Fall of Autumn, Week 4, Day 7

What followed was, simply put, a repeat of when I was handed the timetable for practicing my mana skills on the journey to Fellan. Only several times more complicated.

"First, Third, and Fifth Day, you will have free time until 9:30 AM, at which point you will leave for the Fellan Swordsmanship Academy," Gristle began, pulling out a folder.

Within was contained several booklets and a sheet of paper with a list of names.

"The Academy is split into two sessions. Practical and Theoretical Classes. Practical classes occur in two sections—from 10 AM to 2 PM on odd days and from 2 PM to 6 PM on even days. Theoretical classes occur from 10 AM to 2 PM on even days and from 2 PM to 6 PM on odd days. Of course, this means you will only be at the Academy on the days that Practical classes are held in the morning, and you will return to the manor after they are over at 2 PM."

Gristle tapped the overly stuffed folder lying in front of me with a single finger before he continued.

"The booklets within this folder contain the monster manuals from this month. As Winter progresses, you will pick up the new monster manuals from the instructor assigned to your class and will bring them back to the Manor to learn on your own. I will be reviewing the materials as well and be putting together mock exams regarding the Theoretical portions you'll be missing. These exams will occur every week on Seventh Day, but we'll get to that. I have also included a list of your peers that are currently enrolled for you to prepare yourself."

Gristle pulled out another folder, this one a brilliant red. He flipped it open to reveal another small booklet and a single sheet of paper with what looked like a dossier on a woman named Primrose Apoplos.

"Lunch on those days will be at 2:30 PM and last until 3 PM. After which, you will get ready and prepare for your Arithmetic instructor. She will arrive promptly at 4 PM and leave at 5 PM. Snacks will be served at that point. Next—"

Once again, another folder. This one blue and filled with another booklet and a similar piece of paper for a man named Captain Radir Ridan. Presumably a member of the Dusk, but perhaps not. I didn't get a good enough look before Gristle continued.

"—from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM you will have history lessons. The first half will be general history, and the second half will be military history and strategy. Once that lesson is over, there will be dinner, and your night will be yours."

I took in the barrage of information, processing it in my head. As Gristle began shuffling through the never-ending folders in his arms, I held up my hand in a stopping motion.

A shaky smile graced my lips, "I know I told you to do your worst, but is this all really necessary? It's… quite a lot."

"Oh, my Lady, I apologize, but we aren't even halfway done." Gristle did not look very apologetic as he spoke. "We have, of course, not even gotten you your Second, Fourth, and Sixth Days. Nor how your typical Day of Sermon will look going forward."

I blinked, then my shoulders fell, and I had to admit defeat.

"All right," I said. "Get on with it."

Gristle smiled down at me, and it was a kind thing but it was not a thing of remorse. He put down a purple folder filled with even more booklets.

I hate this place, and I don't even mind reading!

"Very well, my Lady. On your Second, Fourth, and Sixth Days, your day will begin at 10:30 AM. These are the days you will attend the Magic Tower of Fellan. These classes are also separated into Practical and Theoretical classes, in much the same way as the Academy. However, the Tower courses will be purely Theoretical. These courses run from 11 AM to 2 PM. Any practical applications can be practiced here at the Manor under the supervision of a personal tutor after a month or two. Thus, on these days, lunch will remain from 2:30 PM to 3 PM. You will learn three subjects on these days: Economics from 3 PM to 4 PM, Practical Magic from 4:15 PM to 5:15 PM, and Etiquette from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. After which you will have dinner, and your evening will be yours.

"However, Seventh Day will not only see you at the Church for the Day of Sermon, it will also be the practical application of your Etiquette lessons. Once a week you will host or attend an event put on by either you or the local nobility. For the first month, the Etiquette instructor has organized the events you will attend, beginning the first week of Winter. Depending on the time of the events, you will also sit for your exams. Each of your instructors will submit to me a document for your testing, and every Seventh Day, we will sit in this office and go through them."

Gristle paused, and I waited. Because, noticeably, there were eight days of the week.

"My Lady, do you have any questions?"

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"I believe you forgot Eighth Day." I sighed sadly, perching my chin in my palm and looking up at Gristle. Who gave me an understanding pat on the shoulder.

"That is your Day of Rest, my Lady. You can spend it however you please."

I felt a tight smile form. "Truly, Mother is so generous to give me a single day to myself."

Mother, I ground out internally. The Countess has never been a mother to Eunora.

"I must say, when we got word of your schedule, I was a bit overwhelmed finding you all the right instructors and arranging your enrollment. But I'm thrilled to see you have hardly balked at it."

