The book did not look heavy until Mrs. Elsa set it down.

  It landed between them with a dull, flat sound. The cover was unadorned. No sigil. No crest. Just text.

  Roland opened his without hesitation.

  Anastasia opened hers with a groan.

  Soliana waited half a second too long before following.

  Mrs. Elsa did not sit.

  “The World of Arcadia,” she said, handing them a blank sheet of paper.

  Soliana flipped to the first page.

  “This is…”

  A list.

  Nations. Borders. Treaties. Succession lines. Recorded disasters.

  Soliana's stomach dipped.

  Mrs. Elsa continued.

  “Inferna serves as the northern barrier of the forbidden lands. Due to the endless conflict against the undead we…”

  Time passed.

  She turned a page.

  “Reina functions as the central economic artery. Freedom is their philosophy. Remember that.”

  Another page.

  “Aurelion formalized the study of belief as structural and symbolic. That distinction changed how sigils are cultivated across Arcadia.” She directly looked at Anastasia, who wasn’t taking any notes, “Do you understand?”

  Anastasia straightened slightly and hid her blank paper.

  “Y-yeah.”

  Mrs. Elsa’s eyes flicked toward her without warmth before continuing.

  “Alignment strengthens. Contradiction destabilizes. That is foundational. The rest builds from there.”

  Soliana was still writing “belief is structural.”

  The class had moved on.

  “The Solstice Sanctum’s Sun doctrine remains the most publicly recognized religious structure in Arcadia. “

  Page.

  “The Verdant Kingdom’s internal structure remains undocumented by outside sources. Repeated testimony references a singular guarding presence. That is all that can be stated without speculation.”

  Page.

  “Frostveils culture involves white hair as a symbol of an ancient lineage of a deity called Everfrost. Though the claim is unverifiable, it is no secret that the most common hair color in nobilities are white.”

  Soliana’s pen slowed.

  The sentences did not pause.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

  “The Eternal Empire—despite occupying a large part of the south— is a Land with only the Eternal Queen as its sole citizen and ruler. It is effectively her home.”

  She flipped another page.

  “The journey to the Dragon Tomb had always ended in failure. The Repeated expeditions are documented. But I personally don’t recommend trying to go.”

  Soliana blinked.

  Oh no…

  Her notes were already cramped.

  Mrs. Elsa did not stop.

  “Dungeons are remnants from an unknown time period preceding the advent of the Eternal Queen. There are tier classifications you will be required to memorize.”

  Soliana’s head lifted slightly.

  Dungeons?

  They were already on the next section.

  “Sigils had given us a foundation in trying to navigate our daily lives, but even its true nature had remained a mystery to us. We had only discovered its connection to belief 400 years ago.”

  She wrote on her paper with the smallest handwriting along the sides where she can fit them.

  Soliana swallowed.

  Roland was already halfway down the page.

  His writing was clean. Efficient. No wasted motion.

  Anastasia was just doodling. Filling her paper with drawings of swirls, a leaf, or an unknown animal.

  Mrs. Elsa continued.

  “During the eventual expedition which the first Ruler of the Verdant Kingdom, Queen Eldharia, failed, King Solomon of the Solstice Sanctum took temporary reign for a short time.”

  Soliana’s pen paused.

  Queen Eldharia.

  King Solomon.

  She wrote their names down. Her writing getting even smaller.

  “The latest succession war of the Reina Kingdom occurred 30 years ago. Its current King, Geralt, is known to have special relations with this kingdom’s current King Dante.”

  Another page turned.

  A map appeared.

  They were not clean.

  Borders had been redrawn in ink. Dates were written over older dates. Notes occupied the margins. Arrows traced campaign routes all over the map.

  She squinted. Pointing her fingers and tracing it along the arrows. She then started writing once more.

  Roland raised his hand.

  “Why are relearning all of this?” He complained.

  Mrs Elsa looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

  “This is a recap.” She said, glancing at Soliana whose pen stopped moving.

  “Im just letting your new classmate to catch up. By next week, you will compare the Dragon Tomb expeditions with the Century Blizzard rite.”

  Soliana’s head lifted.

  Recap?

  Her hand trembled.

  Still. She continued writing.

  “You will then identify similarities in succession logic and perceived legitimacy.”

  Mrs. Elsa closed one book and opened another.

  “Now, this is section is—”

  “Wait!” Anastasia suddenly said.

  “I think Soliana needs another paper.”

  Soliana blinked.

  “What?”

  Mrs Elsa looked over her paper.

  They were full of smudges. Small writing. Cramped notes.

  Mrs Elsa nodded before giving her another blank page.

  “If you need more paper, just say so okay?”

  Soliana lips were opening and closing repeatedly while her eyes are wide.

  “I didn’t. I thought…”

  “Thought what?” Mrs Elsa asked with a frown, “Do I look strict to you?”

  “No…” She said. Her voice barely audible.

  Mrs Elsa sighed.

  “Anyways. In this section, we—"

  Eric shifted in the back of the room.

  He had positioned himself near the window. As far away to his aunt as possible.

  Every time footsteps passed in the hallway, his shoulders stiffened.

  He checked the door twice.

  Soliana had heard him mumble “Pls don’t be Leon.” More than once now.

  Mrs. Elsa never once looked his way. Like he is just empty space.

  “Arcadia is not unified—”

  Page

  “The Forbidden Lands expand from time to time—"

  Page

  “The border exist for a reason—”

  Even Soliana’s fresh notes had devolved into arrows.

  Half-phrases.

  Names without definitions.

  She tried to rewrite one section neatly and lost three more.

  Her breathing felt shallow, but this time, she raised her hand.

  “Yes?”

  “…More paper…pls?”

  Mrs Elsa looked at her, then handed her another one, then continued her lecture.

  Time passed.

  Anastasia exhaled sharply as she finished rewriting her page.

  Mrs Elsa Sighed.

  “Beautiful drawing, Anastasia.”

  “Thanks!”

  She then set it aside and gave her a new paper.

  Soliana took a quick glance at her teacher’s face. Mrs Elsa caught her gaze and gave a shrug.

  She continued the lecture.

  ***

  It wasn’t long before it ended.

  Anastasia held out her new paper. Her hand on her chin. Her head in deep thought.

  Roland simply placed his away. Neatly and organized.

  Eric straightened instantly.

  Soliana rose slower. Her steps heavy.

  The hallway was already dark when they exited.

  Names still replayed in her head.

  Eldharia.

  Dragon Tomb.

  Tier classifications.

  Sun doctrine.

  She stepped forward and almost tripped at her own feet.

  Roland glanced at her once.

  “You alright?” he said quietly.

  She nodded.

  “Yeah.”

  By the time she reached the end of the corridor, the headache had fully settled in.