The Scream of A Thousand Libraries Chapter 20: Chapter 20: New Professor.

Read chapter 20 of The Scream of A Thousand Libraries by Susangja on NovelPedia.

POV: HELENA IVYRA. A few days had passed since classes began. Nothing major happened during that first week, just the usual start to the school year. We had our first lessons with the teachers, heard a bit about what we'd be studying in the first trimester, and learned about the evaluation methods, among other things. In truth, the only really relevant thing, if I stopped to think about it, was the instructions about graduation. Especially the part about fundraising; we'd have to sell mini-pizzas, hold raffles, and sell trinkets to get enough money for the ceremony. Third year involved a lot of necessary "gambiarras," as they say. Along with its responsibilities, now that I was in the special class, I'd have to attend afternoon classes sometimes. Something that, honestly, was already routine for me. ‘The last time was for the astronomy Olympics, right?’ I quickly recalled the times I'd come to school after hours to study and train. Those were good times, sitting at that corner table, reading while sipping coffee that the lunch lady, Joaquina, would get from the kitchen and let me drink. ‘Always so kind, I loved her, it’s good she managed to retire… She’ll be able to rest better.’ Those were things I’d miss after school. Thinking that this was my last year, that I’d have to leave at the end, really brought a sense of uneasiness, or rather, anticipation. ‘I’ll probably leave this city for college if things work out… Let’s hope so, right… Future Helena, please be patient with me’ Whether she’d be mad at me or not, I couldn't know. What I did know was: these classes with this special tutor could be a salvation! I definitely needed to ensure I learned as much as possible. ‘He’s a professor who studied at ITA, it’ll be perfect if I can ask for some help with second-level axioms!’ Before I knew it, I was already at the school corner. Renata was just a few steps to my right, catching her breath and wiping sweat from her face. After all, that blessed afternoon, the sun decided to work overtime, even though now that we were almost there, the sky had turned cloudy. As we crossed the street, I noticed the sun liked to appear exactly when we left and hide when we arrived… Damn selective heat. We reached the school gate. I turned to Renata and saw her nod for me to go first. There was silence between us today, but it was common. After all… There was a tension in the air, of course, but it was the kind of anxiety that came with the expectation of this strange new class, keeping in mind that we’d have to meet the new professor and see if the headache would be worth it. Upon entering the school, I passed by the guard post and showed him my shining student ID. ‘Not even stylish, at least… Hmph….’ The usual guard, who already knew me, authorized our entry without problems. We walked towards the training courts. I looked to my right; there was a strange zigzag ramp that led to the second floor. After its entrance, there was a covered area with a ping-pong table and a foosball table. Further to the side, a small sand volleyball court, marked by an orange line. And in the background, two combat courts before the gym, where the futsal court was. I focused my attention on the combat arena, which had new colors and apparently the floor had been reconfigured to be more resistant, I believed. I noticed a tall, elderly man with an upright posture and a serene, yet clearly trained, appearance standing by the platform gate. The platform was probably about fifteen meters long by ten wide. His presence was impossible to ignore. The tall man with a calm but clearly trained demeanor looked up as he noticed our approach. His eyes were cold, but not empty. Evaluative. “Good afternoon, young ladies. I imagine you are Helena Ivyra and Renata Silveira” said the man, with a firm voice and an accent I couldn't discern. We nodded in agreement. He continued. “I am Professor Miguel Castro. I am a Master, graduated from ITA, where I studied engineering for my undergradua