This time, I huffed in response, but Gristle was undeterred.

"You know, I have a friend at the main estate —as well as in Adeline, and your siblings are not worked nearly so hard."

There was a sharp glint in Gristle's eye as he said so, and I felt a chill go up my spine.

Is he saying that I'm being treated more harshly or with more expectations? But I was exiled out here! Surely, they know!

Before me were seven different folders filled with over a dozen booklets altogether. I heaved a breath.

"Okay," I said, pulling out the loose sheets of paper. "Will you walk me through who my instructors are and who my classmates will be?"

Five instructors and two sets of classmates, the Academy class was large, but fortunately, the Tower's list only had eight names.

"Of course." Gristle nodded. "Let's start with the Academy students."

What followed was a painfully political lecture on local nobility that left me with a pounding headache. Children of Barons and Counts and even a Marquis. Wealthy merchants, regular non-nobility civilians, and poverty-stricken children.

There were too many names to remember, and I had no intention of being able to name anyone, anyway.

But that was how I found myself standing up in the middle of an hour-long explanation of local standings in the town.

"Okay, okay, that's enough. I need a break." I found myself saying. I grabbed Juniper's hand and said, as earnestly as I could, "The rest is up to you, Juniper."

And then I bolted from the room. I dashed out the door before anyone thought to stop me, and I rounded the corner of the hall.

I had a goal.

I wanted to go to Twilight. The Great Inbetween. I wanted to see Theo.

I had questions and grievances and maybe a punch to throw.

But little Eunora deserved a chance to see her brother become more than the nothing of her future self. More than the yearning. So I would try.

I had last seen him in a morning session so that was my best bet, but that could have been a fluke as well. So maybe it was best to do Skill training in Twilight for a while. Not that I would have loads of time. Just mornings and evenings, anyway.

Plus there was something going on with my Skills. None of them, besides [Mental Fortitude] had progressed past Level 10. I'd been using them consistently, if not creatively, so I found myself worried about a bottleneck. Or perhaps there was a challenge to face. I needed more information.

I'd need to spend my mornings wisely, even if I don't go into the Instances of Twilight, just having a place spirited away from prying eyes was what I needed.

I found myself descending the main staircase, deep in thought. I turned on my heel, headed to the [Descent of Astrala].

As soon as I slipped through the faux wall, my eyes roamed the decorative stairwell and I pulled the key to Twilight out of my bag.

Unlocking the hulking door, I walked into the eternal dawn. The heels of my boots sent ripples across the light coating of water through the area. Oddly, never once did my toes feel wet. Not the first or second time I came here either.

I kicked the reflective water, watching it spray violently in front of me. And then I squatted down, running my fingertips lightly over the liquid. When I pulled my hand back, not a single drop stuck to my skin. Rubbing my hands together, they were dry.

"Interesting," I hummed, my voice subdued in the vastness of Twilight.

I continued on toward my destination—the pillar that held my Skill list. Not to enter into an instance of Twilight but simply to find a comfortable spot to wait and practice. It was a long minute before I reached the collection of pillars. Briefly, I wondered which was Raphael's and which was Evelyn's —assuming, of course, they were the other two pillars. Theo had come out of the one immediately to the left of mine.

Perhaps they're in age order. I thought simply, looking at the way each pillar reached into the infinite abyss above me.

As I twirled around the center of the pillars, I focused back on my own, leaning up against it and sliding down to the ground. I settled into my spot in the shallow water, and crossed my legs.

Closing my eyes, I felt the chill of my mana. It was ever-present now that I kept my bangles and nails at the ready. But now, it was time for practice. I could relax my defenses, just for a bit. I decompressed the darkness that decorated me, letting it coalesce into thick black clouds surrounding me.

I spread them around, creating low-hanging clouds that were barely to my shoulders. I sent them out, spreading my darkness thinner and thinner until it was a fine mist filling the area between the pillars. Then I sucked it back in. Out. In. Out. In. I did it in time with my breath, out with the air in my lungs, meant out with my mana, in with a deep hum, and in with my darkness.

I did that exercise for several minutes before it felt as if it was easy as breathing —but still no level up. I dropped my darkness entirely, ending [Shadow Conjuration].

Then I pulled out Noir and placed him atop my knee. My animations had since ended, but still, he was here with me.

That was when a flash of light came from one of the pillars.

I knew, statistically, it was more likely to be Raphael or Evelyn. I just hadn't really thought about it.

So, when black hair and blue eyes made themselves known, I stood. Exhaustion already filling my bones.

This would be annoying no matter who it was.

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