Master Luwin grumbled, his eyes glimmering as he stared down Bella. Upon a closer look, he looked sturdy. There was a certain muscularity to his lean body, as if his diet were restricted. Even so, his height undermines this perception and makes him easily mistaken for a lanky man.
He wears a baggy robe with the school's insignia on the back, the standard uniform that instructors and masters of this institution wear, like Master Boros and Master Lucy. But unlike the latter, Master Luwin's outfit appeared too big in size, untidy, and unkempt.
This guy's a bum!
"Huh," Master Luwin said, his breath stank of beer.
This guy's also a drunk!?
"Do you know about the guilds, Master Luwin?" Bella asked, her voice was faint, a bit quiet to the ears. I barely heard it.
But Master Luwin nodded, "Yeah," he stretched his back, and it released a few popping sounds.
"Do you know about my brother, too?"
Master Luwin didn't move a muscle, eyes staring into the distance. There was a pause before he answered, "Yeah."
Bella was taken aback, with a sullen look on her face. Her eyes yearned to ask something, but she decided not to, even though she clearly wanted to know.
What's the matter, Bella?
Master Luwin turned to face Bella again, smirked, and gave Bella a pat on her head. "Listen, whatever you do when you graduate, make sure you join a guild that listens to you," he said.
What does he mean by that?
"Or you can just enlist in the Ministry," Master Luwin laughed wholeheartedly. It was so obnoxiously loud that the whole class was startled, dropped everything they were doing, and turned their attention to him.
"As if other careers are waiting in this path we took. Wielders of Beastblade don't have a lot of opportunity besides delving into the Darkwaste with a guild. Either you sign up to work in a school, the Ministry, or even the damn Order! Otherwise, you're just an ordinary citizen, but we're not ordinary citizens. We're gifted people who got their hands on Beastblades! Sure, there are random kids chosen by the Forge, but who cares? I mean, I do, I was a Gifted, but my point remains. Either you're from a rich family who thinks having a Beasblade will maintain your high status, or you're just a lowlife who was just minding their business one night but became a beastblade master the next!"
Wait, hold up, I need you to tell me all of that slowly! What do you mean by that!? What is a Gifted?! Can you teach the class properly, you bum!? Can you teach me!?
Bella and Stella exchanged confused looks. They shrugged to whatever the master was yapping about. They were visibly concerned by the weird energy that Master Luwin was projecting. I know I was weirded out.
There was a deafening silence after the master's sudden speech. I could hear the llama beside the two girls chewing on something, that stupid animal.
Others were not too forgiving. They looked creeped out, whispering to one another, hiding behind their Beastblades.
The master stood unbothered, and he was scratching his light stubble. He returned to his usual bored and tired look, as if nothing weird that he caused had happened.
"Master Luwin," out of all the people out here, Jared finally broke the awkward tension, "Can you tell us about the guilds?"
"Huh," Master Luwin said as he turned to Jared, "I guess you won't know much about it since you're also a Gifted. Very well."
Jared? That bowl-cut boy is not from a noble family?It felt like everyone in here sounds so rich, though!
"As you all know, the Ministry is the official governing body that monitors anything that involves Beastblades. From the monsters of the Darkwaste down to the most unimportant stuff that happens in affiliated academies." Master Luwin said, pacing back at the center of the grassy clearing.
The class resumed, with the students interested in the topic. Bella and Stella joined the gathering bunch of apprentices surrounding the master.
Oh, now he can teach?
"They also monitor how the Delving Guild League operates. Now there are many delving guilds in the Kingdom, and I won't explain the details, but basically, only 24 guilds are allowed to explore the Darkwaste, and they are permitted to occupy a piece of it."
Delving Guild League, huh. They occupy a piece of the Darkwaste? You make it sound like it's free real estate! I thought it was a place riddled with monsters to harvest souls in? Is there more to that place?!
"By occupy," Jared looked hesitant, "It means they can kill for it, right?"
Master Luwin sighed, "In the Darkwaste, there is no jurisdiction, no laws, only the rule of the strong. It is no man's land. Humans, Beastblades, or monsters, it is a place where safety is a privilege."
"Have you been in there?" Alexios asked, cradling his egg.
"Yes. I lived there with my former guild. I have since left, and now I teach." Master Luwin smiled, "I was hoping I could sculpt some young minds and prepare them from the dangers of the Darkwaste!"
"What's it like?" a random girl from the class raised her hand.
Master Luwin was evidently shaken as he heard the question. But he wasn't distressed. He was sad, his eyes turned melancholic. He let out another sigh and proceeded to clap his hands. The class was yet again caught off guard, jolted from the surprising noise.
"It was the most tiring years of my life, completely sucked the life out of me! I regretted ever accepting the Heavenly Forge's gift to me!"
Master Luwin cackled louder this time, which bothered a few classrooms nearby. Even the idle Beastblades had their eyes locked on him, annoyed at the deafening sound he was making.
Why can't anyone from this school teach their students properly!? You call this a fine institution? The Grand Master lied!
The class was yet again weirded out, let down by their master's random outbursts and edged by the suspense that the master seems to leave out intentionally.
"I guess that's it for our class today. Read the book because I might not. Until next time!" Master Luwin waved goodbye to everyone, dismissed them, and lay back down on the grass to continue his sleep.