Chapter 13 — A Quiet Day

  I woke up before the bell again.

  I didn’t need a clock anymore. My body just did it on its own. Maybe it was a habit from before coming here.

  Back then, if I didn’t wake up early, I didn’t eat. It was that simple.

  The dormitory was quiet. Most of the other students were still asleep. I could hear slow breathing, the sound of someone turning in bed, and the faint noise of birds outside the window.

  I stared at the ceiling for a moment.

  I sat up and stretched my arms. My shoulders felt a little sore from yesterday’s mission, but it was a good kind of soreness.

  It meant I had actually done something.

  I got out of bed and washed my face with the cold water. The shock helped me wake up completely.

  When I looked at my reflection in the water, I paused.

  I still looked small.

  Even among first-years, I was shorter than most of them. My arms were thin. My face still had that childish look that made people assume I was younger than I actually was.

  Eighteen years old.

  But sometimes I felt like I had lived twice that.

  I ran my fingers through my black hair and sighed.

  “At least my eyes don’t look dead anymore,” I muttered.

  I grabbed my uniform and put it on. The fabric was smooth and clean. It still felt strange wearing something that wasn’t torn or patched together.

  When I stepped out into the corridor, a few other students were already walking around. Some were talking, others were half asleep.

  The dining hall was already open.

  The smell of food hit me the moment I entered.

  Warm bread. Soup. Roasted meat.

  Even after weeks here, I still had to stop for a second just to take it in.

  There was a time when I would have done anything for just one of these meals.

  Now I got them every day.

  I grabbed a tray and sat down at an empty table. I ate slowly at first, out of habit.

  Halfway through the meal, I realized I was alone at the table again.

  Latris and Izuo were probably still asleep.

  Or maybe they had already eaten and left. We didn’t always follow the same schedule. After the mission yesterday, everyone was probably a bit tired.

  I finished the last piece of bread and leaned back.

  The bell rang.

  Time for class.

  The classroom was already half full when I arrived. I took my usual seat near the back beside Latris and Izuo.

  Seraphine entered a few minutes later.

  She placed her book on the desk and looked around the room.

  “Today we will continue with basic mana control, If you cannot control your mana properly, no spell will listen to you.”

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  Her voice was soft, but it carried across the room easily.

  We spent most of the class doing simple exercises. Letting mana flow through our fingers. Shaping it into small lights. Keeping the shape stable.

  For most students, it seemed easy.

  For me… it was strange.

  I didn’t really use mana the same way they did. My Sigil wasn’t about shaping mana into spells. It was about space itself.

  Still, I followed the exercises. I needed the basics too.

  A small ball of light floated above my palm. It flickered a bit at first, but then it stabilized.

  Teacher Seraphine passed by my desk. She glanced at the light, then at me.

  “Better than last time.”

  I nodded.

  “Thank you, teacher.”

  She moved on without another word.

  It was a small thing, but it made my chest feel warm.

  No one had ever told me I was improving before.

  After the magic class came physical training.

  Instructor Doran was already waiting at the field when we arrived. His arms were crossed, and he had that usual serious expression.

  “Line up!” he shouted.

  Everyone quickly formed rows.

  “Today we run. Then strength training.”

  A few students groaned quietly.

  Doran’s eyes narrowed.

  “If you have the energy to complain, you have the energy to run faster.”

  No one said anything after that.

  We started with laps around the field. The sun was already high, and the ground felt warm under my feet.

  I wasn’t the fastest, but I wasn’t the slowest either. My body was lighter than most, which helped with running. But when it came to strength… that was another story.

  After the running came push-ups, squats, and weight exercises.

  My arms started shaking halfway through.

  “Don’t stop,” Doran said as he walked past me.

  “Your body grows when it is pushed.”

  I clenched my teeth and kept going.

  Latris and Izuo were both ahead of me. They looked much more comfortable.

  I forced one more push-up. Then another. Then another.

  I couldn’t stay behind forever.

  By the time training ended, my whole body felt heavy.

  But it was a good kind of tired.

  The kind that meant I was moving forward.

  As we were dismissed, I stayed on the field for a moment, looking at the sky.

  Clear blue. No clouds.

  Days like this were rare where I grew up. I wasn’t allowed to leave my room most of the time.

  I exhaled slowly.

  “For now, this is enough.”

  A place to sleep. Food every day. Training. Friends.

  It was more than I had ever imagined.

  After training, I went back to the dormitory, took a quick shower, and changed into something more comfortable.

  My body still felt heavy from the exercises, but I didn’t want to just lie down and waste the rest of the day.

