Chapter 23: Chapter 23 — Irritation
Chapter 23—Irritation
I ask at the reception and I am shown the fourth floor. I climb the steps towards the door of the survivalists. Strangely, there is a sort of queue in front of the door that extends from the door that I have been shown. I was on the verge of telling myself that I was going to leave instead of standing in line when a guard approached me.
"If you already have a Ranger Tower class, you don't need to queue, go ahead." "
I look at him and he beckons me to follow him. I realize that not all of the people who are waiting are actually part of the ranger tower because of their clothes. There is everything, magicians, priests, warriors, bards. Of all.
I start to go up the tail about thirty meters when suddenly someone grabs me by the sleeve and makes me stop. I turn around and see a hooded woman whom I vaguely recognize.
"… I know you…!" Can you help me get past? "
She takes off her hood and shows me her face. Indeed I know her, she is the person who stole my medallion from me in the alley. Micha for her part sends me an aggressive signal directly to make me understand that she is ready to do battle. I calm her down immediately with a sigh. We are not in the thief's tower and this is certainly not the time to fight. Suddenly the thief seems to understand who she is talking to.
'Ah. "
She finally seems to understand why she remembers me and silently freezes. However, it still hangs on my sleeve and doesn't seem to want to let go of me. The guard next to me stops and looks at me and the thief seems to realize that she has little time to decide which way to go.
" I…. I apologize for what I did, but don't leave me here out of pity, I can't stand in line anymore. I will give you back your medallion and I will do what you want…. But don't leave me there. "
I look at her and rub my face, I'm not even baffled. Honestly, I am disappointed. She looked much more sure of herself in the alley where she made me bite the dust, and there, I found myself in front of a person totally at my mercy. And that's just because she doesn't want to stand in line. I look at Micha, then I look at the guard who doesn't quite understand the situation and I look at her again.
She then begins to search her pockets under her cloak and takes out a medallion on a chain which she hands me, telling me to take it. I grab it and realize it's the same kind of coin that she stole from me. I keep it in my hand with an amused smile. Micha, through the link understands where I'm going with this. The thief in front of me looks at me without understanding. I am on the verge of leaving it there, keeping the necklace. Two fingers away. But I cannot. I don't know what's holding me back, but suddenly I give him the necklace back and tell him it's not worth it.
"Who…"
She watches me leave without knowing what to say. One look back and I can see she's really mad at me for leaving her there. I'm not sure how I should have reacted. She stole from me anyway. I have no reason to be nice or to give him charity. Micha seems happy and settles back in his pocket as if nothing had happened. I continue to follow the guard and go through the double door, alone. Above this is another carving in stone. This shows a hooded man with an animal skin in front of a fire and a tent.
There are fewer people inside than outside. I stand there waiting in the small hall until a man in his forties comes yawning.
"Follow me. We're going to start the first class. "
He waves to me and tells me to follow him down the halls.
"Okay, I imagine you're here to learn the basics of the survivalist class, like everyone else so you don't have to hang around." Are you a Tamer? It changes from usual. "
The man yawns a second time and ends up opening one of the hallway doors. This one overlooks a forest and reminds me a bit of the area where Fae took me for his test. Right next to the door is a tent and an extinguished campfire. The man goes to sit on the ground next to the campfire and asks me to approach once I have closed the door.
"The first lesson is to build a fire, come and sit next to it while I explain the basics to you." My name is Zem and I will be your class teacher. "
I introduce myself and he just nods. I will then sit down next to him and Zem tells me to make a fire. He yawns again and seems to be waiting for me to start. I decide to take out my fire stone and use it with my dagger to make sparks on the kind of straw which is nearby. It ends up catching fire after a few minutes.
"Well, you could have used other methods, but the important thing is that you succeeded. I imagine we can finish on this for today. Next time we'll see another way to make a fire. Ah and congratulations you have just entered the survivalist class."
Zem yawns again and looks at me without understanding my lack of reaction.
—You can go now, you know?
—As fast? I've been there for less than a quarter of an hour.
—There are others waiting outside and since you have successfully completed the exercise, it's over for the moment.
I look at him without understanding. Is this really survivalist training? What if I hadn't been part of the ranger tower, I would have had to wait since this morning to spend so little time inside?
"Okay listen, are there too many people in this class okay?" If you want me to spend more time with you teaching you things, come late at night, it's the hours when I have the least people, but as long as there is a crowd like this outside it won't be worth it. I advise you to go buy yourself books on the basics of survivalists. It'll save us both time. The courses cannot last any longer because of our staff. Don't think that's the normal functioning of the classroom. There are just too many people in this wing of the tower and we have to adapt. "
Zem then insists that he is serious and points to the door. At first I was surprised, but now I'm pissed off. What good is it for me to come if I stay less than five minutes before someone thanks me and tells me to exit? I come out of there slamming the door and end up leaving the wing by the main door. I walk past the line and start to put things into perspective. I could have waited all day for "that".
"Oy, back already?" "
The thief looks at me with her arms crossed with a small smile on her face. I prefer not to answer anything and continue my journey.
I move away from the survivalist wing and decide to sit on a bench to reflect a floor below. It was the dumbest class I have done in my life and I wonder if I really need this class to get by. If there are books, maybe I should just learn on my own. I sigh in thought and realize that the thief has followed me and she settles next to me. I look at her without understanding since she has just lost her place in the queue just to come and talk to me.
"Hey. "
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