Keep Harley in the tent.

"Harley was feeling ill and had to excuse herself," Ralli lied, feeling the woman she was lying about jump beneath her hand.

"Huh? Harley's sick?" her brother's voice spoke up from the second seating row. "First time for everything, I guess."

"Is that so...? She was very sick, was she?" Liam spoke, wearing a smile that was evident even without seeing his face.

"Yes... As you can see, she could not even carry her books out with her," the sergeant continued to ad lib.

"What a shame. Can I be excused to take her books to her in the infirmary, Teach?" the voice returned immediately, laden with syrupy-sweet concern for his fellow classmate.

"No... That is, she is not in the infirmary," Ralli tried, realizing immediately she needed to stave off the natural follow-up. "Th-that is, I suspect she is not. Her stomach was rumbling loudly. She is, in all likelihood, in the restroom for women. Her stomach was quite loud, so... she may be in there for the rest of class..."

Harley squirmed in Ralli's grasp, obviously not happy about this characterization of her absence. She really did start to feel her nerves tightening up, however, as she felt an unidentified part of her teacher brush against her in the dark, as Ralli moved to hold her still. "Okay... Okay. I suppose... Ms. Ralli is determined to protect her pride... o-or else, she simply isn't thinking clearly... either way, I have to do my best to support her decision! I'll remain as silent as a prayer, supporting her from the darkness."

"Quiet down," Ralli told the class, some of whom were snickering at the absent Harley's misfortune. "It is time for study. All of you will read from the textbook Basic Battle Magic for Barbarians, beginning from chapter one. I expect each of you to turn in an essay on what you have learned at the end of the class. Also, expect intermittent pop quizzes to ensure you remain awake."

"Learning about battle magic without Harley seems like kind of a waste, ma'am," Liam complained just for the sake of it.

"Learning about battle magic without a brain seems like a waste. And yet, here you are," Ralli retorted, getting some snickers from the class. "Be silent and study."

The class began to do so, knowing Ralli wasn't making empty threats on the pop quiz. Everything was quiet... Everyone was focused on their studies... It seemed as though it really would be an uneventful class, as everyone settled into a surprisingly ordinary routine considering the one teaching the class was entirely nude behind a curtain.

Everyone was focused... Everyone except Harley Dustaine, who found with horror that her eyes had begun to adjust to the dark, leaving her with nothing to look do but look at her teacher. Ralli was standing with her hands on her hips, facing away and not seeming to mind standing naked for what could prove to be an entire class... She definitely had the legs for it. Harley **** herself, desperately, to focus on the muscular legs in the darkness before her, without letting her eyes or her mind wander to anything else.

"I'm not like those guys. I'm not like those guys. Anyone else would do something perverted in the dark in this situation! L-literally anyone else, if it was with my sergeant! I'm the only one who wouldn't. I'm a diligent student, a good student. Good student good student good student..."

This was truly ****. If Harley had a way to keep track of the time, she would be dismayed to learn that only five minute had passed. She already felt like a martyr, like she was aching and bleeding out on a cross instead of simply and stiffly sitting silently on the floor of a classroom.

Another five passed. Harley listened to Ralli ask a simple question to the class, and was mildly surprised to hear Liam answer it correctly. Harley wondered idly if Liam might be the smart one answering questions in class more often if she wasn't in the room to answer them faster.

That dry interlude was like an oasis as another unbroken stretch began. "Ms. Ralli... is merciless! D-does she not know how hard I'm working not to make any noise?! A-and to keep my thoughts knightly, and honorable, and pure? And just to even stay awake and avoid snoring and blowing her stupid plan wide open! Sorry ma'am, sorry, respectfully sorry," she apologized, even to the sergeant in her head. "Don't I deserve a little reward? N-no, it's not even about that... I need to do something interesting to keep myself awake... Just a little teensy bit of excitement, just for that noble purpose..." Harley began to convince herself, slowly shifting her sitting position in the dark.