As the weekend came to its closing Alix returned to school as usual. On the walk to school she felt the eyes of the town's residents landing on her with more interest and acknowledgement than before.
She was met with reverence from her fellow students as she walked through the halls and even had some people asking if she could train them like she was training Cas and Eric.
These were all minor inconveniences to Alix. They just simply were not enough to bother her. The situation that she was currently in, however, was a decent bit more than bothersome.
"Why didn't you tell me that Mo had the ability to fight like that! This could be the rise of an entirely new type of fish. And you can command him? How could you not tell me something as integral as that?! How long have you been able to do that? Is it something that you could teach someone else? Is that what you've been training Eric and Cas for?"
Alix stood still as Winston Inengway bombarded her with questions from the moment that she stepped foot into his office. The man was clearly excited. I mean, how could someone like him not be at the discovery that he had stumbled upon. A student had managed to beat another student using a fish!
It was an idea that had never even been considered possible and yet it happened in the town of Nogreni! "Can I come in now? I just came to drop off Mo like usual then you started throwing these rapid fire questions my way." Winston realized that his excitement may have gotten the best of him and readjusted himself.
"I apologize for my rudeness Alix this is just a discovery on levels that we couldn't even begin to comprehend. Wait! The final attack that you did to Harrison in your duel some weeks ago was similar to the techniques that the fish used last week. Do you somehow have the ability to physically manifest the fish's mana core trait?"
Alix sighed impatiently. "Can I just get by now? Like I said, I just came he to drop Mo off and I have yet to be able to do that because a certain professor is still standing in the way! Now move!" Winston flinched as Alix's frustration became very apparent.
"Ahem. I understand. I shall hold my curiosity back for a more appropriate time." The man took a step to the side allowing Alix passage. Alix walked into the room and place Mo onto the table. She went to leave the room but stopped just before and glared at Inengway.
"Don't you do anything to him while I'm not present! If he tells me anything is up then you can kiss any information that you wish to get from me goodbye!" The man wanted to argue but saw the seriousness on the girl's face. He solemnly nodded.
"I understand." Alix sighed frustratingly. "Can't just come to drop off my fish anymore without strange old men pestering me! I can't wait to get to the Royal Academy!" Alix grumbled to herself just loud enough that the teacher did still catch her words.
"I may have caused more trouble for her than I meant too." It was moments like this that allowed Inengway to see his relation to Eric. Speaking of the man's nephew, Eric was currently enjoying the benefit of Alix's new fame himself.
In the middle of the hallway Eric stood surrounded by a crowd of students all with one intention. Get Eric to convince Alix to train them.
"Come on Eric I know that you can put in a good word for me!" One boy begged.
"My family are barons so we should be able to pay you and Alix for your services!" A young noblewoman bargained. All of these pleas fell on deaf ears sadly though. Eric raised his hands apologetically.
"Look guys, I would help you if I could but Mama Wolf doesn't just take on anyone as her cubs. You need to interest her yourselves and if you have to ask me then you may not be interesting enough for her to even begin to consider helping you." Eric's words were harsh in the opinions of the crowd but he was being truthful.
It was not in his power to convince Alix to take on more students as he hadn't even asked the girl to teach him. She just decided to do it on her own when she chose to help Cas. Cas smiled thoughtfully at the memory.
'I think my mom would really like you, Mama Wolf.' Eric nodded to himself before walking away from the crowd. They wanted to ask Alix directly for lessons but her sudden fame did not completely overshadow her infamy.
She was still Alix the Insolent at the end of the day and would likely the shoo anybody that asked away. They all sighed dejectedly. It seemed they would never get the chance to learn how to use a fish to win a duel.
...
Alix's classes ended and she went straight to Inengway's office. 'May as well get this out of the way now.' She opened the door to Inengway's office and expected the man to leap at her like he had this morning. Surprisingly enough, however, she instead was able to simply walk into the room unperturbed.
Alix shrugged and walked in seeing Inengway working at his desk. He seemed to have just noticed Alix walking into the room and nodded politely at her. "Welcome back Alix and I apologize again for my behavior from this morning. I may have been a bit overexcited." Alix shook her head.
"A bit is an understatement. You blocked the entrance to the room and would not stop pestering me until I raised my voice." the chuckled in embarrassment.
