017. Seraphina

He stepped through the classroom doors, instinctively lowering his gaze, though not before catching her eyes fixed intently on him—wide and unblinking, as if she had just seen a ghost walk in.

In that fleeting moment before he looked away, he noticed the bandages on her as well—one wrapped around her ankle, another on her wrist, and a fresh one peeking from beneath her hairline near her temple.

What surprised him more, however, was how quickly she seemed to have recovered. Far quicker than he had expected, considering the state she'd been in. It left him wondering if she had healed faster than him—or if, like him, she was simply pretending.

He moved into the classroom, making his way quietly toward his usual seat. As he settled in and pulled the chair closer with a faint scrape, the lecturer stepped in almost immediately, wasting no time before beginning the day's lesson.

But even as the lecture commenced, he couldn't ignore the lingering weight of her gaze.

She was still staring at him, and it was strange. Sure, he had stared at her the day before in the cafeteria, but that had been different. That had been deliberate, calculated—for her own safety.

This, however, felt different. Her stare held something else—curiosity, suspicion... or perhaps something he couldn't quite place. Whatever it was, it made him uneasy.

"Good day, class," the teacher began, setting a neat stack of papers on the podium while adjusting a few items he'd brought along.

"Today marks our second day together, and—as I mentioned yesterday—I'll be serving as your homeroom teacher for the term."

He spoke with a calm, measured voice, turning toward the class with a hint of enthusiasm in his gestures as he continued.

"Now, for tomorrow," he said, pacing lightly in front of the podium,

"we'll be heading to the school's official assessment area. There, each of you will undergo a mana evaluation in preparation for the upcoming duel training."

As he glanced across the room, his eyes briefly settled on Kael and Seraphina, both of whom were noticeably wrapped in bandages.

"I heard from the principal about what happened yesterday," he added, a more serious note entering his voice.

"I'm genuinely glad the two of you are doing alright. Given your condition, you'll both be exempted from the duel classes for now so you can focus on your recovery."

Turning his attention back to the rest of the students, his tone lightened again.

"As for the rest of you," he said, "there's a simple method you can use to improve your mana reserves before tomorrow's assessment. It might not sound like much, but it works."

He walked over to the board and began writing in large, clear strokes.

"Inner peace leads to inner power."

Facing the class once more, he elaborated. "The key is to find whatever brings you inner peace. It could be a place, a memory, an activity—anything that calms your spirit. Once you identify it, meditate on it. Quiet your thoughts and focus inward. You'll be surprised at how much that can strengthen your mana."

He paused, hands folded behind his back, letting the words hang in the air a moment before leaning forward slightly, his voice lowering just a bit, like he was letting them in on a secret.

"Technically, I'm not supposed to share that method just yet," he said with a small smile, "but I really do want to see all of you grow stronger. So—go out there, explore a little. Find that stillness within yourself. Just don't leave the school grounds, alright?"

With that, he turned to gather his things from the podium, pausing only once more to look over the class.

"Tomorrow will be your first practical lesson," he said. "So come prepared—mentally and physically. You'll thank yourself for it."

And with a final nod, he stepped out of the classroom, two hours having passed almost without notice.

Kael stared in silence as Mr. Lemon stepped out of the classroom, the sound of the closing door muffled beneath the weight of his thoughts.

His mind was still processing everything the teacher had said, each word looping in his head like a quiet echo he couldn't ignore.

The real problem, though, was how he was supposed to increase his mana before tomorrow. No matter how he turned it over in his head, he couldn't come up with a solution.

There were no shortcuts, no secret techniques he knew, and certainly no resources he could tap into at the last minute.

Unless a miracle happened overnight, he'd have no choice but to rely on his natural mana reserves—limited as they were—and hope that somehow, it would be enough to get him through the class without failing outright.

'This school is more challenging than I thought it would be,' he thought, as he stroked his chin slowly while glaring at the school board.

His mind was so preoccupied with the dilemma of his mana that, for a moment, he completely forgot about Seraphina and everyone else around him.

It was as if the world beyond his thoughts had faded into the background, their presence reduced to shadows.

In that brief stretch of time, nothing existed but the weight of tomorrow and the uncertainty gnawing at his chest.

Then, in the midst of his absentmindedness, a sudden tap on his shoulder broke through the haze clouding his thoughts.

It wasn't forceful—just a light, almost hesitant touch—but it was enough to jolt him from his spiraling focus.

He blinked, still half-lost in his head, and instinctively braced himself. Of course it would be Joe.

As annoying as the guy could be, Kael could already hear the familiar, overenthusiastic voice forming the next words in his head:

"We should train to increase our mana!"

But as he slowly turned, lifting his gaze toward the person who had pulled him out of such an important mental spiral, he froze.

His eyes widened in disbelief as they landed on the last person he expected to see standing beside him.

'Seraphina?'