Chapter 29 • Setting the Bait

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Chapter 28	Book 4 • Chapter 29	Chapter 30

Scarabia Dorm - Lounge

Kalim

Yes! I think I managed to memorize a spell I was having trouble with!

Jamil

......

Scarabia Dorm

Azul	Proper exercise is critical to honing a more efficient mind for study. However, overstraining yourself will have an adverse effect.

Jade	Mock battles are a good way to exercise while venting stress.

Floyd

Aha ha! I'm in the mood to cut loose, so count me in! Hmmm, who to fight?

Kalim

All right, split into teams of five and let the melee begin! Aha ha! Mock bottles really are fun. And they're a great way to gauge the results of your training.

Scarabia Students

Yes, Housewarden!

Jamil

Sigh*

Cafeteria

Azul	There's one main reason we've grown as well as we have. And that would be...our diet, of course! It's about getting the nutrients you need...not too many and not too few. This helps your afternoon performance.

Jade	Cooking is an essential life skill for gaining an understanding of food and developing a healthy diet.

Kalim

Maybe I should start cooking every now and then... I wouldn't have to worry about poison if I prepared meals myself.

Jamil

Don't. You'll injure yourself again.

Floyd

Okay, Sea Otter. You're in charge of stirrin' the pot.

Jade	Keep an eye on that soup and make sure it doesn't boil over, would you?

Kalim

Sure thing! Glad to help.

Jade	All right, everyone. Let's make this a meal to remember.

Scarabia Students

Yes, sir!

TWISTUNE

Twistune Dialogue - Make Some Soup!
Twistune Start
Kalim	Okay, I'm going to make the best-tasting soup ever!
Jamil	I worry about having you cook on your own. I'll help.
Azul	No need to fret, Jamil. We will aid him.
Jade	You just sit back and relax.
Jamil	Fine...
After Phase 1
Pass Azul Scalding Sands cuisine is delicious. Perhaps we should add some to our menu. Though it might be difficult to procure ingredients and learn to cook them properly. Kalim I'll help with that! I'd love it if everyone knew how great our food is. I can get all the spices and have one of my family's chefs come to instruct you. Azul That would be grand! Let's work out the wording of the contract later. Fail Kalim The soup's not really boiling. I'll turn up the heat. Jamil Wait! If you turn it up that quickly, it'll burn! Kalim What? Seriously?! I gotta stop it! Phew close one. Thanks, Jamil! Jamil *Sigh* what am I going to do with you?
After Phase 2
Pass Floyd Nice one, Sea Otter. You're better at this than I expected. Kalim Ha ha! You think so? I guess you never know until you try. Okay, it's almost done. Just a bit more! Jamil ...... Fail Kalim Ack! The pot's on fire! Help me, Jamil! Jamil Good grief... Floyd Yah! Jade Relax. We don't require your help to put out a simple fire. Azul It's almost finished. Keep at it for just a while longer.

---

Cafeteria

Kalim

Done! Wow, even I can make a simple soup, huh? Aha ha!

Jamil

All you did was stir the pot... *Sigh*

Scarabia Dorm - Lounge

Kalim

Ahhh, that was fantastic.

Azul	Pausing after a meal to take a light walk stimulates the brain and improves your study efficiency in the afternoon.

Kalim

You know a lot about this stuff, Azul. I'm impressed. And here I was just pushing for frantic hard work with no real direction. I think I've put my students in an unfair position. You're a sophomore housewarden just like me, but I'm woefully behind.

Azul	Everyone makes mistakes. Our vacation's only half over. There's still room to make up for lost time.

Scarabia Student A

With a training camp this helpful, staying at school doesn't sound so bad.

Scarabia Student B

Yeah, agreed. The only chance we get to spend time with you guys is when we're at school.

Scarabia student C

It feels like I'm waking up from a nightmare...

Jamil

...!

Azul	Scarabia's got a lot of people good at astrology and ancient incantations, right?

Kalim

As they tell it here, the Sorcerer of the Sands specialized in divination, and this dorm is populated by students who embody his spirit. I'm not good at either thing myself, though. Aha ha!

Azul

I hear the Sorcerer of the Sands successfully utilized a man-made device for fortunetelling that required natural energy. The study of astrology took shape relatively early when compared to other fields of magic... He was so far ahead of his time. I suppose his successes played a major role in that.

Kalim

Ooh... The Great Seven never fail to impress!

Jamil

......

Azul	Oh, it's almost three o'clock. Let's get in a bit more studying, then take a break.

Jade	Shall I prepare some tea?

Azul	No, I'll handle it. I'm the farthest along with my assignment, after all.

Jamil

Allow me to help.

Azul	I'd appreciate that. Shall we be off, Jamil?

Scarabia Dorm - Hallway

Azul

The students' completion rate for these assignments is up fifteen percent from yesterday. Those are some statistically significant results. [MC] and Grim told me Kalim was going through drastic mood swings... But he's been acting pretty calm since we arrived. Isn't it nice that Kalim's regained the faith of Scarabia's students?

Jamil

...No. No, it isn't.

Azul

It's not?

Jamil

No offense, but I can't let you people stay in Scarabia any longer. It's time you went back under the sea.

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