Sxailar Mercury sat straight, ready to question Whitney. Her first question:
"What do you know about the artifact?"
In response, Whitney said, "I d-don't know much. I only know it is in the Hiddleston Wilderness."
"Are you sure? This is for everyone's well-being. If you lie for any reason here, remember,
Everyone will die."
Whitney nodded her head in fear to signal she understood.
Seeing this, Sxailar concluded that Whitney was indeed telling the truth and not lying.
She couldn't help but sigh in disappointment.
Sxailar fell into thought:
It is still helpful to us. It doesn't seem like she is lying. She is still a child; we can't expect much from her. Knowing where it is is still useful....
Sxailar asked her next question, "Where did you get this information from? Tell me the location. And tell me who you got it from."
"I heard it from two guys who were discussing it in the restaurant in front of the gates."
"La Verde? The Feodeor-style restaurant? Anything about them we could use? Something distinctive?"
"Nothing," Whitney said while shaking her head in disappointment.
She suddenly remembered a crucial detail.
"But I know one thing: one of them did. He made a motion while tapping on his chest 4 times. Something like a prayer or symbol?" Whitney simultaneously copied the motion.
Mrs. Crysis and Lenord, who were just standing there, suddenly became wide-eyed, but Madam Mercury maintained her calm and composed state.
After a few seconds of silence, Madam Mercury spoke up once again.
"You can go now. We will call you if needed. It is also getting quite late, so you should return. Your roommates might be worried about you. Also, if you are asked why you took so long, just build on your lie and say the faculty was experimenting. Also tell them you may or may not be moved to a new dorm. Also, I hope this will serve as a lesson."
Whitney, who was already overwhelmed, couldn't help but focus on one part of what Madam Mercury said to her.
I may be moved?? But why??? Should I ask? No, I don't think it's the right time, and she also said probably, so I am sure it's nothing....
Following this, she promptly left to get back. Her hunger had died, and she just felt tired and wanted to sink into her bed already.
.....
Back in the dean's office.
Mrs. Crysis, after watching Whitney leave, spoke in a hurried and shaken tone.
"Captain! Isn't that the symbol of the--
"Yes. It is the symbol of the Repentant Order. If it truly is an artifact of the Repentant Order. We might need to contact the others. We can't handle this on our own. Especially after the recent loss..."
A moment of silence spread throughout the room after Sxailar's last sentence.
Sxailar was the first to speak up again: "Lenord, contact the Archamists, the Woundbearers, and the Saura Order. We currently need people to combat the Repentant Order. I will talk with the higher-ups on what to do with personnel on our end. Dianna, you stay."
Lenord, who was mostly still during this whole ordeal, nodded quietly and left.
"Dianna, get me the contact scrolls. We will talk with the higher-ups right now."
...
Whitney, who was walking back to her dorm, the Rose of Thought, was plunged into deep thoughts with many unanswered questions.
What were those monsters? One in the "dream realm" and one in reality? What are sky chasers? Was Lady Marionettist right? What was the spell? ....
With her mind clouded with questions, she wasn't paying attention and suddenly bumped into another student who also didn't happen to notice her.
Whitney, who was visibly shaken and was almost about to fall down, stabilized herself. She noticed a girl she didn't recognize fall onto the pavement when she looked in front of her to see who it was that she bumped into. Realizing her mistake, she held her hand out to help the fallen girl and started apologizing.
After helping her up, Whitney, in an apologetic tone, said, "I am extremely sorry. I wasn't paying attention. Are you okay? You are not hurt, right?"
The fallen girl, who had stabilized to that point, said, "It's alright. I understand it was an accident and not intentional. And I am fine, so don't worry about it."
Letting out a breath of relief, "Oh, thank the Shepherd. Today, for me, has not been going well. Oh, by the way, I am Whitney. What is your name?"
The girl, still patting away the dust that got on her skirt, answered, "Oh, I am Nelise. Nice to meet you. Where were you going anyway?"
Whitney, hoping to make this interaction a little less awkward, answered, "I was returning to the Rose of Thought. Where are you going?"
Nelise had thick glasses on her freckled face. Instead of being a detriment, it gave her the aura of a scholar, which was accentuated with the multiple books in her hand. She had dark brown eyes and dark green-colored hair.
Whitney could notice so many details due to the invention called lamps. They worked by having carved the incantations on force crystals. They worked similarly to the paper incantations used by Whitney to get her evaluations, except these just had their own true force, which allowed them to be activated by making one's true force run through them.
Though these were not widespread, as only an experienced mage could use them effectively. Outside in the cities, they still used lanterns hung on poles as their form of illumination together with the light of the moon.
Nelise answered Whitney, "I am going to the library to return some books, and then I will head back. Also, I am in the 2nd year."
Whitney, who was surprised by this revelation, asked, "Wait, so you are my senior? Well, nice to meet you then, senior. I once again apologize. Please forgive your junior this one time."
Nelise, chuckling, answered, "Didn't I say I already forgave you, Junior? Well, you do have good manners, and you are a cute junior, so here, I forgive you once more, Junior."
Whitney, also finding humor in this interaction, answered in the same sense, "Thank you, oh so kind senior! I will remember this benevolence from such a pretty senior for the rest of my life."
Nelise, now chuckling a little louder, said, "Ahh, I like you. Anyway, I believe we both have somewhere to be, so let's bid farewell. I hope I see you around, Junior Whitney."
Whitney also nodded and said, "See you around, Senior Nelise."
Both waved and went their separate ways.
Whitney soon heard her friends talking as she reached in front of her dorm.
She opened the door and saw all of them sitting in a circle. They all looked at her simultaneously, and a feeling of ease was noticeably spread along all of their faces, especially Maylyn's.
They all burst out in questions, and Whitny, chuckling, answered them how Madam Sxailar had told her to respond.
Soon it all died down. They were all satisfied and relieved their friend, Whitney, had returned unharmed. They all soon went to bed, as it was around 10 pm and they all had school the next day.
And like this, Whitney's first true day as a student of Hermandry promptly came to an end.