The third day at Astryx Academy began much like the previous one.
Students hurried through the academy grounds, carrying books and magical tools as they rushed toward their classes.
The excitement of arriving at the academy had started to settle, replaced by the reality of lessons, assignments, and endless studying.
For most students, this was expected.
For Aren, however, the academy remained a mystery.
Not because of the lessons.
Not because of the students.
But because strange things continued happening around him.
The incidents had stopped becoming simple coincidences.
The broken registration badge.
The assessment crystal.
The shattered practice sphere.
The cracked relic hidden within the Hall of Relics.
Each event seemed connected somehow.
Unfortunately, he had no idea how.
As he entered his morning class, he pushed those thoughts aside.
There were more immediate concerns.
Specifically, surviving today’s magical theory lecture.
Professor Selene stood before the classroom as students settled into their seats.
A series of glowing symbols floated behind her.
“Today’s lesson concerns mana pathways.”
Several students immediately groaned.
The topic had a terrible reputation among first-years.
It was considered one of the most difficult foundations of magical theory.
Professor Selene ignored the complaints.
“Understanding mana pathways is essential for advanced spellcasting.”
She waved her hand.
A complex diagram appeared in the air.
Hundreds of glowing lines connected dozens of magical nodes.
Some students looked confused instantly.
Others looked horrified.
Aren simply stared.
The diagram seemed strangely familiar.
He wasn’t sure why.
Professor Selene began explaining.
“Mana does not travel randomly through a spell structure.”
She pointed toward one section.
“It follows specific routes.”
The glowing lines shifted.
“Incorrect routing causes instability.”
Several students nodded.
Others frantically wrote notes.
The lecture continued for nearly an hour.
As expected, many students struggled.
Even talented nobles appeared confused by some of the concepts.
When the lesson finally ended, relieved sighs filled the classroom.
Professor Selene gathered her notes.
Before leaving, she paused.
“There will be an optional tutoring circle after classes.”
Immediately several students perked up.
The professor continued.
“Those who require additional assistance are encouraged to attend.”
Then she left.
The room erupted into conversation.
By lunchtime, discussion about the tutoring circle had spread throughout the first-year classes.
Some students viewed it as an opportunity.
Others viewed it as an embarrassing admission that they needed help.
Aren wasn’t sure which category he belonged to.
“What do you think?”
The voice came from beside him.
Mira had appeared once again.
She carried a stack of books under one arm.
“The tutoring circle?” Aren asked.
She nodded.
“Are you going?”
“Probably.”
Mira looked surprised.
“You struggled with today’s lesson?”
Aren laughed.
“Everyone struggled.”
“Fair point.”
The two continued walking toward the cafeteria.
Since their conversation the previous day, speaking together had become surprisingly natural.
At least for Aren.
Mira still occasionally gave him those strange analytical looks.
As though she was trying to understand something hidden beneath the surface.
Fortunately, she didn’t mention it today.
Instead, they discussed classes and professors.
For a little while, everything felt normal.
The tutoring circle was held in one of the academy’s smaller lecture halls.
By the time Aren arrived, nearly thirty students had gathered.
Some sat in groups.
Others reviewed notes.
Professor Selene stood at the front.
“Welcome.”
Her gaze swept across the room.
“The purpose of this circle is collaborative learning.”
Students nodded.
“We will discuss today’s lesson and solve several practical problems.”
That sounded simple enough.
Or so Aren thought.
Professor Selene raised her hand.
A massive magical diagram appeared above the classroom.
The moment students saw it, groans filled the room.
The diagram looked terrifying.
Hundreds of intersecting pathways twisted across the projection.
Complex symbols floated everywhere.
Aren blinked.
Even he found it intimidating.
Professor Selene smiled.
“Excellent.”
The students looked concerned.
“Your task is to identify the instability point.”
Silence.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Several students stared at the diagram as though hoping it would disappear.
Unfortunately, it remained exactly where it was.
Five minutes passed.
Then ten.
Still nothing.
Professor Selene folded her arms.
“No volunteers?”
The silence deepened.
Finally, one student raised a hand.
A confident noble named Victor.
“I believe the instability occurs near the fifth convergence point.”
Professor Selene examined his answer.
Then shook her head.
“Incorrect.”
Victor sat down.
Looking considerably less confident.
Another student tried.
Wrong.
Then another.
Also wrong.
Soon frustration began spreading throughout the room.
The diagram appeared impossible.
Aren continued studying the projection.
Something felt odd.
The longer he looked, the more familiar it seemed.
Not the symbols.
Not the structure.
The flow.
For some reason, he could almost predict where the pathways should connect.
It was a strange feeling.
Like remembering something he had never learned.
He frowned.
That made absolutely no sense.
Meanwhile, Professor Selene continued waiting for answers.
Eventually she sighed.
“Very well.
Since nobody can identify the instability point—”
Aren raised his hand.
