The next day, on the first official day of the academy, Davis walked from his dorm room to his first class, a theoretical class on mana. As he made his way, Davis felt the usual stares from those around him. Although this attention had become almost routine, he still couldn't get used to it.
The corridor was jam-packed as students scrambled to get to their respective classes. As Davis walked through, everyone seemingly moved to the side for him, “Huh! I can get used to this” Davis thought to himself with a smile on his face.
Davis arrived in front of his classroom and heard how lively it was from the outside, but there was something odd about the liveliness. Without giving it much thought, he opened the door. The room fell silent, and everyone gazed at him with a mix of surprise and one person in particular was fear.
Davis walked in and found that the left and right sides of the room were full, leaving only a few free seats in the center. With no other choice, he went and sat there.
Davis sat at the center of the classroom with the other students, but the tension in the room was so thick one could probably cut it with a butter knife. At a closer examination of his surroundings, the class was divided into two groups, the swordsmen and the magicians.
He sat alone at his table, as no one from either group wished to come and interact with Davis. Some felt inferior, while others were uncertain how he would react to their presence.
The room was divided between swordsmen and magicians, but categorizing Davis proved to be more difficult. During the match, K, inhabiting Davis's body, expertly wielded both magic and swordsmanship, making Davis and Rachel an anomaly.
Due to the atmosphere in the room, Davis didn't notice Rachel seated one row above him. He sat quietly, waiting for the professor to arrive. Since it was the first day, everyone had arrived early, eager to make a good impression.
Rowan walked into the room, causing everyone to turn their attention to him once again. His eyes darted left and right, but as soon as he saw Davis, his face lit up. Walking leisurely toward Davis's table, Rowan asked, “Davis, can I join you?” His happiness was palpable.
Everyone watched, waiting for Davis to respond with anticipation. Despite witnessing their friendship during the match, they remained seated, eagerly awaiting any sign of action.
“Sure, go ahead” Davis shifted slightly to the side, making room for Rowan. The room resumed its usual activity, seemingly disappointed by the absence of any signs of conflict between the two.
As the liveliness of the room gradually returned, a voice from the magician's side shouted, “Shouldn't you guys go swing your sticks outside, you muscle maniacs?” Davis and Rowan turned in confusion towards the source, only to see the speaker staring at the opposite side of the room.
“At least I didn't fail the first test like you did,” retorted someone from the other side. “What the hell did you just say?” Davis exclaimed. Soon, the room erupted into liveliness once again.
Observing the ongoing friendly exchange between his colleagues, Davis finally understood the source of that odd feeling. “So that's what it was,” Davis mumbled to himself, quietly relishing the scene. “Davis, did you say something?” Rowan inquired. “It was nothing, you don't worry about it, Rowan”.
The Academy test this year aimed to bridge the gap between magicians and swordsmen. However, it seemed to have achieved the opposite effect, as evidenced by the scene unfolding before Davis's eyes.
Professor Selena entered the room just in time to witness this miraculous sight. She shook her head and set down her materials on her desk. “Quiet,” she spoke gently, yet her voice echoed across the room like a raging storm, silencing everyone.
“You're here to learn, not to suppress your differences,” she continued. “Need I remind you that you're in the most prestigious Academy in the entire Empire? I suggest you start behaving responsibly.” She spoke with a gentle smile, but her eyes held a piercing gaze.
After a few moments of silence, Professor Selena clapped her hands and spoke with enthusiasm. “Now then, let us begin with your first lesson. As you all know, I am your theoretical professor, and our lesson will primarily focus on Mana and the various energies in the world.”
“Before we begin, let me pose a question to everyone,” Professor Selena announced, scanning the room. “What is Mana?”
The room remained silent. Some students knew the answer but refrained from speaking, fearing they might get it wrong. Amidst the sea of silence, one person raised their hand. “Yes, please tell us of your idea, Your Highness,” Professor Selena happily called her up.
“Mana is the world's energy it allows us to rewrite and interact with the laws of physics. Unlike aura, which swordsmen use through the process of soul filtering, magicians manipulate mana through incantation, enchantment, and infusion...”
Professor Selena listened intently before offering a round of applause. “Very good,” she remarked. “That is how we perceive mana currently, but will our understanding of it remain the same in 50, 100, or even 300 years from now?”
Turning to the class, she declared, “In our class, we'll delve into the workings of mana and explore new ways of harnessing its power. Remember, students, no theory is too far-fetched as long as it remains unproven.”
“But of course, that doesn't guarantee every idea will be a breakthrough either,” she continued, her gaze fixed on Davis as she spoke. “So, if you stumble upon an intriguing theory and wish to submit it to me, remember to rigorously test it against every possible objection that could prove it false.”
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Davis noticed her gaze, and Rachel caught on as well. “Does Professor Selena want Mr. Davis under her wing?' Rachel thought to herself. “That wouldn't do. I need to bring Mr. Davis into the royal family quickly before anyone else does,” she resolved, her eyes burning bright with determination.
Davis showed no interest in the lesson, having already covered the material under K's tutelage. The memory of K's teaching session sent a chill down his spine. There was nothing new to absorb, K had already elucidated the concept of mana to him.
To the side, Rowan's brain nearly exploded from the overwhelming amount of information he wasn't prepared to learn. This class delved deeply into the theory of mana rather than its manipulation and control during the first few lessons. Having trained extensively in swordsmanship, history, and knightly honor, Rowan found these more scientific and theoretical lessons particularly challenging.
“Rowan, are you alright?” Davis inquired, noticing Rowan's struggle, as he appeared on the verge of losing consciousness from Davis's perspective. “Davis, are you getting any of this?” Rowan asked with a pleading look in his eyes. “Yeah, pretty much everything,” Davis replied nonchalantly, a response expected by others due to his consistent past performance.
