The warm morning sun streamed through the window, casting soft golden hues across the dorm room. The gentle chirping of birds outside blended with the faint creaks of the wooden floor. Gale stirred from his sleep, rubbing his eyes groggily. His ears caught the sound of rhythmic grunts, and his gaze shifted to the centre of the room.

There, Rai was in the middle of an intense workout, his body glistening with sweat in the morning light. Each push-up highlighted his toned muscles and defined abs, a sight that would undoubtedly make many envious.

Gale smirked. “Good morning, man. Burning the morning oil already, huh?”

Rai let out a loud, exaggerated grunt as he flopped onto the floor like a deflated balloon. “Morning! Ugh, I did it. A thousand push-ups! My arms feel like noodles... wait, are they actually noodles now?!” He grabbed at his arms in mock panic, his eyes wide with over-the-top horror.

Gale chuckled. “You’re fine, drama queen. Still, a thousand push-ups? You trying to get revenge on the floor for something?”

Rai sat up, pretending to struggle as though gravity had increased tenfold. “Revenge? No. Redemption? Maybe. I mean, I thought I’d walk out of that fight like a hero in one of those epic ballads. Instead, I got tossed around like a rag doll.” He scratched his head and grinned sheepishly. “If not for some lucky breaks, I’d be Rai-toast right now.”

Gale nodded, his expression both amused and impressed. “Like the part where the serpent, Jörmungandr, bowed to you? Still no idea why that happened, but man, that was legendary. The stands went wild.”

Rai puffed out his chest and struck a ridiculous superhero pose, his voice dripping with fake grandeur. “Of course it bowed to me. I have... uh... ‘that thing.’ You know, the thing that makes mythical creatures respect you.” He waggled his eyebrows at Gale, who rolled his eyes.

Gale leaned back, his grin widening. “Oh, and then there’s Miss Harchell. Who saw that coming? I mean, an elf! Elves are these mystical, untouchable beings, shy and antisocial. And she just… kisses you and declares she wants to be your wife? Dude, how do you pull this stuff off?”

Rai’s face turned red as he waved his hands frantically. “Pull this stuff off? I don’t know, man! Maybe elves have bad taste? Or maybe she just mistook me for someone else? I mean, who’d want to marry a guy who’s, like, this sweaty all the time?”

Gale doubled over laughing. “Oh, you’re killing me, Rai. You’ve got this crazy life and you still act like it’s no big deal.”

Rai flung his towel dramatically over his shoulder and sighed. “Crazy? Please. You haven’t seen crazy until you’ve tried surviving an academy full of magic users with nothing but luck and charisma. Speaking of which, we’ve got classes. Let’s go before someone curses me again.”

Gale let out a dramatic sigh, flopping back onto his bed with a hand over his heart. “Only you, Rai, would brush off something that insane like it’s just another Tuesday.” He shook his head, a mix of disbelief and admiration flashing in his eyes. “I swear, man, your life is ridiculous.”

Rai opened the door, pointing at Gale with mock seriousness. “Ridiculous? Buddy, I’m just warming up.” He spun out of the room like a performer exiting stage left, nearly tripping over his own feet in the process.

Gale got up, shaking his head with a laugh, and followed him out, their banter continuing as they stepped into the lively academy halls, ready to tackle whatever the day had in store.

The massive orientation hall stretched endlessly, its grandeur still captivating Rai, whose wide-eyed wonder shone as brightly as the sunlight streaming through the hall’s intricate glasswork. His head tilted from side to side, taking in every detail like a child at a festival. Gale couldn’t help but chuckle, watching Rai’s eyes dart about.

Rai suddenly gasped. "Look at those pillars, Gale! They’re so shiny—do you think they’re made of gold? Should I ask if we can take one home? Oh! What if they give us one for free as a first-day souvenir?"

Gale sighed. "Rai, focus. You’re drawing attention again."

As they settled into their seats in the middle of the hall, Gale became increasingly aware of the murmurs buzzing around them. Whispers ebbed and flowed like an incessant tide.

• "That’s Rai, isn’t it?"
• "Hey, he’s the one who beat Mammoth!"
• "No way. He must have cheated."
• "Yeah, Mammoth probably let him win. There’s no chance someone like him could actually beat a powerhouse like that."

