Chapter 35

After hearing Gale's question, my heart skipped a beat. But on the outside, I stayed calm, composed, and cheerful—just like a child would in a situation like this.

"Aleena is Aleena! Papa and Mama call Aleena little, so yes!" I exclaimed, tilting my head with an innocent smile.

Gale nodded, seemingly satisfied with my response.

"I just had a feeling... My special ability usually warns me when I'm near someone extremely strong. Sorry if my words bothered you."

"No! No! It's fine! I'm glad I look strong in your eyes," I replied brightly, my smile as wide as ever. But deep inside, I was relieved. So it's just his instincts—not a confirmation. That's good.

For the first time, Gale's expression softened, and a genuine smile broke across his face.

"Thank you!" he said earnestly.

We returned to creating magic circles, Gale's earlier tension replaced by quiet enthusiasm as he explained his designs in painstaking detail.

---

After a while, the clear, cheerful voice of a teacher rang out, cutting through the chatter and laughter.

"Alright, everyone! The class is about to start! Stop playing and come over here!"

The teacher, who looked far too young to hold such a position, clapped her hands to gather our attention. Her warm smile and lively presence exuded confidence, and the older students responded immediately, rushing toward her.

Me and Gale were the smallest in the group, so it took us a moment to make our way through the crowd. As we approached, the teacher's bright eyes landed on me.

"It seems like we have a new classmate here!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands together. "Welcome! I'm Erica, and I'll be your teacher for today."

Her friendly tone quickly turned serious as she took a deep breath and began her instructions.

"So, here's how today's class will go! You all will try your best to overwhelm me with your attacks, and I'll point out your mistakes and suggest improvements, okay?"

Interesting, I thought, watching her closely. Teacher Erica was no ordinary instructor—her aura practically radiated power. I could sense at least twice the mana in her as I'd sensed in Bargue or Mari.

Still, her teaching style wouldn't work on me. I had no intention of standing out unnecessarily. Instead, I decided to sit this one out.

Quietly, I created a perfect clone of myself and seamlessly turned invisible. Slipping away unnoticed, I found an empty chair by the edge of the training ground and picked up a drawing book and pencil someone had left behind. As Erica started counting down, I began doodling.

"10… 9…"

The tension in the room was palpable as the students prepared themselves.

"3… 2… 1… Here I come!"

The moment the countdown ended, Erica vanished from her spot. The students immediately scattered, their eyes darting in every direction, trying to keep her in sight.

I peeked up briefly from my drawing, observing the action. The students were incredibly skilled for their age—some hid their presence well, while others tried to predict Erica's movements. But against someone of her caliber, all their efforts were in vain.

She dodged every spell, weapon, and projectile with almost playful ease.

"Aim properly, everyone!" she called out. "Don't aim where I was—predict where I will be!"

A lone arrow whizzed through the air, grazing her shoulder. She smiled, her voice ringing out,

"Well done, Emily!"

From the corner, a nine-year-old girl giggled, clutching her bow with pride.

"Now, I'll attack too," Erica announced, still effortlessly evading the onslaught of attacks. "Don't worry—they'll only be strong enough to push you down, so accept defeat gracefully!"

She launched herself into the fray, targeting the students with precision. Those guarding the archers scrambled to protect them, forming defensive lines.

"Great tactic!" Erica praised. "Defending the archers is the key to lasting longer. But don't forget to defend yourselves too!"

Despite their efforts, students began falling one by one. Gale, however, stood out among them, parrying Erica's strikes with surprising precision. She smiled approvingly at him.

Just then, an arrow flew toward her leg. Erica jumped to avoid it, only for Gale to seize the opportunity and lunge at her with a wooden sword. His strike was flawless—impossible to dodge.

"I have you now, teacher!" he declared, a triumphant smirk on his face.

Erica's grin widened, pride evident in her expression.

"My students have grown so much… You'll all make fine heroes someday," she thought. But then her grin turned mischievous.

"But Gale, you forgot one thing!"

In an instant, their positions swapped. Gale stood where Erica had been, his sword held aloft, while Erica stood in his place, smirking.

Swap, an exclusive magic skill of hers, had completely turned the tables. Gale's strike landed on empty air, and with a gentle tap from Erica, he was eliminated from the round.

Emily, the archer, was the last one standing. But Erica wasted no time. She vanished, reappeared behind the girl, and tapped her shoulder lightly.

"Well!" Erica announced, surveying the fallen students. "I guess that's everyone. You all did incredibly well—you lasted twice as long this time!"

Just as the class began to relax, Gale shot to his feet.

"Ma'am! We still have one left!" he shouted, pointing toward me.

Erica turned, her eyes narrowing as she spotted me sitting on the grass, seemingly absorbed in my drawing.

With a sigh, she rushed toward me. But the moment her hand touched my shoulder, I vanished.

The entire class blinked in surprise, except for Bargue, who remained calm.

"She's not an easy target, Erica," he said, a faint smirk on his face. "Didn't I tell you she dodged my attack?"

Erica's expression shifted to excitement as she scanned the area. Spotting me playing with a ball in the corner, she charged forward. But as soon as she touched me, both I and the ball disappeared again.

She groaned in frustration, glancing around wildly.

"You can't leave the class, Aleena!" she called out.

I popped up from under one of the chairs lined up along the walls.

"Aleena is inside the class!" I shouted, pouting.

Her smile returned—until another version of me appeared from a different chair.

"Aleena is inside the class!" it echoed.

One by one, more copies of me emerged from every chair, filling the room with identical versions of myself. The students watched in awe, some giggling at the spectacle, while Erica's expression turned cold.

"Here I come, teacher!" all of the copies shouted in unison before leaping toward her.