"So Cos x equals cos (a + b)…."
Sharp and deafening, the only voice filling the silence as class began. Madame Caulburn, with her wooden ruler just in case someone fell asleep. The lesson that became the enemy of all my friends. We call it Shit Time, meaning shitty lessons for cursed teachers. Not a single person with an excited expression.
Caulburn's hand writes something on whiteboard, a warning alarm sign.
“As explained, please one of the representatives step forward…!”
An high tension situation. Everyone has two faces. One is innocent, and one is panicked. Even funnier, the bunch of morons, Roddy, Rodriguez, Riggs, and Gabbi, sat at the very front. I can imagine how desperate they must be.
“Eldritch, please step forward!”
Everyone sighed. But I'm not sure this is the end. Well, if someone is unlucky, there must be someone who is the luckiest. Pebble is an innocent girl and never gets called forward. Even though it wouldn't be much fun, since she's pretty smart.
“Roddy! Please number 2!”
Laughter began to sound faintly, even I could not hold it back.
“But, madame…” Roddy's tone was whining.
The sound of a wooden ruler striking, instantly made everyone prance.
Caulburn put on her intimidating face.
"Listen up young man! No buts, no refusals! If you can't, then learn!”
Roddy was forced to leave.
The sound of laughter grew louder.
“Shut up! The others are listening!” Madame Caulburn's eyes widened with the glint of a blade, looking at us with the gaze of a hungry lion ready to bare anyone's skin.
She created that shocking smacking sound again. I even felt sorry for the ruler more than Roddy whose face looked like he was about to be executed.
Even so, I feel like this class is at least incomplete.
--------------------- A MOMENT LATER --------------------
Lesson finished, I decided not to join the additional skills. Actually today is a cooking skill lesson that I'm very reluctant to leave. The problem is a promise. This morning a piece of paper broke through the crack in my bedroom door. Well, quite annoying but let's see what I can do.
Suddenly someone grabbed my shoulder.
“Ahohoho! Aren't you taking cooking classes, Mark?"
“Ah, Verd. Not today."
"What is it? This isn't normal?"
I started looking for reasons.
“Ah… I understand. You also visited Foscow?” said Verdamant.
“That's… the plan.”
Verdamant nodded in understanding then left. It was quicker than I thought. Maybe she understood that at that time I also fainted, the problem was that Foscow suddenly vomited. Pebble called me that morning. After my business is done, I'll definitely visit Foscow.
I made my steps as phlegmatic as possible, but my heart was pounding. My head turned in all directions. I just don't want any further questions, although it's not like I'm keeping it a secret. It's just that my instincts told me that this should not be known to anyone.
I headed for the building I'd actually been there once in a while, then my hopes were dashed when I found out I was stationed behind it.
The meeting place was in that deserted corridor.
“Hey! Here!" she waved from a distance. “Um…”
"Mark."
“Ah, Mark. Introducing, they’re my friend.”
I frowned slightly. The problem was that I once heard from someone that those of us from the back class couldn't get involved by the front building. They look at us like trash who go to a famous school easily. It's not like I hate them, but my feelings are a bit scared.
I ignored the hand that offered to shake.
"You say weird things to us, Elysa?" asked one of her girl friends with charming long straight hair.
Elysa also looked confused.
While the only yellow-haired man was a bit embarrassed, the situation was indeed strange. His hand was still asking for a shake.
"Ah! Sorry… Mark.”
I then shook his hand.
Besides, I guess the meeting are about me and her. The thing is, I didn't hear her say she was alone either.
"Ah, take it easy, buddy. I'm Herald, and this is Prestone."
“Hi!” The straight-haired girl smiled warmly.
“Yeah…”
They then tell what the problem is.
"Fine. But why should I?" I said surprised. They said something crucial but asked a high school student like me for help? strange.
They looked at each other.
“Because you're the only weird one. I mean, you're the only one close to our building.”
I'm even more confused.
"What? Sometimes I do walk around the place! After all it's not normal for students that come from the front, right?"
“That's our perception, Mark. Even Elysa thought so. The Laboratory is in between the two after all,” Herald explain.
I scratched my head in frustration with that statement.
"Right, right. So you said you saw something?"
They look a little worried. Especially when looking at Elysa.
“As you heard earlier, the legend of this school, this girl named Selena, disappeared some 20 years ago!” Elysa said excitedly as she grabbed my shoulder and stared very closely. “Isn't that very stressful?!”
