Chapter 44 - Ceremony (1) (1/2)
Lydis got to her room and threw her clean clothes onto her bed. Ui was still charging on the windowsill. Valfafer was running around the rooms, clean and refreshed. He was full of energy.
”Master! Master! Everything smells so different now!” Valfafer had his nose on the floor, sniffing and registering each smell.
”Nnn…” Lydis had picked up the pamphlet and was flipping through it. Classes, schedule numbers, teachers, extra courses. She saw a class for outdoor survival training along with a prerequisite of herbalism class two finished. Under the description of the class it had the requirements as well. Ui took this time to wake up and beep.
”Master Lydis, it is currently zero five twenty. The ceremony is in zero two forty hours.”
”Thanks Ui.” Lydis turned the pamphlet around and found a map of the campus on the back. Just as she was memorizing the route to the ceremony area outside her door loud noises drifted in. Although they were muffled she could still make out high pitched squeals and laughter.
”Master master! We should go out too.” Valfafer bounced over to Lydis's leg.
”No, children are trouble. If I don't have to, I won't interact with them.” Lydis shifted away from Valfafer when she realized something. ”…When did your ego grow enough to order me to do something?” Valfafer flinched and backed away from Lydis slowly, ears bent down slightly, his tail no longer wagging wildly.
”U-uh… Oh look at that!” Valfafer dashed to the farthest corner of the room, pretending to sniff the corner for something. Seeing as he was avoiding it Lydis wanted to go and terrorize him more but Ui's beeping drew her attention.
”Master Lydis, it would seem that there are specific regulations at this school. I highly recommend that you read through the pamphlet carefully.” She didn't know when but Ui had left the windowsill and was hovering above the pamphlet, flipping through them rapidly.
”What do you mean Ui?” Lydis set the pamphlet down to allow Ui full access to it. Ui landed on the bed next to it and began to mark specific pages and sections.
”This pamphlet is full of deceiving sections that might lead kids astray. On page six, fourth paragraph down, second sentence: 'Before the ceremony every child is to receive a nametag from their corresponding dorm heads on their own, should the child fail to do so they will be excluded from the ceremony.' Flip back two pages, first paragraph, last sentence: 'Any child not attending the ceremony will be assigned various jobs that may not be refused.' Flip to page thirteen, third paragraph, first sentence: 'Deaths of children on school grounds are unrelated to the school.' With these three different rules it's a possibility that not attending the ceremony means death.”
”Haven did mention that the principle was strict about the rules…” Lydis looked at the pamphlet and flipped back to the sixth page. ”Ui, in this sentence do I have to go to Hal for my nametag?”
”It would seem so Master Lydis. I recommend going now.” Ui flew over and landed on Lydis's leg, trying to stuff itself into her overcoat's pocket.
”Ha ha, Ui, if you wanted to go too just say it. I'll take the bag to carry you as well.” Lydis gently placed Ui on the bed and packed her things into her bag. Nothing of hers remained in the room except the extra pair of socks, heavy shoes, extra uniform, and the school casual clothes. Valfafer saw Lydis packing and came back from the corner, interested in what she was doing.
”Master, are we leaving?” Lydis looked at Valfafer and grinned.
”For now, we're just going to the ceremony. Hal said my roommates would be here today so I don't want to leave my personal belongings where they can touch them. That other stuff can be my bed holder.”
”What if they try and claim it?” Lydis stayed silent for a bit, a chilling smile slowly formed on her face.
”If, they try and claim it, we can just got to page thirteen, paragraph three, first sentence…” Ui raised it's head and tapped Lydis's knee.
”Master Lydis, in the first page, second paragraph, last line: 'Students may not kill each other directly, practice bouts are allowed.' You must not kill them.” Lydis pondered this a bit but the smiled stayed.
”They just don't have to die right?” Valfafer felt chills down his spine. Lydis had seemed so 'normal' and 'weak' these last few days that he forgot what she was like. He trembled at the thought of what Lydis might do to the poor girl who decided to take Lydis's bed. He looked around the room for something to stop people from claiming the bed and found just the thing. His fur!
Since he didn't like getting haircuts and Lydis was too lazy to cut it, his fur was naturally long. Valfafer jumped onto the bed and began rubbing against the sheets face first. Rolling in them and even against the walls.
”Valfafer! What are you doing?” Lydis was still in the middle of packing when she saw Valfafer messing up the bed.
”If I do this the other girls will see my hair and won't want to choose a bed with hair on it!” He sounded triumphant and confident that this was the way to save whatever innocent girl might choose their bed. Lydis frowned and sighed loudly.
”You dumb dog, if we had just left it a little messy compared to the others with my clothes here anyone would think that someone has already claimed it.”
”B-but you never know! Better safe than sorry right?” He was shaking a bit now. If Lydis decided that he was being too brazen she might make him endure some sort of punishment. Lydis paused and thought about it, seeing as Valfafer was somewhat right Lydis clicked her tongue loudly.
*tsk* ”Whatever, we still have to get our nametags from Hal.” Valfafer flopped over in relief. His master had not punished him! ”But, before we do that…” Lydis snatched Valfafer's paws and pinned them between her legs.
Too shocked to do anything, it took Valfafer a few seconds to hear the ominous 'click' of something around his neck. He tried to thrash his body around but Lydis's grip wasn't letting him go, especially her stern stare. He whimpered and laid his body down.
”Better.” Lydis continued to work on Valfafer's back and soon another ominous 'click' reached Valfafer's ears. She loosened her legs and Valfafer jumped away, pulling something along with him. He looked back and saw a leash. One end attached to his harness and the other onto Lydis's arm.
”M-master, do I really need this?” Valfafer tried to bite at the harness but the flexible material wasn't affected by his teeth, instead it just bent around them. He tried pulling at it with his front paws but no matter what angle he pulled at it never went up. Chuckling, Lydis's chilling smile was replaced with satisfaction.