Bahil slowly withdrew the hand that had been resting on Simon's shoulder, his composed expression settling back into its usual calm.
"Please don't forget what I told you earlier."
Before Simon could gather his thoughts—
Snap.
A sharp, deliberate sound cracked through the air. Reality rushed back in an instant.
The classroom noise, which had completely vanished moments ago, flooded Simon's senses all at once — overlapping voices, shifting chairs, the faint hum of circulating mana — so abrupt that it almost made his head spin.
Simon blinked, momentarily disoriented as he reacquainted himself with the familiar surroundings.
Bahil, as if nothing unusual had occurred, gently tousled Simon's hair. Then he turned and began to walk away.
"Professor Bahil!" A voice called out.
An arm shot up from across the room.
It was Rick.
He raised his hand high, leaning slightly forward in his seat.
Bahil paused mid-step and glanced back. "What is it?"
Rick hesitated, clearly aware that the attention of nearby students had shifted toward him.
"Um… Professor, could you help me as well? I'm having trouble making it bloom…"
For a brief moment, Bahil simply regarded him. His gaze was unreadable.
Then—
"Hoping for a fortunate intervention while waiting to be spoon-fed…"
His tone remained even, yet the words landed with unmistakable sharpness.
"…is the mindset of low-tier novices."
A subtle tension rippled through the room.
"Keep trying. Again and again."
Rick's raised hand slowly lowered. "…Ah. Yes, Professor."
As he settled back into his seat, the silence lasted for only half a second before it shattered.
"Pfft—!"
The sound burst from Meilyn, who sat beside him, her attempt to suppress the laugh failing completely.
But she wasn't alone.
Several members of Group Eight followed almost immediately, their reactions ranging from muffled snickers to outright laughter.
Cindy, however, fared the worst.
She clutched her stomach, shoulders trembling violently as she struggled to breathe.
"H-He actually asked—pfft, hahaha—!"
Amid the noise and amusement spreading across the group, Rick said nothing.
He remained seated in silence, his expression difficult to read as his gaze drifted forward, though whether he was embarrassed, irritated, or simply lost in thought was impossible to tell.
Meanwhile, Knox had been quietly observing the entire exchange between Bahil and Simon.
From the way Bahil intervened, to the subtle shift in Simon's Darkness, to the professor's unusually deliberate guidance — none of it escaped his notice.
Knox rested his cheek lightly against his palm, eyes half-lidded as a faint, knowing smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Looks like Professor Bahil's obsessive tendencies are acting up again.
His gaze lingered briefly on Simon.
But that's unfortunate, Professor…
The smile deepened, carrying a trace of amusement.
Simon isn't the type to dance exactly the way you'd like.
A quiet, almost inaudible breath of laughter slipped from him.
What a troublesome professor.
Time passed unnoticed beneath the lingering tension and scattered chatter of the classroom.
Students continued refining their magic circles, some still shaken by earlier failures, others emboldened by unexpected successes. The air remained thick with traces of Darkness and mana, swirling faintly in the aftermath of repeated casting.
Then—
Without anyone truly realizing how much time had slipped away—
Riiing—
The class bell rang. Its sharp tone cut cleanly through the room, instantly dissolving the atmosphere of concentration.
The next lesson was Hong Feng's Magical Combat class.
As was customary, the students rode atop the massive training hippos toward the combat grounds. The creatures moved with their usual heavy, rhythmic strides, each step causing a faint tremor along the stone path.
At least—
That was how it normally went.
The moment the hippos caught sight of Knox, their behavior shifted in a way that was… unmistakable.
One by one, the enormous beasts slowed.
Then, as if responding to some silent command, they lowered their bodies and sat down with surprising obedience, their thick heads dipping forward ever so slightly.
Like subjects acknowledging their monarch.
Knox blinked.
Beside him, Cindy's eyes lit up instantly.
"Pffhahaha—Knox!"
She burst into laughter and began repeatedly patting his shoulder, far more enthusiastically than necessary.
"They totally remember you!"
Claudia, meanwhile, could only offer a sheepish smile, clearly torn between amusement and mild disbelief.
Merida, true to form, remained half-asleep.
She swayed gently where she stood, eyelids drooping as though the entire spectacle were nothing more than a distant dream.
Seeing this, Knox let out a quiet sigh. Without hesitation, he lifted a hand. Darkness stirred subtly.
Using telekinesis with effortless precision, he hoisted Merida into the air as gently as one might lift a mint-colored cat by the scruff.
