Early in the morning, Alviona woke up and got dressed in her school uniform that had the emblem of the institution embedded on the back of the cloak. Going downstairs, she was greeted by Mimi who was kind enough to put away the breakfast meant for her. ‘Excited to go to your first class?’ Asked the dwarf curiously as she watched the girl devour the food.

Alviona smiled and nodded, but despite this, an odd feeling of uneasiness crept into her body. After the breakfast was complete, she headed towards the Divine department of the academy. Many students, professors, and scholars were moving in and out of the different buildings, causing a chaotic ruckus on the street. Everyone appeared to be in a rush, and, for a child who was not accustomed to such rhythm of life, it became a cumbersome task to make it to her destination in one piece without running late. Furthermore, it was the first time that Alviona found herself wholly alone. Despite her wanting to bring Solomon into classes, it was a no-go due to his origins.

“Are you lost?” Asked the professor upon greeting her. “I am sorry, young miss, but if you have the Elemental course as your first class, then you are in a wrong building. We teach Divine magic here,” scoffed the man who was taken aback by the girl’s unusually large hat.

“Not at all. Here is the headmaster’s letter,” replied Alviona as she passed the parchment, which the man quickly glanced over before surrendering and nodding.

“Well, don’t just stand there. Come on in,” said the man, waving his hand and gesturing to the girl to come along.

Upon entering, Alviona could feel the eyes of thirty attendees quickly shift towards her, causing her to feel uncomfortable from the attention she was receiving. “Am I doing something wrong?” She asked herself in confusion as anxiety settled within her mind. It was further made worse by the fact that the students began chattering in a low voice — some mocking her hat, while others talked about her sudden appearance. It became evident that not just the girl’s dormitory, but the entire academy had received the news of a fresh student being accepted despite the harsh rules.

“Good morning class,” said the instructor that gently put his hands on the girl’s shoulders. “This is our new attendee from this day onwards. While I understand that this is uncommon and such a situation does not occur often, I still expect that you will treat her with courtesy. Now then, Miss, would you like to introduce yourself?”

The girl was nervous as a result of multiple students staring at her. It felt as if Alviona had shrunk in size and became a fly that was waiting for these giants to squash her. She attempted to gulp and muster up the courage to speak up; however, the girl quickly discovered that her throat was aching and burning. “M-my n-name is A… My name is A-Alviona,” said the girl, stuttering and gasping for air. Despite Mira and Solomon preparing her for this, she found it challenging to gather her thoughts and speak.

“That, uhm. Good. Welcome, Alviona,” said the instructor with a small clap, gesturing towards the students to follow suit. This, in turn, caused Alviona to ease up a little as she took the front seat of the row.

The class moved by slowly. Alviona kept avidly listening to the instructor as he spoke about different spells that the Divine schools of magic had under its wing. Some students asked questions perpetrating the correct usage of spells and their appropriate mana cost. It was an interesting chat, one that soon turned into a mild debate. For the girl, it was all relevant and exciting.

“Mr. Baiul, can I ask a question?” said Alviona as she raised her hand. Seeing that the man nodded, she continued. “Why are Divine teachings of magic referred to as such? Do we receive the powers from gods?”

“That is an interesting question. I am glad you brought it up, as I discussed this last week. Class, which one of you remembers the answer?” Asked the man with a chuckle. “You there, Karl, can you answer?”

“Aw, come on! Why me?” said the young lad who stood up. “The Divine teachings is considered as such due to its nature to Protect, Heal, and Cure the Negative Effects from your allies. It has nothing to do with the gods.”

As the man’s words flowed into Alviona’s mind, her eyes widened from disbelief. “Are you certain?” She asked just to confirm. “Clearly, there has to be a misunderstanding —” she thought. And yet, the man repeated his words.

“Correct. The Divine school of magic has an origin that stems from the deities, but that is about it. The only real spell that falls under Holy or Gods realm would be [Ressurection] – an ability to fully restore the dead and bring the consciousness back into them,” replied Baiul with a nod.

An hour slowly passed by. The professor included an overview of how magic in this world worked, and how the inhabitants could choose up to six primary, four secondaries, and two utility skills to be most useful as a supporting class. Alviona also learned about various types of spells that were readily available under the Divine category. Towards the end, Baiul was kind enough to perform several demonstrations of spells such as [Minor Barrier], [Rally], and [Fortified Spirit].

