The time elf grasps the microphone, his deep yet youthful voice filling the still room. "Hello, students. My name is Mr. Galfal. If you're wondering, the desks are infused with sense magic. Questions can come out the same way too. Once you write your names on the desk, your board will mirror my and others' master board—or repeat my words if you adjust the settings. You don't have to stare at me, but I suggest you do. Write your names, stay focused, and know big brother's watching you. Capeesh?"
The students marvel at the desks' magic.
Galfal eases into his regal chair, a sly smirk on his lips. "Since this is your first day, let's cover how this college works. Grades depend on speed, efficiency, and accuracy. Finish quickly with correct answers, and you may leave early. Missing questions only extend your time. In my class—and a few others—progress mainly centers around time. Any questions?"
Soft murmurs spread throughout the room as Galfal waits patiently for a question. When none had offered itself, Mr. Galfal lifted the thick book into his lap. "Before we dive into history, please consider this: 'The victors write history.' You've likely heard that everything seems subjective, but some remain absolute."
Many students—especially kitsunes, catfolk, and druids—nod in agreement.
A shy nymph raises his hand. "What does that phrase mean?"
'Uhh, isn't it already simplified?'
Galfal says: "Take Kitsuné history, for example. Today, it honors angels as a noble race. Yet, during the ancient period, kitsunés treated angels as mere pawns. That perspective shifted after the 4th Kitsuné War. Despite their loss, they took it like warriors."
"They didn't," Galfal whispers, a sly smile curling his lips.
The students chuckle at his quip, while the kitsunés stare daggers into him—all except Akiro, who joins the laughter.
Ignoring the reactions, Galfal continues: "Now for the remainder. I'll stay neutral for the year. Bias may creep in, but I won't praise or condemn any side. Most races, especially Genesis Angels and Ancient Fairies, have their ancestors' stories in hidden libraries, and I advise listening to that—rather than what I'm going over. Your stories are a more reliable source than the school's source."
An enlightened elf speaks in a poised, elegant voice. "But why conceal such vital truths? Shouldn't they share their history without us needing to favor one side?"
Galfal replies: "Alanze, it's largely a matter of perspective. Families treasure their books as sacred heirlooms, rich with personal biases; they'll decline your offer before you even say a word. They also omit key details to craft the story from their perspective as it's a biography. To truly uncover history, we would need every original account; however, the difficulty arises when most biographies contain falsehoods. So, we mainly rely on extinct families' records to reconstruct a clearer past without bothering the living."
Alanze tries to argue, but an angel from the back speaks up: "Still, his point stands. Wouldn't avoiding both sides—the Golden Races and others—falsify history and tell a completely new story? There were pure evil animals/hybrids/races like the demo—"
Galfal silences him hastily: "Let's not open that can of worms yet. What I mean by neutral is: it'll focus on the Heavenly Continent's POV in vast detail, avoiding the reasoning of others. You were taught the baby version in school. I'll teach the gore version."
He clasps his hands. "Now, let's start with the origins of the greatest and longest-standing magical nation in history."
Everyone leans forward, interested in this perspective on history. Kailus' halo shines a bright yellow hue as his wings flutter a bit.
'Wow, a… gory addition about our history from our perspective. Always an "universal experience" rather than the ancient's actual thought. I'm excited to see what this'll change.'
Akiro smiles to herself. 'My first time learning about the native's history.'
Shalius mutters: "Demons…"
Mr. Galfal vegans to narrate: "In the dawn of creation, Genesis Angels and Ancient Fairkins inhabited the Heavenly Continent, and no creature rose against them, neither fang, nor flame, troubled their peace. For that land was hallowed above all others, wherein no shadow of conflict dwells, and wherein no conquering will ever occur."
A Kitsuné student raises a hand: "So dear, Galfal. What if they were meant to be enemies but chose a different path instead? Two races on the same continent, not fighting to have superiority, but rather a coexisting relationship. Sounds like a fairytale."
"An intriguing thought indeed. Genesis Angels are the best strength-and-healing race, while Ancient Fairies are the best magic race. That scenario is plausible, but thankfully, they were intelligent, unlike the insectoids." Galfal muses.
'Wow, he's really taking shots at anyone. I wonder what he'll say about my kind?'
"Harmony ruled the lives of the elegant races. Together they toiled in peace: the Angels healed the wounded, and the women were able to bear children in comfort. The Fairkins drew warmth from the air and living waters from their hands. Fed by the fruits of the land, the plant-eaters knew of no hunger, and life flourished unendingly. But in the long season of ease, sloth took root, and from plenty, sprang the seeds of idleness."
The class stares blankly, bored by this version. Creaking of chairs and gentle taps on the desk were the only sounds that kept the others from falling asleep.
