Six hours later,
The sound of bells rang out in the classroom, and as soon as possible, the children who were writing on parchment stopped what they were doing. A thirty-seven-year-old red-haired woman looked at the students. “For those who have not finished the assignment I gave you, you can submit it tomorrow. If you want to submit it now, I will keep waiting here for fifteen minutes. Class dismissed.”
Most of the students began to pack up their belongings. However, with a girl sitting at the back, it was different to the teacher’s right. She was still writing and seemed unperturbed by all the activities of her peers. One by one, the children left the room, but one thing was different: someone was still in there. The woman with the glasses noticed. However, she did not say anything.
Wasn’t she Alexa? She studied hard, so her grades were always good. It is just a pity that she was always the object of bullying from Odessa and her friends. So many students harmed her and thought that their actions were normal just because Alexa’s appearance was different from other children, thought the teacher, who continued to watch the target, who was busy writing. The atmosphere in the classroom was eerily quiet, as no one started a conversation at all.
In less than five minutes, the granddaughter of Sir Elmer Louis Writh and Madame Phoenix Lily Katira was seen putting her quill on the table. She got up from the chair and walked over to the teacher, who was still in place. Alexa was glad that the schoolwork was done, so there would be no homework which definitely required her attention and had to be completed as soon as possible.
When she reached the front, the hazel-eyed young woman said to her teacher, holding out a roll of parchment with a lot of writing on it, “I have finished the assignment you gave me, Miss Atzha.”
The green-eyed woman nodded and took the roll of parchment that the student handed her. She marvelled at the girl’s persistence, trying to complete all the assignments on time. “You are very diligent, Alexa. You could have handed this assignment over to me tomorrow.”
Alexa smiled slightly at the compliment. That smart girl felt uncomfortable with such flattery, thinking that what she was doing was normal. “Thank you, Miss Atzha. I really wanted to hand in the assignment today so I would not forget to bring it tomorrow.”
“Great! You can rest, Alexa. Do not study too hard.” The full-bodied woman reminded the only daughter of the couple, Tristian Varden Writh and Lavena Isolda Keira. Alexa was stunned and nodded spontaneously, not wanting to disappoint the teacher who had been so kind to her.
“Thank you, Miss Atzha.” That wallflower girl replied softly, then, without waiting for a signal, as soon as possible, turned around and walked towards the seat. Alexa’s every move was being watched by the teacher. When her student was seated, the woman began to read the inscription on the parchment scroll. Meanwhile, a Messenger of Goddess Magia organized the luggage before leaving the classroom.
A cold aura began in the place, but neither the female teacher nor her student noticed the irregularity. They were busy with their own activities and did not have time to notice it. When the young woman was done with her activities, she began to feel something different, but Alexa did not know what had caused it.
Why do I feel so different? Is this a sign of the strange woman Aiden mentioned yesterday? I have never met that woman, but I hope I never will. At this rate, I will have to leave quickly, lest something strange happen, thought Alexa, who was carrying all the luggage.
The chestnut brown-haired girl walked rather hurriedly, as she could not stand being in what was supposed to be a comfortable location for studying. When she reached the door, it suddenly opened by itself; the horrifying moment made the Chosen One shudder and then quickly left there. Meanwhile, her teacher turned to the door and immediately raised one eyebrow.
“What was wrong with Alexa? Why is she so scared?” she muttered, confused. A woman had not yet realized that there was something strange, so she continued to read all the writings on the student’s parchment scroll.
***
The young lady, who still came from a noble family, continued to walk quickly without looking back. Alexa ignored everyone’s stares and instead concentrated on her goal: getting to a safe place, even though she had not eaten lunch yet.
Where to go now? It can’t be back in the room, can it? I have to go to the next lesson, but that is also a while away. Why do strange things always happen to me? I just want to live a normal life, without the constraints of other people, even from a baby living in this shitty orphanage, Alexa muttered to herself.
