The Unexpected Display

Van slowly opened his eyes to the gentle touch of his mother waking him up. The morning light filtered softly through the small window of his room, casting a warm glow across the space.

"Van, it's time to wake up," Seraphina said with a warm smile as she saw her son stir.

Van blinked away the remnants of sleep, sitting up in bed. "Good morning, Mom," he greeted, rubbing his eyes.

"Good morning, son. Let's go eat breakfast and get ready for school," Seraphina replied, her tone cheerful.

Van sighed inwardly. *Yeah… school,* he thought, feeling his earlier enthusiasm for the day waning. Despite his reservations, he knew he had to go along with it, at least for now.

He dressed quickly and made his way to the dining room, where his father was already seated at the table, perusing a scroll of papers. The sight of his father brought some comfort; at least there was something to look forward to after school.

"Good morning, Dad," Van greeted as he slid into the chair beside his father.

"Good morning, Van," Aric replied, giving him a knowing look as he set the papers aside.

While Seraphina was still in the kitchen preparing breakfast, Van leaned closer to his father, lowering his voice. "Dad, about the plan…"

Aric nodded subtly. "We'll stick to it, Van. Just be patient."

Before they could say more, Seraphina entered the dining room, carrying a tray with their food. They quickly straightened up, dropping the conversation as she set the tray down on the table.

"Here we go, breakfast is served!" Seraphina announced with a bright smile, placing the plates of food in front of them.

The family began eating, the warm atmosphere of the home filling the room. They talked about little things—the garden, the weather, and how the day ahead might go. Van did his best to engage, though his mind was still half-focused on his upcoming day at school and the plan to surprise his mother.

After finishing his meal, Van excused himself to take a bath, getting ready for the day. The thought of school made his stomach twist slightly, but he pushed it aside as he dressed in his uniform.

"Mom, I'm ready," Van called as he reentered the living room, adjusting his uniform.

"Alright, let's go," Seraphina said, straightening his collar with a smile.

They left the house together, walking down the path toward the school. The village was just waking up, the early morning bustle beginning to fill the streets with life. Van walked beside his mother, his steps a little slower than usual.

As they walked, Seraphina chatted about various things, trying to keep Van's spirits up. "It's such a beautiful morning, don't you think, Van? The perfect day to learn something new."

Van nodded, though his mind was elsewhere. *I wish I could be learning something different,* he thought.

When they arrived at the school, Seraphina knelt down and placed a soft kiss on Van's forehead. "See you later, Van. Have a great day," she said warmly.

"Bye, Mom," Van replied, giving her a small smile before turning to head toward his classroom.

As he walked, he heard a familiar voice call out to him. "Van, wait!" Elara's voice rang out, and soon enough, she was running up beside him.

"Good morning, Van! I'm so excited for today's lesson!" Elara exclaimed, her enthusiasm bubbling over.

Van glanced at her but didn't respond, continuing to walk toward their classroom. Elara, undeterred, kept talking about how excited she was for the day's lessons, completely unaware of Van's lack of enthusiasm.

Van quickly found his seat at the back of the classroom, Elara following right behind him. As soon as he sat down, Elara asked, "Van, can I sit beside you?"

Van sighed inwardly, knowing this would continue unless he agreed. "Fine," he said, "but keep quiet, don't ask questions, and don't talk, okay?"

"Alright," Elara agreed with a grin, clearly pleased with herself.

As the rest of the students settled into their seats, Mark Renz entered the room, heading straight for the front desk. "Good morning, children," Mark greeted them, his voice strong and clear.

"Good morning, Teacher Mark," the students chorused, though Van barely mumbled the words, his attention drifting out the window.

Mark noticed Van's lack of enthusiasm and the distant look in his eyes. *He's distracted again,* Mark thought, his expression thoughtful.

"Today, we're going to start with writing," Mark announced, gaining the students' full attention. He then began explaining the basics of writing, going into detail about how to form each letter.

Van only half-listened, his mind wandering as Mark spoke. *I already know all this,* he thought, glancing at the other students as they followed the lesson with rapt attention.

After a long explanation, Mark looked around the room. "Now, is there anyone who would like to try writing their name on the board?" he asked, hoping to engage the students.

Before anyone else could react, Elara's hand shot up. "Me, Teacher Mark!" she said eagerly.

"Alright, Elara," Mark said with a smile. "And who's next?"

Without hesitation, Elara pointed directly at Van. "Van is next, sir!" she declared.

Van's head snapped up in surprise. *What?!* he thought, suddenly pulled from his reverie.

