Chapter 24: Ch 24 Divine Decree At The Noble Book Club

In the morning, I put on my new outfit that I had made with Liz’s designs. When I looked into the mirror, I felt stunning and regal. This was the outfit of a leader of non wizards. Wizards preferred their leaders in snow-white robes with gilded golden linings. I never quite understood their fashion sense, but I, of course, had my own set. It was one of the many articles of clothing that my fan club had gifted me. I always told them just to give me more books to put into the library.

My guard was standing by the portal, awaiting our departure. I didn’t want him to go today because he needed to get prepared to leave. “I don’t need you today. Please spend the day with your family and prepare to go back to my domain.”

He seemed bemused by the line. “Are you sure, Lady Astrid?” he asked, unsure of what to do.

“You and I both needed a day off, so take one for the both of us.”

He nodded his head and took off to see his family. That left me to manage my anxiety, but I was getting it under control. I don’t always want to have to rely on him. I especially don’t want him to get caught up in one of my anxiety attacks.

Going through the portal, I was back in the school's hallway. Professor Mezzis was right there reading a book waiting for me. “Have you been here all night?” I asked her.

“No, Professor Gyphen and I were rotating and whoever was here when you got back would take you to the book club,” she said, snapping her book shut before standing up and stretching her limbs out. 

I managed to sneak a peek of the title as she put it away: “Goddess Astrid’s Gifts To Us”. That would definitely be a good one. Then I could maybe figure out all that they had attributed to me. “Is there any chance I could get a copy of that book?” I asked, looking at it as she put it away.

Her eyes opened up in slight surprise. She pulled the book out and handed it directly to me. “Yes of course, the church gives copies of this out all the time. I just wanted to brush up.”

Before I put it inside of my portable storage, I flipped through it, noticing most of it seemed to be about gem magic. While useful I was already pretty familiar with the concept. I guess beggars can’t be choosers, but I wasn’t sure I would get a chance to read it. My to do list kept on growing and growing; it could pass the height of a mythical world tree. “How do you like the new  outfit?” I asked doing a little spin, hoping that she would react well to it. I’d have to try to read her more subtle motions because I doubted she would be honest.

“That looks fantastic on you! It’s an outfit befitting our Godd— Lady,” she said, not giving a hint of deception.

“How long do we have until the book club meets up?”

“They are already in attendance. There are six girls there. From either noble or wealthy merchants. I hear they brought some delicious food.”

“That’s great. Lead the way then. I’m thrilled to meet them. It’s been a long time since there’s been anyone my age around.”

She looked slightly puzzled at the last comment I had made before shaking her head and heading down the hallways. I trailed behind her, looking into the open classrooms that were mostly empty. I wondered why she was so. Maybe they had the day off? Though there were mentions of economic issues so maybe people can’t afford to go? If that was so then they should lower the price or look at some sort of free education system. Maybe they hadn’t thought of it but most leaders that have done it have had great success according to my research. It leads to lots of highly skilled workers that create loads of useful things.

We went outside and took a walk through a well trimmed garden area to a long ornate white wooden table that had several other girls sitting on it. They were wearing clothes similar to what I had seen yesterday with the other students but they all just seemed higher end. Extravagance is everything to the wealthy. It was as true now as it always had been.

They noticed my arrival but tried not to stare at me. A guard rushed up and pulled out a chair for me to sit in. He was also wearing a mask so I assumed that he was another otherkin. It was odd because there were no books on the table. How is this a book club with no books? Maybe I had missed out and there were only a few copies. 

No one spoke up as I looked around  the table. I figured that I would  end up speaking first. “Hello, I’m Astrid, what are your names?” I asked, going for a simple question. It should be easy for them to get comfortable if I try to act like a normal girl. 

“I am Del’Mazie. We are glad to have you here at our book club,” she said with a nod of confidence.

“Nice to meet you. I am excited to be here!” I replied excitedly, thinking about a book discussion. That I was expecting to occur.

The girls named themselves off one after another. I was able to reply more calmly after the  first. Maids and butlers brought out cakes and tea. They sure did look tasty. I did a quick check though to see if they were poisoned which fortunately they were not. Now all I had to do was make sure I didn't scarf them down really fast. 

The cake was extremely delicious; it was light, with a finely textured, moist, even crumb. There were subtle hints of lemon mixed with rosewater. I noticed the girls dipping it in their tea after tasting  the tea and I joined in. The tea exuded a delicate earthy aroma and had a dark green color with a fruit muscatel flavor. It paired well when dipped with the cake; the flavors complimented  well and went down smooth. I felt refreshed and calm after the light desert.

“How did you like it?” Del’Mazie asked after I had finished

“It was simply divine!” I said with a giggle, quickly realizing I shouldn’t tease about me being a goddess. I am not sure how comfortable they are with that yet.

