[: Daniel’s POV :]

A week has passed by and the academy was nothing like the School I used to know back in my past life.

Here, everything smelled of mana, metal, ink, sweat, and ambition.

Every corridor vibrated with magic, students muttering incantations, training spells echoing against reinforced walls, the crackle of spell matrices forming and collapsing.

I came here to learn... or so I told myself.

But maybe... I just wanted to feel like a person again, not someone that would fight against the worlds out there one day.

After the day we had lessons from Scarlett, the next day, the morning bell rang across the courtyard, and the air shimmered with excitement.

Our first practical lesson was Mana Enhancement and Application led by Instructor Dorian Hellcrest, a man whose stern gaze alone could make mountains kneel.

They say he once fought a dragon horde alone and returned with their broken horn.

He paced slowly before us.

"I’m sure you must have learnt from Scarlett that Magic is not trickery"

"It is discipline a d you need to control with precision"

"A single misstep turns genius into corpse."

Students swallowed hard.

I breathed out, keeping my mana suppressed to what would be a reasonable prodigy level.

Just enough to impress... not enough to terrify.

We were tasked to enhance our weapon that we chose to surround it with mana, the most basic Mana Enhancement.

Students struggled, beads of sweat forming, while their mana around their weapon flickered and collapsed.

I shaped mine with a thought, perfectly smooth, stable, quietly surrounding on my sword.

Dorian’s eyes snapped to me.

"...Name."

"Daniel," I replied calmly.

He inspected my sphere closely, shock flickering beneath his discipline.

"You’ve refined your control to this extent at your age?"

A few students stared.

Whispering ensued.

I smiled awkwardly.

"I just practiced a lot."

That was the first lie of the week.

And of course, he wouldn’t believe it.

After all, I was a new student.

Unless I was trained by private instructors, it would be a struggle.

and the next day, it was a smithing class.

It was surprisingly soothing with ringing steel, blazing fire, and the scent of hot iron.

Instructor Roderick Firebrand, a muscular dwarf with a metal arm, bellowed.

"Craftin’ a weapon ain’t just hammerin’ metal! It’s hammerin’ your heart into it!"

Students struggled to hold their hammers.

Sparks flew everywhere and one student panicked and flung his red-hot metal which Roderick caught bare-handed.

The man didn’t flinch.

Fendrick, beside me, swung his hammer like he wanted to murder the anvil.

"Calm down," I said.

"I am calm," he snapped.

The hammer rebounded and nearly hit his forehead.

I caught it mid-air.

Fendrick groaned.

"Why are you annoyingly good at everything?"

I grinned.

"Natural charm."

"Shut up."

Silvia, on my other side, laughed softly.

"Fendrick, try not to break the building this time."

"IT WAS ONE PILLAR—!"

Roderick glared.

"...half a pillar," he corrected, sulking.

I made my first dagger, perfectly balanced, sharper than any trainee weapon should be.

Never thought I would enjoy crafting and smithing my own weapon.

Roderick paused as he inspected it.

"Where’d ye learn smithin’ like this?"

"I... read a book," I lied again.

He stared at me like I’d just insulted his ancestors, then burst into laughter.

"You’ll be a right menace in my class! Good lad!"

I felt warm inside.

It felt fulfillment.

I was truly enjoying my time in the academy even spending my moments with Fendrick.

During lunch, Fendrick complained about nobles again.

"I swear, one more stuck-up idiot calling me ’commoner’ and I’ll—"

"Be comforted by Silvia," I cut in.

He choked.

"She’s not- Don’t start."

Silvia sipped her tea with a graceful smile.

"Continue, Daniel."

"You two look great together."

Fendrick turned so red he looked like a boiled crab.

Silvia leaned closer to me, stage-whispering,

"He gets cuter when he panics, right?"

"I HEARD THAT!"

Students turned to look.

A few laughed.

For once, it wasn’t mocking.

It was... nice.

The next, it was about Principles of Anti Magic.

Instructor Scarlett, elegant, strict, feared, approached me after class.

"You grasp concepts on first listen. You execute on first try. You adapt faster than my best graduates."

Her eyes narrowed.

"Where did you come from?"

"Just a humble noble. Nothing special."

She stared longer, as if peeling layers of reality around me.

"...Very well. But understand this. Power attracts calamity. Be careful who sees you."

