The Classes (part two)

The first week at the academy had been an exhausting whirlwind for the four of them. Talia and Zeshia were both drained from the intense practice sessions, their bodies sore from the non-stop training. The swordsman department's sprawling halls, filled with the clanging sounds of weapons meeting steel, had overwhelmed them. The senior students trained with an intensity that left the two of them breathless, and they had spent almost every moment in lecture after lecture, hardly able to keep their eyes open by the time they returned to their dorms.

Zenith, however, had undergone a subtle shift. While her cold demeanor remained, there was a discernible difference in the way she held herself. She no longer seemed entirely indifferent to the lessons she was receiving. There was a slight gleam in her eyes whenever she spoke of magic, a quiet kind of focus that none of the others had seen before.

"Master's explanations were precise today," Zenith remarked as she adjusted her glasses with one finger, her voice as steady and composed as ever. "The theory behind mana control is intricate, but I think I'm starting to understand it more clearly."

Vivera, who had been watching her cousin carefully, couldn't help but feel a twinge of concern. She had never seen Zenith so engaged in anything before. Despite her usual calmness and distant nature, there was a certain... warmth to the way Zenith spoke about magic now, as though it had sparked something new inside her.

"You're really getting into this, huh?" Vivera asked, her voice hesitant but tinged with curiosity.

Zenith glanced at her, her expression still stoic, but there was something subtle in the way she adjusted her glasses, an almost imperceptible shift in her gaze. "It's just... efficient. I like the logic behind it." She paused, her voice softening for a moment. "It's... calming."

Vivera nodded, though she still couldn't fully shake the feeling that something had changed. Zenith had always been a closed book, her emotions tightly controlled, but now... it seemed like she was letting something, however small, peek through the cracks.

Meanwhile, Zeshia and Talia, exhausted from their own training in the swordsman department, entered the room, their faces flushed from the day's trials. Zeshia flopped onto her bed with an exaggerated groan, stretching her arms dramatically as she let out a long sigh.

"I don't think I've ever been this tired in my entire life," Zeshia muttered, rolling over to face Zenith. "That lecture was so boring. Why do we need to learn all these ancient sword techniques when we could be practicing actual combat?"

Talia, ever the princess, sighed dramatically beside her. "I couldn't agree more. I swear, if I have to sit through one more theory class, I might just fall asleep on the spot."

Zenith, still sitting calmly on her bed, shot them a glance. "You'll get used to it," she said with her usual indifference. "The academy is about more than just combat. They want us to understand the theory behind everything, so we can be more effective in the long run."

Zeshia and Talia exchanged looks of disbelief. "You're really into this, huh?" Zeshia asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and amusement.

Zenith's eyes narrowed slightly, but there was the faintest flicker of something in her gaze—something that could almost be called enthusiasm, though it was hidden behind layers of calm.

"I'm simply learning," she replied, her voice steady, though her words felt deliberate. "I don't see the point of doing something without understanding it."

As if to change the subject, Zeshia pulled out a calendar and started flipping through it. "How many days until the weekend? I feel like I'm going to die if I have to go through another week of non-stop lectures and drills."

Talia joined in, leaning over to look at the calendar. "At least we'll have a break soon. I can't wait to sleep in for a change."

Zenith observed them, her gaze detached but oddly serene. She didn't share their complaints. Instead, she moved to the side of her bed, pulling out a hidden stash of snacks—small treats she had quietly kept to herself. It wasn't much, but the others immediately perked up as the familiar scents of sweets and dried fruit filled the air.

"You're a lifesaver," Zeshia said dramatically, grabbing a handful of the treats and shoving them into her mouth.

Talia, who had been eyeing the snacks just as hungrily, reached over and grabbed a few as well. "I don't know how you do it, Zenith. You always have the best snacks."

Zenith's lips twitched, but she didn't respond. Instead, she took her own share, enjoying the food quietly, her mind seemingly elsewhere. She was no longer the stone-faced twin who merely observed the world around her; something had shifted. Even if she wasn't showing it outright, she was beginning to care about the academy, about learning, and, in some small way, even about the others in her group.

But her enthusiasm remained controlled. She wouldn't let it fully show. Zenith had always maintained a tight grip on her emotions, and that wasn't going to change now. There would be no wild displays of excitement or joy, just small, careful steps toward something she couldn't quite name yet.

As they continued to eat and chat, the room filled with the familiar, comfortable banter of friends. But even with the lighthearted atmosphere, Zenith couldn't shake the feeling that something bigger was unfolding. The academy, the magic, her own growing interest in the subjects—everything seemed to be connected to something more profound, something she had yet to understand fully.

That night, they stayed up later than they should have, talking and laughing. As a result, they overslept the next morning, rushing to get ready. Zenith and Talia, predictably, received penalties for being late to their first class. It wasn't a surprise to any of them, given their late-night antics.

But as the week ended, Zenith felt something different stir within her. The first week at the academy had been full of challenges, and yet, for the first time in a long while, she didn't feel quite as lost. It wasn't much, but it was a start. A crack in the cold, emotionless exterior she had built. She was still Zenith—calm, composed, and driven—but now, she felt the faintest stirrings of something new