Heaven's Greatest Professor

Ai awoke early, even though she went to sleep pretty late last night. Advancing to the Silver rank really did quell the need for sleep by a great degree. Her mind was sharper than it had ever been, her body brimming with strength after a few hours of sleep.

Yet she couldn't tell how long it remained for the sun to rise. It was one of those days again. Unfortunately, Ai had over-exhausted her quota of fortune yesterday, so for most of today, she had to spend it in her blind clumsiness.

'Bad luck' might be too broad a term to describe her horoscope for today, but she certainly wasn't looking forward to coming across any debacle.

After refreshing herself, Ai extended her spirit awareness out of the room and came out. Unfortunately for her, it didn't even take two minutes for her to come across the first debacle of the day.

"Can I help you get anywhere, Wise Woman?" said the debacle in the form of a young man named Emren.

Her spirit awareness picked up his dress, just like always. Wolf fur clothes with his chest open, showing off all his masculine properties. Thankfully, Ai was blind to be pleased or disgusted with such an open exhibition.

"No," she said curtly. "I was on my way to the garden. It's a familiar path; I don't need any help."

"What a surprise. I'm on my way to the garden as well," Emren said with a laugh. "Come, let's get there together."

Of course, Ai cursed inwardly. Besides her decorum, she had to worry about how she acted around people, especially Emren, him being the son of the Queen and also a Scarred Hunter of their tribe. Emren seemed to take pride in the latter more than the former.

Of course, why wouldn't he? This was Iman of all places, where women ruled, and a Scarred Hunter almost had the same magnitude as a princess. Many women were waiting to take him as their husband. Unfortunately, the Scarred Hunter had his eyes set on her of all people.

A blind, joke of an oracle, who couldn't even manage one job she was set to complete.

"The seat is this way," Emren said, clutching her palm to take her there.

"I know," Ai said with gritted teeth, showing her displeasure. Thankfully, Iman's culture revolved around women, and men had the least say about taking a wife if a woman disagreed with him. Emren let her go as she sat on the stone bench. The world was dark as Ai remembered it. She could make out only outlines of everything around her with her spirit awareness.

"Wise Woman," Emren said hesitantly. "You still haven't agreed to divine my fate. If there is something you want, tell me. I'll be sure to do my best and get it as soon as possible."

Ai couldn't help but sigh.

In Iman, it was women who chose their husbands, and some chose more than once. The queen was a prime example of it, having five consorts to her alone. It was pretty much the opposite of the culture she was brought up with, though she couldn't say she disliked it that much. Not that she wanted to take any one of them as her husband.

The one I had chosen... is no more, and it was my fault that caused it.

Ai got why Emren and so many other young hunters were after her, asking to take them as her husbands. Ai was an oracle, or rather an apprentice, the last time she checked with her Master. However, she had a different name in Iman: Wise Woman.

It was pretty much similar to oracles, those that had the power of divination. Wise Women were highly respected, and their rank didn't lose out to the Queen, though only in name. After finding out that Ai was a wise woman, they had given her everything she lacked, only asking for some divination in return.

She supposed the post was fairly comfortable as she waited for contacts to reach her, or she found them first. The only problem was that she would have to oblige in this weird form of courting from a dozen or so men.

She kind of got what they were after, but that didn't mean she liked it.

They were simply looking at her as the prospect of having babies who would have a similar power of divination as hers. Obviously, there was a high chance of that. Her talents were highly hereditary. Even if her child didn't have the talent, the next generation probably would.

All this made Ai feel like she was an object, her purpose only to do what others asked of her. Ai hated that. Thankfully, they respected her just as much as they wanted her to bear their babies. It hadn't made her feel all disgusted and stuffy yet.

"She'll be here soon," she muttered, thinking about the divination she had completed yesterday.

"Who?" Emren asked.

"My friend."

Emren tilted his head into thinking, remembering there had been only one person with whom Ai had any greater contact. "That Dai'hakar?"

Hakar meant assassin in their language, while Dai was for female.

"Yes," she said. "She's probably here. If you excuse us, then it would be great."

"Where?"

"She's hiding," Ai said. Even though she wasn't certain, she made sure her tone implied she was sure. Thankfully, she had a good precision in it, being an oracle and all. "She's very shy to show her face to foreign men."

Emren was probably looking at her incredulously.

"If you will," Ai said. "I'll try to divine your fate next week."

"Really?" Emren stood up. Getting her nod, he bowed. "With the Wise Woman's wishes."

He departed, and Ai let out a huge sigh. She waited for a few minutes, but her contact didn't show up.

"Are you there, Twilight?" Ai called. "Or would you prefer a different name this time?"

A presence appeared ten paces behind her, out of thin air that only her spiritual awareness could pick up on.

"Took you some time," the oracle expressed.

"I was here the whole time," transmitted the assassin.