Verse Two

CK examined the area. It would take half a day for the maintenance staff to clean up the arena. She scrunched her nose as she watched the dark goo harden and stick to the walls and dirt floors. Whether synthesized or actual monsters, they rot nastily all the same.

The staff was already setting up cleaning materials when they noticed a student approaching. The leader of the staff waved and smiled, "CK! I had a feeling that the professors were talking about you when they said someone was going to join the clean-up as punishment."

"Yes, from the looks of it, you don't look surprised," CK mused. "Ahaha. Oh, I don't know about you, lass, but you always like to get into all sorts of trouble nowadays," the leader chuckled lightly.

"Well, I'm leaving the Nonaphrontistery for good. Who knows if I'll ever be back, so I ought to make the most out of my remaining time," CK shrugged, "Anyhow, please continue on. I'll help out after I…investigate the entire area, hehe."

"Huh? But…" The leader blinked in surprise as CK walked off. He looked around the arena and scratched his head. It's all corpses and a bunch of mess. What else should be investigated here?

CK's upbeat humming faded as she got away from the staff. She looked around the arena, but this time there was a look of realization blended with the new glow of her eyes. She nodded in understanding.

"So, I was right. What I sensed definitely came from here."

Her eyesight has changed, as if someone had switched the filter for one's viewing. CK's sight was saturated white and found traces of energy that wasn't there before: a splattering trail of clustered smog hinting at a path.

From the permeating volumes of smog, CK would be surprised the maintenance staff had not seen them. But had they been able to, they would have seen more traces in the unused classrooms, as well as in the forests in the past few months. But so far, CK believed that she was part of the few who could see them.

'Because I'm special. But being special has its own costs,' CK thought amusingly as she followed the trail of smog. She eventually found herself entering the storage rooms at an underground level of the arena, where they keep tools and other utility items in maintaining the arena's functions.

CK coughed faintly as she opened the door. She was greeted by the somber atmosphere of the isolated rooms. But in her vision, CK was surrounded by dark fog. It was slightly nauseating. It has no smell, invisible to the unskilled, but once you can see it, it lingers unpleasantly on one's perception.

"There you are," CK said as she looked up at the ceiling. There was an unlit chandelier, where tendrils of saturated darkness stemmed from and emitted these volumes of gathered smog. The glow in CK's eyes faded, and she summoned a glass pen, ready to cast an incantation.

"Claudere."

She wrote into the air, and a flurry of emerald specks enclosed the entire storage room in a bubble. CK closed her eyes, seeing everything within the bubble in her mind's eye. There seems to be no hostile entity within her grasp.

She swished her glass pen in a series of sketches mid-air, forming a staircase leading to the chandelier. Having no fear of stepping on nothing but the enchanted illustrations she conjured, CK touched the chandelier.

"Convertere," she spoke. The rusting chandelier dissolved into granular dust, revealing a decaying hole in the ceiling. CK's eyes narrowed to find a cluster of black flowers that seemed to thrive in the environment of smog. Nausea was greater the closer one is to the flowers.

She's seen a few of these flowers already, but it still boggles her how they grow and what exactly causes them to manifest all over parts of the Nonaphrontistery. But that's the reason why she's collecting them: to study them like any rational but bored student would.

"Just like the others," CK muttered and drew a cage with her glass pen. The emerald threads of energy she conjured weaved itself, creating a true cage around the cluster of flowers before disappearing. The flowers were taken in the cage, and the smog in the room began to dissipate slowly.

CK jumped back down on the floor and extended a palm, where a miniature cage with the cluster of smoking flowers were sealed. Seeing no errors, she dispelled it and walked out of the room. The bubble enclosure around the room closed in on itself with the wave of CK's hand, swallowing the rest of the permeating smog and transmuting into fine dust that disappeared into the air.

Such was the scope of the abilities of a wordsmith studying in the Nonaphrontistery. CK returned to the surface, where the team was still in the middle of cleaning up. Although the number of corpses decreased, the bigger ones were still left behind presumably because it would be the most difficult to take out.

"Ms. CK, there you are!" a member of the staff sighed in relief as he approached the girl, "You're here to clean up, right? Please, if it's not too much, can you do something about the stains on the floor? They're proven to be quite corrosive, and our cleaning materials aren't strong enough to wipe them."

"Sure. That's why I'm here," CK gave an easy eye smile. She flicked her glass pen and wrote mid-air as she chanted, "Mundare spatium sordes!"

The busy personnel jolted in surprise as vines of white energy erupted and surrounded the entire arena. The goo and stains dissolved into water before evaporating. The remaining corpses dissolved in similar fashion, and not a stench remained.

By the time the incantation was done, the arena was spotless. "If only I can transmute those slimy professors like this so easily, everybody's life would be easier," CK said. She grinned at the stupefied staff member next to her.

