Next on the schedule was demonology.
Nowadays the demon threat doesn't seem so dangerous with all the advancements in magic. Still, it could be useful.
So Cyril listened patiently to the beautiful and comparatively young professor standing before the whiteboard with something projected on it.
"This is a ghoul, the most common demon that can be seen on the battlefield."
The professor pointed at the image of a group of deformed humanoid creatures with sharp claws and reddish skin. Some had feathers, horns, tails, and other animal characteristics.
"Alone they don't pose much of a threat to a soldier of the Empire, but their kind always comes in great numbers. Don't get careless when fighting them. They can be a tricky enemy to deal with."
With a wave of her hand, she changed the image on the board into different examples of ghouls, explaining their behavior, biology, and known weak points.
All of them were quite ugly, and some of the more softhearted students struggled to keep looking at them.
"Despite their humanoid appearance, they behave more like beasts, and you must approach them as such."
The students quietly learned about humanity's greatest enemy.
"What a disgusting creature. Do you really plan on fighting demons after graduating?" Commented Rhamn while wincing after the end of the lesson.
I plan on becoming a knight. They always respond to demon attacks, so yes, I do.
"Then I better get used to seeing their ugly faces..." Rhamn reluctantly mumbled.
You think you'll stick around by then?
"Of course."
I see...
Talking to her, Cyril waited until Myra gathered her things. She wasn't disgusted at all when looking at the ghouls earlier.
"I am done, let's go," Myra said in a good mood, and together they went for the next lesson.
...
The last lesson of the day was math. A source of grief for any young human of this age.
The professor for this lesson was an old man who looked half in the grave already. Despite that, he spoke energetically and seemed like a good teacher.
Cyril, with a complex expression, looked at all the letters in his copybook, and his brain worked hard to make sense of it all.
"I can help you if you want. I think I am pretty good at this."
Rhamn leaned in closer to take a look, her red eyes shining with understanding.
You are? What's the solution here, then?
After his initial surprise, Cyril was eager to give this a try.
Smugly crossing her arms, Rhamn began explaining her solution to the given equation.
He wrote down everything she said and looked at the result.
Not bad. It does look correct. He nodded to himself and turned to the side.
Myra sat next to him this lesson, on her face a profound expression of despair. She didn't even notice him.
At this moment the professor called Cyril's name, noticing his distracted actions, and asked how he would begin to solve the given equation.
Thinking this is a good opportunity. Cyril told 'his' solution, to which the old man was visibly overjoyed.
"Good, good. This was a hard one. Very impressive you got that. As you all have heard, this..." He continued with the lesson afterward.
Some of the students threw impressed glances his way, not expecting this young master to be a studious one.
The girl Myra mentioned, Rose, stared at him with widened eyes too, then lowered her head with determination.
"That's right! You inferior beings should stare at us with awe." Rhamn exclaimed. With each impressed stare their way, her head was raised a little bit higher.
Her outburst poured cold water on Cyril's sense of achievement, and he immediately calmed down.
Stop talking like this.
He covered his face with a palm.
Rhamn stared at him in confusion before shrugging. "I thought you agreed with me."
Again, Cyril was troubled by her ability to read his mind. At the same time, a certain feeling of retrospection was growing more and more within.
In the end, he sighed, letting go of the topic.
Anyways, thank you. I'll be asking for your help in the future.
"No problem! You can count on me." Rhamn proudly exclaimed, raising her fist in the air.
After the end of the lesson, Cyril got up from the desk, sending one look at Myra nearby. She was still recovering from the math lesson, absentmindedly collecting her things.
"Unsurprisingly, she is not the sharpest."
Then, as if thinking of some great idea, Myra jolted up to her feet and quickly walked up to Rose, who was about to leave.
In a casual manner she asked for her help, not at all treating her like a stranger.
Rose first reacted with confusion, then shot a brief glance to Cyril observing them and slowly nodded.
Myra became excited and immediately began asking many obvious questions.
I guess she really plans on befriending her. Mused Cyril as he turned around, no longer paying them attention.
"There is something not right with her, I can feel it." Rhamn threateningly glared somewhere behind his back.
You feel that way about everyone.
Blankly replied Cyril and left the auditorium.
