Cyril did think it was strange. The students' reaction was way outside the reasonable.
However, he didn't fully believe the reason Richard provided for the Academy's actions.
Richard's speech felt familiar to Cyril, who frequently encountered high society in the past.
It felt like an official trying to clean up after their boss, struggling to come up with an excuse for a mistake, but never addressing it outright.
Not my concern anyways.
As students of class I listened, their faces became less frustrated and more confused.
The gazes they sent Cyril changed as well. While they still held a bit of fear, they tried to hold their other negative emotions.
"I knew it!" Cedric whispered in excitement, his face showing relief.
He patted Cyril enthusiastically on the shoulder. "There is no way my friend will do anything too mean on purpose; it was just a misunderstanding!"
His voice was low but still could be heard by the whole class.
Cyril slowly grabbed Cedric's hand and removed it from his shoulder, to which Cedric only smiled happily in response.
Why is he so trusting? I wouldn't even call us friends.
Cedric's insistence on him being a good person felt weird to Cyril, even a bit frustrating.
...
Soon the professor's speech was finished.
The results of the test will be revealed at a later date.
The students surrendered their test equipment and started climbing up the stairs, finally leaving this gloomy place.
Cedric and Clayton briefly said their goodbyes and left.
Emily hesitated for a long time but finally left without saying anything.
Myra also moved quickly. She didn't want to stay here for a second, it seemed.
Rose said a few words with a smile before following Myra.
There was no sight of Edmund anywhere, maybe he left while mixed in with the others.
Cyril, however, stayed behind by himself for certain reasons.
He came over towards Richard, who was already fiddling with the bracelets.
"Professor Richard, can you tell me where Professor Rendel is?" Cyril asked.
Richard faced him and was about to say something, when a majestic kitten's meow sounded.
Cyril quickly turned around, and sure enough, Tigris was running at him with glee from the side.
The tiger cub ran up to his legs and started pushing him with a paw.
Cyril, with a slight curve of his mouth, picked up the kitten and placed him on his unoccupied shoulder.
There, Morpho greeted her sibling, flapping her wings a few times.
During the test, Cyril continuously felt like he was missing something, and now that this lazy tiger was here, that feeling went away like it never existed before.
"Good job! You've stayed without any complaints, right?" Rhamn was glad as well.
Just then, footsteps echoed from where Tigris had arrived.
Thinking it was Rendel, Cyril turned around to thank him, but as he opened his mouth, the words got stuck.
Instead of their burly combat instructor, a pale, young-looking woman with lavender hair, wearing a witch robe and a large witch hat, walked up with a thin smile.
"This tiger is yours? He is so well-behaved and cute," she said in a sweet voice.
Hearing this voice, Tigris stiffened and lowered his whole body, making himself as unnoticeable as possible.
"You are...?" Cyril cautiously trailed off.
He never saw this woman, but the way she moved and the way Richard kept his back straight all implied she was someone important.
The woman took a deliberate gasp, raising her hand and putting it against her head in a dramatic display of sadness.
"To think that a Class I student wouldn't even know my name... It's my fault; I should be spending more time in the academy," she said with her sweet, bell-like voice.
Then the pale young woman raised the hems of her robe and gave a courteous greeting. "My name is Margaret. I am the principal of Ailanthus."
At her display of etiquette, Cyril reflexively bowed as well; it seemed a proper thing to do.
"What did you think of the test? I decided to take more part in the workings of this dear academy, and this was my idea," Margaret proudly said, her witch hat bobbing with a nod of her head.
Cyril thought for a few seconds before replying, "It was an interesting test; if it could be expanded upon, that would be great."
"Oh? How so?" Margaret froze and tilted her head.
"Utilize the illusions more; make the experience more real. If the students couldn't feel the barrier and instead received seemingly real damage to their bodies, it would prepare them for real combat."
Cyril crossed his arms. "And you can make other 'enemies' for the students. Create a few monsters, maybe ghouls, if that is possible, of course."
"You can add Potion Making to this test as well and create herbs here and there with various effects. For example, if a student gets injured, they could use a fake healing herb to recover from their fake wounds."
He had thought about it with Rhamn quite a bit, actually. They both thought that such a world made by illusion magic had a lot of potential.
Margaret listened to him attentively, and when he was done, she excitedly clapped a few times.
"Those are indeed incredible ideas! I thought of a few of them as well. Unfortunately, not everyone agreed with it, saying it would be too damaging to the students." She sighed with disappointment.
Richard, who was fiddling with the bracelets in the distance, flinched for a second.
"However, now that I know that my students agree, it's safe to implement more things next time." A thin smile returned to her face.
If the students knew what Cyril just did to their future, there would probably be another outrage. Too bad no one was here to witness it.
There was a thing Cyril was curious about. And seeing the principal being so casual, he decided to ask it just in case.
"Regina caught a student she suspected to be in a criminal organization. What happened to that?"
Margaret went silent for a brief second before replying with her crystal clear voice, "It's just a rat from Lapis, nothing to worry about. Such things happen occasionally."
She continued with an exasperated voice. "This time, they are searching for a certain stone. But it seems a bit ridiculous for that object to be here."
"They are finally looking for the Black Tulip."
The magical pure black stone that Cyril got when searching for Anna's bracelet was currently in Myra's possession.
Like he wanted to, Cyril gave it away to her. He had to use a few lies to explain why he didn't need it.
He blamed it on Selene's technique, which helped him evade further questions.
With the Black Tulip in Myra's safekeeping, Cyril wasn't worried about Lapis finding it.
...
He and the principal talked a bit more about studies and other casual things before it was time to move on.
"It's been good to see you, Cyril; if you need any help, feel free to find me in my office," said Margaret in a friendly tone.
She waved goodbye and started walking, ready to disappear into the darkness of the underground.
"Tell her to teach you illusion magic!" Rhamn hastily reminded, her eyes shining at this opportunity.
"Principal Margaret, can you teach me illusion magic?" asked Cyril before it was too late.
The seemingly young witch froze in her steps before slowly turning around, her body half obscured by darkness.
Her thin smile, the only visible feature of her face, grew just a little bit wider.
"Of course I can; it would be my pleasure! But another day, please, just find me when you want to begin learning." Her voice sounded absolutely joyous at the opportunity to guide a student.
Leaving these words, she resumed walking, and after a few steps, her body was no longer visible.
"What a nice person!"
Maybe...
Margaret appeared slightly threatening, perhaps, but Cyril's gut was telling him she was a friend.
Still, I am surprised. Usually you are incredibly reluctant to say a good word about anyone.
Cyril somewhat teasingly thought.
"Please, I am not some kind of antisocial cynic. If a person deserves it, then I'll admit their qualities."
Just then, Tigris began meowing on Cyril's shoulder, calling for attention.
"What's wrong?" Cyril raised his hand and petted this cub.
The kitten was looking at him with stars in his eyes, almost letting out claws.
He motioned with a paw in the air a few times.
The action looked clumsy, but it reminded one of a person throwing a fist.
"Oh! He wants to try learning how to fight!" Rhamn exclaimed.
Her words sparked enthusiasm in Cyril as well.
"Really? Are you prepared?" He stared the tiger in the eyes, wanting to see a confirmation.
And Tigris eagerly nodded his head a few times. The tail behind him twitching from left to right.
"Let's go then; you'll participate in today's training," Cyril said with a slight smile and went towards the stairs.
Richard observed his departure with a somewhat unsure look but eventually shrugged his shoulders and resumed fiddling with a pile of bracelets.
Next, there would be long hours of overtime spent rating the students' performance. At the thought, he could only sigh tiredly.