When all his pupils had left, the man exhaled sharply and relaxed his shoulders. Alone in the empty, sun-soaked classroom, Thomas gathered the materials, stacking the tests neatly on his desk. His mind buzzed with a mix of relief and concern. Though the first day had gone smoother than he'd anticipated, the road ahead was undeniably steep. And he sifted through the answer sheets, intrigued by how the girls did.

  "Well, this is about what I expected," he muttered to himself, leafing through page after page. "A-actually, Gretchen somehow did better than Lilith here..."

  But when he combed through the elven girl's exam, his forehead creased. Again and again, he ran his eyes over the papers, even fishing out the answer key from his binder to double-check. Once he'd confirmed what he was looking at, a bead of sweat streamed down his temple. Nia's test was perfect. Not a single question was answered incorrectly. Every explanation, every calculation, and every diagram was flawless. On every subject, she'd received full marks.

  "Did she already know the material? But how? She failed last year's classes—the same as the others. Could she have used her magicks to cheat?"

  Yet, he recalled how the elf had calmly worked through the test, her every motion deliberate and unhurried. If she had been cheating, it wasn't obvious. Gretchen was straightforward in her raw strength and bravado; Lilith wore her defiance like armour. But Nia was an enigma. Reserved, unfathomably dangerous, and now showing a level of knowledge that far outstripped her peers. Even the basic properties of her Gift remained a mystery to him.

  "I just can't get a handle on that girl..."

  If he were to devise an elaborate curriculum based on his students' strengths and weaknesses, he'd need to learn more about the elf. Given her closed-off nature, it'd be a difficult task. As much as he wanted to approach her directly, he knew being too pushy could backfire. Patience was key. With that in mind, Thomas decided to observe her closely over the coming weeks. If she wasn't willing to open up, her behaviour, habits, and responses might provide some insight.

  "For now, though, it'd do me some good to rest up. I haven't even begun lectures, and I'm already this drained. Am I really cut out to be a teacher?"

  Sluggishly, the man dragged his feet as he left the classroom and slunk down the corridor. Lit up by the midday sun filtered through stained glass panes and stretched before him were the school building's hallways. Along the way, Thomas greeted students and professors alike who'd grown to recognise him. As he turned the corner, he caught sight of a familiar face conversing with somebody by the window. Cheerfully, the man called out to her as he hurried over.

  "Ah! Mirabelle! Haven't seen you in a while!"

  Upon glimpsing him, the librarian hastily dismissed the cloaked figure she was talking to. And Thomas shot a glance at the stranger as they sped past him, their footsteps silent against the tiled floor. Though their features were completely obscured, the man could feel the weight of their gaze. Either that, or he was imagining things. Mirabelle then turned to him, bearing the same emotionless visage with the smallest hint of unease.

  "Was that another teacher?" Thomas asked, clueless to the identity of the hooded individual.

  "Something along those lines," the woman breathily replied, leaning against the windowsill. "So, did you need something from me?"

  "O-oh no, just wanted to let you know the situation with the problem magi has been resolved. You were right; those three were the ones that vandalised the classroom. But long story short, with a bit of negotiating, I actually got them to show up to classes without incident! They're not as bad as everybody says they are, you know?"

  "I assume the tremors yesterday were caused by these 'negotiations' of yours then?"

  "T... tremors? "

  "The headmaster assured everybody it was a small earthquake, but I had a feeling you were caught up in some fight with those girls. You weren't in your classroom after all."

  "Ah..." Read like an open book, the man didn't know whether to come clean or play along with Grimwald's cover story. "I-I can neither confirm nor deny that..."

  "Well, setting that aside," Mirabelle said, folding her arms, "I actually have something to talk to you about. Are you free to meet up at our regular place later this evening?"

  "Um, the courtyard? Sure..."

  "Good. I'll see you then."

  As the librarian strode away, Thomas scratched his head. While it was normal for Mirabelle to nonchalantly invite him for a talk over sandwiches, the man felt something different about her tone this time. There was a sense of gravity to it—urgency even. Still, he couldn't let himself spiral into worry, not after the successful class he'd had. And his rumination carried him out into the fresh air of the academy grounds.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  "I'm probably overthinking a lot right now," he reasoned to himself.

