Norland’s Advanced Magic Academy.
Following the course lecturing the offensive and defensive usage of Voodoo Runes, Sansa finished all her classes for today.
“Finally, I managed to obtain a premium seat ticket.”
“Didn’t you watch it several days ago?”
“I’m going to watch it again.”
Sitting in this extremely old classroom that resembled a witch’s hut, Sansa could hear the discussions from the student sitting before her.
They were discussing the movie ‘Beauty and the Demon.’
It has only been several days since that movie began screening. But, Sansa was able to hear people discussing that movie practically everywhere she goes in the academy.
Whenever she heard the other students’ discussions, Sansa would feel a slight sense of superiority. After all, she and her friend Hyrlan were among the first to watch the movie.
When Sansa watched that movie, it was like the entire theater was booked for her. The theater was practically empty. It was completely different from now where one needed to wait in line for a very long time just to obtain a ticket for the movie.
When Sansa mentioned the movie to her fellow students days ago, they refused to believe her and instead told her that the Black Swan Theatrical Troupe’s performance was what was actually worthy of watching.
Fortunately, Sansa was magnanimous. She deliberately kept some tickets and ‘promoted’ the movie to her friends.
Following her ‘promotion,’ watching ‘Beauty and the Demon’ practically became a ‘trend’ for the people in the Magic Academy. Those that haven’t watched it were simply unable to strike conversations with others.
“Do you not have work at the Patent Office today?”
Sitting beside Sansa, a silvery white Order Rune was flickering on Hyrlan’s hand. She had casted a spell similar to ‘Mage Hand.’ [1]
The bottles and cups on the old table all started floating. They were all returned to the cabinet on the side of the classroom by Hyrlan.
“Today is the day of prayers for my church. As such, I’m off work today.”
Sansa placed her fingers together in a praying gesture. The people from the Nation of the Holy Church would all spend a day every week to pray to their God of Holy Light and Righteousness, Monicar.
Besides meditation, praying was another way to increase one’s magic power.
“You should return quickly then.”
Hyrlan took a glance at the other people still in the classroom. Ever since she got to know Joshua, it was not only her daily life that changed. Her sister Ciri’s daily life and even the people around them, their daily lives had all changed.
According to Joshua, this sort of change would be called... a ‘trend.’ ‘Beauty and the Demon’ seemed to have already become a trend among the young people. A portion of the young women in Norland all wished to be able to dress like Belle.
Among those women, the one that was most affected by the movie was most likely this person before Hyrlan, her friend Sansa.
“Do you all not feel like you’re being deceived? You’ve purchased tickets to watch a show without any performer on stage. All you can see are the images of those performers’ past performances.”
Not everyone could adapt to the trend. Among Hyrlan’s classmates, there were people that were unable to accept movies. Ricard, the young master from the Nation of Art who invited Hyrlan to watch the Black Swan Theatrical Troupe’s performance was one such individual.
“But, ‘Beauty and the Demon’ is much more interesting than a stage play!”
Before Sansa could say anything, another student directly refuted Ricard.
“You all have never seen a truly excellent stage play before! Only a stage play would allow the audiences to fully interact with the performers. That thing you all watched was merely an image, a false display.”
Ricard began to argue with that student. Coming from the Nation of Art, Farucci, Ricard was a faithful fan of the Flower of Farucci. He refused to allow anyone to surpass his goddess in acting.
This was especially the case when it was not even a performer but rather images and sounds stored inside originium crystals using runes.
“Come Sansa, let’s get going.”
Hyrlan didn’t want to involve herself in this quarrel. She knew that Ricard was interested in her. In fact, there were quite many male students interested in her.
Unfortunately for them, the only thing in Hyrlan’s mind right now was to prove her mother right and fully develop and promote that arcanotech device. She simply had no time or desire to even bother with affections between men and women.
“Actually, I also agree with Ricard.”
Sansa followed Hyrland out the witch’s hut. What awaited them outside was a clear lake.
“You agree with him?”
Hyrland felt what Joshua did these past couple days were not only to shock the entire world. He was truly to secretly influence and change this world. Sometimes, that was what was most terrifying of all.
It was like the sudden discovery that people around you were all talking about the same thing all of a sudden.
“Can’t see the performers.”
Sansa kicked a stone on the ground into the lake. She was using it to vent her dissatisfaction.
“At the least, with all that money it cost to watch the Black Swan Theatrical Troupe’s performance at the Norland National Theater, we’ll be able to see the Flower of Farucci in the flesh. As for the Weissenache Theater’s movie, it is only composed of images.”
“In other words, you want to say... you want to meet with demons?”
“Not demons. Well... even if they are demons, I doubt... they’ll be evil,” said Sansa with uncertainty.
“Look at how infatuated that Demon Prince was with Belle. If only I could meet him a couple times. You don’t have to worry, I wouldn’t be so tacky as to scream.”
“...”
Hyrlan has been friends with Sansa for a very long time. She also, more or less, knew that Joshua was no ordinary traveler. Truth was, Hyrland has always had a terrifying guess in her mind. It was just that she was unwilling to think about it.
Hyrlan could tell that Sansa seemed to be planning to do something.
“Let me warn you about this. You’re a citizen of that country and you believe in that faith.”
Hyrlan truly couldn’t believe that ‘demons aren’t evil’ came from a citizen from the Nation of the Holy Church.
As the two of them chatted and walked, Hyrlan and Sansa arrived at the magic university’s beginner district.
“Miss Hyrlan.”
Ynor walked out from the beginner district’s study hall and caught sight of the good-figured and long silver-haired Hyrlan.
“Who... is she?”
Sansa was still imagining when she would be able to meet the performers of the ‘Beauty and the Demon’ when she suddenly noticed the approaching Ynor.
Ynor was wearing his wooden disguise glasses. Sansa examined Ynor and felt that he looked... familiar?
“You can’t recognize him? If I told you who he is, you might lose control. Thus, I’ll keep the answer from you for now.”
Hyrlan shook her head. She didn’t expose Ynor’s identity. As Ynor was attending the same magic university as Hyrlan, Joshua had requested her to look after Ynor.
If Ynor’s identity was discovered by the Holy Church Templars, then Hyrlan, as a class three mage, would be able to help Ynor get away. She could also open the chat box to send a message to notify Joshua.
“Young student mage, can tell me your name?”
Sansa used the method she generally used to strike up a conversation with other female students on Ynor. Ynor simply looked too familiar to her. Sansa was certain that she had seen this girl somewhere before.
“Let’s talk about that on the way back. In half an hour, this place will become the gathering spot of griffins.”
Hyrlan was not fond of those half-eagle half-lion creatures. While they might be the dream mount for many knights, those griffins raised by this advanced magic university were all extremely bad tempered.
“Sure, we can do that.”
“Isn’t your house right over there?” Hyrland pointed to an entirely different direction.
“I was told by my God to follow my intuition. Right now, my intuition is telling me that something good will happen if I follow the two of you,” said Sansa.