“Good afternoon, Varisa.” Shouted Nadia in her friend’s ear.

Said friend woke up with some difficulty. “Good morning...” As her brain caught up, she inquired. “Did you say afternoon? What time is it?”

Confirmation came. “It’s past noon, the morning classes just finished a moment ago.”

“Why didn’t you wake me up!” Protested girl.

The older girl explained coldly. “I did! Many times! But someone I won’t name refused coming out of the bathroom. This same person apparently went back to sleep as soon as I left.”

Pictures of people and alcohol flashed. Too much of either. With a dreadful sense of foreboding. Varisa asked “Tell me straight; what happened?”

“You got drunk. Complained loudly about our people, first to anyone who would hear you, then to anyone who wouldn’t.”

“Oh no...” She remembered talking at length, but not about what. She feared the worst. “What did I say?”

Nadia voice was tired. “Then, you sat to drink and complain some more. I swear, If I hear another complaint in this lifetime, it’ll be too soon.”

She didn’t have time to feel relief because memories of casting a spell and of the most repugnant ever surfaced. “This wasn’t the end of it right? What the heck did I do? I didn’t hurt someone, did I?”

“Define hurt.” Joked Nadia.” You and your friendly little group of crazed drunk conjured... Something foul beyond measure. There was a stamped, vomiting then even more vomiting... it was awful. Consider yourself lucky there wasn’t any real damage. With this many people, I still don’t get how no one got hurt.”

Varisa hid her face behind her (smelly) sheets to whisper. “Remind me to never drink again.”

Nadia answer full of enthusiasm. “That I will!” Offhandedly. “Also, you’re grounded for two weeks with detention on Feesday and Seolsday.”

“This can’t be! I have a appointment this Seolsday!” Even if it was unlikely to accomplish anything, it was a meeting she couldn’t afford to miss.

“Can’t do anything about it, not that I would. Don’t you think you should hurry? Unless you are also intent on skipping afternoon class.”

“Hot damn, you’re right. I’ll get dressed in a... What the heck is that smell?”

“I’m quite confident that’s you. I’ve prepared some scented soap, mouthwash and clean cloth, they’re in the bathroom.” She’d used them profusely on herself and her cloths but still felt haunted by the smell.

“You’re the best!” Claimed Varisa as she ran awkwardly to the bathroom.

She soon found out that that her classmates weren’t faring better, Sylvster looked particularly haggard. Sir Doltz greeted her with a beaming smile. “Miss Varisa, better late than never. Could I trouble you to answer a few questions for me? It seems your little escapade left most of my students disabled.”

The edge in his voice was uncharacteristic of him. Technically a noble, the spirit language specialist was kind, understanding, and well-liked by student and staff alike.

“I’ll do my best to, sir.”

“This is all I ever ask.” He pointed several sentences in the past discontinuous indirect tense. “I put a few deliberate mistakes; can you point them out?”

“Um, on the first line... the adjectives black and malleable termination aren’t in accordance with the object?”

“What would be the proper way to conjugates?”

“The TL consonant, sir?”

“Would it, now? I can get the around the ground being an actor, but you’ll have to explain to me how it managed to become the caster. Sylvester your turn?”

“Why is it always me?” Complained the boy with good reason. He wasn’t even late. “That’d be the KL consonant.”

“Yes, it would. Although considering it’s either one or the other I’m not sure there’s much merit to your answer. Why don’t you get it from here?” He pointed at Gerald.

“My head is killing me.” Murmured the boy, massaging his temple.

“Speak louder, I didn’t hear you.”

“Sorry sir! Still on the first line, there’s a statement missing as there is color but no indication as to what item it pertains to...”

As time passed, the teacher got more and more brutal with his question, and when the class finally ended, he singled out a few students. “It seems like the only ones I’ll be seeing this Freesday are Aurian, Aurelia, Lucius and Ria.

“I wasn’t at the party.” Protested Lucas.

