Sophie walked briskly through the narrow lanes between the housing units in construction, her eyes scanning the faces of passersby. The morning air was crispy, but carried the scent of baked bread.

  As usual, Hito was leisurely following her and workers streamed between buildings. The landscape of the refugee district was changing from one hour to the next.

  But she was looking for a specific place, today. A small, single floor house that was marked for demolition. The day before, a woman prevented the workers from tearing it down. Nobody wanted to go against a crazy-looking person with a knife, if they could help it.

  It wasn’t the first time someone had done that, either, but usually Sophie was able to talk them out of it. They were scared and desperate, and the building in question was usually a memento or such. But they just couldn’t hog all that space to themselves when others had nowhere to live.

  Where was it?

  Sophie slowed down as she passed an empty spot where foundations were being filled in. I swear it was somewhere here.

  She turned around and asked Hito. “What happened to that woman from yesterday? Do you know maybe?”

  “I think she’s in jail.” Hito mulled for a second before settling on an answer. “I wasn’t there, but I heard she was a rebel sympathizer or something.”

  “No way!” Sophie’s eyes widened. The woman had wanted to protect the house in which her husband died. She said it over and over again. Then why…

  “That’s what I was told.” Hito shrugged. “What about it, little flower?”

  Sophie’s stomach turned as she recalled Bert’s lecture. “Was that because she shouted at me? Because she got in my way and refused to cooperate?”

  “Maybe?” He looked away, just for a moment. “In any case, she was dangerous, little flower, don’t beat yourself up over it.”

  That’s not what I asked.

  Her hands clenched at her sides. She wanted to be furious. She wanted to scream that this wasn’t right…

  But all around her, people were smiling. A mother carrying a loaf of bread stopped to wave. A few children ran past with straw brooms, helping sweep the alleyways. Four new buildings were being built, and that was just what she could see on this street.

  Sophie swayed on her feet, feeling unsteady. She felt Hito’s gauntleted hand on her shoulder, supporting her.

  Without thinking, she leaned in and wrapped her arms around him. His armor was cold, and scratchy, but it felt steady. Calming.

  Hito stiffened in surprise, then gently returned the hug, one hand resting protectively on her back.

  “I’m… a bit lost ,” she whispered.

  “We all are, little flower.” he replied, his voice soothing. “You’re doing your best.”

  -=-=-

  “Your past seems like nothing much.” Diana broke the silence. The young lady finally had enough of the interrogation.

  “Sorry to disappoint,” David shrugged. He had been giving her a–greatly stripped down–story of his life for the better part of the last fifteen minutes. “I’m really not that interesting.”

  By this time, most of the people had voluntarily left the classroom, and those who remained, clustered on the far end.

  “You certainly want me to believe that.” She kept tapping her mouth with her finger. Both her manner of speech and her gestures became more pronounced the less eyes were on her.

  How old is she? Like, fourteen? Way too sharp for her age.

  “I’m sorry you’re getting that impression from me.” He bowed his head slightly. So many hours since breakfast, hunger was creeping in. And he couldn’t start chewing bread while talking with a noble lady, now, could he.

  “Your secrets would be safe with me, you know? But I won’t force them out of you.” She relented with a soft sigh. “Though I feel it’s important to note that I could. Easily.”

  David gulped. Young or not, her status made her dangerous. “You’re magnanimous beyond your years.”

  “Not only do you speak like my grandfather, you both say a lot that you don’t mean.” She said as she smoothed out the wrinkles of her robes. “I changed my mind, though. Do tell me the secret of that cube. I’d like to have learned at least something interesting today.”

  “Of course, Lady Diana.” He said with another, slightly deeper, bow of his head.

  Diana studied him for a moment, but ultimately just sighed in resignation as David began to explain the trick with the cube being actually six magic items combined.

  “So, what you actually have to do is to treat it like one would casting.” He finished the explanation by making his cube flash brightly for a breath.

  “And by that you mean…?” She started, waiting for him to elaborate.

  David did so with pleasure, his excitement getting the better of him.“You have to treat all sides of the cube as if they were separate objects and simultaneously fill them with equal amounts of mana.”

  “Right. So, casting.” The way Diana looked at him was downright predatory, sending shivers down his spine. “Something you obviously can do, despite being a barely educated village child.”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Shit.

  “What can you cast? And if you say ‘nothing’ I swear I will go back on my word and have someone abduct you.” Her eyes were laser-focused on him.

  Though her tone made it seem like that second part wasn’t very serious, whether it actually was, was anyone’s guess. He’d like to think abducting him wasn’t such an easy feat.

  “So much for rank not affecting the academy…” David muttered, then spoke louder. “I understand the basics. I trained to cast a simple spark.”

  “Show me.”

  “What?”

  “I want to see your spark.”

  Is it some sort of double entendre?

  David opened his mouth to respond, but at that exact moment his stomach growled loudly. Loud enough that even Diana raised an eyebrow.

  He winced, putting a hand to his stomach. “I’m terribly sorry, I’ve been running on fumes since morning,” he muttered. “And nearly blacked out earlier. Can we—maybe do this later?”

  “I don’t mind letting you go…” She studied him again, subtle clues of amusement returning to her face. “If you’re willing to be more open with me next time.”

  “Thank you for your understanding,” David said. “I’ll do my best.”

