The Red Rose

Prologue 3

There was a long, awkward silence between Crowley and Evadne. However, it was quite the opposite inside Evadne's head.

'He's suspicious. Now only does he claim to be headmaster of a school that I've never heard of, but he claims it to be the best in a place that's never been charted. Even countries that are forbidden to enter are on the maps. But why did I let him take me here? I've been an S-Class mage since I was 13 for crying out loud, how the hell did I let myself fall into this situation? This must be-'

She was broken out of her thoughts as she bumped into the so-called headmaster, who suddenly stopped in front of a pair of large, black doors.

'Now I feel like this is some sort of cult and now I'm an official member. Not to mention he thinks I'm a boy, which probably means they're going to kill me once they find out. Oh shit, what did I drag myself into . . ."

Evadne distracted herself from her thoughts by focusing her attention on what was going on on the other side of the door. She could very faintly make out a conversation going on.

"We're done with orientation and dorm assignments? All right, new students—let me be clear. In the Heartslabyul, I am the law. Break the rules, and it's off with your head!"

"*yawn* Well, that ceremony was as boring as ever. I'm going back to the dorm. If you're in Savanaclaw, follow me.

"New students! Allow me to be the first to congratulate you on your achievement. As dorm leader of Octavinelle, I am honored to have the opportunity to support you in what I hope will be a fulfilling campus experience."

"Hey, does anyone know where the headmaster went? He disappeared midway through the ceremony . . ."

'Your headmaster is right here.'

"Some headmaster he is."

"Maybe he had a tummy ache?"

"I most certainly did not!" Crowley barged through the doors like it was nobody's business and dragged Evadne and Grim along with him. Evadne pulled the hood over her face more, trying not to draw anymore attention to herself then the sea of eyes all trained on her and the dimwit of a principal with a death grip on her. 

"Ah, speak of the devil." A red haired male said. Just now, Evadne had the chance to look around and noticed how hundreds of students were down by a set of steps that led to where she was. There was a mirror floating in the center of the stage-like scene and there were six people standing to the right of it, one of them being that red haired male. 

"If you must know, I was searching for the new student who'd failed to show for orientation. You are the only one who has yet to be assigned a dorm. Step up to the Dark Mirror, and be quick about it. I'll watch your weasel."

'Weasel? I never thought about that one.'

She looked at the mirror and glanced at the six people. A few of them were looking at her eagerly. One of them was looking at her with an annoyed expression. And the others . . . She couldn't really tell. 

As soon as she began walking, that's when it hit her.

'Wait, do people even have S-Class mages here? What happens if this so-called magic mirror exposes just how capable I am to all these people? That won't look good for me."

As she walked to the mirror, a few of them noticed her saying something under her breath as she walked up to the mirror. By then however, she had stopped. A bodiless person appeared in the mirror, which shocked Evadne. Of course no one else could see, as she had her back to them, but it certainly was something that she wouldn't see everyday.