The refectory of the Xenia Arcanist High School was a magnificent building. Its walls were made of reinforced glass and could accommodate several thousand people. The transparent sun filter that was affixed to it blocked the sun's ultraviolet rays without affecting its pleasant warmth.

The temperature was constantly maintained at 19°C, a temperature that had been accepted as the most relaxing temperature for the human body by scientists in the 2060s.

Some green plants were present here and there in order to constantly maintain a pleasant environment and an optimal level of oxygen in the room, so as to provide the brain and muscles of those present with a feeling of calm and invigoration.

The meals were always balanced and prepared by the best chefs on the continent. Although the choice of dishes varied every day and the menu was often well stocked, everything was prepared with care. Most importantly, the services were free for the students, so they didn't have to worry about money. Some really needy students could even eat there in the evenings for free.

Everything was done so that the students' stress level was kept to a minimum. Although it was usually quiet there, today one table was in an unprecedented uproar.

"Hey French girl! Don't pick at my plate, especially when yours is full!"

"Mny gname is Lily! "she says with her mouth full.

"Haha the princess who does not assume herself meets the famous barbarian princess!"

"Shut up Loki, I'm not a princess! "

"Raah, you can't calm down for two seconds!"

"But it's not my fault, Lei, it's Sora who wanted to train at all costs! "Loki complained.

"What's the big deal?

" And then it turns out we spent 2 hours in the training ground for nothing! I told you that you didn't know how to train."

"I don't care, at least I tried."

The small troop of four people enjoyed their meal 'quietly', without worrying about the hundred or so eyes that were constantly on them. Although many people were watching them, no one dared to stop them. To tell the truth, no one really had the ambition to do so.

"Say, couldn't we talk about something more interesting, like this afternoon's lecture, rather than about the past? "proposed Lei.

"What's the point? It's just a theory class. "replied Loki.

"But... Well. What do you think it's going to be about?"

"It's probably about the history of the Arcanists, wars and all. "Lily guarantees, while wiping her mouth.

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"But we've already seen that at elementary school, I hope that we won't have to go through this again. - No, but wait. Have you already finished your plate there? But you're a real pig, tell me! "accused Loki.

"But you're the one who eats slowly! And then I have an even more interesting question! In your opinion, why did the teacher put us in the same team? I don't understand, no matter how much I think about it."

"It's true that it's strange," confessed Lei. "We all come from different backgrounds, Sora is Japanese, two of us fled the USSR and I belong to the old nation of China, but I don't see that as a reason. Many others in our class also come from other minor nations, and Sora is the only one from a major nation."

"Tss- I don't think we'll find an answer by thinking about it that way, it's better to ask her directly. Perhaps she made this group just because she was pissed off."

"Don't say that, Sora, you'll jinx us! Nevertheless, I think you're right. We should ask her. "said Lei.

"Bad luck, it's not her who's teaching us this afternoon. "said Lily.

"True, but I totally forgot what was the name of the one who's teaching us this afternoon. "asked Loki.

At that moment, Sora got up from her chair with her tray.

"We'll see, the class starts in a few minutes, it's time to go.

With these words, the other three members of the group stood up and walked together to their classroom.

"Good morning, dear future arcanists. My name is Karl Neumann, I used to be a professor of philosophy, and now I teach psycho-sociology at this high school. My role is to teach you how to behave as an Arcanist. And that starts with knowing your own position in society, but above all, what an arcanist is in reality. Today we're going to do a bit of science and understand why you are so different from the others."

Sora looked up and sighed slightly. Science wasn't really her favourite school subject.

"You have to know that every living being has energy. This energy is found in various forms, mainly photons, the particles of light. But there is also another very important particle in the universe, which this time defines the kind of energy, by its form."

The teacher paused for a few seconds and cleared his throat, then continued:

"These particles are called Enkainias, but they are more generally called magic particles. Especially because it is simpler. These particles have a rather strange specificity: for each energetic phenomenon in the world, it uses a different form. Whether it is the atoms of matter, the notion of wind, gravitation, mass, and even time. Each atom of the periodic table, each existing molecule, each elementary particle has its own Enkainias, having a different shape from the others. You will then ask yourself, what does this have to do with you?"

As Karl resumed a short break, a young man with chestnut hair, a firm face and the aura of a fighter called out to him:

"That's true, how does that concern us?"

It was Loki.

"Calm down, please, young man. I'm getting there. So I was saying, what does this have to do with you? Well, the answer is simple. It just so happens that, unlike normal human beings who emit specific Enkainias, we Arcanists deploy Enkainias common or close to others present in nature. It is this peculiarity which is called singularity, it is the very soul of an arcanist. Some have a shape identical to another. As for example, the arcanists of the oceanid type have a production of Enkainas identical to that of water, which leaves them a flawless manipulation of water in all its forms. On the other hand, other arcanists have a more approximate form. This form resembles more a common form of Enkainas of a group, like gases. These are extremely rare, but there are even rarer ones. Indeed, situational Enkainas such as the manipulation of time, space, shadows or elementary particles are among the rarest. Finally, there is a last type of Enkainas related to living beings. Here, certain types are rare while others are more common."

"Our knowledge of Enkainas is still weak, but we are making great strides. Within ten to twenty years, our knowledge will certainly be sufficient to artificially increase the power of the arcanists. In a century's time, perhaps we will be able to artificially create arcanists!"

Lily raised her eyebrows a little, before calling out to the teacher.

"Excuse me, sir, but would it be ethically correct to alter a person's body, even if he agrees to it?"

The teacher, having quite old eyes, searched in the room where the voice came from. When he met Lily with his eyes, he put his glasses back on and continued:

"That's a good question, my dear. We could debate about it, and that's almost what we are going to do, because indeed, after this scientific parenthesis, we will devote the end of the course to dealing with ethics among the Arcanists. As arcanists, what are the measures to which you are subject in the city, and with regard to other citizens?"

Thus the course continued until 4:00 p.m. At the end of the class, Lily, Sora, Loki and Lei greeted each other. Each of them lived on different sides of the city, and the group was quite surprised to hear Sora say that she lived in the ghost quarter.

"Are you sure you don't want to come and sleep at my place? Lily asked, worried. "I've heard that muggers are walking around at night and attacking young girls passing by!"

Sora sighed slightly and tried to reassure her:

"They're lies, you know. The north district is really beautiful, you should venture there once if you have never done it! Don't worry, I am doing very well there! "

"If you say so. Well, see you tomorrow!"

"Yes..."

So Sora went home after her second day at school and her first day of studying.

That day was a milestone for another fact: she washed her clothes. All her clothes. She should be fine for a whole month now.