“A straight line is not the shortest distance between two points” ( part 1 )

The night passed quickly.

Some of the young students had already adjusted to the new environment, while others had not. For Csendes, at least, everything was going wonderfully. She felt relieved to be away from that family of lunatics, and now she could study to her heart's content without sneaking around or stealing books in secret.

She wandered around the living room for a bit, checking if the small cleaning system had done its job properly the night before. It didn't take long. Everything was immaculate. If the system weren't so useful in other areas, it would make for a perfect housekeeper as well.

With a small joke directed at the tiny mechanical figure, Csendes placed it back on her finger. She glanced at the panel where she had noted down her provisional schedule for the week. Today, she had a magic class and a hand-to-hand combat session.

Adjusting her uniform, she placed a sports outfit inside the storage space of her ring, which she used as a school bag. She also made sure to bring a pair of comfortable shoes.

Heading toward the bookshelf, she selected two books. Today's lesson was 'Introduction to Magic.'

Csendes stepped out the door and walked leisurely towards the station where she could take a flying leaf down to the lower levels. On the hallway, she ran into two familiar figures—Duga and Uituba. The two had ignored her the previous day after the incident with the map, but today, they approached her as if nothing had happened.

As they descended, they chatted about how they had decorated their apartments and exchanged thoughts on what to expect from the upcoming class. Csendes answered their questions, and the initial stiffness in the air gradually faded away.

"Did any of you go to the cafeteria yesterday?" the elf asked curiously.

"I did! It's amazing there! Too bad there are some rules for the cafeteria… I didn't really understand them well—something about hunting for ourselves… Anyway, I ate some meat from one of the creatures here, and it was delicious!"

"I don't get it. Why do we even have a cafeteria if they deliver food to our apartments? And we don't even need to eat that often."

The elf seemed to have been pondering this for a while. Then, a realization struck him.

"Wait… The cafeteria is probably meant more for the species outside of the superior race. That's why we have to hunt and bring animals in for processing—because we're not the primary users of the cafeteria."

"That makes sense."

The griffon, Duga, nodded in understanding.

"They probably don't ban superior races from entering because it gives us a chance to interact beyond the social boundaries that would naturally exist between us."

Csendes added this thought.

The girls continued their conversation, chatting about whatever came to mind. The discussion flowed naturally, and before they knew it, they were standing outside the classroom door.

This room was also on the second floor, but on the opposite side from yesterday's. Instead of being at the end of the hallway near the teachers' office, it was the first door next to the main hall. That meant they didn't have to walk far.

Csendes reached for the doorknob but hesitated, stepping behind the other two. The girls glanced at her, suddenly tense. They stared at the doorknob, unsure what to do.

"Go in. What are you waiting for?"

Csendes nudged them forward while staying behind.

The two had two scenarios in mind: 1) The doorknob was harmless, and Csendes was just testing them, or 2) The doorknob was cursed, and she wanted revenge for their abandonment yesterday.

They had no time to ask questions or make another choice. The griffon reached out, and her instincts didn't trigger. There was nothing wrong with the doorknob.

Relieved, she opened the door.

Behind them, the phoenix girl chuckled at their cautious reactions.

Inside, a few students were already seated, speaking in hushed voices.

Csendes chose to sit at the front today, near the window again. The elf followed her example, though he left two seats between them. The phoenix girl didn't mind—in fact, she appreciated that they were self-aware.

The griffon, however, was too tall. Sitting at the front would block the view for those behind her, so she moved to the back without hesitation.

Over the next twenty minutes, the rest of the class arrived. Csendes focused on reading a book with a black cover, paying them no mind. She could feel gazes on her—some familiar, some not. But one, in particular, caught her attention. It wasn't filled with hostility or admiration. It wasn't curiosity either… It was something she had never felt before.

Despite this, she never once looked back.

Though it distracted her at times, she didn't think it was worth her attention, so she continued reading. This book was one she adored.

It was written by a madman, yet something about it captivated her immensely.

Perhaps the saying was true—'Like attracts like.'

In the last few minutes before class began, a young man stood up.

"Classmates, after the hand-to-hand combat session, we'll need to discuss the elective courses we must choose alongside the mandatory ones. Also, we need to decide on a class leader."

The speaker was an alicorn—ranked sixth in power—named Feyer. He was tall and slender, with deep purple hair and matching eyes. On his forehead was the same circular mark seen on the professor, but he also had two small wing-like symbols on either side.

"I don't mind," a demon girl named Hali (ranked fifth in power) spoke up, "but do we really need to discuss the class leader? Isn't it automatically the strongest person?"

At her words, the class turned to look at Csendes, who was still reading.

In this society, power dictated leadership. Most races chose their family heads this way, so this arrangement seemed natural.

However, the alicorn didn't take it as a given. He studied Csendes with a frown.

"She doesn't seem suited for such an important role."

No one responded. Power was absolute. There was nothing to debate or defend. The decision rested solely with the phoenix girl. If she wanted the position, no one could take it from her. If she didn't… that was another matter.

As the murmurs continued, she suddenly shut her book. Silence fell over the room as everyone turned to her, waiting to see what she would say or do. Some were fearful—especially the werewolf sitting as far from her as possible, still haunted by yesterday's events. The class was divided between curiosity and apprehension.

But Csendes merely put her book away and pulled out the one for class. Then, she looked toward the door as someone entered.

It was the professor.

At first glance, there was nothing remarkable about him. His race had no distinct characteristics. The only notable features were his disheveled appearance and the deep circles under his eyes. He seemed old, yet he carried an odd charm. In his arms were several thick books, with loose papers peeking out from between the pages.

"I'm pleased to meet you…"

As he placed the books on the glass desk, he introduced himself. His voice was quick, carrying an unusual energy that seemed to pull the listeners in.

"… I will be your professor for two subjects—'Introduction to Magic' and 'Distinguishing Energies.' At least for the first cycle of learning. After that, we will move on to 'The Relationship Between Energies' and 'Elemental Exchanges.'"

After finishing his introduction, he scanned the room, eager to memorize the faces of his future students. Then, with renewed energy, he turned to the board and began writing while dictating the lesson.