The “General Knowledge” class took place in calm. A calm imbued with regrets among the majority of the unconscious, ignorant, and clumsy students. The latter had caused their teacher sorrow, a sorrow that remained partly marked on her face during the rest of the class. The subject following the incident concerned the six benevolent Domains as well as their powers, their authority among the Ilnolians and their method of work.

  Dong

  The bell finally rang, it was the third time since the start of classes.

  — Well, we can stop here for today. I will be away for a few minutes, I’ll be right back, added Professor Sylvia, before leaving the class.

  Following her departure, Loyd turned to Elwyn.

  — She looks really bad though. It’s really a shame, it clashes with her natural beauty, remarked the nephilim of War, without caring about the silence that reigned since the teacher left.

  — Whose fault is that? simply asked Elwyn without aiming at anyone in the class.

  — Not mine, I said nothing and did nothing, replied Loyd, as if the question was aimed at him by default.

  — Hmph! For once, that you are not in the middle of problems, replied Princess Sylaria.

  The princess’s intervention made a good part of the class snicker, even Arimélia.

  — Oh, come on, grumbled Loyd.

  — In any case, well done to you. You managed to put an end to this story before it degenerated too much, added Sylaria, after turning towards Elwyn.

  — I just made more noise than the others.

  One of the dwarves at the back of the class replied with a slight reproach.

  — You talk! My ears were whistling for several seconds.

  Several other students nodded in approval.

  — Ah. I’m sorry about that, it wasn’t intended, simply apologized the young boy to the entire class.

  — Well, don’t worry. It was for a good cause, replied the dwarf.

  — Anyway, I really thought she was going to end up crying over this story, added a halfling from the front row.

  A long awkward silence occurred once again, but, this time, it was broken by a knock on the table by Linariel, an elf with long wavy bark-colored hair and hazel eyes, seated in the front row.

  — She must know something. She wouldn’t have reacted like that if it weren’t the case, she muttered, her fist firmly clenched on her desk.

  In his corner, Elwyn nodded slightly in approval, his gaze lost on the ceiling.

  “I agree with you, even if I do not know your reasons… However, your method leaves something to be desired…”

  The class door suddenly opened and Sylvia immediately returned to take her place. The elf teacher looked much better than when she left, which somewhat relieved the students.

  — Well, break is over. We will move on to the next class, “Etiquette and Manners”. As you should know, this academy welcomes different types of students from various origins and statuses. However, once you leave here, most of you will have easy access to high society. It is therefore necessary that we prepare you for that.

  Following these words, all the faces of the students belonging to the nobility suddenly tensed, as if they had just apprehended something terrible for the course of events.

  — We will therefore start with the basics. Who can name the three?

  A heavy silence fell and the students belonging to the nobility looked at each other, before Sylaria decided to raise her hand.

  — Greetings, whether formal or informal. Public behavior and, finally, respect for authority, she replied in a somewhat bitter tone.

  — Indeed, these are the basic learnings in order to begin to evolve among the important figures of the world. We will therefore start with the most important thing, the first impression. A good impression allows one to positively influence the perception that people have of you.

  Elwyn then raised his hand.

  — Except that it does not only concern the context of an encounter with the nobility. The first impression is made with everyone and all the time, isn’t it? Since I arrived here, the different students I have encountered have, for the most part, not stopped staring at me because of my hair. How am I supposed to take that? If just a single physical characteristic allows someone to be immediately judged as good or bad, then what is the point of trying to be well seen?

  Loyd added.

  — I agree with him. Whether I like it or not, I am the son of Asagar. It is enough to see the color of my hair and my eyes. As a result, I am already judged without having done anything special beforehand. How are we supposed to handle that?

  A heavy silence fell in the class. Some students approved of their remarks and others were rather confused, as some questioned their learning or their own ability to judge.

  — You both are right and it is deeply unfair. Unfortunately, we cannot prevent such things from happening. It is much simpler to judge people using generalities, rather than taking them on a case-by-case basis. The only thing to do to fight that is to change the perception that people have, by changing them one by one. It is a long and tedious task, but it is the only solution. The nephilim of the Domain of War will always be considered as brutes and killers thirsty for combat and blood, if nothing is done by at least one of them to be different.

  At this response, Loyd clenched his fist firmly in disgust at his situation.

  — As for you, Elwyn. The Ravens belong to a people who isolated themselves from the world by going to the floating islands to the east of the Central Continent. It is therefore rare to meet one, and even rarer if it is a child. Many stories and secrets surround them, so it is normal that it intrigues people when they meet one for the first time.

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  For Elwyn, the subject of discrimination, whatever its form, is very close to the Domain of Life.

  — I already know, Professor Sylvia. Professor Ezekiel has already told me about it. The problem is that judging someone on their appearance can be dangerous. Isn’t it said that the most beautiful roses are often equipped with thorns? Or that the most beautiful gemstones were originally nothing more than raw, formless colored rocks?

  His words provoked a slight reaction among the elves at his first expression, then among the dwarves at his second. These expressions come from these two perfectly opposed cultures, but happen to be complementary in this present context.

  — That is also true. Unfortunately, not everyone has the processing ability that Entities possess, as well as their ability to individualize things. It is a flaw inherent in us mere mortals.

  — I see… So I will have to deal with it. Thank you, Professor, for your explanation.

  The professor left her place and went to the shelves to take several works, which she placed on the nearest desks.

  — Well, in that case, we will now be able to start a practical exercise. As I have already mentioned, the first impression is crucial. We will therefore begin by working on your posture. Please, everyone, stand up from your place.