"I guess I do tend to get a bit too pushy when the topic is something unique related to monsters. It's just that most of the study on the creatures are limited to hunting notes or alchemical use but I believe that there is so much more that we can learn from these unusual and interesting creatures." Alix waved dismissively at the man.
"I get the same way when it comes to magic. I mean, I literally learned that Eric had an older forgotten type of magic and devoted all of my research into understanding that for a day. I can relate to your feelings." Winston smiled appreciatively.
At that moment, Cas and Eric entered the office. Alix realized that these little sessions would be ending soon as her, Eric and Winston would be leaving for the Pesinwok in a mere two months.
Alix stared at her two students and resolved herself. "Mind Slav-no. Cas." Cas perked up at Alix calling him by his name. "Y-yes, Mistress." Alix stood from her seat and approached the boy.
"During this past month you have shown great improvements and dedication in the way of sorcery. You have officially arrived at the point that I can call you a novice." The boy bowed respectfully.
"That is thanks to you, Mistress. I would never have come this far or even considered this path had you not chosen to guide me. My gratitude and respect towards you runs deep." Alix smiled at the boys words.
"I have decided to attempt to teach you my spell. Or, at least attempt to teach the process that lead me to creating it." The people in the room all looked at the girl in shock.
"Isn't it impossible to teach someone else your sorcery spells? You were the one that told us that it was impossible sense it relied on the Lis Signature." Eric question and Alix nodded in response.
"It is impossible to teach the exact same spell. I can teach you about my process of which you can learn from and make something great yourself." Cas was deeply shaken. He had never expected that his Mistress would attempt to allow him to learn her ways.
"Mistress. With all due respect, why would you choose someone like me to learn your methods? You were the one that exposed me as a slave of the mind. I am clearly not qualified to learn something that someone as brilliant as you spent years creating!" Cas stated his thoughts to the girl to which she merely shook her head.
"You are no longer a mind slave, Cas." The boy's felt his heart shake as the girl softly spoke his name. Cas lifted his head and met Alix's eyes. "You are a wolf pup well on his way to becoming the leader of his own pack."
Cas stared at the girl in astonishment and reverence. His entire life had been spent being told that he was lesser or that he was a mere problem for others. A stain in the eyes of his parents, a useless tool to the family that he had been sold to so, Alix calling him a mind slave made sense! But now she was saying that that was no longer him.
Cas took a second to understand just how much he had grown in a single month and his eyes shone in understanding.
He was no longer a slave as he had no gained mastery of his own mind. A beaming smile appeared on Cas's face. "I will do my upmost to insure that I live up to your expectations, Mistress."
Alix nodded to the boy. "Then we should begin as soon as today's lesson has concluded. We don't have much time to waste."
With that heartfelt moment finished Cas and Eric sat down as usual as they prepared for Alix's lesson.
Time passed quickly.
The weeks flew by. Alix continued to train with Mo in her free time and tutor Eric and Cas. Within what felt like the blink of an eye the day for her departure arrived.
Eric and Inengway were awaiting the girl in the prepared carriage but she was running uncharacteristically late. They had been waiting for a full hour when the girl's mother arrived. Winston stepped out of the carriage and greeted the woman.
"Good morning, Ms. Ren. Do you happen to know what is taking your daughter so long? We need to leave now if we wish to get to the capital on time." Sala crossed her arms and shook her head reluctantly.
"She has decided to walk the way, Mr. Inengway." Winston began to laugh the woman's obvious joke. Until he noticed that she was completely serious. "She does realize that by foot it will take around two or three weeks to make it to the capital in comparison to the single week via carriage?" Sala nodded.
"I explained that to her but she was quite steadfast in her decision. She's also decided to take the path through the forest." Winston's nearly choked when hearing the girl's plans.
"That path is far too dangerous for a student! What is she thinking?!" Sala shrugged dismissively. "I never have a clue what she's thinking. All I know is that she won't change her mind. You should get going. She's already left." Winston didn't know what to say leaving him only able to let out an accepting sigh.
"We shall be off then. You take care Ms. Ren." Winston informed the driver of the situation and they took off. Unaware of what events would unfold in the city.
All that the uncle and nephew could think about was the dreadful situation that their fellow traveler had imposed upon herself.
She truly is still Alix the Insolent.