Unexpected Visitor

My plan to survive the Imperium Academy was to lay low for as long as possible, until I figured out how to get my magic back.

But the last thing I expected was to be thrown into a tournament with seven other magic wielders.

If I was going to stand any chance, it was going to be with the one thing I was left with.

Knowledge.

So right before the day ended, I began to inquire.

Luckily for me, the names of the eight students participating in the tournament were available to the school. All I had to do was to find out who they were.

Fortunately, the school provided them. On a very large noticeboard.

Pinned on it, was a large white paper with the words FIRST YEAR TOURNAMENT PARTICIPANTS written boldly above it. Beneath the heading, eight names were written, sorted by class.

CLASS 1A

Kyro Solaris (House Solaris of Pentra)

Si Ya Lin (House Lin of Xindao)

Lucy Daevalia (House Daevalia)

CLASS 1B

Freya Lillith (House Lillith of Viridale)

Baron Borain (House Borain of Brannersport)

Jon Ganry (Commonblood)

CLASS 1C

Ginny Lillith (House Lillith of Viridale)

Rin Stormborn (House Stormborn of Caelthorne)

Mostly nobles with one commoner.

I didn't know who exactly I was going to face, but I had to prepare myself by gathering as much information as I could beforehand.

"Didn't realise you'll be participating, cheater."

The voice behind me was high-pitched, shrill, and cocky. Of course, I had heard her footsteps before-hand, and made up my mind to ignore her.

"Isn't it kind of weird?" The Lillith girl quipped with a slight grin on her face. "You and your girlfriend… participating in the same tournament?"

I kept silent.

"It'll be quite satisfying to see you two face each other. Wonder what'll happen then?"

I had not really thought about that. There was indeed a high chance that Lucy and I would have to face each other, and I hated to imagine what could happen then.

"Hope she gets paired with me. It'll be a great opportunity to teach her a really good lesson."

You wish.

"What do you want, Freya?" I asked, finally.

"Nothing," she clasped her hands between her back. "Just wanted to wish you good luck."

She turned around, but made one last look at me.

"You're going to need it," she muttered under her breath, but loud enough for me to hear. Then she cat-walked away, forcefully swaying her hips.

Her words lingered in my mind for a bit, but a match against Freya Lillith was the least of my problems right now.

For a moment, I wondered if she was the one who left the note at my doorstep. Then I discarded the idea. Freya might be a brat, but she wasn't clever enough to pull that off.

Whoever sent me that note knew exactly what they were doing, and I had a feeling I was going to find out who they were very soon.

*****

I got back to my room much later in the evening, when the sun had already set, and darkness stretched over the academy.

I had spent the evening at the library. Reading of course. But I wasn't here for the books. I came for the view.

The topmost floor of the library had a window which had a full view of the front entrance of the male nobles' dorm.

I had spent the evening watching everyone who walked in and out, trying to figure out if any of them was an outsider or a threat, but I couldn't place a pin on any.

As I did my observation, Lucy had come to the library as she always did, but when I tried to say a word, she ignored me completely.

Well, I'd try again another time.

When the sun began to set, I left the library and headed back to my room.

This time around, there was no note at my door. Still, I reached for the doorknob, listening first. I didn't really trust this place anymore.

Slowly, I unlocked the door and pushed it open.

The room was pretty dark, and I had to light it up. The only source of light were the candles in the corners. No magic, no light crystals, just old fashioned flame. Pathetic, really.

I walked to my reading table and searched for my matchbox.

"I could have sworn I kept it here."

I paused for a while. Trying to remember if I had kept the match box someplace else.

I reached for a drawer. Nothing.

I stood still, quite confused.

Just then, I heard it – the slow metallic grind of a sword being unsheathed.

Someone else was in my room!

I held my breath and stayed still. Then I heard another sound.

Light footsteps, barely audible, slowly approaching me from behind.

This was no ordinary swordman. It was a trained assassin.

For a moment, I imagined it to be Theo, but Theo was far away on an errand I sent him. Even if he came back, he wouldn't be in my room unannounced, and he definitely wouldn't try to sneak up behind me with a sword.

Any sudden movement from me would rouse suspicion, so I kept still, and pretended to search for the matchbox.

It was only a matter of time before my attacker plunged a sword into my chest. So I had to plan my movements properly to avoid certain death.

I listened in earnest. Then I heard the assassin exhale.

Immediately, I moved to the left, just in time before a long sword came crashing down, splitting my reading table in two.

I spun around and turned to my assailant, my eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness.

I could see a figure, fully clad from head to toe in a black shinobi outfit, his face hidden behind a white lifeless doll mask.

It was a scary sight… for children maybe.

"I always imagined my death to be in the middle of a great battle with the fate of the world at stake," I smiled. "Not at the hands of an assassin."

The assassin made another precise swing, but I swayed to my right, and the blade flew right by me.

"Tell me who sent you," I continued. "and maybe I'll let you cut me a little."

Another deliberate swing, this time aiming for my head. I quickly ducked. For the first time, I was grateful that Rin Stormborn had a slim agile body.

"What exactly do you want?" I asked, voice low, eyes locked onto his face.

The assassin paused, and lowered his sword.

"You're not supposed to be here."

It was a grim, low voice, but it was definitely a feminine one. The assassin was a lady, not a man.

"You're the one who sent me that note," I said, "But we haven't met officially. I'm Rin Stormborn."

"No," the assassin replied. "You're a dead man."

Once again the assassin charged at me.

I pulled out Theo's dagger from my left sleeve and parried her sword. Then I made a 180 twist towards her and knocked her face with my left elbow.

The assassin staggered back. Her masked cracked and shifted, and a strand of soft orange hair slipped out of her head covering.

I pointed my dagger at the assassin. "If you keep this up, you might regret it."

The assassin scoffed, sheathed her sword and slowly retreated to the unlatched window.

"I'll see you soon, Belford."

Then she leapt out, and disappeared into the darkness.

I quickly ran to the window, hoping to catch which direction she headed. But there was no movement, not even a sound.

She had completely vanished.

For a moment, I tried to decipher how exactly the assassin knew me. The only person who knew about the reincarnation was Theo, and he barely even spoke.

There was no way anyone could have known.

Unless...

I could've run or reported the incident to the school authorities, but that could force me to answer certain questions and expose myself.

So I remained silent. But in that silence, I realized a harsh truth.

This was just the first encounter of many to come.

I sighed. Ever since I got reincarnated, my problems only seemed to be multiplying.

I had to protect my best friend from becoming the Shadow Queen.

I had to participate in a magic academy tournament without any magic.

And now, I had an assassin on my back who knew my real identity.

I smiled, dryly. The coming weeks were going to be quite interesting.