“One last thing. Remember that even if you are currently locked in a Minor or Major for the Divine school of magic, your profession, spells, and stats will still depend upon your training and exploration,” concluded the instructor sternly.

After the class was finished, Alviona approached the professor with a puzzled expression. “Mr. Baiul, may I ask several questions?”

“Oh,” said the man as he leaned back in his chair. “What would you like to know?”

“I apologize if I sound rude, but are you sure that using Divine magic has absolutely nothing to do with the gods?” Asked the girl, her voice trembling and cracking down as she mentioned the hunters that she was desperately trying to avoid.

“I already explained. Why are you so interested in this matter?” Asked the man with a quizzical expression, uncertain of what to make of her question.

“No, I understood the concept; however, I am an atheist yet have a gift in Divine arts. I hope I won’t face any complications,” said the girl sincerely.

“Well, let me say it this way: in our world that we call Dedrillon, Gods do not do much as their primary role is to keep the dungeon monsters at bay —” Alviona avidly listened, not forgetting to write down mental notes. “There are various legends of heroic deeds committed by several adventurers, hinting at their ascension to godhood…”

“Have there been any instances when the deities have interfered with the world?! Any at all?!” Interrupted Alviona immediately, slamming her hands on the desk, and leaning forward.

“What the hell is wrong with you, and why ask such a stupid question?!”

“I apologize. I did not mean to insult—” said the girl as she jolted her body back.

“Your question is nonsensical! I already answered you, yet you are asking the same thing albeit in a different format,” shouted the man with spite, furrowing up his eyebrows and gritting his teeth.

“I don’t understand,” said the girl, her voice cracking down.

Seeing that the mood changed and that he scared the girl, the man sighed and softened up a little before speaking. “The gods do not get involved. The angels are a faction and a race that is known to most closely resemble the deities, and these creatures do what you spoke of… That’s all I will say, and for the next time, do not ever bring this subject up with me,” said the man, his eyes bloodshot.

Alviona felt an odd sensation of uneasiness crawl into her mind. Understanding that the mood was tense, she decided to perform a light bow, thank the professor, and move on to her next class. Upon exiting the room, a sound of something smashing resonated in her ears, forcing her to quickly clear the area, and head towards the Elemental faculty department.

“How long are they planning to follow me?” Thought the girl as she quickly glanced behind her back, towards the students that did not attempt to mask their presence whatsoever. It would be understandable if they had the same faculty chosen as her; however, their facial expression was giving the girl another vibe — hostility.

“Have you business with me?” She asked nonchalantly, stopping in her tracks. Fortunately, the stalkers got uneasy and walked their own way, never answering her question. The girl did not understand what to make of this scene. “How peculiar—” she thought, as she continued towards her destination, contemplating over the words spoken during the class, and trying her inner best to make sense of it. “Angels perform the duties of the administrators. But then… Is there a possibility that I am overly protective and nervous for no reason?” Kept the girl thinking as a creeping chill ran down her spine, reminiscent of ants crawling on her body. Someone was touching her back, hands were slowly creeping up towards her shoulders.

“Booh!” Said a voice, causing the girl to jump into the air and fall flat. “Gotcha!”

Alviona slowly crawled up from the ground, quickly glancing towards the source of the musical laughter that filled her ears. “Janine,” she pouted, “why would you do that to me?”

“Sorry, kiddo. I noticed you walking towards the class and could not resist the temptation, seeing that you were carried away,” said Janine with a grin. “Everything all right?”

The girl nodded and gracefully accepted help in getting up. After hearing alviona’s story, Janine fell into thought. “You know, I really hate the fact that you are keeping me in the dark… always avoiding talking to me… it’s as if I am nothing but a hindrance to you.” She turned her back on Alviona and created some distance. “You don’t trust me at all, do you?”

“That is not the case,” exclaimed Alviona with a sudden outburst of frustration, causing some passerby people to stop and give her an odd stare. Janine was taken aback by the sharp tone displayed by the girl, for this had never happened before.