Her body dangled limply.
"…Mmhh…" Still not fully awake.
Knox carried her through the air and set her down atop the nearest hippo before climbing up after her.
***
"Here!"
Smack! Smack!
"Put more strength into this leg!"
Simon, frozen mid-stance, nearly jumped out of his skin as Hong Feng's palm struck his thigh again. His face had long since turned bright red, though whether from exertion or embarrassment was becoming increasingly difficult to tell.
"Your arm positioning is off," Hong Feng continued, entirely unfazed. "When you kick, your opposite arm becomes the pivot. Engage your core — tighten it properly!"
"Y-Yes, ma'am!"
For Simon, this class was nothing short of torture.
While physical correction was a perfectly normal part of combat training, enduring such close contact with someone like Hong Feng — whose presence was as overwhelming as it was captivating — made it nearly impossible for a hormone-fueled teenage boy to maintain composure.
"Zimon!" Hong Feng called out sharply.
Simon flinched.
"Are you still neglecting the strength in your toes?"
"S-Sorry!"
Fearing yet another merciless smack, Simon hurriedly adjusted his stance. His foot shifted, shoulders squared, and his balance steadied.
Hong Feng observed him for a moment before finally folding her arms.
"…Better."
She nodded once. "Good. Prepare for rotation."
Simon inhaled. His left foot stepped forward.
"Channel Darkness."
The mana within him stirred immediately, Darkness flowing toward his center as he twisted his body. His heel lifted naturally from the ground, hips rotating, torso following in a smooth, controlled motion.
Then—
His bent right leg snapped outward.
Vwoooosh!
Darkness streamed from his foot, carving a long black arc through the air like ink flung across a canvas.
It was, by all appearances—
A flawless kick.
"Nice!"
Hong Feng clapped enthusiastically, her face lighting up.
Simon, drenched in sweat, straightened and bowed politely.
However—
"You stabilized the rotation," Hong Feng said casually, "but you still ruined four fundamentals."
Simon froze.
"Poor eye direction, insufficient waist force, incomplete heel turn, and your Darkness release came too early at impact."
"…I'm sorry. I'll pay closer attention."
Hong Feng hummed softly.
"Mmh. Still…"
Her expression softened.
"You're improving nicely, Zimon. Keep it up."
Simon blinked. "…Thank you, ma'am."
Hong Feng's gaze then shifted.
Toward Knox. She paused.
Because Knox's movements were—
Effortless.
Each strike flowed seamlessly into the next, his body moving with a quiet precision that felt less like trained technique and more like instinct refined through countless repetitions.
No wasted motion. No imbalance. No hesitation.
Hong Feng's eyes lit up. She approached him without delay.
"Perfect form, Knox!"
Knox halted smoothly.
"As expected from someone… experienced."
Knox smiled faintly. "Thank you, Professor. If possible, I'd appreciate any further advice."
Hong Feng laughed. "Oh? Still asking for guidance even with technique like that?"
She gestured lightly toward him.
"Your kick just now was seamless. Fast, precise…"
Her grin widened.
"…like a serpent coiled in stillness before launching its strike in a single, lethal burst."
Knox chuckled. "That's quite the compliment."
A short break was soon called.
Students collapsed onto the grass with varying degrees of dignity.
"Uuugh…"
Cindy sprawled dramatically across the ground, eyes half-open.
"…Claudia…"
Claudia glanced down at her.
"Yes, Cindy?"
"Not just Katarology… but don't you think the professors lately have been showing Knox and Simon a bit of favoritism?"
Claudia covered her mouth, suppressing a small laugh.
"Isn't that a bit exaggerated?"
"Mmm… maybe…"
Cindy pouted. "But something feels off."
Claudia smiled gently. "Alright, alright. Instead of envying others, how about practicing a little harder?"
Cindy's eyebrow twitched. "Ugh. Why are you so noisy? Are you my mom?"
Knox, overhearing, immediately seized the opportunity.
"Mommy Claudia!"
Merida, still lying nearby, murmured sleepily—
"Mom… I'm sleepy…"
Claudia's face instantly turned red. "W-What are you saying all of a sudden?!"
But the moment didn't last long.
The sound of approaching footsteps cut through their laughter.
Step.
One by one, the group turned toward the source.
Standing there, was Meilyn.
————————————
Character Voicelines · Lorain: About her "Knoxy Sense" Tingling - Part 2
Lorain: (=°ロ°=)
Lorain: I got a bad feeling!