Greg’s favorite time of the day arrived! Lunchtime. Given that it was the first day and this place didn’t so much as require him to get into a long line to pick up course materials, the young man felt free. Like, holy balls, he couldn’t help but once again feel excited to learn real magic.

He wondered if there was a way to connect to Earth’s internet, confirm how things turned out back home.

He couldn’t help it. There were so many questions the young man wanted answered. At least he knew there was life after death or something of the sort, but what about intergalactic travel? Then again, the dean said something about it being a protected planet, which potentially meant that secrets to fast space traveling won’t be shared. What a shame.

Greg was a little disappointed, not receiving bonus stats for eating. Maybe he had to cook the food himself? If only he knew how to cook, not microwave things.

Hopefully the academy allowed him to pick and choose his own classes for the next year.

[You need 500 credits minimum to graduate. The curriculum-based classes you are currently in are worth 5 credits each.]

That math didn’t add up anywhere near a passing grade. Twenty credits per year only meant a max of eighty. Fortunately, the system kindly continued its explanation. It would be ridiculous for a school to set up their students for failure else profitability is out the window…right? Greg did his best not to think about his sister’s liberal arts degree. Somehow Dad was still proud of her.

[In the Welcome Home pamphlet, you chose not to read, it states to obtain additional credits, you must participate in dungeon dives. There are also monster hunting tournaments, magician vs. magician tournaments, patrols, special assessments, and the yearly Dean survival challenge. There is also the yearly Celestial Exam, in which a passing score is required to advance grades. First-years cannot challenge other students. Afterward, you may formally challenge or be challenged by second year and above students in which fifty of your points will be automatically wagered by default. Declining a challenge will lose you ten points, outside of medical, mental, student council and academy reasons such as studying for exams. You will not lose points for declining a special year-five student’s challenge.]

[Note: in addition to gaining credits, you will also earn a merit for passing your classes, so do not think you can skip them.]

Wow, did the intensity of the academy spike for Greg. Good thing first-years weren’t subjected to the brutality of being challenged. Not that it mattered since one could claim mental-health issues or the need to study for an exam. However, the young man knew damn well that publicly denying a challenge too many times would certainly get that person labeled as a coward, opening them up for potential bullying or ridicule.

Five hundred credits. This was going to be painful. He’d not waste any thought on wondering what being a year-five student meant.

“Oh hey, it’s Greg.”

Greg looked up to see the girl from before, the dean’s daughter, heading toward his table with a tray of food. Seeing her choices of a nice steak and curry with rice, he approved. He also realized that the school’s cafeteria being this fancy probably meant they were about to burn a lot of calories. The money thing was but a guise.

“Do you mind if we sit here?” Ena asked. That’s when Greg noticed her fairy friend approaching with a tiny tray of her own.

“Sure, I don’t mind,” Greg said. He took another bite out of his unknown meat and bacon-stuffed super-sized taco. It was so damn good.

“You don’t look beaten up,” Ena said. “I take it things are going well for the first day.”

“Surprisingly are,” Greg replied. He decided to leave off the part where a group of seniors spared him out of pity. Magic or not, the young man would’ve made sure they regretted their target choice. He was sure the school had no fucks to give about first-day impressions, other than actually showing up to the classes.

“That’s good to hear,” Ena said. “I told Mom that it was reckless to enroll you during this week, but she was all like, he’d be fine. Tell that to the seniors with a minimum of four years of magic experience and dungeon diving.”

The fairy nodded twice in agreement.

Greg shrugged. “I mean this school kicks ass, literally. But a little heads up on things like that would’ve been appreciated.”

Ena chuckled. “Since you’ll lose first day protection tomorrow, I have the perfect solution.”

“If you’re worried about me getting thrown in a trash can, don’t,” Greg said. “This isn’t my first rodeo with a similar tradition.” He grinned. “It just means I have permission to punch people in the face.”

Ena shook her head. “You’re new to the gifted thing, so I’ll give you this tip. Don’t underestimate magic. It’s dangerous, deadly. Besides, the seniors would floor you before you’d so much as get close. Or just pin you with a thought. I’ve heard of some…awful stories.”

“Pin me…with magic,” Greg said softly. “I guess I should get used to anything being possible.”

“Absolutely,” Ena said, smiling. “Summons, magical card games, spirit beasts, you name it.” She sighed. “The Discipline Committee can’t be everywhere at once.”

“She’s right,” the fairy said. She flew up to Greg’s nose and gave it a poke. “The name’s Yua by the way. The sister of the famous Lily, she who moderated the games of Lord Stone himself.”

“The who and what now?” Greg said.

Ena waved off her comment. “He’s new to everything pertaining to being gifted.”

“Yeah, but many people know who Team S—”

“Anyway, the seniors are just one of your problems,” Ena said.

“And what’s your solution?” Greg asked.

“I will protect you,” Ena declared, seeming smug.

Greg shot the brown-haired girl a skeptical flat stare.

“Your lack of confidence kind of hurts,” Ena said, pouting.

Yua laughed. “He didn’t so much as give it consideration.” She wiped a tear from her eye. “Oh well, better luck next time, Ena.”

“Ah yeah, sure, I certainly won’t have a reason to be skeptical of my fellow first-year,” Greg said, voice tinged with sarcasm.

“I’m not just some ordinary first-year,” Ena said. “My mom trained me…And before you ask, yes, it’s just as brutal as you can imagine.”

Greg nodded. “Fair enough, but—”

“Here it comes,” Yua said, folding her arms. Most of her food was gone from the tiny table.

“What? I only want to know if there was a place I could go train, learn the ropes,” Greg said.

“Oh. So you don’t mind being protected by a girl?” Yua said.

“That’s what you’re going on about?” Greg said with a chuckle. “Listen, if it means not getting blasted halfway across the school, maybe the city we’re in, I will accept any nice offer. But, wouldn’t that kind of be annoying for you. You’ll be running all over campus to babysit some scrub.”

Ena waved his comment off, eyes seeming to shine with excitement.

“I’m not too far off from your first two classes and Mom said we’re in the same third period. Almost every first-year has magical combat training for last period. As for extra training, I can ask my mom for the key to her private gym. I don’t know if she’ll teach you anything. Hundreds of people begged and were zapped away.”

“That…sounds like I should probably just focus on the magical combat training taught by the teachers then,” Greg said.

“Ha, I don’t think so,” Ena said. “You want a place to train. And I’m your new protector. If Mom interrupts to be your drill instructor, well, that will be a fun watch.”

Yua shook her tiny head. “Good luck, Greggory.”

“Just call me Greg,” the young man said.

Ena gave Greg a pat on the shoulder. “Just you wait. With our help, they may even stop calling you New Guy.”

“Hopefully it won’t be damsel,” Yua said. She grinned at Greg’s frown.

“We could start training tomorrow,” Ena said. “Right after classes.”

Yua shot Ena a sly grin. “You mean after your aunt Madrian’s flight is long gone.”

Ena sighed. “Let’s not discuss her. I like breathing, okay.”

Yua giggled. “Her hugs can’t be that bad.”

Ena stared at the little fairy flatly. Greg decided it was best not to get involved in whatever ordeal they were going on about.