“Uuuhhh…sob…sob…This is so shameful…sob…hic…!” Alisa’s voice resounded as she spills tears of distress and regret. “This is all your fault, Sig! First, you destroyed my innocence, now you destroyed my reputation!” Alisa exclaimed words of blame.

“I’m really sorry Alisa. Well, I kind of got really excited and overdid it with Emeralda yesterday night. To be honest, I can’t say I am reflecting on my actions when I feel this refreshed!” Sigrun gleams a smile with a face full of confidence.

“It sounds more like you are still thinking of your deed yesterday night…” Reed made a remark.

Currently, the three of them are doing a traditional punishment of holding two buckets filled with water in each hand while they stand in the hallway. The reason is they are not just late, they are really late for fifteen minutes.

“I am an outstanding student and yet, I get this kind of punishment! Uhhh…my hands are getting numb.” Alisa complained.

Reed can only smile awkwardly at the situation they are being held into and Sigrun can just smile sincerely, feeling refreshed and gleaming like a sunshine.

“Su, su, su, su…” Whispered by someone.

“Ah, It’s Ezili!” Sigrun called out to Ezili who is sneaking past them in the hallway corner as she tries to get on the escalator from afar. “Are you late too?!” Sigrun followed an obvious question.

“Nooo…why would you say that, Sig? We third years have a different schedule.” Ezili said with her usual deadpan face, however, sweat streams from her forehead.

However, because Sigrun called out to her, Ezili immediately noticed the trio standing side-by-side with buckets filled with water on both hands. Slowly, with a sparkle in her eyes, she brought out her camera and skillfully approach them without making any sound.

“Geh?! Miss Clear?! D-Don’t take photos!” Alisa cried out as she notices Ezili with a smug on her face while pointing her lense to them. “More like, you are late too!” Alisa growls at her.

“Ohohoho? Well, I’m ditching first class. I’m halfway late anyway. More importantly, this is good. Alisa Hertuclaire, Reed Chelle, and the campus idol Sigrun Valker are all lined up, being punished.” Ezili’s smug grew wider as she snaps photos at them.

“Damn you! Eh--! Wait! Why are you taking a low angle shot like that?!” Alisa panics as Ezili crouches down in front of her. Since she can’t move violently or the water will spill, all she can do is just bark at her. Then, she realizes that Ezili’s goal is what under her skirt.

“For a greater cause. This could bring world peace.” Ezili said as she slowly creeps in under Alisa’s skirt.

“NOOOOO! Get away! Sig and Reed, don’t just laugh! Tell her off!” Alisa screams loudly.

“I want a copy later. Do you take cash as payment?” Sigrun nonchalantly asked.

“Yeah! That’ll be one order. What about you, Chelle?” Ezili’s attention shifted to Reed as her eyes started spilling her inner greed.

“I’ll pass. Just don’t tease Alisa too much or we will get heard.” Reed said with a frigid smile, however, as soon as he said those words, the door of their classroom slammed open.

“Oh?” Quarts muttered as he caught Ezili.

“…Bye!” Ezili tried to turn tail as she dashes away, however, she was stopped by someone.

“Oops! It’s dangerous to run in the hallway. Anyway, it seems you did something bad, young lady.” Smug of a man named Seyren as he appears in front of Ezili and caught her by the collar.

Seeing that Seyren, the top of the Ten Paladins appears, Reed and Alisa become stiff on their back. For obvious reason, they respect Seyren and the authority that the top holds. For Sigrun, he just comes off as just someone else.

“Oh, is that Sigrun Valker? Oh, it is Sigrun Valker! It is as they said, you have a countenance befitting of a beautiful girl! That aside, I want to have a chat with you later, okay?” Seyren said with an annoying wink as he handed over Ezili to Quarts. “Bye!~ Oh, and good morning Sir Quarts.” Seyren said with a bow before he left and headed towards the escalator.

“Ah…what a weird guy.” Sigrun only muttered as he only noticed how annoying his smug is.

“That’s Seyren Aern, the strongest of the Paladins. He must be here to visit the headmaster. Hmm…this is going to be a rowdy day.” Quarts muttered as he holds Ezili’s collar to prevent her from escaping.

“Father…please let me off.” Ezili pleaded as she looks at her father with upturned eyes and drooping bunny ears.

“Take this bucket and go stand with them!~” Quarts mercilessly gave a punishment to his daughter and made her stand on the opposite wall of the hallway, directly facing the trio. “I’ll tell your teacher later about this.” He added.

“Ah…damn.” Ezili could only utter as her pleading failed.

“Also, Miss Helion who is hiding around there. Please take this buckets too.” Quarts called out as he looks at the end of the hallway.