“Having some lovey-dovey quarrel, aren’t you?” Teased Cornelia who popped into the conversation, forcing the two girls to shift their attention at her.

The girl looked creepy. Messy hair, bagged eyes, tie not appropriately worn, and her face had an expression that of a ghost risen from the dead to scare the dead.

“Bloody… what happened to you?” Asked Janine who was most disgusted by sight. “And what do you mean Lovey-Dovey? We are friends, that’s all —” she scoffed, the words still causing her to blush ever so slightly. Alviona’s heart, on the other hand, appeared to race as if on an ultramarathon.

“Stuff. I’m just teasing you. Be at ease. Although I will admit that the way you two behave makes it look like it. You are oddly close,” said Cornelia with a sadistic grin. After some argument with Janine, she teased Alviona slightly until giving up as she got no reaction from her whatsoever.

Walking into the classroom, the two girls were greeted by various students who inspected their figures. Janine was of most interest to them due to her tanned skin complexion, a color that was not common on the mainland.

“Wait, so these are the new attendees to whom an exception was made by the headmaster?” Whispered several students to each other.

“Yes, I believe so,” replied a girl from the crowd with laughter.

“Is she not creepy? What’s with that hat?” Said several males mockingly. “Is her bodyguard not attending classes?”

“She has a bodyguard? Wait, did I miss that?” Said some girls in shock.

“Hey, you, cut it out! She stands right in front of us!” Came a reply.

“But I am interested!” Whispered several students with excitement. Some of them attempted approaching Alviona but got discouraged due to her inactivity and lack of interest. And yet, the girl became a hot topic amongst men and women for different reasons. Some were attracted to her figure while others were curious about the visage beneath the extraordinary hat, but all of them were interested in seeing what the girl had up her sleeves in spellcasting. It was unfortunate that she had not enrolled during the beginning of the semester when students were required to perform a “Show” of their talent and knowledge. Now there was no way of testing her outside of a duel in the arena, or fighting clubs that the Academy hosted.

Upon taking their seats, a tall male (probably in his thirties) entered the room who wore exotic robes with blue crystal pauldrons that emitted an odd aura around him. The closer he got to students, the heavier their breathing became. Everyone’s throat appeared to be parched. It was as if death lurked right around the corner. Many began shivering from the phenomenon, and their noses started bleeding.

“I think that is enough, Mr. Bernstein,” said Cornelia who was irritated by the instructor’s behavior. Without the slightest bit of hesitation, she used her [Lightning surge] that caused the man to focus his attention on her. Despite the spell going through him, the man merely shrugged it off and grinned before summoning an icicle that steadily floated at Cornelia’s throat, threatening to puncture and end her life in an instant.

“Oh, my. Miss Davenfall has graced my class with her presence? That’s some extraordinary development there,” said the man as he turned his gaze towards Alviona and Janine, slowly caressing his black beard. “Splendid. Welcome to my class, rookies! A forewarning since you skipped last week; I take a practical approach to everything so be ready to do some work. That set aside, I hope you find my company a blast. Yes, yes. Elemental magic is the mystery and the real joy of life.” With his last words, Bernstein turned his attention to the training dummies and, with a waving motion of his hand, redirected the spell towards them, puncturing the primary (middle) target. After two seconds delay, the rubber doll exploded, and various shards flew towards every direction. The dummies were lacerated, and red liquid streamed towards the floor; the students were safe thanks to the wall of ice that the instructor created.

“That is unacceptable!” Shouted a girl who jolted up from her seat with her eyebrows furrowed. “Why on earth is that loser here? WHY?!”

“Oh, Miss Abelson. As far as I recall, I forced you to retake the course, no? How are you any better?” Asked the man with a bright smile as he looked at Cornelia and laughed. “Truly amazing. The old bastard actually managed to get you into the class! Well then, this ought to be fun.”

***

The cafeteria was packed. Students, instructors, and scholars were desperately rushing towards the line to get their hands on the “Today’s Special” ice-cream considered to be exotic throughout the world. Alviona followed Janine, excited but exhausted from the school activities they participated in.

The martial classes proved to be challenging for Janine, especially when she insisted on partnering with Alviona. “Bloody hell. She was holding back the whole time, yet I could not beat her even once!” She thought, glancing at the girl in question who was deep in thought, salivating from all the choices that were presented. Unfortunately, the two girls only managed to scrap the bare lunch consisting of basics. No desserts were offered to them.

