The next morning, Yelena met up with Thea as always. On the way to the class, they ran into Lily too. Unlike the previous day, Yelena no longer ignored the girl, and they greeted each other happily.
They began to talk as they continued towards the classroom. Today, they started with magic again. Lily still seemed a little worried about that class. Especially after the incident she caused.
“Um… Yelena, I was thinking. Would it be possible to tutor me on magic too? Maybe we can skip a day or two from sword practice and do that instead.” Lily asked.
It made sense. Lily was behind on everything; she needed to work extra hard to catch up with the rest of them. Yelena already knew a lot, so it wasn’t really a problem.
“We can. I can teach you Theory. Unfortunately, I don’t think we can do practice. Not until you manage to get the mana overflow under control. I’m not bad, but I’m not sure if I would be able to stop it as the professor did.” Yelena explained.
“That is fine. Every little thing can help. I can work on my control during class. Hopefully it won’t take long.” Lily sounded rather optimistic about it.
“Sounds good. How about this afternoon, in my room?” Yelena asked.
A moment later, she realized her mistake. The two of them in her room. She was worried there wouldn’t be much studying done like that. Unless studying each other’s bodies counted. Maybe some other place would be better. Like the library?
“Sure, that works for me!” Lily replied immediately.
Yelena knew she messed up. She can’t back away now. The best she can do is to try to keep herself calm. Make sure they do their work properly first, then some fun after.
Soon, they arrive at the classroom. They still had a couple of minutes left before it started. They stopped next to the door.
“Hey, why don’t you come sit with us? There is an empty seat next to me.” Yelena offered.
Lily looked excited about the idea, then she realized something and got unsure.
“Is that okay? I mean… what about the other students?” She asked.
The question had a hidden meaning. By now, Lily realized that those who came from nobility and those who came from a commoner background were sitting separately. Lily wasn’t sure if breaking this unspoken rule and intruding on the other side was a wise idea.
“Don’t worry about that. Nobody really cares that much. Well, some might, but not enough to say or do anything about it. Besides, you are with Yelena. They won’t dare to even sit next to her, let alone say something about the person she invited over there.” Thea explained.
It was true. Because of her family's power, most people were afraid to make direct contact with her unless necessary. Not to mention, Yelena had a reputation for being distant. So, for the most part, people left her alone. Of course, there are some, like Valerie, who had enough power or bravery to try their luck with the girl.
“Okay then, I’ll sit with you.” Lily gave up; it was two versus one at this point.
They all walked in, and Yelena escorted the girl to her new seat. It was right on the edge, so the only person next to her was the white-haired girl.
Soon, the class started. Lily was paying full attention, trying to memorize everything she could while taking detailed notes. Yelena, although she already knew these things, also paid attention. She did it for a very different reason.
Whenever the professor explained something that was vague, or she thought needed clarification, Yelena leaned over and started explaining to Lily. She often pointed out things in her book to her. On a couple of occasions, their hands touched, which made both of them smile a little.
Thea, of course, saw these interactions. She was already aware that things were getting serious between the two. The girl let out a long sigh. She knew this day would come, that one day, Yelena would find someone. Still, it doesn’t make it any less painful to watch. Yet she had already decided that this would be her fate. Despite her feelings, she could only watch from the sidelines.
****
The first classes went by quickly. Lily did make some progress in controlling the mana. This time she didn’t flood the whole room, and the teacher was also much quicker to put out any figurative or literal fires that Lily caused.
As they were walking down the hallway, an upperclassman approached them. He was holding several papers and seemed to be handing them out.
“Hey ladies! Did you decide on which study group you want to join? If not, I have the perfect place for you.” He tried to hand them a paper.
Lily took one out of politeness, but the other two weren’t interested in what he had to say.
“We already made our decision, but thanks.” Yelena replied to him.
The boy just shrugged and moved on to the next person. Lily looked at the paper detailing a study group. She had no idea who made this, but the writing on it was almost illegible
“What is this?” Lily asked.
“Guess you didn’t hear about it yet. Let me explain quickly. Study groups, or simply groups, are a big part of the academy. Unlike the name suggests, it is not just about studying. Most groups cultivate a social environment where people can hang out. On top of that, you can find people to go out on missions with.” Yelena started to explain.
“Most groups focused on specific things. Some are more magic-oriented, while others are for fighters. The whole point was to create a place where like-minded people could gather and help each other.” Thea added.
It started to make sense to Lily. It could be beneficial to be in one then. Although she clearly didn’t know what choices she had.
“Then, should I join this one?” She asked, not sure if that was the right choice.
Yelena took the paper from Lily’s hand and ripped it up.
“Yeah, I won’t allow that!” She said sternly.
“What Yelena meant was that groups like that can be a bit… sleezy. You see, ones with people going around trying to recruit are usually not that good. In most cases, they don’t even care about studying or practicing. Just look at the guy. You will see what I mean.” Thea pointed at the guy who was still around, trying to talk others into joining.
Lily watched for a short while, and she quickly noticed a pattern in his targets.
“He is only offering it to women.” Lily concluded.
“Yes, some are like that. They care about partying, or they use it to try to pick up girls. Mostly clueless freshmen. So as I said, I won’t let you go to a place like that.” Yelena stood firmly on this point.
“I see, from what you said earlier, you two already have plans, right?” Lily asked.
Both nodded as a form of answer. Both Yelena and Thea did extensive research on how things work here. So, even before they were accepted, they already had their target.
“I’ll be trying out for the Azure dragons. They are one of the best in the school. They also have a common goal. All of them want to get into the magic knight course.” Yelena was the first to answer.
“I’ll be going to Raghal’s sword. That one is dedicated to warrior training. I think that will fit me best.” Thea also told which one she chose.
