The trees were still colorful a few weeks ago, but the streets and forests were bare. Despite the cold, hardly anything had changed in the city.

As always, the sun rose in the east, bathing the roofs in a wonderful, peaceful golden light. The dark bricks sparkled, while the white walls of the houses reflected the light deep into the rooms.

The wind swirled through the tilted window and hit a pile of papers. The first pieces rustled and flew off the table until the pile could no longer withstand the shivering impact. Like a gentle avalanche, the mass of notes slid into the middle of the table, where hair and cheeks blocked the way.

Something rippled against her skin as a faint flash of light leaped from the golden rune. Her white breath knocked more paper pieces off the table, their symbols shimmering in the light. Suddenly, something hit the glass. One, two, no, five times. The reverberation echoed faintly through the room. Then it beeped. However, nothing moved.

Again, something struck the window quickly. More energetically and with more force. Laila opened her eyes. Still sleepy, she lifted her head and stretched. Her back pressed into the foam backrest, while a few pieces of paper stuck to her pink hair and hung over the table.

She rubbed her cheek and felt the sleeve imprints. Again, there was a quick but gentle knock on the window. A small sparrow fluttered just past the frame. Its green feather dress glistened, and the white ring around its eye resembled a pair of glasses.

He tapped inexhaustibly on the window and then stretched his whole body to peer in from the side.

"I'm awake; I'm awake," Laila said, getting up and going to the closet. With a plastic box in her hand, she opened the window. An unpleasant, bony wind brushed against her skin. Her hair stood on end. There was something in the air. Even if she only noticed it faintly, no, fleetingly.

"Is that cold... Did the frost surprise you, my little one?"

The sparrow tilted its head. Then he chirped and jumped excitedly in circles.

"Yes, I thought you'd be hungry," Laila replied before scattering half a handful of seeds on the window ledge. "Cheeky little thing, aren't you? But thank you for waking me up. I didn't hear my alarm clock. Or forgot to set it..."

With both arms on the frame, Laila watched as the sparrow jumped onto the grains with gusto. The beak pecked and shifted the pile. A cheerful cry. Dark clouds moved closer and darkened the sky. The wind howled while the air carried a bitter aftertaste. Even the fresh scent of the sea could no longer be detected. The otherwise towering skyscrapers of the city center blurred into a sea of fog.

"I'm going to miss you," said Laila gently. "We'll be heading home again in three days. You'll still find a few provisions for the winter in the garden. But don't be greedy, and let your friends know."

The sparrow chirped once, as if to agree, but then continued pecking at the shrinking pile of grains. A gust of wind flew through Laila's hair. Paper rustled behind her. She turned around with a sigh.

"I only sorted it yesterday..." Then her gaze fell on the clock, and her eyes nearly popped out of her skull. "What, 7:45 already?"

Laila hastily jumped to her cupboard. The paper slipped under her feet. Lightning crackled out of the runes with every step. She threw a black jacket, white shirt, socks, underwear, and trousers over her shoulders and then disappeared into the bathroom. The tap roared. A few moments later, she hurried out of the washroom. Her face still wet, Laila grabbed a glass barrette filled with white-grey powder and carefully put it in the front of her hair.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go. I'll see you again tonight. I promise!"

The cheerful singing fell silent. The window clicked. Laila gave a little wave before stumbling to the door and running along the corridor towards the stairs. The old boards creaked under her heavy footsteps as she hurried down the stairs before pausing. Brushing off her jacket one last time, she entered the dining hall, where a crowd of students already sat at the table.

"Well, look guys; our koala is finally up and running!" said a young man with dark hair.

"Oh, Lando, leave her alone. Her lateness is nothing new. She's probably let her brew burn in the pot again, or maybe the whole pot exploded this time," Elias replied.

"That's right! How could I not hear that? Maybe I've got too much wax between my ears by now," Noah mused while the other two laughed out loud.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

Laila's head reddened, and she looked down at the floor as she walked past the table with quick steps. On the back table was a portion of rice with sauce and other unknown delicacies.

'I hope the side dishes taste good,' Laila thought, her face slightly contorted. With cutlery and a plate in her hands, she returned to the table and sat down next to Amalia. The porcelain rattled as she set it down.

"I can even smell the ink! You should get yourself something of better quality... Oh yes, you can't," Lando cackled. As if on command, the others roared.

"Don't worry about it," whispered Amalia. Then she spoke in a loud voice. "If I had been told that I had to have breakfast with a bunch of chicken every day, I might have canceled this study trip."

Laila giggled a little. The description was not entirely far-fetched. Lando's tousled brown hair did indeed look greasy and a little unkempt. The tinted glasses didn't help either and made him look even sillier. Too bad one couldn't see the expression in his pupils. His spoon almost slipped out of his mouth. What did he think when he saw himself in the mirror every day with the glasses on Laila?

