The Quantum Wanderer

Next morning, Addrianna and I put on a front for the kids. We try to act normal, but I don’t really know how successful we are. After breakfast, I have to go to the schools, it is a very busy day. We are going to have the test results.

After breakfast, I enter the carriage. I try to change my focus, so that I can react to any issue appropriately.

On the way to my office, I meet my secretary.

“Good morning. Do you have the results of yesterday’s exams? I want to take a look.”

“Already on your table, dean.”

I go to my room, and I look at the papers. The first one is the list of the students in command school that passed. The school where we teach strategy. And yet, the best students on strategy in the school were in the knight school. I giggle at the thought.

The second list is the magic school. We actually had almost half the students failing. Almost. The expection was off by just 3 students. Cecilia was top of the list. The fastest magic triggered once time started counting, and the most efficient spell of them all. Deserved.

The third list is knight school. I pick the paper up, already smiling. I look at the first group of names on the list. Benjamin, Joe, Garret, Janet. I start looking for the names of the dragonesses. They are in the list of failed students.

I go outside my door immediately.

“SUSAN!”

She is right there, I clear my throat.

“Get me the Knight school lead of strategy and the two morons that applied the test yesterday. RIGHT NOW!”

She doesn’t even asks, she goes running outside the antechamber. I go back into my room, I pour my self some liquor. Why are there so many idiots teaching?

I take my time. I have to cool down a little bit. It doesn’t really work. I keep remembering the amount of work I have to put on shooting down the nobles that complain about professors because their brilliant brats were failed. Anthon laughed at some of the formal complaints brought to him, and I would personally deal with the problem later, but it wasn’t a nice spot to be when those happened.

Aside from the fact that each of those… not girls… could flatten this whole country in no time, I never thought a professor would be this level of cowardice.

My attempts at calming down don’t work too much.

The door opens, Susan gets inside the room. She gives me a single look and I can see the terror in her face. She realizes how pissed I am.

“I have them in the ante-chamber, dean. Do you want them all at once, or do you want one at a time?”

“You can send them all in.”

She steps outside. She mutters something to them and holds the door open. The trio enter the room. Their faces are already pale. She probably mentioned to them that I am pissed way beyond firing someone.

I have the paper with the list of students’ grades in the knight exam on the table.

“Very well gentlemen… Let me start this with a small amount of information.” I look at the lead of strategy. “Good morning, sir Josh. How many times have a noble complained to you about you failing his son or daughter?”

He is silent. I slap the coffee table, everything on it rattles.

“FUCKING ANSWER IT!!!”

“Several times, dean.”

“Good, good.” I stand up, I walk slowly towards them. The trio is using officer armors that they got when they retired from the army.

I stop in front of the leading professor.

“How many of those times did I revert your decision?”

“None, dean.”

“Can you guess why?”

“Because you knew the evaluation was fair, dean.”

“Good, I think we just might reach an understanding. You see, this aca0demy is more than the sum of people. It is also a name. It is also a set of honor values. It is also a set of policies, based on those values. You advance or stall based on your merit. I silence the nobles’ bitching so that we show that our name is not for sale and will not kneel under pressure.”

His voice is very feeble.

“Yes, dean, I-“

“SO WHY THE FUCK DID YOU LET TWO LITTLE BITCHES GET AWAY WITH IT?”

I am screaming at him, my mouth inches from his face. Of course, he is getting some spit as well. He can probably see my veins popping. He is even more scared. Good. He turns his eyes to the floor before he starts talking feebly.

“But dean, the way they lied…”

“YOU FUCKING MORON! NOT EVEN YOU BELIEVE IN THIS SHIT! IS THAT THE EXCUSE YOU WOULD GIVE THE MOTHER OF A SOLDIER?” I turn to the side, and strike a mocking pose. “Oh, I am sorry, madam, your son got killed because the opposing commander lied to me about his numbers?”

The lead is looking towards the floor. He is a war veteran. He knows I am right. I get back to the couch behind the coffee table. I take a sip from the glass. I put the glass back on the table.

“Did you know that the emperor has direct ties to this academy? That’s exactly how I stop the bitching. I still don’t know whether you are leaving here in chains or not.”

I take another sipping. The strategy lead is still looking down. One of the professors that was in the exam takes a step ahead.