  For the first time, she openly smiled at him, then got up and promptly left the room.

  David wasted no time and immediately dug through his pouch in search of the bread and jerky he had stashed there. He. Was. Starving.

  As the haze of hunger lifted from his head, he thought back to the conversation. Diana had abused his fascination with magic to get him to reveal himself, even if only slightly–A sly move, if it was intentional.

  It felt like all her actions were measured and purposeful. And that mask? What the hell was that about?

  At least it seemed like she was also suppressing her hunger, judging from how fast she had left the room.

  So at least she is human.

  -=-=-

  Having eaten, David returned to fiddling with the cube. It was a precise instrument; it only cared that each face received the same amount of mana—not how much.

  Once he figured that out, he was able to practice with it for extended periods of time—only running out of his patience, rather than exhausting himself physically.

  David glanced at the doors each time they opened, anxious that Diana might come back to interrogate him some more. The room gradually filled with returning students, their chatter creating a low buzz of anticipation.

  Luckily, Diana came back only when the room was getting full again and slid back into her seat. Next to him. She caught his eye briefly, that same calculating look from before, but said nothing.

  Not long after, Lady Greine arrived. Without preamble, she placed a different, more ornate, cube on the ground. "Approach me for evaluation," she announced, her voice cutting through the chatter. "There will be time for everybody and our conversations will be private."

  With a gesture, she activated the cube, and a shimmering dome of force expanded outward, encompassing a small area around her.

  As before, there was no set order or queue dictated by Lady Greine. Everyone simply knew their place in the invisible hierarchy of the room.

  David didn’t pay much attention to the proceedings. In any case, no one, Polbran and Diana included, managed to light the cube brightly.

  So even knowing the trick, the noblegirl couldn’t manage it?

  At least, due to his earlier conversations, he now had a vague idea where he landed within the hierarchy–After Polbran and before the contract-bound commoners, like Olen and Lia.

  Finally, when it was David's turn, he approached the barrier with measured steps, considering his options. Part of him wanted to play it safe, to produce the same dim glow as everyone and avoid drawing attention. But another part—the part that poured blood sweat and tears training under Dolen—rebelled at the thought.

  This isn't too large a thing… And I do want to take Polbran down a notch.

  Besides, Diana and a few others had already seen him do that. Trying to be secretive now would surely only bring more attention to him.

  David stepped through the barrier, and suddenly the classroom became eerily silent.

  "Show me what you've learned." Lady Greine regarded him with those sharp eyes of hers.

  He placed both hands on the cube, focusing his eyes to better see the flow of mana.

  Six sides, six separate enchantments, all needing to be filled equally.

  The cube blazed to life, its light rivaling Lady Greine’s initial showcase, then stayed that way.

  Lady Greine's lips curved into something that might have been approval. "Interesting. How did you deduce the mechanism?"

  David chose his words carefully. "I studied the broken fragments of Lia’s cube, Lady Greine. I figured it’s made up of six separate magic items, so it needs separate mana sources."

  "Observant." She tilted her head slightly. "It’s made of seven parts, though."

  "Seven?" David ventured, "If I may ask, what’s the seventh element for? And who crafted these in the first place?"

  "I designed and created them myself, of course." Lady Greine's tone carried a hint of pride. "There is a core hidden in the center. It monitors the others and triggers the bright illumination only when their mana levels are within acceptable distance from one another. Though, this is merely the first level design, so there is considerable leeway."

  "Would it be possible," David asked carefully, "to receive the more challenging versions ahead of time? Or purchase?"

  Lady Greine studied him for a long moment, and David resisted the urge to fidget under her gaze. “Light the cube again.” She ordered.

  He did, and immediately, a magic circle appeared right in front of his face, then erupted into a shower of sparks.

  David stumbled away, his back hitting flatly against the ground.

  What the hell?

  “You lost focus, and with it control, so easily.” Lady Greine commented. “And yet you ask for the next exercise?”

  David stared at her from the ground, stupefied.

  Is she Dolen’s sister or something?

  "Your assumptions are not unreasonable, but I want you to keep practicing with the cube you have received." She made a dismissive gesture. "You may return to your seat."

  David hung his head and exited the barrier, immediately aware of the stares that followed him. Previously, it’s been just Diana whose predatory gaze followed him. Now? Basically everyone in the room scrutinized him.

  He'd definitely made waves, but the scowl on Polbran’s face made it worth it anyway.

  He passed Lia on the way back, her earlier confidence completely gone. She reluctantly focused on her cube and made it shine dimly for a brief while. All the while she treated it as if it might explode at any moment.

  She overreacts. He thought, as he intensely studied the floor before him.

  He had survived his first day at the academy… Now if he could just leave before Diana—or anyone else—decided to pounce.

  That would be ideal.

  -=-=-

  The lesson ended without much else of note happening. Curiously, the young nobles seemed unsure on how to interact with one another, creating space for David to leave unmolested. He, of course, intended to abuse the fact as much as possible.

  The next few days, lessons in runic language under Mr. Rafiel intertwined with practical exercises under Lady Greine.

  Without having to worry about unwanted political advances, David could focus on learning–just like he had always wanted… But he knew it wouldn’t last.

  Sooner or later, the nobles would figure out how to approach him despite his manoeuvres and his peace would end.