It’s been a week since I started school, and so far, my main goal is to rack up enough stars to get promoted to the Second Tier. I’ve picked up a bunch of stuff along the way—mostly about my classes, though nothing too crazy yet.
Right now, I’m just chilling in the canteen, finishing off my steak. And the best part? It’s completely free. I don’t even have to pay for it. Life’s good.
“Oh, wait… what’s my next class again?” I mumble, staring at my empty plate. “Uh… Soul Physics, I think?”
I groan. Ugh, this is gonna be exhausting.
I made my way to Subjective Academy—one of the buildings where students were forced to sit through academic lessons. Not exactly my thing. Studying had never been my strong suit, and honestly, I wasn’t planning to change that anytime soon.
Pushing open the door to the laboratory classroom, I stepped inside, immediately noticing the massive reinforced glass windows. Natural light poured in, making the whole place feel bright and open. The long, sleek tables were lined up in rows, students already taking their seats and chatting about who-knows-what.
I didn’t bother joining them. Instead, I headed straight for my usual spot—the last corner of the room. No one ever sat there, which made it perfect. Quiet, out of the way, and with a decent view of the window.
As I slouched into my seat, I glanced toward the front of the classroom. The instructor’s desk had a built-in holographic projection system, already flickering to life with animated spell diagrams and energy flow charts. It was kind of cool, I guess. At least, if I could stay awake long enough to pay attention.
A few minutes passed, and the bell rang, signaling the start of class. The chatter died down as everyone settled into their seats. Moments later, the door opened, and the Central Instructor finally stepped in, making her way toward the desk at the front.
"Everyone, stand!" a female student called out, prompting the entire class—including me—to rise from our seats.
"Pledge!"
We all clenched our right fists against our chests.
"Greet!"
In perfect sync, the class responded, "Welcome, Instructor Marion!"
Mabel Marion. Only nineteen years old and already an instructor—one of the youngest in the academy. She carried herself with a sharp, disciplined air, her military-style uniform only adding to the effect. A sleek black jacket, a matching skirt, thigh-high white socks, and polished black shoes—it was a crisp look, but what stood out the most was the sword emblem pinned to her chest, marking her status.
Despite her petite frame and long, messy blonde hair, there was something undeniably commanding about her presence. Maybe it was her piercing blue eyes or the rumors surrounding her—whispers of her earning at least fifty stars before graduating, placing her among the academy’s highest-tier students before she even became an instructor.
I’d only been in her class for a few days, but I was starting to think that maybe she wasn’t as fierce as people made her out to be.
"Students, today we’ll be doing one of the most important assessments," she announced casually, as if it were nothing special. "I hope you’ve all prepared for it."
The room fell silent. A few students exchanged nervous glances before someone finally spoke up. "What kind of assessment, ma’am?"
I leaned forward slightly, just as curious to hear the answer.
"Very well asked!" Mabel responded with an almost cheerful tone. It caught me off guard. Wasn’t she supposed to be strict? She sounded more like an excited upperclassman than a feared instructor.
"Sooo, to begin with," she continued, drawing out her words playfully, "you guys will be going through an assessment called the Resonance Stabilization Trial."
"What is that?!" another student blurted out.
Mabel pouted slightly. "Wait, wait… let me finish talking, please," she said in a way that felt almost childlike, as if she was sulking over being interrupted
I frowned. A physical assessment? Already? We’ve barely been in school for a month. Something about this felt off, but there had to be a reason.
"Okay, students, hear me out, alright…" Mabel clasped her hands together like she was begging us to listen.
"Soo, basically," she continued, dragging out her words playfully, "this assessment requires two students to synchronize their soul energy and maintain a stable energy circuit between them for a full minute while channeling a basic spell."
Murmurs spread through the class, but she carried on unfazed. "Any instability—like energy repulsion, imbalance, or losing connection—means instant failure."
Huh… so I have to cooperate with a classmate for this to work? I sighed internally. Great. That’s gonna be a problem. I hadn’t exactly made any friends yet—unless my dorm mates counted, which they really didn’t.
"Your success requirements are simple!" Mabel announced with a grin. "Establish a soul link with your partner, maintain a smooth, uninterrupted energy transfer, and cast a shared spell—something easy, like a floating water ball—without breaking synchronization."
She paused, then tilted her head slightly, her lips curling into a smirk.
"Heehee…"
The entire class went dead silent.
Then, in a dangerously sweet voice, she added, "And for the best-performing pair… I’ll personally award five stars. That’s an instant promotion to Second Tier."
A ripple of shock swept through the room. For a moment, no one moved. Then, just like that, the mood shifted. The chatter stopped. Students who had been slouching sat up straight, eyes locked onto Mabel. They were all in.
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