Chapter 17

Harper clapped her hands together. “Thank you, Instructor Hepburn. I’ll take great care of them.”’

Instructor Hepburn inclined her head at the blonde, then departed, leaving the collection of students—led by the blonde upperclassman—alone in the meeting room.

The first day had begun in earnest, though not actual classes. Rather, an initiation day. Over the past hour, Instructor Hepburn had gone over the functional requirements expected of them ... the Tenet code of conduct, and various policies they were expected to know by heart.

Harper was a fourth-year student, nearing graduation. She’d be talking Natalie’s first-year group through a variety of topics: the role guilds, the token system, life at Tenet in general, extracurriculars, and so on.

She didn’t exude any particular sort of competence, but Natalie knew not to trust that instinct. Just because she had a bubbly personality meant nothing for her combat skills. Her soft curves, heart-shaped face, and bright, innocent blue eyes, didn’t remotely guarantee weakness.

Maybe for someone without an adventuring class, physique could indicate strength, speed, or athleticism, but in the world of delving—or combat classes, to appropriately generalize—a five foot nothing girl who looked like she’d blow away in the wind might very well be able to dig her fingers into a boulder and chuck it across a pond like a skipping stone. Or not. That was the point—you couldn’t know.

Probably not the case, with Harper ... she likely wasn’t that strong. But Natalie’s point was, regardless that this girl didn’t look dangerous, she’d made it to Tenet’s fourth year. She’d wipe the floor with Natalie. And Sofia and Jordan. All three of them, at the same time, at a guess. Skill mattered, but only to a point. Harper had levels on them, even if she didn’t have skill. And she almost certainly did have skill.

“So!” Harper started brightly. “I’m sure you’re all excited to be here. I know I was! Tenet Delving Academy ... your life begins in earnest. But,” she said firmly, pointing at the group of students who, like Natalie, were slightly perplexed at her exuberant behavior, “we’ve got a lot to talk about, and it’s all important. So listen carefully. I’d like to get through this as fast as possible, to give you time for questions.”

“To start us off, the token system. Let me outline things.” She put her hands on her hips and frowned at the group. “But before I do, I need to be candid. I don’t know which of you this applies to, but while Mommy and Daddy might have bought you a way into Tenet, now that you’re in, you’re on your own. No, you can’t exchange helixes for tokens. Yes, if you’re caught, you’ll be reprimanded, and eventually expelled. I don’t care what your name is. Tenet has expelled more important people than you, I promise. You don’t matter. Get that through your thick skulls.”

The harsh words were said in the same sweet tone as before, which was kind of impressive. Harper made it clear what she thought of the people the disclaimer applied to.

“Not that you’ll last long, if you’re needing to buy tokens off your less useless peers,” Harper said breezily, smiling. “But either way, it’s time to put your big girl and big boy pants on. Don’t circumvent the system. Not only will you not like what happens, but if you’re going to wash out, it’s best you get it over with.” She raised her eyebrows and emphasized the next part. “It’s better to wash out normally, than what’ll happen down in the dungeon. I promise you that.”

A bright smile, and Harper clapped her hands. “That said! The token system is real fun. You’ll learn to love it. It’s a great motivator.”

A snort somewhere in the back of the audience, which Harper ignored.

“First, let me break it down for those who might never have heard of it.”

“Who wouldn’t have?” a masculine voice asked, somewhere to Natalie’s left, near the front. He sounded bored.

“Who wouldn’t?” Harper echoed. “Well, most of you don’t need this brief, that’s fair. But not everyone at Tenet has such boring origins, Mister Adair, second son to Nobleman Whoever-The-Fuck.” The words continued to be perfectly sweet, delivered with a smile.

She knew the boy’s name, though? Was he important? Not too important to insult ... but enough to recognize.

“The Dimming Herald, however, was raised in a cave,” Harper continued. “She didn’t meet another human until she was nineteen. She attended Tenet, and, I suppose, wouldn’t have known what the token system was when she arrived. So let me explain, please?”

She ended the statement with a sneer, and damn, Natalie thought she had a new favorite fourth-year. Miss Bubbly has some kick to her. Consider Natalie a fan.

The interrupter—Mister Adair—didn’t bristle, to his credit, only seemed amused at how Harper had shot him down. It raised Natalie’s estimation of him. Natalie respected a person who could take their licks, even if she thought he was annoying for not shutting up and letting Harper get through her spiel.

“As I was saying,” Harper said. “The token system. Fundamentally, it’s a way to encourage a delver to be the best version of themselves they can be. It’s not a well-kept secret that Tenet had problems with nepotism in the past ... that individuals were accepted by family name more than merit.”

The bubbly blonde’s attention flicked to Mister Adair, quirking an eyebrow, though it seemed more a taunt than a real accusation.