Rai, oblivious to the words, leaned toward Gale with a goofy grin. "Hey, do you think they’re talking about my abs? Should I flex for them?" Before Gale could stop him, Rai struck an exaggerated pose, his smile brighter than the chandeliers above.

Gale facepalmed. "Rai… I’m begging you, sit still before someone writes a song about your ‘legendary abs.’"

Despite Rai’s antics, Gale couldn’t ignore the weight of the students’ words. His expression darkened as he thought about the deeply ingrained belief system that had shaped these kids. They had been raised with the mantra "Eyes are everything" drilled into their minds since they could speak. Parents pushed their children to cultivate magic, treating weak magic—and by extension, weak eyes—as a shameful curse.

It didn’t matter that these students had witnessed Rai’s duel with their own eyes. They clung stubbornly to their prejudices, their pride too fragile to accept the truth. Gale thought back to what Rai had said earlier, words that echoed louder than the murmurs. "Those with eyes emanating strong magic are truly blind."

Gale sighed, his gaze shifting to Rai, who was now attempting to balance a coin on his nose. His carefree demeanour stood in stark contrast to the gravity of Gale’s reflections. And yet, Gale couldn’t help but think: maybe, just maybe, Rai’s ordinary eyes held the vision that the rest of the world so desperately lacked.

Rai, with a sudden realization, stood up in his chair and began scanning the room exaggeratedly. His eyes darted around as if searching for something extremely important, his body leaning this way and that, his neck craning as though he were trying to spot something across the vast hall. He even stretched on tiptoe to get a better view, looking utterly ridiculous.

"What are you looking for, Rai?" Gale asked, his eyebrow raised in confusion at his friend's strange behavior.

Rai’s eyes narrowed dramatically, his finger tapping against his chin in a mock-serious manner, deep in thought. "I’m looking for that redhead… what was her damn name again?"

Before Gale could respond, a voice interrupted sharply, dripping with irritation. "Rose," it grumbled, laced with annoyance.

Rai froze mid-sentence. His eyes widened, and he slowly turned to the source of the voice. Seated right behind him, with arms crossed tightly across her chest and a scowl that could rival a thunderstorm, was none other than Rose. Her fiery red hair framed her face, and her sharp brning red eyes bore into him, practically sizzling with irritation.

Rai, caught completely off guard, stammered and fumbled awkwardly. "Ah—yeah, that's right! Rose... I... uh, didn’t know you were behind me..."

Rose’s glare only deepened, and the tension between them seemed to thicken. Rai winced but couldn’t help but grin nervously, his awkward chuckle ringing in the air. "Heh... good to see you too."

Rose, while Rai awkwardly laughed off the moment, was lost in thought, her mind drifting to the words her father had spoken to her earlier: "I am expecting a great man to join the academy this year." She couldn’t help but wonder to herself, “He can’t be it, can he?”

Her heart raced a little at the thought, but she quickly regained her composure. “Only a man as great as my father shall ever take my hand in marriage”, she reassured herself. Yet, despite her conviction, she couldn’t shake the hope that he might be the one. Deep down, a small, unspoken part of her yearned for it.

Rai, once he was done laughing off the situation, stood back up on his chair and began scanning the room comedically, looking for his next target.

"What now?" Gale asked, his voice laced with amusement.

"Well, I found my first wife," Rai said nonchalantly, "now where’s my second? That stunning elf who even stole my first kiss."

Gale laughed hysterically, barely able to contain himself. "Of course! Hahaha, only you would casually say such a sentence with no emotion whatsoever!"

Meanwhile, Rose, her cheeks flushed red, matching her brilliant hair, shouted at Rai with a hint of jealousy, "You fool! I’m telling you once more, I never agreed to marry you!" She then turned her face away, with a cute little “hmph!”

Rai, completely oblivious to her anger, replied with his usual nonchalance, "Well, that's what I love about you now. There's no point in chasing after a goal if it's so easy to attain."

Steam practically erupted from Rose’s head as her face turned beet red.

