Now that I finally had access to the restricted sections, there was no need to sneak around anymore. Besides, trying to decode those magic seals in the dead of night had been exhausting though I couldn't deny the thrill of tampering with the barriers. Still, it paid off. I'd learned exactly how those barriers were crafted, and now I could create them myself. A win-win, no matter how you look at it.
All that was left now was to return to my room which, in all fairness, would be awkward considering the situation. I had no idea how I was supposed to address that situation. Couldn't I ignore it, pretend it never happened, and bury it six feet under? Problem solved. Yet, no matter how hard I tried to push it aside, the Headmaster's words lingered in my mind: "Try to trust."
I let out a loud sigh. "Do I really have to?" Still, with reluctant fingers, I pushed the door open. For the past month, I'd only returned once Vivian was asleep. I'd hoped tonight would be no different but that hope shattered the moment I saw her.
She was awake. Reading.
I needed to say something, anything. "Hello… I didn't think you'd still be awake. You're usually asleep by now."
The awkwardness was so thick, it felt like it had settled into every corner of the room.
Vivian closed her book and stood. "I was waiting for you. Today was the last day of your suspension."
"Sit. I'll make us some tea," she added, her tone calm but unreadable.
I swallowed, my words catching for a moment. "Vivian… we need to talk."
She didn't respond right away, just glanced over her shoulder, gave a short nod, and turned toward the kettle.
The only sound in the room was the quiet trickle of tea being poured into a cup. It was maddening. I'm someone who had never been nervous in her life yet I felt it gnawing through my bones.
I had to tell her. No rip the bandage off in one go, before it festered into something worse.
Vivian…Her name pressed against my lips, but hesitation strangled it. It's now or never.
I stood, bowing my head. "I'm sorry. The day we met… it was all an act," I blurted. "A lie. Because of my nature, I have a hard time trusting anyone."
I expected anger. Maybe for her to lash out. But she only sipped her tea in silence.
Say something. Anything. The air grew heavier with each second. Finally, she set the cup down.
"I knew from the start you were lying," she said calmly. "I just decided to go along with it."
"What…? My mind reeled. How?" There's no way she couldn't have that artifact. It's impossible to get."
"You should see the look on your face," she laughed, the sound rich and unrestrained. And I could only stare, dumbfoundedly.
"You probably don't remember, but we've met before."
"We… did? When?"
"Do you remember saving a group of kids from slave traders a few years ago? The older ones from nearby villages took the younger ones home, but I was the only one who couldn't go back alone. You told me you'd take me home, no matter what happened."
A flicker of memory, blood on the dirt, the smell of fire, my voice telling a trembling child, 'I'll get you home.'
"We stayed together for a few months," Vivian went on. "We were the same age, yet you reassured me every single day."
More fragments bled through, her small hands clutching mine in the dark, the cold nights we spent under tattered blankets, my blade always within reach.
Then it hit me in full she was that girl. The one who had stayed with me back when I was a mercenary.
"I still remember what you told me," she said softly, fiddling with her hands. 'Don't trust anyone else but yourself.' When you said it… You looked like you were in pain. Like loneliness had carved itself into your eyes."
And in that moment, I realized she had seen far more of me than I had ever wanted anyone to.
"When I saw you at the orientation, giving that speech… I knew it was you—the one who saved me," she said. "I'm eternally grateful for what you did, for reuniting me with my family. I wanted to return the favour, to help you in any way I could… but I didn't know how."
Her eyes lit with quiet joy. "So when the opportunity came, I followed you here. My heart told me I'd find you again."
She smiled, the kind that carried both warmth and resolve. "And now, here we are roommates again. But this time, we'll be standing as equals and I'll be the one protecting you."
Her words should have felt comforting, reassuring, even. But instead, something in my chest twisted. Protection was a double-edged blade. I'd spent years making sure no one had to shield me, years building walls high enough that no one could even try.
And now, here she was, promising to stand between me and danger.
I forced a small smile. Not knowing how to accept her kindness.
"It's okay," she said softly, but her gaze didn't waver. "I'm not asking you to accept it now. We can move forward, however, you need one step at a time."
The silence that followed wasn't heavy like before. It was… different. Lighter, yet laced with something I couldn't quite name.
For the first time in a long while, I wasn't sure whether to push someone away or take a step closer.
Morning came quietly, the pale light slipping through the curtains, cutting across the floor. Vivian was already awake, humming softly as she brewed tea.
I paused at the doorway, watching her for a moment. It wasn't the same strained silence from before there was something easier about it now, though I wasn't sure if that was because she'd changed or because I had.
"Tea?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder.
"Yeah," I said, crossing the room. My voice didn't sound like mine, less guarded, almost casual.
She poured me a cup without another word. No questions. No prying. Just tea.
