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Our professor, Evelyn Sinclair, was delivering a lecture on the basic elements of magic. She explained how individuals often excelled in specific elements depending on their natural affinity. Some were gifted with fire, others with water, air, or earth. There were even rare individuals capable of mastering more than one element, a feat that required extraordinary talent and discipline.

While her voice was smooth and engaging, I found it difficult to focus. I already knew this material from the novel and from the original Sera Vandren's studies. My mind began to wander as I took in the grand design of the classroom.

The room was stunning, with intricate carvings of magical symbols decorating the walls. Light streamed through tall windows, highlighting the fine craftsmanship of the wooden desks and their plush velvet cushions. Above, a magnificent chandelier cast a warm glow over the room. It was as if everything had been plucked straight from the pages of a fantasy novel, which, I supposed, it technically had.

Despite the grandeur, my attention kept drifting back to Camille. Sitting beside me, she listened intently to Professor Sinclair, her hands folded neatly on her desk. Her platinum-white hair glimmered in the sunlight, and her calm expression radiated elegance. She was completely absorbed in the lecture, her icy blue eyes focused and serene.

It was hard not to notice how breathtaking she was. Even though Sera Vandren was renowned for her beauty, the heroines were something else entirely.

I caught myself staring too long and felt a rush of heat rise to my cheeks. Turning my attention back to the professor, I tried to act as if I had been paying attention the whole time. Unfortunately, Camille must have noticed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her glance at me with a soft, amused smile.

Great. Just great.

I sighed inwardly, only to realize that I had drawn the attention of Professor Sinclair. She looked directly at me, her light blue eyes sharp and observant, and smiled. It was a charming smile, effortlessly drawing others in. Yet there was something unsettling about it, as though she could see right through me.

A chill ran through me, and I instinctively straightened in my seat. This was going to be harder than I thought. Between Camille's knowing glances and Professor Sinclair's piercing gaze, I felt like I was walking on a tightrope suspended over a pit of chaos.

Just as I tried to refocus on the lesson, Camille turned to me with a curious smile.

"Ms. Sinclair is really interesting and smart, huh?" she said, her voice soft but filled with genuine curiosity.

"Huh?" I blinked, caught off guard. "I mean, yeah. Of course she is."

Camille's smile widened slightly, and she leaned closer, resting her chin on her palm. "Want to know something interesting about our teacher?"

I hesitated, unsure of what angle she was playing at. Still, I nodded. Why not? Even though I already knew almost everything there was to know about Evelyn Sinclair from the novel, I figured it wouldn't hurt to hear what Camille had to say.

"There are some rumors about her," Camille began, her icy blue eyes sparkling with intrigue. "They say she has mastered both wind and fire magic. And apparently, she once took down an entire army of monsters all on her own."

I kept my expression neutral, though internally, I felt a twinge of awe. Those weren't just rumors—they were facts. Evelyn Sinclair was, without a doubt, a terrifyingly powerful mage. Her calm and scholarly demeanor masked the sheer devastation she was capable of unleashing in battle.

"It's probably true," I replied casually, leaning back in my seat.

Camille tilted her head slightly, surprise flickering across her face. "Really? You think so?"

"Yeah. Why not?" I said with a shrug, though my gaze sharpened slightly. "Why do you ask?"

Camille's lips curled into a knowing smile, and she studied me with an expression I couldn't quite decipher. "Nothing. I'm just learning new things about you, Sera. Maybe you're not exactly what people say you are."

I froze for a moment, her words sending an unexpected ripple of unease through me. What did she mean by that? My mind raced, trying to determine if I had slipped up somehow. But before I could respond, her eyes softened, the intensity in her gaze shifting into something almost...adoring.

My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly looked away, fumbling for something to say. "Okay...?" I muttered, my tone cautious. "We should probably focus. Don't want to end up getting burned like those monsters did."

Camille laughed softly, the sound light and melodic. "You're right, Sera."

Her voice lingered in my ears longer than I expected, and for some inexplicable reason, hearing her say my name caused a strange, unfamiliar warmth to settle in my chest. It was subtle but undeniable, and I didn't like it.

I shook my head slightly, trying to clear my thoughts. Focus, Sera. This is no time to get distracted by...whatever this is. I glanced at Camille from the corner of my eye. She was back to watching the professor, her expression serene but with a small, knowing smile playing on her lips.

Just when I thought I could coast through this class unnoticed, Evelyn Sinclair's voice rang out, clear and authoritative, cutting through my thoughts like a blade.

"And as for a demonstration, why don't we have a student come out and show us?" Her light blue eyes scanned the room before locking onto me. "Miss Vandren, why don't you come up and demonstrate how mana transforms into magic?"

Every eye in the classroom turned to me, and I felt a wave of heat rise to my face. Great. Just great. This was exactly what I wanted to avoid—attention.

For a moment, I considered feigning illness, but Camille's expectant smile and the weight of the students' stares left me no escape. Reluctantly, I rose from my seat, schooling my expression into the composed, aloof demeanor befitting the original Sera Vandren. If I was going to do this, I'd at least make it look effortless.

Walking to the front of the room, I could feel the weight of every gaze, some curious, others envious. Even Camille's eyes followed me, filled with an inexplicable warmth that only made me more self-conscious. Evelyn stood off to the side, watching me with a faint, unreadable smile that somehow managed to feel both encouraging and challenging.

"Very well," she said, gesturing toward the small demonstration platform at the front of the class. "Why don't you create a basic flame? Show us the process of drawing mana from within and shaping it into an elemental spell."

I resisted the urge to sigh as I stepped onto the platform. I knew exactly how to do this, of course. Mana manipulation had been drilled into my brain both from the novel and from the memories of the original Sera. But that didn't mean I wanted to perform in front of an audience.

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and centered myself. Drawing mana wasn't difficult—it was like tapping into an unseen reservoir within me, a wellspring of energy waiting to be shaped. I visualized the energy coalescing in my palm, concentrating it into a single point.

When I opened my eyes, a small, flickering flame danced above my hand, its warm light casting soft shadows across the room. A few students murmured in awe, and I caught glimpses of impressed expressions.

"Excellent control," Evelyn said, her voice smooth and approving. "Notice how Miss Vandren has created a stable flame without any signs of instability in her mana flow. This level of precision is what you should all strive for."

Her words sent another wave of whispers through the classroom, and I felt my jaw tighten. Praise wasn't what I needed right now. If anything, it would only draw more attention to me.

"Thank you, Miss Vandren. You may return to your seat," Evelyn added, her gaze lingering on me for a moment longer than necessary. It was almost as if she was sizing me up, and it sent an uneasy shiver down my spine.

I extinguished the flame with a flick of my wrist and made my way back to my seat, keeping my expression neutral despite the burning embarrassment I felt under the weight of so many eyes.

Camille leaned closer as I sat down, her icy blue eyes sparkling with admiration. "That was amazing, Sera," she said softly. "You make it look so easy."

I avoided her gaze, focusing on the desk in front of me. "It's nothing," I muttered, trying to sound indifferent.

But Camille's smile only grew wider, and I could feel her eyes on me even as I tried to tune her out. This wasn't just admiration. It felt like something deeper, and it only made my goal of staying under the radar feel even more impossible.

I slumped slightly in my seat, internally cursing my luck. This was going to be so much harder than I thought.