Now that all the annoying tasks have been dealt with, I can return to something much more sophisticated and less barbaric. I can get back to the library. Actually, now that I am in the second year, I am allowed access to more books.

The walk between the library and the main building isn't that long. I make it there and acknowledge the existence of the library clerk after ignoring her for a whole year.

I give the clerk my library tag, and he asks me for my name and class. After confirming that I am in fact a second year, because apparently, the white robes weren't enough proof, he gives me back a new second-year library pass.

Excited, I walk into the library. Now that I have access to the second-year part of the library, I can access a lot of information. The first-year library only really boasted the basics or pure theory books that contained many unknown words that a first-year wouldn't have access to the knowledge of.

The library is divided into four rooms: the main room for first years, and the other three blocked off by some random workers, who check your library tags before letting you by.

I walk straight up to the entrance and give the worker my library tag. Entering, I start looking around. I find most of the books here are filled with basic spell blueprints, like fireball or earthshot. The couple of theory books I find have nothing but annoying ramblings about how the gods gave us magic, more incomprehensible magical jargon that I can't understand, and books explaining how to cast spells without using mana-infused ink.

Of course, the most interesting of these is the latter. The books that I find say that casting without using mana-infused ink is done by physically drawing it in the air. This takes a lot of practice and should be done after plenty of practice with normal magic circle casting, on paper.

Well, whatever, the second-year curriculum probably contains learning this, so I suppose I should start learning when the time comes.

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Leaving the academy, I find that the sun has already set. I head back to my dorm and have a little chat with Ustos. I still haven't forgotten about the fact that he hid some information about his little half-sister. I thought he learned his lesson already. Whatever, some good old-fashioned torture will get him to rethink his choices.

After so, I head to bed, content in the fact that all my great planning went into fruition flawlessly.

Waking up the next day, I do my old routine again, go to the cafeteria, eat food, bring some back to Ustos and all. As it is the first day of the new year, the headmaster is going to deliver his boring speech.

I sigh and start heading to the main building. Like last time the headmaster was giving a speech, the area is quite packed. Heading into the stadium, I take a seat to the back and wait for the idiot to appear on stage again like last time and make my brain cells decay.

Whilst waiting, something quite unfortunate happens, Keswick walks into the stadium. I try to blend into the crowd, but it didn’t help that nobody was sitting next to me and that I was left as the odd one out.

Keswick immediately noticed me and started approaching. I sigh and put on a happy expression. She comes near and takes a seat next to me. “So Jeld, how did you spend your break?” she opens up the conversation.

“Oh, I stayed at the Ustos household. It was nothing really exciting. What about you?”.

“Oh yeah, Me and my sister traveled–” I start tuning her out, I'd rather waste my brainpower on more useful subjects.

Eventually, the headmaster appears, and Keswick finally quiets down, and my ears get the horrid curse of listening to another moron.

Looking at the headmaster, he looks more tired and disheveled than last time, which might be because of the slight murder that may have happened yesterday.

He gives the same old speech as last time, showing off some magic to the first years, bringing up the same points as the previous years, friendship and all, yet these people are still transfixed. Which, at this point, makes you wonder if there is some mind magic shenanigans going on.

Although at the end of the speech, something annoying happens. "I must address a disquieting matter," the headmaster's voice rings out. "Some among you may already be aware of the distressing disappearance and tragic demise of our fellow student, Grace Stone.".

“It has been found out that the person behind the horrible act is an unknown man of average height, wearing a dark mask. We have suspicions that it might be one of our workers, because the victim's soul-bound necklace was found in this academy. I ask you all to be careful.”.