Dear Ms Lady Demigod

2 6 Undeniable toxins

It was late at night. Everyone was asleep. Akagi lay in his bed, beside Melissa, but he wasn't sleeping. He was thinking about what Vierne had told him.

"You know, sometimes, I don't know why, but I think that it was a conspiracy."

'That might be something I would've never thought of.'

"I have to go to Purgatory. Only that can tell me what happened."

'You said that with such powerful eyes, that I almost saw a gatekeeper inside you. From what dad told, gatekeepers must be like you, smart, strong-willed, confident and not afraid to defy gods.'

"Melissa, are you awake?" Akagi asked.
"What's the matter, Milord?" She asked.
"Why are we doing this? Why are we helping an enemy? You know we have to fight them in the end."
"One of us has to make a sacrifice."

"Does it have to be us?" Akagi asked but Melissa was asleep again, "But I don't want to let you go. I have seen you crying behind closed doors over a person who doesn't give a damn about you," He whispered.

The next day, Aleksei transferred to high school. Vierne recognised him immediately. He sat beside her and so did Maks.

"I thought they were the same age as Mr Akagi?" Vierne said it out loud and Aleksei heard it.
"I am"
"Then, why are you here?"
"We're here just for a close observation of your star spirit. But make sure that he doesn't know about us." She nodded.

"Today, we will learn about poise." The mannerisms teacher, Ms Sophie said. She was a white, English woman and had specially come from the United Kingdom to work at the Escola high school. She was not a demigod but had studied about them and the magic theory. She had pure blonde hair tied up in a bun, blue eyes and white skin. She wore a beautiful, sea-green dress, black pencil heels and a black hat over her head. She seemed very elegant and approachable. The supernatural students had their first lesson that morning with her.

"Poise is like makeup on but for the body. It teaches us how to breathe, sit and use our bodies ergonomically. It commands respect! We can learn it through certain exercises, ballet and ballroom dancing. But for today, I'll keep it simple." She took a book and kept a glass of water over it. Everything she did seemed effortless and elegant. Vierne felt fascinated just by looking at her.

"May I have a volunteer?" She asked and Nadia raised her hand.
"Oh, wonderful. Would you please come here, Nadia," Nadia stood before her and she kept the book on her head with a wine glass over it.

"Do not drop the glass," Nadia looked into her eyes, "Now walk," And Nadia walked ahead. The glass or the book was still on her head, that's how perfect her poise was, "Excellent, Nadia. Now, why don't you all give it a try."
"Wait—I'm a guy!" Slavik said.
"But you are a demigod too." Ms Sophie smiled.

"Fuck!"
"Do not swear."
Slavik groaned.

Vierne picked the book and kept it on her head. Then, she picked up the wine glass and kept it over it. Everyone was doing the same. Slavik was moving his upper body in all directions to balance the glass in the book. But still, he managed to drop everything and the glass broke.

"Ugh! This is the first glass I broke."
"It's alright, take another one and start again." Ms Sophie smiled.
"What a sadist," Slavik said under his breath.
"I heard you."

Belka had bent her knees to keep the balance.
"Belka, walk straight."
"I'm trying!"
"I remember failing this class when I was still in school," Aleksei said but then he decided to use magic to balance his glass. Unfortunate for him, he was caught.

"No magic, Aleksei." Ms Sophie could tell when they were using magic so nobody could cheat.
"Dammit!"
Maks was just walking at the pace of an ant.