Time slid by like sand through fingers; in a blink, afternoon settled like warm light across the campus.

By afternoon, our whole class drifted toward the training grounds, a flock gathering before storm, ready for the combat test.

Egisia Academy lived up to its name as the first academy on the Eastern Moon Continent. The field that was wrecked this morning now lay smooth and pristine, scars erased like tide-washed shore. Those alchemical arrays must drink coin like a bottomless well—at least the treasury of a mid-sized kingdom.

Alright, no more chatter.

Stellar Rosa spoke a few crisp words, her voice like a bell on stone, and the test began.

For someone like me, who’d fought beasts across the Central Continent, this was a breeze. In under half a minute, the poor beast crumpled, like reeds cut by wind.

Even so, the test showed me just how rich Egisia Academy really was.

Sacred Realm beasts or spirit beasts are usually chance-meetings, stars you can see but rarely catch. Even if someone snared one, taming it is another mountain; buying one is a dream.

Yet this test fielded three Sacred Realm beasts and two spirit beasts, all as sparring partners, nothing more—like thunder hired to clap on cue.

While I marveled, Hill stepped up. She didn’t even throw a blow; she simply let Dragon Aura roll out like the shadow of a mountain.

The Sacred Realm beast in front of her folded at once. The Dragon Kin’s pressure on beasts is no small thing. A breath of Dragon Aura and the other side’s battlefire went out—not just dulled, but snuffed before it could rise.

When it was Di Yue’er’s turn, she only cast a cold glance like frost. The spirit beast—early Sacred Realm—lowered its head and yielded.

Well, makes sense. The Elven Kind stand shoulder to shoulder with the Dragon Kin in power, old forest to old peak.

Yuyi Mengliu wasn’t as outrageous as Hill or Di Yue’er, but she still ended her bout within three moves, like clean cuts on fresh snow.

Even Eastern Moon Aixue and Faya won with ease. Their magic talent isn’t just sharp; it’s honed hard by grindstone.

You could see it in their control and casting speed. Without brutal practice, you don’t reach that level: every spell’s mana was compacted like crystal, no stray power, no mixed elements, and the release was so fast it was nearly instant, like lightning without thunder.

…

Near five in the afternoon, the combat test finally wound down. Overall, our class did well—no need to mention us. Of course, a few scraped by, and a few lost, like waves that break short of shore.

“This time your performance was solid—aside from a small number who never take practice seriously.”

Stellar Rosa’s eyes cut toward the students who failed, a winter blade that made them shiver.

“Hmm. Combat tests chew through stamina; I won’t drag this out.”

She lowered her gaze, raised her right hand. “Dismissed! Rest tomorrow. Go wash up and eat a good dinner.”

Maybe they truly were spent. As soon as she finished, the students greeted her and us, then streamed out of the field like birds to roost.

After that—

“Amemiya-kun, let’s head back to the dorm.”

“Mm, mm. We’re coming to mooch dinner tonight too!”

“Boss, Boss! I want fried shrimp and potato stew!”

“Hearing that, I’m getting hungry too. Servant, back to the dorm.”

“Yeah, yeah… Also, Aixue and Faya, could you stop treating me like your chef?”

“Ehehe☆ Your cooking’s too good, Amemiya-kun! We can’t help it! How about some fanservice as payment?” said Eastern Moon Aixue, tugging her skirt just a bit.

“If it’s Amemiya-kun, I don’t mind!” Faya’s pretty face flushed, like dawn on porcelain, a big decision rippling under the surface.

“Uh, I’ll skip asking why there’s a star after your ‘ehehe,’ but keep your fanservice. I’m not feeding you for that.”

I turned my eyes away, heat under my skin. “Honestly, your praise is enough. It makes me really happy.”

“Detected! The Servant’s wifey talk!”

Xinuo’s tone was as calm as always, but her expression sparkled, like a cat catching sun.

“Wifey, huh? Fits Amemiya-kun perfectly!”

Eastern Moon Aixue laughed and patted Faya’s shoulder, light as a bird’s wing.

“Faya, you better push harder! A ‘rare catch’ like him doesn’t come often. Even I’m tempted!”

“A–A–A… Aixue! What are you even saying!”

Strange—Faya’s lovely face kept reddening, like embers fanned by wind.

“Boss, just marry me!”

“Hill, you got that backward.”

“Oh? Then marry me, Boss!”

“Ahh… whatever. Let’s go!”

To be honest, for a heartbeat I wavered. A cute little loli like Hill—any normal guy would want to carry her home, right? Wouldn’t he?

But in the end, I crushed that wicked spark with sheer will and hurried to change the topic.

“Oh—”

Xinuo gave me a curious look, a moonlit glance, then let it slide. Whew. That wicked thought almost got caught. Close call.

I let out a big breath inside, and we chatted as we walked toward the dorms, like leaves drifting toward a quiet pond.

…

Ten at night.

Dinner done, dishes cleaned, bath taken. I sprawled on my bed, staring at the stars that stitched light into the dark sky.

“Ah, this feels so good.”

Clean skin on cool sheets, a night breeze slipping in through the window—nothing more restful than this.

“Mm. It really does.”

Xinuo sat beside me, combing her wind-tossed hair with slender fingers, a small smile like a crescent moon.

“I’ve said it a lot, but Xinuo, you’re truly beautiful.”

The thought rose like warm steam; I couldn’t help but let it out.

“That goes without saying.”

Her mood seemed bright, her voice light as a bell on water.

“Whoa! What’s this? There’s a bubble around Boss and Master that’s impossible to break!”

Hill came out of the bathroom still dewy, saw us, and yelped in surprise, like a sparrow startled by dawn.

“Is there?”

“Mm-hmm! Hard-to-enter aura.”

Her cute little head bobbed like a chick pecking grain.

“Oh, I see.”

“Even so, I still wanna pounce on Boss!”

She dashed to the bed and sprang—

“Hey! Hill, don’t press on my stomach! That’s uncomfortable.”

“Hehe. Boss smells nice and feels warm.”

She didn’t seem to hear, just closed her eyes, face content, like a kitten in sun.

“Servant, you spoil Hill way too much.”

Xinuo turned, watched Hill, then pinched my cheek, a gentle scold like rain on leaves.

“Eh? Do I?”

I stroked Hill’s beautiful silver hair, puzzled, head tilted.

“Anyone with eyes can see it.”

“Uh… it’s that obvious?”

…

In the end, like any usual night, nothing special happened. The night drew its soft curtain and ended quietly as everyone drifted into sleep.