Her warning lingered like storm clouds.

And her words were the truth. The more power I have or seek, the more trouble it’ll follows.

But I don’t mind the trouble as long as I can enjoy moments like this.

Before bed, Fendrick threw a pillow at me.

"For the last time, stop asking Silvia if she likes me!"

I raised a brow.

"Do you want me to ask her if you like her instead?"

He dramatically buried his face in his blanket.

"...I hate you."

"You adore me."

"Oh light, please smite him," Fendrick groaned.

But I could feel it, beneath all the insults, there was trust forming.

I’d forgotten what that felt like.

At one of the days, the class were given the opportunity to spar with our partner.

And on the arena buzzed with excitement as Instructor Dorian declared:

"Pair up. Light combat only and no lethal force. I’d like to keep the courtyard intact."

Eyes turned to me.

By now, my actions have gain their attention and everyone wanted to see what the prodigy noble could do.

I was paired with Fendrick.

He cracked his knuckles.

"No holding back."

I smirked. "I always hold back."

The fight began, he rushed with surprising speed, flames swirling at his fist.

I dodged lightly, letting him graze my sleeve.

"STOP SHOWING OFF!"

He swung again.

We traded blows but I never hit back fully, only redirecting, guiding his momentum.

Eventually, I let him land one good punch.

"You hit like a dreamer," I teased.

"You fight like an old man!"

His last strike came from the heart, full commitment.

I gently pressed one finger to his forehead, redirecting his mana.

*Thunk*

He fell backward onto his ass.

The arena erupted with cheers and laughter.

Even Fendrick laughed, grumpy but genuine.

"Next time," he said.

"Yes. Next time, you’ll hit harder."

For once, there was joy in combat.

As much as I was forging a friendship with Fendrick, Silvia, his childhood friend was no longer a stranger to me.

Mainly it’s because I teased Fendrick about her and Silvia would oftenly requested my help about Fendrick.

And mostly, it was all about what he likes, is he eating well, what did he do the whole day.

Looking at their relationship where Fendrick stubbornly declare he didn’t love her but he did, I truly support them.

Moreover, ever since I had became Fendrick’s roommate, Silvia never once stopped joined us for our breakfast, lunch and dinner.

It was now a daily routine where we would find a seat and wait for Silvia to arrive.

And at some point, Silvia joined us on the dorm roof at night with a bag of pastries in hand.

"You both looked incredible today," she said.

"Daniel cheated," Fendrick muttered.

"I used one finger," I said.

"That’s the cheating part!"

We laughed.

The stars shimmered like shattered divine fragments across the sky.

Silvia glanced at me.

"Daniel... where did you learn to move like that?"

I looked up. "In my household."

"I mean, it’s kinda impressive to know someone has that much knowledge, combat experience and even talent"

"Even if it’s a Noble, it’s still inpressive" She complimented.

"Thanks for the Compliment Silvia" I replied.

"Even though you’re a Noble, you’re really strange but that’s the good part about you" She added.

Fendrick shoved a pastry into my mouth.

"Don’t get too complacent. I’ll be here to put you right back to your place if you get overconfident. We’re stuck with you for life."

My heart... trembled a little.

The next day, the classes ended earlier.

Students filled the courtyard with laughter, duels, gossip about rival houses.

I leaned back under a sunlit tree, exhaustion warm and pleasant.

Fendrick plopped down beside me, munching bread like a beast.

Silvia sat gracefully, brushing crumbs from his face, ignoring his protests.

I watched them, two idiots who somehow became my friends.

It was different kind of bond from Caelira, Kiel, Rika and Manork, and those people I can’t replace.

But for Fendrick and Silvia, they hold a special place.

I didn’t know how to describe but maybe it’s because they are the first friends that I have ever made.

As night came, I lay in bed staring at the ceiling.

My body untouched by real struggle.

My mind filled with new lessons and skills.

My heart... strangely full.

This week shouldn’t have mattered.

Compared to the upcoming calamities, I should have been worried.

But I didn’t.

These moments mattered more than any battle I’d ever won.

And as sleep took me, I held a silent wish.

Please... let this peace last a little longer.

Even if the universe has already found us.

Maybe...this just gives me another reason where it’s worth to protect this world and them.

And...why...did...it have to be that way...?