“Wait a moment. I do not understand, why does everyone else get the sweets but we don’t?” Asked Janine, baffled by the oddity.

“Simple,” replied the cook. “You do not have the custom golden ribbon on your ties. Only nobility is allowed to get exotic treats. My sincere apologies.”

The man’s words slowly settled in within Janine’s mind. She was well acquainted with the politics games behind the educational system, but this was absurd. Looking over at Alviona’s pleading face, the girl could not do much but to feel disheartened. “Here,” she told the man, removing a golden insignia from her pocket — ‘Will this work?’

“Ehmm.. yes. That is acceptable,” replied the cook, handing over a plate and a scoop of the novelty.

“Let’s go, kiddo. I will share with you,” said Janine, causing Alviona’s concealed visage to light up with glee. As the child devoured the food, Cornelia and Mimi joined in, creating a comfortable and a friendly atmosphere; something that both girls wholly enjoyed.

Several students passed by their table, giving an odd stare until disappearing amidst the crowd. As the silly talk between Alviona and her friends moved forward, Janine could not help but notice more and more students streaming in and circling around their table.

What’s with this foolish act? Don’t tell me that they think we are dumb and won’t notice it. What is their goal, and even if I figure it out, what is the motive? Is it a sort of initiation or could it be that Alviona’s identity has been compromised?

Absurd.

Janine shook her head in denial. Their stay at this Academy had been far too short to cause such a scenario. It meant that something else was going on…investigation was in order. Yes, there was only one way to find out. Mustering her resolve, Janine cast her Mind Control ability on one of the younger students who had his hand trembling, eyes widened, and lips devoid of any moisture — the weakest of the flock, one that could easily spill out the necessary information. Yes, three more seconds and she would figure it out. Two… one….

And the [Mind Tap] was in effect.

Going through the man’s most recent memories, the girl was relieved and shocked simultaneously. The bright side was that Alviona’s identity was incognito; the unnerving part was that the man harbored intense, Murder-like enmity towards Cornelia. To be more precise, the demon was the reason why the students were behaving like this. The two newbies being around the resented girl caused a commotion.

“Wait a second… This… is this a note?!” Thought Janine, but before she could investigate further, one of the female students approached and slammed her hands on the table.

“I understand that the two of you are new here, but we need to talk.” The girl’s eyes were bloodshot, her gaze directed at Cornelia who nonchalantly carried on with her lunch. “Piece of shit! You dare to…”

A sudden outburst of noise forced the girl to cut off her sentence as the instructors streamed into the cafeteria, dismissing the students and bringing the order. The lunch-time at Dalei’s Academy lasted two hours, and because the time was not up, most attendees remained in the cafeteria. Despite the commotion ending, their eyes were still solidly fixed upon Cornelia.

Alviona watched the occurrence, puzzled by the situation, and slightly dissatisfied due to the inability to finish the meal in one peace. The hostility displayed made her feel uneasy and alert. “Should I intervene?” She thought. Looking at Cornelia and Mimi forced her to shake her head as neither of them were affected or bothered by this situation.

“Janine, mind if we move elsewhere? I am not feeling comfortable…” said Alviona in an attempt to lighten up the atmosphere a little. Part of her also wanted to spend some time with Janine, preferably alone. The girl appeared to be in thought and did not pay much attention to her request. “Please? Pretty please?” Continued the child, lightly nudging her to get the attention.

After finishing her thought, Janine nodded, excused herself in front of the two students, and followed Alviona out of the cafeteria, towards the rooftop of the academy. A cold wind caressed their cheeks as they sat and enjoyed their quiet meal, both feeling awkward and a little anxious. From the corner of her eyes, Janine could see the elation on Alviona’s face who was gently nomming on the ice-cream, getting her mouth sloppy. The girl could not hold her hysteric laughter back. “Kiddo, you really are something,” she said, grinning and wiping away her face.

