“The truth is rarely pure and never simple”( part 3 )

Csendes smiled cheerfully at the professor.

"Professor, what does the tardiness of other classes have to do with me? Could you be more specific?"

The unicorn, Talo Iman, emanated a heavy aura directed at the girl, yet her smile remained unchanged. This was precisely the kind of student the professors had dreaded encountering when they accepted their positions.

"Someone tampered with the students' maps. According to their descriptions, the maps led them to the wrong location for homeroom—directly opposite where they were supposed to go. Do I need more details? Was it you?"

"I did it." The girl nodded without hesitation. "But that doesn't mean they were late because of me, right? I released the fixed illusion technique a while ago; they should have had plenty of time to get where they needed to be."

She raised a hand and gestured toward the entire classroom.

"See? They made it on time."

Many in the class frowned. The fact that they had to run and nearly ended up late because of her did not sit well with them. Still, none of them spoke up; they only observed from the sidelines.

Uituba and Duga wore perplexed expressions, though they received strange looks from some classmates who associated them with Csendes. As a result, Uituba subtly shifted away from her, attempting to create some distance.

However, Csendes noticed the movement, and her smile grew even brighter.

The professor's expression, on the other hand, darkened.

"Miss Mez—"

"My name is Csendes. I'll say this only once. Do not call me by my family name."

The professor hesitated briefly before continuing.

"Miss Csendes, school regulations clearly state that magic use is prohibited."

"No. The rules say that using magic inside the school is forbidden during the academic year. Technically, school starts tomorrow."

Realizing the loophole in the regulations, the professor fell silent for a moment.

"Don't try to find a reason to reprimand me, because there isn't one. The magic I used isn't harmful, and even if I had cast it during the school term, it would have been classified as a harmless spell, earning me, at most, a warning. No one was injured, no property was damaged, and nothing was irreversible. I even dispelled it twenty minutes before the scheduled time, giving everyone more than enough time to arrive."

After a short pause, the girl looked directly into the professor's eyes, still smiling.

"This all started because I wanted to test you professors. The headmaster was just a projection, so he wouldn't have sensed my spell. But you? How did none of you notice?"

At these words, the professor frowned, confused.

"You cast the spell in the hallway? During the opening ceremony?"

"Yes," Csendes replied carefully.

"What spell did you use? How did we not sense anything?"

"'Midnight Moons.'"

The professor let out an ironic chuckle.

"'Midnight Moons'? That's a gold-rank spell, surpassing even some of the violet-rank ones because it's undetectable. Didn't you cast it specifically to avoid detection? You must have drained your entire mana reserve just to sustain it. Impressive."

The professor no longer seemed angry; in fact, he appeared somewhat impressed. The class was momentarily stunned.

"Thank you for the demonstration. I'll report the loopholes in the regulations to the headmaster."

He turned back to his desk but then stopped mid-action.

"You said you broke several rules? What are they?"

"Professor… if you haven't found them, then they never happened. Maybe I'll tell you if you explain how you knew I broke any rules at all."

With that, the professor simply smiled and returned to his desk. He tapped on it, and a box materialized from thin air.

"This box contains your personal 'Koutiul.' I will call your number, and when you collect it, it will bond with you. This marks your official contract with the Academy."

The box held numerous smaller cases. Most were tiny, while others were about the size of a pen. Each was labeled with a number instead of a name for security purposes.

"Number 1, Miss Csendes… Black Phoenix."

The girl stood and walked toward the desk. As she moved, the nails on one hand sharpened into claws, drawing a few drops of blood. Her box contained a simple black ring. Though its design was indiscernible due to its uniform color, Csendes knew exactly what was engraved on it—after all, she had requested it.

A single drop of blood fell onto the ring, causing it to emit a hissing smoke, as if it had been submerged in acid. After a few moments, the black ring turned completely white.

The phoenix girl slipped it onto the index finger of her left hand.

Professor Talo Iman held a book in his hands—the class roster. Through it, the homeroom teacher could monitor the students' conditions and grades, all processed by the system.

"You're officially registered. Thank you."

He then scanned the rest of the class.

"If you wish, you may leave for the dormitory or the dining hall; there is nothing else to be done today."

For a brief moment, Csendes was surprised by his words. She stared deeply at the professor, then let out a soft chuckle.

"No need to worry, sir. Even if everyone gangs up on me, I'll still win."

With that rather unhumble declaration, she returned to her seat, basking in the critical, cold stares of her peers.

The professor simply sighed. When he looked at the next name, his eyes caught the detailed attributes of the girl, which had just been processed by the system.

He couldn't deny it. These numbers were terrifying, even to him. He could hardly believe she was just a 17-year-old phoenix chick. Just glancing at her talents and unique abilities made his scalp tingle.

'She could probably defeat me in a serious fight already. I don't know how much experience she has, but if she can gain it, few will be able to match her. The Phoenix family produced three monsters this generation, yet among them, she stands at the top. It's a shame she's overlooked simply because she's a Black Phoenix.'

"Next. Number 2—Shu Mo, race: Dark Eye."

"Number 3—Gatas, race: Nigris."

"Number 4—Duga, race: Griffon."

"Number 5—Hali, race: Demon."

…

After everyone received their Koutiul, the professor officially ended the first homeroom session.

Csendes didn't seem eager to leave. She toyed with the white ring on her finger, likely reading through her body's newly updated details.

Some students left, but it was inevitable that others would stay, looking for trouble.

However, they hesitated.

A tall werewolf stepped forward from the crowd. He bore a scar over his left eye, and his fang necklaces swayed visibly over his uniform.

"Phoenix girl, I get that you played a prank on the other classes, but why us? We're supposed to be on the same team."

Csendes didn't even look up.

"I didn't think you wouldn't notice. You're in the same class as me, after all. I overestimated you."

The werewolf clenched his teeth in fury. He slammed his hands onto the desk in front of her, leaning in as if to force her to look him in the eye.

Csendes frowned at the sudden proximity. In the next instant, everything changed. She was already on her feet, walking away, while the werewolf lay unconscious on the ground.

The few who had stayed to witness the scene stood frozen in shock. Her last words echoed in their minds.

"I am number one for a reason—I am the strongest. Remember that."