Classroom

Chapter 10: Classroom

As they strolled through the school corridor, Robert suddenly stopped in front of the notice board, squinting at a freshly pinned announcement.

"Wait... Teacher Maxwell is on leave?" His eyes widened in disbelief as he turned to Raven, a grin already spreading across his face.

"Haha! Your luck's on fire today!" Robert whooped, as if he'd just won the lottery. "Let's finish the homework during the second period."

Without waiting for a response, he burst into laughter and pushed open the door to the second classroom.

The two of them walked past rows of old wooden desks, exchanging waves with classmates before settling into the very last bench by the window. Raven slid his school bag under the desk and took his seat quietly. Robert flopped down beside him, already flipping open his Language book.

"Did you finish memorizing the thirteenth equation table?" Raven asked, pulling out the same book and setting it on the desk.

"I wrapped it up two days ago," Robert said with a proud smirk, "but I still mess up when I try to write it down."

He leaned in a little, lowering his voice. "Wanna go to the Crystal Theatre this evening?"

"No. My sister won't let me." Raven shook his head just as the classroom door creaked open.

An elderly man with neatly combed grey hair and a serene expression entered, clutching a well-used notebook. It was Derrick, the Art teacher.

"Good morning, Sir!" the students chorused as they stood.

"Morning. Please, take your seats," Derrick said with a warm nod, moving to the blackboard.

"Today, I'll show you how to draw an elephant using only circles," he announced.

As Derrick began sketching, the students dutifully opened their drawing books and followed along. Soon after, he asked them to draw something inspired by nature using their imagination.

Raven gripped his colored pencils and carefully began to sketch a scene: a sun rising between two majestic mountains, a winding river flowing through farmland, nourishing crops before spilling into the vast sea.

[Even after eons of time, this picture of nature still hasn't faded.]

Zera's voice echoed in Raven's mind, full of awe.

But Raven didn't respond. He was lost in the quiet act of creation, his hand steady, focused only on shaping the image in his mind.

Meanwhile, Derrick wandered between desks, commenting kindly on the students' work and cracking light-hearted jokes. The room buzzed with laughter and quiet concentration. Time seemed to slip away, and before anyone noticed, the class was over.

"Finish your drawings at home and bring them tomorrow. I'll give extra points based on effort," Derrick announced cheerfully before hurrying out.

As the murmurs of conversation resumed, Robert elbowed Raven.

"Let's knock out the homework now."

He reached into his bag and pulled out their assignments and books. Raven followed suit, placing the Logistic Calculation book on the desk.

"I wonder who the substitute will be today," he mused.

Just then, the classroom door opened again—and Raven's breath caught in his throat.

A pale-skinned woman with an unreadable expression walked in, her long coat trailing behind her. Her presence alone silenced the room.

"Sh*t," Robert whispered, eyes wide. "It's Elizabeth…"

The students stood one by one, their voices blending in unison.

"Good morning, ma'am."

"Morning," Elizabeth replied, her tone neutral as she motioned them to sit. She pulled out the attendance book, clicked her pen open, and began calling names.

Once finished, she stood with a steely expression and said, "Take out your homework and submit it to the front desk. Those who haven't finished it—stand outside."

The class froze.

Slowly, seventeen students stood, heads bowed in shame.

"Seventeen?" Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, visibly disappointed. "Is it that hard to write the thirteenth equation table ten times?"

Her gaze swept the room, then landed on Raven.

"Raven?" she said, visibly surprised. "You too?"

She sighed deeply, shaking her head.

Without protest, Raven and the others filed out, taking position in the hallway. As Elizabeth resumed the lesson inside, some students began to plead from the hallway, trying to recite their tables to earn forgiveness.

"If you can recite the entire thirteenth equation table without a single mistake," she called, "I'll let you back in."

Student after student tried—and failed.

Meanwhile, Raven opened his book and stared at the dense wall of equations. The page seemed to shift, every number and formula etching itself into his brain with unnerving clarity.

'Is this... the Instant Memorize skill?' he wondered.

He barely needed a few minutes.

Inside the classroom, silence returned as another student stumbled and returned to the hallway, defeated.

Raven took a breath.

"May I try, ma'am?"

"Go ahead," Elizabeth said without looking up.

He began to recite.

At first, her attention remained on her book. But as Raven's voice rang out with flawless precision, she paused—and turned to look at him.

'He memorized it? Even most third-grade students would struggle…'

The final number left Raven's lips. The entire classroom was still.

'Last semester, he could barely finish the first half… Could he have awakened something? But that's not possible. This isn't the mainland. The mana density here is too low for that…'

Elizabeth stared at him, brows furrowed.

"You may return to your seat and begin working on the fourteenth equation table," she said.

Then she turned back to the blackboard and resumed the lesson, explaining the underlying principles of the new table.

But Raven wasn't listening out of obligation. He was genuinely absorbed.

'I just memorized the fourteenth table after reading it a couple of times?'

He blinked in disbelief.

Elizabeth noticed his focus and asked, "Raven, how far have you memorized the fourteenth equation table?"

He stood up, unsure of why she was asking—but obeyed and began to recite.

As the list of equations flowed from his mouth, her expression grew more serious.

"…Eidetic memory," she muttered under her breath and slowly stood.

"Raven, come forward."

A strange tension settled in the room. Raven hesitated, then walked to the front of the class.

She gave him a thoughtful look, then gently placed her hand on his head.

"You have an excellent memory. As a reward for your effort, I'll give you something."

She reached for her silver pen, removed it from her table, and tucked it into Raven's shirt pocket.

"This is yours now. Keep working hard."

Then she turned to the others.

"You should all learn from him—and try to surpass him. Class is dismissed. My afternoon period is free, so use your time wisely."

With that, she strode out of the room before anyone could speak.

Though the students were surprised by Raven's abilities, few paid it much mind. But Raven… Raven was deep in thought.

'Why did she call it Eidetic Memory? Or was it something else?'

He forced the thought away and focused on the remaining lessons. But as class after class ended, one thing became increasingly clear:

'I can recall everything the teachers said. Every word. Every blackboard formula. This ability… it's real.'

…

Meanwhile…

Elizabeth entered a two-story guesthouse nestled within the quiet streets of the Noble District.

The moment she stepped inside, soft, white crystals embedded in the walls flared to life, casting a gentle glow across the spacious living room.

She passed the sofas and a polished coffee table, her footsteps silent on the wooden floor, and approached a side table where a peculiar wristwatch lay.

She slipped it onto her left hand and whispered in a foreign tongue, "Activate CoreCirclet 45355325."

The watch shimmered blue and played a short, harmonic chime. Moments later, a translucent screen projected into the air, displaying a peculiar sight—an animated image of a talking mouse.

"Hello, my beautiful Eli," the mouse said with a wink. "It's been a while."