  Atop a grassy knoll overlooking the sprawling campus, Thomas sat cross-legged; from his vantage point, he could see students milling about below, some practising spells in the courtyard, others travelling abreast in groups, their laughter carried faintly to his ears. Eyes closed, he allowed the mild breeze to wash over him as he took a deep breath. All noises faded in the background, and for a little while, the man was at peace.

  Footfalls neared him, however, and before his eyes could flutter open, a soothing voice spoke to him.

  "Not having lunch?"

  Thomas gazed upward, and to his left was Nia, who was musing at the academy grounds, hands behind her back. "O-oh, Nia," he sputtered, startled to see the elven girl paces away from him. "I had a big breakfast this morning, so I'm not really that hungry..."

  "You were the one who forced the cafeteria to shut down, weren't you? It explains why you were late."

  "A-ah, that's right! What about you? If the canteen's closed, where will you eat?"

  "The school cafeteria isn't the only place to eat on campus. There are plenty of other options, from food stalls to full-service eateries. This academy functions like a small town, you know?"

  "Seriously? That's amazing!"

  "You weren't aware of that? Have you not been given a tour of the campus yet?"

  "They really only showed me the essential spots like the library or the accommodations."

  "It almost seems like you were brought in at short notice..."

  "H-honestly, that's not far from the truth..."

  "Hm..." Nia's lips flattened as she mulled over his remark. Elegantly, she pivoted toward the man and smiled. "Then, what if I showed you around myself?"

  "You'd really do that for me?"

  "When I have the time, sure. My only condition is that you're not allowed to eat any of the establishments out of business."

  "I won't, I won't..." Thomas let out a chuckle. "You yourself could use a little more meat on your bones, though. Are you properly eating?"

  An awkward silence ensued, broken only by the elf's soft-spoken utterance.

  "You were looking at my chest when you said that, weren't you?"

  "N-no... not at all..."

  "Well, pardon me for not being as well-endowed as other girls, Professor." Nia plopped down beside him, nose in the air, feigning umbrage. "I can't blame you, I suppose. You are a man, after all. I bet you prefer your women curvier like the rest of them."

  "How did we get on this topic again..?"

  "I'm right, aren't I? Don't ladies like Madam Mirabelle strike your fancy?"

  "And why bring up Mirabelle all of a sudden?"

  "Before Lily, Gretch, and I employed the abandoned schoolhouse as our hideout, the library was where we'd hole up all day when skipping classes. Madam Mirabelle, who often worked there, never once scolded us or kicked us out. Moreover, from what we saw of her, she rarely spoke to anyone, if at all."

  "That sounds like her."

  "Which makes it all the more strange that she openly approaches you without reservation. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she had feelings for you," the elf teased. "Rumours are floating around that you two are dating, you know?"

  "There's no way that's true." Thomas waved off her speculation. "We've only known each other for about a week. She's just a colleague and a friend."

  "But if she were pining for you, how would you respond?"

  Side-eyeing her, the man crossed his arms. "What about you, Nia? You seem pretty invested in this love talk. Do you have somebody you like?"

  "Are you curious?"

  "As your teacher, it's my job to hear you out—be it problems with school or relationship woes. My role is to guide you, after all."

  "What a diplomatic response." Nia let out a half-titter. "Am I to take it that you're experienced in that sort of thing then?"

  "Not one bit. I spent most of my life on a mountain, as a monk, no less. Naturally, I never got to experience stuff like romance. But what I do have is perspective. It may not exactly align with yours, but as an outsider looking in, I can at least share thoughts on it from my point of view."

  "Perspective, hm? Well, I suppose there is someone I'm rather interested in."

  "T-there is? That's unexpected."

  "I wouldn't go so far as to say it's love, but I am intrigued by him."

  "Huh... and his name?"

  And the elf raised a finger to her lips. "That's a secret."

  "It's always secrets with you..."

  "I could say the same about you, Mr. Invincible-Defence-Spell."

  "That was just..."

  "As you can see, Professor, we all have our reasons to keep secrets from one another."

  "That doesn't make my job any easier, though..."

  "You're going to have to try hard if you want to uncover more about me, Professor. It's why it's called work, not leisure. In the meantime, I'll do my part in uncovering more about you."

  "Right, right, I'll do my best..."