"Since I'm done, I'll be going now. There's still a long time before you have to report back, though. Why don't you use this time to slack off and eat some snacks at the cafeteria?" CK suggested before leaving.

"Huh? Oh, sure… Thank you, Ms. CK."

"Yes, yes. Bye now~"

CK waved before leaving the arena. The maintenance staff were bewildered. All it took was one incantation to clean up half a day's work! If it was so easy, they should just have the students clean up after themselves!

"Are all students this talented? The Nonaphrontistery truly lives up to its reputation…"

"Didn't they say that Ms. CK is already at Syntaxis Level II? Only she and a few other toppers managed to break through!"

'Fufufu. Yes, sing my praises loud enough so it reaches Ms. Yvonna's ears. Let it be a miserable cacophony for her to feed her wrath upon, and I will spite them just because,' CK giggled sinisterly. 

She opened her pocket watch, humming to herself. Lunchtime. Professor Erzem should be in his office and expecting her. CK grinned mischievously. A short trip to the cafeteria shouldn't hurt.

All faculty members shared the entire third floor in the administration building, which is considered to be the highest floor one can climb for business. The second and first were off-limits as it belongs to the Administration and the sophisticated Headmaster's office. 

Theodore Erzem does his faculty work occasionally in his reserved cubicle at the faculty office. However, he spends most of his time at his own office propped up at the library. The library had an entire building dedicated to it in order to cover all knowledge relevant to the nine core subjects they are expected to teach, and Professor Erzem keeps the entire building to himself whenever students were not visiting. 

Despite his youthful looks, Theodore Erzem is one of the professors who taught the longest in the Nonaphrontistery, eventually earning his place as one of the Nine Core Instructors: a title irrelevant for now. How he managed to retain his youthful appearance boggled those who hear the information for the first time, CK included. 

CK once shared her conspiracies that he was a vampire that the Headmaster must have caught in his youth and doomed to serve the Nonaphrontistery, giving life to rumors. Erzem had to resolutely prove he was not a vampire after the school press began knocking on his door in the evening, believing he would be awake when he was just about to get his five-hour sleep. CK was subjected to three days cleaning in the libraries after the commotion died down.

Professor Erzem sighed tiredly. Ever since he decided to mentor the girl, he's never been able to have peace for too long. CK will always find ways to poke his patience. The reason? Just because. 

One such instance is the one he was at the moment. Erzem was seated on his desk, crossing his arms while tapping his fingers against his biceps in annoyance. He looked at the clock for the fifth time.

It's been an entire hour since the time he bid CK to come to his office. He knew CK would be tardy from past experiences and tried to set the time an hour earlier than the actual meeting time, but she still finds ways to baffle the professor with her tardiness.

Was she doing this on purpose? Erzem scoffed to himself. Of course, she was. He isn't expecting she will change now that she is graduating soon (good riddance, by the way). He sighed loudly and walked around his office.

He looked at the glass cases set up at a wall. Several books with his name were displayed, each of them varying topics. These were books he had dedicated his academic life into researching, a volume of hard work few people could barely manage to produce. But despite the compensation of a title and privilege, there was a perturbed crease in his eyebrows.

Something was still lacking. As much as he did not want to inflate her ego, CK was a reason he was getting closer to the outcome he wished to produce. Had it not been for that, he would have kicked CK out a long time ago.

He was standing by the door by the time he heard the doorknob twist. He frowned as it swung open.

"Master, I've bought you some-Ouch!"

CK yelped as Erzem flicked her forehead. "Master, I don't know what culture practices forehead flicks as greetings, but it certainly doesn't suit you," CK complained.

"No? I always though a red smack on your forehead would serve well as a reminder to always be on time," Erzem snorted as he crossed his arms, "What was so important that you kept your elder waiting, imp?"

"Lunch!" CK protested as she showed him two bags of meals in her arms, "Cleaning the arena was so exhausting so I decided to get something to eat for the both of us on the way here."

Erzem's eye twitched. "It only takes five minutes to get two decent meals from the cafeteria and ten seconds for you to phase and arrive here on time," he said icily. CK smiled nervously as she looked away.

"Ehehe, well… I thought I did a good job, so I asked for the cordon bleu with garlic cheese fillings. But don't worry! I got some for you, too. There's no way I'm sharing my food with you," CK grinned. She yelped as Erzem flicked her forehead again, "Ow!"

"Those were the limited-edition meals! Tsk, no wonder," Erzem said in annoyance. It takes thirty minutes to prepare the limited meals and a longer time in queue before making an order. And she ordered two, nonetheless.

"I'm going to age faster the more I keep you for company," Erzem held his forehead. CK blinked in bewilderment, "You're aging?"