“All the more reason then since you don’t even have that as an excuse for your poor performance.” Countered sir Doltz. “See you on Freesday.”

“This is your fault...” Complained Lucas but a single look from Nadia was ebough to put an end to whatever remonstrance he had. “Look at the time, I must hurry home.”

“Indeed, you should be going.” Confirmed the warrior.

“Sorry,” apologized Varisa to the remaining classmates, “I shouldn’t have ordered Alcohol when I can’t stand my liquor.”

Quite a few classmates had been angry at her, but they had ample time to reflect on their own mistakes since this morning and they were quite a few.

“I’m also at fault,” Acknowledged Lucius. “I should have put a stop when my friend barged in with people I didn’t know.”

“Same thing.” Said Eleanora, I invited two girls from A1, but a bunch of jerks followed and wouldn’t get no for an answer.”

Konrad and Inge had similar stories, but Varisa their fault stemmed from hers. “I should have made a guest list and asked the staff to limit entry.” It struck her as odd that the staff didn’t do anything until it was too late. “You think the school let things escalate on purpose?”

“Is it me, or is the staff devious and merciless?” Aurealia found the entrapment and subsequent decimation of the Hopeless particularly vicious, and even if she agreed with the goal, she could not agree with the method.

“I think the same,” acquiesced Lucius “they skip warnings and go straight for the harshest punishment possible.”

“Sorry to leave you like this, when I’m the cause of the problem, but because I’m the cause, I need to see the principal.” Stated Varisa.

Having misconstrued her visit as further disciplining, her classmates offered words of encouragement as she left.

The teacher lounge was nothing special, just a bigger classroom with larger desks and a small table adorned with various teas and stationaries.

“Excuse me, sirs.” On school ground, Sir was used to address all teachers, whether male or female, noble or commoner. “I’m Varisa. I’m grounded this weekend and the next, but I have a business meeting...”

“Oh, it’s you.” The one who answered was a tanned middle-aged man she’d never seen before. There were other teachers she didn’t know and all of them looked at her with curiosity.

The man continued. “This is beyond our authority; you’ll have to see the principal. Wait here while I ask him if he can see you now.”

“Thank you?” It sounded as though they were expecting her.

As sound as he was gone, another man approached her excitedly. “If it doesn’t trouble you, could I ask you a question. It’s about a plant.”

“I do not mind, but I may not know the answer you seek.”

He showed her a drawing of an herb of six pointed leaves with brownish specks. “Have you ever seen this plant when you were there?”

It was common plant used to create all sort of balm. “I know of it; we use it to mix medicine, but as far as I know, its gel has effect on its own.”

“You’re right, but that’s what make it so great. It doesn’t interfere with the body and very rarely react with other compounds.”

“I may be able to order a shipment, but things are getting complicated. That’s the one reason I need some time off this Seolsday.” Her relationship with some of the tribes was degrading fast.

Eagerly. “Even a few seedlings would be great.”

Varisa laughed bitterly. “I’ll see what I can do.” She’d warn the tribe against selling the seedlings obviously, but whether they listened to her or not was another matter. She wouldn’t be surprised if the elder did it just to spite her.

A few beats later, the teacher from earlier came back with good news for a change. “Sir Siltt will meet with you. The vice-principal’s office is the second from the last.”

“Thank you for your help, sir.”

The teacher reassured her. “Don’t worry too much. Every year come with its own fiasco and although it was on a whole other scale, it wasn’t that bad.”

“Thank you.” She left hurriedly and knocked at the vice-principal's door.

“Come in.” As soon as she entered, he spoke in a slightly amused tone. “I hear you can't take your punishment this week-end but will settle for any other day of my choosing.”

“I understand how it sounds. As I’ve said, I’m not asking to reduce my sentence, I really don’t mind taking more supplementary lesson or whatever punishment you see as long as I’m allowed to attend this meeting, I have on Spritesday.”

“A business meeting. With whom if I may?”

