"Mmm, I'm awayke~"

"That sounds like a lie."

"Mmm~"

"It definitely is."

Hearing her two friends talking and trying to wake her up, Mai started slipping back into the blissful abyss once more when she felt something soft covering her face.

"Mmm?"

"Then go to sleep for eternity, that seems like a fitting punishment for betraying us."

"Eh? Wai-"

That day Mai discovered that the fastest way to wake up was by far by fighting for her own life, as she was almost smothered in her sleep by her two friends that woke up easier than herself, and that Mare had a very practical sense of humor.

"I can't believe you woke me up like that Mare.."

"But it worked didn't it?"

"That it did, but…"

Seeing that Mare failed to realize what she had done wrong Mai decided to drop the subject, instead focusing on the upcoming day.

"So today's the day, right?"

"Mmm, Dax told me to get some rest and to read up on the books he gave me.. I still have no idea why."

"I believe he told you Mare, it's exam time."

"Exam?"

Still clueless about most things around her as she had been ever since Mai got to know her, Mare didn't seem to know what an exam is, or even what the word meant. In response to Mare's cluelessness Mai breathed a deep sigh as she looked at the stoic beastkin that looked back at her with her large brown eyes as her tail swayed in a rhythmic fas.h.i.+on.

(She really can't help it huh?)

Finding her simply too adorable to leave alone Mai placed her hand on top of her head and started patting the now extremely pleased beastkin. 

"You're properly the last person to get nervous over something as trivial as a exam.."

"If you say so~"

Over the last few months Mai had gotten an inkling about what Mare did before she arrived at the academy. Even if they had healed up perfectly there were still plenty of scars visible all over her body, even her left pupil appeared to have fractured in the past. Then there was the nightmares, something Mare became familiar with doing the expedition. One night she woke up to the sound of screaming and rushed out of her tent to find Mare huddled into a ball in Lux's lap, even tough Lux told her not to worry about it that event had weighed heavily on her mind ever since.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing.. Let's get ready."

(How can be so sharp and still so… Mare?)

After eating breakfast the day slowly started for Mai and her cla.s.smates, but she gradually started noticing there was something wrong with Vanessa. The elven girl was way more quiet than she used to, something that had been going on ever since she got back from vacation. She constantly seemed to be looking after something with a tiny hint of worry that was hidden really well on her face.

"Venessa can we talk?"

"... Sure."

Finding a quiet corner of the school cafeteria Mai sat down the reluctant Vanessa, taking a few seconds to examine her expression.

"What's wrong?"

".. Nothing."

"Is it the exam? I know you're not that confident, but we reviewed everything together."

"... Okay. Yeah I believe we can do it."

Having been slightly cheered up by her friend Vanessa showed a thin smile, but something still troubled her, only this time Mai didn't catch on.

"Mai."

"Mm?"

"... It's nothing, let's do our best."

Meeting up with Rudy and Mare Mai left the cafeteria along with the rest of her friends and cla.s.smates, they were all headed for Dax's cla.s.s, it was time for the exam.

-

On their way to cla.s.s Mai and her cla.s.smates ran into Lux, she seemed to have been looking for Mare since morning as the beastkin had slept in Mai and Vanessa's room, apparently without telling anyone.

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine, really. Both me and Dax are glad you such good friends which you trust, but we're in the situation we're in."

"Mmm, I understand."

Seeing that Mare properly reflected on her actions Lux couldn't help but bloom a smile as her hand found it's way on top of Mare's head.

"Come find me if there's any problems, if you can't then you know what to do."

"Okay.."

When no one was looking Lux slipped Mare a small parcel, then she went on with her morning.

(ICI report to command, all good.)

(ICI CONFIRMS, REPORTING TO COMMAND, ALL GOOD. QRF HOLDING PERIMETER, MAINTAINING OPERATIONAL CODE YELLOW.)

(I confirm operational code yellow, Lux all good, Mare all good… Oh s.h.i.+t it's time for exams already!?)

Lazing off in an unused cla.s.sroom time seemed to have suddenly caught up to Dax, which was currently not at all ready for the cla.s.s he was about to examine.

"s.h.i.+ts.h.i.+ts.h.i.+ths.h.i.+t-"

Rus.h.i.+ng out the cla.s.sroom Dax made his way towards the auditorium where the exams were supposed to be held, but as his luck had been running low lately he ran into some people he really didn't want to.

"Ah teacher what are you doing here? The exam is about to start no?"

"Hey Anna. Yeah it is, I was off doing some preparations."

Presending his best poker face towards his most dedicated (pesky) student, Dax did his best to fool her, but failed to outright do so as she started smiling with her ever smug smile.

"Really? Because to me it looks like you've been slacking off somewhere, losing track of time then now rus.h.i.+ng towards the cla.s.s."

Having been seen through completely Dax's poker face kept up perfectly while he might or might not have thought about strangeling the child in front of him.

"Nope, like I said I've been reviewing the exam questions. Walk with me, otherwise you'll just be late and I'll fail your a.s.s."

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"... You make a very convincing argument, let's go. Oh and what have you been preparing?"

"The exam, you know doing final checks and such."

"I'm sure you have~"

Enduring humiliation from Anna's smug att.i.tude Dax thought about how to 'accidentally' fail her just to wipe the dump grin off her face as they met up with the rest of the cla.s.s and walked towards the lecture hall Dax had booked.