The motion surprised even him.
Professor Selene stopped speaking.
“Yes, Aren?”
Every student turned toward him.
Aren immediately regretted everything.
Still, it was too late now.
“I think…
the diagram itself is wrong.”
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Several students stared.
Victor looked offended.
Professor Selene raised an eyebrow.
“Explain.”
Aren stood slowly.
His heart pounded.
“I don’t think there’s an instability point.”
The classroom remained quiet.
“The entire pathway structure is reversed.”
A few students blinked.
Professor Selene’s expression changed slightly.
For the first time, she looked interested.
Aren continued.
“The mana flow should start from the secondary core.”
He pointed toward one section.
“Not the primary convergence node.”
Several students frowned.
Trying to follow his explanation.
Aren stepped closer to the projection.
Without realizing it, he began tracing pathways through the air.
“This connection should move here.”
A glowing line shifted.
“And this route should connect through the lower channel.”
Another pathway adjusted.
Students watched in astonishment.
The diagram gradually transformed.
One correction became three.
Three became ten.
Ten became twenty.
Before long, the entire structure looked completely different.
Aren finally stepped back.
“There.”
Silence.
Professor Selene stared at the revised diagram.
Several moments passed.
Then she waved her hand.
The academy’s verification runes activated.
Golden light flowed through the structure.
The corrected pathways illuminated perfectly.
Not a single instability remained.
The entire room froze.
Even Professor Selene looked shocked.
“No way…”
One student spoke the words everyone was thinking.
The verification runes never lied.
Aren’s solution was correct.
Completely correct.
Professor Selene slowly turned toward him.
“Where did you learn that?”
Aren blinked.
“I didn’t.”
The professor’s eyes narrowed.
“Mana inversion theory is normally taught to fourth-year students.”
Now it was Aren’s turn to stare.
“Fourth-year?”
Several students looked at him as though he had suddenly grown another head.
Victor spoke.
“You’re saying you solved an advanced fourth-year problem?”
Aren felt his stomach drop.
Apparently he had.
Without realizing it.
Professor Selene examined the corrected diagram again.
Then Aren.
Then the diagram.
Her expression became increasingly thoughtful.
Finally she spoke.
“Interesting.”
For some reason, that word had become Aren’s least favorite word at the academy.
Every strange event seemed to end with someone calling him interesting.
The tutoring circle ended shortly afterward.
Unfortunately, news traveled quickly.
Very quickly.
By dinner, students across multiple classes were discussing the event.
“The new student solved a fourth-year theory problem.”
“I heard even Professor Selene was surprised.”
“They say he corrected the entire diagram.”
Most stories became increasingly exaggerated.
One version claimed Aren had rewritten ancient magical laws.
Another claimed he was secretly a genius scholar.
Aren wished both stories would disappear forever.
He sat alone at dinner, hoping to avoid attention.
A familiar figure approached.
Mira.
She placed her tray on the table and sat down.
For several moments she said nothing.
Then—
“You solved it.”
Aren groaned.
“Not you too.”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
Mira studied him.
“The theory problem was advanced.”
“Apparently.”
“You really didn’t learn it before?”
“No.”
Mira remained silent.
Aren could practically see her thinking.
Analyzing.
Connecting pieces.
Finally she spoke.
“Then how did you solve it?”
Aren opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
Because he genuinely didn’t know.
The answer had simply felt obvious.
As though the diagram had been wrong in a way only he could see.
Which sounded ridiculous.
Eventually he shrugged.
“I don’t know.”
For once, Mira seemed unable to find an explanation either.
That night, long after most students had returned to their dormitories, a meeting took place within the academy’s highest tower.
Several professors sat around a circular table.
Professor Selene stood among them.
“The report is accurate.”
She placed a crystal recording on the table.
Golden light projected the tutoring circle’s events.
The professors watched Aren reconstruct the advanced theory diagram.
When the recording ended, silence filled the room.
An elderly professor spoke first.
“Impossible.”
“Yet it happened.”
Another professor leaned forward.
“The boy possesses no recorded advanced education.”
“Correct.”
“Then how did he solve it?”
Nobody answered.
Because nobody knew.
The academy headmaster gazed at the recording.
His expression remained unreadable.
“The relic awakens.”
He tapped the table.
“Artifacts react to his presence.”
Another tap.
“And now he demonstrates knowledge he should not possess.”
The room grew quiet.
Finally, the headmaster stood.
“Continue observing him.”
“Do we intervene?”
“No.”
The headmaster looked toward the distant dormitories visible through the tower window.
“For now, we wait.”
Far below, Aren slept peacefully in his room.
Completely unaware that every day brought new questions.
Questions even the academy’s greatest scholars could not answer.
And somewhere deep beneath Astryx Academy, hidden in forgotten chambers untouched for centuries, ancient seals continued to weaken.
As if something long asleep had begun to recognize his presence.
Something waiting to awaken.