I watched as Mr. Poley left the classroom, then leaned back in my chair. Miop closed the cover of her book, stood up, gave me a quiet nod, and returned to her desk at the back. Sword and shield training? I wished I could skip it like I used to skip P.E. classes back in my old life. Hopefully, I wouldn’t end up injuring myself, considering I had no clue how to handle a weapon like that.


    Jane passed by without even glancing in my direction, leaving the classroom. She was still giving me the cold shoulder, but it didn’t bother me much. It wasn’t like we were close enough for it to matter. If anything, I hoped she’d eventually forget about me—a mere face in the crowd.


    “Excited about training?” a student asked her friend nearby.


    “I’m a little rusty,” the friend replied.


    “Same, but I’m more terrified than excited. What if the elves attack again? Maybe we should skip it…”


    “Elves tried to kill the Queen,” the first student said. “We’re safe now. Don’t worry.”


    “But... what if they go after Axel?” she whispered. “He’s the reason they failed to assassinate her. What if they want revenge?”


    “That’d... suck.”


    “Maybe we should just skip it?”


    “Nah, don’t be a wuss. Nothing will happen.”


    “Hmm,” I muttered as I left the classroom before them. “Revenge, huh?”


    She wasn’t wrong. The idea of elves coming after me for revenge wasn’t exactly comforting. As if that lunatic Suzan wasn’t enough, now I had an entire race potentially out for blood because I’d been in the wrong place at the wrong time. What a mess I’d stumbled into.


    For a brief moment, I considered skipping the lesson entirely. But since I’d unintentionally become the center of attention lately, skipping would only draw more eyes. Plus, attendance was enforced by law—if anyone caught me ditching, they’d drag me back anyway. My only option was to stick it out and hope I’d still have my head attached to my neck by the end of the day.


    I pushed open the doors to the back garden, letting the fresh air wash over me. Finding a bench near the wall, I sank onto it, crossed my arms, and leaned back against the damp stone. My eyes wandered to the large training area in the distance, where the gaping hole from before had been repaired.


    “Man,” I muttered, my gaze drifting to the rooftop, half-expecting to see an elf perched with a drawn bow. “Maybe I’m just paranoid.”


    “You aren’t.”


    I flinched and turned to see Liam standing a few steps away, his gaze also fixed on the rooftop. He was so close I wondered how I hadn’t noticed him. His uniform was sharp and spotless, and as he turned to look at me, he adjusted his glasses before letting his arms drop to his sides.


    “You scared me,” I said.


    “Wasn’t my intention. Sorry.”


    “No problem,” I replied flatly. “Do you have sword training too?”


    “No, that’s the lesson after this,” he said. “I heard you found a team. Congrats.”


    “Thanks,” I said. “I assume you have a team as well?”


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    “I do.”


    Liam studied me for a moment before continuing. “How about we train after school? Five versus five.”


    “You’d destroy us without breaking a sweat,” I said, keeping my tone neutral. “No, thanks.”


    “Too bad I asked Aiden before you, then,” Liam said with a serious tone, “He agreed. I just thought I’d ask you anyway.”


    “Why?”


    “I wanted to see how you’d respond. You didn’t surprise me,” he replied, his tone calm. “Anyway, I should go. See you after school, Axel.”


    “Hmm.”


    I watched as Liam walked back through the doors and into the main building. Letting out a long breath, I turned my gaze back to the rooftop. This was either going to be an interesting match or an embarrassing loss for my team.


    Leo, Aiden, and Seker were all C-Class, while I was a measly F. We didn’t stand a chance. I didn’t even need to see Liam’s team in action to know they’d wipe the floor with us in minutes. I still couldn’t understand why Aiden had agreed to the match, knowing how much stronger Liam’s team was. What a disaster.


    “Is that Axel?” a girl whispered to her friend from afar, her voice filled with curiosity. “He looks… normal.”


    “Yes, it is,” her friend replied, her tone carrying a hint of judgment. “Look at his hair. So messy.”


    The first girl hesitated for a moment before straightening her shoulders. “Hey… I think I’m going to talk to him.”


    “Really?” The friend’s eyes widened in surprise.


    “Yeah. Wish me luck. Hope he agrees.”


    Biting my lip, I quickly stood up and made my way toward the doors, hoping to avoid the conversation altogether. Unfortunately, she moved faster than I anticipated, reaching me just as my hand hovered over the door handle.


    I glanced at her, my half-lidded, tired and lifeless eyes meeting hers briefly. She looked determined. Nodding slightly in acknowledgment, I turned back to the door and pushed it open.


    “Sorry, were you going inside?” she asked, her voice soft but persistent.


    “Yeah, I was,” I replied flatly.


    “But you just came outside?”


    “Yeah. Forgot to grab my books from the library,” I muttered.


    Her face brightened as she quickly seized the opportunity. “Well, before that, could you cast that fireball again? Just for a second? I won’t take up your time, I promise. I just want to see it up close—how you managed to pour so much mana into the spell like that.”


    I shook my head, already stepping through the doorway. “I’d rather not. It was just luck.”


    “But—”


    Before she could finish, I shut the door behind me, cutting off her protest. Stuffing my hands into my pockets, I walked briskly down the hallway, passing by the grand tree where students lounged, chatting and sipping drinks.


    Though my name was starting to fade from the school’s gossip, there were still a handful of students intrigued by how I had managed to channel so much mana into that spell. Truthfully, I was as clueless as they were. I didn’t have mana—none at all. Not even a trace. It was as much a mystery to me as it was to them.


    Deciding I might as well grab my books now instead of later, I headed toward the stairs. Climbing to the second floor, I wandered toward the library, passing a few students along the way.


    When I stepped inside, the musty scent of parchment and ink filled the air. A woman sat at a desk near the entrance, engrossed in a thick tome. Just as I drew a breath to speak, she lifted a hand, index finger raised to silence me.


    “Behind you,” she murmured without looking up.


    “Behi—”


    I turned and froze. A stack of books floated behind me, bobbing gently in mid-air. My gaze flicked between the levitating books and the woman, trying to figure out what was happening. She remained focused on her reading, as though this was the most mundane occurrence.


    Hesitantly, I reached out and grabbed the books one by one, stacking them carefully in my arms. “Uh… thanks.”


    “Mm.” She barely acknowledged me.


    Carrying the stack, I made my way through the quiet library, the soft creak of my footsteps echoing off the shelves. I stopped near the railing overlooking the first floor and peered down. Below, I saw Mr. Poley stepping into the back garden, gathering the students for the next lesson with a woman who was probably another teacher.


    “Guess it’s time for class…” I muttered under my breath, adjusting the books in my arms and heading back the way I came.