We got dressed and rendezvoused with Albert, then walked out to tour the campus Genius Festival as a group of four.
According to the little pamphlets we were given, there was a wide variety of shops to visit. And none of the places really wowed me (which made sense, seeing as how they were intended for rich kids), but if I thought of it as scouting out the competition, I couldn’t help but be amused by it.
“Oh, Miss Mylene…you’re just too cruel. When did you ever set that plan in motion?”
“From the very beginning, of course. When you whisked the ladder out from beneath me, I had a nasty fall, you know.”
Albert, seemingly unconvinced, was bitterly twiddling his fingers. Hey, you reaped what you sowed. He should consider himself lucky if he understood even a fraction of my suffering.
“Hell hath no fury like a woman with a plan.” Melissa gave me a contemptuous stare, but I didn’t care anymore. I don’t care how old you are, the exhilaration of an evil scheme well played can’t be beat.
“Truer words have never been spoken, my dear,” I answered. “If you cross me, my terror shall be relentless.”
“See, Melissa? Told you that you shouldn’t get on her bad side.”
“And you were so right, Princess. If possible, I’d like to become stronger allies.”
“The feeling is mutual,” I replied.
(I also didn’t care that there was a hint of sarcasm in their tones.)
Having said that, I was sincere when I said I wanted to become stronger allies. Melissa’s powers as a priestess were the real deal. I mean, I’d seen them in action with my own eyes. I wasn’t in the mood to let her prophecies rope me into anything annoying, but they might serve me well someday.
Then again, that’s only if the Lord Eltania was flexible. Take Colette’s kidnapping, for example. If we’d known where they’d abducted her, the rescue would have gone much more smoothly. Everything had worked out in the end, but if we had gotten there too late, the world would have lurched that much closer to the Lord Eltania’s prophecy.
“So, where do you want to go first?”
“Well, I’m not all that interested in shopping, so I’d like to just look around and see what everyone’s class is doing.”
“Okay then, why don’t we start with the second-year class? They’re going to put on a play, and I think it’s almost curtain time.”
……And if the worst had happened with Colette, we wouldn’t be smiling like this right now. That kind of pissed me off a little.
Now I considered Melissa a part of our group. I didn’t want to have to involve her, but if shit went down, I’d have to tell her everything and get her to help us.
Then again, we hadn’t heard a peep from our little friends since the kidnapping. If this all turned out to be a needless worry of mine, I couldn’t be happier.
At the very least, I hoped they would behave themselves until I graduated. That way, I was confident I could manage them all by myself.
“Yes, the play does sound rather intriguing. Shall we go see?”
“Hum. Checking out the caliber of the only other class besides us who’s putting on a show? Great idea!”
If they could just be good little cultists and stay out of my way until then, that would be great.
As I watched Colette take the lead, I snorted softly.
We’re safe now. Let’s enjoy it while it lasts.