“With Baron von Estlugvael’s representative and some clients. As you probably know, I act as the representative for various eastern woods tribes; we’re working on setting up a better system for both parties.”

“First time I hear about it. A representative for what exactly?”

“Mostly negotiation on imports and exports. You know how the tribes used to barter whatever they had on hand with whomever? I make sure the goods are sold through proper channels and at a proper price.”

“I had doubt when I heard a girl your age and with your origin had so much money on hand, but this makes sense.” His mind erred on various plans to integrate the tribes into the kingdom but decided the great forest and the mountain beyond were too much trouble to warrant the effort.

“I hear you have the support of a successful enchanter and the potential to become one yourself. Why enter school when you could have become their apprentice?”

“Because a diploma is required to learn and practice higher tiers of spiritualism... And, because I’m not sure Agner is capable of teaching.”

“Could I ask you why you’re so interested in spiritualism?” Most of the time, the goal was money or a better life, but that couldn’t be the case with her.

“The world is changing fast, but my people don’t. I think they’ve regressed beyond what they were centuries ago. I’m writing a book of simple useful spells for them.” The fracturing of the cardinal had forced many people out of central, including her ancestors.

He nodded. Her influence on the tribe seemed positive overall, and a single book was unlikely a threat. “I see, your wish was to help your people.”

“Let’s say things are complicated and I have no intention of returning. Ravealia is my home now, and it’s much nicer than the previous one. At first, I admit I intended to send Nadia back... But she likes it better here and they don’t deserve her.”

The overly frank response left him perplexed. “You’ve abandoned your home and yet still want to help them?”

“The tribes hate changes, even for the better. My own tribe resent me, for providing them with ample food and trade. Whatever I do, they ruin with malicious ignorance... Why do I even bother with them?” Varisa sense of duty was on the breaking point, and it didn’t help that the friendly tribes were mostly ones she had almost no contact with.

Elias quickly moved away from the sensitive subject. “How much time will your meeting take?”

“It’ll starts at noon and should last for... Three bells at most.” Oto had already put a plan in motion, all was left was to get a few more people on board... then wait until the self-sabotaging homegrown morons ruined everything again.

“I’ll allow it, but in exchange you’ll have two more day of detention on the following week. Do you agree?”

“I agree. Thank you for your comprehension, sir... Even you made an example of us.”

“What makes you think that?” He liked her spunk, it took some courage to say it to his face.

“All of us had our doubts, but the punishment was too swift and too light. Even the damage seems too few in retrospect.”

He smirked. “We didn’t set you to fail, quite the contrary. Apart from a little damage control, we left things go their natural way, and a precious lesson ended up being taught.”

“I can’t deny my own mistake. If there’s ever a next time; I’ll make sure there's a guest list, and no alcohol.” She’d sworn never to get drunk again.

“Learn from one’s mistake is the spirit of this school, pun intended. As goes the saying ‘Those who’ve never made a mistake have never tried anything new!’”

It was a nice saying. “Who is it from?”

“No one has the faintest clue.” The author and civilization that birthed them were long lost to time. “Have a nice day.”

“Same to you, sir.”

*************************************************

Weeks later in Estlugvael territory, a caravan was stuck at a tollbooth. One which had allowed them free passage up until now.

The corporal hated barbarians but didn't let it show. “Can I have your permit, sir?”

Obviously, said barbarian had no idea what he was talking about. “Um... Why aren’t allowed passage as usual?”

“There’s been some trouble and now all caravans headed to the capital needs to pay toll or show permit.”

The soldier knew very well wouldn’t have one, and they didn’t. “How do I get one of those permit things?”

“There are three choices. You can request one by submit this form and a fee. You can use the new trading post arranged by his lordship. Or...” This one was his favorite. “You can head back and try you luck in another domain.”

For the caravan spokesperson, the choice was easy, he hated the long trek to the capital. “Do they sell livestock? And alcohol?"

“They sure do.” Confirmed the officer, as he marveled at their baron brilliant scheming.