His next destination - the infirmary.
Hopefully that healer is working today...
...
The moment he entered the familiar infirmary, Cyril was greeted with a kindly voice, "It's you again, young man."
The healer slowly walked up to him and looked him up and down.
"Did you drink the potion I gave you?"
I didn't.
"Because we don't need it, old hag. We aren't crazy."
"How is the progress with what you've told me?" Cyril replied after a delay.
The old woman glared at him, then walked back to her desk, taking a seat there.
"We came to a consensus that it's stress-related. No need to worry, it will go away once you acclimate."
Cyril calmly nodded, to which the old woman raised an eyebrow.
"You are taking this well. Last time I told you this, your face was quite scary."
Was it?
Cyril couldn't help but touch his face.
"This old hag is being incredibly rude. How can she say that?" Rhamn complained at the side.
He shook his head and finally asked what he was curious about, "Thank you for your effort. Can you tell me which professors were present when you consulted about me?"
The woman waved her hand in dismissal. "Don't worry, I haven't told them it's you."
She then continued with a smile, "But to answer your question, it was all of them. Everyone here cares about the students."
Cyril's face froze from hearing that.
All of them?
Seeing his surprise, the healer smiled knowingly. "You must be thinking, 'How could it have been done?' right? There are so many professors here, surely it's impossible to gather all of them so effortlessly."
Her face was gradually becoming more passionate.
"This is all thanks to our principal, Margaret. With her illusion magic and a bit of preparation, people can communicate at long distances without any delay between the messages. It's like talking to someone face-to-face!"
She continued speaking with enthusiasm while Cyril listened on the surface.
Internally, however, he started thinking about the implication of her words.
Now what? Every professor in Ailanthus is a suspect.
Rhamn materialized at the side, her face slightly more serious than usual.
"That might not be the case. We got her."
Cyril frowned slightly, sending her a side glance. Who? The principal?
...That letter! It was illusion magic, wasn't it? And according to this woman, the principal is the one using it.
Rhamn silently nodded and disappeared.
Cyril refocused on the healer's speech, a new question now on his mind.
"...students are so fortunate to be able to learn-"
"The principal is indeed someone we should respect." Cyril interrupted the speech, "Is it possible for me to meet her?"
The old woman swallowed her next words, then coughed a few times, clearing her throat.
"I went on for a bit too long. Forgive me." She sighed and continued, "Unfortunately, you won't be able to meet her now. During the meeting she mentioned going somewhere far away."
Is it just a coincidence?
Cyril frowned, finding the timing of her departure suspicious. "When will she be back?"
"No one knows. She has this habit of disappearing occasionally and coming back at random." The healer helplessly spread her hands.
Cyril could do nothing else but accept this information with a sigh.
That seems like everything I needed.
"Yeah. It's only natural that the most important person here is the one paying us attention." Rhamn nodded with satisfaction.
"I see." Cyril replied to the healer and turned around, "Thank you again. Hopefully I'll see her soon."
Without waiting for a reply, he exited the infirmary.
...
Back in his room, Cyril sat before the desk and placed his elbows on the desk, his arms supporting his head.
"Seems like I can do nothing else but wait for her return," he mumbled in thought.
Rhamn materialized sitting on the table itself, her legs crossed.
"Unless you go back home and ask your dad."
Cyril sat up, then leaned into the chair.
That's not happening. I just left that place, and I am not intent on returning so soon. He thought while staring at the ceiling.
After his initial surprise, Cyril discovered that Rhamn's presence didn't actually bother him that much. In his head the idea of dropping his studies and returning to the city center seemed foolish.
Let's get along for now. It's not like you don't have your uses.
"Of course! With my academic abilities and your martial art skills, we shall be ahead of any other student." Rhamn brushed her hair with a prideful smirk.
"Not even that. We will easily become the strongest in the world! Regular humans are no match for us."
...Regular humans, huh?
Cyril sighed helplessly, then opened the study materials on his desk.
Leave your delusions of grandeur for the future, let's deal with math first.
Rhamn froze, then smiled sheepishly, coming over and taking a seat by his side.
"I am serious, I feel we can do that..."
In such a manner Cyril continued his student life.