You'd better see the Professor.

Fifteen minutes later and you are inside the Faculty Head Office Building of Shoubu University.

Unlike the weird giant droplet-like Student Administration Building there was nothing obviously magical about the Faculty Head Office Building, either by its interior or exterior except perhaps its size. The Head Office was a sprawling ten storey Behemoth of a building, mostly in a British red brick 19th century French Renaissance style, though with the odd modern-addition. With the exception of the grand reception hall the interior was surprisingly confined. A warren of wood panelled hallways, side rooms and alcoves.

The most influential and powerful Faculty members resided here. The Board of Directors of course including the Chancellor, Dean and Head Treasurer, but also, the most senior professors. And of course the mysterious Auditors.

Many of Shoubu’s tenured professors had literally several life times worth of PRIZE tokens accumulated. Enough to buy them virtually anything, certainly material possessions but also more esoteric things. Longevity, physical strength, a few dozen points of IQ? Absolutely. Telekinetic powers? You’d seen that a few times. Clairvoyance with remarkable accuracy, the ability to scry across the Campus and even into the outside world? All were possible if you were willing to spend the PRIZE tokens.

Most students gained their magical abilities via prizes from GAMES, and even then they were mostly concerned with interpersonal rivalries and relationships. But the real power was in acquiring and spending PRIZE tokens on your own terms. And by any standard, magical or otherwise the senior Faculty members were powerful.

Consequently, the senior Faculty members had a certain reputation for arrogance and what was politely called “eccentricity” in their dealings with other junior staff let alone mere students. Even so, most students dismissed tales of professors taking entire harems of lovers or forcing failing students to take part in year-long BDSM courses in order to earn their degree as outlandish and salacious urban legends designed to scare and titillate freshmen. “Do well in your grades or Professor Doe will get you!”

But you knew these rumours were true. When you were exempt from taking part in GAMES unless you chose (as the most senior members were), and you were experienced enough and had the magic to win those GAMES you did play, then why wouldn’t you indulge yourself?

Not only did you know those rumours were true but that they were the tamest part of the truth. You'd seen first-hand students transmogrified into literal submissive cartoon sex-****’ characters. You still shuddered at the demonstration from that unfortunate student that their sweat was no longer water but ink. You'd seen evidence of an entire tournament of sexual chess-come-orgy battles with GAME losers acting as pieces. That particular eccentricity had apparently eventually been quietly stopped when a past vice-Dean had used it to indulge his vore-kink and a fellow professor had lost her two favourite “bishops”.

For the most part though the senior staff didn’t interact day to day with the student body or even lower ranked teachers and lecturers. The professors spent most of their time researching the raw magic of Shoubu and using it to increase the University’s influence with governments in the outside world. And for that you were glad.

So you were always trepidatious when he needed to go to the Faculty Head Office without good reason. And doubly so when it was to see Professor Floriana Cantu. But it just wouldn’t do to deny a request for a meeting from the Head Professor of Applied Shoubu GAME Theory & Practice.

“Not like I haven't enough on my plate” you think with irritation as you exit the lift to the eighth floor and head down the hall towards Professor Cantu’s large well-appointed offices. Outside is the plump frame of Ms. Gilden the Professor’s secretary at her desk doing some paperwork.

She glances up and gives you a slight look of contempt “Mr Holland. You can go right in. The Professor has been waiting for you.”

You thank her and take a deep breath before heading in.