Chapter 16

The bell rang, signaling the end of the first lesson. Students headed to the third floor, discussing the assignment and sharing their impressions. Harabi, lost in thought about the previous lesson, followed the general flow, barely noticing how she ended up in another classroom. She couldn’t stop thinking about the blank sheet she had turned in. What could she have written? She had dreams and goals—so why, at that moment, had her mind gone completely blank? No ideas at all.

A voice snapped her back to reality.

“Please, take your seats,” said a strict but not harsh voice.

Harabi looked around. The classroom was spacious, with tall windows letting in soft light. In the center stood tables, each designed for four people. The teacher, a tall man with short dark hair, stood at the board.

“I am your new instructor for ‘Natural Laws of Magic’—Mr. Lim. Dear third-year students, today you will work in groups of four,” he continued, walking between the rows. “I would like you to choose your own teammates.”

The students wasted no time moving around and forming groups.

Without much thought, Harabi approached Rumiya, who was already ready to choose her partners. Rumiya took a couple of steps toward her as well.

“I think the choice is obvious,” Harabi smirked.

Rumiya smiled and was about to look for more teammates when Harabi noticed familiar silver hair in the crowd. Joon. Her face immediately lit up with joy, and she failed to notice how Rumiya’s eyes sparkled for a second.

“Joon!” she called out happily, waving her hand.

Joon turned around, a smile appearing on his face.

“Good morning! Glad to see you! Have you found a team yet?”

“So far, it’s just me and Rumiya. We need two more,” Harabi nodded, stepping closer. “Do you want to join us?”

But then her gaze fell on the person standing next to Joon. Dark hair and pale skin. Zero.

The tension immediately became palpable. Harabi hadn’t realized how her own body tensed up—memories of that incident, when his magic had spiraled out of control, were still fresh in her mind. Rumiya also grew stiff beside her, while Joon shifted his gaze between her and Zero, sensing the situation might become awkward.

Zero, seemingly uncomfortable, turned away and took a step back, as if intending to leave.

“Wait, Mr. Grimmwood,” Rumiya suddenly said, her voice quiet but firm.

He froze but didn’t turn around. His shoulders were tense.

Rumiya bit her lip as if unsure whether she should continue. She glanced at Harabi, who simply observed in silence.

Joon sighed and placed a hand on his cousin’s shoulder.

“We were thinking… that you should finally apologize to Harabi Kurosaki. You know you should.”

Zero flinched slightly, his fists clenching. A few moments of silence passed before he finally spoke.

“I…” He took a deep breath and turned around. His gaze immediately met Harabi’s, and he visibly tensed. He looked away. “I didn’t mean to. It was an uncontrolled surge. But it happened anyway.”

He fell silent, unsure of how to continue. His voice was grim, and even though he tried to sound calm, his gestures betrayed his uncertainty.

Harabi watched him, assessing the situation. Her feelings were mixed. She understood that magical accidents happened, but what mattered was how people dealt with them. She thought his words were an attempt at making amends—but they weren’t enough.

“You don’t have to forgive me. I don’t need that,” Zero continued, clenching his fingers into fists.

Joon nudged him in the shoulder, clearly expecting a different response. Zero let out a heavy sigh and muttered through clenched teeth, “But if there’s a way to make it up to you… tell me what I should do.”

Harabi glanced at Joon, then at Rumiya. Both were looking at her, waiting for an answer, and they seemed almost hopeful. She hesitated before slowly nodding.

“Alright, let’s put this behind us—on one condition.” Harabi extended her hand to Zero. “You help us with the group project.”

Silence settled between them again. Zero looked at Harabi—there was no anger in her eyes, only… hope? He smirked at her naivety, but then realization hit him. He was in the wrong. He sighed heavily and stepped forward.

Harabi watched him expectantly.

Zero nodded, accepting her words. It wasn’t exactly an apology, but she understood.

Joon sighed in relief and clapped his cousin on the back.

“You’re lucky Harabi has such a kind and forgiving heart. I’m honestly surprised she let you join our team,” he said with a light smile, trying to ease the tension.

Rumiya looked at Harabi, silently letting her make the decision. Harabi sighed.

“As long as he doesn’t cause another magical explosion, why not?” she said with a smirk.

Zero sighed but seemed relieved. He didn’t say another word but stepped closer, accepting the decision. He shook Harabi’s hand lightly.

They took their seats at the table, forming a complete team. Joon sat next to Harabi, while Zero sat across from her, shifting slightly away. Rumiya sat beside him but kept her distance. She stole a quick glance at Zero before immediately looking away, clasping her hands tightly.

Mr. Lim waited for the class to quiet down before continuing.

“Now that you have your teams, I will explain the assignment. Your task is to research one of MistLand’s regions and prepare a report on its flora and fauna. Each region has a unique climate and characteristics. You must analyze how magical energy affects nature in your chosen area and present your findings at the end of the week.”