“Sir! A victory based on lies…”

“*YOUR* VICTORY WAS BASED ON LIES! YOU FUCKING LOST! IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A BATTLE!” I hit the coffee table. It breaks in two. The drink and the papers fall towards the ground.

The three of them are looking at the floor.

“Your lack of honor is slap on the face of everything taught here. Strategy. Cunning. Better knights. Better leaders. Thinkers. They went beyond. They fought with cunning never seen before. They won like never seen before.”

The silent one gives me a side eye. I turn to him.

“What? What did I lie about?”

I can see in his face his attempt at trying to find a defense. There is no excuse.

“You are going to fix the rankings.”

I look at them, they are still standing there.

“NOW! FUCKING GO!”

They run out of my office. I sit on the sofa. I grab the glass from the floor. I go to the liquor cart. I leave the glass outside, so that it can be washed later. I pick another glass and fill it. I sit back at the sofa, looking through the window.

Susan enters my office, cautiously.

“Is everything alright, dean?”

I sigh.

“Susan, did you watch the yesterday’s exams?”

“Yes, dean.”

“What did you think? Give me your honest opinion.”

“In what sense?”

“The students’ first day ranking.”

“Yes, dean. Marcelo’s wives were exceptional. I always thought there was too much… enthusiasm around them, that some of the fame might not be earned. But yesterday I had to recognize that they made history. Lady Cecilia is way more powerful than I thought, and the knight exam… That was an overwhelming victory.

“Some other students did well as well, but even the second places are kind of far.”

“Did you check the daily rankings before you placed them on my table?”

“No, dean. What is wrong?”

I hand her the wet paper containing the knight ranking. She takes a look and freezes.

“But…”

“I have spent 12 years covering these bitches asses against nobles complaints. Standing the ground for the professors in the academy, so that they could do things based on merit.”

She looks at the broken coffee table.

“I will have the coffee table replaced.”

She turns around and leaves. I go back into staring through the window. Some time later, Susan enters my office again to announce the trio was back.

They are following the strategy lead. Hands me two pieces of paper.

The first one contains the knight school’s students ranking. The dragonesses are on the very top, with a distinction mark.

The second one is his resignation. I open it and read.

‘To dean Edward,

I have unthinkingly conspired with actions that stained my person and my office with dishonor. I have allowed an oversight to maculate principles that govern this school.

That being the case, I don’t feel worthy of keeping the title of knight professor. Please consider this as my resignation from this office and this school.

This decision is not taken lightly. It weights heavily on my heart leaving an institution that gave me purpose and happiness for several years.

I will help the transition on however you see fit.

Shameful of my actions,

Sir Brighton.’

I finish reading it. I look at his face. It is sad. Few times have I see so much remorse on someone. I look at the two morons.

“Do you have anything else to hand me?”

They make puppy faces and shake their heads.

“Fine. Go back to your offices and wait for further instructions.”

They leave my office, slowly. I open the door. Once they are out in the corridor, I turn to Susan.

“Susan, write a simple letter describing what happened.”

“Who do you want me to send to?”

“To his highness. Today.”

I close the door.

***

Marcelo’s POV

Next day, we wake up and go down for breakfast. The girls are really excited, talking about the previous day.

“Did you see the guy’s face when he was falling from the fortress?”

Cecilia was laughing. I turn to them.

“When are the official result published?”

“We were told that the evaluation is published on a board on each school after the exams. That means four more days. They create a ranking of students. The first place of each school each year go to a wall of fame. They have over 170 years of wall of fame.

“The ones that had to be saved from the pigs go to the wall of shame. I was told they put a picture of pig, even the pig’s name, and the mage’s image and name below it. To show to whom the mage lost. I heard some kids, specially sons of nobility, get a really hard time at home if they end up in the wall of shame.”

Lucille comments.

“Poor kids…”

I intervene.

“I don’t think so, Lucille. The thing is, those kids’ only worry is the magic school. They never had to work in a farm to feed, they never had a loud stomach in their lives. They never had to cook their own meals. They never had to risk their own lives. Their hard time is well deserved.”

Charles nods, he agrees with me. Lucille’s expression tells me that she is still worried with the ‘kids’. And they aren’t even kids. Most of them are just a couple of years younger than I am, in reality.

“What time do they publish it?”

“I was told that the information is placed there in the afternoon.”