  The students stood up from their bench, waiting apprehensively for what would come next.

  — Now, I will ask you to take one book per person and place it on your desk, she continued.

  The students of noble origin began to grimace seeing where this was going to lead them, but all obeyed the teacher’s request.

  — Now, I will ask you to stand up straight, feet aligned with your shoulders. I will then come around to each of you to place the book on the top of your head, and you must keep it still for the rest of the class. If you drop it, you will have to do a lap of the class like a duck before I put it back on your head, she finished, with a look and an amused smile.

  The faces of the students became ashen, as if every form of life had just disappeared from them.

  Loyd could not help but snicker imagining the scene that was about to happen, while Elwyn had just understood the reason why Ophélia cared so much that he do this exercise since he was little.

  _________________________

  For a first class, the result of the exercise was more than satisfactory for some, but a good number of ducks mainly made the round of the class. Loyd was not spared, neither was Princess Sylaria, her cousin and her two non-comrade mates. Other students gave the impression of being tightrope walkers in the midst of an artistic performance, while others gave the impression of being posts trembling from cold due to the stiffness of their bodies, as if the book was too heavy on the top of the head. Arimélia, Elwyn and the elves were spared for a while, but books were added to increase the difficulty and the elves eventually gave in.

  You monster, muttered Loyd against Elwyn, who had never faltered a single time during the class.

  The latter turned to him, still remaining upright and keeping his stack of books balanced, before walking normally towards him.

  — And you, you are a duck, he replied, his gaze turned down, as Loyd was just about to finish another lap of the class, before returning to his place.

  Meanwhile, Arimélia had not given in either. She was still standing, with the books placed between her black horns, but her mind seemed absent, as if she were in her own bubble, ignoring the rest of the world around her. Her success was not at all due to luck, but to hard work since she had left her mother and joined the kingdom of Hercor. But at that precise moment, she was questioning all that work she had done and the results obtained because of simple questions asked in the previous class.

  “The first impression is made with everyone and all the time, isn’t it? If just a single physical characteristic allows someone to be immediately judged as good or bad, then what is the point of trying to be well seen? … What is the point of trying to be well seen… if just a single physical characteristic allows someone to be immediately judged…”

  Seeing out of the corner of her eye the worried face of the half-dragoness, Sylaria slowly turned her towards her, taking care not to drop her book.

  — Ari… Are you okay?

  Arimélia did not reply.

  — Hey, Arimélia, are you okay? she asked her again.

  The half-dragoness finally reacted and turned in turn towards the princess.

  — Yes, I’m fine…, she replied, putting on a reassuring facade to avoid complicating the situation.

  — I see…, replied Sylaria, not really convinced.

  The princess turned back to face the board, but ended up dropping her book again.

  — Oh no, not again…, she muttered, before picking up her book and placing it on her desk.

  — Good luck, she replied to her, before the princess went off for another lap.

  Dong

  For the fourth time, the bell rang.

  — Well, class is over. Before you leave, you can put your book back on your desk and don’t forget to resume your writings. I wish you a good appetite, concluded Professor Sylvia, who was already beginning to gather the various works to put them away.

  Relieved from the end of this hell, or rather of this class, the students began to leave the classroom, while those from the upper classes began to descend the stone staircase, to in turn join the cafeteria.

  Elwyn decided to stay to help the professor tidy up the class, in order to be able to ask her a question once all the students had left.

  — I suspect the reason why you are still here, Elwyn, remarked the professor.

  — In that case, can you give me some answers, Professor Sylvia? Or has the Divinity Ogme asked you to keep silent?

  The elf with honey-colored hair froze at his second question and displayed a slight melancholic look towards the young nephilim.

  — What do you want to know?

  — What is the information that you have hidden from us about the Guardian of the Divinity Akeso?

  The elf professor gently clasped her hands, before rubbing her thumbs against each other.

  — What do you really know about him? she asked, resigned to speak without filter.

  — Not much. Professor Ezekiel is not very talkative and Vice-Principal Nalinaya is not in a position to tell me anything because of my appearance.

  — I see… It is normal after all, they were…, in their own way, close… Simply put, your father was a descendant of a human Hero of the second generation. He left his family, going against everyone’s will, to help the inhabitants of Ilnolia with his strength, his skills and his magic, as his ancestor did before him. He ended up becoming the Guardian of the Divinity of Life, after having crossed her path many times and refusing her offer. Compared to the other Guardians of our time, he was the strongest thanks to his fragment of heroic heritage and his divine blessing.

  This revelation surprised Elwyn, not so much by its content as by the ease with which he had obtained it.

  — Thank you, Professor. I must admit that I did not expect you to answer me so easily.

  — It is only natural to help you. It is inconceivable to keep you in the dark forever. Unfortunately, I do not know him as well as Nalinaya… Anyway, let’s stop here, the other students might start asking questions.

  Elwyn nodded.

  — You are right, thank you again, Professor Sylvia.

  — You don’t have to thank me, Elwyn, I am only doing my duty towards you.

  The young boy saluted the professor one last time before leaving the study tower to join his classmates in the cafeteria.

  “A descendant of Heroes, huh…”

  _________________________

  Heroes, is the term used to designate an exceptional individual emerging among a representative of each native species of Ilnolia. These individuals stand out by physical and magical abilities surpassing those of all the other members of their own species. They assume the role of Guardian of their species, protecting against the risks of genocidal catastrophe.

  Their ability to surpass others can be passed on for up to two generations, but it halves with each transmission, as does their ability to use magic. When a Hero dies, the first child of his species born immediately after this event inherits his role.