Passing through the halls of the labyrinthine academy, Brynn makes his way to his next class. Taking turns and going backwards as he stumbles through, trying his best to remember the instructions given to him to traverse the multiple barriers around the facility.

What this place lacked in being welcoming to him, it certainly made up for in security. 

And with great reason as well, as this was one of the prime spots for a hostile attack. All-powerful mages are quite vulnerable as it happens when they aren't quite all-powerful just yet.

Going through the staircases, going backwards onto the wall.  He didn't really enjoy the company, but the sight of being upside down and feeling right-side-up or the feeling of walking on nothingness was something the boy never quite got over. His passion for magic ever rekindling whenever he walked those halls.

'I wonder how the group's doing back in the abbey?' The thought passes through his mind.

A smirk snakes its way to his freckled face. 'Wonder how they'll react passing through here.'

And for a moment, he felt as though he was there. Feeling the cool breeze dance around his brown locks, the stench of rotten hay from the stables, and the sound of laughter as Mary and the others played with the children.

"Gah -- " The thought quickly dissipates as he feels himself stumbling into something, or rather, someone, and promptly falling backwards.

"Tsk, unbelievable, I got 'commoner' all over my new robes. What a shame." A mocking voice all too familiar makes itself heard.

Brynn winces and looks up, seeing the same face he'd come to expect in these situations. Dirty blonde hair and an air of perceived superiority, his eyebrow raised and his wide mouth twisted in a mocking grin. This was Gil Lowenhart, the son of a Count with ties to the royal family. 

He and his posse have been doing their best to make Brynn's stay as miserable as possible, going out of their way to annoy him as much as they can without much repercussion.

Brynn stands up hurriedly and dusts himself off. Quickly making his way past the group with nothing but a faint "What? Not even going to apologize?" behind him.

He'd have none of it today, not on the first day of the term of all days. 

He hurries along the busy hallways and finally arrives at the next class. He takes a seat, far back in the corner of the room. Too far for the instructor to risk halting class to reprimand him, at least he hoped so.

Next, he kept his focus at the door. He'd pretty much memorized the faces of the people who went out of their way to annoy him by now. Hopefully he'd be able to catch wherever they planned to sit, so that he might change his seat before the class started.

Brynn thinks to himself, to all of the times he's been put on the spot in the past. He just hopes, this time, that there'd be less of that. That if he played his cards right, only the bare minimum would attempt to cause him trouble and/or scrutinize his every move. He'd just slink into the shadows, the background if you will, and be some nameless nobody. A wallflower, if you will.

Hopefully.

The door opens. This time, with someone that clearly was not a student. Dressed in fine robes embroidered with the patterns exclusive to the teaching staff, and holding a cane with what appears to be an amethyst inlaid at the handle.

Thankfully, Brynn didn't need to change his seat before the instructor arrived, nor did he see Gil in the swath of students going in, much to his relief. In fact, there were only empty seats adjacent to him, something he very much is thankful for.. However, he did feel a peculiar feeling at the sight of this person.

It was his first time seeing this particular instructor. A tall, light grey-skinned man approached the front of the class. Brynn notices the slight point in his ears. A half-elf, perhaps? Considering the man looked around middle-aged, they must be at the very least a hundred or so years old, he thought.

He didn't know why, but he felt something was... off.

Either way, the man began unpacking his things and drew a small sigil in the air, casting a spell to amplify his voice.

"Greetings, students. I will be your instructor on the subject of Applied Alchemy. You may call me Professor Mallow. In this subject I will be teaching -- " And so on and so forth.

Brynn couldn't quite grasp what it was he felt at the start of the class, but it was weighing down on his mind. He's never felt that feeling before.

Was it anticipation? 

No, that's not quite right. 

Nervousness? 

Again, a bit off the mark.

"...mr. Brynn?"

...dread?

He didn't quite know.

"Mr. Brynn?"

Sighing, he supposed that, whatever it was, it must've just been the stress getting to him. 

Yes, that felt more believable.

"Mr. Brynn!"

"Ah, yes!" Startled, Brynn lets out a small yelp, then covers his mouth with his hands realizing what just happened. Grimacing as a light flush begins to spread on his cheeks.

Professor Mallow, along with the rest of the class, look at him, brow raised. "Head in the stars, Mr. Brynn?" Followed by a handful of chuckles and muffled chatter.

"Yes--ah, I mean, no, sir."

'Damn it, I was doing so well not messing up the whole day, too...!' Brynn thinks to himself.

"Hmm." The professor goes. "I suppose you are technically physically present." 

Then he looks back, brow raised once more. "Mentally though, I find a bit lacking..."

A few more chuckles are heard. At this point Brynn's face is red from embarrassment, akin to a ripe tomato. 

"Continuing on, Miss Bern Briarthorne?" 

"Here!" A voice echoes back near the middle of the class.

As the murmurs die down, this continues on for a few more minutes, before finally -- "His highness, Prince Val Stirling the Third?"

A rush of voices begin flooding the room. Questions of 'wait, is that true?' to excited 'his highness is one of our classmates!' fill the room. 

Brynn is relieved at the apparent loss of attention on him, but is also surprised. He was watching the door quite intently, so he would've noticed a face so famous entering into the class.

Especially one so talked about. 

The thing is, he didn't see Prince Val enter. So that would mean that either the professor made a mistake or --

"Judging from your reactions it seems his highness is absent." Professor Mallow states.

-- Or that.