There is a moment of silence. I look at the girls.

“What do you want to do in the meantime?”

“We don’t know. There are not going to be any classes for the foreseeable future.”

“Oh, oh, there is going to the end of period ball, after the rankings are released, in four days. It is in the main ball room in the command school. Only passing students and their immediate family or escorts are invited.” Cecilia comments.

“Couldn’t you have told us earlier?”

Cecilia lowers her head. I look at the dragonesses, they still don’t see much value in these parties.

“Do you want to go?”

“If it is a chance to show everyone that we belong to our lord, I don’t object.” Opal answers. I grab her hand and kiss it.

I turn to Rudolph, he is in the corner of the room.

“Rudolph, do you think there is enough time to get the suit and dresses ready?”

“Always, lord.”

“That settles it, then. What about the now?”

Opal clears her throat.

“I understand that the dryads would like to have a private meeting with us.”

I look at her, then I look at Muninn. I can only imagine what they talked.

“Sure, let’s go there. I am going to the inn, you can talk to Ipê at home.”

I take a look, we are all looking reasonably fashionable. I open a portal, and we all go to the elven city, to our home there.

“BIG BROTHER!” The dryad hugs me when we get there. She then takes a step back, and does a courtesy to the girls.

“Now we have four non-dragons. We have to keep the elves up to date…”

Opal takes a look at her.

“I was informed that you wanted to talk to us.”

“Yesyesyes...”

The girls all take a look at me. I can realize that I am not wanted in this particular place right now. I get out and start strolling towards the inn that I generally go. As always, my table is reserved. I wonder if they let people sit when I am not here. It would be a waste otherwise.

I am greeted by the waitress.

“Good morning, sir friend! Are you going to have your usual?”

“Yes. I can’t seem to have enough of that, apparently.”

She brings in the ale. I start sipping. I take a look around the room. It looks like everything is the same, except for the center of it.

The place where the sprout had appeared now has a little fence around it. The sprout is a lot bigger than last time I was here. It has some leaves already.

“Yes, the fruit of our love, big brother.”

I was so relaxed that I almost jumped out of the chair. Muninn starts laughing. I turn to him.

“What?”

“Me? Nothing… But imagine if Cecilia hears that… Or any of the dragonesses, for that matter…”

He keeps laughing. I shrug. They already knew about it. The dryad is looking at us.

“Do you want to sit?”

“Sure.”

A chair materializes underneath her. She puts her hands under her chin, pretending to be in love.

“What is new in big brother’s life? Other than the obvious changes he brought for us…”

“Well, the girls just had their exams in the academy, in Ironhold. We are going to see the results today. Other than that, not really much. You do know that the girls all evolved, right?”

“Yes, Ipê passed the information already. We have to update your group’s description.”

She giggles.

“Four not dragons, 2 not crows, a child of the land, a child from the stars…”

“You guys are good at that.”

She smiles, nodding.

“Everything for big brother.”

The waitress brings a cup with water for the dryad. She is treated as a total celebrity. People stop talking to try to listen to what she is saying.

At this point, Autumnstart arrives. He is at the door, staring at us. I turn to the dryad.

“What is he waiting for?”

“Your permission, big brother.”

I gesture Autumnstart to come sit with us.

“Good morning, friend! How are you?”

“I have been doing well. What about you?”

“Very well as well. What are the news?”

He gestures to the waitress, that comes to our table. He orders some fruity wine. He is as consistent as I am with the drink he enjoys.

“I don’t know how efficient your knowledge of the outer world is, so it is hard to say. The girls have just gone through their exam in the academy. Opal, Shandon, Ruby and Aquamarine have done the knight school exam, and Cecilia did the magic school exam.”

“How did they do?”

“I think all of them did great. I was a little concerned with the four dragonesses, or should I say godly dragonesses now? Anyway, I was a little concerned with the four dragonesses not being able to restrain their strength, but they did great! Not only did they not use their strength, they managed to win without it. Just by strategy.”

“Really? What did they do?”

I laughed.

“One thing to have in mind is that the humans don’t know about Muninn, Huginn or the girls. Otherwise I would not be able to mingle.

“That being said, the exam was supposed to be taken by a group of four. Of course, the girls took the exam together. It was to try to invade a stronghold with two teachers.”

