Chapter 2 — The World and Its Lines
Septis, 04 Jes 911 Aven
6:00 AM
It was a classroom.
The floor and ceiling, perfectly smooth, seemed almost artificial.
The walls, entirely black, were traced with red patterns: trees with sinuous branches, scattered leaves, and waves reminiscent of an ocean in motion.
The space was closed.
Only a thin horizontal opening, to the left of the students, allowed the first rays of day to pass through.
A gentle, timid light.
Barely enough to illuminate the faces.
The wind, too, was only a whisper.
And with it, the first sounds of a world awakening.
All the students were already present.
Or almost.
The door opened.
The teacher entered.
He was a man of average height, with a modest build.
But what struck immediately were his features:
large, round ears, almost animal-like, giving him a singular appearance, close to that of a primate.
From the moment he arrived, his gaze swept across the room.
He noticed an empty seat near the wall, by the window.
But he paid it no further attention.
With a simple gesture, he raised his hand and drew a straight line on the central screen.
Perfectly sharp.
Then he turned.
And paused briefly.
The absent student… was there.
Seated.
As if he had never left his place.
The teacher showed only faint surprise.
Nothing more.
On his side, Luó displayed discreet satisfaction.
He was convinced that his "slight delay" of three hundred seconds had gone unnoticed.
The teacher spoke.
His voice was heavy. Dry.
— I will be, against my will, the beginning of your ordeal.
A silence.
— Simply because I am the first to intervene. Ironic.
He clasped his hands behind his back.
— I am your teacher of world history… as well as recent and current organization.
A sweeping glance.
— And here, only our world concerns us.
He paused.
— I will spare you the preliminaries.
— But let us check your foundations nonetheless.
He fixed his gaze on the class.
— How many continents are there?
— And where are we now?
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Almost deliberate.
Then, a student stood.
— Sir, there are five continents: central, western, eastern, northern, and southern.
He caught his breath.
— And we are in Gaishan, in Henic, on the eastern continent.
The teacher replied at once:
— Incomplete.
His voice left no room for doubt.
— Anyone else?
Murmurs spread through the class.
The veterans.
They knew.
They were simply waiting to see who would fall next.
Another student rose.
All eyes turned to him.
— Sir, please excuse my comrade for his lack of precision.
A faint smile.
— His answer was correct.
— He simply forgot to specify that we are also in Xin.
He placed a hand on his chest.
— Allow me, then, to teach rigor to my… little brother.
The teacher did not react immediately.
— Very well.
— Your name?
The student inclined his head slightly.
— Ylos.
— A humble elf.
The teacher already turned away.
— Next time, hold your tongue.
— Or learn respect.
Whispers rose.
— Elves, always wanting to shine…
— It's in their nature…
— They seek too much attention…
The teacher continued, as if nothing had been said.
— The five continents are all extraordinary.
— Each possesses its own riches.
He paused.
— But some… must be avoided.
His gaze grew darker.
— The southern continent is strictly forbidden.
A silence.
— At least… forbidden without a guide.
He turned slightly.
— A path exists there.
— A secured passage.
— From which one must never stray.
His voice grew graver.
— For beyond…
— You could vanish.
— See what must not be seen.
— Hear what must not be heard.
An invisible shiver passed through the room.
— I will not dwell on the Tomb of the Gods.
— It would be useless… for you.
His tone shifted.
— The western continent houses the seat of the Divine Bank.
— The eastern continent, meanwhile, holds Xin…
— And the greatest spiritual institutions.
— Including the one in which you now stand.
He raised his hand.
The screen changed.
— The other regions…
— You will discover them in due time.
A brief silence.
— Classes are divided into two parts:
— a written phase…
— and an oral phase.
He fixed the students.
— You will copy everything.
A faint sigh.
— Absolutely everything.
— And I warn you…
— it will be long.
— Very long.
As he spoke, a thought crossed his mind.
Interesting…
That student at the back…
Nonchalant… detached…
A demigod.
And yet…
No reaction.
Not even at the mention of the Tomb.
Impossible.
All divine blood should feel fear…
With what I infused into my voice…
But him…
Nothing.
Barely a fluctuation.
His "melody"… is stable.
Very interesting.
The teacher resumed, as if nothing had happened:
— I almost forgot.
He turned to the class.
— You may call me…
A brief pause.
— Alphonse.
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