Cassian sighed, clearly realizing that arguing wouldn't get him anywhere. "You really don't care, do you?"
"No," Lindarion said. "Not at all."
Cassian shook his head, muttering sothing under his breath before stabbing his food with his fork.
Luneth finally spoke. "It was handled efficiently."
'So she saw it as well?'
Lindarion raised an eyebrow as Cassian shot her a look. "That's not the point."
Luneth blinked. "Isn't it?"
Cassian gave up.
The conversation—or what little of it there was—died again. The three of them returned to eating, lost in their own thoughts.
Then—
A tray suddenly slamd down on the table beside them.
Lindarion didn't react, but Cassian nearly jumped. Luneth barely looked up, her expression as unreadable as ever.
"Lindarion, right?"
The voice was new, but the tone was the sa as the third-years from earlier. Amused, condescending. Irritating.
Lindarion didn't even glance at the newcor as he took another bite. "Who's asking?"
The boy sitting across from them had silver hair, sharp golden eyes, and an air of entitlent that imdiately rubbed Lindarion the wrong way. His uniform was crisp, the insignia on his chest marking him as a second-year—but he just seed like a wealthy one.
The type who had never faced real consequences in his life.
He smirked. "I heard you caused so trouble earlier. Gave a few of my acquaintances a hard ti."
Lindarion finally t his gaze, unimpressed. "And?"
The boy tilted his head, as if studying him. "Just wondering if that's how you usually act. Arrogant, reckless. Making enemies before you've even had ti to settle in."
Lindarion wiped his mouth with the edge of his sleeve and set his utensils down.
Cassian tensed beside him. Luneth simply watched, her gaze unreadable.
"Is there a point to this conversation?" Lindarion asked.
The boy's smirk widened. "Not really. Just thought I'd introduce myself. Nathaniel Veyre. You'll probably be hearing my na a lot."
Lindarion didn't respond.
Nathaniel leaned forward slightly, resting his elbow on the table. "A little advice, from soone who actually understands how things work here. You might be strong, but strength alone doesn't matter at this academy. You're new. You don't have connections. That makes you vulnerable."
Lindarion arched his brow. "Is that a threat?"
Nathaniel chuckled. "It's a warning."
Lindarion stared at him for a long mont. Then, slowly, he leaned forward as well, his voice lowering just slightly.
"I don't care. I'm not scared of you or your little friends either."
Nathaniel's smirk twitched.
Lindarion tilted his head. "You want to act like you run this place? Fine. I won't stop you. But if you co to , looking for trouble…" His voice remained calm, but the air around them grew heavy. "Then don't expect to just let it slide."
Nathaniel's expression didn't change, but his fingers twitched slightly. He felt it. The pressure. The subtle warning beneath Lindarion's words.
The tension stretched for another mont. Then—
Nathaniel exhaled a quiet laugh. "Interesting." He pushed himself back from the table, standing smoothly. "You're different from the usual first-years. I'll give you that."
He turned to leave, but paused just a step away.
"Oh," he added, glancing back. "You might want to watch your back. Just a thought."
Lindarion didn't respond as Nathaniel walked away.
Cassian let out a breath he'd apparently been holding. "Yeah. So. That was… sothing."
Luneth took a sip of her drink. "You attract attention easily."
'Seriously..?'
Lindarion sighed, pushing his tray aside as he looked at Luneth.. "I didn't plan to attract this kind of attention. I hate people like them.
Cassian groaned. "You and both."
Lindarion leaned back slightly, crossing his arms as he watched Nathaniel disappear into the crowd.
He hadn't been at the academy long, but one thing was already clear—
'This place is going to be a little annoying.'
Cassian cleared his throat. "A-Anyways, our next class is Mana Studies with Professor Nyx Astrel.."
'…who the hell is that..?'
Lindarion didn't have a single clue about who she was…but he couldn't even be bothered about it right now.
—
The three of them stepped into the classroom, and Lindarion imdiately noted how bare it was.
No extravagant decorations, no unnecessary frills—just rows of desks, heavy black-and-white curtains draping over the tall windows, and a single massive chalkboard at the front with a ginormous table..
'So it's just like our own classroom. The only difference is… more seats.'
Lindarion slipped into the back row, Luneth wordlessly following suit. Cassian hesitated for a second before sitting beside him, a small, uncertain smile on his face.
