Done.
Amina watched the drawer retract smoothly after she pressed its control button. She then stood up from the floor and pushed her luggage to a small corner of the room.
She had been organizing her clothes and other belongings after the academy robot had left her alone. Amina had found her luggage in the middle of the room and guessed the academy robots had brought them in from the Nitro.
1: 00pm
She checked the time on the triangular digital clock on the reading desk near the bed.
Still early.
Amina felt the time was passing a bit slow today. She had assumed the time would be evening already, not early afternoon.
I should rest then.
Amina decided to lay on the bed and go through her Beastcom since she was already done. The room had been tidied before her arrival. Thanks to that, she hadn't spent much time in organizing, though perhaps she should have done some extra cleaning if the time was going to be this slow.
As Amina approached the bed, she slipped off her academy blazer, drapping it over the chair, and then sat down. The bed sank slightly from her weight as her fingers brushed against the covers before she lay down on her back.
Amina momentarily stared at the white ceiling before tapping her Beastcom and the usual floating screen appeared before her face. The red dot on the academy icon immediately caught her gaze.
When she clicked on the icon, her student information popped up, as well as other features, just like in the orientation. This time, her focus wasn't on her student's information, but on the other features. Amina clicked on one of them; the academy forum, and stumbled upon countless active dicussion threads.
Strongest Instructors in the Academy.
Top three strongest in the Academy.
Inter-Academy Beast tournaments.
Senior's Advice: How to pass the practical exams?
Top three strongest in the Beast Combat department.
Top three Weakest departments in the academy.
She scrolled through countless discussion threads and clicked on some to read the posts and their comments. Thanks to the academy forum, she was able to gather information on the Instructors, departments, and even some of the top students in the Western Beast academy.
Weakest student in the academy: Daughter of Guildmaster Blackthorne.
As Amina continued scrolling through the discussion threads, she came across one about herself.
''....''
I should have expected this. She thought, clicking on the thread and a photo of herself appeared on the floating screen.
When was this taken? Amina wondered, staring at the photo of herself seated in the hall. It was obvious a new student like herself, had sneakily taken her photo before the orientation.
Amina looked away from the photo to read the writeup and comments under the photo.
Backdoor connections, what do you expect?
I am truly disappointed in our academy.
I declare that I'm not a fan of the Guildmaster anymore!
She really does not have a Beast?
I suspect if she's truly daughter of Guildmaster Blackthorne, but she really does look like him.
What is her department?
Perhaps the academy wants to create a department for her since you know…
Guys, let's protest! Every student has worked their butts to enter the academy, yet some brattish young miss thinks she can enter through her father's name!
Yeah! Even the Crown Prince had take the entrance exam.
Young master Pantheris had done a good job questioning the Instructors!
Does that mean our future empress is going to be her?
Crown prince, please break your engagement!
Wait…she's engaged to the Crown prince??
What is the imperial family thinking?
Our empire is doomed in the future with an empress like her!
Amina read through the negative reactions to the post about herself. The poster had written in details about the Amina Blackthorne being brought back to the Blackthorne family, declared as someone with no Beast, her engagement with the Crown prince, and even what had happened during the orientation.
Well…it's all true. Amina didn't react much to the negativity on the post since everything was the truth.
The villainess, Amina Blackthorne wasn't someone who had grown up in the Western Beast Empire, but in a small orphanage of another Empire. The novel had also mentioned that as a detail about her.
In Amina Blackthorne's memories, her father had personally visited the orphanage with other Beastmasters, and knew at first glance that she was his daughter. DNA tests were taken to support his claims, and that's how she had been taken from the orphanage.
In the memoriese of her life at the orphanage, Amina Blackthorne had always been a loner. No one had befriended her because of her dull and quiet personality.
Just like herself; Amina, the zookeeper.
She and the villainess had always preferred to be alone.
I guess we're very similar. Amina realized their similarities.
It wasn't only the female lead that she shared some similarities with, but the villainess as well. They both had dull personalities and grew up at the orphanage. No one in the orphanage wanted to befriend them, and no parent wanted to adopt them. Even the orphanage director and staffs had found them difficult to interact with at times.
However, unlike the villainess, Amina had to hide her dull personality sometimes to fit in and survive the society. Especially when she had no choice but to interact with people at particular moments.
Amina Blackthorne, on the other hand, remained the unchanged. She had never tried to hide her dull personality. Even when she found her father and returned to the Blackthorne family, there was no reaction from her.
It was the same when she was discovered to be Beastless, and even when her father had informed her that she would attend the Western Beast Academy without the entrance exam.
She hardly reacted to anyone or thing.
