"Her name's Rizel. She is normal for now, but will become one of the most evil bitch this world has to offer." Lorelle's hands still covered his face as he spoke.
[But she seems so innocent.]
"She probably was, at first. Then something changed."
[Why?]
"She has a problem. One of the biggest catalysts for what she becomes."
[What problem?]
"Curiosity."
[Huh?]
"It's tied to her bloodline. It makes her so curious that if she doesn't control it, it will overwhelm her completely." Lorelle finally lifted his gaze to watch the three girls below, their voices carrying faintly up to where he sat.
[But why would curiosity lead to that kind of end?]
"It's not normal curiosity. It's an obsessive need to know something."
"Actually," Lorelle muttered, eyes narrowing as he studied the girl below, "the curiosity wasn't the problem at first. She could control it just fine. She was completely normal when the story began." He paused, thinking. "Maybe it only becomes dangerous when she fixates on one specific thing. Like the obsession gets amplified beyond control."
[Let me guess—that thing is the so-called hero?]
"Bingo." Lorelle's voice was grim. "She wanted to know who he was. But the more she learned, the deeper she got pulled in. More and more curious until there was no turning back."
A man walked into the classroom then, his stride unhurried, confidence radiating from every step. The teacher, presumably.
[That still doesn't sound like enough to make someone fall into depravity.]
"Well, that curiosity turned into obsession. And that obsession turned into a twisted kind of love, paired with insane possessiveness. She began wanting him for herself."
[I see.]
"If the protagonist wasn't strong enough to defend himself, she would have taken him by force after he rejected her."
[He rejected her?]
"Sort of. She realized he liked other girls, not her. So she started thinking... what if she could kill every single girl he was close to?" Lorelle's words trailed off as the teacher reached the podium and fixed them with a stare.
"Please take your seats. It's time we began."
Everyone still standing scrambled to find chairs.
"I am Maxwell Glen Wilston, and I'll be your mana theory teacher for the next month. You've all been merged into one class since our initial grading isn't sufficient. That will change at month's end." Maxwell's gaze swept the room. "After the grading test, you'll be split into two classes—higher rankers and lower rankers."
A hand shot up.
"Yes?"
"The dorm rooms only fit two people. Is there a reason for that?" asked a girl in the middle row.
"After the grading tests, you'll be assigned permanent roommates. And by permanent, I mean those roommates will stay with you until you graduate from this institution."
"Can it be changed?" someone else called out.
"There are certain conditions that must be met for that to happen. But I'll tell you for free—it's an extremely tedious process." Anxious looks rippled through the room as students began fearing who they might end up with.
"You. And this will be the last question I answer on this topic." He pointed to another raised hand.
The student stood. "Sir, I discovered my roommate is actually male. Isn't that inappropriate?"
Murmurs broke out across the room.
"The placement of roommates doesn't discriminate based on gender. But keep in mind that all selections consider power level. You won't be placed with someone who could be considered a threat. Plus there are severe penalties for those who break the rules—which will be made known to you later." He stepped forward. "Now, I'd like everyone to introduce themselves. It's a formality."
He looked at the person in the first row, who stood up.
"I am Ace Reeves."
And so the monotony began.