“Ahahaha…you noticed?” Amaryl said with dead eyes as she approaches Quarts and took the buckets. She stands side-by-side with Ezili who also showed the same blank countenance.

“Well then, please reflect on your actions.” Quarts briefly said as he closes the door.

Right now, in the hallway, five people are receiving the same punishment as all of them displayed tardiness. The atmosphere has taken into a darker and depressing ambiance. Despite that, Sigrun is still smiling.

After the class with Quarts comes Magic Class with Professor Strut, one of the people Sigrun can’t come to terms with.

The class is being conducted outside today as they are going for a practical study.

“You might have an idea already but I’ll say it regardless. We are here now to demonstrate our own Magical Power. Not to flaunt, but to demonstrate the extent of your control over your very own Magical energy and how good it circulates in your Magical Nodes. We will do some basic exercise and after that, some mid-level Elemental Magic.” Strut explained.

“Ah, this is it!” Sigrun happily exclaimed inside his mind.

“Do note that we have an important spectator. Lady Emeralda herself has come. Please do your best to show the extent of your strength.” Strut said as he points to Emeralda who is sitting on a chair under a shade.

Emeralda waves at everyone with her usual adult demeanor. For everyone, she comes off as someone respectable, intellectual, and even sophisticated.

But Sigrun knows better and possibly, Alisa and Reed.

“L-Lady Emeralda, huh…it’s hard to imagine that my boy Sigrun has a special relationship with her.” Enheirt said as she eyed on Emeralda.

“After what we heard yesterday, though I am still having trouble wrapping my head around it, I am compelled to believe her story.” Amaryl, with a serious tone, said with a troubled countenance.

“Sigrun, are you…really that…you know, hero?” Enheirt approached the subject carefully and whispered those questions.

“I am.” Sigrun simply replied as he watches students perform their tasks one by one.

“You two sounds so calm. It is the Hero of Aldieas we are talking about here.” Alisa said in a low voice.

“Because! If you suddenly told us that someone this small, cute, and looks utterly harmless is that hero, honestly, no one will believe you!” Amaryl replied as she rubs Sigrun in her chest.

“Oh…ohoho…” Sigrun happily mutters as his face is shoved into Amaryl’s soft and bountiful mounds. Meanwhile, Emeralda’s cheek twitches a little.

“Ah…but seeing how he casually toyed Seigen’s Bright Blitz, I don’t think I can say any argument that that kind of possibility doesn’t exist. For now, I want to verify if that’s true.” Enheirt conveyed his doubts as he eyed on Sigrun.

“How so?” Amaryl gave a quick inquiry.

“You know, with this class. Sigrun my boy could display something for us, right?” Enheirt grins from ear to ear.

“Oh, I’ll do that!” Sigrun happily accepted the challenge without second thoughts.

The four of them chattered until one by one, they are called to show their skills in front of everyone. Alisa was able to weave a beautiful sheet of flame in the sky that gets a full mark. Amaryl was able to create a huge crystal clear ice rose that also got a full mark. Enheirt was able to pull off an earth magic by creating five consecutive pillars.

As for Reed, he created a small tornado. Enough to blow away people.

And then came Sigrun’s turn.

“Valker, are you prepared?” Strut asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes!” Sigrun answered energetically.

“Remember, I want you to use an Elemental Magic by purely magic. Simple, capiche?” Strut reminded Sigrun.

“Yeah…” Sigrun’s response became a little weak.

“Oh…it seems Sigrun realized it now.” Emeralda inwardly thought accompanied with a playful smile.

“Ah…crap…” Sigrun said inside his mind.

His face becomes pale and sweat forebode to spill from his cheeks.

“F-Flame…” Sigrun muttered.

Sigurn held out his hand in front of him with a troubled face. It took about thirty seconds before an actual fire manifests and took another ten seconds before it becomes as huge as a ball.

“Valker…is this the extent of your ability? I heard that you made Seigen Lloyd, the Light Prodigy, to concede yesterday. I was expecting something better or perhaps you are just shy to show anything?” Strut gave words of subtle insult.

“Kuh…t-then…FLAME!” Sigrun shouted.

As soon as Sigrun exclaimed those words, the small fire in his palm expanded at a frightening speed. Before they knew it, the flame has become as large as a house.

“VALKER!” Strut shouted as he tries to reach out to Sigrun as the flame expanded and seems to be going to explode. Panics ensues among the students as they saw how the flame grew wild.

However, he wasn’t fast enough and the ball of flame exploded.

But at that moment, the impact of the explosion and the sea of flame is forcibly redirected upwards. The one who did it was Emeralda who bears a draconic arm, tails, and wings. She swung her hand that it inflicted an upward eruption of the flame to prevent it from harming anyone.

