The Girl Who Hacked The Magic System
Chapter 112 - Called out for bad behavior

Chapter 112: Chapter 112 - Called out for bad behavior

Mom’s angry mode is scary.

I didn’t really notice before, because I never had her anger directed towards me, like it is now.

"How could you say that in front of a Bishop of all people! Do you have an idea of the trouble that you created?"

She is holding a letter in her hand, waving it in front of me with exalted gestures.

The letter is a ’gentle invitation’ from the Principal for a talk. I obviously told her what happened as soon as I came to stay for the weekend. I didn’t imagine she would react this way.

"We just butted heads with the Church a few months ago and barely escaped prosecution, and then you come with this. Why couldn’t you just say ’yes’ and feign compliance? At least in front of the bishop!"

"Lily... would you have done that when you were at that age?"

Levinna came in to aid me, but the argument wasn’t very effective. Lillian knows my real age, which Levinna doesn’t know.

Thus, any age argument won’t fly here.

"That’s beside the point, Levy. What matters is that now I have a mess to clean up, and with the Church just waiting for a slip to put their fangs on our necks..."

"I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t think. I was just trying to stand for the rights of our friends."

Lillian sighs and plumps down on an armchair.

"Ugh... I know, darling. I know that you are trying to fight the good fight. But you need to learn that there are moments in which we withdraw and concede. Fighting is not about constantly attacking."

She doesn’t voice it, but her eyes are saying ’I shouldn’t be needing to tell you this’ with all letters.

"I know... but, do you think that they can actually do something about it?"

"I don’t know. The Principal might try to impose something on you, but I doubt that he would go against the royal family in the open. He doesn’t have the guts."

"So...?"

"The problem is not him. The problem is that the Church will certainly weaponize that against us. You are an unbaptized fatherless child of a lesbian couple. Think about the weapon you gave them to bring you hell."

"Well, the fatherless child of a lesbian couple is already strong enough; I don’t think that adding the unbaptized there will change much. Also, I’m already the ’princess slave’ according to some students."

"Princess slave? Really? Who said that?"

"I don’t care to know. The only person who dares to say it to my face is a princess from Castro, but several say it when they think that I’m not listening."

"I’m so sorry, Aurea..."

"It’s no big deal, Mom. Really. If anything, it serves as a filter to weed out the empty flatterers that try to get near me."

"So you’re using your deep hearing in the campus..."

"Of course I am. It’s self-defense at this point. I do it to protect myself, not to pry into others’ personal lives."

"Aurea..."

"I swear!"

:::

A few days later, I’m in the middle of a very boring maths class when a teacher walks in and calls my name.

"Aurea Annes, the Principal wants to talk to you."

Damn, again? Or is it that my mother came and he wants me to take part in the conversation?

The class reacts in the obvious way, with a commotion and several ’ooooh’ or ’the princess will be suspended’ and stuff like that. Typical middle school behavior.

I ignore them all and follow the teacher into the Principal’s office. When I arrive there, my mother is sitting in the same chair the Bishop was the other day.

"Lady Annes, please take a seat."

Hm, ’Lady Annes’ this time? I guess that my mother’s presence changed his way of addressing me.

"Good morning, Principal. Good morning, Mom."

"Good morning, Aurea. We were waiting for you before starting our conversation. Now, dear Munderic, would you mind telling me what led you to call for my presence?"

"Right, Your Highness. An esteemed teacher of this Academy brought to my attention that your daughter here has been spouting heretical nonsense during class, advocating for beastkin and fae folk rights."

"And? I don’t remember having an opinion being a crime under Wesgothian law."

"Your Highness, with all due respect, I can’t allow someone with such blatant disregard for the Church’s teachings to be present in this institution."

"I wonder, Munderic, what is the full name of this institution that you hold so dear?"

"I fail to see the relevance of that question, Your Highness."

"It’s the ROYAL Academy of East Rising. It is not Holy Academy, nor Church Academy, nor anything else. It was founded by the royal family who governs this land, and, to this day, it’s funded by that same family."

"Are you threatening the Academy?"

"No, YOU are threatening the royal family. I am only reminding you of where your allegiances should be."

"The teachings of the Church are and shall ever be foundational to all educational institutions in this world, Your Highness. It’s a core tenet of the Academy."

"Is it, though? For, as far as I know, the tenets that are in the manifesto written by one of my great-grandfathers several generations ago don’t include anything related to the Church."

"Your Highness, I..."

"They are right there, no? Please, show me the tenets that rule the Academy. Or is that only for decoration?"

Mom points to a thick book that is on a pedestal near our table. The Principal sighs, then gets up, grabs the book, and brings it back to the table.

He then carefully opens it and leafs through it.

"It’s in the first Chapter, section two. There. Please, read them to me."

Munderic reads through the big list of tenets that, according to the Chapter heading, should govern all matters of the Academy, especially when there is no specific legislation about it.

It indeed doesn’t mention anything about the Church, the goddess, or any religion. In fact, it mentions that freedom of thought and creative solutions should be encouraged.

"So, where is that core tenet you were babbling about?"

"Even if it’s not in the rules as written, it’s the spirit of the rule that matters. The Church exists to direct and govern everything that humanity thinks or does."

"Now you are simply trying to impose your personal beliefs over the Academy, disregarding the plurality of minds that compose an educational institution."

"It’s not my personal beliefs. It’s the Church’s teaching."

"To believe in the Church’s teaching is your personal belief, Principal Munderic. Please, don’t mix your private life with doing your job."

"I can’t abide by that, Your Highness. But fine, I won’t expel your daughter, for now. But, one more complaint against her behavior, and she’ll be thrown out of here. Am I clear?"

"We will see who will be thrown out of here, Munderic."

"In the tenets we just read, it’s said that the Academy shall not accept external interference in its internal dealings. What you are doing is to interfere in our..."

"Wrong again, Lord Munderic. You are the one bringing the Church to interfere in the internal affairs of the Academy. I’m only telling you to let the Church out of this."