He probably doesn't know many people yet.
Lindarion glanced at him before looking away.
'Not that I do either.'
The people he did know… well, he didn't exactly have the best mories with them.
'Except Luneth.'
Luneth, as always, sat perfectly straight, staring ahead with that blank, ghost-like expression, as if she weren't really there.
More students began pouring in, filling up the seats, until the classroom buzzed with conversation. Everyone sat. Everyone waited.
And waited.
And then—
A familiar figure strode into the room.
Lindarion's stomach dropped.
'Oh, you've got to be kidding .'
The woman's erald-green eyes glead like sunlight filtering through a dense forest, her long, jet-black hair tied up neatly. The faint reflection of daylight bounced off her thin-rimd glasses as she smiled at the class.
'So her na is Nyx Astrel.'
The woman from the tenth tent.
Nyx cleared her throat lightly before addressing the students.
"Well then," she said, her voice smooth, amused. "Let's begin."
Her sharp gaze flicked over the students, scanning them as if ntally checking off nas.
She stopped.
"…Jack Valerian?"
No response.
Nyx turned her attention to Vivienne, who simply shrugged.
"Not here."
Nyx humd in acknowledgnt, clearly unfazed.
"Well, that's a problem, then. I'll report it to your horoom teacher."
She set her notes down on the desk, then strode toward the board with unhurried confidence.
"Today, we begin with Mana Cores."
Nyx moved like a shadow, her robe flowing behind her as she stepped into the center of the room.
She clasped her hands behind her back, her gaze flickering between the students.
"Magic without control," she said softly, "is chaos. And chaos without understanding is weakness."
Her voice wasn't loud, but sohow, everyone heard her.
"All of you possess mana. But possessing sothing and wielding it properly are two entirely different things. So tell …"
She tilted her head, eyes narrowing slightly.
"What is a Mana Core?"
The class remained silent for a mont before a hand slowly lifted.
Nikolai.
He hesitated, then said, "…I-It's where magic cos from?"
Nyx let out a quiet breath through her nose. It wasn't exactly a sigh—more like a mix of mild disappointnt and amusent.
"A half-truth."
She flicked her fingers.
A ripple of dark energy shimred through the air. In the next instant, a glowing orb of swirling violet and indigo materialized in front of her.
It pulsed—slow, steady, like a heartbeat.
"A Mana Core," she said, her voice steady, "is the heart of a mage's magic. It is not rely a source—but a vessel, a refinery. It absorbs raw mana, purifies it, strengthens it."
The orb dimd slightly as she twisted her fingers, shrinking to the size of a marble.
"A weak core," she murmured, "ans limited mana."
Then, with a flick of her wrist, the orb expanded—doubling, tripling in size, swirling like a small storm.
"A strong core," she continued, eyes gleaming, "is what separates mages from legends."
The class leaned forward slightly, drawn in by the display.
Lindarion's eyes narrowed slightly.
'The amount of control she has…is insane.'
Cassian and Luneth remained silent, watching with rapt attention.
Nyx let the orb hover for a mont before closing her fingers. The energy collapsed in on itself—silent, seamless, gone.
She turned back to the class, continuing as if nothing had happened.
"Your Mana Core is not static. It can be strengthened, refined, expanded. And there are three ways to do so."
She held up a single, slender finger.
"One—Mana Circulation. A disciplined mage cycles mana through their body, refining and expanding their core over ti. This can also be done through ditation. However, what about those who do not do this?"
She smiled, the curve of her lips almost playful.
"They stay weak. Forever."
A second finger rose.
"Two—External Boosters. Potions, relics, artifacts. So rely on these. They may work—temporarily. But what happens when you remove the crutch?"
A third and final finger.
"Three—Experience. The simplest, yet the hardest. Your Mana Core grows when pushed to its limits. Combat, real-life application—pressure forces it to adapt."
She lowered her hand.
Her gaze swept across the classroom once more, her tone light yet firm.
"So of you will grow stronger." A small pause. "So of you will not."
She smiled.
"That is magic. And that… is reality."
'Interesting, I actually like this class so far.'
Lindarion thought as a heavy silence followed Nyx's words.
Then, Nyx turned, chalk in hand, and wrote sothing on the board in elegant, sharp strokes.
"Now, let's discuss core ranks—and why most of you will struggle to reach the top."
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