A few minutes later, the rest of the students trickled in. As usual, Aria arrived alongside Cassian. She threw a single, brief glance at the sleeping Lucian and Elira who was sitting far too close to him, before indifferently averting her gaze.

Seraphina walked in right behind them, though her reaction was entirely different.

Her eyes practically radiated pure bloodlust as they locked onto Elira. Gritting her teeth, she abruptly sat down on the bench closest to the door, creating as much distance as possible.

A moment later, the memory of last night — that overwhelmingly sensitive, weak-in-the-knees encounter with Lucian — flashed vividly in her mind. Instantly, her entire face flushed crimson, crumbling into a wobbly mess of pure embarrassment.

Her eyes kept darting toward Lucian, yet her fierce pride held her back, loudly repeating a single thought in her head:

"No, I... I can’t do this. I won’t be able to face Lucian—not in front of everyone—no, not in any situation. I’ll just... avoid him. Yes. Avoid."

She paused, shaking her head furiously.

"No—no, that’s stupid. I’ll talk to him. When he’s alone... yes, that would be better. I need to put some firmness in my voice if I’m going to clear up this misunderstanding."

Soon, the class officially began. It was supposed to be a standard magic theory lecture, but today was going to be special. Professor Mirelle, radiating her usual cheerful energy, instructed the entire class to gather their things and led them straight to the Mana Chamber.

Half-asleep, Lucian forced himself forward, dragging his feet with the sluggish, stiff movements of a zombie. Elira walked right beside him, practically glued to his side.

Damn it... he groaned internally. Did everything have to happen today? I just wanted to sleep a little longer...

As they made their way down the hall, the entire class couldn’t stop whispering about the striking pair. A single duo — one with jet-black hair, the other with silver-white — was the sole topic of every conversation.

Some of the boys were practically turning green with jealousy, while several girls couldn’t help but look at Lucian with open admiration.

"How the hell did Valemont manage to melt the Ice Princess?"

"Yeah... maybe we should have stayed on his good side from the very beginning..." 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"But what about those nasty rumors?"

"Bro, are you seriously going to believe old rumors over what’s right in front of your own eyes?"

Meanwhile, watching them from a far corner of the corridor, Seraphina was doing everything she could to hide her presence and control her boiling temper.

That shameless woman... Sera bit her lip, glaring. How can she just press her body against his arm like that in front of everyone?!

Even though Elira could literally feel the weight of all those piercing stares, she simply smiled. Leaning in closer to Lucian, she whispered,

"Hey, darling. Are you seeing this? Seraphina has been gawking at you for quite a while now."

Lucian froze, completely stunned for a second.

What the heck did she just call me? Darling?! His mind scrambled. Hell no, I am not going to question that... Keep it together, Lucian. Act mature.

He cleared his throat, keeping his face neutral.

"Yeah... I noticed that too."

A short while later, as everyone finally reached the Mana Chamber, the students naturally huddled together into small groups. It was a massive, sprawling hall, radiating an entirely different, otherworldly aura due to the dense, shimmering mana particles floating everywhere in the air.

This chamber was specifically designed to evaluate the true mana capacity of the students.

Gesturing toward a massive orbuculum resting in the center of the room, Professor Mirelle began explaining in her soft, motherly tone.

"As you all know, we are gathered here today for something incredibly special — something that will help determine the course of your future journeys. This orbuculum will reveal both your current mana stage and your elemental attribute."

She raised her forearm, gracefully demonstrating the motion.

"Your attribute will appear right here, while your mana stage will form just above the orbuculum. You may choose to keep your skill and elemental affinity private, though I would gently encourage you to reconsider. With the academy tournament approaching in just two weeks, much will come to light in time. It may be easier to be open and grow together now, rather than burdening yourselves with the anxiety of hiding your powers later."

A light, easing ripple of laughter swept through the class.

"So, who would like to share what they know about the different mana stages? Once we cover the basics together, we will put the orbuculum to use and see exactly where each of you currently stands."

Excited whispers immediately rippled through the rows. Several hands shot up into the air, including Aria’s. Her innocent face radiated a pure, almost childlike blend of curiosity and fierce determination. Cassian, standing right beside her, was completely mesmerized, his eyes locked solely on her profile.

"Yes, Miss Lighthollow," Professor Mirelle smiled warmly.

Aria stepped forward, explaining with eager enthusiasm.

"There are six stages of mana present within any living being capable of accumulating it— the 1st Path stage, the 2nd Edge stage, 3rd Force stage, 4th Flow stage, 5th True stage, and finally, the 6th Crown stage."

"Excellent work, Miss Lighthollow," the Professor praised.

Around the room, Aria’s devoted followers — practically her own little fan club — looked at her with pure admiration, whispering their praises.

Professor Mirelle continued, her voice rising to capture the room’s attention.

"Now, I would like to share a rather remarkable fact with all of you... something to serve as a source of true inspiration. Currently, in the entire Shield Kingdom of Aegis, there are only two individuals who have reached the apex of the Crown Rank! The first is our very own academy healer, Professor Myra — and the second is our Knight Commander, Gideon."

A collective gasp instantly rippled through the classroom.

"O-Only two?"

"Professor Myra... man, I’ve seen her. She is insanely hot."

"Haha, people say no one actually knows her real age!"

"Incredible... that’s just unbelievable."

Standing off to the side, Lucian cast a quick glance at Elira. Catching his gaze, Elira returned it with a soft, knowing smile.

I guess my crazy master’s reputation is pretty solid after all, though I never actually knew her exact rank until now. When I checked Elira’s status yesterday, she was already at the Force Rank. This girl’s got some serious power. I wonder what my rank is going to be?

"Alright, my dear students! Shall we begin this exciting journey?" The Professor’s enthusiasm was contagious as she pointed straight at the golden-haired boy standing proudly in the front row.

"Our first brave volunteer will be... Cassian!"

A massive wave of excitement and anticipation washed over the entire class.