While Amina thought of the villainess and her life, she absentmindely scrolled through the multiple negative comments demanding that she should leave the academy with an indifferent face.
This was how Amina spent her first day at the Western Beast Academy; staying in her room and scrolling through the academy forum.
~~~~
21 March, 5120
''Is that her?''
''The Beastless Young miss?''
''I can't believe she's the daughter of Guildmaster Blackthorne.''
As Amina walked through the hallways, she could hear murmurs from the students. Most of their words were obviously not positive.
''She's really pretty.''
''Pfftt! As if beauty can help her get a Beast.''
''Shh! She's coming this way.''
Two female students immediately fell silent as they watched Amina passed by them without a single glance.
''Do you think she heard us?''
''Even if she did, what can she do to us? This is the academy.''
''True…''
The murmurs grew louder as the students saw Amina walking past them without a word. Some snickered openly that she was scared of them since they were obviously stronger than her as Beastmasters.
''Hey Beastless Young miss! Why don't you leave our academy and run to your rich daddy?''
''H-Hey!''
One male student called out boldly in a mocking tone. Another tried to stop him, but several students in the hallway burst into laughter at his words.
Despite the apparent mockery, Amina's silence remained as she made her way to the counsellor's office.
This should be the office.
She stopped before a sleek door, bearing a gold nameplate engraved with 'counsellor' on the side. Earlier this morning, she had recieved a guide to help her navigate the academy on her Beastcom, as well as a reminder to see the counsellor.
The building she was in at the moment was known as the Hall of legacy; the same building she and other new students had their orientation the previous day.
Amina raised her Beastcom to the access terminal below the gold nameplate, and a soft beam of light swept across its surface.
''Identity verified.'' A familiar mechanical voice announced. ''Counselling appointment confirmed. Welcome to the Counsellor's office, Student Amina Blackthorne.''
The door slid open after confirming her arrival.
''Good morning, Counsellor.'' Amina greeted the Counsellor after stepping inside the office.
''You must be Miss Blackthorne.'' Before her gaze was an elderly woman giving her a wrinkled smile as the door slid close. '' I've been expecting you, student. Take a seat.''
''Thank you, ma'am.''
''Well, aren't you a polite one?'' The Counsellor smiled kindly as Amina sat down on the chair opposite her.
''Candy?'' She offered.
''No, thank you, ma'am.'' Amina politely declined the crystal bowl of candy.
The Counsellor chuckled at the immediate refusal.
''Alright, I suppose we should start the counselling.'' She didn't press Amina to accept her kind gesture and started session.
''For starters, I should let you know that no one welcomes your existence in the academy, Student.'' She began, her tone firm and eyes sharp. A stark contrast to friendly expression she had welcomed Amina with. ''That also means no department is willing to take you in as their student. ''
''When the headmaster announced your admission, I was very much against the decision, not because I look down on you dear, but I know that someone like you will find it very difficult to survive in the academy, as well as the Empire The stronger a Beast, the more status and significance the Beastmaster holds. You, without a Beast, must have gone through some experience before coming to my office, haven't you?''
''…Yes.'' Amina replied calmly, knowing what 'experience' the Counsellor meant.
''That's a tip of what you will likely experience outside the academy, dear.'' The Counsellor continued in a heavy tone. ''The academy will not hold back because of you either. In your first year, you must prove that you have what it takes to be a student, as well as a Beastmaster, even without a Beast.''
A Beastmaster without a Beast?
Amina got confused by that statement. Beasts were what made humans Beastmasters. This was the reason the students addressed her as a Beastless Young miss, because she had no Beast to make her a Beastmaster.
''My statement sounds ironic, doesn't it dear? A Beastmaster without a Beast.'' The Counsellor smiled as though sensing her confusion. ''Let's imagine that ninety-nine percent of Empire's population are official Beastmasters because of their strong Beasts, and then there is one percent that are still recognized as official Beastmasters with their very weak Beasts. You, my dear, are part of neither, but can be part of that one percent. However, you have to work very hard and find that path that will make you recognized as an official Beastmaster in your first year. Then, you can prove to everyone, as well as myself, that the headmaster had not admitted you wrongly. If not proven, the academy will have no choice but to withdraw your admission.''
''….''
….That's why he said that.
Amina recalled what the head of Beast Ethics and Laws department had said in the orientation. Unlike other students, the academy hadn't fully recognized her as a student yet until she displayed an exceptional performance in her first year.
And she must prove to them without a Beast.
''Now, I will like hear what department you want to choose and your reasons.'' The Counsellor's voice pulled Amina from her thoughts.
Department…I guess that one is the best option for me
Amina thought of a particular department, and then replied. ''The Beastology department, ma'am.''