As Alexa was about to head towards the library, she suddenly felt someone push her body, causing her to fall to the floor. The loud crash attracted the attention of several people who happened to be around. The one hundred-and-seventy-centimetre-tall teenage girl felt pain all over her body, and she was eager to get up, but it was hard to do as if someone was holding her down.
“Where are you going, Witch? What a rush. You are an orphan just like us, so no one will come to take you out of here.”
Alexa knew very well who the owner of the voice was. However, she was helpless because something was holding her back, so that the girl could not move. “Why are you always bothering me? You and I both do not have parents. We should be helping each other!” the bookish girl snapped while enduring the pain.
“What did you say? Help each other? You are different from me! You are an illegitimate child! When you were a baby, your parents must have thrown you away because they saw how you looked-”
Before Odessa could finish her sentence, someone cut her off. “Enough! You have gone too far! Let Alexa go, or you will be locked up in the detention centre underground!”
The girl was shocked, as were all the friends who had been watching Alexa’s torture. They looked back simultaneously, and there was a tall, slim, authoritative woman. It turned out she was not alone, as another figure was coming with her.
When Odessa saw the two women, that girl released the pressure on the enemy’s back area as soon as possible because she had received a ban from Madame Aufrodine. Meanwhile, the bully was relieved, and Alexa tried to get up from the floor but could not do so.
Many children had gathered, curious about what had happened. However, they did not dare to stand too close to the area where Alexa was attacked because they had received a sharp stare from the woman who was the Head of the Ztatzav Orphanage. They only dared to watch from about four to five meters away for fear of the dark-haired woman’s influence.
“Odessa, maybe we have been too kind to you and your friends, so you are being insolent now? Did you do that on purpose to kill Alexa? Did we never teach you any manners?” Madame Aufrodine asked a series of questions to the girl who was standing with her four best friends.
Odessa did not dare to answer, as a frightening aura emanated from the head of the orphanage where she and her friends had lived since childhood. Alexa had not been able to move much, and the girl felt a pain centred on her chest, stomach, and back that was excruciating. Amidst the silence, the only daughter of the couple, Tristian Varden Writh and Lavena Isolda Keira coughed a few times, drawing many people’s attention.
That young girl seemed to be bleeding, so many people felt sorry for her. But Odessa was secretly satisfied but did not dare to express it openly. Alexa was in pain, and from the crowd of people, four teenagers walked up to the girl. They were Samuel, Aiden, Aileen, and Adaline. The red-haired youth looked at Madame Aufrodine. “Excuse me, Madame. If you allow us, we will take Alexa to the medical room.”
“Yes. I authorize you to take Alexa there.”
“Thank you, Madame.”
Without a word, a skinny young man carried Alexa. He looked very worried about the opposite sex’s condition. Meanwhile, the three friends threw cynical glances at Odessa and her friends, and they quickly left the place to head to the medical room.
Everyone waited for Madame Aufrodine’s decision. The fierce-faced woman said, “Odessa, you got Alexa hurt. Not only that, Frazto, Drutz, Shul, and Drena were also found guilty of allowing your friend to commit that act. I decree that you will be punished and in the detention room for a month! Madame Loiston, take the five children; if anyone dares to resist, the punishment is increased fivefold!”
The faces of the five teenagers whose names had been mentioned turned very pale. They looked at each other and were about to protest, but the thick-browed woman yelled at Odessa and her friends, “Hurry up! You have dared to do evil, so you must also dare to bear the risk!”
Frazto, Drutz, Shul, Drena, and Odessa were forced to comply. Madame Loiston led them away. Meanwhile, Madame Aufrodine was there. There was a chill in the air, but no one noticed it yet, as they were more focused on the Alexa incident and the punishment of the bullies.
“I warn all of you here: do not ever bother Alexa or hurt her as Odessa and her friends did. If anyone dares to do that, and I will punish you myself!”
The orphanage head’s gaze was so distinct that it made everyone shudder and reply in unison, “Yes, Madame Aufrodine.”
***