Meeting with the headmistress

As soon as they finished eating, they left the cafeteria and head to Headmistress Eldryn’s office. Along the way, Julianne wondered why Velvet agreed so easily without pushing it off like she always does. They passed through stairs and corridors until they reached a door and Velvet went ahead to place a knock before opening it.

Julianne followed Velvet closely behind and shut the door before moving her eyes to see Headmistress Eldryn sitting at the table and looking down at a file in her hand. She noticed the black gloves in her hand and her eyes moved to see an envelope with a wax seal on it.

Are there people who still uses wax seals in this era? She wondered.

“Good afternoon, Headmistress Eldryn. Our new transfer wanted to meet with you so I brought her here.”

Julianne noticed the formal tone Velvet used to speak to the headmistress. It was totally different from how she spoke to her that night. As soon as the headmistress looked at her, Julianne remembered something she had overlooked immediately. This headmistress had hypnotized her to get answers from her on her that night.

“The new transfer,” Headmistress Eldryn said. “You are Julianne Ashwynd, right?”

“Yes, I am,” Julianne answered and gulped.

“Why did you want to see me?” she asked and raised a hand.

Julianne saw Velvet turn and start to head out and she heard the door open and close again. She tried to steady herself and she said to her, “I um—In the mail that was sent to me, it says that all details will be passed on by you. This is my first week in the school so I wanted to meet with you to discuss about the fees for the term I’ll be staying.”

“Is that all?” the headmistress asked and looked down on the file in her hand again, probably too busy for what she came for.

“I don’t know if I should ask this, but I was also wondering why I was assigned a guide upon my arrival and why I didn’t receive a mail directly from the school. And I also noticed that phones don’t work here. Why is that?”

Headmistress Eldryn dropped the file on the table and took off her glass before looking up at her.

“Miss Ashwynd, is that everything?” she asked.

Julianne wondered what more she wanted her to ask. Could she perhaps want to get something from her?

“Yes ma’am,” she answered her.

Headmistress Eldryn took in a sigh and said, “For your first question, your fees have already been covered so you don’t have to worry about that.”

Julianne blinked immediately and wanted to raise a question but the headmistress continued talking.

“You were assigned a guide to help you get along with the school system and to answer questions like the one I am about to say right now. All communication with the outside world is strictly banned from the inside. We offer the best for our students and with all the debate going around between a day school and a boarding school, it is best for our students not to feel so little of themselves. My job is to keep my students safe. They can meet whoever they want to whenever they are on holiday, but once they are here, they shouldn’t even dream about interacting with the outside world.”

“But…did the students really consent to this?” Julianne asked and saw headmistress Eldryn pull her brows. She had to ask because it seem most of the students here weren’t bothered about it.

“We don’t need the consent of the students before we do what is best for them. There was a case a long time ago and I wouldn’t want it to repeat itself. Also, every new transfer is assigned a guide upon arrival. The guide chooses however they want to send their mail. This is an academy and it is very different from the schools you may have been to. Here, we utilize our students in the very best way. It is more like upbringing or handing down responsibilities.”

Julianne nodded slowly and suddenly pulled her brows. “You said my fees have already been covered. By who?”

“I cannot tell you that. The person asked to be anonymous.”

Could it be her dad? She thought.

“Miss Ashwynd, have you figured out why you are here?”

“Huh?” Julianne made a sound and blinked. Did the headmistress know something about her? “I came here to study,” she gave the same response she would have given to anyone who asks.

“That doesn’t sound honest,” the headmistress said. “Most students who come here say the same, until they can no longer hide behind that excuse.”