Madam Prescott turned toward Ashen once more. "Well, Mr. Hart, since we've been revising what we've covered over the past month, why don't you help us out?"
She paused slightly before continuing, her tone light but laced with mischief. "Since you weren't paying attention, I can only assu you've already mastered the subject, yes?"
Ashen ntally sighed. Still holding a grudge? How petty. If she wanted to embarrass him, she had picked the wrong target.
Every teacher he'd ever had, from kindergarten to university, would have laughed at her attempt.
Ashen had a record of acing every school year without missing a single one, coming in first place by a large margin.
He barely attended classes, and when he did, he spent half the ti zoning out. Even so, he never failed to outperform his peers.
The label of genius didn't co out of nowhere, after all.
"Uhm, of course, Professor. I would be glad to help."
Clearing his throat, Ashen paused to gather his thoughts before speaking. "Since we are discussing everything we've covered so far, I'll start by pinpointing the three major historical periods and go from there."
Madam Prescott gave him a nod to proceed.
"First, we have The Reign of Terror, dating back more than two thousand years. Then cos The Exodus, a thousand-year-long period. Finally, there's The Thousand-Year War, which is still ongoing even now."
A few students exchanged glances, mostly Esperrians. The weight of history was always heavier when spoken aloud.
Madam Prescott's mood noticeably improved. "Very good. Would you be a dear and elaborate on each period?"
Ashen resisted the urge to sigh again. He was being roped into playing the professor's assistant for the rest of the class. Great.
"For the Reign of Terror, little is actually known. Most records from that ti have been lost or deliberately erased."
"But what is certain is that humanity lived under constant oppression from unknown entities ruling the land."
Ashen's voice deepened slightly, betraying his genuine curiosity. "These entities' dominion eventually ca to an end when humanity developed a System through the sacrifices of countless generations."
"This System allowed them to rise up, wage war against their oppressors, and ultimately erge victorious."
A few students leaned forward while Ashen continued,
"Unfortunately, victory ca at a steep price. Humanity was left on the brink of destruction, and even the System itself fell into dormancy."
Madam Prescott nodded approvingly. "Very well said, Mr. Hart. You summarized the main points quite nicely. Is everyone following along?"
She swept her gaze across the classroom. "I hope everyone can be such a good student just like Mr. Hart here. That would surely make my work a lot easier."
The trainees were speechless. One mont, she was trying to humiliate him, and the next, she was acting as if he were her star pupil.
Stolen from , this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Ashen, on the other hand, was not pleased. If anything, this praise ant she wouldn't be letting him go anyti soon.
Madam Prescott gestured for him to continue.
"Right. Moving on to the Exodus Period, as the na suggests, humanity was forced to migrate…"
"After the devastation of The Reign of Terror, defending themselves while rebuilding was impossible. Their fragile state made them easy prey for other races, like the Beastkin and the Demi-humans."
"In the end, humanity decided to retreat to a new continent, pulling 80% of their population with them, which was mostly won, children, and the elderly."
Ashen hesitated for a mont before adding, "They nad their new ho Esperra, a word ant to symbolize hope and renewal. But unfortunately, it was anything but that."
He was really shocked to discover that Esperra's ancestors were originally from Seravelle. Even now, as he spoke, he was still processing it…
Madam Prescott humd, urging him on. "And why is that, Mr. Hart?"
"Well, Esperra's mana is almost nonexistent," Ashen explained. "Having lived their whole lives imrsed in magical energy, suddenly being stripped of it was unbearable."
"To make matters worse, the land was already teeming with predators that had called it ho for thousands of years."
"What a tragedy!" Madam Prescott's sudden, dramatic tone made Ashen nearly roll his eyes. "So, Mr. Hart, what happens next? Does humanity finally succumb to its fate?"
He composed himself before answering. "Not quite. As we know, Esperra eventually flourished. But without mana, humanity was forced down a different path of evolution… one of science and technology."
"Over ti, we adapted, but at a cost. We forgot about mana, and much of our history regarding the supernatural mysteriously vanished… as if soone had erased it."
A subtle pause. A calculated probe. Ashen watched Madam Prescott for any reaction, but she rely nodded, unfazed.
"How very interesting indeed. This truly highlights humanity's ability to adapt. But Mr. Hart, you neglected the events on Seravelle. Why don't you and that?"
Ashen shifted in his seat before continuing.
"During the Reign of Terror, four major human clans survived. These were the only ones left with warriors still capable of fighting."
"They chose to remain in Seravelle—later dubbed Blighted Seravelle—as a last line of defense. Their role was to keep watch over their adversaries and prevent them from infiltrating Esperra."
His mind wandered as he spoke. 'This System… how did humanity even create sothing of that scale? And why is so much history lost? Is it truly forgotten… or deliberately hidden?'
"What noble souls," Madam Prescott mused, "sacrificing their well-being and lives to safeguard their race. Truly a selfless act."
Then, she added with a teasing smirk, "But, Mr. Hart, please stop zoning out. We wouldn't want you to fall back asleep, now, would we?"
Ashen exhaled sharply but nodded. "Right."
Madam Prescott adjusted her glasses. "So, when does the last period fit into all of this?"
Ashen soldiered on, though his mouth was dry by now.
"The Thousand-Year War began at the end of the Exodus Period. By then, Esperra had rebuilt, while Seravelle… had not. The warriors who remained held on for a millennium, but without the System, they weakened."
A student hesitantly raised a hand. "Why didn't Seravelle ask for help from Esperra when they were clearly struggling?"
Madam Prescott turned to Ashen, unsurprisingly, her gaze mirroring the student's curiosity. "Hmm, why indeed? Mr. Hart?"
By this point, Ashen wasn't fazed by her antics. He answered promptly, "Well, they did get help… but they didn't ask for it. Instead, they began secretly recruiting, or rather, forcibly drafting life prisoners and death row inmates from Esperra."
That got a reaction. A few murmurs rippled through the class.
Ashen raised a finger. "This practice continued for centuries. And yet, the frontline barely held. The Thousand-Year War never truly stopped, despite the losses."
Madam Prescott's expression was pleased. "Very well, Mr. Hart. Would you like to add sothing?"
Ashen actually rolled his eyes this ti but forced a smile. 'Might as well go all in at this point.'
"Actually, yes. The forced recruitnts only recently stopped. Why? Because the System has awakened once more. Our warriors will soon return to their forr glory, lifting the burden off the frontlines."
A final pause. Then, his conclusion:
"It is believed we're on the verge of a new era… one of great war. Our enemies have already noticed the change, and they won't allow us to grow unchecked."
Ding, Ding!
The class bell rang. Ashen sighed in relief.
Madam Prescott straightened. "Alright, everyone, class is over. Until next week… and don't make my class your napping spot, or there will be consequences."
She gave Ashen one last glance before leaving.
She's still holding a grudge after all…
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