Mark nodded. "Very well, you two can come up here. Elara, you'll write on the left side of the board, and Van, you can write on the right."

Elara quickly walked to the front of the room, practically dragging Van along with her. "Come on, Van, you need to learn how to write!" she said, her enthusiasm almost overwhelming.

Van sighed, knowing he didn't have a choice. *Alright then,* he thought, resigned.

Mark handed a piece of chalk to Elara, then offered another to Van. As he did, Mark activated his Aether sense, a subtle change in his expression. *This boy… his Aether Core is awakened…* Mark realized, his eyes widening slightly. *I didn't expect that.*

Van noticed Mark's reaction but didn't say anything, taking the chalk and walking to the board.

Elara went first, struggling slightly as she wrote her name in simple block letters. Mark helped guide her hand, encouraging her along the way.

"You're doing great, Elara," Mark said kindly.

"Thank you, Teacher Mark," Elara replied, beaming with pride as she finished.

Then it was Van's turn. He approached the board and, without thinking, wrote his name in a smooth, flowing cursive. The letters were perfectly formed, the script elegant and refined—something far beyond what any child his age should be able to produce.

Mark's eyes widened in shock. *Holy cow, did this kid write that?* he thought, completely taken aback. He looked at the rest of the class, who were staring at the board with confused expressions.

"Teacher, we can't understand what Van wrote," one of the students said, voicing the confusion of the entire class.

"Yeah, what is that, Van?" Elara added, her brow furrowed in confusion.

Van looked at the board, realizing his mistake. *Oh, shit, I overdid it,* he thought, feeling a pang of regret.

Without saying a word, Van walked back to his seat, feeling the eyes of his classmates on him.

As he sat down, Elara leaned over. "Van, what did you write on the board?" she asked, still puzzled.

"Nothing, don't mind it," Van replied curtly, trying to brush it off.

Mark shook his head slightly, still processing what he had just seen. *This boy… he's something else,* he thought, making a mental note to keep a closer eye on Van in the future.

The rest of the lesson continued, but Van remained quiet, his mind elsewhere as he pondered the consequences of his little slip-up. *I need to be more careful,* he thought, knowing that he had to balance his knowledge and abilities with the expectations of those around him.

While Mark was teaching other students how to write, the bell suddenly rang, signaling the start of break time.

"Teacher, it's break time," one of the students called out eagerly.

"Alright, children, you can have your break now," Mark said with a nod.

As the students eagerly headed out of the classroom, Van and Elara were the last ones to leave. But just as Van was about to follow the others, Mark stopped him.

"Van, let's talk a little bit," Mark said, his tone firm yet gentle.

Van turned back, slightly wary. "Why, Teacher Mark?"

Elara, curious, chimed in. "Why does Van have to stay?"

"I just have something to teach him privately," Mark said with a smile, trying to ease her curiosity.

"Oh, okay. Teacher Mark is right, Van. You really need to stay a bit—your writing on the board was so bad, I couldn't even understand it!" Elara teased before skipping out of the room. "I'll see you at the canteen!"

Once Elara was gone, Mark gestured for Van to come sit in the chair at the front desk.

"Who taught you to write like that, Van?" Mark asked, his tone curious.

"My mother taught me," Van replied simply.

"And what about your Aether Core? Who helped you awaken it?" Mark asked, his gaze sharpening.

*So he

*finally noticed,* Van thought. "My father trained me and helped me awaken it," Van answered.

Mark nodded slowly, absorbing the information. "Your father, Aric, is quite skilled. But even with training, awakening an Aether Core at your age is rare. Did he give you something to help with the process?"

Van hesitated briefly before answering, not wanting to reveal too much. "He gave me a potion. I don't remember the name, but it helped a lot."

Mark's expression remained neutral, but his mind raced with thoughts. *A potion... It must be one of those newly approved by the kingdom. But to see it work so effectively on someone so young...* He made a mental note to report this to the principal later.

"Is that so?" Mark said, keeping his tone light. "Well, Van, you're an interesting student. It's clear you're ahead in some areas, but remember, school isn't just about learning what you don't know—it's also about refining what you do. You can go now—enjoy your break."

Without another word, Van left the room, eager to find the canteen. *Finally,* he thought, *I'm starving. Where's the canteen?* He wandered the school corridors, his stomach growling in anticipation.

As Van turned a corner, he noticed a boy emerging from the principal's office. The boy was about the same height as Van, with black hair and striking red eyes. He had a confident air about him, as if he was used to being in charge.