And as I sat down, I realized that maybe, just maybe, trusting her wouldn't be the end of the world.
The first day back felt strange like stepping into a world that had kept moving without me. The corridors buzzed with chatter, footsteps, and the occasional flare of magic from overeager students.
I walked through it all with my student card tucked safely in my pocket, its new privileges humming at the back of my mind. For the past month, my world had been reduced to paperwork, restricted corridors, and Nox's infuriating smirk. Now, I have my freedom again.
Vivian fell into step beside me without asking. No teasing, no awkwardness, just her presence, steady and quiet. I didn't comment on it, but I didn't push her away either.
The day ahead promised work and questions, or possibly trouble but for the first time in a while, I didn't feel like I'd be facing it entirely alone.
"By the way," Vivian said, peeking out from behind me with her hands clasped behind her back, "we have to go to the training grounds today. Professor Esther said we'll be practicing offensive spells."
"We should hurry then. I'll finally get to see you in action."
"Don't be too shocked to see how strong I am."
"We'll see. This is coming from the kid who couldn't even go home alone," I teased.
She rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips as we headed toward the training grounds. Along the way, she filled me in on what I'd missed last month, nothing particularly noteworthy, except for how Cassian managed to get the students I'd disciplined expelled from the academy.
"Greetings, students," Professor Esther began as she arrived. "As you know, we'll be practicing offensive spells today. Since I have already taught you how to form a magic circle…" Her gaze flicked to me. "…those who haven't managed to form theirs may observe while we practice."
She was looking down on me, me as if the spells she planned to teach here could compare to what I already knew.
"You okay?" Vivian asked quietly. "She really shouldn't have put you down like that."
"I'm fine," I replied, though my voice carried a spark. "Besides, I have no interest in learning a beginner spell. No offence, but my pride won't let me just sit here quietly. I think it's time to show everyone what I can do."
"Miss Vivian," the professor called, "would you like to demonstrate a fire spell for the class?"
Before Vivian could move, I stood. "Professor, would it be possible for me to demonstrate instead?"
Her brows rose. "Miss Florence, you don't even have a magic circle. How exactly do you plan to demonstrate anything?"
"Like this."
I jumped down from the stands and walked to the center of the training grounds, the sound of my boots striking the floor echoing in the sudden hush.
The students whispered among themselves, their curiosity mixing with skepticism. Professor Esther crossed her arms, clearly expecting me to embarrass myself.
I strode to the center of the training ground, every step ringing against the stone. If I were going to do this, I'm going all out. If they were going to talk about me after this, I'd better give them something worth remembering.
I raised one hand.
Mana surged through me like a living current, sharp and exhilarating. The air thickened, A low, resonant hum rolled through the field. Threads of incandescent light unfurled from my fingertips, coiling and weaving together with meticulous precision, forming layer upon layer of complex runes and symbols.
The glowing patterns expanded into an enormous arcane diagram complex enough to make even the most advanced magic circle here look like a child's doodle. The symbols rotated slowly, each one locking into place with a satisfying click that echoed in my mind.
Then FWOOOM! an array of fire arrows materialized in the air above me. Not a handful, but dozens, each one forged from pure, concentrated mana, their flames so hot the air shimmered and warped around them. The sky itself seemed to burn with their radiance.
Gasps rippled through the stands. The spell Professor Esther planned to teach today was Fireball, a simple, slow-moving beginner attack. And yet here I stood, supposedly "unable to form a magic circle," effortlessly manifesting a formation that outclassed it a hundredfold.
"Don't be too shocked," I said, my voice carrying easily over the stunned silence. "This is just the beginning."
With a sharp flick of my wrist, the arrows shot forward in perfect unison, each one whistling through the air with deadly precision. They struck the training dummies in a rapid rhythm, exploding on impact. The blasts lit up the grounds in a cascade of roaring flame, smoke spiralling upward in twisting plumes.
When the fire cleared, there was nothing left of the dummies but scorched, molten metal and cracked stone where they'd stood.
I lowered my hand slowly, letting the last wisps of mana fade from my fingertips.
Silence blanketed the training ground. The only sound was the faint hiss of cooling stone where the flames had licked deep into the floor.
Professor Esther's eyes widened just for a heartbeat before she schooled her expression into something almost neutral. Almost. Though her tightened jaw gave her away.
Around us, the students stared, mouths hanging open. A few whispered frantically to each other, their voices carrying despite their attempts to be discreet.
"Did she just….without a magic circle?"
"That's not… that's not even academy-level magic."
"I've never seen anyone do that beside high-ranked mages."
Vivian smirked knowingly from the stands, leaning back with her arms crossed. She didn't need to say 'I told you so', it was written all over her face.
