yemalu

"What classes does sister Aster have today?" Odeta asked while on our way to school.

I checked the timetable I wrote in my [Screened] boon discreetly.

"I have Alchemy the whole of today… Theory in the morning and then practicals in the afternoon. What about you, Odeta?"

"Ahaha, I have no classes today actually!"

Since Odeta wasn\'t taking the basic classes, it was normal that she wouldn\'t have classes on some days of the week. On days like these, it was not necessary for the student to go to school and they would be free to use the day as they saw fit.

Most students would just choose to take the day off though some might use it to revise for their other lessons.

"Eh? Then couldn\'t you have just stayed at home?" I pointed out.

"If I did, I wouldn\'t be able to accompany sister Aster to school, would I?"

I scratched my cheek in embarrassment, "Umm… I guess… But what are you going to do at school then?"

"Heh, I\'ll just go to the school field and do some of my usual practice exercises while I wait for you!"

Awww~ She\'s so sweet~

We parted ways when we reached the school building and I headed for the basic Alchemy class while Odeta went straight for the school field, promising to meet up again for lunch.

Incidentally, the alchemy classroom was in a separate building a short distance away which was quite unexpected.

Several students were also headed there so I received quite a number of looks as well.

Though most of the students were first years like myself, I also noticed that there were a number of senior students as well, presumably choosing to take this study for the first time.

Ignoring the whispers with me as the subject, I went inside the classroom following after the group of students that had entered ahead of me.

Already, you could tell it was an Alchemy class with the cauldrons arranged at the side of the room and the smell of herbs and potions lingering in the air.

Standing in front of the class was Lisa who was using that artefact that hid her appearance once again. I wasn\'t that surprised to see her since I already knew she would be here.

She gave me a smile when she saw me but surprisingly, she remained standing at the front of the class and didn\'t have her usual outburst like she used to when she saw me.

I\'m guessing in front of an actual class, she would act like a proper teacher.

Well, that\'s quite reassuring I guess.

Since this was the theory part of the class, we shouldn\'t be using the cauldrons today which explains why they were pushed up against the side of the class, leaving only tables and chairs for the students to occupy for the lesson.

Incidentally, I realised that most of the students were trying to sit as far away from the front of the class as possible for some reason.

Since it came down to that, I chose a seat at the front of the class, the one closest to where Lisa was standing.

Almost immediately, the whispers at the back of the class intensified.

"Uwaa… As expected of our special class student…"

"Big sister is really brave…"

"Is.. Is it true that the teacher of this class will turn you into a frog if you misbehave?"

"Yeah… I heard she was really strict when it comes to alchemy…"

"And she also tests potions on the really bad students too…"

"Why didn\'t I find this out before choosing this class…"

"Big sister is so cool…"

Umm… Lisa… They\'re all just rumours right?

If Lisa heard what the other students were saying, she showed no reaction to it and merely waited until it was time to start her class.

"Alright class, I am professor Lisa and you will address me as such. If you are here that means you have come to learn about Alchemy. I will not sugarcoat it, most of you are not cut out to be alchemists and I expect most of you to fail. This is not a class where I will teach you how to cast fanciful magic or even how to skillfully wield a blade. If you are not prepared, you will not even pass the first hurdle of becoming an alchemist."

I blinked a few times and had to use my [Screen] to check that it really was Lisa that was talking up there and not a doppelganger.

It turns out it really was Lisa but why is she acting so different compared to the Lisa I know?

Although I\'m not sure if it\'s a good practice to tell your class that most of them will fail right from the start…

Oh right… The school isn\'t interested in making sure that every student received an education but only in nurturing the very best of the best. It is a World where the strong prosper after all.

Now I\'m starting to think there was another reason why her Lumenmancy class wasn\'t as popular… Especially if this is how she would act for the normal students…

Everyone in the class watched as she started to pace around the classroom. Though her artefact prevented any of us from seeing her facial features, the feeling that she was currently serious was easily felt by everyone.

"If you thought this was an easy class where you just need to throw in some herbs and mix them in a pot in order to pass, then you are dead wrong. Some of you might be wondering why this class is held in a building separate from the main Academy and that is for protection. What kind of protection? It\'s to protect the other students from you."

Lisa returned to the front of the class and turned back to face us, "I will do my best to keep you safe, but know that Alchemy is a very delicate subject. One wrong ingredient, one wrong infusion of mana and your creation might just blow up in your face and end yours and your friends\' life. A wrong dosage and instead of creating a remedy that would cure ailments, you might create a poison that would cause untold suffering."

Ok… I definitely don\'t remember you giving me such an orientation during our first lesson in your shop Lisa… Also… I think you\'re scaring all the twelve year olds in the class…

She waited for a moment to let her words sink in before she gestured to the door, "Now… If you are not prepared to hold such responsibilities in your hands, I would ask that you kindly leave this class right now and only return when you are ready. This class is not something you can take half-heartedly."

Almost immediately, several students picked up their things and headed out of the door, a few of them even running out of the class.

Ah, that would explain why there were also senior students taking this class… They must have also dropped out in their younger years and decided to take it up again when they got older.

Lisa waited until those who had chosen to give up had left the room, leaving just a little more than half the original number of students left inside the class.

She nodded at us, "Alright, seems like the rest of you are either really confident or really stupid, we shall see who belongs to which category in the next few moments… Now, student Aster!"

I jumped slightly at my name being called, "Ye… Yes?"

"That is \'Yes, professor\' to you."

I\'m not sure what the other students are seeing but I\'m getting the feeling that she was smirking at me right now.

I sucked in a deep breath before breathing out, "Yes, professor?"

"Hehe… Ahem… What does it mean if I were to give you three Nilali Flowers?"

What does it mean? Is this in alchemical terms or some flower language?

"I… Err… I don\'t know, professor."

"Hmm… That shall be your homework for today then. I expect an answer the next time you come to class."

Eh? Is she bullying me or something? Why is she singling me out like that? Does she hate me now or something?

Lisa then turned around to start writing on the board while speaking to us, "Now, don\'t think that just because you\'ve signed up for this class means that you are a guaranteed student here. This is one of the classes where the teacher, namely myself, is able to expel students out of the class if we do not think you are good enough. That\'s why for those of you who are here, we are going to have a quick test."

She finished what she was writing on the board with a flourish, revealing the words "The Dangers of Alchemy" written on it.

"List down as many of these as you can right now, all of you have ten minutes, you may begin."

Lisa… I never knew you were such a spartan as a teacher… What happened to the Infrid who kept on flirting with me?