The girls gasped slightly but Mazie recovered first. “Do you want us to start the book discussion?”

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“That would be great. I would love to see how you hold them.”

“Well my serf read “Her Majesty's Loyal Knight Volume Nine” to me. It’s too bad human readers are so expensive nowadays but having a full cast ensemble of animal cursed is still decent even though they have to be in your presence,” she stated like it was a perfectly normal thing. 

The other girls nodded in agreement.

The skin on my arms started to crawl and form goosebumps. Maybe I am taking it wrong?

“Yeah, the cursed children mess up their parts frequently. It gets annoying having to instruct them with a paddle till they do their lines properly,” I heard someone say but I didn’t see who it was because I was in too much shock at what was said.

“Oh you do it by yourself? How crass. It’s just easier to watch them do it to each other. The looks on their parents' faces when they have to do the beating themselves is simply hilarious.”

“It’s just my exercise for the day. We have to get into practice for when the Princess takes over. She’ll turn it back to how it was in the old days.”

I felt myself start to breathe heavily. They were so nasty. They weren’t a book club. They didn’t even read themselves; they just abused their helpers to do it. I couldn’t believe how they were talking. Is this how Donna really was? Did I almost make friends with someone this  disgusting?

“My parents go on and on about how great those conservative times were when humans dominated the populus and the cursed animals knew their place.”

My power started to seep out. This wasn’t an anxiety attack. This was pure anger and I was trying desperately to control it, not that the little monsters deserved it.

“The rights of nobles have been degraded by dimwitted Don. Don’t you agree, Lady Astrid? I mean look at you. There should be a flock of people crawling at your feet, but there isn’t anyone with any insight. That worthless king should have had at least twenty serfs assigned to you.”

My eyes and mouth were scrunched up as I held in my emotions. I needed to just teleport out of here and leave before something bad happened. I just had to go. I NEED TO LEAVE NOW!

“Lady Astrid, are you okay?” Del’Mazie said loudly to me. 

I snapped. My mana sent out a pulse, causing everyone to freeze in shock. I managed to  hold back the crushing effect but their bodies would be unable to function unless they had high mana manipulation capabilities. “No, I’m not okay. What are you girls thinking? The otherkin are cute and adorable! DO YOU HEAR ME? CUTE AND ADORABLE! Not slaves that you can  mistreat.  Slaves aren’t even acceptable but that’s a whole other conversation we have to get  to. I’ve been gone from this world for thousands and yet somehow the nobility have gotten nastier. Even in my time, cute animals were cared for but you all want to abuse them or make their parents abuse them or get excited that you’ll be able to make their lives even worse. You aren’t nobles. You’re villainesses.”

They strained under the pressure of mana I had them under. FORGET IT! I DON’T CARE! I’m going to use my identity as this supposed goddess to ensure these little beasts stay in line. They are worse than the calamity beasts outside the dome.

“By divine decree, I demand that you treat any serf under your control including otherkin or as you like to call them animal cursed to be treated as one of your own with care. If I so much as hear a word about the mistreatment of otherkin by you or anyone around you, I will come back. This is merely a fraction of my mana force. I have yet to even cast a spell and you can’t even stand in my presence. How do you think you’ll fare when I come back to instruct you like you instructed those underneath you?”

I got up from the table and walked  away. As I left the area, I released my mana control and their loud gasps for air were audible. They immediately began to cry in shock. It served them right. If noble brats ever acted like that inside of the library, their parents would be far harsher. I passed by Mezzis.

“I apologize for that disgraceful display. I had no clue they were like that,” she said to me as I passed by her.

I stopped realizing that she was either lying or trying to cover up what she was saying but I had no time for her doublespeak. My eye twitched as I turned around and laid into her. “Your name is Elder Mezzis. The key there is Elder. There is no way that you haven’t noticed or purposefully ignored what has been going on. I did not see a single otherkin in that class that I went to. I doubt there’s any in the school with the way these brats acted. I’ve never really liked nobles and I’ve been proven right into not trusting them once again. Dimwitted Don is the only one that seems to at least be trying. But you Elder, were probably around  when the former Queen had her reign of terror occurring to the poor Otherkin.”

I took a deep breath trying to calm down and regain my self-control. She should have just stayed quiet. I knew she was trying to help, but I can’t ignore what she’s ignored.

“You may be trying to make a small change by coming to teach at Astraville which is good. I may reconsider my position on releasing history books though. This place isn’t worthy of it. I shall be spreading stories of heroes and knights that do right by the people. Obviously none of those stories exist or someone  would’ve risen up to fight the calamity beasts or at least deal with all of these evil nobles.”

She was speechless, frozen in place but I didn’t care. She needed to think about her actions or inaction while being surrounded by so much tyranny. I focused in on the location of the emergency beacon and teleported directly to it, leaving these people behind to think about their past, present, and hopefully more positive future.