Yan Yi miserably dragged his bundled luggage after bidding farewell to the old butler with Luris. Amid a bewildering crowd murmuring, "Not bad, that magic’s pretty impressive!" he followed Luris toward the registration desk.
The desk wasn’t far from the gate. Along the way, Yan Yi noted the academy’s excellent environment—perfect for studying, except for some brainless idiots.
Inside the freshman registration area, staff were plentiful. They didn’t wait long before it was their turn.
"Ait Family recommendation slot: Luris Ait," Luris stated.
The receptionist swiftly checked documents, nodded, then handed her a stunning golden key embedded with an emerald, a student ID, and a set of girls’ uniforms.
Yan Yi froze. *Rich people are too extravagant.* Just as he considered snatching the key to sell it, Luris took it. The receptionist smiled warmly.
"Miss Luris, your dorm is at Greengem Residence—one of the academy’s finest. Wishing you a wonderful school life."
Hearing this, Yan Yi already guessed his own dorm would be…
"Ink Village recommendation slot: Yan Yi."
After Yan Yi spoke, the receptionist paused, unfamiliar with "Ink Village." She flipped through records of small villages, finally locating it. After verification, she tossed him a student ID, boys’ uniforms, and an iron key with a dull stone embedded.
"Graygem Residence."
Her tone was flat. Yan Yi stared at the stone. *What the hell is "Graygem"?*
They walked out—one relaxed, one miserable. Pulling out a map, Yan Yi saw both residences were nearby. *At least the academy considered freshmen’s walking distance.* But why were they in completely opposite directions?
Sighing, he followed Luris toward Greengem Residence. Their chat was shallow; Yan Yi occasionally complimented her, making Luris blush repeatedly.
Before a dazzling castle, Yan Yi—numb from constant shocks—carried Luris’s luggage inside. The lavish decor left him thinking only one thing: *Such a waste of money.*
With the help of a pretty dorm manager, they found Luris’s room. Opening it, Yan Yi barely suppressed his expression. It outshone presidential suites in five-star hotels he’d seen.
He even considered crashing there until he heard:
"Eh, it’s acceptable. Though slightly worse than my room back home."
Yan Yi’s face twitched. *People really do make you die of envy.* After dropping the luggage, he turned to leave.
"Oh, Yan Yi. Wait for me outside the dorm thirty minutes before class tomorrow."
Yan Yi paused mid-step. *Treating me like a servant now? And thirty minutes? Do you think you’ll make it to class on time?* He sighed, turning back.
"Luris, I never agreed to be your servant. Carrying your luggage was just repayment for that meal and the ten-mile walk." *Damn, that deal feels so unfair now.*
"Huh?"
Luris froze, realizing he’d never promised anything. Before she could speak, Yan Yi had vanished.
She rushed to the corridor, scanning left and right—no trace of him. Clenching her teeth, she muttered softly, hurt and angry:
"You jerk… If distance is the issue, I won’t make you escort me anymore!"
…
Though Luris completely misunderstood Yan Yi’s reason for refusing servitude, distance did play a part. In Ink Village, relationships mattered; here, he’d stay only as long as needed. He wouldn’t remain forever.
Now, Yan Yi pondered how to leave the academy: wait for expulsion, or just endure a year?
At Graygem Residence, his room brought tears to his eyes. Sighing, he lay on the bed and examined his student ID.
*Central Magic Academy Student ID. Name: Yan Yi…*
*Rating: …*
*Class: Freshman Class C. Homeroom Teacher: Liette.*
*No rating yet—must need testing,* he thought. The ID noted mandatory theory classes at 9 a.m. daily for freshmen, regardless of prior knowledge.
Just thinking of theory made him uneasy. Since he couldn’t practice magic anyway, he’d stick to sleeping.
After a cheap dinner at the dorm cafeteria, Yan Yi collapsed onto his bed and fell asleep.
…
The next day, Yan Yi opened his eyes promptly. Blinking at the unfamiliar ceiling, he recalled his situation.
Habit forced him awake despite wanting to stay in bed. After washing up and changing into the uniform—white shirt, red tie, black jacket and pants, which looked decent—he asked the dorm aunt about morning jobs. She tossed him a broom. Cleaning paid fifty silver coins monthly; after ten for rent, it’d cover his needs.
His area wasn’t large: the path before the residence and a small patch near a castle. Checking the map, he saw it was close to his classroom.
Yan Yi swept the residence front swiftly. After breakfast, he headed to the second spot.
By 7:30 a.m., both areas were spotless—even after deliberately lingering over meals and taking detours.
With extra time, he went straight to his classroom. It was locked. Without hesitation, he snapped a hair, used it to pick the lock… a skill honed from past rooftop lockouts. Jumping down risked awkward explanations, so lock-picking became second nature.
Inside, the lecture hall felt like his old university classrooms. Nostalgic, he slipped to the back corner, hid his presence, and fell asleep.
…
Liette was a magic teacher—beautiful, only twenty-five, with peak Class A strength. Countless suitors pursued her.
But in three years of teaching freshmen, she’d met three bizarre students: one obsessed with explosion magic, constantly blowing up classrooms; another mastering stealth magic, vanishing mid-lesson; the last, a snack addict.
Recalling those years gave her a stomachache. *Please, no weird students this year.* Arriving an hour early, she found the classroom unlocked.
Puzzled—she held the key—she circled the room. Bumping into something at the back, she discovered a person beside her.
Not blasting him with magic immediately proved her nerves were steel from past trials. She jumped back, eyeing Yan Yi still face-down on a desk.
"Did he open the door?"
The academy’s locks and doors resisted weak magic, and no mana residue lingered.
"Student, wake up."
She shook him. Hollow eyes met hers, sending a brief chill through her. Still face-down, the red-haired teen mumbled:
"What? I’m sleepy."
Yan Yi could go without sleep for ages, but when he chose to rest, he fell asleep easily.
"Ahem. Student, how did you get in? The key’s with me."
Yan Yi blinked, then shot upright. *Crap! I forgot the consequences of lock-picking! Damn, I’m too practiced!*
"W-well… I came early. Got sleepy. Picked the lock."
He had no other excuse.
Liette froze, nearly twitching. *A twenty-centimeter lockhole? Kid, your skill tree is seriously skewed!*
She covered her face. *So much for a peaceful teaching year. So much for no weird students. This academy is doomed.*