I straightened, meeting Esther's gaze without flinching. "Would you like me to try something more advanced?"
Her lips thinned. "That won't be necessary."
The words sounded calm, but the faint tremor in her voice betrayed her. She turned sharply to address the rest of the class. "Pair up and begin your practice. Now."
As the students scrambled to obey, her eyes flicked back to me. I paid her no mind; instead, I focused my attention on Vivian.
"Vivian, do you wanna—" I didn't even get to finish.
A swarm of students closed in, their voices overlapping in a flood of excitement.
"Miss Florence, that was incredible!"
"How did you do that?"
"You have to tell us please!"
I held up my hands, half amused, "That? Honestly, I hadn't planned on going that far. But my master always said, "If you're going to do something… go all out."
"All right, everyone," Vivian's voice cut through the noise as she stepped in, slipping behind me and tugging me away from the crowd. "Cecilia's my partner."
The chatter died instantly.
Vivian turned to me, a sly grin on her lips. "Now… why don't you teach me that spell?"
"Oh, that?" I shook my head without hesitation. "You can't. Your magic circle isn't the same as mine."
Her face fell, just for a second but she bounced back almost immediately. "Fine, then. Teach me something else."
"Something else, huh?" I smirked, stepping back and cracking my knuckles. "Fine. Let's see if you can keep up."
Vivian's grin widened. "Oh, I will."
I lifted my hand, drawing a swift circle in the air. Golden lines flared to life instantly, humming with energy. In one fluid motion, I expanded it into a lattice of runes, each symbol rotating like a gear in an invisible clock. Sparks of mana fluttered around us like fireflies.
"First lesson," I said, my voice low and teasing, "speed."
Before she could blink, I formed a dozen tiny flame wisps, each no bigger than a marble then sent them darting in dizzying patterns across the field. They zipped, looped, and spiralled, leaving shimmering trails in the air.
"Catch them,"
Vivian's eyes lit up, and she lunged forward, weaving her own magic circle. She managed to snag one, but the rest danced out of reach. The moment she grabbed a second, I flicked my wrist and they split into twenty-four.
"Hey!" she yelped, laughing despite herself. "That's cheating!"
"It's called training," I replied, "Now for lesson two multi-casting."
I simultaneously conjured a stream of ice shards from my left hand and crackling lightning bolts from my right. The shards froze targets mid-air while the lightning obliterated them into sparks. The gasps from the other students were almost as satisfying as Vivian's dumbfounded stare.
"Are you even human?" she muttered.
"Depends on the day," I said with a smirk. "Your turn."
Vivian squared her shoulders. "Alright, watch me."
She snapped her fingers, summoning her own magic circle, a clean, textbook-perfect construct that shimmered in the air. She needs to have her own signature but we'll get to that later. She started channeling fire into her palms, but I could already see that her control was too linear, too rigid.
"Loosen your mana flow," I advised. "You're gripping it like a sword. Treat it like water instead."
"I am treating it like water!" she shot back right as her magic surged too fast.
A column of fire exploded upward, nearly singeing the ceiling wards. Students screamed and dove for cover, while Professor Esther flinched so hard her clipboard slipped from her hands.
"Vivian!" I shouted
"I've got it, I've got it!" she insisted, wildly trying to compress the flames. Instead of shrinking, the fireball split into three smaller but still wildly unstable suns orbiting around her like a deranged solar system.
Gasps and frantic whispers erupted all around.
"Is she—"
"—gonna blow us all up?"
"Wait, why does it look like she's smiling?!"
Vivian gritted her teeth, wrestled with her magic. "Don't… you… dare… explode!"
I sighed, extended a hand, and flicked my wrist. My own magic circle shimmered into existence complex runes spinning at impossible speed. A wave of cool, silvery mana washed out, swallowing her chaotic flames and compressing them into harmless little motes that fizzled into the air.
Silence.
Then applause.
Not the polite kind. The thunderous, "we just witnessed a boss battle" kind.
Even Professor Esther, though visibly annoyed, muttered, "Impressive control."
Vivian huffed, cheeks flushed. "Okay… maybe I need more practice."
"Maybe?" I grinned. "That was the magical equivalent of throwing a sword in the air and hoping it lands in the right spot."
Her lips twitched into a reluctant smile. "Fine. You win this round. But next time…"
I leaned in just enough for only her to hear, "Next time, I'll be making it even more difficult."
Her eyes sparkled. "You better."
"Miss Vivian. Miss Florence. Stay behind after class," Professor Esther's voice cut through the fading chatter like a blade.
I froze mid-step. Oh, great. Now what does she want?
Vivian shot me a sideways glance, half-curious, half-wary. I could already feel the weight of the professor's gaze drilling into my back.
Whatever this was, it didn't sound like a friendly chat over tea.
To be continued.