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[i][color=#DC143C]Tired[/color][/i].

As the Ars Magi before them resumed her role as host, the young Lady of Diana found that all too familiar feeling gnawing at the back of her mind. She dare not let it show of course; her grace at the table did not slack for even a moment. [i][color=#DC143C]Strength[/color][/i], a Diana was always a model of strength. But truthfully Vanna found it difficult to maintain focus on the diatribe before her: what use did she have for boutiques?

The Officer Academy? She knew it all too well. Her sister's letter had at times read more like a guide book than a congratulatory correspondence. One of many such guide books gifted by her siblings. Between yesterday's training and this morning's send off, Vanna had yet to receive even a moment to herself. A part of her yearned to retreat to her room and finally get some overdue rest. 

But that would be [i][color=#DC143C]unbecoming[/color][/i].

Thus the young girl remained politefully seated, sipping on her tea and refusing to allow a single vestige of exhaustion show on her features. She merely watched as the other girls split into two groups, one bonding over heritage and the other over temperament. Her position as the sole member of the outgroup was [i][color=#DC143C]expected[/color][/i]. It didn't bother her either, she had never been one to bond with others over such superficial traits. She would find out soon enough if any of the other girls would help sharpen her abilities in defense of Potentia. 

Besides engaging in further conversation just sounded like a recipe for increasing her own fatigue. 

Shortly afterwards a tremor called away their host and Vanna found herself in a room without a single object or being worth studying. Her mind instead swayed towards wondering what the cause of their unexpected turbulence might be. Only bureaucracy or necessity could require the presence of an Ars Magi of Victoria Glass' standing. The young lady hoped it was only the former but she remained prepared for the latter. 

She wouldn't deign any interferences on her path. 

There was one other void left by their host's abrupt departure: a query from the clumsy one of the Lightning Elementum. Vanna had anticipated that even without their host someone else might answer her questions. [i][color=#DC143C]A foolish desire[/color][/i]. The other girl's ponderings had only been met with silence followed by more pointless topics. How did she feel about being chosen? What nonsense, that was merely the beginning, the expected, there was still so much work ahead of her. 

But the state of her peers would reflect her own. 

IF she was to create an environment most conducive to her own growth her fellow students required at least a basic education. In absence of their host it was only proper that she fulfil her duties as a Diana. To that end Vanna politely waited for Dana to finish explaining her prefered form of televised media, a pastime wholly unfamiliar to the young lady, before joining the table's conversation.

"[color=#DC143C]To answer your earlier query Miss. Grenoble,[/color]" began her detached exposition, "[color=#DC143C]Fifty is a reasonably standard number. Numerous studies have shown just how difficult it is for the human body to naturally process Nox and use it in magicraft. Truthfully the mutations behind this process are still fairly unknown and when you consider that a few potential candidates are likely to slip the academy's notice or just not exhibit satisfactory control over Nox... [i]well[/i] fifty students is what you're left with.[/color]"

"[color=#DC143C]As for your query about [i]magic boys[/i],[/color]" Vanna paused for a moment, as if searching for a way to best deliver the information, "[color=#DC143C]all that we know so far is that only females have shown an affinity for processing Nox. Thus the duty of Ars Magi falls on our shoulders and ours alone.[/color]"

Her youngest brother was still gutted by that particular revelation. 

"[color=#DC143C]I hope I've properly addressed your questions in absence of our host.[/color]" And with that, Vanna returned to sipping her team, her face never having betrayed a single hint of her reasons for educating the other girl. Yet it honestly amazed her that her peers hadn't even taken a few moments to partake in basic reading about Ars Magi. Such self study was the basics of a proper education but alas this too was [i][color=#DC143C]typical[/color][/i].   

She was sadly well accustomed to her peers refusing to put in the work to better themselves. 

And then they'll look at her and claim the difference was talent.

[i][color=#DC143C]Senseless[/color][/i].

[color=#DC143C][i]Shameful[/i][/color].