I stared blankly at the professor, yet he kept scribbling down. While the others had already started working.

I pushed forward and sat down at the nearest chair in the distance. An hour later, and still nothing. I could feel my eyelids drooping closed... until I spotted his boots next to me.

"Come with me," he said, and my eyes snapped open. I jerked up and immediately rushed after him...

We left the others and walked straight ahead.

"Professor, why was I given no work to do earlier?" I asked, and his lips parted. "You have no foundation of magic. You are merely D- or C-rank. You lack the depth needed in magic," he said, and I sighed. He wasn’t wrong. I licked my lips and nodded in understanding.

Then he paused, and I halted too.

"I’d rather take you to field work," he said, and I blinked. Field work? What did he mean? I wanted to press further, but then his hand reached out. I didn’t even realize a curtain was there. He slid it open, and my eyes shimmered.

It was clearly a mini farmland. I immediately walked in. Little plants had already started to sprout. I crouched down and gently placed my hands in the fertilized soil. Just by staring at it, I could tell it was really healthy.

I stood up and walked further in, and he watched everything silently... then I spotted the Verdant Acceleration Spire in the open center of the soil. It stood there, its green gem shimmering, with vein-like lines running beneath the ground.

"Oh... would that help it grow faster than normal?" I asked, and the professor hummed in agreement. "It was built to get it to work, and I’m monitoring its function right now," he said, and I nodded, moving closer to inspect it. The gem shimmered brightly, and green pulses flowed into the veins. This must be how the energy was transferred into the ground and the plants.

The plants looked like they were growing faster and stronger. It was amazing. I wanted to be part of this... a lot.

"So what is my job?" I asked, and at that moment, I spotted Sonia wearing huge boots, dressed like a farm girl. She froze upon seeing me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, and she exchanged glances between the professor and me.

"It’s my day in the academy. I needed something to do," she said softly, and I couldn’t help but sneer. Why did I feel like that clearly wasn’t the full reason? But I didn’t say a word.

"Hmm. You will help Raven around and show her what to do," the professor said, and she nodded. She walked toward me.

"Come with me," she said, and I followed after her, still glancing over my shoulder at him. I licked my lips and gently stretched. I was sure I saw a subtle smile in the professor’s lips... or was I imagining things?

"So I mainly just sprinkle the potion onto the plants and check if the gem is working properly when needed. I get my hands on dirt and manure," she said, then turned to me. "Are you noting down all this?" she asked, but I didn’t say a word. My lips finally parted after I glanced at her from head to toe.

"It’s shocking how you would stoop so low and actually mingle yourself in dirt," I said, and watched as her eyes dimmed.

"Am I not allowed to do that? Not everything is about power, Raven," she said, and I hummed in acknowledgment.

"Is there anything dangerous here?" I asked, and she just led the way. I followed her until we reached the back of the lab... There was clearly a man-made pond behind it. I moved closer than expected. The water looked so clear, and I reached out to touch it, but Sonia grabbed my wrist instantly.

"What are you doing?" she asked, and my lips parted to respond, but then I heard a zip sound. I looked down and froze in shock. It was clearly a jellyfish... but why was it only visible now? Just as I kept wondering, more kept appearing and appearing.

"How are they invisible?" I asked in shock, and she laughed.

"They’ve been experimented on before I found. they were miles away from the academy. I wondered why they were there at first, but then I just brought them here," she said, and my lips parted.

"Did you use tools or gloves to take them out?" I asked, and she laughed again.

"I used my bare hands," she said, and my mind froze. What... even now she wasn’t wearing gloves... just how powerful is she?

"But... they don’t seem dangerous to me," I muttered. She didn’t say a word and walked away. When she returned, she held a mouse in her hands and instantly threw it into the pond.

Just like that...

It screeched in pain. The moment it hit the water, tentacles wrapped around it. Clearly feeding. I watched as the fluid pulsed through them, and I bit down on my lips.

Hmm...

It was intriguing, I thought. But Sonia walked over with boots and an apron-like jumpsuit.

"Wear this," she said, and I nodded. It didn’t take a few minutes before I had already changed.

For the meantime, I was just told to gently sprinkle the potion on the plants. I carefully sprayed them around. I was clearly enjoying everything when suddenly Sonia walked toward me.

"Your beasts-men are outside," she said, and I walked out. I gently slid the curtain aside, and there they were—my beastmen. Even Thyrian seemed better, though his lips were a little dry. I had left him to rest.

"What are you guys doing here, and why did you drag Thyrian here?" I asked, and they all exchanged looks before moving closer, except Azrael. He just stood there, watching with a calm expression.

"We wanted to see you, Master," he said, and I sighed. Why was this already giving me a headache?

"I’m busy right now," I said, yet they didn’t budge. I turned to Thyrian.

"Are you okay?" I asked, and he flashed a soft smile. "Yes," he said, and I sighed in relief. But then I noticed Professor Caelum. He stared at me, then at my beastmen.

"You can leave," he said softly, and I raised a brow. My lips parted to respond, but I closed them immediately.

"Actually—" before I could say anything, Bibi and Liora walked toward me.

"We have been dismissed," they said, and I sighed. It had already been an hour anyway.

"Rest up," Professor Caelum said, and we nodded, walking off.

"How was it?" I asked Liora, and she smiled. "A bit difficult, but after some practice I was able to mix the right potion and the right amount," she said and Bibi just smiled.

"They look pretty much okay," Bibi added, and since the atmosphere felt right, I turned to her and stepped closer.

"I really apologize for what I did earlier, and I do believe you have changed," I said, and everyone paused. Bibi just stared, while Liora seemed happy about my decision.

"Even though I still believe you still have a bit of wickedness in you," I added, and Bibi rolled her eyes.

"Raven... really?" Liora asked, and I smiled.

"I forgive you... maybe," Bibi replied, and I couldn’t help but laugh. She was serving me back what I gave her.

My lips parted to say something else, when suddenly—

Hands wrapped around my waist and pulled me closer. I tried to push my beastmen off, but they wouldn’t move.

"Wa—"

Whoa... this was in broad daylight. I couldn’t help but blush as Bibi and Liora turned to look at me. They froze, and "ooohhh" escaped their lips. I shivered and bit my bottom lip.

"Hurry out," Liora said, and I blushed harder. My beastsmen finally let go of me, and we walked out. Bibi and Liora went their separate ways.

We didn’t talk for a few steps when I spotted Elowen with Lilith. She was muttering some words to her, acting all gentle. Was she trying to poison her heart?

As I made a step forward, Lilith walked away. Her face was full of anger and displeasure.

"Lilith," I called, stopping her in her tracks. She froze, turned to me... said nothing... and walked off.

My stomach twisted painfully. I shifted my gaze to Elowen, and she was already walking toward me. Her eyes were lit with strange energy and jealousy.

When she was close enough, I expected her to scream like she usually would... but instead, she just looked at me with a smug grin, didn’t say a word, and walked away.

This was really unlike Elowen.

Even my beastmen let go of me instantly, their eyes darkening.

"She said something to Lilith," Ryker said, and Veyra nodded. Thyrian just stared into the distance, while Azrael chuckled.

"So Elowen can be this cruel," he said, and my heart tightened.

The fact that things were changing a lot...

Was the story deviating... and would Lilith begin to hate the villainess earlier than in the original novel?

"Let’s go to her room."