"I made it," Elion replied simply.
"Hmph." Aria crossed her arms, then uncrossed them a second later when she realized Selene was watching, and the professor did not appreciate idle posture.
Mira entered behind them, lifting a brow at the way Aria glued herself to Elion's side.
Aria noticed her, tensed, and immediately stepped closer to Elion out of reflex.
Mira just smirked.
Before either could start another verbal war—
CLANG!
Selene dropped the next set of weights with far too much enthusiasm.
Her tail flicked.
"Line up, ducklings!"
The class scrambled into two rows.
Elion, Aria, Mira, and the rest all stood tensely.
Selene strolled in front of them like a predator picking which prey to torment first.
"Today we're focusing on endurance. You will run twenty laps around the training field with these—"She kicked a metal plate across the floor; it slid like it weighed nothing to her."—strapped to your legs."
Horror spread through the class.
Lyra whispered, "I'm too young to die."
A friend of Aria muttered, "We were not warned for this. There should have been a legal document when we signed up for this class!"
Selene continued sweetly.
"The weights are enchanted. The more you struggle, the heavier they become."
Someone in the back audibly whimpered.
Selene grinned wider.
"But if you don't struggle, you fall behind and fail the class. So I see no escape here."
Her tail wagged.
Elion watched her closely. She really was enjoying this.
When Elion stepped forward, Selene's eyes sparkled with a strange, too-knowing delight.
Selene stopped right in front of him.
"Elion Nova."
He straightened. "Yes, professor."
"You look refreshed today. And you look like you have been having a good time in my class. Clearly, your standards are no longer on the same level as everyone else."
"Don't worry. I'll fix that." She said sweetly. "Since you've been… impressively energetic lately—" her tail flicked, "—you get these."
Elion said nothing.
And then, she dropped double the usual weights in front of him.
CLANG!
The metal rang like a death bell.
A collective gasp swept the class.
What the fuck! Elion screamed at himself inwardly.
Aria rubbed her eyes with a hiss, "Wow—!"
Mira hid a laugh behind her hand.
Even Elion blinked. "…Seriously?"
Selene smiled serenely. "I'm sure you can handle it."
Around him, whispers started immediately.
"He's dead."
"He's absolutely dead."
"He must have pissed off Professor Selene this time?"
At the back of the line, William let out a poorly contained snicker, arms crossed smugly as he watched Elion get buried in metal.
Selene's ear twitched.
"Oh? Something funny, Mr. Dawncrest?"
William froze. "N–No, Professor, I—"
"Wonderful," she said brightly. "Since you have energy to spare, let's adjust your training too."
She dropped an extra set of weights at his feet, not double, but enough to make his face pale instantly.
The clang echoed like poetic justice.
William snarled under his breath, forced to pick them up as students whispered, trying not to laugh.
By the time everyone strapped their weights on, Selene flicked her tail sharply toward the track.
"No complaining. The floor feeds on your tears."
The class hesitated.
"Run!" she barked.
And hell began.
Everyone moved.
...
When Selene finally dismissed them—"GOOD WORK, DUCKLINGS, ONLY HALF OF YOU COLLAPSED, PROGRESS!"—the entire class spilled out of the gymnasium like survivors crawling out of a battlefield.
Elion's legs were trembling so much that he wasn't sure if they were still attached.
Aria was limping.
Mira had her hands on her hips, panting, but somehow still managing to look composed compared to everyone else.
Elion took one step toward the hallway.
His calf twitched.
His thigh cramped.
Then his knee buckled.
"Whoa—!" Mira grabbed his left arm.
"I've got him," Aria said immediately, grabbing his right.
They glared at each other over his shoulders.
"You can let go now," Mira said smoothly.
"You can let go," Aria shot back.
"He grabbed my arm first—"
"He stumbled toward me—"
Elion muttered, "My legs are dying. Maybe argue after they bury me."
Both girls shut up instantly.
Mira slipped under his arm to help support his weight. "Sorry, sorry. Come on, lean on me."
Aria stepped closer on his other side. "Don't lean too much on her, she's weak."
Mira huffed. "And yet I outpaced you in the last five laps."
Aria bristled. "That was because Selene tripped me with her tail!"
"She called that 'motivation,'" Mira said, snickering.
"She smiled while doing it!"
Elion shook his head, amused despite wanting to collapse right on the floor.
They walked out of the gym entrance, half-dragging him, half-guiding him.
The evening air felt heavenly.
"Well," Elion exhaled, "that was almost worse than the time she made us run a hundred laps at that beach."
"Almost?" Aria stared at him. "Say that again. I dare you."
Mira nudged him gently. "You handled the run better than most of the class despite the additional weights. Honestly impressive."
He shrugged awkwardly. "I've… had some practice."
Mira smirked. "I wonder what kind of 'practice' gives you that kind of stamina."
Aria's face lit with immediate jealousy. "Don't—don't say it like that!"
"Oh? Why not?"
"Because you're implying—"
"I'm not implying anything." Mira winked at Elion. "He knows."
Elion pinched the bridge of his nose. "Please don't start."