Rhapsody of the Sunset-Kissed Greenhouse | Chapter 1

[healingbonds]

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Heathcliff: ....This is.....
Ah. I know where I am. The evening sun is streaming in from the windows; it’s so warm...
This brings me back. When I was a child, I loved reading my books here in solitude, basking in the sunset.
And I think my friend who looked just like me was always by my side smiling.....

(Knock knock)

Heathcliff: .......!
What was that....

Shino: Heath, are you still sleeping?
Class is gonna start soon. Faust will yell at us if we’re late.

Heathcliff: Huh? It’s time for class already?
Sorry. I’ll get ready right away.

✦✧☾✧✦

Faust: I’m distributing the exams. You should use every last minute to think over your answers.

Arthur & Riquet: Yes!

Cain: This feels all proper — like a real lesson.

Shino: Sigh. You said we’d be with Central, so I thought we’d get to do some practical training.

Heathcliff: We had a practical lesson just the other day. But an exam, huh.... I’m a little nervous.

Nero: Hey, Mr. Faust, do I really have to take it too?

Faust: Of course you do. And I expect a grade befitting of the eldest student here.

The Eastern and Central wizards are doing joint training today.
Because the Central students don’t get many opportunities to study magic through written exams, Arthur and Riquet requested that they all take an exam together.
Oz and I observe everyone from the back of the classroom.

Oz: ...........

Akira: (This feels like a school open house....)

Faust: You may begin.

Writing instruments in hand, the wizards all flip open their exams.

Akira: Will Arthur and the others be all right taking the exam without preparation? Oz, you don't really do classroom lectures, right?

I lower my voice and whisper to Oz.

Oz: Faust..... .......
Should I be whispering?

Akira: Y-yes. They’re taking an exam, so.....

Oz: .....Faust handed them reference materials ahead of time.
He summarized his lessons so that the Central students could also partake in the exam.

Akira: Oh, I see. That sounds like something he’d do.....

Arthur: These questions are all quite difficult. It makes all my studying feel worthwhile.

Riquet: Uu, this is hard... But I’m happy I get to write all these letters I studied with Mitile.

Cain: Ooh. Hey, I remember this question. I should’ve paid more attention to those reference materials yesterday.

Nero: What is this.... I have no idea what’s going on.....

Shino: I’ve never seen any of these questions......

The Central wizards seem to be enjoying the challenge; meanwhile, Shino and Nero grip their heads as they fill out their exams.

Heathcliff: ..........

Various reactions fly about the room, but I’m drawn to Heathcliff’s serene focus on the exam before him.

✦✧☾✧✦

Faust: Time’s up. I’m collecting your exams.

Shino: It’s finally over....

Nero: Phew. My shoulders are stiff.

Akira: Nice job, everyone. How was the exam?

Arthur: There were some difficult questions, but I managed to answer all of them.

Cain: Me too.

Riquet: I wasn’t able to answer a few, but I think I did very well.

Akira: You’re all amazing.

Riquet: Ehehe, I’m looking forward to seeing my grade!

Shino: I’m terrified.

Nero: Ditto.

Faust: By the way, Cain, I saw you rolling your pen a few times during the exam....

Heathcliff: Oh, that caught my eye too. Was there any reason for it?

Cain: Oh, that? For multiple choice questions I can’t answer, I roll my pen for a random answer.

Heathcliff & Riquet: Huh?

Cain: It’s not like I was gonna get it right anyway. So if I pick right by a stroke of luck, awesome!

Shino: I see. I learned something today.

Riquet: Hey, that’s not fair. That defeats the purpose of the exam. Don’t you agree, Nero?

Nero: Haha, yeah.
(I was doing the exact same thing.....)

Oz: Faust, let me thank you.

Oz speaks to Faust, who is organizing the stack of exams.
It looks like Oz had a novel experience observing an unfamiliar lesson format.

Faust: It was nothing. Are you sure this very average lesson was what you wanted?

Arthur: It was an excellent use of our time. Thank you for letting us join you.
Lectures are a new experience for me. It’s just as Heathcliff said — your lessons are very worthwhile, Faust.

Heathcliff: Ah. Um.....

Heathcliff worriedly observes Faust’s expression.

Cain: Yeah. Faust, you’re a great teacher.

Riquet: I had a lot of fun today. I felt like I was at school!

Faust: ...Is that so.

Faust looks ever so slightly uncomfortable. It’s probably difficult to be snide with this group; he seems to be out of his depth.

Shino: I can’t believe anyone in the world has so much fun taking exams. I’d definitely rather have practical lessons.

Heathcliff: Oh, there you go again.....

Cain: Then the Eastern wizards should join one of our lessons next time! They’re mostly practical training.

Shino: Really? I’ve always been interested in Central Country’s lessons.
Since Oz is your teacher, that means you get to learn powerful magic, right?

Nero: ....Oz?

Heathcliff: ....As our teacher?

In contrast to the overeager Shino, Heathcliff and Nero shrink back at the suggestion.

Akira: (They’re scared.....)

Faust: So you mostly do practical training.... If you don’t have any written exams, what are your lessons usually like?

Oz: We handle a lot of attack magic. But lately we have been practicing protective magic as well.
We frequently cast spells on Granvelle Castle, for practical purposes.

Heathcliff: Granvelle Castle?

Arthur: Yes. We practice casting powerful protective spells in case anything happens.

Riquet: But Oz breaks through our magic spells in no time. It’s very disappointing.

Oz: That is how training goes.

Cain: It’s really cool. Whenever Oz casts a protective spell, even if the three of us attack together, we can’t make a single crack in his barrier.
Akira, you’ve seen it too, right?

Akira: Yes. It was amazing!

Nero: Well, it is Oz.....

Faust: Even a Northern wizard would have a difficult time breaking through.

Arthur: The Sage’s wizards handle all kinds of missions across this world. There’s no guarantee that I will be here in the castle during times of emergency.
That’s why it has been tremendously helpful to learn magic that will protect the places most precious to me, even if I am away.

Heathcliff: ...........

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