The second week of classes.

It was a long weekend, but classes had finally started again. 

According to what Clara said about classes, the second week should have a more hands-on approach to the materials. Despite that, though, I found myselves doing basic theory lessons once more.

I didn’t know what I expected to be honest. Both of our first classes for this week, History and Law, were theoretical classes. So, I just suck up the boredom and continued jotting down notes that, admittedly, I probably didn’t need.

I kept my posture up as Carine, writing every note as they were written into the board, my eyes following the instructor’s hands, trying to write the words before she would, as a form of a game to fight the boredom.

As Feyt, I had no choice but to appear as though I was paying attention. The instructor was still as strict as she was last week, so clearly this was just her natural state.

The bell finally released me from boredom. I could audibly hear the sighs of relief from the students around me.

In Carine’s classroom, Eveliana, Lionne, and I got up from our seats. We were about to head for the cafeteria when Lionne excused herself.

“Sorry! I have an appointment with friends! But don’t worry! I have a few of my other friends reserve the tables for you! Just look out for the girl with a red flower pin on her uniform!”

And with that, she left with a beaming smile, disappearing from our view when she turned down the hall.

Even when she was busy, she would make sure I would get my seat. How dedicated can one person be?

In Feyt’s classroom, Attila groaned, stretching her back. “Man, we have to research seventeen categories?! Don’t tell me we’ll have to look them up in the library ourselves…”

“I’m afraid so,” I said, getting ready to get up.

“Ah, man…” Attila complained, ready to leave the classroom as well. 

Although there weren’t any practical classes for now, I didn’t let that let me down. After all, I was anticipating something else, or rather, someone. The arrival of a certain student who, if all went well, would be in his classes already. 

Of course, I was talking about Ricent.

Nearly everyone who passed the Standardized Track exams was a person who lived and was raised in towns or had minor interactions with aristocrats at least, and so far, none of them had stepped too far yet, or at least I hadn’t heard any scandals.

But Ricent, like me, came from a place where we didn’t have much in terms of education or proper noble etiquette. The only reason he got into the academy was because of his Magical Talent. I was worried he might anger the wrong person if he went too far.

I thought he would be moving in at the weekends, but I didn’t get the chance to see him, and it wouldn’t be until the end of my classes for the day that I would I have the chance to meet him again, so, for now, there was nothing to do but for both of us to head for the cafeteria and just pray for the best.

—

As Attila and I were walking towards the cafeteria with our empty lunchboxes at the ready, since earning a seat there as commoners was still a pipedream, I overheard a rather loud yelp like a cat shrieking, then followed by a commotion.

The noise grew louder with each step we took, and eventually, it was loud enough that even Attila picked up on it.

“What’s going on over there?” she asked.

We didn’t waste any time heading toward the source of the noise. A small crowd had formed around a pair of figures. 

One was a young woman in a white academy uniform, a red band wrapped around her sleeve. Her long black hair was styled into sleek twintails, her chin raised, and her arms crossed as she scowled at the person in front of her.

That person was a young man with shoulder-length brown hair and matching eyes, dressed in a dark academy uniform with a long blazer that resembled a cloak. Despite the tension in the air, he wore a confident, almost oblivious, smile.

I immediately recognized that student.

Ricent?!

Isn’t he supposed to be in class right now?!

“How many times do I have to tell you… Address me properly already!” the female student barked. “You don’t truly expect to walk in our academy without proper manners, do you?!”

Ricent scratched the back of his head, his smile wavering just a little. “I was just… asking for directions though…”

“Huh?!” she scoffed. “You call insulting me ‘asking for directions’?!”

“Wait, wait.” Ricent backed up a step, lifting both hands in surrender. “I really wasn’t trying to insult you. I just wanted to ask something, you know?”

“Then do it with proper manners!!” she snapped. “Just because you’re a mage doesn’t mean you can’t just go and grab my shoulders all of a sudden! Do you even know who I am?!”

“Do I?” Ricent blinked once, seemingly deep in thought. “Sorry, I don’t think I know you…?” he said almost apologetically.

That seemed to irk her even more.

She drew in a sharp breath and stepped back, placing a hand over her chest as she fixed him with a sharp glare.

“That explains a lot,” she said coldly. “Listen carefully. I am Talia Taseid, the first daughter of Count Taseid and the current Secretary of the Student Council!” She raised her chin once more, almost looking down on him. “As a member of the council, I expect respect, especially from someone like you. Do you understand?!”

Ricent’s eyes widened as if he had realized something. “Ah, I see! It must be because I haven’t introduced myself! It’s nice to meet you, Talia! My name is—”

“It’s Lady Taseid to you, you mongrel! How dense can you be?!”

