"Hmm... Well, I suppose you wouldn't know about it. The low income citizens are struggling due to a poor economy. The main reason they didn't collapse yet is due to the financial aid from these groups. The low income citizen struggle to send their children to school after middle school and some even leave school due to discrimination and bullying from a young age. That is the age when they start learning more about society and how to act and think." She shook her head, "Though you may think it's ridiculous, people have different thoughts. Especially if there are strange rumors such as those who have poor families do not have the time or knowledge to educate their children manners or cleanliness. This is quite common and it ostracizes children. It's not a problem that only happens once in a while. Rather, it's a common thinking and it creates children who struggle either academically or socially. Trauma, jealousy, and hatred towards one another is born. The rumor is not entirely true but are mostly false. However, the discrimination still stands."
"But, why would this be so vital..." Rollo frowned as he recalled the blue collar worker during the trial, "No matter the reason, their actions..."
"If you don't know the reason, they are bound to continue to grow. In the past, the righteous judge tried to eliminate everyone who bore such negativity and committed even the most trivial sins. The result ended with him nearly burning down the entire city and accidentally falling off the bell tower from his own sins and fear born from his insanity. It's more proper to say that he lost himself in his own pursuit of righteousness. He ended up seeing the very city he was trying to protect as a city of sinful people and how he was also one of them when he fell for a gypsy dancer. Ironically, he himself had a strong dislike for gypsies and was very religious."
She sighed and handed him a book, "This is what you wanted, right?"
He took the book in his hands and was rather surprised, "Are you sure it is all right?"
Peony raised a brow, "You want to try out this path, didn't you? Perhaps after reading this diary, you might understand why it wasn't made public."
Rollo became hesitant as he touched the dusty old book in his hands. It felt really heavy as though it now carried the sins of a sinner. A wave of hesitation hit him. For him who admired the righteous judge a long time ago, the words they spout now all seem to be really difficult for him to believe. However, he couldn't help but remember the saying how it was better to not meet someone whom they admire for knowing their true nature. Was he really ready to meet this person whom he once admired? What if things weren't what they seemed after all?
Peony watched him curiously. What will he do now? Given the chance to meet everyone's idea from a book, she ponders what sort of reaction he would have had?
Her teacher sees this and opened his mouth, "Is it not too early to be studying?"
There was a moment of silence before Rollo finally opened his mouth, "I'll... read it."
He opened the book and began reading it, right in front of them! She shrugged and went back to her papers again when she saw Rollo raise a brow. She continued her papers and, by the time she finished everything, she stretched and looked up to find that it was lunch time and glanced over to the sofa. She sighed when she noticed her teacher sleeping on the sofa with a history book in hand. There was a knock on the door. She didn't even looked up when her attendant opened the door and peeked out to find a couple of boys she knew. It was the vice-president and assistant of the student council.
"I apologize for disturbing you. We were simply looking for President Flamme." The vice-President spoke up hesitantly.
Peony looked up from her papers and sighed, "Let them in."
The attendant nodded and allowed the two in when Peony frowned, "Are you coming in or not?"
The two looked puzzled when she sighed, "Let's see… I guess everyone doesn't want to complete the easy homework. What a shame. I guess all 12 of you today will end up dropping a letter grade."
After a few seconds, a few number of students appeared. She put aside her papers and took out a small stack of paper. She instructed, "Those who didn't brought their assignment will need to wait outside in a single file line. I'll need everyone to form a line. Vice-president and Assistant, you probably came here for Flamme, but can I ask of you to help everyone get into a line?"
"E-Eh?" The assistant was shocked.
However, the vice-president nodded his head immediately, "Of course! Everyone, get into a single file line, please!"
As they lined up while a few others left the room, she noted down who came and took their assignments. When she finished, she noticed the assistant looking rather confused as he hesitated, "So, the students outside just left..."
"I had a feeling." She stretched, "Now, you were looking for the president, right?"
She pointed over to the boy reading intently on the sofa, "I assigned him something to do and now he's over there absorbed with it. Just let him be. On the other hand, help me get the former headmage back to his room."
It was then that the two realized that the former headmage was there all this time! He had fallen asleep on the sofa whilst sitting up and a blanket drapped over his shoulders. They looked to her in confusion to which she raised a brow back. The two did not voice their questions and simply helped her bring the headmage back to his room located in the dorms. When she returned, she noticed Rollo slamming his book shut as she raised a brow, "Looks like you finished."
She sat across him where their teacher had sat down earlier and hummed curiously, "So, what will you do?"
Rollo looked to her in confusion. What did she mean what does he want to do? He opened his mouth, "Aren't you going to ask what I think about the book?"
"Why would I do that?" She shrugged, "We both know he had committed crimes and struggled in life for them."
Surprised, Rollo remained quiet as he collected his thoughts before opening his mouth, "The righteous judge... I don't like him. Throughout his life, he believed that everything he had done and decided was based on a higher power and that every action he committed was permitted by a higher power. Yet, everything he did was for himself. However, why is it that in the end, we are portraying him as a righteous figure?"
"Why do you think the people suddenly started seeing him in a positive light?" She questioned.
He frowned and minutes passed, but he was unable to come to a conclusion. He was a man who harmed the people to make himself believe he was doing so for good of others. Yet, he took satisfaction from hurting criminals because he believes they are the sinners. Why was it that the bell ringer forgave him in the end? He shook his head, "I don't know. Why did the bell ringer forgive him in the very end?"
She sighed and began, "During that time, the bell ringer was often kept away during festivities so that others would not persecute him for his unsightly appearance. It was the gargoyles who noticed his strong desire to join the others during their festivities and suggested him to deceive the righteous judge to secretly go out and join the festivities. Do you remember what happened when he was found out?"
He was forgiven. Rollo's eyes widen in surprise as he managed to keep himself from saying this. He frowned, "But, it was just a once time decision."
"One that the righteous judge did not cold-heartedly punish him for." She pointed out calmly.
"So, you're saying as long as the sinner is forgiven for their crimes, the one who abused their power is forgiven of their crimes?" Rollo scowled.
"Forgiveness is a kind word." She smiled, "The question is do you have the strength to forgive them."
Rollo scoffed, "If they had the ability to change why didn't they do something about it from the beginning? If they couldn't do it the first time, they can't do it when it happens again."
Peony laughed, "If that were to happen, the world would have been doomed from the start."
She huffed, "You know, unlike others, those who struggle through life are quite stubborn. Even others who are pampered in life are far more stubborn. I wonder what fuels this stubbornness of theirs? Could it be a passion? A belief? Or is it just pure naivety?"
"What are you trying to say?" Rollo frowned seemingly cautious.
However, she just wore a dry smile before hearing a knock on the door. She raised a brow in surprise as she turned to her attendant who cautiously opened the door.
"Hello. I'm David."
DAVID?
She frowned. Seeing this, Rollo looked to her in confusion, "Who is he?"
"Someone who should not be in this school." She stated with a frown before turning to him, "Perfect timing. You go and greet him."
"Me?!"
Peony pouted, "Who else? When you're the headmage of this school, you have to meet many people when an event related to magic occurs. Although he knows who is responsible for it, he doesn't discriminate."