'Maybe it's later down the line?'
"And therefore, sloth brought trivial upon them: the pains of birth returned, water thinned, and the land grew cold. After four years of toleration, the partners rose in protest, declaring: 'No training, no sex'."
Kailus raises an eyebrow. 'Huh, I don't remember this in my ancestors' book…'
A student asks, "Why did it take four years? Wouldn't they have demanded painless childbirth, water, and food much sooner?"
Galfal replies: "They did, but it was ideally to avoid conflict, as it was seen as—"
As Galfal was explaining, Kailus writes and passes a note to Shalius.
She immediately notices the note and turns her attention toward it: "Is this in your ancestors' book, or is it just me? I don't remember reading such."
Shalius smiles at the note. 'I'm glad he shares the same thought process as mine. Since we're passing notes, I might as well ask him here.'
She scribbles her response and places it on his desk. Kailus reads it: "Neither do I. Are you perhaps looking through your ancestors' lens, rather than the many extinct books the college has seized in its entirety? On a rather exclusive topic, why do you seem so nervous whenever you see those people?"
Shalius gazes at him, expecting another note, but he only smiles back at her.
'He definitely has a history I need to uncover.'
Meanwhile:
Some students stifle giggles at the word 'sex'. Some managed to hold their breath, silently laughing from within, and others were able to withhold their laughter. But Akiro, unable to resist anymore, burst out laughing.
"Akiro, anything you'd like to share?" Galfal asks through her desk. Kailus and Shalius immediately straighten themselves as the whole class stares at Akiro.
Akiro struggles to compose herself. "Naw, nope, no—…" She laughs again.
"I'll let it slide for now, but don't interrupt my lessons again," Galfal mumbles, carrying an odd smirk.
"The Genesis Angels trained by flaying their skin on bark—just to heal it again. Whereas, the Ancient Fairkins train by completely draining their mana, pushing themselves past their limits. This intense training throughout the generation has given their offspring the ability to replace mana with their blood."
'Oh… my. You know what? I should've expected that.'
Galfal pauses, letting the revelation sink in, while his gaze still fixed on Akiro. The class stares in shock, their questions held tight, as if fear sealed their lips.
Finally, a fairy girl timidly raises her hand, her voice trembling in disturbance: "Mr. Galfal, if Ancient Fairies c-can use blood as mana and Genesis Angels are the best healers, doesn't that mean an infinite magic source?"
Galfal's smile broadens at her insight. "Exactly! That concept arises later in history, but unfortunately, the Usurp Act prohibits it… if you get caught." His tone grows stern. "But don't try it unless you're in real danger."
Students' whispers spread through the room with excitement buzzing between them.
Shalius grins. 'My people are.. something.'
Akiro looks astonished. 'Wow, sometimes I wish to be a sorcerer or enhancer with how much they can do.'
Meanwhile, Kailus overhears his classmates' mutters: "That spoiled kid has that power." "So impressive—but sadly, wrong user." "Why do selfish beings always get the best magic?"
Kailus murmurs: "I've earned such behavior."
As the whispers spurred endlessly, Galfal randomly continues within the chatter, upping the volume in his microphone. "The training was successful, and they exceeded their past performance. As the population multiplied under their newfound strength, the Age of Discovery began. An Ancient Fairkin named Laffiel conceived the art of writing by engraving her marks upon trees, yet her labor stood steadfast. In a day matter, a Genesis Angel named Solomon sought swifter means: he slit his wrist, spilling his blood onto a leaf, and painted words upon the cave's walls. Through this, they can train and speak with one another. Together, they crafted what we use in a more simplified form. You can read these ancient texts till this very day, but it requires a ton of time and effort."
A bunnyfolk student raises her hand: "Why are their artifacts still readable when many others aren't?"
Galfal responds bluntly, "Colonization. It forced weaker cultures to subvert their accents, erase their alphabets, and silence their tongue. Stagnation only occurred when strong cultures or conquerors preserved their traditions, and in some cases, the conquerors were merciful."
"Still, my point stands, couldn't they hide their alphabets and teach the young in silent chambers like the Egyptians?" the bunnyfolk presses.
"Sharp question," Galfal replies. "Some tried, but colonizers often burned their records along with them. A few languages did stand the test of time and/or were later revived—we'll explore that later this year. For now, let's go back to history."
He sips his coffee to clear his throat. He pauses for a moment before silently muttering. "It's cold…"
With a sad sigh, he says: "Solomon, sensing the great task, took dominion over all and decreed laws for the harmony of his and fairkin kind: Thou shalt not steal, or steal credit from others, nor raise hand in strife, nor sunder from their partner. He debatably ordained fasting, believing restraint would preserve the land's bountiful crops, for he deemed hunger a choice, not a peril. And those who fasted beyond their strength fell into stillness, and their breath departed from them. Thus was death revealed unto the living, and great was the terror thereof."
