After a few days, Clan Song seemed to have decided that Rain was not returning to their home any time soon. Either they believed she had died in the wilderness, or they discovered that she had nothing to do with the Skinwalker killing the ambassadors from the House of Night.
Whatever the reason, the constant watch over the ambassador's home ceased.
"They may be trying to lull us into a false sense of security," Fort had told her when she gave him the news.
Just because they had backed off did not mean they had given up. Fort was certain it wouldn't be safe for quite some time.
So Rain would have to remain away.
That didn't mean life would stop. Far from it!
If anything, Noble felt a little guilty about how normal her life remained.
Many young people had opted to take on the first Nightmare right after the new year, so the Academy was unusually active so early in the spring.
These students all banked on getting the transport to the Dream Realm approved before the Solstice, so their time was focused on practical skills—like how to use Memories.
As a result, Noble's classes were particularly full. Over the past couple of days, her room had been busy almost constantly, whether or not she was present. Most of these students seemed less bothered by Bee Two's sassy nature, at least if the android's accounts were to be believed.
What she did know was that she was processing more Memories per day than she often did in a week normally during this season. Not that Noble was complaining. It kept her busy and her mind engaged.
Just now, the room was filled to standing room only. A couple of chairs had been brought in from somewhere to accommodate the additional attendees.
"For those of you unaware, I am Professor Noble. You have found your way into a seminar on Memory Utilization. If you are here in error, you may slip out now. It won't hurt my feelings."
Noble looked out at the class, getting a feel for the room as she introduced herself and found the best topic for her lecture. As she expected, no one moved to leave.
'It's going to be a good class.'
Honing in on her chosen subject, the professor smiled.
"Memories are wonderful tools," the professor nodded, "but which are the best?"
The students seemed a little confused by her question.
Finally, a student with short, wavy hair and tan skin tentatively raised his hand.
"Ones that make good weapons?"
"Are you asking or telling…?" Noble held out her hand.
"The name is Duck, ma'am…and yeah, I'm going with weapon Memories."
It took monumental strength for Noble not to react to the young man's name. She felt a strong compulsion to sit down with the parents of humanity and remind them that children have to live with these names the rest of their lives.
Alas, mothers would continue to do as they pleased, and Noble would have to deal with it.
"Interesting choice, Duck. Why would you choose Weapon Memories?" Noble leaned her hands against her desk, careful not to press the button at one corner.
"Awakened need the ability to defend themselves and champion humanity. We are the warriors of humanity and its last hope. How can we protect them without a weapon to wield that is equal to the task?" Duck's answer was accompanied by many nods around the room.
"Does anyone else have another answer that they would like to defend?"
From the second row, a tall young man with a dimple on one cheek lifted his hand.
"State your name and stance," Noble instructed him.
"My name's Vis, and I think Utility Memories make more sense to me." Vis tapped his chin with his left hand. "I want to help people, and utility Memories have the most versatility."
"Thank you, Vis. I often fancy utility Memories in my daily life." Noble particularly favored her magical umbrella when the weather was less than ideal. "Any other opinions?"
For such a full class, few seemed willing to give their thoughts. It was still relatively early in the morning, but the professor didn't think that it was due to being tired.
'Maybe they are worried about what others will think. We need to get things moving.'
Noble preferred interactive lectures. These lessons were for them, not her.
"Don't worry. We are just throwing out ideas right now." Noble sent some excitement into the room to encourage her students.
Emboldened, more hands shot into the air.
"Armor Memories are the best, because nothing will kill you as fast as a wound to an unprotected area."
"A Memory that manifests quickly is the most useful. Timing is everything!"
"Memories with powerful enchantments are what every Legacy wants. That has to mean something!"
"The bigger the Memory, the better, I say!"
"Memories with a trick to them are the best because they are interesting. No one will see you coming!"
"If you are looking for opinions, pretty Memories are the best because I like to look at them."
The last comment from the brunette girl on the aisle near the back made Noble chuckle.
"That is quite the out-of-the-box thinking!"
A boy toward the middle of the room shook his head. "I don't think we should underestimate Charm Memories. They may not be the most flashy objects, but they have a high impact on any battle."
"Thank you, Bicken," Noble remembered his name from the day before. "That is something worth noting."
After taking a few more answers, the professor smiled at them sweetly.
"I am very happy to see that you are giving this proper attention. Bee Two, tell them who is right."
The android took the place in the center of the lecture space and folded two alloy hands.
"That's easy. They are all wrong."
A murmur spread across the room. They had given every answer they could think of. How could every one of them be wrong?
"Thank you, Bee Two." Noble waited for her assistant to move back to one side. "The best Memory will look different for different people, but each will have something in common—that Memory will either complement or supplement your Aspect. So I suppose it was a bit of a trick question. There is no singular best type of Memory, only the one that is the best for you."
The professor clapped her hands.
"Since you have already been thinking out of the box, let's see if we can stretch our brains a little more. I know as Sleepers, your treasure trove of magical objects is limited, but who thinks they have the best Memory to work with their Aspect?"
This time, a few dozen hands shot up. Noble chuckled softly. "I love the confidence!"
Sifting through the eager participants, Noble decided to pick the most enthusiastic one. If he was so ready, who was she to stop him?
Pointing, Noble welcomed her first contestant to the stage. "Come on down!"
Amid cheers, he descended the steps and stood next to Noble. She glanced at him expectantly.
"Alright, show me what you've got!"