Scratching the orange spots all over his skin caused a rough scar. However, it didn't worry him. But it didn't seem like a normal illness to Laila either. His hands were shaking. Even though the heating was on...

Meanwhile, Mr. Jones sat with one leg crossed over the other and continued to leaf through his newspaper. But his lips were pressed together.

"Consider yourself lucky to meet a magus like Tohsaka." His gaze didn't even come out from behind the paper. "He is a busy man."

"It still baffles me that you could come along," Lando muttered, shaking his head. He tore open a small sugar-like packet and shook a shiny red powder into his caffè. "Your lack of talent disgusts me. Why does the Clock Tower tolerate pathetic Magi? It shows how depraved the new generations are."

"Of course, only someone in their first semester would say that," Amelia replied. "Your lectures can hardly be taken seriously."

The spoon clinked against the porcelain. Laila ignored the words as her attention was focused solely on the crystal-like powder. A barely noticeable spicy smell emanated from it. Her skin immediately began to itch. 'Funny, I could have sworn it had Mana in it.'

"Yes, yes." Snorted, Mr. Jones. "Just do what you want later. I don't care if you waste your time. But Thosaka's Elemental Manipulation and Bounded Fields are truly impressive. You could learn a thing or two from him."

"Who's interested in Bounded Fields? Curses are much more exciting," Lando continued. His body now visibly relaxed against the back of the chair.

Laila's chopsticks crunched. The piece of rice crumbled on the plate. She looked up at Lando and clenched her teeth, hidden under her lips. How could he be so conceited? He couldn't even learn to use chopsticks in such a short time. No wonder he couldn't speak the runes with precision.

"Then wouldn't it be important for you to make an effort today?" Amalia asked sarcastically and a mean grin, as if she had been waiting for this. "If I remember correctly, you're worthless to your family. Well, it'll probably be just enough for a political wedding."

"Says half the blood right now. Not even three generations worth, right? Your impurity disgusts me. It seems sometimes even the common rabble has value."

"At least, my transmuted materials are prized in the Clock Tower. Can you earn your keep, or are you still suckling at your mother's breast?"

All at once, the room fell silent. Laila swallowed. Startled rice slipped out of the sticks and splashed into the bowl. The air pressed against her chest, and she found breathing difficult. The edge of the table in front of Lando vibrated. There was no mistaking it—Mana was in the air. Anger rippled through the dining room as his mana began to crush everything in its vicinity. A threat!

Laila immediately activated her magical circuits as well, making it easier for her to breathe, even if the pressure did not disappear completely. She looked worriedly at Amalia, but even though she groaned slightly, her gaze showed no reaction.

"Careful," he said slowly. Laila heard the teeth of his two friends chattering before he continued. "I can easily squash an insect like you."

With a thud, Mr. Jones slapped his newspaper on the table. Laila, Elias, and Noha flinched while Lando remained silent. Not visibly impressed, his eyes drifted to the other side.

"Aren't you all getting too old for this Children's nonsense?"

A moment passed, the table stopped vibrating, and the pressure in the dining room disappeared. 'Old families really play in a different league.

"Mr. Jones, the plan was 8.00, or am I wrong?" asked Lando, unimpressed. "As a magus, I expected us to be more punctual."

"And I told you Tohsaka was a busy man, or do you have something between your ears? Especially this morning."

"Oh, right, how could I forget?" Lando muttered. "It's that time again in Fuyuki..."

Mr. Jones cleared his throat loudly as if trying to interrupt Lando. Then he stood up and walked to the stairs. He had probably reached the end of his patience.

"Have you packed everything for today? We leave in half an hour. If you're not at the door, stay here."

Laila quickly stuffed the last bit of rice into her mouth. The heavy footsteps became quieter. She stood up, handed over her plate, and, like Amalia, left the dining hall behind.

"I'll see you later," Amalia said. Laila just managed to nod before disappearing into the room.

'Did I forget to close the door?' Laila asked herself. Countless pieces of paper still covered the floor like a carpet. The runes glowed like footprints she had left behind in a hurry. She carefully pushed them all together and slapped the pile on the table.

"Ohh," Laila murmured. A faint glow pulsed from under the bed. "How did this rune get activated..."

She shrugged, lifted the rack, and fished out the last few slips of paper from there as well. The pile covered the entire table. Her hands continued to dig until she felt a piece of plastic and pulled it out.

A magic circle glittered under the foil. In the center was an airy feather in a square inkwell. She carefully pulled out the sheet and ran her hands over the dried ink. A warm feeling spread through her, and she had to smile.

"...Someday," Laila murmured as she pushed the paper back into the cling film. "All I have to do today is make an excellent impression."