KamiKowa: That Time I Got Transmigrated With A Broken Goddess-Chapter 32: [] Behind Closed Doors

Luna Valdez closed the door of the faculty lounge behind her, grateful for the silence. The room offered a sanctuary of dark mahogany panels, butter-soft leather chairs, and crystal chandeliers. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the ocean, while a fully stocked bar occupied the far wall. Not that she’d touch it during school hours, though the thought was tempting after what had just happened.

She shrugged off her blazer and draped it over the back of a chair, rolling her shoulders to release the tension that had built there. The cold she’d generated in the training arena always left her muscles tight afterward. A small price to pay.

Luna moved to the espresso machine—a top-of-the-line model that had appeared mysteriously after she’d complained about the previous one. She suspected Director Angelo had ordered it specifically for her, though neither would ever acknowledge it.

As she measured coffee grounds, the door swung open. Luna didn’t need to turn around to know who it was—only one person entered rooms with that particular combination of stealth and dramatic flair. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

"Is Lucy here?" Director Vanessa Angelo whispered, peering around the doorframe like a teenager sneaking into a bar.

Luna shook her head, not bothering to hide her amusement at seeing the most powerful hunter in the academy hiding from her own vice director.

"Phew," Vanessa sighed, slipping inside and closing the door. Despite being fifty-one, she looked barely older than some of the senior students, her black hair falling in perfect waves, her figure showcasing the side benefits of S-rank Essentia. "Don’t tell her you saw me. I’m supposed to be reviewing budget proposals."

"Your secret’s safe," Luna replied, pressing buttons on the espresso machine. The rich aroma of coffee filled the air as dark liquid streamed into her cup.

Vanessa flopped onto one of the leather couches, kicking off her heels and tucking her feet beneath her. "What are you doing here anyway? Don’t you have a practical class with 1-D and 1-A right now?"

Luna’s finger hesitated over the steam wand. "It ended early."

"Ended early?" Vanessa raised an eyebrow, leaning forward. "That’s not like you. You’re usually squeezing every second out of class time."

Luna didn’t respond, focusing instead on frothing milk with more attention than the task required.

"Oh," Vanessa’s eyes widened. "They pissed you off."

"I don’t get ’pissed off,’" Luna said, her voice cooling several degrees. "I make educational decisions based on student readiness."

"Right." Vanessa nodded, her tone making it clear she didn’t believe a word. "And you decided they weren’t ready to... exist in your presence?"

Luna carried her finished coffee to the opposite couch and sat down, crossing her legs. "They weren’t prepared to treat the practical session with appropriate seriousness."

"So you walked out?" Vanessa grinned. "I love it. Very dramatic. Did you freeze something first? You always freeze something when you’re angry."

Luna sipped her coffee, neither confirming nor denying.

"You did!" Vanessa clapped her hands together. "What was it this time? The floor? A desk? Please tell me it wasn’t a student. The paperwork for that is hell."

"Just the back wall," Luna admitted. "And some floor space."

"Classic Valdez." Vanessa reached over to the side table and poured herself a glass of water from a crystal decanter. "So what happened? Class 1-A being elitist pricks again?"

Luna’s eyes narrowed. "They’re your students too, Director."

"Which gives me the right to call them whatever I want." Vanessa waved dismissively. "Especially when I’m right. Let me guess—Dimitri Korzhakov?"

"Among others."

"That kid," Vanessa shook her head. "S-rank potential with the personality of week-old sushi. His father’s just as bad, always throwing his weight around at board meetings."

Luna traced the rim of her coffee cup with one finger. "It wasn’t just him. None of them were ready to learn."

"Ah," Vanessa nodded, understanding. "And this has nothing to do with the Cascade Incident anniversary coming up soon?"

Luna’s eyes flashed, a hint of green replacing the usual hazel. "Don’t."

Vanessa held up her hands in surrender. "Just saying, you always get a little... intense... around this time of year."

They sat in silence for a moment, Luna staring out at the ocean, Vanessa watching Luna.

