I had just finished walking Imara back to the girls’ dormitory and was making my way back to my room.
Though there were still students walking up and down the halls, it was surprisingly quiet.
Maybe because it was the first time in a while that I was alone.
But even though I was walking alone right now, I didn’t feel lonely.
Funny.
I wonder how Xiao is doing.
And Dad.
And Li Hua.
They’re probably all busy.
Hmm…
I did promise Xiao that I would write him letters.
I should do that soon.
Before long, I arrived at my dorm room.
Pulling out my key, I unlocked the door and stepped inside.
Passing the small kitchen area, I made my way into our room.
And there he was.
Rowan was lying upside down on his bed, reading one of our textbooks.
Maybe homework.
I dropped my bag onto the floor.
“Hey, Rowan.”
“Hey,” he replied without looking up.
I began unpacking my things, tossing my dirty uniform into the laundry basket.
A few moments later, I heard a frustrated huff.
Looking up, I saw Rowan throw the book aside.
“I can’t do this anymore. If I read another page, I think I’ll go crazy.”
I let out a small laugh.
“Well, we definitely don’t want that happening.”
Rowan sat up and rested his elbows on his knees.
“So, how was combat class?”
I sighed.
“Painful.”
“Good.”
He nodded.
“Then we had the same experience.”
I laughed.
“I can tell. I saw you huffing and puffing in front of me.”
Rowan pointed at me.
“You’re one to talk.”
A grin spread across both our faces.
After a moment, Rowan stood up.
“You hungry?”
I thought about it.
“I could eat something.”
“Perfect.”
He rolled up his sleeves.
“I’ll make us some sandwiches.”
As Rowan headed into the kitchen area, I went to take a shower.
Honestly, after combat class, I felt sticky and exhausted.
I needed to wash all the grime off.
By the time I returned, Rowan had already prepared food.
We sat together at the small two-seater table and ate.
“This is really good, Rowan.”
“Thanks.”
He shrugged.
“It’s nothing special.”
For a few moments, we ate in comfortable silence.
Then I looked at him.
“So, Rowan… what made you want to come to Ash-Fall?”
He paused mid-bite.
After swallowing, he leaned back in his chair.
“Actually… I didn’t want to come here.”
I blinked.
“What?”
“Well…”
He scratched the back of his head.
“Let me rephrase that.”
A small smile appeared on his face.
“It just wasn’t part of my plan.”
I stayed quiet, letting him continue.
“You know I’m a commoner. The fees to attend a place like this are expensive.”
I nodded.
“When I was younger, a mage passed through my village. She checked my mana core and told my parents that I had talent.”
His smile widened slightly.
“She offered to teach me the basics for free.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
He nodded.
“My parents thought it was an opportunity I couldn’t afford to miss.”
He looked down at his sandwich.
“So she trained me.”
A hint of gratitude appeared in his eyes.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then Rowan chuckled softly.
“Honestly, I just want to graduate from here.”
“Make my family proud.”
“And prove all the effort my master put into me wasn’t wasted.”
Wow.
Everyone really has their own story.
Eventually, we finished eating.
Not long after, Rowan climbed into bed.
Within minutes, he was asleep.
I couldn’t help letting out a small laugh.
That might be a new record.
As I stood up to clean the table, I glanced toward the window.
“Ah.”
I rubbed the back of my neck.
“I forgot to close it.”
Walking over, I reached for the curtains.
Then I noticed a figure standing outside beneath one of the academy lanterns.
I paused.
“Is that Simon?”
He stood alone beneath the soft orange glow of the light.
In his hands was a letter.
The playful smile he always wore was gone.
Instead, his expression was serious.
Almost worried.
For several moments, he simply stood there reading.
Then a small flame appeared at his fingertips.
The letter caught fire.
Simon watched silently as it burned to ash.
A strange sight.
But after a moment, I simply shrugged.
Must have been something important.
I closed the window.
Pulled the curtains shut.
