• "I think he's waking up…"

• "Nurse, please step aside. I'd like to check on him."

I opened my eyes, the sunlight streaming through the window. There were two people standing over me, checking my condition.

• "Where am I?"

• "You're safe… A little girl from the street ran to get help, and we brought you to the academy."

• "What about the selection process?!"

• "I'm sorry, but given your condition, we can arrange a separate test for you. After you've rested, speak with your guidance teacher, Haruto Takeda. he should be able to assist you."

I wasn't fully aware of what had happened; I only remembered fainting. Did I fail to save that girl from those three bandits? The girl… Yes, the girl I tried to save…

• "What happened to the girl?"

• "She was in pretty bad shape when she got here. It's hard to say if she'll wake up. Don't worry; we're taking the best care of her."

• "Damn those bandits! I shouldn't focus on that right now—I need to speak to my teacher about the test."

As I wandered around the campus looking for the teacher, I found myself in a crowd of students, all anxiously staring at the notices on the board.

- "D-Class? My family is going to beat me for sure."

- "C-Class… Not the worst, at least I might survive without starving, living as a normal peasant."

Ignoring the murmurs, I glanced at the board. Ren had gotten what he wanted—he was placed in B-Class. That was good news for him, and I was genuinely happy for him. But I couldn't find Aoi's name. Why didn't she take the exam? Without wasting more time, I asked someone for help and went to the guidance counselor's office.

• "Yes, how can I help you?"

• "Hello, Mr Haruto. I'm Kaito. I wasn't able to take the test due to an unfortunate incident."

• "Yes, Kaito, I see your name in the records. I was expecting you. The test room is ready. In one hour, the Basic Magic instructor for A-Class will be waiting for you on the third underground level of the campus. Please make sure to be on time, and I'm sorry to hear about what happened."

• "Actually, I had one more question about Aoi—"

• "I'm busy right now. Come back later, and I'll help you with any questions you have."

Feeling a bit brushed off, I stepped outside. I spent about half an hour just gazing at the campus. The dueling arena was twice the size of my house. This was going to be interesting. I still felt some fatigue, but this wasn't the time to rest.

With twenty minutes to go, I descended to the underground. The air was cold. As soon as I stepped into the underground, the atmosphere changed—it felt like I had entered a different dimension. After reaching the third underground level, I arrived at a damp, musty-smelling area.

• "So you finally made it, Kaito," a voice said, bored.

I still had half an hour, but it was clear that even waiting for someone like me had annoyed the instructor. After all, he was an A-Class teacher, and he was taking time out of his schedule to test me. It was a bit irritating, to be honest.

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• "I'm sorry, sir. This wasn't what I intended—"

• "Yes, I heard about your 'heroics,' but what's done is done. Discipline is key, and without it, you won't be able to join my class."

Really irritating.

• "Yes, go to the sphere in the center of the circular area, place your hand on it, and wait. I don't have time, so hurry up."

The sphere was a tool that measured our magical power and affinity. My father had told me about it. It was a frosted glass, slightly cracked. I placed my hand on it, and after a short while, the inside of the sphere turned completely black.

The instructor gave me a contemplative look, as if trying to understand what it meant. Then, the darkness faded, and the inside of the sphere filled with light, covering about half of it.

• "Kid, be happy. You've been blessed by the goddess, though not very strongly. I'm not sure why that darkness appeared, but that's the situation."

Being blessed by the goddess usually meant becoming a healer. Those blessed by the goddess possess this ability and are tasked with healing units on the battlefield. It's a rare talent, though not entirely uncommon.

• "Which class will I be placed in, sir?"

• "That's not for me to decide. I can only report your status. You'll have to wait until tomorrow, just like the other students.""But they already know their classes...""Stop wasting my time, kid. Come back tomorrow morning before classes start, and talk to your guidance teacher about your class placement."

After that conversation, I had the feeling that the instructor didn't particularly like me. As I returned to the main campus, I ran into Ren, who was with two others. It seemed he was quite good at making friends.

• "Kaito!" Ren called out excitedly as he approached.

• "I didn't see your name on the list. Didn't you take the test? I also didn't see Aoi's name. What are you two up to?"

• "I didn't see Aoi's name either. It's strange, but I just took the test. I just came out of it, actually."

• "Why did you take it now?"

• "I got a bit injured yesterday, but it's nothing serious."

• "What?!"

• "There's nothing to worry about. Let's focus on finding out what happened with Aoi. So, who are these two friends?"

Before Ren could answer, one of them spoke up.

• "Hello! I'm Aiko, from the Saito family. It's a pleasure to meet you."

• "And I'm Ryuji."

Ryuji didn't seem very talkative, unlike Aiko, who was quite outgoing. Then,

"What's your mana affinity? What's your level? Where are you from? Are you stronger than me?"

I was bombarded with questions.

• "I'm a bit tired right now. I look forward to talking more later. It's a pleasure to meet you, Aiko, Ryuji."

• "Actually, I had one more question. How can I find out where my room is?"

• "Didn't you ask the guidance counselor?"

• "No, she wasn't available to talk much."

• "Then just go a little further down from the entrance floor. It should be posted on the wall next to the restroom."

I thanked them and followed her instructions to find my room. The rooms were shared between two people. Even though the academy was large, it wouldn't have been able to accommodate all the students otherwise.

When I arrived at my room, I met my roommate.

• "Hello, new kid. I'm Taro, second-year. Nice to meet you."

Taro was a strong-looking guy with a beard. Even my father didn't have that much facial hair. Calling him a person felt strange—better to avoid any conflicts. I don't want any trouble.

• "Hello, I'm Kaito. I guess we'll be sharing this room from now on. I hope we get along."

• "If you don't cause any trouble, you won't get any in return."

• "Hmm, now that I think about it, I heard your name before. You're that kid from the infirmary, right?"

• "Yes, you're right. I was just a bit dizzy, so I went there."

• "Not very convincing, brother, but I won't pry. I'm glad your condition won't affect tomorrow's practice matches."

• "Practice matches?"

• "Yes, brother. It's a team event, held every year."

• "I see. Well, then, good luck to both of us for tomorrow. I need to get some sleep now."

As our conversation ended, just as I was about to fall asleep,

• "By the way, brother, the alleys in the city aren't safe. There are rumors that two guards found the bodies of three gang members who were brutally killed. So, even if you leave the academy, don't wander around in deserted areas."

• "What do you mean? Do you know where exactly it happened?"

• "No, brother, just rumors. Anyway, I need to be well-rested for tomorrow. After all, these muscles need some sleep, hahaha."

At first, I thought it might have something to do with me—maybe someone had come to save us. But if that were the case, the people who found me in the infirmary would have questioned me about the bodies.

I can't shake this uneasy feeling…

End of Chapter 2