Chapter Text
Nanaba surges through the crowd at the station to make her way to the street. She’s on her way to her first day at St. Rose’s Academy, where she’s supposed to be interning for 4 months as a teacher for a small class.
Her parents had been worried that she’d never been somewhere so far out from their small hometown, and her mother had done all she could to convince her to not go, except it hadn’t worked. It hadn’t worked because nothing could, not when Nan knew exactly what to do with the pay she received.
Except now her stomach was doing flips, and it’s companion butterflies only flapped their wings to encourage it. Doubt encroached the entirety of her mind, and a long list of what if’s and why’s tumbled in all at once as she stood next to a ridiculous looking statue of Floch Forster, waiting for Ms. Dahlia, her mother's friend and owner of the academy who had graciously forwarded this opportunity to their house, to arrive to take her over to the hostels.
“The point is, Floch Forster was either incredibly vile, or incredibly vicious, and was incredibly stupid either way.” Erwin stated profoundly from his bed as Nan slammed her history book down next to him. “That’s what you said about every figure we’ve had to study so far! And the book always says the exact opposite.”
He shrugged before leaning out towards her, spreading his fingers on either side of his face, “It’s all lies by the government, Nan.”
“So it won’t be on the test?”
“No. Never, actually.” She stared down at the notes she’d been taking from his long, long lecture, believing he knew everything and would never misguide her, only to end up with 6 pages worth of notes she ultimately didn’t have any use of, and began to cry as he laughs while trying to reassure her.
“Just leave out all the assuming.”
She had ended up with the highest score in the test.
She snorts as she remembers this now, standing next to a statue of the man on whom she’d hated with a passion ever since she started sessions with her older cousin. He’d been all in support of her taking the internship, all proud of his ‘baby cousin going off in to the great big world, for money!’.
She continues to reminisce about home.
She thinks of her parents, both probably drinking tea by now. And her sister, Petra, who is on a trip to europe right now. It had originally been her trip to take, until her usually quiet self decided to give in at the worst time, losing her the opportunity. Few bitter thoughts cross her mind, but she shoves them in favour of happier thoughts, for it wasn’t like as though the two of them had never shared a single good time in their lives.
But mostly thinks of her cousin, Erwin, for he was the primary reason she had taken up the job, and was determined to do it well. With her pay from here, there would be just enough for her to take him on a vacation, that his poor body and soul was in desperate need off.
With each reason she’d come here cleared again, she pulls herself together, and taps her umbrella against the ground with a fair amount of force, making just enough sound to make passerbys turn heads. Embarrassed at her action, which just so happens to be an old habit, she tucks the umbrella under her shawl instead of holding low like she had been before.
It’s been 30 minutes since she arrived, and there’s an abnormally large crowd, at least to her, and she scans her surroundings for any sign of the old aunt and her omnibus, only to find nothing. So she straightens her skirt and fix her shawl.
It takes another 10 minutes for her to feel a sudden tap on her shoulder. She startles and swings around, only to find the old spinster standing there.
“Hello, sweety!”
Nanaba cringes internally but lunges forward to hug the woman anyway, wishing to leave the station already.
“Oh, you must be so tired honey.” Nan fights the urge to nod at that.
“I’m so sorry it took so long. But thats exactly what Sina takes in exchange for all the glory and fancy opportunities. Time!” She taps her watch, frowning. Nanaba thinks about how Erwin had been saying the exact same thing to her, hardly two days ago. Her six year old self nods, “he’s a wizard.” she smiles to herself.
They settle into the omnibus quickly enough, and Nanaba notices other women, whom she presumes to be teachers, sitting inside. She gets a seat next to her aunt, on accounts of being her guest.
Thus begins the journey to the school, and the whole way is full of all sorts of complaining and gossip, an act initiated by the very esteemed School mistress sitting next to her and carried on by the others.
It takes them around an hour to get to the building, and they all scurry inside to keep from the cold winter winds.