Van and the boy locked eyes, neither willing to break the stare. Van stood in the sunlight that filtered through the window, while the boy remained in the shade just outside the principal's office. The tension between them was palpable, as if they were silently sizing each other up, testing who would look away first.

Just then, the principal, Ronnel Drei, stepped out of his office. The old man had white hair, wrinkles etched deep into his face, and sharp black eyes. He wore a white suit and held a staff in his right hand, exuding an aura of authority and wisdom.

"You're still here, Carl? I told you to wait for me at the carriage," Ronnel said, breaking the tense silence between the two boys.

Carl finally broke the stare and turned to face his grandfather. "Yes, Grandfather. But who is that boy?" Carl asked, his tone curious.

"Oh, that's Van Gen," Ronnel replied. "He's only five years old, though his height makes him look older."

"Five years old?" Carl echoed, surprised. "I thought he was my age—eight years old."

"No, he's truly five. Now let's go to the carriage. It's time to head home," Ronnel said, gently steering Carl away.

As Carl and the principal walked off, Van continued on his way, his stomach still growling. *That boy… his presence caught my attention, but whatever. I'm hungry,* Van thought as he resumed his search for the canteen.

When Van finally reached the canteen, the noise and bustle of the other students were a stark contrast to the tension he had just felt. He spotted Elara waving at him from across the room, already seated with a tray of food.

"Van, over here!" Elara called out, her voice cutting through the din.

Van made his way over, sliding into the seat next to her. "You won't believe what just happened," he muttered, grabbing a tray and filling it with food.

"What happened?" Elara asked, her curiosity piqued.

Van hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. "Never mind. Let's eat," he said, digging into his meal.

As they ate, Van couldn't shake the feeling that something significant had just happened—something that might change the course of his life at this school. But for now, he pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the meal in front of him, knowing that whatever lay ahead, he would face it head-on, just as he always had.

Elara, unable to contain her excitement, continued chattering. "Van, what if we train this weekend in the woods? I'm so close to awakening my Aether Core. My father made me drink a strange potion, and when I drank it, I felt a sudden change inside me," she said, her eyes shining with enthusiasm.

*Looks like I'm not the only one who drank that kind of potion,* Van thought. "That's good, Elara. Since you're six, you need to awaken your core before you go to the Aetheria Academy," Van said, keeping his tone encouraging.

"How about you, Van? Is there anything interesting happening with your core?" Elara asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Nothing," Van replied simply, trying to steer the conversation away from himself.

When the break ended, all the students filed back into their classroom. As they took their seats, Elara leaned over to Van again. "Van, let me teach you how to write properly," she offered, clearly eager to help.

Van sighed inwardly. "Fine, but don't expect too much," he muttered, trying to keep the conversation as short as possible.

As Mark began teaching the other students how to write, Van half-listened to Elara's attempts at teaching him. She was clearly trying her best, but Van's mind was elsewhere, thinking about his father's plan and the encounter with Carl.

The hours dragged on, but finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day.

"Alright, students, let's continue this tomorrow. And don't forget to practice your writing at home," Mark said, dismissing the class.

*Finally, I can go see Father and continue our plan,* Van thought with relief as he stood up from his seat.

Van and Elara walked out of the school together, heading towards the schoolyard. As they reached the gate, they saw Eamon waiting for Elara.

"Good day, Sir Eamon," Van greeted Elara's father politely.

"Good day to you too, Van. How was your day?" Eamon asked, his eyes flicking between Van and Elara.

"It was so good, Father. I think my writing has improved, and Van is still not good at writing, so Teacher Mark gave him a little private lesson during our break," Elara said, her voice full of excitement.

*This girl will tell anything to her father, but at least she didn't mention our training,* Van thought, feeling a mix of relief and frustration.

Eamon laughed warmly. "Is that so? Let's go home, Elara. Your mother is waiting for you," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Alright, Dad," Elara replied, then turned to Van. "See you tomorrow, Van! And practice your writing!" she teased with a grin.

Van nodded, trying to hide his impatience. As Eamon and Elara turned to leave, Eamon activated his Aether sense, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked at Van.

*So this boy… he's already awakened,* Eamon thought, surprised by the discovery. *Impressive. Aric's son is full of potential.*

Van waited until they were out of sight before he began searching for his father. After a few minutes of looking around, he finally heard Aric's voice calling out to him.

"Van, over here!" Aric called from across the schoolyard.

Van ran toward his father, a sense of urgency in his steps. "Let's go, Dad," Van said eagerly.

Aric smiled, placing a hand on Van's shoulder. "The plan begins now," he said, leading Van away from the school and into the next stage of their carefully crafted surprise for Seraphina.