After spending a week in the dungeon, pushing ourselves to reach the huh floor, our exploration had to be put on hold. The new semester at the Magic Academy had begun.

  Luckily, Lilli, Alex, Elnora, and I were assigo the same css. Unluckily... so was a.

  "Here, here! Css!" A woman's voice carried through the study hall, warm yet anding enough to break through the chatter.

  Students turheir heads as a piece of chalk twirled in the air, guided by invisible mana. It began writing on the board i, flowiers.

  "Wele to Magic 301! I am your professor, Ms. Adeline."

  Ms. Adeline, an elven sorceress, stood before us with an air of effortless grace. She wore a deep green schor’s coat with matg boots, her crimson-red hair casg over her shoulders, framing her sharp, yet kind, browhis was my first time being taught by an elf—something about her presence made it clear that she was leagues beyond an ordinary magi.

  Beside me, Lilli, Alex, and Elnora listened ily as she began her lecture.

  "Today, we will trast and pare different magic cssifications." She gestured slightly, and the chalk danced along the board, sketg symbols and diagrams.

  "First, Lehav's magic—wielded by spellbdes—relies on yered entments. These spells are embedded into the bde itself, requiring only a simple intation to activate. In trast, Le Lidber magic requires no intation at all. Instead, it involves directly eling mana into an object."

  To demonstrate, she flicked her finger, her mana fring just slightly as a’s book lifted from her desk.

  "Excuse me, a—I mean, Princess—I’ll be borrowing this." Ms. Adeline’s voice carried a teasing edge as she levitated the book, only to drop it with an exaggerated motion. a huffed, crossing her arms, while the rest of the css stifled ughter.

  "As you see, Le Lidber magic is about eling one’s mana effitly. If you wish to bee a stronger spellbde or sorcerer, mastering new spells and expanding your mana capacity is crucial."

  Lilli raised her hand. "What about spirit magic, ma’am?"

  Ms. Adeline paused, tapping her thoughtfully.

  "Oh? Now that’s an iing question, dear. Spirit magic is still rgely unstudied, though ongoing research seeks to uand its ins. Unlike elemental or are magic, spirit magic seems to fun by f a boween the caster and aernal force… but that is a topic for another day." She smiled warmly.

  "Any other questions, css?"

  From the back of the room, a boy raised his hand. "Ma’am!" he called out eagerly.

  "Yes?" she respourning her gaze toward him.

  "What about magic creation? Using magic te physical objects?"

  The css murmured with curiosity. Magic creation was a field shrouded in mystery—ohat many believed was close to the realm of gods.

  Ms. Adeline’s smile widened as if she had been waiting for someoo ask.

  "Ah… now that is a fasating topic."

  She let out a ugh. "I suppose it's possible," she began to write. "However, only the King of Idelia possess that power."

  She then turo the board at the front of the css and tinued writing. "As you tell, the King or Queen of Idelia has power over mana itself within the kingdom. However," she paused, "some presume that even his lineage has the potential to trol mana. Is that right, Princess?"

  a replied, "Indeed." She tinued, "However, this is something you should have already learned in your first year during history."

  Ms. Adeline nodded. "We did?" I thought. "I must have skipped or dozed off."

  I gnced over at Elnora. Her eyes lit up as the professor tio discuss the basic history of Idelia. I spoke to her telepathically. You seem excited. I fot you weren't here with us during our first year.

  Elnora replied, Yeah... I read some about our history, but hearing the professor speak about it intrigues me.

  I'm gd learning it makes you happy. Perhaps you help me with my history studies sometime.

  I would like that, she replied.

  I looked over at her; she blushed slightly as she tio listen to the professor.

  "Furthermore, sihe Kingdom of Idelia was divided during the Great War of Divide, we are now split into multiple nations: the Nation of Idelia, Pierre Noir, Lebanon, and Lowin. Each of the four nations possesses its own sigil users, otherwise known as heroes. However, that will be a topic we discuss in a ter css," she said, shifting the subject.

  She tio ramble on about magid grimoires, g they "hold the key to a spells." After what felt like ay, css finally ended.

  I met up with the others outside.

  "Man, our professor sure does talk a lot," Alex groaned, rubbing his head. "I'm so used to Professor Redwood taking smoke breaks betweeures." He chuckled.

