Chapter 23

  A Skald-ing Reception

  By the time I got to Music class it wasn’t late, but rather than seeming excited as she normally did, Madame Voyou seemed downright hostile.

  I could tell as the tissue around her pristine left eye were tense as if trying to angrily stare through me. I even saw the moment a trail of blue energy fused into her eye, causing her eye to turn a light blue.

  Shiver.

  At the same time, I felt my body’s natural response to such a hostile act, as I could feel her gaze penetrating me and Analyzing me. After which point, rather than calming down as I had expected, or as would normally happen. This time she was frustrated by what she apparently saw. A fact that was proven by the way she drew her lower lip over her teeth and proceeded to press her tongue upwards causing a distinctive wet clicking sound.

  As was habit, my eyes scanned the room. And only after I caught sight of a familiar yellow piece of paper from the front office sitting at the end of her desk, did I piece together the fact that her apparent annoyance was likely caused by the wording on the paper. Which made no sense, at least not at first, as I was not aware of any house or bloodline that the Voyou possessed.

  Maybe a bloodline dealing with music? But even if that was the case, her current attitude should not be contingent upon me right now.

  Only after a moment’s change did I realize that the only real change from yesterday to today was the Healing Class, this Culmen Vitae, and my newly acquired Healing Skill, Rejuvenation Healing. Other then that nothing had changed.

  Was it becasue she hated doctors, and by extension healers as well? I guess that made sense, as iatrophobia was not uncommon in my past life. Given her extensive scarring and the fact that many of her organs were apparently unable to be healed, it could explain the condition. Given the extent of her injuries, it is likely that she is not only in chronic pain but also has exorbitant debts as well. No, the more I think about her situation, the more I realize this was almost to be expected.

  I am about to try to refute the claim, that I am not really a doctor, when her eye glances down at the thick tome within my hands. A tome that I was able to use to fend off a bully and surprisingly not have its structural integrity compromised in the slightest. Madame Bloom had noted that it was a magical grimoire and thus mostly protected from near any type of attack. And the type of attacks that it couldn’t withstand, it would be best that it took the blow, over my more delicate body, apparently. After seeing it in action I must agree, the tome is sturdy. I also think it is nominally drawing in my excess Mana from me. Almost as a test.

  Why do I think it draws in excess Mana? Well, the longer I hold this book to a certain page, the more certain key words, phrases, and instructions begin to be highlighted. Almost as if the book has a find the important word feature in it and begins highlighting those specific areas for me to pay more attention at. Only afterwards do I see that for whatever reason my Mana is down by a point, one that quickly comes back to me before I am done through my body’s natural regeneration. Still, I almost wish I could create such grimoires, as they seem like a handy way to keep notes, and a functional weapon that is also nearly indestructible.

  I am so focused on my own musings about the note, the tome, and Madame Voyou’s apparent disgust at me, that she finally breaks the awkward silence.

  “If you are done ogling me, then would you please make your way to your seat?”

  “Oh right,” I begin and go back to my typical seat.

  Sniff, sniff.

  As I walk past Madame Voyou, I get the distinct impression that she is trying to smell me. Momentarily flustered by the act, I quickly cast my dispersed use of Trash on me, trying to take away any lingering body odors that might have come from me, or settled into my clothes. Fortunately, the clothes I worked out in, all the way into this morning were the burnt pair that are likely being mended now. Meaning I was able to actually shower and change into my new fresh set of school clothes that fit slightly better. The old ones were honestly becoming a bit tight in all the odd areas. Areas like my thighs, arms, and chest were all getting tight, especially in that green blazer, which I believe was an old one of Johny’s that was converted.

  Not that I am so much of a prude to feel disrespected by hand-me-downs, but wearing former clothes worn by males does require extra cleaning. Which again, lets me thank the wonderful power of Trash. A Skill that literally takes all the crap the world can give it and causes it to disappear.

  “Now then, we will continue with where we left off yesterday,” Madame Voyou begins her lesson almost immediately. A quick glance at the giant tome that is still sitting on my desk comes across loud and clear from the instructor. The translation, while I might have been able to do whatever I wanted in Mr. Zion’s class, the same set of broken standards would not be adhered to in Madame Voyou’s class.

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  Honestly, I kind of liked that no-nonsense approach of hers, as soon as I put away my tone back into my pack, Madame Voyou began her lesson.

  This time, it was far easier for me to harmonize, with the speeds and tempos that Madame Voyou pushed us through. While I didn’t have an insight, I was able to hear when certain students were just missing their intended key, or slightly late with their delivery. It made the world of music far more complex, and surprisingly less enjoyable. Well, less enjoyable for now as I could hear the discordant notes and cadences that some students had.

  “Stop!”

  Then each tie Madame Voyou seemed to have had enough, she would have us all stop. She would take a deep breath, and then give constructive feedback to everyone.

  “Seth, just hum if you don’t know the words,” Madame Voyou began with the biggest distraction to the harmony of the song. From there she continued, “James, I don’t know what that was, but don’t do it again. You are clearly better then that, so if I lose part of my hearing from whatever that was. You will lose your hearing for the same amount of time.”

  “What? You can do that?”

