Kira woke abruptly in a cold sweat. She laid still for a moment to catch her breath, then slowly rolled herself out of bed and opened her window for fresh air.

Her clock claimed it was still early in the morning, yet she saw noisy crowds of people walking the usually peaceful empty roads, and Kira furrowed her brows in displeasure.

At any given time, the Academia rarely had more than a thousand students on campus taking lessons, and well over half of those were first years. Most students in the later years were busy running off on official quests, getting practical experience which exempted them from the relatively rudimentary lessons for the duration of their mission.

For those who had their own resources and capabilities the Academia was merely a prop, a neat line on their resume. Graduating as a student was more important than actually properly being a student.

But everyone cared about their future, so when the Trials were set to begin, the school was swiftly packed with students returning from abroad to take part. Those with strong backing just wanted a chance to parade around and look impressive, while those without got fired up to show what they could do against those rich scions who were merely showboating.

Even though it was barely six in the morning, there were already so many people. Some were setting up decorations, like streamers and banners with different names or symbols stitched into them, while others were setting up stalls for selling things they found on their missions.

Since the Academia was in a Shard - a pocket dimension - and had a starry void of a sky, the cluster of floating islands holding school buildings had various glowing spheres floating overhead that simulated the light and feel of the sun during appropriate hours. For the Trials, to simulate a festive atmosphere the false suns were dimmed until the lighting resembled a temporary twilight, and many people were hanging different kinds of colorful lanterns to brighten up the many paths and roads.

Kira stared at everyone walking around, being noisy and rambunctious, and promptly shut her windows. She dragged the curtains shut with more strength than was needed, and flopped onto her bed with enough force to bounce slightly off the mattress. For some reason, seeing so many people when she expected a quiet morning...

"Annoying," Kira grumbled, burying her face into the cool, soothing surface of her consolation slime. To drown out the faint noise filtering through the closed window, she turned on her System headphones and set the playlist to a nice soothing game soundtrack.

She woke that morning from one of her usual nightmares, the messy images in her mind already beginning to fade by the time she regained enough consciousness to be aware of her surroundings.

At least a few times a week for as long as Kira could remember, she would jolt awake in the early hours and be completely unable to sleep again afterward, giving her the habit of being an early riser.

The only exceptions happened when she was continuously exhausted to the point of passing out the instant her face touched a pillow, such as after Ailsa's training sessions. During that initial Hell Week of training, she didn't have a single nightmare. It was part of why she threw herself whole-heartedly into the vicious training regimen.

She wanted to be strong, yes. She wanted to survive. She wanted Ailsa to be pleased with her progress. And she wanted to not have nightmares for just a little longer.

Kira was well used to having them, she didn't consider them a thing worth mentioning to anyone, and on most days she avoided acknowledging they even happened. It wasn't as though she were perfectly alright having them - she'd rather they never appeared again. But she was so used to them, she didn't see the point in bringing it up to anyone.

What would be the point in complaining about it? That wouldn't help them stop appearing, and she didn't want to burden anyone with even more of her problems. If she brought up the nightmares, she might have to talk about some of the other things that sometimes happened.

Or worse, they'd want her to go into more detail about the nightmares themselves, and why they occurred. They might realize she'd been very vague in describing her past, and skipped over a lot of details.

She didn't want them to realize she downplayed her problems. In a dangerous world where even children were expected to be able to defend themselves, wouldn't they just toss her aside if they learned how weak she really was?

Kira tightened her grip on the slime plush, inhaling a deep, shaky breath. Something about the quiet darkness of an early morning, specifically after a nightmare, made her thoughts morose. It was harder to be cheerful, or at least feign indifference like she usually did, until she'd braced her heart and cleared away the fog of gloom.

"I can't let them find out," Kira whispered, to herself and to the slime plush who bore silent witness to all her sins. "I have to be good. I have to be strong. I won't be weak."

Most of the time she avoided thinking too deeply about anything serious, because examining her feelings led to bad thoughts. More so ever since she left the Gate, and found herself completely alone again.

Brigit, Ribbon, Ailsa, Sir Karl liked her well enough, sure. She knew that. But she also knew their feelings of wanting to help were based in a sense of obligation as decent adults to help a troubled girl. A societal, cultural obligation. In Sir Karl's case, it was an exchange of services.

As nice as everyone was, they weren't her family. They weren't the Hawthornes, who loved and accepted her with so much sincerity that it even moved her own damaged heart. The people surrounding her now were just friends and acquaintances. If she burdened them too much, they'd certainly decide having her around was more trouble than her company was worth.

And then she'd be alone again.

"I have to be strong... And good, and... grown up. And brave. I can't... be a burden."

Honestly, she considered herself lucky that she hadn't had any panic attacks recently for them to witness, and that her recent nightmares were relatively tame so they didn't have the usual lingering after-effects. The worst episode occurred her first time in the Dungeon, and nothing near as bad happened since.