"You know," Vanessa finally said, her voice gentler than before, "your last Class D graduated with seven out of fifteen students."

"Seven excellent hunters," Luna corrected.

"Seven excellent C and B-rank hunters," Vanessa agreed. "But I remember you had similar issues with them at first. What changed?"

Luna’s gaze remained fixed on the horizon. "They learned respect."

"And how did they learn that?"

A small, almost imperceptible smile touched Luna’s lips. "They failed. Spectacularly. And then they learned to work together."

"So maybe," Vanessa suggested, "what these kids need isn’t less of your time, but more of your... creative educational approach?"

Luna turned to face the director, studying her for a moment. "Are you actually giving sound advice right now?"

"Don’t sound so surprised," Vanessa huffed. "I’m a genius. I just choose to hide it most of the time. Keeps people on their toes."

The door to the faculty lounge swung open again, revealing Professor Belle Fox. The Hunter History and Class 1-A teacher paused dramatically in the doorway, as if giving everyone time to appreciate her entrance.

"There you are," Belle said, sauntering in. Her blouse dipped lower than standard faculty dress code allowed, but no one had ever successfully enforced rules on Belle. "I’ve been looking for you two."

"If it’s about the faculty dinner tomorrow," Vanessa began, "I’ll be there in spirit."

"It’s not," Belle assured her, helping herself to a cup of coffee. "It’s about one of your students in 1-D. Xavier Valentine."

"Xavier?" Vanessa perked up, suddenly interested. "What about him?"

"He’s... intriguing," Belle said, stirring cream into her coffee. "Something about him doesn’t quite add up."

"His file says D-rank, but he carries himself differently," Luna observed.

"Exactly!" Belle pointed her spoon at Luna. "And in my class today, he made some comments about the Chicago Incident that showed unusual insight for a first-year."

"Ooh, do tell," Vanessa leaned forward, eyes bright. "I love a good mystery, especially when it comes with a face like his."

Luna rolled her eyes. "He’s a student, Vanessa."

"And? I’m not blind, Luna," Vanessa countered. "I’m appreciating aesthetics, not planning to seduce the boy."

"His ability is unusual too," Luna added, steering the conversation back to safer ground. "Input Buffer. It’s a combat system that requires technical precision and builds power through successful execution."

"Like a fighting game," Belle said, settling into an armchair.

"And he lives with his cousin," Luna continued. "Calypso Valentine. She has some kind of card ability."

"Cousins, hmm?" Vanessa’s eyebrows rose.

"Yeah," Luna nodded, "but there’s something about them that seems... off."

"Are they trouble?" Vanessa asked, suddenly serious. For all her flippant behavior, the director took student safety with deadly seriousness.

Luna considered the question. "No," she said finally. "Not trouble. Just... worth watching."

"Well, I’ll be watching Mr. Xavier very closely," Belle purred. "For educational purposes, of course."

"Of course," Luna replied dryly.

"So what’s your plan?" Vanessa asked, redirecting the conversation.

Luna set down her empty cup. "Something that will either bring them together or break them completely."

"That’s my girl," Vanessa grinned. "Nothing like a little trauma bonding to forge a cohesive class."

"It’s not trauma bonding," Luna protested. "It’s applied pressure under controlled conditions."

"Potato, po-trauma," Vanessa shrugged. "As long as nobody dies and I don’t have to fill out incident reports, I support whatever sadistic exercise you’re planning."

Luna grabbed her blazer and moved toward the door. Vanessa was right—her last Class D had started just as disastrously, but by the end, they’d become better. Seven graduates who understood what it meant to be hunters, not just Awakened with power.

"Luna," Vanessa called as she reached the door. "Try not to freeze the entire training facility tomorrow, okay? The maintenance budget is already stretched thin."

Luna paused, one hand on the doorknob. "No promises," she said, allowing herself a small smile before stepping out into the hallway.

As the door closed behind her, she heard Belle ask Vanessa, "So, about those budget proposals you’re hiding from..."

Luna shook her head and continued down the corridor. Tomorrow would be interesting. She’d make sure of it.