  Almost as if it was a challenge, to her very credibility Madame Voyou stood up straight and with one quick burst raised her left hand. A hand that clearly had some form of light blue mana being infused within it. Then she used what clearly had to be a magical skill of some kind. Possibly Air related?

  SNAP!

  A violent and focused beam of sound waves rushed forward and crashed into James.

  “What? I can’t hear!” James began screaming loudly.

  Madame Voyou seeing this, got even angrier and this time raising her right hand she let out another deafening SNAP. However, unlike the last one that went vertical, this one had more of a horizontal focus to it.

  With that James clutched his throat, as if realizing that something disturbing had happened. He opened and closed his mouth wide, like a fish out of water gasping for air. Yet, no sound came.

  There at the front of the class Madame Voyou stood up straighter as a smile crested her lips. Then after a moment she let out another vertical SNAP with her left hand. After which, James began touching his ears, all while opening his mouth wide and clearly trying to scream, if the tremor and vibrations of his vocal cords were any indication of just how desperately he was trying to scream or be heard right now.

  “Hah, still got it!” Madame Voyou declared excitedly from the front of the classroom.

  With that, everyone turned their full attention to her. Undaunted by the attention of the unusually quiet classroom, Madame Voyou continued her proud musings to herself. “They said it would be unremovable once I managed to take away the hearing of someone. That it was too dangerous as I had to use my right leg to break it, but see I proved them wrong.”

  It was a lie, I didn’t quite know how I knew she was lying, other than her posture was a bit too rigid. Clearly, these were words meant to instill fear in the students to prevent them from back talking while she was giving criticism. I also think her silencing James was also pure retaliation for the way he was purposefully butchering his harmonizing portions. Knowing that she could easily undo any of these conditions that she inflicted, I felt it was effect. There didn’t seem to be any real permanent injury to the party, and it could be undone almost instantly. Even now, I could see the faint blue trail of mana slowly fading away from James’s throat, signifying that his forced silence will soon end as well.

  Now if I could have a power, it would be that one. The ability to make annoying people go quiet just by snapping my fingers? That’s when I wonder not for the first time, just what exactly her class is.

  Apparently, I am not the only one who has this same question as Kirk Kinsington has the same question, but unlike me, he is willing to ask. “What is your class again?”

  Scoff.

  Hearing that Madame Voyou just laughs at the question the way she always does. Then before the full magic on the Silence Skill dissipates, she acts to remove the remaining energy.

  SNAP!

  Once again, she snaps with her right hand sending a horizontal burst of blue mana right at James, after which he is able to speak again.

  “Gasp, it’s a miracle, I can speak again,” James exclaims overly excitedly. Fortunately, all it takes is a quick annoyed shake of her head by Madame Voyou to get James to stop before he gets another dose of Silence applied.

  For a moment, it looks like Madame Voyou is going to ignore the question about her class entirely. But then a quick scan of the room causes her to stop right on me. I can tell it is me, as she has to turn her head to let her one good left eye focus on me. In that stare, she pauses for a moment and then seems to bob her head as if coming to a conclusion.

  “My Class is a variant of the Skald class, which itself is an evolved variant of the basic Bard class,” Madame Voyou declares.

  “WHOA!” Most of the class erupts at that, as her class has to at least be Epic or rarer, as Bard would have to be uncommon. Then Skald would put it at Rare. Then an evolved variant of that Skald would put it Epic or higher.

  “Can you take me as your Apprentice?” Kirk Kinsington asks, raising his hand and desperately wanting this chance. Hearing his voice from the middle of the class, Madame Voyou breaks her eye contact with me and then turns to face Kirk.

  “Mr. Kinsington, unfortunately no one here has the ability to learn my class,” again Madame Voyou scans the classroom going first left, then turning her head and stopping at me again.

  Shiver.

  “What does it take to be a Skald?” James asks.

  “It takes not breaking your notes on purpose,” Madame Voyou hissed. At that James visibly flinched, but it was well deserved, in my opinion. Then she continued, “it takes being able to become one with the music, to feel it, and realize that music is a living entity. Like air, it moves and can move others if you wield it correctly. There are many names for that, some call it passion, others call it intensity, regardless of what you call it; to be a Bard or even an evolved variant of that class, requires you to be able to wield that passion and intensity at a moment’s notice.”

  Silence.

  The entire class went silent after that explanation, then after the class had enough time for that lesson to sink in, she gave her last comment.

  “Unfortunately, finding people capable of such insight are rare. Worse, they are often highly coveted, for their vast insights into the human soul, also make it so they can learn other classes easily. Other classes that while noble and exemplified, will not be as enjoyable as being a Skald.” While her blue eye darted around the room, she made sure to end her comment looking directly at me.

  Ding-dong-ding.

  At that moment, the class bell rang, signifying that once again class was over.

  “That is all for today class,” Madame Voyou’s voice managed to project over the still ringing bell. At that, everyone immediately began jumping up from their seats, no longer being held prisoner to the classroom and its instructor.

  I too got up, and almost thought about removing one of my Tomes so that I might have a handy weapon available, but thought better of it, and decided to keep them both together. Then as soon as I stood up, Madame Voyou chose that moment to pounce.

  “Ms. Bloom, may I have a moment of your time,” she asked.

  And like that, I felt a pit in my stomach rise, as I realized I would be finding out why she had been on edge around me all day.

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