  "Since we're in our third year now, aren't we supposed to have dual professors?" Lilli asked.

  "Oh, that's right!" Elnora added, eyes widening.

  "Yeah, that means we'll have two professors per semester instead of just one," I said. "I wonder who our one will be."

  As we entered our css, we quickly realized it was a mixed group—third and fourth-year students together.

  "Oh, some new faces," Alex mused, smiling as he took a seat at a front desk. Lilli and Elnora followed behind us.

  Just as we were gettiled, a familiar figure walked into the room. her than Prince Lucas himself.

  Wait… I thought he was studying abroad?

  "Oh! It seems the gods have blessed me with the opportunity to share a css with you four," he said, smiling widely. "I'm truly grateful to have this ce to get to know you better."

  The girls in the css were immediately captivated, their eyes locked onto him like he was some kind of exotiimal. But Lilli and Elnora remained unimpressed.

  Lucas took a seat three rows behind us as the filled with chatter.

  "I wonder who our professor will be," Alex mused.

  "I hope it's Professor Redwood," Lilli added, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

  Suddenly, a stout man with gsses ehe doorway. He was a dwarf with a slight limp, a thick brown beard, and u hair. He wore a metal helmet and overalls, looking more like a bcksmith than a professor.

  With a sigh, he stepped to the front of the room.

  Then, without warning, he pulled out a hammer and smmed it onto the desk.

  "Quiet now! Quiet!"

  The room fell silent instantly.

  "I am Professor—HEY, YOU!" He jabbed a fi me.

  I blinked. "Me?"

  "You'd make a fine demonstration for today's lesson. e on, boy! Stand up here." He grinned.

  Relutly, I got to my feet and walked over as he tinued his introdu.

  "I am Professor Norfock!"

  A snicker came from the back.

  "Pffft—Nor FOCK," someone whispered.

  The professor's eyes so the source of the voice.

  "WHO SAID THAT?!" he bellowed, smming his hammer against the desk again. The entire room went dead silent.

  "That's what I thought." He cleared his throat. "I’ll be your temporary substitute since your perma professor is out. So, you’re stuck with me for a while. Suck it up." He let out a raspy cackle.

  Alex and Lilli exged amused gnces.

  "I’ll be teag you spellbde teiques and history," Norfock tinued. "Sihis is a dual-course css, I expect discipline. Any trouble, and I’ll throw my hammer at you."

  Another she professre alone was enough to sile.

  "Alright, boy. What’s your name?" He turo me.

  "Uh… Ryn Ashford."

  Norfock's face lit up. "OH! You’re Irwin’s boy? HA! Great!" He let out another loud cackle before dropping his heavy suitcase onto the desk and flipping it open.

  Inside were—more hammers. And… was that a gss of beer?

  Without hesitation, he picked up the beer and took a long swig, right in front of the entire css.

  Oh great. We went from a smoking addict to an alcoholic, I thought to myself.

  Alex and Lilli stifled their ughter as we watched the professor down half the gss.

  "Alright!" He gasped for air, smming the empty bottle onto the desk. "Ashford boy here will be a fine demonstration! I’ll show you hoellbde’s on is aension of their will."

  Wait. What?

  "We’re heading to the practice range!" Norfonounced. "I’ll spar with him first, then fight every single one of you to assess your skills."

  He grabbed his beer, took another swig, and started walking out of the room, waving us all to follow.

  ?Oh, this is going to be iing.?

  As the css and I approached the open field, Mr. Norfock stood in the ter, surrounded by fehe rest of the css gathered at a safe distance, watg from afar. I stood forty feet away from him, gripping my standard iron spellbde and pointing it in his dire. Norfock, holding a hammer in one hand and a gss of beer iher, gri me.

  "Alright, kid! Spells only, no bdes!" he bellowed before downing the beer in one gulp.

  I sighed. "I guess I'll have to tone down my abilities—I don't want to hur—"

  Before I could finish my thought, the grouh me erupted. Jagged rocks shot upward, and I barely dodged them in time.

  "What?! Rapid spellcasting?!"

  Norfock smirked as he raised thick stone walls around the field, cealing himself. However, I could still sense his mana. What was he pnning? I tightened my grip on my spellbde and took aim at the barriers.

