After breakfast, we left the dorm and drifted toward the academy sector, morning light pooling like warm milk along the paths.
Class 3-A, inside the classroom. The air was chalk-dust and gold bars of sun across empty desks.
“Everyone, quiet down!” Stellar Rosa slammed her palm on the desk; the crack rolled like thunder.
Silence fell like fresh snow; every gaze swung to the podium like iron to a magnet.
“Mm, good.” She nodded, a small ripple in still water.
“As usual, the second day of term brings a magic test, to see who slacked off over break.” Her tone chimed like a bell.
She paused, eyes sweeping the room like a breeze combing a field. “Get ready now. Meet at the Training Field in Zone D in thirty minutes.”
With that, Stellar Rosa left, her heels ticking like rain down the corridor.
Minutes after she was gone—
“A magic test, huh? I’m nervous; I barely practiced over the break.” Voices buzzed like bees.
“Yeah, I just played the whole time.” Laughter tumbled like marbles.
“Hope it’s not too hard!” Hope fluttered like a paper kite.
The quiet room burst like a marketplace; chatter rose in warm waves.
Girls clustered in threes and fives, whispering about the test like sparrows on a branch.
“Aixue, what’s that magic test?” Curiosity pricked like a thorn; I tapped Eastern Moon Aixue’s shoulder.
“This.” She turned with a smile like moonlight through bamboo. “It checks basics—attack power, control, accuracy—things like that.”
“Oh! Sounds fun. How do they test it?” Hill, perched on my lap, leaned forward, eyes shining like twin stars.
“It’s nothing fancy—blast boulders, hit targets a hundred meters out, juggle spells in the air.” The answer came not from Eastern Moon Aixue, but from Faya, steady as stone.
“I see. Doesn’t sound very fun.” Hill drooped over the desk like a sun-dazed cat, all warmth, no energy.
“Any other formats? Tougher ones?” Boredom nagged like dust; Xinuo slid into the talk, pages still rustling in her mind.
“Hm, there are. We usually fight high-tier magical beasts or spirit beasts.” Faya thought, words falling like measured rain.
“Oh, combat? Now that’s interesting. Will this test include that?” Xinuo’s gaze sharpened like a blade.
“Yes. Real combat matters. But you have to pass the basics before the higher tiers.” Eastern Moon Aixue took the thread, crisp as frost.
“Got it!” Hill sprang up and folded into my arms like a fox cub, excitement sparking like fireflies.
“Hill, what did you get?” Affection warmed like tea; I pinched her mochi-soft cheek.
“If I drop my strength to C or B rank, I can savor the fight!” Hill grinned, pride strutting like a peacock.
“Nice idea, but Hill…” Xinuo looked at her, then flicked her forehead, a playful snap like a pebble on water. “Lowering yourself to toy with weaklings—fun?”
“Of course it’s fun! Cats tease mice before they eat them, right?” Her smile curved like a crescent moon.
She must be bored; the thought rose like mist. It’s not quite bullying if she drops several tiers.
“Seems the days have boxed Hill in; to say something like that…” Xinuo’s eyes held pity like soft rain, her aside light as a sigh.
“Exactly! I haven’t fought lately; it’s so boring!” Hill’s complaint beat like a drum.
She admitted it—surprising. Were things really that dull? To me, the days felt like a calm stream.
“Mm, true.” Xinuo nodded, calm as dusk. “It’s been quiet—more like the calm before a storm.”
“What do you mean?” Confusion rustled like leaves; I looked at Xinuo.
“Nothing much. Soon, something serious will erupt here.” Her words hung like thunderheads.
“What serious thing?”
“Not saying. Spoilers ruin the taste. But within half a year, Egisia Academy will face something severe.” Her smile was a sealed envelope.
“…I hope you’re just talking casually, Xinuo.”
“Servant, when have I ever spoken casually?” Her glance cut like a razor, playful yet firm.
“Uh, fine.” I let it drop, the thought sinking like a stone.
On the other side of the room—
“A magic test? I’m an assassin, not a mage. What should I do?” Di Yue’er frowned, worry pooling like ink.
It passed quick as a cloud. “What am I even fretting over? I’m a Sacred Realm, Holy Peak assassin. I wield the power of Law. A few spells are nothing, and I know plenty.” Her confidence rose like a banner.
In this world, every class but the Sword Wielder must command magic.
Take an Elf User: without support spells, her strength drops by nearly a third. That truth lands like a hammer.
And an assassin: without early concealment or aura-suppression spells, you’d die a dozen times before noon. The warning bites like frost.
Thinking that, Di Yue’er glanced at Yumigawa Sumeragi. He was chatting with Eastern Moon Aixue and the others, laughter bright as lanterns.
“In this class, only Xinuo rivals me in looks. So why does Yumigawa Sumeragi ignore me and chat with women less beautiful than me? Infuriating!” Jealousy burned like pepper.
“That day he ignored me; fine. But now we’re classmates. He sees me every time he walks in, yet acts like I’m invisible. Not even a hello!” Hurt pricked like needles.
Apparently, she still brooded over the day Yumigawa Sumeragi brushed past her like a passing wind.
“Di Yue’er, what’s wrong? You look unhappy.” The girl beside her spoke, voice soft as silk.
“And why do you keep looking at Yumigawa’s side? If you care that much, go say hi.” Her smile lifted like a sunrise.
“Uh, it’s nothing. Thanks for worrying, Ibuki.” Di Yue’er pulled her gaze back, awkwardness clinging like dew. Ibuki Megumi was her first friend in this class.
“Hehe, we’re friends, after all.” Ibuki smiled, sweet as honey.
“Mm.” The reply was small, like a nod in the dark.
Time slid fast; twenty minutes vanished like sand through fingers. Ten minutes remained until meet-up.
“Everyone, wrap it up. Let’s head to the Training Field in Zone D. Only ten minutes left.” Eastern Moon Aixue checked the wall clock; its hands crawled like ants.
“It’s that late? Let’s go.” Feet scraped like leaves.
“Right. If we’re late, they’ll dock points.” Anxiety pricked like thorns.
“No way, come on!” Voices lifted; the class moved like a school of fish.
So Class 3-A emptied, and we flowed toward Zone D, the training grounds yawning ahead like a wide arena.
