Chapter 96: Marble Sonata (1/2)
On the way out, Laila accompanied Jyorta, engaging in small talk, painting a sharp contrast. Laila was animated, her expression jovial as she skipped along the way, receiving glances from the onlookers.
She had a charm that was accentuated by her chirpy self, complementing her cute appearance. Compared to her, Jyorta looked relatively stiff, showcasing distinct expressions occasionally, the emotion behind them apparent.
It looked like he was wired to only display a single emotion each time but, on the contrary, his conversation with Laila was quite lively. They chatted about the hours they spent to accumulate their Credit count, the Trait they had exchanged, etc.
”The person responsible for implanting the Traits complimented my choice for picking the Trait of Efficiency. He said this fastens our growth in the initial run while the Wisdom Parasite is still an infant.” Jyorta said.
”He said the same to me too. I was first planning to pick the Trait of Temperance but, after careful consideration, I settled with the Trait of Efficiency. The lower cost of it also compelled me to pick it first.” Laila replied, grabbing hold of the handrail as she climbed the stairs.
Reaching the third floor, Jyorta turned to enter the hallway while Laila continued with her climb. She stopped after climbing a couple of steps, ”Jyorta, we have to catch up, just like old times. Let us study together and cover our weak subjects. After all, the two of us have been tutored by the Walta professors famed in the 7th Ring.”
”Sure,” Jyorta nodded, heading towards his room. Even though there was no prohibition of group studying in the dorm, due to the fear of malicious rumours spreading, most students refrained from doing so.
There were many facilities in the White Building to facilitate efficient study time. Hence, students generally preferred to study there.
Moreover, it took time to learn and digest each topic, which they all lacked given the time constraints. And hence, students usually formed groups where each student covered one subject they had prepared beforehand and taught it to the others. This raised their studying efficiency; it eventually became a tradition there. Moreover, anyone who tried to clown around was kicked out mercilessly.
Climbing the steps one after the other, Laila immersed herself in the peaceful atmosphere. The discussions of the students bordering on trivial topics, the pleasant scent of the grass, and the bustling atmosphere, Laila soaked through them like a dry blanket, her expression one of enjoyment.
When she had arrived on the seventh floor, a change enveloped her, forming something mysterious in her body. It was a tangible feeling, one that seemed to increase the efficiency of her body's functions and the entity inside her. A smile crept up her face, one of pleasantness.
She continued to climb, arriving on the 11th floor, walking through the hallway. On the way, she met a couple of her friends who looked at her in shock, sporting a sense of worship. They congregated around her, bombarding her with a multitude of questions.
Their questions varied but, the topic of interest revolved around her studying habits and the sorcery she had performed to accumulate so many Credits in such a short time, breaking their academy record.
Laila extricated herself from their hold, forming an excuse that she was feeling tired. She then forbade them from disturbing her, saying that she was about to sleep.
She entered her room and closed the door, locking it securely, hanging the key in its designated socket. She then began to strip, placing the removed clothes above the nearby table. A necklace hung over her neck, looking like it was made from iron.
Its locket looked dull, poorly crafted, showcasing traces of pores along the folds. Laila touched the locket, inserting her psychic energy through it. Immediately, a spherical barrier appeared, widening in size until it touched the inner walls of her room, sealing it from the outside.
She closed her eyes, emitting a gentle flux of psychic energy, converging them into a line, forming a psychic arm. She executed a couple of linear movements, familiarising herself with its functions.
Laila walked towards the table, pulling her draw open. Placed inside them were two magenta coloured objects: a chakram, and a cylindrical jar.
The chakram was similar to the one Jyorta received from Psychic Ancestor Marble, looking like a replica.
Laila took out the cylindrical jar and closed the drawer, sitting on her bed. She closed her eyes, concentrating on her Brain Crystal. A moment later, numerous tendrils of blood gushed out of the pores on her face, many times greater in number than Madam Mila.
They converged towards one spot, forming a blob. Within a couple of seconds, it formed into a caterpillar, her actions faster than Madam Mila, a Sky Controller.