After the class ended, Rowan appeared soulless as he walked out of the room alongside everyone else. “Rowan, what's up next on your schedule?” Davis asked with a troubled expression. “Ah, right, classes. Um, my next class is swordsmanship training,” Rowan replied, snapping back to reality.
“I see, I’ve spell casting, so we’re part way here,” Davis said, glancing at his schedule, “Goodluck on your training Rowan” Davis smiled as he patted Rowan back, “You too, Davis” Rowan smiled and walked off
Walking in the opposite direction of where Rowan had headed, Davis spotted Rachel waiting for him. After a brief exchange and discovering they had the same schedule, the two walked together to their next class. However, unlike when Davis was with Rowan, they walked quietly, almost without interacting at all.
“Alright, everyone, welcome to Practical Magic class. I'm your professor, Cedric Dalorn,” Professor Cedric announced with pride and excitement in his voice. “For today's lesson, I want each of you to demonstrate your mana control first.”
He pointed at the straw doll stationed 100 meters away from a red line. “First things first, I want to see your weakest spell on that line,” Professor Cedric said with a wide grin.
First up was none other than the bane of Davis's existence. He cast a wind spell that cleanly sliced the straw doll in half. “Very good, next,” Professor Cedric complimented him. Charles exuded pride, but when he caught sight of Davis, he recoiled in horror and swiftly departed.
One by one, more students stepped forward, effortlessly destroying the doll as if it were nothing. Davis, naturally, was the last to go. As all eyes fell upon him, a mixture of anticipation and uncertainty filled the air. Some were rolling their eye thinking he would ace such a simple test, while others buzzed with excitement, eager to see which elemental attack he would unleash.
Davis focuses, conjuring his magic, and uses his weakest spell. [Flame shot*] He unleashed a blazing flame that streaked forth in a straight line, engulfing the straw doll in a matter of seconds. While the flame shot spell was one that anyone with an affinity for fire could wield, Davis's flame devoured the doll at an unnaturally rapid pace, leaving no doubt about his mastery over the element.
As Davis stood in the praise from everyone, even Professor Cedric chimed in, adding to the chorus of admiration. Within Davis, a peculiar sensation stirred, a surge of newfound strength coursing through his veins. Then, Professor Cedric unveiled a reinforced doll, resembling a heavily armored knight. With this new obstacle presented, numerous students found themselves grappling to penetrate the doll's thick armor, particularly those who relied on piercing skills like wind, electricity, or ice.
At such a distance, most spells began to lose potency, for the energy required to maintain their form during the incantation was sapped away, leaving them weakened. Among those who managed to dismantle the doll thus far were Charles, Rachel, and three other students who poured their every ounce of effort into the task.
Once again, Davis found himself at the tail end of the line. As he laid eyes on the gleaming armor adorning the doll, a twinge of apprehension crept over him. Professor Cedric's signal prompted him to begin. With a deep breath, Davis closed his eyes and began his incantation, realizing that he couldn't rely on his usual guidance. “I can't rely on K for guidance, I'll just have to throw everything at it,” he thought to himself. Unbeknownst to him, everyone around him took a few steps back, instinctively sensing the enormous energy he was about to unleash.
Blazing firestorm*
As Davis delved deeper into his incantation, the engraved runic symbol on his forehead, left by K before the battle, began to shimmer with a faint crimson hue.
With each passing moment, the energy surged, intensifying around him. Suddenly, a fiery vortex erupted from his outstretched hands, roaring toward the armored doll with the force of a vertical tornado. Its flames consumed everything in its path the ground, the air, the doll itself, and even half of the training room, all engulfed in a blaze born from Davis's unleashed power.
The room fell into a collective state of bewilderment, each person echoing the same sentiment: “Isn't this a bit overkill?” Amidst their stunned silence, they failed to notice Davis's expression of shock.
Since signing the soul contract with K, Davis had never found cause to exert more than half of his strength. Witnessing K effortlessly wield powerful spells through his body, Davis mistakenly attributed the potency to his prowess, unaware that his physical strength had grown exponentially.Bottom of Form
In his state of shock, Davis failed to notice the shimmering crimson symbol on his forehead as it slowly disappeared. Afterward, he was relegated to the sidelines while Professor Cedric tested the other students.
Professor Cedric, capable of exerting similar energy, also recognized that Davis might unleash an even more powerful spell. As he contemplated the possibilities, another massive explosion tore through the room, furthering its destruction.
Inspired by Davis's earlier performance, Rachel cast one of her stronger spells. As for her prize? She found herself placed on the sidelines alongside Davis by Professor Cedric, who forced a smile despite the vein almost bursting on his forehead, anticipating the paperwork he would soon have to tackle.
The two sat quietly, their expressions etched with frowns as the class continued. Afterward, Davis proceeded to his two other classes without much event. Upon his return, he found Skye waiting patiently at the door.
After preparing dinner and sharing it with Skye, Davis settled into a chair, his gaze drifting out the window. A smile played on his lips as he beheld the ethereal beauty of the majestic sky, adorned with glittering stars. Among them, the brightest beacon was the moon, casting its radiant glow upon the world below.
As Skye climbed onto Davis's lap, his tail wagging with contentment, Davis affectionately patted him with one hand while his other hand reached for a book. Opening it to where he had last left off, he began to read out loud, savoring each word. Skye nestled there like a child, listening intently as if Davis were weaving a captivating tale just for him.
Soon, lulled by the gentle rhythm of Davis's voice and the tranquil atmosphere of the night, the two drifted into a peaceful slumber, beneath the brilliant light of the moon.