The sun shines brightly overhead, and I squint to see nobody around. Turning the corner of the entrance to the rooftop, I spot a ladder and climb up to a higher platform. There lies Jennis, my deskmate.

As soon as I finish climbing the ladder, he removes his arm from his eyes and turns to look at me. His eyes sweep over me and he frowns.

Annoyed, I spare him the niceties as I keep my tone neutral. “Why did you call me up here?” I mean, who frowns after obviously checking someone out?

“Nova Allandis, right?”

“Yea. So?”

He stands up and offers his hand. “We didn’t officially meet earlier, so. I’m Jennis Jorein.”

Though I’m impatient, I’m loath to show bad manners within the first minute of interaction. After shaking his hand, I say, “So why did you want to see me here? Why not just introduce yourself in the classroom?”

“I don’t know if you noticed, but the second you were told to sit next to me, all the girls in the classroom stared daggers at you.” Of course I noticed; I just didn’t bother to care. He half-smiles. “I’m self-aware. I know I’m the target of many girls, and when I ignored you, a lot of the flame from those girls died down.”

“So you’re saying you won’t interact with me in the classroom?”

He shrugs. “If that’s what you want, sure. I just didn’t want to affect the other girls’ image of you just because I talked to you.” Seeing my expression, he continues, “I don’t mean to anger you. It’s just that it’s obvious that girls will be jealous no matter how young or old.”

“Why does it matter to you what happens to me?”

“Oh, don’t flatter yourself, honey. Even if it was another girl, I would still act in the same way.” His smile is brilliant.

“Is that right? Then thank you for being a nice person. Let us continue ignoring each other in class.” I turn to jump off the platform.

“Wait.”

“What else do you want to say, Sir Jorein?” I spin on my heel and face him again.

Rolling his eyes, he sits down. “Don’t be so distant. Though I said that, and it’s the truth, I am a bit interested in you.”

“We are still but children. Please keep your interests to yourself.”

He falls into a coughing fit. “I don’t mean in the romantic way,” he says after calming down. “I mean, you’re an interesting person. I want to be friends with you.” I stare at him in amazement, and his face turns a bit red as he fidgets. “What?”

“You want to be friends with me?”

“Yea.”

“Even though we are opposite genders and there are no platonic relationships between boys and girls?”

“You don’t know that we can’t remain platonic friends. Besides, if I were to fall for you in the future, it would be well deserved on your part.”

I smile, showing my teeth. “If you say it like that, I should doubt your motivation. However, if you really just want to be friends, I’ll oblige.”

“Great. Do you want to keep it a secret so those girls won’t get on your case or…”

“It’s too much work to keep it a secret. It’s bound to be found out sooner or later, and I would rather deal with those girls sooner in case something happens in the future.”

“So we won’t ignore each other in front of other people then.” He smiles happily.

“It’s nice to meet you, Jennis.”

“You as well, Nova.” He pats the area next to him. “As it is lunch break, would you like to eat together?”

I briefly glance around him to see nothing—no lunch box, packaged meal, or anything of the sort. “What food do you have?”

He lifts his hand upward and says, . A basket appears in his hand, and he lifts the cover to reveal sandwiches. “If you would, Miss Allandis.” He offers the basket to me.

I pick up a sandwich filled with cheese, ham, lettuce, and some purple and white stuff and daintily sit next to him. “Is it not a waste of your mana to use it on trivial things like food?”

“It takes up less space for me. Besides, should you really be talking? I saw you use magic to take notes. I wasn’t even aware of such a spell.” He takes a bite of his own sandwich.

“I did use a spell to take notes.”

“How did you figure it out?”

“Well, the magic language is it’s own language. Therefore, there is a way to do anything with the proper words and the proper amount of mana.” I tentatively take a bite and find that the sandwich is delicious. “Who made these? I’ve never tasted this purple jam before.”

“The maids in my house make it, but I was the one who created this jam. Mixing it with mayonnaise, the white sauce, is what finishes the flavor.” He takes another bite out of his own sandwich. “So how much exactly do you know about magic, then?”

“I don’t know that much, only what I’ve studied. More than that, why did you come to study here? I heard that all of high society attends the Royal Academy.”

“Well, that’s not exactly true. Whoever wants to study here has the right to study here if they pass the tests.”

“How hard are the tests?”

“Do you not even know that?” He looks at me in wonder. “Didn’t you have to take them to get in?”

“Well, I guess I took a test of some sort? But it was an easy written test and my teacher recommended me, which is why I get to start now instead of in two years at the beginning of the year.”

“Your teacher?”

“Yea. So how hard is the test?”

“There are four sections. One is how much innate mana you have, which depends on your talent and effort from before entering. The next is the written test on the magic language. Then there’s the test on your ability to learn and then apply and cast a spell, and the last is practicality, or your decision-making skills in a battle. Each one pertains to a different class of mage, and the accumulation of your scores determines whether you are fit enough to enter the school.”

“So if you have high innate mana and score well on the last test, you would typically go towards a battle mage, while if you score well on the written test and spell usage, you would go towards a research mage, and et cetera?”

“Exactly.” He nods. “I scored well in the first, third, and fourth tests.”

“Then you just learn whatever spells other people create and apply them?”

“Yep. What would you have scored well in? I’m guessing the second and third, seeing from how you used that spell in class.”

I smile and duck my head. “Maybe. I wouldn’t know unless I took that test, right?”