Erzem looked at her and raised a hand. "Ah! No flicking!" CK yelped and covered her forehead, only for Erzem to take one of the bags and head to his desk. 

"I'm still confused on why you choose to spend your grade credits on nothing else but food," Erzem muttered. She could have used it on something worth investing such as new equipment and materials.

"A little 'thank-you' would be nice. Forehead flicks are not recognized as gestures of appreciation," CK huffed but eventually followed after him. She sat on the couch in front of his desk and unraveled her lunch.

"The term you should use is 'compensation' after wasting my time like that," Erzem snorted as he prepared his meal in front of him. CK sighed, "Ah, fine, fine… Let's eat. I was really tired after all that cleaning."

"Don't take me for an idiot, CK. I was watching your progress from the administration building the entire time," Erzem said and took the first bite. "I did a good job, didn't I?" CK raised her chin smugly.

"That depends. Have you investigated what I asked you to?" Erzem asked. CK wordlessly extended a palm and conjured a cage mid-air. Erzem observed the black flowers. They began wilting unknown to CK after being away from its ideal environment.

"I still don't know how they manage to pop up. There's hardly any connection between the places we've seen these flowers," CK said. "I might have an idea how," Erzem muttered ominously.

"Hm… Won't you share your knowledge with your eager disciple?" CK asked. "No. You're leaving the Nonaphrontistery in a month, and this is something that will take a long while to investigate. I see no reason why I should involve you in this," Erzem stated, "Still, well done."

Erzem flicked a finger, causing one of the books on the shelves to fly out and swallow the cage in its pages like a mouth. CK only pouted but did not press the man anymore. She continued chowing down her food.

"What if I apply as an assistant teacher here in the Nonaphrontistery?" she mused, causing Erzem to flinch. "Don't even think about it," Erzem glared, "I've been dealing with you for the past five years and I want a break. Get out of here and be someone else's menace."

"Aww, it's okay, master. I will miss you when I leave, too," CK cooed, causing Erzem to scoff, his blood pressure rising slowly with his annoyance. Erzem made a sudden burst of coughs, causing CK to jolt.

"Master, no one will steal your food from you. Eat slowly," CK chided, only for Erzem to give her a look of exasperation. "You ought to be the death of me one of these days," he coughed and regained composure.

"Hehe," CK grinned guiltlessly and leaned back on the couch, "Anyway, I've still got a few weeks to investigate. Even if you don't tell me, that won't stop me from trying to understand the dynamics of these flowers."

"Do as you please. It's your privilege, given that your thesis is related to them," Erzem said, "Just be discrete. I can't always cover for you when the faculty begins questioning you and your behavior."

"Of course," CK nodded. Erzem stared at her, his mind riddled with thoughts. 

Her graduation thesis was connected closely to his own doctoral. That was the only reason why he allowed her to join in his investigation. However, if he submits his thesis and the administration finds similarity in CK's thesis, they may connect more dots aside from the fact that they were mentor and student.

Erzem focused on his food. It's best if CK leaves the Nonaphrontistery. He has plenty of things to do aside from teaching. He doesn't need his student to be involved.

Throb.

The professor's eyes widened as his body froze, a sudden surge of pain in his chest. His head throbbed with pain and his vision doubled in black and white. These symptoms… There's no mistaking it!

Erzem dropped his utensil, alerting CK. CK's eyes widened when she saw Erzem clawing his chest. "Master?" she called as she stood up. Erzem grunted as he stumbled trying to stand. He faltered violently in his steps and CK appeared next to him in a flash of light, supporting his weight.

Cough!

Erzem broke out into a violent series of coughs, making a strangling chuckle. "They're acting sooner…than expected," Erzem coughed. CK frowned as she brought out her glass pen.

"Now's not the time for ominous speeches, master. We need someone to check on you," she said. "CK," Erzem said, holding her forearm. 

CK hissed as the incantation broke with her concentration and she turned to the professor. "What is it?" she asked. "This isn't anything fatal to me. But we're in…for a serious disadvantage," Erzem coughed.

"Disadvantage?" CK asked but Erzem did not elaborate. "They've handicapped me, those bastards…" he said, his eyes fluttering weakly, "Keys are in the second drawer. Do what you must from here on out. The chalk prison…is now your responsibility."

CK blinked in surprise as the hand Erzem held her with flashed with light briefly. Without any other warning, Erzem's eyes closed, and his body collapsed. CK caught him, allowing Erzem to slouch against her unconsciously.

"…Professor?"

CK looked down at her professor's face. There seems to be no immediate threat. She sighed as she slung Erzem's arm across her shoulder while taking out her glass pen, writing an incantation pensively.

"Collapsing like this… You may not look like an old man, but you definitely behave like one."