Professor Yarminda's sympathy and calm attitude helped a lot to calm Kleris down and get him to focus on objectively analyzing his situation and finding a solution.  Taking that academic, dispassionate state of study usually helped cut through the irrational, emotional reactions that threatened to make things worse.  Yarminda's offer of two weeks homework-free sounded like a boon, but would that just give Kleris dangerously idle time?  Or perhaps time that could be more fully devoted to her secret investigations.  He had to do<em>something</em>productive at least.<br/><br/>In the mean time, the professor's tutoring and notes taught Kleris an alternative form of<em>unseen servant</em>, one of a more intimate nature.  He blushed a bit to be discussing such a thing with a teacher, but the arcane nature of the actual spellcasting at least allowed a certain amount of distance from the eventual implementation of it, and he was able to at least treat it like any other spell tutoring.<br/><br/>In addition to her previous reassurances, Yarminda was surprisingly firm and adamant in her defense of the school and body as a whole.  Perhaps not surprising, but it was unusual for a situation to arise that would trigger this resolve.  It did help put Kleris more at ease that the faculty was ready and willing to listen to and defend the student body so vigorously.<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><strong><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Working at the Cafe</span></span></strong></div><br/>Seeing any students enter the cafe--especially Craig, of all possibilities--immediately put Kleris on edge, unable to lose himself in the role and imagine himself as another person, and instead be painfully aware of his appearance and what this might mean at the school from now on.  One could only imagine the talk and gossip that could spread the next day.  At least the other girls were similarly shocked and put out.  Thankfully Lillin was always able to smoothly take over social wrinkles and let the others recover.  Kleris was able to take care of other tables, refilling drinks and delivering food, while Lillin and Rachel flustered the boys.<br/><br/>"That's a favor I'm happy to repay," he winked back.<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><strong><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Retario's Return</span></span></strong></div><br/>Looking around the darkening streets and towers, darker still without the sun overhead to get around the press of buildings, Kleris spotted Retario approaching.  It was a welcome surprise, but also put him on alert after a long day of school and work--it was probably not simple coincidence that brought them together again.<br/><br/><em>Yeah, that's him.  He's kind of like my uncle, except not.  Which is good, considering, well...</em>Kleris cut the thought off, but a few memories of their time at the brothel colored it, juxtaposing themselves with the later conversations they had discussing Kleris' father.<br/><br/>"We're actually returning back to school right now...?" he wasn't sure if Retario was inviting them or warning them away yet, and tried to keep ambivalent even as the fiendish girls squealed around him.  It didn't look like they were going to get out of here soon with them swooning, and he didn't want to get back to campus any later, so with an indulgent sigh and wincing slightly at the rib-prodding coming from both ends, "Would you kindly accompany us unescorted girls back home?"<br/><br/>The girls were either chatting up Retario or asking Kleris for details, but the man somehow managed to disengage enough to descreetly murmur a warning to Kleris.  This is what he'd been waiting for, and with a very slight nod of acknowledgement, he took up Rensha and Zull's arms--trusting that Lillin and Rachel were probably going to stay connected to Retario's hips on their own--and kept a wary eye out for any tail or signal from Retario.<br/><br/>[Perception 7+10 = 17<br/>Initiative 20+2 = 22 if necessary]