“I am not too versed in military subjects, but isn’t invading a stronghold supposed to be a lot harder than defending it?”

“EXACTLY!” I raise my cup towards him. I continue.

“So the girls told everyone that Ruby stayed at home, with a flu. When the battle started, the teachers focused on them, and Ruby got the professors from behind. It was absolutely beautiful.”

“How many times did the students manage to win the challenge in the past?”

“I was told that the girls were the first. And Ruby didn’t use any strength beyond what a human would have. Absolutely beautiful. The other students went crazy.”

“I am really happy for you.”

“Yup, I am very proud on the girls. Other than that, there are only some news about the war in Elator. But I am guessing that you have been keeping yourself informed on that front.”

“Yes. Do you know why Skylar left?”

“As far as I know, he just got bored. Bad food, no thrills.”

“So… It has nothing to do with the hero party?”

I laugh.

“From Skylar’s point of view, the hero and his party are just a little stronger than the other soldiers. The distance is too great to make any difference. No, he just got bored and decided to go back.”

I take a sip of my wine-ale.

“What about you? Any news around?”

“Well, actually, we-“ He stops. I notice the dryad shaking her head.” We have nothing important to mention.”

“Really? I thought that the commerce with the dwarves would be starting around this time.”

“He, hehe… Sorry, my bad. I thought you meant in this city. The commerce is going to happen on another city, close to one of the arms of the Big River.”

The elf is sweating. I decide to let it go, and change subjects.

“Just a question… Why did you, or Ipê, for that matter, let me go home smelling so bad those days ago?”

“What do you mean, big brother?”

“When I created the… Underground thing…”

“I remember that. We all remember that. But big brother didn’t smell bad at any point. Sure, you smelled like food, but that is a good smell, right?”

I forgot to take into account that their definition of what is a good smell to a bad smell.

“You softies are so weird… You keep stiking your noses in flowers and loving it… How would you feel if I tried to keep smelling your balls?”

I choke on the drink. Some of it comes out my nose. I start laughing. The dryad keeps going.

“And I am not even talking the cases with some maidens in love… They leave their beloved arms, so cute, ‘I love you, I love you’, and then stick their noses into a rose’s dick! Really?!? Why not their guy’s dick?

“You softies are really weird!”

Autumnstart is looking at the dryad. He has his head tilting to the side. Muninn and I are laughing our butts off.

“I am sorry? What do you mean?”

I answer.

“Flowers are the way plants reproduce. Basically, the pollen that is taken from one flower to another flower from the same species will inseminate some eggs in the female plant, it may become a seed, and some of the flowers become fruits.

“There are several different ways the pollen is spread. Some are just thrown in the air, some are taken by insects, like bees, some are taken by birds. Then the plants produce something sugary to attract those pollen carriers. That later becomes honey, for instance.”

The dryad is smiling.

“So big brother also knows about the bird and the bees, the flowers and the trees.”

“What, do you know this expression?” I ask her.

“What do you mean? You have just talked about them right now… Sometimes big brother doesn’t make much sense…”

I laugh a little. After that, some silence sets in. We each keep drinking from our cup, even Muninn. He is in his small form to avoid disturbing the place.

After some silence, the comfortable type, Autumnstart clears his throat.

“But, continuing the subject from before… Are you aware of the battles the hero has fought so far?”

“The only battle I new of was the taking of the capital of Elator. Did he have more battles already?”

“Yes, there was a battle on a stronghold, I forgot the name right now. They are doing the opposite path that Romuela took towards Elator.”

“Anything you can tell me about the hero’s party?”

“I don’t know. Our network isn’t that evolved. We gather some information that comes from the guilds, some additional information from well placed elves. But it is not our main focus. We try to keep ourselves away from that kind of thing. And we mostly succeed.”

“Well, I am sure I will have some time to observe the hero’s party.”

“Since you mentioned that your girls just took the academy’s exams, there is a piece of information for you. We heard some rumors that the two countries represented by the hero, Arthuria and the Holy Kingdom, are planning on conscripting the best students in the academy. It might just be a rumor, though.”

I giggle.

“That would probably make Ruby happy.”

I laugh. Autumnstart tilts his head to the side.

“Why?”

“She wanted to do a move that Skylar did, but she hasn’t been able to, so far…”

“Which is?”

“Using one soldier to beat the rest of the platoon up.”