As we walked, I kept the spell active, the steady hum of mana a new sensation for me. I glanced sideways at Mox, whose wings seemed less tense now that she wasn’t maintaining her barrier.

The academy wasn’t far now, and with the cold shield around us, the rain no longer felt like an obstacle—just an inconvenient backdrop to another dreary morning in Kinowa. I just wish I had these strange spells in my own world, it’d save me from a lot of troubles.

“So,” Mox began, her tone casual yet probing. “What was life like in Kora?”

“Standard,” I replied, keeping my voice flat. “And boring.”

She tilted her head slightly, as if weighing my words. “You mentioned your folks passed away when you were younger... in another country, right? How old were you, if you don’t mind me asking?”

I clenched my jaw for a brief moment, then shook my head. “I, uh---rather not talk about it. Brings back bad memories.”

“Fair enough,” she said softly, glancing ahead. “I understand.”

We walked in silence for a moment, the rain-muted street providing a brief reprieve. Just as I began to think the questions had stopped, I caught her giving me a sidelong glance. Her gaze was sharp, calculating, and her wings twitched slightly, betraying her curiosity. It was clear she wasn’t done.

“How did you escape the attack?” she asked, her tone laced with subtle suspicion. “The goblin attack, I mean.”

I was ready for this. Lies were easier when rehearsed. “I wasn’t in the village when it happened. I was out gathering mushrooms in the forest.”

Her eyebrows raised. “Mushrooms?”

I nodded, keeping my expression neutral. “When I got back, I saw goblins—killing people, burning homes. I ran as fast as I could, but one of them chased me down.” I paused for effect, then added, “I managed to fight it off.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly. “And then what happened?”

“The goblin ran off, and I passed out. When I woke up… I found Mortan.”

“Mortan?”

“A blacksmith. He took me in,” I explained, keeping my voice steady.

“Lucky break,” she remarked, her tone skeptical but laced with resignation.

“Guess so,” I said with a shrug, careful not to elaborate. “Lucky break indeed.”

As we approached the academy gates, the air grew tense. Guards lined the streets in greater numbers than usual, their eyes sharp and scanning every face. A few were forcing people to remove their hoods, their inspection methods far from polite.

One man refused, pulling his hood tighter. The guard kicked him in the chest, knocking him down, and yanked it off roughly. Once satisfied the man wasn’t an elf, they didn’t even bother helping him up, moving on to the next unfortunate target. They were serious about this whole thing.

“Yikes,” Mox muttered, her voice dripping with disdain. “Guards are such jerks.”

“They’re looking for elves,” I said. “Do you agree with how they’re handling it?”

“Agree on what?” she asked, her wings twitching slightly in annoyance.

“Do you support how they treat the elves?”

She scoffed, her tone bitter. “Of course not. The Queen’s just a racist tyrant. She taxes anyone who isn’t human more than the rest.”

I nodded. “One of the elves who attacked her said something similar.”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Her expression darkened. “Wish you hadn’t stepped in to stop them. Her death might’ve actually saved this country.”

“And then what?” I asked, my voice low. “If she dies, who takes the throne?”

“She has two kids. The youngest is ten, the eldest sixteen,” she replied. “But since the eldest is a girl, the boy would inherit the throne.”

“Huh…”

“If the elves had succeeded, they’d have to wipe out her entire family to prevent another tyrant from rising. No rulers left. Just chaos.” Her voice was steady but cold, like she’d given this more thought than she cared to admit. “The old order would fall, and a new one would rise.”

“You really hate her,” I said, glancing sideways at her.

“Of course I hate her. Show me a Noxivera that doesn’t,” she shot back, her eyes glowing faintly in the gloom.

“Fair enough,” I muttered, keeping pace beside her as the school came into view in the distance.

The number of guards increased the closer we got to the academy. At the gates, two stood rigid, inspecting every student like hawks as they entered the grounds. Their presence turned the school into something that felt less like a place of learning and more like a fortress. It made sense, though—after yesterday’s attempt on the Queen’s life, precautions were necessary. Still, it seemed excessive, bordering on paranoia.

We passed through the gates without incident and stopped under a tree for some cover. I let the shimmering blue of the ice barrier fade away, pretending it drained me completely, though the truth was far from that. I’d felt like I could’ve kept the spell going indefinitely. Still, I didn’t want to draw suspicion, so I exhaled deeply and slumped my shoulders.

“I’m spent,” I muttered, faking a labored sigh. “Sorry.”

Mox leaned against the trunk of the tree. “Not bad. Honestly, you were better than I expected. My record for holding a barrier spell is, what, two minutes? You lasted close to seven. That’s A-class level mana control.”

I shrugged. “Didn’t want to get soaked, that’s all.”

She tilted her head slightly, studying me for a moment before smoothing out her hair with a flick of her fingers. The movement was casual, but her eyes lingered on me, the sharpness in her gaze unnerving.

I shifted my focus, staring up at the academy rooftops. My mind wandered back to yesterday’s ambush. The elves hadn’t been after me specifically, but being near the Queen had put me squarely in the line of fire. Their blades and arrows didn’t care who I was or what I wanted—they just wanted blood.

The closest I’d ever felt to real danger in my old world was when a strung-out guy tried to mug me. I still remembered the panic, the blind sprint through the streets to get away. But here? Here, life was a constant fight for survival. I’d trade this world for that chaos any day.

“What’s on your mind?” Mox’s voice cut through my thoughts, pulling me back to reality.

“Nothing,” I replied flatly, my gaze still fixed above.

“You…” She paused, her tone both curious and concerned. “You’ve only got one expression. Never seen you laugh or even look remotely excited about anything.”

“I’m just boring,” I said, finally looking at her. “Never had much in my life to be excited or happy about.”

“Ouch,” she said, raising a brow. “Depressed much?”

“Nah.”

She started to speak again, but I wasn’t in the mood for an interrogation. Knowing her persistence, I decided to throw her off track.

“Can I touch your wings?” The question came out so abruptly that she froze mid-sentence, her mouth hanging open in surprise.

Her head tilted slightly, and she scratched the back of her neck, glancing at her wings, which twitched reflexively. “Uh… sure?”

I stepped closer, lifting a hand. “You’re sure?”

“Yeah, go ahead.”

I reached out and let my fingers brush against the surface. The texture was rougher than I expected, with faint ridges and the steady pulse of veins beneath. It was oddly fascinating. The wings were retracted, held close to her back—likely to avoid drawing attention in the crowded space.

“Well?” she asked, her tone dry and edged with sarcasm. “Satisfy your curiosity, Axel? If so, let go before people get the wrong idea.”

“Right,” I said, pulling my hand back quickly. “Sorry.”

Before the awkward silence could stretch too long, a sharp voice called out from the academy’s double doors.

“Students!” A teacher stood in the doorway, her tone brisk and authoritative. “For your safety, all students are to remain indoors during breaks. Classes will begin shortly, so head inside.”

“We should go,” Mox said, straightening and adjusting her bag. “I’ll find my friends. You?”

“Same,” I lied, knowing I didn’t have anyone to look for. “See you later.”

“Yeah. See you,” she replied, giving a small wave as she headed toward the doors.

I lingered for a moment under the tree, the chill of the dissipated barrier clinging to my skin. With a sigh, I turned and followed the flow of students into the building, bracing myself for yet another day in this world.