Chapter 3: First Encounters

伦纳德独自站在窗边,凝视着远处神奇王国的壮丽全景,他的心中充满了好奇和一丝困惑.他渴望立即潜入探索这个神秘的学院,但不确定性使他瘫痪了——甚至不确定从哪里开始.叹了口气,他决定把自己的东西收拾得最少一些,小心翼翼地把日记本放在床头柜上,仿佛这是他与过去的唯一联系.走出他的房间,伦纳德冒险沿着走廊走去,深红色的地毯厚实而柔软.墙上的古老画像以低声喃喃自语,他们的眼睛带着令人不安的好奇心追踪着这位新来者.Leonard 感觉沉浸在一个巨大的,活生生的博物馆中,每一步都笼罩在未知之中.走下几层楼梯,他来到了一个类似公共休息室的房间.毛绒沙发和扶手椅围绕着噼啪作响的壁炉,而古老的挂毯则装饰着墙壁.学生们穿着各种色调的长袍——天蓝色,翡翠色,猩红色和金色——分成几个小组,他们的谈话中夹杂着伦纳德无法理解的神秘行话.他想起了 Eric 提到的 Harmonia 的元素阵营:Aqua 代表水,Terra 代表土,Ignis 代表火.然而,那些穿金袍的学生对他来说仍然是一个谜.伦纳德犹豫了一下,争论着要不要靠近他们,但感觉自己像个闯入者,他们评价的目光加剧了他的不适.他选择撤退,在迷宫般的走廊中漫游,寻找地图或指南,但城堡错综复杂的布局——蜿蜒曲折的房间迷宫——很快就让他迷失了方向.他瘫倒在冰冷的石墙上,沮丧地啃咬着他.他想象中的魔法世界,曾经令人兴奋,现在感觉令人生畏.他身后回荡着微弱的脚步声.他转过身来,发现一个接近的人——比伦纳德矮,有一头凌乱的黑发,脸颊上长着雀斑,眼睛警惕而遥远.他那件破烂的翡翠长袍上没有派系徽章,让伦纳德觉得很奇怪."新来的?"男孩嘶哑地叫着,在他面前停了下来.伦纳德羞怯地点点头."是的.伦纳德·埃尔德里奇.我...似乎迷失了.男孩的目光闪烁着,他的表情中转瞬即逝."加雷斯·布莱克伍德,"他自我介绍,指着伦纳德没有标记的袖子."还没排序吗?""还没有.今天早上到了.加雷斯的嘴唇上露出一丝嘲讽的笑容."难怪你走神了.这个地方不完全是...直观."你是学生吗?"伦纳德追问."技术上."加雷斯不情愿地紧紧抓住这个词,仿佛这个头衔让他很恼火."你能带我看看图书馆吗?我需要研究学院.加雷斯的审视更加严厉."图书馆并不完全是...热情好客地接待像你这样的新来者."为什么不呢?"伦纳德皱起眉头."很多...那里的贵族学生.他们更喜欢避免...像我们这样的.他语气中自嘲的愤怒是显而易见的."Mongrels?" Leonard echoed, bewildered.Gareth hesitated, weighing whether to elaborate. Finally, he exhaled. "You'll learn soon enough. Come on—I know a way in."With that, he led Leonard through a warren of corridors, deftly evading patrolling ghosts and professors. Though slight, Gareth navigated the castle with eerie familiarity. They halted before a weathered wooden door."Side entrance," Gareth murmured, pushing it open. "Less traffic. Quieter."The library's grandeur exceeded Leonard's expectations. Towering shelves, crammed with ancient tomes, exhaled the musk of aged parchment and faint magic. Students in colored robes occupied secluded desks, maintaining a cautious distance from one another.Leonard observed their territorial divisions: Aqua students dominated window seats, their haughty whispers echoing; Terra students huddled near entrances, stoic and reserved; Ignis and Ventus factions scattered elsewhere, their laughter punctuating the silence. Gareth guided Leonard to a secluded corner table, where they sat—the mysteries of faction divides and Gareth's cryptic warnings lingering like unshed magic."You asked me earlier what 'mongrel' means," Gareth said calmly, his gaze fixed on Leonard, though the latter could still detect a hint of bitterness underlying his words.Leonard nodded, genuinely perplexed by the term."In the magical world, racial lineage matters greatly," Gareth began to explain. "Pure-blooded elves, werewolves, vampires, etc., typically hold higher status and possess greater magical power. But someone like me, born of parents from different races, is labeled a 'mongrel' and subjected to constant discrimination and injustice."Understanding dawned on Leonard regarding the reluctance in Gareth's tone. So this was how the older student existed on campus—as part of an ostracized group."Then... Which two races are you mixed with?" Leonard inquired cautiously.Gareth glanced at his hands, a fleeting melancholy flashing in his eyes. "My father was a werewolf, my mother human. In the eyes of pure-blooded werewolves, I'm a stain dishonoring their lineage. To those haughty elves and powerful vampires, I'm just worthless scum."Silence fell. Leonard didn't know how to console Gareth. Though he himself was half-elf and half-werewolf, he hadn't yet experienced such discrimination, but he understood that sense of isolation from being unaccepted."Is... Is the academy like that too?" Leonard asked.A bitter smile twisted Gareth's lips. "Slightly better, since the academy advocates diversity and inclusion. But racial divides and prejudices persist. Different factions rarely interact. Pure-bloods stick together, while mongrels like us huddle for warmth or stay under the radar.""Factions?" Leonard frowned. "Are there many factions here?""Yes," Gareth confirmed. "Harmonia Academy divides students into five main factions based on elemental affinities: Water, Earth, Fire, Wind, and Star. Each has its own color, dormitories, and exclusive courses.""Which faction are you in?" Leonard pressed.Gareth gestured to his dark green robes. "I'm not assigned to any. Mongrels like us usually end up in special classes for basic magic theory and practical skills. We're barred from the core elemental factions."Indignation stirred within Leonard. Such unfair treatment based solely on bloodline felt profoundly unjust."Earlier you mentioned blue for Water, green for Earth, red for Fire, white for Wind... What about yellow?" Leonard asked, recalling students in golden robes he'd seen in the common room."Yellow belongs to the Star faction," Gareth clarified. "Typically comprised of students with special talents or noble bloodlines—like pure-blooded elves."Leonard nodded, remembering how Professor Themis had commented on his resemblance to his mother, an elf. Would he be assigned to a faction? Or, like Gareth, face discrimination for his