I woke up to the gentle touch of sunlight filtering through the dormitory curtains, painting stripes of gold across my blanket. My body ached, a dull, throbbing soreness that radiated from my legs to my shoulders. Yesterday’s training with Kaelen had been brutal, but as I stretched my limbs, I found myself smiling.
Memories of the previous day flashed through my mind: the interactions with Elara in the club room, the way Kaelen’s face had lit up when I agreed to cut his hair, the comfortable silence we shared while eating the stir-fry I cooked.
For the first time since waking up in this world, I felt...
'It might be naive,' I thought, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from my eyes. 'I’ve only known them for a couple of days. But... I think I can rely on them.'
I swung my legs out of bed and dressed quickly in my uniform, grabbing my satchel. Today was going to be a good day; I could feel it in my bones.
I opened my door and stepped out, only to collide immediately with a solid wall of muscle.
"Oof!"
I stumbled back, my bag slipping from my shoulder. Before I could fall, a large hand wrapped around my arm, steadying me.
"Sorry," a deep, familiar voice spoke.
I looked up, my breath catching in my throat. Kaelen stood in the hallway, already dressed in his gym clothes. His silver hair, now styled in the comb-over fade I had given him, caught the morning light. His emerald eyes were wide with concern.
"It's fine," I said, forcing my voice to remain calm despite the sudden proximity.
Kaelen released my arm, bending down to pick up my satchel. He handed it to me, his fingers brushing against mine for a split second longer than necessary.
"I was actually coming to get you," he said, straightening up.
I tilted my head. "You were?"
He nodded, a faint flush dusting his high cheekbones. "Since we’re training partners for physical conditioning, and since your room is on the way to the gymnasium... I thought we could walk together."
I stared at him, watching him fumble over his words. He looked almost... nervous. The sight was unexpectedly endearing.
'He’s trying to justify walking with me,' I realized, a smile tugging at my lips. 'It’s cute.'
"That sounds great," I said, stepping into the hallway and closing my door. "Lead the way."
We walked side by side through the quiet corridors of the dormitory wing. The silence between us was comfortable, broken only by the sound of our footsteps echoing on the stone floors.
As we exited the dormitory building and stepped into the main courtyard, I spotted a familiar figure waiting near the fountain. Elara stood with her arms crossed, her grey eyes scanning the crowd. When she saw us approaching together, her eyebrows shot up.
"Good morning," Elara greeted, her gaze shifting between Kaelen and me. "I didn’t expect to see you two arriving together."
"Kaelen stopped by my room," I explained, falling into step beside her as we headed toward the gymnasium. "We decided to walk together."
Elara nodded slowly, a thoughtful look on her face.
As we walked, I decided to share the news that had been buzzing in my mind since last night.
"By the way," I said, turning to Elara, "I’ve decided to tutor Kaelen in Theoretical Knowledge."
Elara stopped walking. She turned to look at Kaelen, her expression one of pure disbelief.
"You?" she asked, her voice flat. "Tutoring 'him'?"
Kaelen shifted his weight, looking sheepish. "I’m not great with theory."
"I know," Elara said bluntly. "But I also know that the Kaelen Virenth is famously self-taught. He doesn’t like being taught by others. He rejects most instructors."
I looked at Kaelen, surprised. "Really?"
Kaelen shrugged, his broad shoulders moving under his shirt. "Most instructors are too rigid. They try to force me into a mold that doesn't fit. But..." He glanced at me, his green eyes softening. "I think you're... different."
I felt a warmth spread through my chest. "Well, I’m glad you trust me."
We arrived at the gymnasium and changed into our training clothes. The physical conditioning class began immediately, and true to form, I struggled. My muscles screamed in protest, and my stamina was still pitiful compared to the others.
But Kaelen was there. He spotted me, corrected my form, and offered words of encouragement when I wanted to give up.
"You’re doing better than yesterday," he said, helping me up after a set of lunges.
"Feels like I’m dying," I gasped, leaning against him for support.
"But you’re not," he replied simply. "Keep going."
After the gym, we headed to Mana Sensitivity class. Professor Onlnor stood at the front of the room, his blue robes flowing as he paced.
"Starting today," the professor announced, "we begin a new phase of your education, Level 1 Quests will be available for all first-year students."