'Such wordy nonsense, I expected a modern worded version, not an ancient manuscript!'
An elf asks skeptically, "What do you mean by 'debatable'?"
Galfal twirls a rubber band on his index finger. "It's debated if he did it, or his commander gave the green light for this ideal, but whatever was said has changed the course of history, as this brought about the first deaths in the history of the Heavenly Continent." He shoots the rubber band toward a sleeping dwarf, jolting her up.
His tone shifts as he grins broadly. "Anyways, Fun fact: They slept beside dead bodies until they fully decomposed, assuming their loved ones would come back. Bugs swarmed those corpses, infecting anyone nearby and slowing angels' healing. The Genesis Angels would use the bugs for training since they didn't like flaying themselves—who would've thought? But they didn't know how to remove them afterward and some died full of parasites."
Galfal's eyes gleam in excitement. "That's why you never touch dead bodies—especially a Genesis Angel's. Over centuries, the bugs adapted to being immune to hea—"
"Okay, okay, okay, old man, I get it!" a bratty kitsune student interrupts, her voice filled with disgust. "Why did you have to say that?"
Galfal chuckles. "Firstly, Karina, I'm 400 years old—hardly ancient. Second, I use petty banter to manage disobedient students," he says, nodding at Akiro and the dwarf girl. "It also prepares you for later lessons. You'll explore intimacy in other classes, so I gave a small shock—a tiny push, a little nudge, a mini pinch."
'He only did that to traumatize us. There's no remorse in his eyes.'
The class blushes, torn between embarrassment, excitement, and nervous anticipation.
"But if you disrupt my class," Galfal warns, "I have thousands upon THOUSANDS of disgusting history facts not in the lesson but—OHHH trust me, I'll add them."
"Isn't this the 'gore version'?" One student questions.
Galfal answers. "Some of the gruesome stuff isn't needed. I don't need to go over every torture method—all you need to know is that it's brutal. The only instance I'll need to go over is if it contains major points or irony."
Everyone quiets down except one angel. "Wait, so was the bug thing not in the lesson?"
Galfal grins widely and does a sickening nod. Some students start yelling: "What did I do to deserve this?!" "I rebuke this lesson!" "Just because she laughed doesn't mean we all deserve it!" "I was just sleeping for a few seconds!" "I won't be able to eat my leftovers after knowing this!"
Amid the chaos, Kailus leans to Shalius. "Shali—"
Shalius puts a finger to her lips and points to the desk.
'Why is she still worried about Galfal? The class is too loud for him to notice.'
He begins writing, but Shalius passes back a note: "Let's talk later. I wish to save my paper for future lessons. This sense magic records your voice, so I advise staying silent."
'So Galfal wasn't really lying about the 'Big Brother' thing, huh? How did they create such magic and how does she know? It seems nearly impossible to access others' code—yet not for her. Is she profoundly skilled or immensely powerful?'
Kailus ponders Shalius's words, gazing at Galfal trying to control the class.
"Silence!" Galfal shouts, his voice booming. "I SAID SILENCE! QUIET NOW!"
The students immediately settle, shocked by the outburst.
"You know what…. Sigh, where was I?" He scans over the pages for a bit, grumbling incoherent nonsense.
A student asks Galfal. "Galfal, are yo—"
Galfal quickly interrupts it with a louder tone. "In Solomon's age, people revered his name, and none dared to oppose his rule. But Solomon, desiring to keep his position, recorded the days until hunger brought death upon the Angelics and Fairkins; and lo, many fell, and their fall shaped his understanding of death. Yet his pride was shattered once more, for plenty proved to be as deadly as want. And many, fearing the fast, ate beyond their need, and thus perished by abundance as they had by deprivation."
Stunned by the news, the students start to question Solomon's legacy. Kailus nervously raises his hand: "Uh, w—why do we honor him as a hero and still follow his rules till this day?"
"Well, Kailus," Galfal says, "history favors those who achieved more good than evil. And by good, I mean victories, land, technology, and sometimes mercy. Historians bury their failures to preserve such bias. Yet your assumption of Solomon shows that they've succeeded. Time is very lean, so we have to move on, class. No more questions, you can speak with me after class."
Akiro frowns a bit. 'I was about to ask him what the commander's name was.'
Galfal continues in a rush. "In time, Solomon devised a harmony between fasting and feasting, and delayed death for now. Beyond the Heavenly Continent, a matriarchal power—mighty in sorcery and boundless in ambition—known as the Demon Monarch. It stood as the most advanced nation, creating the first-ever boats to traverse the world. They arrive on the Heavenly Continent, the farthest and fairest of all. They came with peace—their tongues soft and faces serene. And Solomon, in his trust, welcomed them as brethren and made known of his works and devices."
