers and staff, my attendance being rare."
There were some pouts and saddened 'ohs' but this was insignificant to me... I had been walking with 'the' Silviana... A woman that was massively powerful, a Demon Lord, a leader of our nation and I had been an idiot enough not to make the connection!
'I am thick! How did I not notice!?'
Gasps and 'wows' emanated from other kids behind me, their bafflement just as profound as my own.
'Then that means that guy beside her is..."
"Rimuru-sama! Is it true you are a slime?"
"Mhm! I am just a cute little slime!"
He morphed into a small ball of slime, a hand-shaped segment of slime making a thumbs up. Several girly screams resounded as they barely resisted the urge to run up and hug the apparently adorable slime. Silviana turned towards Rimuru and rolled her eyes. It was during this action I saw some fox tales spread from behind her, their colours varied and awesome looking.
'Holy shit! That's so beautiful...!'
Apparently many of my 'brothers' agreed with me as they let out sighs. Rimuru-sama was the one to form back into human form this time and roll his eyes. Several seconds passed before they laughed with one another and summoned our actual teachers.
"Have a good day students... If your good enough we'll see eachother in the future perhaps."
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