A grumpy Astra.
That was exactly what Nox was staring at right now. Considering the personality he'd seen from her so far, he didn't think being grumpy was even possible for her.
Yet, she was and it was all because of the headmistress.
"Don't sulk," Arielle said as she looked her, "I wouldn't have been able to talk to the kid in peace otherwise."
She had sent Astra to the same place she previously was with Nox, except she had made it so that the passage of time would be faster there than here as a form of punishment for the brat.
"And what did you talk to him about?" Astra asked, finally picking up the cup before her.
"That's a secret," Arielle responded with a smile on her face.
"I know she was not going to tell us, but it was worth a try anyway." Astra spoke to herself again, but neither Arielle, nor Luna, who was still standing there, gave any reaction.
Which told Nox that this was probably nothing new.
"Anyway, forget it," she spoke up again, "I want the kid to take the admission test."
"Hmm," Arielle placed a finger to her lips, as if she was considering, before she finally said, "are you sure you don't want me to give him a direct admission into the academy?"
That was a trick question and Astra knew it.
"No," she answered, turning to Nox, "if he can't pass the entrance test, then he doesn't deserve to be here."
Her words were completely blunt and maybe a bit harsh, but Nox didn't seem bothered by it.
There was a smile on the headmistress's face, as she had already seen that answer coming.
"Very well," she said as she set her cup down. "We will go by the rules. He takes the test."
With a small tap on the table, the pavilion and meadowy Hill started transforming.
Nox watched in surprise as a golden light cover everything and a few seconds later, the grassy hill and pavilion were no more.
Instead, it was all replaced by what seemed like an actual office. The meadow and pavilion vanished entirely, and in their place was a vast space.
A wooden desk now separated them, and the three of them found themselves seated on comfortable chairs rather than the ones they sat on in the pavilion.
Behind Arielle was a glass window than spanned from floor to ceiling and the view presented to them was of the clouds.
Literally...
They were so high up that Nox could see the artificial clouds within the barrier. No wonder, the climb had been so long.
"Impressive, isn't it?" Aurielle's voice pulled him out of the awe he currently was in.
"It is," he replied honestly which caused her to smile in response.
She tapped on the desk again and this time the top drawer opened and she took a couple of papers from it and handed it to Luna.
"Luna, child," Arielle started, knowing completely well how hard they had made her job, "would you be a darling and get him registered for the entrance test."
"Yes ma'am," Luna replied taking the papers.
"Oh, and let him stay at the temporary hostel for now," The headmistress added, "I wouldn't want him staying with this crazy child."
By 'crazy child', she meant Astra. Usually, Astra would fire back instantly, but after one humiliation already, she decided it was safer to maintain her dignity—especially in front of her future lab r—erm, student.
Instead, she switched the topic. "Why was I reported dead?"
"Hm?" The Headmistress tilted her head, feigning innocence.
"Don't 'hm' me, you old bat," Astra snapped, momentarily forgetting her decision to avoid further humiliation. "You knew I was alive."
"The kids were having fun believing that you were and I didn't intend on ruining it," she casually said.
"W—" Astra wanted to say something else but was immediately cut off as Aurielle waved a hand dismissively. "Regardless, the matter is settled. You're alive. Try not to die again, will you? It's very inconvenient for the paperwork."
"Di—" again, she was cut off, "or I could just put you in there again for a year maybe?"
Well that successfully caused her to back down before standing up, with the intention to leave, Nox standing up with her.
Luna led the way towards the door but before they could reach it, Arielle spoke up.
"Little Light," she gently said, "your path will not be an easy one. Even should you pass this trial, you will walk a road paved with hardships."
Nox paused for a while, swallowing a bit before turning to her and answering with a smile, "I'll survive."
"Good," Arielle said, giving him a wide smile, "I'll be watching you."
With that, they exited, leaving the headmistress alone in her office. There was a small smile on her face as she said, "This year's really going to be and interesting one."
Before she tapped on the desk again, and like before, the office transformed again, this time into a place that was golden as far as the eyes could see.
Slowly, she stood up, walked forward a bit and took off her white blindfold, revealing a beautiful sight for one to behold.
Her eyes that were completely golden, just like Nox's, but unlike his, she had something that looked like gears within.
This was her Solar tech, Oracle.
And as its name suggests, it allows her to take glimpses of the future and a lot more at the cost of her sight...hence the reason Astra calls her a bat.
But like she told Nox, she could see as much as anyone could, maybe even better thanks to these lenses.
She smiled as she looked around herself, noticing multiple threads around her. She touched one of them and the gears in her solar tech immediately started spinning and letting out a glow.
She froze as a vision unfolded before her eyes and for a few minutes, she stood unmoving.
Snapping out of it, Arielle wiped the blood, that had dripped down, off her nose before letting out a sigh.
"I guess it's still grim," there was a small frown on her face as she muttered, "I hope you're ready for the challenges ahead little light."