The class shifts uneasily. Some fingers drum on desks; others tremble. They know what's about to happen and can only hope it's as lighthearted as the censored version.
"After staying for a day, they confronted Solomon one last time in a private meeting before departing. Solomon, perceiving a vastness beyond his reign, was seized by sorrow, knowing he had sacrificed many in the pursuit of a false ideal. He yearned to lay his crown and carry his faithful servants to a new land, far away from the tortured ones. Yet the demons withheld their blueprints, making escape impossible. But Solomon, steadfast in heart, strove to reconstruct the ships with all speed, driven by hope and desperation alike."
"Wait—he was going to leave them?!" a catfolk shouts, his tail wavering in the air.
"Yes—and never look back," Galfal replies, looking at the floor. "His guilt for killing his own people was overwhelming."
The students lean forward, gripped by this darker side of Solomon.
"What type of anti-kinship is this? Solomon used the boats to traverse the world to satisfy his people, not out of desperation. I can tell this college has gathered more anti-kinship than kinship," the elf says with aggravation.
Galfal ignores him. "After lots of failed boat prototypes, the Demons returned with innumerable ships and laid waste to the Heavenly Continent. Nearly all the Ancient Fairkins fell before their might. The young and weak were captives, including Solomon's wife, to create demings. Some even say they start assaulting them as soon as they were 'safe from war'. For the first time, they've witnessed murder and rape."
Kailus shivers with rage, Shalius conceals her emotions, and Akiro's face burns with fury. Fairies and angels around them gasp in shock and anger. Silence grips the room as Galfal feels their hatred swell.
A dwarf student asks quietly in a country accent: "What's a deming, Mr. Galfal, sir?"
Galfal pauses: 'How do I explain this now? The classroom is already on edge. Well, if a question is asked, then an answer must follow, regardless of the tension.'
He draws a steady breath and says it aloud: "A deming is a half-demon, half-other-race hybrid. The demons sought to conquer the Omega Continent, but the Angelic Monarch prevented such. They rejected alliances—preferring to absorb the traits of other races and claim their achievements as theirs. They take pride in being the superior race, no matter what. That mindset persists today."
As those words came out, tension choked the room. The students stare, breathless in horror at the implication of rape.
Galfal addresses the tension head-on. "And yet the No-Sex Revolution prepared the Ancient Fairies. Had they succumbed to laziness, they would've never defended themselves. With fire, they devoured the demons; with water, they slew through all."
Galfal stops reading for a bit. "I wanna tell you the reason they learned about water pressure. It's just so amusing that I had to read it."
Kailus envisions demons screaming as fairies slaughter them.
Galfal pulls a heritage book from his desk and flips to a marked page. In a dramatic tone, he reads: "And Plazu pour forth waters of mighty force and sovereignty upon Kaibot. And behold, he tasted death, yet the Lord spared him to see another day. God had done his duty."
Some students, like Akiro, tension eases at the comedy.
Galfal chuckles. "Like, what did they do?" He shelves the book and returns to history. "Now then. And the demons, daunted by such formidable sorcery, fled with the captured. The Heavenly Races won, but the victory was grievous. Solomon, aching by the rivers of blood, the necessity of slaughter, and the horrors of abduction. He poured out his heart in wrath, and the Solomon Rule was declared, a covenant forged in fury and sorrow."
He opens an ancient manuscript from a cabinet and reads it aloud: "Hearken, ye sons and daughters, and let your labor be not to outdo the deeds of those who came before, but to surpass your fathers and mothers, so that your children may rise higher still, and guard their households from the evils which we have suffered. Let the dread of taking life remain a weight upon the conscience, and let the yearning for vengeance be a burden borne daily. Walk in honor, and let none falter. From dirt they came, to which they must return."
Akiro thinks. 'How on Elrus is he able to have access to such vital laws?'
Kailus and Shalius instantly recall their own families and the values they hold dear.
Galfal sees the tension ease. "So they began to train harder than ever. They resumed their boat research. Three weeks after the demon invasion, Plyius, an Ancient Fairkin, created the first ship. They also stopped sleeping beside dead bodies and finally began burying the dead. When the ships were ready, their resolve was clear: 'From where they came, we shall fight'."
Galfal grins. "They didn't actually say 'north' though; they just pointed in the direction."
Just then, the bell rings.
Galfal sighs heavily. "Why now? I wanted to end on a good note. Well, I'll leave you here. Your next teacher should be coming soon enough."
Everyone watches in silence as Galfal leaves, still lost in thought. It feels as if history had slapped them in the face without warning. Suddenly, the room brightens as the next class begins.