“I see, guess I’ll need to do some research on this.” Lily pondered.
Yelena and Thea looked at each other. They already knew where Lily would fit best. They didn’t even need to say it; they both knew they were thinking of the same thing.
“You should try the Spectral Flames. It is a great one and dedicated to magic and research. Given your goal, you would fit well in. I think they would take you almost instantly, given the mana overflow ability you have.” Yelena gave her suggestion.
Lily thought about it. From what she heard, it sounded like something that aligned with her goals and everything. Still, if what Yelena said was true, then it is one of the higher-end groups. Lily had her doubts about it.
“Are you sure I would even be accepted? I only started to learn magic. I can’t even cast a spell yet without premade circles.” She voiced her concerns.
“Yeah, normally that would be an issue for them. Not in your case. Mana overflow is rare. These people are also mad crazy about researching magic. So, with your abilities, there are plenty of things to research. They would jump on the occasion to have you.” Thea pointed it out.
“How about this? During lunch break, I can take you there to check out the place. Then you can make up your mind about it.” Yelena suggested.
Lily pondered a short while, but in the end, she accepted it. She had no reason not to check out the place, even if she didn’t end up joining.
****
During lunch break, Yelena escorted Lily over to where the Spectral Flame’s place was.
When they arrived, the door was open, and inside, they could see countless bookshelves in the back filled with all sorts of books and scrolls. Right in front of them were desks, many of which were occupied by students reading or working. There were a myriad of crystals and magic equipment scattered around the place.
Despite this being a place of learning, everything looked chaotic. People were running left and right, doing something on the different equipment in the room. A blond guy walked past the door and noticed the two looking inside.
“Hey! Are you here to check out the group?” He seemed nice and friendly as he greeted them.
“She is. I’m just escorting her.” Yelena pointed at Lily.
The boy slapped his hands together and had the biggest smile on his face.
“Great! I must ask first, what is the highest level spell you can cast?” He asked.
Lily immediately got dejected. She had a feeling this would be a problem.
“I can’t cast magic yet.” She answered.
The smile faded almost instantly from the boy’s face. He had a much more serious expression now.
“I’m sorry to say, but then we won’t be able to accept you. We have strict criteria for who we can let in. Hope you understand.” He tried to be polite in his rejections.
“Have you heard about the incident in classroom 8?” Yelena asked.
The boy was confused; he didn’t know what that had to do with the situation.
“Yeah! One student had mana overflow from what I heard. She turned a level-0 spell into a waterfall. Too bad I couldn’t see it.” Yelena was sure they would have heard about the incident by now.
The girl just pointed at Lily.
“Wait! Are you saying?” The boy looked at Lily with wide eyes.
“Yes, that was her.” Yelena told him.
The smile returned. Not just that, he looked super excited upon hearing the news. He looked back into the room, then at Lily again.
“Can you show it to us?” He asked.
Lily was a bit taken aback by the sudden request, but she had no reason to deny it. She nodded. The boy immediately rushed inside the room.
“Hey! Does anyone have premade a level-0 create magic scroll?” He shouted.
Soon after the request, he was handed one. He ran to the quickest desk that wasn’t occupied and, with a clear motion, swiped everything off it.
“Come, come!” He motioned towards Lily to go over there.
Lily looked at Yelena, who nodded at her, encouraging the girl to go. Lily walked inside and stepped next to the table. She realized it was the same exact scroll she used to flood the classroom with.
People started hearing about what was happening and gathered around. Yelena also went inside and watched the events unfold. Her lips were curling up as she saw how excited everyone was about Lily.
“Ah, before I forget, here!” The blond boy cast a spell on Lily.
She felt something enveloping her body, but she couldn’t tell what it was.
“Don’t worry, just some protection, so you don’t get wet.” He said and stepped back.
It would have been nice to have that back in the classroom too, although Lily knew if that event hadn’t happened, she probably never would have gotten close to Yelena.
Lily placed her palm on the circle. This was not the first time she had done it, so she didn’t need to concentrate as much anymore. Still, she put in some extra effort; she really wanted to impress the others in the room.
The circle drawn in black ink now began to glow blue. Within a moment, water poured out. Not a small amount. In fact, it was even stronger than what she did back then. The water shot up into the air, almost reaching the ceiling, which was quite a feat since the room had two floors, with the middle section being open to the second. She practically created a huge fountain out of a scroll that was supposed to only make the paper slightly wet.
Everyone was looking up, watching the water pour out. It was easy to see the excitement and amazement in their eyes. Somebody quickly cast a spell to turn off the water before the whole place turns into a swimming pool. Yelena stepped next to the blond guy.
“So, what do you think? Is it still an issue that she can’t cast magic yet?” She asked.
The boy couldn’t even speak yet. What he just witnessed was beyond words. It took him a second or two to get his thoughts together.
“What? No! I don’t give a damn! I can get the paperwork right now. She can join this instant.” He was looking around frantically, trying to figure out where said paperwork was.
Yelena walked over to Lily. Just as the boy said, the magic protected her from getting wet. It was a bit disappointing that she couldn’t see her in a wet shirt again, but overall it was for the best.
“So, what do you think? Do you want to join?” Yelena asked her.
“Well, it is certainly interesting. A little bit chaotic too.” She chuckled.
“Yeah, but look around. They are dedicated to what they are doing here. You won’t find a better group to study with. I’m sure they can help you out a lot.” Yelena pointed it out.
Lily looked around. Just as Yelena said. Everyone in this room was truly interested in magic. They wanted to learn more, to understand it more. Lily could tell that this place would be the one to help her achieve her dreams, too.
“I’ll join!” She made her final decision.