Gale, still laughing, added with a grin, "Well, well, Romeo, sit down already. Would you? Miss Harchell is no ordinary student, she’s a Dean."

Rai, reluctantly, plopped back down into his seat, shrugging his shoulders in disappointment, as if he’d just lost the prize.

Rose, still embarrassed and conflicted about Rai’s behavior, quickly regained her composure. Though, in the back of her mind, her heart raced, and she found herself wondering, "Could he really be the one?" She tried to dismiss the thought, but a part of her couldn’t help but hope.

Gale looked over at Rai, shaking his head in amused disbelief. "Man, you're something else. Not even a second thought about it. You just keep pushing forward like nothing fazes you."

Rai shrugged, his playful smile never leaving his face. "I’m just being me, that’s all." His grin widened. "Besides, who wouldn’t want to be with someone as great as me?"

Rose caught the tail end of Rai’s remark and couldn’t suppress a small smile despite herself. She quickly covered her face, turning away again to hide the slight blush creeping up her neck.

The room suddenly fell into a familiar silence, much like the first day during orientation. It was Frost Kromus who entered once again, his silver hair tied back, and his frost-like eyes giving a cold, piercing stare to the students.

"Hmm, very good. I would have been disappointed if I had to request silence once again."

He surveyed the room for a moment, making sure everyone was paying attention Rai being held in place by Gale to make sure he does not do anything stupid.

"Now, though, you better be on your extra best behaviour, because today the Headmaster will address you before sorting you into your respective houses."

The door swung open once more, and Pragaya emerged, his presence filling the room with a radiant light. The air seemed to shimmer around him, casting a sense of hope and wisdom over everyone. He walked toward the podium with a graceful yet commanding elegance, each step deliberate and filled with purpose. His aura was one of authority, yet there was a warmth about him that made students feel both awe and comfort.

As Pragaya surveyed the room, his eyes locked with Rai’s. In an unexpected moment of casualness, Rai raised his hand and gave Pragaya a salute — the kind you would give to an old friend. The room fell silent, and all eyes shifted to the exchange.

To everyone's shock, especially Kromus, Pragaya returned the salute with a smile, his eyes gleaming with a quiet amusement. The students were stunned, exchanging puzzled looks. Rai had just done something that no one had ever dared to do in the presence of such authority — yet here was the Headmaster himself, responding in kind.

The reaction in the room was a mix of disbelief and fascination. A few students whispered among themselves, unable to comprehend the scene they had just witnessed, while others simply stared in stunned silence. Rai, ever unbothered, took his seat, not fully realizing the gravity of the moment. Kromus stood frozen, his frosty demeanor faltering for the briefest of moments, clearly thrown off by the unexpected exchange.

Gale and Rose knocked Rai on the head in comedic fashion. "What the hell do you think you're doing, you idiot?" Rose exclaimed, her tone a mixture of disbelief and irritation. Rai rubbed his head, wincing in pain, and shrugged nonchalantly. "What? I’m just showing the old guy some respect. If it weren’t for him yesterday, Frosty Eyes would’ve stopped the fight before it even heated up."

Rose and Gale both sighed in unison, their hands covering their faces in exasperation. Gale shook his head slowly, a resigned, dry tone in his voice. "I don't know what else I was expecting from you, really."

Rai chuckling childishly "Aww c'mon guys, it's not a big deal," he says with a cool attitude.

Meanwhile, Pragaya has now made it to the podium, ready to speak. The room quiets as all eyes turn to him. Pragaya's presence radiates confidence and wisdom, commanding attention without saying a word. As he stands before the students, he takes a moment to survey the room before beginning.

"Esteemed students, and if history were to repeat itself, the next potential Elemental Magistrate, whomever that might be," he says with a knowing look, his eyes briefly landing on Rai, making sure no one else notices the subtle jab directed at him. The crowd murmurs, unsure whether to be excited or confused.

"I am deeply thrilled and filled with joy to see you all here today," Pragaya continues, his tone genuine but slightly theatrical. "I won’t bore you with a longwinded speech, do not fret," he adds with a wink, eliciting a few chuckles from the students.

"Let’s get right into the main event—the Elemental House assignments."