“Uwah, but it is so good! It’s soft and cold… sweet…” Said Alviona, gently nomming on the novelty. Glancing over at Janine the girl could not help being captivated by the thin, red lips. She slowly extended her hand, trembling from excitement, her heart beating more and more rapidly until reaching for Janine’s lips with her pinky finger, swiping and cleaning off the remains of the novelty.

“W-why did you do that?!” Demanded Janine who jolted back, her eyes widened from the sudden motion performed by the girl. Instead of replying, she witnessed the mysterious elf quickly extend her wings—causing her hat to fall off, revealing the joyful visage—and swiftly devour the treat, while flapping them erratically.

“Yes!” Exclaimed Alviona in her mind, ecstatic from the victory that she achieved. “This emotion… this sensation — it is indeed bliss! More… p-please, l-let m-me have more…” Unfortunately, she was snapped back into the reality as Janine began pleading for her to hide her limbs. Understanding what she did, the child surrendered. Seeing that she caused Janine to worry, the girl got even more disappointed in herself. The sudden outburst of joy was suppressed.

“I understand your curious nature and that you have a condition, but that is not an excuse to be so rash. Be careful,” scolded Janine who was accumulating stress from the current developments. “No matter what, something is wrong here. What is going on with that Cornelia girl, and what was that note…” Her thought was cut off due to Alviona rubbing her cheeks against hers, acting as if she were a puppy. Janine welcomed it. She did not have that many friends, and the memories of her past still haunted her. If her only true friend acted in such a way, then it was acceptable. Besides, she knew a little about the girl’s origins and understood what she was or had a potential of becoming. And yet… “Lovey-Dovey… you two are unusually close…” still echoed within her mind. Was there a chance that…

Shaking her head, Janine decided that something needed to be said. The silence was far too unnerving, and her head was ready to boil.

“Alviona, how would you describe the ice-cream? Did you like it?” She asked curiously, forming a faint smile and trying to change the topic.

The girl looked at Janine, pondering and seeking an answer, blushing and shaking her head several times while caressing her cheeks. One minute… two… four… Janine could see a sort of steam being emitted from Alviona’s head; her puffed cheeks and confused eyes forced her to chuckle several times. She thought it was quite cute.

“Meanie! This is not easy,” said Alviona who did not enjoy getting teased and whose feelings were slowly developing. Thinking back to what the taste of the novelty was, she gulped and answered.

“Whimsically delicious, sparkle-sparkle delight of frutopic chocolate melt,” replied Alviona so quickly that Janine could not make out even a single word. Seeing this, the girl repeated her words slowly, and yet to no avail. With a loud sigh, she mustered up her resolve and imagined every sensation that she just experienced:

“Whimsically delicious,

‘Sparkle-Sparkle’ delight

Of Frutopic Chocolate Melt,”

Said the girl, controlling her breathing pattern and her anxiety as the aforementioned taste of Janine’s lips replicated inside of her mind, a feeling that she embedded deep within her core, one that she refused to let go of.

“Where did the Fruit part come from?” Wondered Janine as she finished eating her share, not forgetting to take out a small pocket watch to check for the time. Seeing that the lunch was almost over, she stood up and patted Alviona’s head, informing her that the library would be opening up soon.

Alviona was excited. She would finally be able to commence her research on all the deities that inhabited this world. And yet, a slight sense of uneasiness crept into her mind as she watched Janine who had her arms crossed and appeared to be in thought.

“Kiddo, I am sorry for being so sudden, but I need you to do me a favor—” she said, causing a chill to run down Alviona’s spine. Seeing that she nodded, Janine eased up, her fierce eyes relaxing a little. With a slow motion, she wrapped her hands around the girl’s shoulders and landed a soft kiss on her cheeks. “I want you to forgive me for breaking my promise. I can not come with you to the library for a while. There is an important matter I have to discuss with Mira, and an investigation is also in order.”

Much to Janine’s surprise, the reply that came from Alviona baffled her. She was not angry or frustrated; instead, the girl downright allowed it. “It is okie,” she said. “I will ask Mr. Solomon to come with me. I also have to do research that is slightly different from the one I originally intended,” said Alviona cheerfully.

Janine was the first to leave the rooftop upon Solomon’s arrival. “Take care of her,” she told the man nervously. Seeing that he nodded, the girl grinned and exited the building with a Quest to find the meaning behind the hidden note.