Free Web NovelChapter 9: Attending Class in Another World
The train doors opened and Luke didn’t wait before pushing Valeria out of the train. Students who had started to funnel out, stopped and watched as the married couple exited and quickly headed down a nearby ramp. Once the couple was out of sight, the usual bustle continued.
While Luke pushed her, Valeria was writing on the notepad.
I have to go to my office before classes start. I can get there myself.
He wasn’t sure if her pride wanted to keep the two from being seen together or if she truly did need to reach her office, but Luke agreed and kept pushing her.
They moved up the large cobblestone pathways, multiple gaggles of women whispered as they passed. Luke was only able to pick out bits and pieces from their whispers, but what he did hear wasn’t worth focusing on.
Eventually they reached the entrance gate leading to the quad that linked every building on campus. He only continued pushing her for a couple more steps, before pulling off to an empty spot. Luke moved his hands to sign.
Goodbye.
Valeria signed the same thing back, with a couple more gestures he couldn’t understand. She handed him a folded piece of paper, before turning around and navigating through the sea of students.
Luke was slightly confused by the piece of paper, his curiosity only allowed it to rest unopened for a couple seconds.
I will be in my office for an hour after classes end. Could you wait for me?
He had already planned on finding her after classes ended. Waiting an extra hour wouldn’t be that long, after all Luke ended up in another world and his only obligations were attending the academy and his marriage to Valeria.
Making sure to set a mental reminder, Luke headed towards his first class. He had five classes every day: Rift Strategy, Rift History, Monster Strategy, Spell Comprehension, and Practical Magic Usage.
The first four classes were all lectures, with Valeria being his professor for Spell Comprehension. Practical Magic Usage was a class where they used their magic, finding the strengths of their spells as they prepare to enter rifts.
Luke had already entered the building that contained the lecture halls, navigating to his class with a practiced ease. When he reached the door, it was already open with hundreds of students already in their seats.
As soon as people saw him enter, their voices quieted. Luke noticed all of the stares and whispers as he walked to the back of the class where his seat was. He slipped the straps of the backpack off his shoulders, letting it swing down and lean against a small pillar that held up the long table.
The lecture halls in the academy were massive, each row of seats could easily fit 30 people and there were at least 40 rows of seats in each hall.
Lucius had picked to sit in the back of all of them, attempting to minimize the amount of socializing he had to do.
"That’s him?"
"Yeah. The guy who married Professor Chamberlin."
"Why would anyone do that?"
"Money? Status? What else could it be?"
"It’s such a waste though. She used to be one of the strongest explorers in the world."
Two girls loudly whispered to each other, Luke listened to it all.
Luke slipped into his seat and ignored the whispers. Compared to university gossip back on Earth, this wasn’t anything special.
People always talked.
The only difference was that this time the target couldn’t even hear them.
Moments later the professor walked in, kicking the doorstop out of the door and letting it swing closed.
The Professor was Dr. Kreiser, his Rift Strategy Professsor.
"I see you all found some gossip over the weekend. I don’t want to hear a single peep from you guys, unless called on."
Luke noticed Professor Kreiser look at him while speaking.
"Open your textbooks to page 124. I hope you read over the weekend, like you were supposeed to. I will be calling upon random people to answer."
Luke leaned down to his backpack and pulled out the textbook for the class, along with a notebook. He flipped to the page and read the Chapter title: Strategy for Clearing Elemental-type Rifts.
Luckily, Lucius had completed the reading over the weekend. As Luke searched through the memories, it seemed Lucius had done more than simply read the material. Detailed notes rested neatly inside his mind.
"Yeol, what item is most necessary in clearing a rift with the Fire Element?" Professor Kreiser asked a student sitting in the front row.
The girl seemed to scan her brain for an answer before having an ’aha’ moment.
"The answer is Heat-Resistant clothing, Professor." She smiled as if stumbling upon gold.
"Incorrect, did you even read? Does anyone know the correct answer?"
The correct answer was water and Luke knew it, but wasn’t sure if it was worth raising his hand for.
Silence filled the lecture hall, until Professor Kreiser’s eyes drifted to the back of the room.
"How about you, Kreuger?"
Luke hesitated.
Raising his hand would draw attention.
Keeping quiet would be easier.
Unfortunately, Professor Kreiser had already called his name.
"Water."
For a moment Professor Kreiser seemed to be shocked by the answer, before regaining his composure.
"That is correct. Can you tell me why that is?"
"The biggest killer in Elemental rifts are usually the elements inside, not the monsters. Humans are made to survive hot climates, so unless the rift has a heat exceeding the humanly survivable threshold, then the most common issue would be lack of water to keep the body sweating." Luke answered with a confidence he hadn’t expected.
"That is also correct. You must have read the textbook."
Luke wanted to clap back at the professor, as that question wasn’t even discussed in the book, but held it in and continued listening to the lecture.
The rest of the lecture went by smoothly, with multiple other students being called to participate in the professor’s questions. Not a single other student got a question right.
Professor Kreiser looked at the clock, before clicking his tongue.
"We seem to be out of time. Make sure to read the next Chapter for class tomorrow."
With that, he left the lecture hall, leaving the students still sitting in their seats. Luke started to pack up his textbook, before slightly rushing out of the lecture hall. There was only one door out and he was not going to get trapped behind a bunch of slow walkers.
He ended up being one of the first people out of class. Luke walked through the halls of the building, reaching the stairs to the second floor. More whispers came as he passed groups of people. Ignoring all of them he opened the door to his next lecture room: Rift History.