A murmur went through the room.
"These quests," Onlnor continued, "are practical applications of the skills you are learning. They range from simple retrieval tasks to combat scenarios. By the end of the year, you will be eligible to take Level 2 Quests, but I will be the one to approve it."
I nodded, my mind racing with possibilities. Quests meant experience and Mana Crystals.
"Additionally," Onlnor said, "we will be learning new methods to sense mana. Today, we focus on 'Resonance Detection,' the ability to feel the frequency of ambient mana."
The class continued with a lecture and a practical exercise. I found myself excelling, my natural sensitivity allowing me to pick up the nuances of resonance quickly. Elara was right there with me, her notes meticulous and her questions insightful.
By the time we moved to Theoretical Knowledge, we had firmly established ourselves as the class nerds. We answered every question, debated every theory, and even the professor began to look at us with a mix of respect and amusement.
But as the class ended and the professor left the room, the atmosphere shifted.
The door burst open, and a group of upperclassmen stormed in. They wore the uniforms of upperclassmen students, but their demeanor was aggressive, their eyes scanning the room with predatory intent.
The leader, a tall boy with dark hair and a sneer on his face, stepped forward.
"Where is Valerius Thorne?" he demanded.
Valerius, who had been gathering his things near the back of the room, looked up.
"I’m here," Valerius said, his voice low and almost... bored?
The upperclassman leader stepped closer, flanked by his companions. "We have a message for you. From Prince Arcturus."
The room went silent. Prince Arcturus was the second eldest son of the king, a powerful figure in the kingdom.
"Tell him I’m not interested," Valerius said, turning back to his bag.
The leader laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "You think you can ignore your elder brother? You can’t hurt us. We’re the Prince’s subordinates."
Valerius didn’t respond. He slung his bag over his shoulder and began to walk toward the door.
The leader’s face twisted in anger. "I’m talking to you!"
He flared his mana.
The pressure hit me like a physical blow. It was heavy, oppressive, and filled with malice. My vision blurred, and a sharp pain spiked behind my eyes. I felt a warm trickle run down my nose.
'Bleeding,' I realized dimly. 'My nose is bleeding.'
My legs buckled, and I reached out blindly for support. A strong arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me against a solid body.
"Bell," Kaelen’s voice was tight with concern. "Breathe."
I leaned heavily against him, my head spinning. The pressure in the room was suffocating, crushing my weak body.
Next to me, Elara stepped forward. Her grey eyes were cold, and she raised a hand. A soft, golden light enveloped her fingertips, and she pressed them gently against my forehead.
The pain receded instantly, the bleeding stopped, and my vision cleared. I looked at her in awe.
'Healing magic' I thought. 'And it’s powerful. Much higher level than anyone else in this room.'
Except for one.
Valerius Thorne stood by the door, completely unfazed by the upperclassman’s mana pressure. His massive frame was relaxed, his expression bored.
"You’re blocking my path," Valerius said, his voice devoid of emotion.
The leader sneered. "Make us."
Valerius moved.
It wasn't a rush. It was a blur. One moment he was by the door, the next he was standing in front of the leader. He didn't throw a punch. He didn't cast a spell. He simply walked past them.
But as he passed, the air shimmered.
The upperclassmen didn't fall. They didn't cry out. They simply... dissolved.
I watched in horror as the first student’s skin turned a deep, violent red. Then, his body burst apart, turning into a fine mist of blood and gore. It happened silently, grotesquely, like a balloon popping filled with red paint.
The leader’s eyes widened in terror. "What the hell is happening?!"
He tried to run, but his legs turned to liquid, splashing against the floor in a pool of crimson. His torso followed, collapsing into a wet heap, and then his head exploded into a red mist.
One by one, the upperclassmen disintegrated. Arms, legs, torsos, everything turned into a spray of red mist and shredded flesh. The room filled with the coppery scent of blood, the wet sound of matter hitting the stone floor.
It was the most gruesome scene I had ever witnessed. In my past life, I had seen accidents, but nothing like this. Nothing so absolute, so visceral.
My stomach heaved. My vision tunneled.
The last thing I saw was Kaelen’s face, his eyes wide with alarm as he reached for me.
Then, the world went black.