(Scyelen looks a little mournful at the loss of contact, but also relieved. Kirche is so confusing.)

Kirche seems quite happy to be grabbed. "Oh, how bold. I also happen to be foreign. My, we have so much in common already!"

He drops the hand as if it were a dead rodent. "How nice. Did you need something?"

Kirche laughs. "Just a handsome man with a passionate heart! Oh to meet such a challenge, my heart only grows fon---"

A hand, belonging to a young woman (though older than the students, if just barely) in a jacket, tie, and pencil-skirt comes out of nowhere, clapping down hard on Kirche's shoulder.

"...wh-where did you come from?" Kirche blurts.

"I heard you being foolish again, Miss Zerbst. We have discussed this. What did I tell you?"

Kirche breaks out in a sweat. "To avoid using terms of romance in euphemism?"

"Correct. And what were you just doing?"

"Flirting?" Kirche tries hopefully.

This gets a flat look in response. "It was not your heart that has spontaneously developed a fondness for Miss Vallière's familiar, Ardent."

Kirche pouts. "But that's no fun, even a Lady as sensuously generous as I ought not speak so crassly!"

The older girl's firm grip turns into a comforting pat. "If you wish to be so 'sensuously generous' without causing drama and heartbreak, you must cease to regard the describing of bodies and acts as crass. I'm sure such a passionate and intelligent girl as you could find ways to speak about your wanton fuck hole with both sufficient poetry and sufficient clarity."

(Scyelen and many other uncomfortable-looking bystanders look on in awe as the Headmaster's secretary manages to get Kirche of all people to blush.)

The young woman turns away from Kirche to address Scyelen and Raafi:

"I apologize for her. I am Miss Vaux. I am to collect you for the Headmaster after you are finished with your meals."

Raafi glances at Scyelen.

Scyelen is, at this moment, staring, not eating. But she still has food on her plate.

After a moment she jolts, nods at Miss Vaux, and returns to her food.

Miss Vaux waits politely.

She seems to have drawn the majority of the attention that was on Raafi to herself, as conversations among the various teens resume. The scene between her and Kirche was clearly far outside the bounds of what is considered normal, here, but also not new. There are mutterings of lewd rumors about the mysterious sultry secretary, both plausible and highly implausible.

Raafi picks at his food; he's not really hungry, at this point, but it's better than sitting there awkwardly.

Scyelen eats faster.

"Okay, I'm finished. Let's go?"

"This way."

Miss Vaux leads the two of them out of the dining hall and up several flights of stairs.

He follows, waiting until they have some distance from the cafeteria and some privacy before speaking. "Is that an ongoing problem?"

"Miss Zerbst? Yes her, particular foibles, are a somewhat chronic occurrence. I've more or less taken her under my wing, so to speak, but she is a work in progress."

"Well. Please make it known to her that I'm not interested in children."

Miss Vaux blinks at him. "I will do so, but Miss Zerbst is hardly a child. I cannot fault your tastes, but perhaps you ought to express those tastes with at least as much respect as you might have wished to receive from Miss Zerbst while she expressed hers?"

"It is in fact her lack of maturity I object to. Emotionally, if not physically."

"She was mature enough to begin seeking my advice when her unchecked antics broke several hearts and several friendships earlier this year. She is not your type. That needs no qualification or justification."

"I suppose that's better than the alternative."

"Did Kirche really feel bad about something like that?" Scyelen speaks up. "I thought she... she's always... I can never understand why she talks to me."

"She did."

Miss Vaux gives Scyelen a complicated look.

"If I had to guess, she is trying to comfort you. She's just very bad at it."

Scyelen looks rather floored by this revelation. It had honestly never occurred to her that Kirche was trying to be nice.

Shortly, they arrive at the Headmaster's office. The Headmaster himself is a very stereotypical wizened wizard, with the long white hair and beard, despite looking suspiciously smooth-skinned underneath.

Professor Colbert is also there.

Raafi pulls himself together a bit, though it's still fairly obvious that he's in a foul mood. He'll follow Miss Vaux's lead in where he's supposed to be.

Miss Vaux stands aside.

"Greetings, greetings," the Headmaster says. "Miss Vallière. So this is 'Raafi' is it? I am the Headmaster of this academy, called Old Osmond. Welcome."

"Raafi, yes. It's good to meet you, circumstances aside."