I thought what, this is more understandable. Especially Elysa and Prestone who looked very worried. This reminds me of the past anyway. Individuals who are passionate about gray things always end up unhappy. Gray things mean something that still not be confirmed the true fact about. Maybe the gossip, maybe that from mouth to mouth, or something fishy.
I can understand the twinkling of Prestone, the calm-faced girl, second only to the belligerent Beagle, hinting to me how to get this excited lady to stop looking for things to harm her.
“Ah, here. I found it lying on the ground."
Elysa gave me something after her endless chattering mouth.
“Police badge?!”
This time I'm really taking it seriously. But that's not the legend Elysa, the spirited girl was talking about. I looked at it many times, I felt an unclear feeling, more towards worry.
"So how was it, Mark?" Elysa is getting impatient.
I dug deep into my brain. Most importantly, she could be satisfied with this answer. Meanwhile I moved my eyes, another gesture in a hope someone would understand me. Someone, except Elysia.
"Hey, Ely, don't you forget that there is an extra lesson today?" Herald suddenly asked an unrelated question. However, the question actually has an urgent level of importance.
She was silent and looked away.
"That's not good, Elysa. Do you know? Caulburn once failed to pass a student if the score kept getting red!" Good reason by Prestone. She has a similar statement with the Herald.
“Eh!?” Elysa starts to getting panicked. She immediately ran and screaming. I don’t know if Elysa is bad at mathematics, but it surely that makes her kept away from this problem.
"Well then how?" Herald got very serious. So did the girl named Prestone beside him.
I need to consider this matter. I'm a lazy thinker? Ordered to solve cases? Aren't they fools? That's what I'm trying to say. Like I want them not to interfere with our affairs. But when I got this badge, I started to get scared. Afraid that – if it affects my friends too.
I nodded briefly. We walked towards my building while chatting.
"You guys found Caulburn teaching math too?" I asked.
“Well…” Prestone nodded as he turned to his friend who nodded too.
"Strict teacher, but she makes students smart!" Herald added.
"So? No wonder she panicked."
"Huh?" Herald replied. "No, Caulburn isn't that bad. It still passes anyway. I just want Elysa to live the real life,”
He said that while looking at Prestone, both of them giving small worried nods. Hooo? Elysa turns out to have a good friend.
I nod in understanding. We arrived at the border of the back building, where Elysa had fallen. Near a laboratory.
Suddenly the straight-haired girl with a calm face panicked as she groped her pocket.
“Oh shit! I forget! That's missed! ”
"What?"
"She is participating in dance for the stage," Herald asked. “You forgot something Prestone?”
“M-my lipstick?
When she mentioned it, it was strangely in my pocket. No, it wasn't her, but Verdamant slipped something along with it.
I leave it to Prestone.
“Wow! This is good stuff!” she quickly put it in her pocket. Then she took something out of his pocket. "This. Consider it an ideal exchange! See you later!”
The girl leaves. Unfortunately I didn't have time to ask for her cell number? Oh, that's not important. At least this exchange is more appropriate. Besides, I don't have a cell phone either. A fancy chocolate bar? I'm pretty lucky.
"Okay, then I'll take this badge first."
I was about to turn around, he stopped me.
"This is from me."
He gave his a packet of biscuits. I'm a bit envious, but if it's handmade, it's the class of a high-end restaurant or hotel. Biscuits with choco chips.
"Wow you make biscuits?"
He just nodded normally. His smile did not promote pride, rather humility.
“Tell her, the legend is a lie. That is an issue that Widehope created to cover up other issues. That's what corporations usually do. Then why is she being chased? Well, the laboratory has its standards. They don't want anyone snooping on their work, a Code of conduct, that's what. How?"
“Genius! You're like a journalist, ahaha! That's enough, thank you."
It's a relief. Trivial problems that have the potential for high risk have been avoided.
"Mark, be careful. I heard the news in the paper is currently talking about something worrying.”
"Thank you."
Then, we’re go in different direction.
Within a few steps, I felt a bit doubtful. Precisely since I received the police badge that Elysa found, well what a clumsy girl. My brain warns me through blurry pictures, the more I find out, the weirder it gets. This oddity raises a bit of fear.
I might have succeeded with the reasons that the Herald man had admired earlier. But I can't find the reason for this police badge.
Three questions to be precise...
What was this thing doing lying there?
Who was chasing Elysa?
Which newspaper news?
For a moment, in the end the thought was dispersed because it remembered my next agenda.
'Ah! I almost forgot! Monsieur Foscow…' I said to myself.
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