  I couldn't risk using spells that would damage my sword, so I o keep my attacks simple. I methodically tore through each wall, but suddenly, Norfock burst through the rubble, charging forward at full speed. He crashed through another wall, then another, making it impossible to track his movements—until he finally emerged, hammer raised high.

  "Lightning Blitza!" he roared.

  Electricity surged around him as he desded at terrifying speed. The impact shook the earth, sending shockwaves rippling across the field. I leapt into the air just in time, avoiding the bst.

  "Argos!" I called out, ung a slow-moving purple orb toward him.

  Norfock deflected it with his hammer, but I had already summoned more. My sword began to crader the strai I tihe assault, sending a barrage os spells in his dire. Norfock ughed drunkenly as he swung his hammer, swatting away the orbs.

  "Hah! Is that all ya got?!"

  I ched my teeth. My sword shattered, but I no longer . Without intation, I summoned another wave os orbs. They circled Norfo midair before striking him from all sides. His movements slowed dramatically—ten times slower than before. He barely mao lift his head as I desded.

  "Is the match over, Professor?" I asked.

  "Y... yes..." he muttered sluggishly.

  I snapped my fingers. "Dispel."

  The effey spell dissipated, including his intoxication. The css erupted into cheers.

  "Good stuff, buddy!" Alex shouted. Lilli and Elnora cpped enthusiastically. Lucas simply watched, a sinister smile creeping onto his lips.

  Norfock staggered to his feet, rubbing his head. "Well, kid, you bested me... you're as rough as your father," he chuckled, shaking off the dust. "So, what was that lesson for?" I asked, slightly annoyed.

  "Lesson?" Norfock scratched his head. "Oh... yeah. Between you and me... I just wao spar." He let out a snicker.

  The css groaned. "Alright, now it's your turn!" Norfonounced, burping loudly.

  One by ohe students faced him. Some were quickly defeated, while others mao put up a fight. Elnora, Lilli, and Alex all emerged victorious, proving their strength. Then came Lucas’s turn.

  Lucas stepped fripping his spear. Norfock smirked, summoning his hammer as they exged spell attacks. I watched alongside Alex, Lilli, and Elnora.

  "Eveired, the legendary General Norfock still fights like he's otlefield," Alex murmured.

  "What do you mean?" I asked.

  Lilli gave me a look of surprise. "You didn’t know, Ryn?"

  Elnora and I exged fused gnces as Alex tinued. "Mr. Norfock is the feneral of Lebanon, the nd of the dwarves and followers of Ahe god of war."

  My eyes widened. "This drunkard professor... is a general?!"

  "Hard to believe, right?" Alex grinned. "But yeah, he's as tough as dragon scales."

  I scoffed, turning my attention back to the fight. Norfock summoone spikes, but Lucas effortlessly shattered them as his yellow mana fred. He advanced, defleg every attack with his spear.

  "Leaf Division," Lucas whispered.

  His spear released vines, burrowing into the ground and rapidly ensnaring Norfock. The professor flexed his muscles, attempting to break free.

  "You think that’s gonna hold me down, boy?" Norfock ughed, summoning more rock magic. The ground rumbled as boulders hurtled toward Lucas, but he remained unfazed.

  Then, something ged.

  Vines surged up from beh Norfock, glowing a dark yellow. He struggled, his spell interrupted. I noticed a faint glow on Lucas’s neck, partially cealed by makeup.

  "He’s a sigil holder..." I whispered to myself.

  "I’m done here," Lucas said coldly, turning his ba Norfock. Disgusted.

  "You let go now," Elnora said, stepping forward.

  Lucas hesitated befng at her. Theurned his gaze toward me, a sinister smile pying on his lips.

  "I was merely teag him a lesson. But very well."

  A lesson? I thought. Isn’t that the point of this exercise?

  As Lucas walked away, Elnora and I approached Norfock. The professor slowly rose to his feet. "Are you okay?" Elnora asked.

  For a moment, we couldn't see his face. Then—he burst into ughter.

  "Ahh, that was a helluva fight! Been a long time since I got tossed around like that! Hahaha!" He hiccupped, his face slightly flushed.

  I sighed. "He's drunk again…"

  "Alright, css dismissed! Or whatever!" Norfock waved us off, still chug to himself.

  I turned away with a groan. "This css is going to be a headache…"

  Act 2 - 22. School Politibsp;