He waved his hand, and a list of regions appeared on the board:

The Frozen Ridge – A cold northern region covered in eternal snow.

The Lost Swamps – Wetlands filled with poisonous plants and thick mist.

The Sunlit Valleys – A warm, fertile region home to rare magical flowers.

The Stormy Cliffs – A rocky landscape where nature’s magic is tied to lightning and storms.

“Teams will choose regions in order. Let’s start with the first row…”

Harabi turned to the others.

“Which region should we choose?”

“Not the swamps,” Rumiya grimaced, sitting stiffly with tense shoulders.

“The Sunlit Valleys seem like the most logical choice,” Zero unexpectedly suggested. “It’s the most stable and safest region.”

Rumiya shook her head sharply. “No.”

Everyone looked at her, but she didn’t explain. Instead, she tightened her grip on her hands and kept staring off to the side.

“The Frozen Ridge, then?” Joon suggested thoughtfully.

“It’s complicated,” Harabi bit her lip. “We’d have to study magical adaptation to extreme cold.”

“The Stormy Cliffs,” she said after a pause. “Lightning magic sounds interesting, and there are probably rare phenomena there.”

“Well, at least it’s not flowers,” Zero remarked dryly.

Rumiya glanced at him but said nothing.

When it was their turn, Harabi spoke. “We choose the Stormy Cliffs.”

Mr. Lim noted their selection.

“Alright. Now your task is to research the region, analyze its unique traits, and prepare a report. At the end of the week, each team will present their findings.”

“Alright, where do we start?” Joon leaned in.

Zero crossed his arms. “We need sources. The library should have books on natural magic.”

“Maybe we should first figure out what creatures live there?” Rumiya suggested, her voice quieter than usual.

Harabi looked at her, then nodded. “Let’s split up. Joon and I will check the library, while you and Zero can look through archives or ask upperclassmen.”

Rumiya stiffened, clearly displeased with being paired with Zero.

“I…” she hesitated but said nothing.

Zero looked at her, as if trying to understand her reaction, but didn’t question it.

“Alright,” he simply said.

They agreed to meet after class and went their separate ways, each lost in thought about the upcoming project.

Harabi and Joon left the classroom, heading toward the library. There were still twenty minutes before lunch, and they decided to make good use of the time.

Harabi slowed her pace, inhaling the cool, slightly dusty air infused with the scent of old pages. Rows of towering bookshelves stretched upward like ancient trees in an enchanted forest, while the soft glow of green lamps on the tables created an atmosphere that was both cozy and mysterious.

She loved books. They held entire worlds hidden between their pages—unlike reality, where everything was so complicated and messy. Her fingers instinctively ran along the spines: thick encyclopedias, time-worn scrolls, collections of stories about great mages of the past…

“You look like you’re at home,” Joon chuckled, watching her.

“Libraries are places where no one is in a hurry. You can just… exist here,” she replied with a gentle smile.

“Well said.”

They chose a table near the window. Outside, the treetops swayed lazily in the wind. Joon sat across from her, resting his elbows on the table.

“So, about Zero?” Harabi asked quietly, careful not to disturb the silence of the library.

Joon hesitated for a second before speaking.

“Are you sure you don’t mind working with Zero?” Joon suddenly asked.

“Well, since he offered to help, why not?” Harabi shrugged. “Although… Rumiya doesn’t seem thrilled.”

“Not surprising,” Joon sighed. “He does have a way of leaving an odd impression.”

Harabi glanced at him, waiting for him to continue.

“Harabi, you do realize that people change when they get their powers, right? Sometimes for the better, sometimes… not.”

“You make it sound like everything is already decided.”

“Not everything, but magic… it’s not just a tool. It’s a part of us. And for some, it’s not a gift—it’s a test. Or maybe even a curse.”

Harabi tilted her head slightly, studying Joon. He always seemed open and good-natured, but now there was something cautious in his voice, as if he was balancing on the edge of what could be said and what should remain unsaid.

“Did something happen the day Zero got his power?”

Joon smiled, but something flickered in his eyes—something hidden.

“It’s a family matter,” he said gently. “Don’t dwell on it, okay?”

“Was it… something really terrible?”

He didn’t answer right away. His expression turned thoughtful, but then he leaned forward, intertwining his fingers.

“I just don’t want you to see him… as an enemy. He does that well enough himself.”

“Do you think he really regrets what happened?”

“Of course. He just doesn’t know how to show it.”

Harabi fell silent, recalling how Zero had avoided her gaze. There was something… broken in his voice.

“If he ever wants to talk, I’m willing to listen,” she said softly.

“You’re too kind, you know?” Joon smiled again, but this time it was different—warm, with a hint of sadness.

“I just want to understand people.”

“Then be prepared—understanding can sometimes be painful.”

They fell into silence as the quiet rustling of pages filled the library, as if agreeing with his words.