"Ethics," Sallina says at the exact same time that--

Quina says "anatomy and physiology and herbal medicine."

"I mean, those things do have an ethical dimension. You have to... have permission to study someone's anatomy." Got it in one. 

"...it does seem a bit weird. There really wasn't enough in ethics class for us to need several hours to memorize it, and surely it would help us study anatomy if we know what anatomy we were supposed to be studying. We don't even have a syllabus."

"Idiot, it's obviously a test. He wants to see which of us is lazy enough to read folktales instead of studying when we're told we have free time--"

Tetula guiltily flinches away from the book of folktales.

"And whether we're smart enough to figure out what we're supposed to be studying without him telling us."

Minelia had followed this same line of reasoning but, instead of telling everyone, had simply taken out the likeliest-looking herbal medicine textbook and started to make flashcards.

Marena scrambles to get the nearest book. It's about various fever reducing herbal medicines. It'll do. "What if he's also testing what we choose to study. ...not that there are any ethics books here." Got to at least try to off balance the other students.

Tetula considers her odds of both getting and keeping a good book about medicine, gives up, and begins to make an ethics study guide. All she has to do is make it good and she'll be able to barter for someone else's!

Quina decides that she probably knows everything that's in this books already and sets off to find a rat.

Okay, so, Minelia obviously picked the best book to study from, she's Minelia. 

Sallina walks over to her and says, "Give me the book or I'll Acid Splash your pretty little face."

Minelia turns a page. "No."

"Character, Sallina." Should she be picking fights? No. Should she take the opportunity to be smug? Oh, yes, and that wins out. (And even better, if Bun overhears, it just sounds like an exhortation to virtue!)

...that's fair, Acid Splashing your classmate is arguably an example of physical punishment.  

But she can't back down, or people will think she's weak. What would Chrisor do in this situation?

Well, he's not going to let people push him around! 

She casts Acid Splash. 

Minelia almost dodges, getting a little bit of acid on her cheek, then Dazes Sallina and punches her in the face. 

Minelia is pretty enough to have acquired a quite good right hook. 

You know what's a great way to get an advantage on studying? Have everyone else be fighting!

The library door opens.

"What the fuck."

Tetula was making her flashcards and had no idea any of this was happening, actually!

You have never seen anyone with her nose more in a book than Marena. She is Truly The Most Studious Here.

(You can use valerian to treat insomnia. See! Studying is happening here!)

"I was just--"

"Twenty minutes. I leave you guys alone for twenty fucking minutes and you're setting off the alarms by attacking each other. Has it occurred to you that I'm going to have to explain those injuries to Bun? I don't like it when you make work for me. You are supposed to be loyal servants of Asmodeus, and loyal servants of Asmodeus don't destroy valuable resources on Asmodeus's projects by practicing Acid Splash on them. Would you set one of these books on fire because you feel cold? No? Well, you should be equally reluctant to attack each other. You should count yourselves lucky you won't be at the Worldwound because if you can't put aside your petty fights in order to win then both of you would die."

This is a risky play, but it's probably worthwhile making Minelia an ally. (Especially because, you know, you could ally with her. "If you're wondering-- I didn't see all of it, but I heard Sallina casting a spell before she got punched."

"Thank you, Marena. I could tell from the wards but that's a good sort of thing to tell me." He turns back to Sallina and Minelia. "Both of you are on solitary confinement until breakfast. I hope you pray and think about what Asmodeus is looking for from you."

She can't study-- she'll be behind--