mixed heritage?"When you said the library isn't a place for someone like me, what did you mean?" Leonard pressed again."Those pure-bloods, especially the Star faction elves, prize blood purity above all," Gareth murmured, lowering his voice. "They hate 'mongrels' like us showing our faces here, thinking we defile this sacred space. Sometimes they even deliberately pick fights."Leonard's brow furrowed. He hadn't realized racial discrimination existed so virulently in the magical world."Then why bring me here?" Leonard asked.Gareth shrugged. "You need to know this place, don't you? And they don't always chase me off. As long as we keep our heads down and don't disturb them, they usually leave us be."He picked up a thick book from the table and handed it to Leonard. "This is the library catalog. See if anything catches your interest."Leonard accepted it, the cover etched with mystical symbols he couldn't decipher. Flipping through, he found a dazzling array of titles spanning magic theory, history, potions, herbology, alchemy—each book a portal to mystery, igniting his curiosity."What section interests you most?" Gareth asked.Leonard considered. "I want books on magical history and different races. Also, anything about elves and werewolves?" He longed to understand his parents' heritages.Gareth nodded, pointing to entries in the catalog. "They should be in this area." He stood and gestured for Leonard to follow.Navigating rows of towering shelves, Gareth led him to the history and race section. These tomes were visibly older, some covers faded, pages yellowed with age.Leonard scanned titles: Advanced Curse Theory, Ancient Runes Deconstructed, Fantastic Beasts Compendium, Alchemy's Arcana—each promising secrets. He picked up Ancient Elven Magic, flipping through pages of lyrical yet cryptic script."Many are written in archaic tongues, not easy to grasp," Gareth warned. "But there are modern translations here too. Keep looking."Leonard nodded, returning the book. His eyes lit on Origins and Evolution of Werewolf Clans, its cover a snarling wolf's head, radiating power. A thrill pulsed through him as he reached for it.Before he could open it, commotion erupted nearby. Looking up, he saw blue-robed students approaching, smirking unkindly."See? What'd I tell you?" Gareth muttered, his eyes flashing resignation and vigilance.Leading them was a tall, blond boy with piercing blue eyes, his azure robe embroidered with a delicate water droplet—clearly Water faction. Behind him, two more blue-robed boys glared contemptuously at Gareth and Leonard."Well, well, if it isn't our mongrel Gareth," the blond sneered, his voice carrying just enough to draw stares. "Bringing another 'friend' to defile our sacred library?"Gareth paled, fists clenching, but remained silent.Leonard frowned, shocked by the blatant prejudice. He looked at Gareth, about to speak, but Gareth shook his head—don't engage."Cassius, we're just reading. We're not bothering anyone," Gareth said evenly, though his knuckles betrayed his fury.Cassius snorted. "Reading? Mongrels like you defiling our noble tomes? Don't waste your time—skulk off before you taint the air."Leonard's anger surged. He started to rise, but Gareth restrained him."Don't, Leonard," Gareth whispered. "Not worth the trouble."Leonard's heart ached seeing Gareth's helplessness. He hadn't realized the daily indignities Gareth endured."Cassius, that's enough!" A clear, furious voice cut through. Leonard turned to see a blue-robed girl striding toward them, face alight with indignation.Cassius's arrogance faltered slightly at her approach, though his voice still dripped contempt. "Vivian Illyria, this doesn't concern you. Stay out of it."Vivian Illyria? The name struck a chord with Leonard.Vivian stopped before them, fixing Cassius with steel-like resolve. "The library belongs to all students. You have no right to expel them. And your words are inexcusable—apologize."Cassius's face darkened. He seemed wary of her. After a moment's hesitation, he grudgingly spat, "Fine, let's go," and stormed off with his cronies, shooting venomous glares over their shoulders.Turning to Leonard and Gareth, Vivian's features softened into a warm smile. "Are you alright?"Leonard nodded, gazing at this brave, striking girl, gratitude swelling in his chest.Gareth looked equally surprised by her intervention."I'm Vivian Illyria," she extended her hand to Leonard.He shook it, her grip cool yet firm. "Leonard Eldridge. Thank you.""You're welcome," she smiled, her radiance sunlike. "At Harmonia, we should support each other." Turning to Gareth, she added, "Don't let Cassius get to you. He's all bluster."Gareth rubbed his neck, a grateful grin spreading. "Thanks, Vivian."Watching them, Leonard felt a surge of warmth. Though his magical journey had just begun, he'd already found allies. He believed he'd carve his place at Harmonia—and uncover his past.