The hallway outside the Mathematics classroom buzzed softly as students poured out, stretching, yawning, rubbing their temples after the heavy lecture. Ethan walked with Elara, Amanda, and Cole toward the next set of rooms, but a different kind of silence began to settle between them.
The third class was next — Dominion Studies — and for the first time that day, they wouldn't all be together.
Elara sighed, tightening her grip on Ethan's sleeve. "My class is on the first floor… Mind Dominion."
Cole scratched his head. "Elements for me. Water spear time, I guess."
Amanda made a small dramatic noise. "Magic Dominion class… I swear this is going to be hard."
Ethan nodded quietly. His Dominion was Light, and the Light classroom was far from theirs. This was the moment they had to split.
Cole waved as he backed away. "Alright guys, I'm heading to my class. See you at lunch. Don't be late!"
"Bye, Amanda," Cole added as he disappeared around a corner.
Amanda waved back. "Bye! And don't burn anything with your water spear!"
"Bye, Elara!" Amanda chimed again warmly.
Then Elara turned to her brother. "Bye, Ethan…"
Ethan didn't feel like replying — not because he didn't want to, but because part of him hated separating from her even for a short time. But he had to answer.
"…Bye," he said softly.
Elara walked off soon after, stopping only when she saw the large sign of the Mind Dominion Room. Cole found his Elements classroom shortly after. Amanda disappeared into a staircase leading upstairs. One by one, they vanished into different hallways, leaving Ethan alone.
He kept walking. And walking. And walking.
The hallway felt endless, longer than it needed to be. Even though he had spent five whole years here in his previous life, the exact layout had faded from memory. He stopped two staff members to confirm his direction.
"It's straight down, and then take the left-most door," one of them said.
"Yes, yes, the far end," the other added.
Ethan continued onward, boots tapping softly against the polished floor. The farther he walked, the fewer students he saw. Eventually, after nearly a full minute of silence…
He finally saw it.
A white plaque mounted above a door:
DOMINION OF LIGHT — CLASSROOM
The letters shimmered faintly, almost glowing. Beside the door was a list of roll numbers. His eyes slid over them.
2239 — Ethan
175 — ???
"Damn…" he murmured under his breath.
Someone in the top two hundred is in my class…?
He pushed the door open.
The classroom was small — far smaller than the others. Bare, quiet, filled with empty seats.
Except for one girl, sitting in the middle row.
She had white hair, flowing gently over her shoulders, and an expression so sharp it was almost icy. A hint of arrogance sat naturally on her face. She didn't look up until Ethan stepped inside.
She glanced at him once.
Then, with clear intent, she ignored him completely and went back to scrolling on her smart phone.
Ethan didn't mind. He walked calmly to the very front corner desk and sat down. This room wasn't like his previous class — there were no decorations, no elaborate smart boards glowing yet. The silence felt thicker here.
Only two students.
Just him and her.
One or two minutes passed.
Then—
Click.
The door opened again.
She had snow-white hair, white irises, and skin pale as frost, yet her features were strikingly beautiful. Her presence filled the small room with a soft coldness, like winter breeze gently brushing the air.
Ethan immediately stood up.
"Good morning, ma'am."
The girl did the same a moment later.
"Sit, sit," the woman said, her voice calm and soothing.
As she settled into the teacher's chair, Ethan realized the resemblance.
The same face structure.
The same eyes.
The same quiet chill.
They had to be related.
The woman looked at Ethan.
"What's your name?"
Ethan stood again. "Good morning, ma'am. My name is Ethan. Roll number 2239. I have a triangle fragment of Light."
Her eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise.
"Oh… a triangle fragment? That's rare. Sit down and relax, Ethan."
She smiled softly.
"My name is Jane, and I will be your professor for Light Dominion."
Then she turned her gaze to the girl.
"Now… Sofia, would you give your introduction?"
Ethan wondered about how she knew her name ,
Sofia pushed her chair back and stood up with a crisp, almost practiced motion. Her earlier arrogance vanished the moment she faced the white-haired woman. Her posture straightened, her chin lowered slightly—obedient, respectful, almost tense.
"My name is Sofia," she said clearly. "Roll number 175. My fragment is… a rhombus-shaped Light fragment."
Ethan's head snapped slightly in surprise.
A rhombus? A four-sided Light fragment?
That was insanely rare—much rarer than his triangle. Even in his previous life, he had never heard of a rhombus Light fragment user.
But the person who should've reacted the most—Professor Jane—simply nodded with complete calm.
"Alright. Sit down."
No shock, no surprise, nothing.
Sofia immediately sat, folding her hands on the desk like a student scared to breathe.
Professor Jane turned toward Ethan again, her icy white eyes gentle.
"Well, shall we begin the class?" she asked.
But her tone… it felt almost cute, like she was asking for his permission to start.
Ethan blinked, caught off guard.
"Yes, ma'am. Why not?" he replied. Then, before he could stop himself, he added, "Just one thing… is Sofia related to you in any way?"
The temperature in the room shifted instantly.
Sofia's chair screeched as she stood sharply.
"HEY! Mind your own business!" she snapped, voice echoing in the small room.
Ethan didn't even flinch.
But Professor Jane slowly turned her head toward her daughter.
Every drop of color drained from Sofia's face.
"S-sorry…" she whispered, hands trembling slightly. She sank back into her seat like a scolded kitten, her arrogance evaporating into thin air.
Then Professor Jane turned back to Ethan and smiled softly, as though nothing had happened.
"Well, Ethan, good observation."
She placed one hand on the desk, tilting her head a little.
"Yes. She is my daughter."
"Oh…" Ethan nodded.
So his suspicion had been correct.
Sofia kept her eyes fixed on her desk, pretending she didn't exist.
Professor Jane clapped her hands lightly, her tone returning to its relaxed calm.
"Well then," she said, her voice pleasant and soft,
"Shall we begin studying the Dominion of Light?"
The atmosphere settled.
Ethan leaned forward slightly, curious.
Sofia straightened up again, trying to regain her composure.
Professor Jane tapped the smart board once, and a soft white glow spread across the room.
"Today," she continued, "we will begin with the basics of Light—its forms, its variations, and the unique possibilities both of you possess."
The lesson was about to begin.