The classroom door slammed open with a bang that made three students jump in their seats. Twenty heads snapped toward me as I strode in, my shadow stretching unnaturally long across the floorboards.
[System:
Dramatic entrance check: Success!
]
The usual suspects were all there:
Liora and Noora
immediately started whispering behind their hands, their smirks sharp enough to flay skin.
Rin
was holding court with his usual sycophants, barely glancing my way before dismissing me like yesterday’s trash.
Nyx’s
crimson eyes locked onto me like a predator spotting wounded prey, her lips curling in amusement.
Cecilia
pointedly turned her head away, frost creeping across her desk in clear dismissal.
Eren
was too busy glaring daggers at
Sasha Whitehall
- daughter of the Whitehound Knight Commander - to notice me enter.
Interesting.
Seraphina
sat primly in the front row, flanked by her entourage of elf and half-elf nobles who all looked at me like I was something they’d scraped off their boots.
Three empty seats waited:
Beside
Nyx
- basically volunteering for poison in my coffee
Next to
Cecilia
- guaranteed frostbite in uncomfortable places
Adjacent to
Sasha
- the only survivable option
I slid into the chair beside the knight’s daughter. "This seat taken?"
She flinched like I’d pulled a dagger. "N-No... Lord Crimson."
Before I could enjoy her discomfort, the air crackled with ozone.
The Headmaster’s Welcome
Evelyn
materialized at the lectern in a flash of lightning, her silver braids coiled tight as whipcord.
"Well well," she purred, her violet eyes locking onto mine. "Our
esteemed
Rank One has graced us with his presence for the... let me check..." She made a show of consulting a scroll. "
Third
time this semester. Though I hear he’s made a
solemn vow
to attend every class until finals."
Her smile turned razor-sharp.
"And if he fails?" She mimed waving goodbye. "
Poof.
No more academy."
That absolute bitch.
[System:
Checkmate.
]
Mana Shield Lesson
The lesson on
Tier-3 Mana Shield formulas
should have been interesting. Key word:
should.
As Evelyn droned on about "nodal resonance frequencies" and "inverse mana vectors," my attention wandered to:
The elf contingent’s constant glaring (their ears actually twitched when angry - hilarious)
Sasha’s white-knuckled grip on her quill (did she think I’d bite her?)
The growing urge to test if shadow magic could make someone’s hair fall out
Then it happened.
One of Seraphina’s lackeys - a particularly pointy-eared bastard named
Lirien
- made a show of whispering something while staring straight at me. The words "disgrace" and "filthy human" carried just fine.
My fingers twitched.
One Shadow Bind around his throat. Just one. Who would even—
[Memory Fragment Activated]
Mother’s voice, soft but firm: "No discrimination, Ashen. No violence based on race. Every life is precious in God’s eyes."
I exhaled sharply through my nose and flipped open a fresh notebook. With deliberate strokes, I wrote:
"Mother’s Rules:
1. No discrimination
2. All races equal
3. God loves everyone
4. Even arrogant elf bastards
5. Be a good boy
6. Don’t murder classmates
7. I love you, Mom"
[System:
...Are we having a moral crisis?
]
Fuck off.
Around me, quills scratched parchment as students copied formulas. I stared at my notebook, at the words that felt like chains around my instincts.
Then, very deliberately, I drew:
A crude stick-figure elf
A shadow spear through its chest
A smiley face
Balance.
The Headmaster’s Eye
As class ended, Evelyn’s voice cut through the noise: "Crimson. A word."
She waited until the room emptied before speaking. "Interesting notes you took."
I didn’t bother asking how she knew. "Philosophy lesson."
Her gaze dropped to my doodle. "And this?"
"Advanced art theory."
For the first time, something like genuine amusement flickered in her eyes. "Just remember - no dismembering classmates before finals."
"Even the elves?"
"
Especially
the elves." She vanished in a crackle of lightning.
[System:
I think she likes you.
]
Unfortunately.
The classroom emptied like rats fleeing a sinking ship. I turned to Sasha, who was gathering her books with trembling hands.
"Why’s everyone scattering?" I asked, feigning ignorance.
She blinked up at me, her brown eyes wide. "It’s... elective week, Lord Crimson. We’re free to choose our classes for the next four days before submitting applications."
Shit.
Ashen’s fragmented memories surfaced—he’d signed up for
Physical Combat Training
, a glorified brawling session that Rin and Eren dominated. No fucking way was I stepping into that pit.
"And you?" I asked, leaning against her desk.
"R-Research Methodology," she stammered.
A slow grin spread across my face.
Perfect.
"Lead the way, my lady."
[System:
Since when do you do research?
]
Since never. But it beats getting punched.
The Research Class Farce
The research hall smelled of dust and desperation. I lingered at the doorway, scanning the room—until I spotted
Aurelia
hunched over a stack of ancient tomes, her golden hair tied in a messy bun.
I backed out before she could notice me.
[System:
Coward.
]
Tactical retreat.
I adjusted my collar. "Actually, I should focus on my
weaknesses
. Like... not dying."
I wandered the halls, weighing options:
Alchemy
- Too many explosions
Ancient Runes
- Too much reading
Beast Taming
- Too much fur
Then—
"Crimson."
Evelyn materialized from a crackle of lightning, her silver braids coiled tight. "You’re wasting time."
I opened my mouth to protest—
"Special training. Lightning resistance.
Now.
"
She grabbed my wrist, and the world dissolved into blue-white agony.
The Lightning Crucible
We reappeared in a cavernous training hall, the air thick with ozone. Towering mana batteries lined the walls, their surfaces crawling with captured storms.
Evelyn released me. "You survived thirty minutes at 20% output. Today, we try 40%."
I wiped blood from my nose. "What if I say no?"
She smiled. "Then I revoke your dorm privileges. You can room with Rin."
[System:
She’s diabolical.
]
Lightning gathered in her palm. "Begin."
The first bolt hit like a runaway carriage. My bones vibrated. My teeth sang. My shadow
screamed
.
[Lightning Resistance: B → B+]
Evelyn’s eyes gleamed. "Again."
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