  Latris had gone to the alchemy wing again, and Izuo said he wanted to check the weapon shops in the city. He’d been talking about buying something “big and impressive” since yesterday.

  So, for the first time in a while, I ended up alone.

  I stared at the door for a moment.

  “…Might as well go out.”

  The city wasn’t far from the academy gates. Students came and went all the time now that the rules had changed. The guards barely looked at me as I passed through.

  The moment I stepped into the city streets, the noise hit me.

  It was lively. Messy. Warm.

  I walked slowly, letting my eyes wander. There were stalls selling everything—skewers, bread, glowing potions, cheap charms, even second-hand armor.

  Some students were haggling with merchants. Others were walking in groups, laughing like this was some kind of festival.

  I kept my hands in my pockets and just walked.

  No destination. No rush.

  Eventually, my feet brought me to the adventurers’ guild. The large wooden doors were open, and the usual noise came from inside.

  I stepped in.

  The quest board was surrounded by students and a few older adventurers.

  I walked closer and read some of the missions.

  Cleaning monster nests near the river.

  Delivering supplies to a farm.

  Guard duty.

  Collecting herbs in the southern forest.

  Good for beginners.

  I scanned the rewards.

  Not bad.

  If I did a few of these every week, I could build up some AP. Maybe buy some potions. Or training items.

  Or save up for something useful later.

  Still… I didn’t feel like picking a mission today.

  My body was tired. And my head felt a little foggy from all the training.

  I exhaled.

  “Tomorrow, maybe.”

  I turned away from the board and started walking toward the exit.

  That’s when I heard a small voice near the reception desk.

  “P-please, miss. It’s really important.”

  I slowed down.

  A little girl stood on her toes in front of the counter. She couldn’t have been more than eight or nine years old.

  Her clothes were clean, but clearly worn. The sleeves were a bit too big for her, and her shoes had been patched more than once.

  Her brown hair was tied into two uneven braids.

  She looked nervous.

  The receptionist leaned forward with a polite but firm expression.

  “I’m sorry, but we can’t register a request without the proper fee, those are the rules.”

  The girl clenched her small hands.

  “But it’s just a simple thing. We don’t need fighters or anything. Just someone to help for a little while.”

  “I understand,” the receptionist said gently.

  “But the guild can’t process it for free. If we make exceptions, it becomes unfair to others.”

  The girl’s shoulders slumped.

  “…I see.”

  That look… I knew it too well.

  The look of someone who already expected to be refused.

  I scratched the back of my head and walked closer.

  “Um.”

  “What kind of help does she need?”

  Both of them looked at me.

  The receptionist’s eyes sharpened slightly. She was probably used to students interfering in things they didn’t understand.

  “It’s not an official quest and there’s no payment.”

  I nodded.

  “That’s fine. I don’t really have anything planned today.”

  The little girl looked up at me, eyes wide.

  “R-really?”

  I shrugged.

  “Yeah. What’s the job?”

  The receptionist studied me for a moment, as if trying to decide something.

  Then she sighed.

  “…It’s simple. The girl’s family runs a small house near the edge of the city. They just need help with some basic tasks. Carrying things, maybe cutting wood, cleaning storage. Nothing dangerous.”

  “That sounds easy enough.”

  She pointed a finger at me.

  “But listen carefully."

  "This is not an official guild mission you will not receive AP. There will be no report, and no reward."

  "You’re helping them as a private favor.”

  “That’s fine.”

  She raised an eyebrow.

  “You’re sure? Most academy students wouldn’t even consider something like this.”

  I thought about it for a moment.

  Back then, if someone had helped my father for free… things might have been different.

  “…I just don’t feel right ignoring it.”

  The receptionist looked at me for a few seconds, then nodded.

  “Very well. I’ll note it as a private assistance request.”

  The little girl suddenly bowed so fast she almost lost her balance.

  “Thank you! Thank you so much!”

  “Hey, don’t bow like that. It’s nothing special.”

  She looked up at me with a big smile.

  “My name is Mira! What’s yours?”

  “Rikuo.”

  She repeated it quietly, as if trying to memorize it.

  “…Rikuo.”

  Then she grabbed my sleeve.

  “Come on! Our house isn’t far!”

  The receptionist watched us go, her expression unreadable.

  As the little girl pulled me toward the door, I let out a small breath.

  I didn’t earn anything today.

  But somehow… that didn’t feel like a loss.

  Ending of Chapter 13

  I kind of have the main arcs planned out, but the parts in between one arc and another are a bit complicated to come up with on the spot.

  I don’t have a very good imagination.

  You could say this is a mini-arc before the bigger events that are coming, but it’s just as important.