And climbed into bed.
Soon everything faded to black.
The next morning…
It was now eight-fifteen, and Simon, Imara, and I were making our way to Spell Casting.
“…and then when we ran around the fountain, our tutor chased us,” Imara said.
Simon laughed.
“Oh no.”
“Oh yes.”
She grinned.
“There was a loose tile.”
I already knew this wouldn’t end well.
“He stepped on it.”
A splash.
“The next thing we knew, he was in the fountain.”
The three of us burst out laughing.
“And then?”
Simon asked.
“We were grounded for weeks.”
She sighed dramatically.
“And had to scrub castle floors until they shined.”
Simon pointed at her.
“Princess, you were a menace.”
Imara looked proud of herself.
Simon opened his mouth.
“If I did that, my mom would’ve—”
He suddenly stopped.
For a brief moment, something unreadable crossed his face.
Then he smiled again.
“She would’ve hung me upside down by my ears.”
I laughed.
“Somehow, I feel like you caused your fair share of trouble.”
Simon grinned.
“What do you think, little prince?”
Soon we arrived at class.
After finding three seats together, we settled in.
Near the front sat Siana, speaking quietly with a blonde-haired girl.
A few moments later, the professor entered.
She was a woman with bright red hair and emerald-green eyes.
“Good morning, class.”
“My name is Professor Milia Rose.”
She smiled warmly.
“Today we will be learning Levitinia.”
She turned and began drawing a magic symbol onto the board.
“The first form of the Leventalia spell.”
“There are three forms.”
“If you do well today, we may even learn all three.”
Professor Rose tapped the symbol.
“This first symbol means Rise.”
Soon she began distributing fist-sized stones to each student.
After everyone received one, she returned to the front.
“Your goal is simple.”
“Engrave the symbol with mana.”
“And make the stone rise above your head.”
Immediately, students began trying.
Some started chanting.
Some focused silently.
A few stones shook.
Others lifted an inch before falling back down.
I studied the symbol carefully.
Rise.
What does it mean to rise?
I closed my eyes.
Light.
Weightless.
Floating.
Slowly, I poured mana into the stone.
The symbol appeared.
Then—
WHOOSH!
The rock shot straight upward.
SLAM!
It smacked directly into the classroom ceiling.
The entire room went silent.
I opened my eyes.
“…”
A few students laughed.
Someone near the back whispered,
“I think he overdid it.”
“Overdid it?” another student muttered.
“He nearly launched it through the roof.”
My face immediately heated up.
Holy crap.
That was not supposed to happen.
Quickly, I guided the stone back down and hovered it above my head.
“Wow, Li!”
Imara said.
“That was amazing.”
Simon raised a hand dramatically.
“Professor, can he donate some of that talent to the rest of us?”
The class laughed.
Professor Rose smiled.
“Well done, Li Qiang.”
Then I felt it.
A gaze.
I looked toward the front.
Siana was staring at me.
Her expression was unreadable.
Before I could figure out what she was thinking, she looked away.
Soon everyone managed the first form.
Siana succeeded shortly after.
Then Simon.
Then Imara.
One by one, the entire class completed the exercise.
“Excellent work.”
Professor Rose returned to the board.
She drew a second symbol connected to the first.
“This symbol means Control.”
She pointed toward me.
“Li Qiang actually used it subconsciously when he brought the stone back down.”
That earned me a few curious looks.
Thankfully, the second form was much easier.
Within minutes, students were moving their stones around the room with increasing confidence.
Professor Rose nodded approvingly.
“Very good.”
She then drew a third symbol.
“This one represents Precision.”
“The ability to accurately direct and strike a target.”
Her smile widened.
“And for that…”
She pointed toward the classroom doors.
“We’re going outside.”
Excited murmurs immediately spread throughout the room.
Students stood from their seats and began filing toward the exit.
The real practice was about to begin.
our mc sure is talented, hmm wander what simons letter say