If her situation were just a bit different, none of the people currently involved in her life would still be helping her. Brigit had a strong sense of empathy and responsibility, she would ensure Kira was properly settled with some caretakers after bringing her to a town, but wouldn't have stuck around longer than that. Without her English knowledge, Kira wouldn't have gotten Sir Karl's support, and he wouldn't have called in a favor to bring in Ailsa, or enroll her in the school to meet Ribbon.

His assistance would only last for as long as Kira had something to teach him about English. Once he knew everything she knew, or if she proved to be more trouble than she was worth, he'd have no reason to help anymore. Without his backing, she wouldn't be able to afford to attend the school.

Kira wouldn't ask Brigit or Ribbon to come with her if she became unable to attend the Atmont Academia. People told her over and over again that the school was important to their futures, and she couldn't do that to them even if she thought they'd agree.

But if that happened, if she couldn't afford to attend the school, would Ailsa keep teaching her? Ailsa was her official legal mentor, but wasn't that because Sir Karl called in a favor, so the Dwarf had her sign to be a mentor through the school?

So if she wasn't a student anymore...

"I don't want... to be alone again..." Kira whispered, her voice hoarse as she fought hot tears stinging the corners of her eyes.

A growing feeling of warmth in her chest interrupted the series of gloomy thoughts. She gently touched the spot near her heart, brows furrowed in confusion, until she remembered the previous night's events.

Her grimoire. When it wasn't physically summoned, she felt as though it rested in her chest as a small core of light fluttering in time to her own heartbeat.

The feeling of warmth it suddenly produced accompanied a sense of soothing relief that flowed through her limbs, relaxing muscles she didn't even realize were tensed.

"Thanks," Kira whispered, then shook her head. She felt a little silly thanking something that wasn't sentient yet. It was probably reacting on instinct to her stress, but she still appreciated what came across as a kind gesture even if it was unintentional.

Kira exhaled deeply, releasing her dark thoughts and gloomy feelings into the morning air. Then she tightened her grip on the round slime plush, burying her face in its cool, soothing side. Just having it nearby produced a calming effect on her, but nothing beat a good, solid hug.

The little guy was her most dependable source of comfort in recent days. She kept it with her whenever possible, and tucked it safely in her inventory only during training. During lessons, during mealtimes, during English sessions with Sir Karl in the evening, she held the slime toy.

'Is that why it hasn't been so bad lately?' Kira thought suddenly. 'The consolation slime was keeping me calm, so my nightmares weren't as nasty as before, and I haven't had any panic attacks? Yet I haven't even named it... It's been helping me so much, it deserves a name.'

She wrinkled her nose. 'I'm so bad at names. All I can think of is Jeffrey for some reason...'

Jeff the Slime. Kira snorted and shook her head. 'I'll keep thinking.'

Once her alarm starting going off Kira couldn't justify laying in bed much longer. She read through a message from Ailsa requesting she gather her classmates in a training zone before they all ran off to the Trials, and forwarded it to Brigit and Ribbon. Then, with a heavy sigh, Kira trudged slowly toward the shower.

"Is that..."

"It sure is."

"Here?"

"I mean, it's not like we didn't know..."

"Yeah, but HERE?"

Simon and Asim muttered to each other, as their other classmates stood behind them in the training zone occupied by a massive obstacle course, staring open-mouthed at Ailsa Reid standing before them live and in the flesh. The Dwarf grinned, hands on her hips, while Kira, Brigit, and Ribbon all stood quietly behind her.

The class guessed they'd be meeting with Kira for some last-minute spell practice, and none of them expected to see their classmate's Arena Star of a mentor waiting for them.

"Good afternoon, folks!" Ailsa said, hooking her finger to gesture for everyone to come inside. Chen shut the door after she gave him a glance, his mouth still hanging open in awe. "Hope ye don't mind me stoppin' by ta give ye pointers."

"Pointers, Mrs. Reid?" Asim said, his whole figure standing at attention like a little soldier waiting for their superior officer to review their uniform. Simon elbowed him in the rib, but to his surprise the Demi-Djinn didn't even flinch.

Ailsa waved a hand, bringing out a comfortable chair from her inventory to lounge on. "Aye. Ye see, yer headmaster got some reliable info that folks were plannin' on makin' trouble at yer upcomin' Trials. Yer class... Be the most likely ta suffer from whatever pranks them folks be thinkin' up, yeah?"

Everyone, even the three standing behind her, bowed their heads and blushed at the Dwarf's assessment. They already knew they were the bottom of the Academia's barrel, but it still stung to hear the truth stated so plainly. People looking to act up at the Trials surely weren't planning something innocuous and benign, like shaving cream pies or soap in the water fountains.

If something dangerous happened, their class was the most likely to suffer injuries.