The panicking students stopped and look over at Emeralda who magnificently saved them.

“Ah, thanks, Emeralda. I kind of panicked a little myself.” Sigrun expresses is thanks to Emeralda.

Before Emeralda could say anything, Struts intervened.

“Lady Emeralda, I am thankful for saving one of my students, however, I ashamed to have you see such awful display!” Strut rushed an explanation.

“No, I already expected something like this would happen, especially with Sigrun.” Emeralda calmly said.

“But…!” Strut tried to offer another reason, however, Emeralda doesn’t seem interested anymore. Instead, she carried Sigrun like a princess in her arm.

“Ah, this one is hurt! I’m going to take him to the infirmary.” Emeralda told a lie to Strut in which he is oblivious whether it is real or not.

“I am not.” Sigrun answered.

“Y-You are, idiot! Let’s go!” Emeralda runs off, heading towards the Academy’s infirmary.

“What the hell?” Strut only said as he watches Emerald with Sigrun left the grounds.

As such, Emeralda rushes Sigrun to the unoccupied infirmary and found themselves a bed. No nurse, no other student, not even staffs, just them.

Emerald throws Sigrun to the bed and sprouted a huge grin.

“For goodness sake, Emeralda…” Sigrun muttered.

“Fufufu, I really wanted to do it with you! Well, I can set that aside for now as I want to talk about what just happened…” Emeralda reveals that her intentions were not THAT but to talk about Sigrun’s failure of casting a magic.

“I realized it on the spot. I shouldn’t have neglected training myself with it.” Sigrun said with crestfallen countenance.

Emeralda was aware and Sigrun learned it himself at that moment.

Sigrun is someone who commands the power of the elements and proposed to it to become magic. His power to control the very essence of Elemental Magic without restriction is due to his possession of the Thirteen Vajra’s cores.

Simply by his will, the land will burn, flooded, quakes, or blew away everything without abandon. Those are factual for the Hero of Aldieas, however, he clearly stated that Magical Energy is consumed to use his powers.

As such, the situation earlier demands him to use Magical Energy to create elemental magic. And that’s when Sigrun realized that he is not apt to control Magical Energy as the catalyst to bring out magic. In other words, Sigrun’s only use for Magical Energy is fuel for his existing powers.

He never learned the way to use magical energy as means to create magic.

“I blew it.” Sigrun muttered as he hugs his knees and buried his face in it.

“Eighty years ago, I offered you help to train in that area but you declined, telling me that since you are not climbing down the mountain, it’s unnecessary.” Emeralda exclaimed like she is scolding Sigrun.

“I’m sorry. I have caused trouble yet again because of my negligence. I think I should just return back to the mountain…” Sigrun’s voice sounded sound and guilt-ridden.

“Don’t be hasty! At least you have something to keep you occupied here, right? I am aware that you are not that smart so you have to figure out to train yourself. Isn’t that good?” Emeralda tried to comfort him.

“I like how you worded it, Emeralda.” Sigrun sprouted a smile as he turns his head towards Emeralda.

“Geez, for my master who gets easily sad.” Emeralda replied as she flicks Sigrun’s forehead playfully.

BAM!

The door was slammed open by someone. The wall got cracked.

“We came as soon as we saw that huge flame!” Said by a girl riding a really tall and muscular man. She wears a red-black themed gothic lolita with a small broom in her hand. She wears a matching large hat that rests atop of her beautiful red hair that curls downwards fashioned with ribbons. Her irises are gleaming red like a ruby. The girl looks like she is just in her sprouting teen years.

“Hmph, so it is caused by Emeralda, huh. How troublesome.” Said by the tall and muscular man. He has a brown suave mustache and a neatly cut hair. He wears a shirt with a tank top and cargo jeans.

The girl is about one hundred and thirty-five centimeters while the man is over two hundred and fifty meters. The girl riding the man’s shoulder proves that there’s a huge difference in their size.

As the man entered the room while the girl riding his shoulder…

THUD

“Ow!” The girl screamed as her head hits the ceiling.

“Ah, my bad.” The man only said with an apologetic tone.

“Be careful gramps!” The girl shouted while she adjusted her hat. In the process, Sigrun noticed her long ears, probably a Serensis Ren due to her height.

“Ah, master these two are also in the Ten Paladins. The girl is Ruby Mayfarer, as you could have guessed, a Serensis. She sits at Fifth of the Ten Paladins. The tall guy is Hart Geliet and he is a human. He is the second to the most powerful among us.” Emeralda introduces them.

“…That’s a human?!” Sigrun asked with flabbergasted countenance.