I pinched the bridge of my nose.

I need to step in, now. Ricent’s digging himself an even deeper grave every second, and I couldn’t just stand back and do nothing about it.

Just as Talia opened her mouth to unleash another verbal barrage, I stepped forward from the edge of the crowd.

“Sorry to interrupt!” I said with a friendly smile as I slipped between them. “I assure you, he didn’t mean anything by it. I’ll tell him to be more careful next time, so let’s just call it even for now, okay?”

The hallway went quiet.

Talia’s eyes snapped towards me, her scowl deepening even more the instant she saw me. For a moment, I braced myself for another verbal explosion, but instead, she stopped.

Her gaze lingered on me, still a sharp glare.

“…You’re Feyt, aren’t you?”

I was caught off guard. I didn’t expect to be called by name by her.

“Huh? Yeah, that’s me…”

She continued to stare at me in silence, the air turning weirdly colder every second.

Then, she clicked her tongue and folded her arms tighter. 

“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” she said coolly. “Just because you’ve managed to earn favors from certain people, doesn’t mean you’re untouchable.”

I let out a silent sigh, knowing exactly what she was talking about.

“I’ll keep that in mind… thanks.”

Without another word, she turned on her heel and walked away, her twintails swaying as the crowd quickly parted for her. Within seconds, the hallway began to empty, their murmurs still audible to me as students returned to whatever they’d been doing.

Only when she was gone did I finally let out a breath.

“Man… that was close.”

“Feyt!!!”

Something slammed into my back, pushing the air out of me.

Arms wrapped around my shoulders as Ricent pulled me into a tight hug from behind.

“I miss you, man! I haven’t seen you in days!”

“H-Hey, cut it out!” I protested, peeling off his arms slightly. “We’re in the middle of the hallway here!”

He tightened his hold for a moment before finally letting go.

A soft chuckle came from beside me.

“So this is the friend you talk about?” Attila asked, looking Ricent up and down. “Wow… so he really is in the mages’ class.”

I rolled my shoulder to make sure nothing was dislocated. “Yeah, this is Ricent, a friend from back home.”

“Nice to meet you!” Ricent said immediately with a grin. “The name’s Ricent, Feyt’s first ever friend!”

“Nice to meet you, too! I’m Attila, Feyt’s classmate!” she said with a smile. Then, her eyes narrowed in anticipation. “If the chance comes up, would you spar with me sometime? I’ve always wanted to know what it’s like to fight a mage!”

“Hm? Oh, sure, no problem!”

Attila is really into finding sparring partners, isn’t she?

“…Wait,” I said, turning to Ricent. “Why are you even here right now? Aren’t you supposed to be in class?”

His grin faltered.

“Ah well… about that…”

My stomach sank. “…What is it?”

“Well,” Ricent said slowly, scratching the back of his head. “I would be in class… if only I knew where this ‘class’ was,” he said, pulling out his personal guidebook.

A quick glance told me everything I needed to know.

The location was in the same arena I saw Mirabelle attending her class last time, the Royal Knights’ Arena. The guidebook also told the time and duration of his classes, and the moment I saw it—

“You’re already late by an hour?!” I said aloud.

“Yep! That’s why I’ve been looking for help, haha!” He chuckled lightheartedly.

“This is no time for jokes! You’re gonna piss off the instructors if you’re this late! Listen, go north! Go all the way there, and you’ll see a huge arena with a carved sword over the entrance. You can’t miss it!”

“Ohhh!” His eyes lit up. “Yeah, that does sound familiar. By the way, wanna grab something to eat later—”

“Just go! We’ll talk later—hurry!”

“Alright, alright!” Ricent laughed, already taking off. “I’ll see you after class!”

He waved energetically before disappearing around the corner.

I let out a long sigh once the hallway finally emptied.

It wasn’t exactly how I’d imagined meeting Ricent again after so long, but still, seeing him here, finally enrolled, made something in my chest feel lighter. At least he’d arrived safely. Late, lost, and causing trouble, sure, but he was here.

Attila had stopped walking completely.

“…If he leads with a spell, then dodging and closing the distance would be the winning move, right? Maybe I should ask Feyt more since he fought a mage before…” she mumbled to herself, deep in thought.

I couldn’t believe it, but she was already sparring Ricent in her mind. But, making acquaintances with a mage was a pretty rare feat, so I wouldn’t blame her for seeing the opportunity to expand her horizons.

As we started moving again, a thought crossed my mind.

With Ricent here, and everything else going on, maybe it was time I started taking my own training more seriously, too. Relying on classes alone was starting to sound less and less likely.

Yeah…

It was probably time to start things at my own pace again.

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