"Isn't it... A bit late to give us pointers? Ma'am?" Simon said hesitantly, unwilling to offend Mrs. Reid yet unable to hold back his thoughts.

"Yer lessons be postponed durin' Trials, aye? And it ain't like yer gonna be busy all day every day. I'll be waitin' around in this room all day fer the whole two weeks! Ye lot can run on over fer coachin' any time yer not busy. 'Course, it ain't required, none. If'n ye don't want, ye don't have ta stop by at all. I ain't forcin' ye, like."

"We want to, of course we want to!" Asim and Chen both spoke up simultaneously, their eyes shining with excitement.

Even Dani looked interested - since her hibernation officially ended, her demeanor went from sleepy and irritable to sharp and focused.

"Truthfully speakin'," Ailsa said slowly, tapping a finger against her chin. "Fer the Trials, only the combat assessments every three days be crucial fer improvin' yer future prospects. The games and whatnot? Those be fer fun and giggles ta entertain folks. The prizes and attention they give out fer winnin' those ain't anythin' worth yer effort. Not ta be tootin' me own horn, but trainin' with me would be more beneficial fer yer overall growth. What be all yer thoughts? I'll wait while ye discuss among yerselves."

The other students all exchanged glances, then huddled together. Though they tried to whisper, their voices carried easily in the empty training zone. Ailsa fought to hide her grin, while the three standing behind her just shuffled their feet and pretended they couldn't hear anything.

"That's..."

"Mrs. Reid IS an experienced Arena Star."

"She's Rank A, isn't she? Her combat insights can't even be bought with money!"

"She's a Shaman, so she does both close combat and magic combat. None of us would be losing out!"

"I wasn't really interested in doing the Trial games anyway, if it weren't for the potential rewards..."

"Hah! Like we'd win anything? We'd be going against higher Level students!"

"And for the games where we wouldn't be competing with others, the prizes wouldn't be any good."

"Ugh, the whole system is rigged against us."

"Don't blame the System!"

"I'll blame what I want! Anyway, this is great. Mrs. Reid is amazing!"

The other students all happily agreed to only take part in the combat assessments, and signed contracts with Ailsa to not discuss the training methods with outsiders, then every single one of them promised not to quit halfway through the two weeks of Trial training.

Seeing their classmate's excitement, Kira, Brigit, and Ribbon exchanged glances laden with schadenfreude. They silently lit a candle in their hearts for those poor, unsuspecting fools. Ailsa's training methods were indeed effective, but...

At what cost?

"I knew there was something odd about her." Darla Redtree buffed her pink nails as she skimmed through the report her assistant sent her, collected from various sources over the past couple weeks. The beautiful red-headed elf had her feet propped up on her desk, relaxing in the spacious comfort of her dorm suite's private office.

Darla was rarely bothered by first year students, especially not ones outside of her own Core class. So when a scrawny little nobody with bare feet and a vacant expression broke someone's hand without a sign of effort or hostility?

Only the General class losers wouldn't bother buying a uniform to show off school pride, since they had no pride to speak of. Yet that weak little thing effortlessly broke an Elite student's hand?

Such a satisfying crunch, followed by such a repugnant look of innocent confusion adding fuel to the flames of that Elite student's embarrassment. Her insistence that it was all an accident was just the icing on the cake.

"A Clanless Human child," Darla purred, starting to add a fine layer of clear varnish to her nails. "A Gold scholarship, late enrollment, a Geomancer taught by Ailsa Reid... Very odd indeed. Who knew her identity before Sir Karl swept up her traces?"

The assistant standing quietly behind Darla's reclining office chair bowed her head. "Respectfully, miss. Her only contacts before entering the Academia were a Lepidor linguistic scholar with casual connections to Sir Karl DuFeu, a Kobold Healer with a spotless record, and the guard who Scanned her upon entering the city."

"Which one sold her out?"

"None of them, miss. The first people to sell her information were found to be former Party members of Brigit Cinderscale, the Drakke Squire accompanying the girl."

"Surprising. What is Mother's stance on all this?"

"The madam wishes to express an amicable neutrality."

"Tch! How cowardly. Picking a side would be beneficial in the long run regardless of whether her side won or lost this little skirmish..." Darla blew on her nails to dry the varnish a little faster, then gestured for her assistant to pass over a bottle of glitter finish. "Whatever. She doesn't want to expose herself yet, fine. Find out who in the school is planning to interfere with the Trials, and offer my support."

"Yes, miss."

"Go on, then."

The assistant gave a half-bow, then hurried out the door to carry out her orders.

Darla sighed, glancing out the window of her office to the crowds milling about below. People spilling from the Core student dorm, excited about the chance to show off. None of them were concerned about their upcoming performance, and not a single sign of nervousness could be seen on any face.

Youthful, strong, confident. Outstanding students with remarkable backgrounds. The pride of the school and the city.

"That odd girl... Let's see if she really deserves the chance to stand among us."