Dong! Dong! Dong!

Bell chimes can be heard in the distance, ringing through the air. The bell tower in the Academy can be heard from afar; it's one of the most important buildings in the academy.

It's used for several purposes, such as announcing classes and summoning students during emergency situations. But for now, it gave the students relief because it signals the end of their day.

"And with that, we conclude our class. Please take your leave at the front gates in an orderly manner, and collect any paper notes on the floor. We don't want to return to a dirty class next morning do we?" Shurong says with a sweet smile.

"Yes, ma'am." They reply, standing up from their chairs and gathering the papers on the floor.

It's been a battlefield in the foundation class today, and all of them have suffered many casualties. Their faces show signs of fatigue and bruises, but there's no sign of them slacking.

This is due to the fact that they've had a long period of copying notes from the blackboard, writing down the answers given by Miss Shurong and rewriting it multiple times till they get them right.

In addition, they've also taken turns reading aloud from the textbook and answering questions asked her.

Although they've learned the information thoroughly, it's difficult to recall their traumatic experience.

"Good job everyone!" Shurong claps her hands together, "I'm proud of you!"

"Thanks!" They shout, waving back to her happily with emotionless eyes.

"You can head back to your rooms first." Rihan waves Ijohen and Sung Li off, "I'll be going to the library to continue studying."

"My ass!" Ijohen smirks, patting him on the shoulder, "I'm not letting you have fun alone! Forget studying."

"Same here." Sung Li smiles, "I feel like I've been studying a century's worth."

A century? That's barely anything in my past life. I guess the two boys haven't experienced the same things as me, but they're still trying their best. I wonder why they don't have any close friends in their past life; perhaps they aren't as friendly as I am.

Or maybe because one is creepy and another is a broke commoner?

While deliberating, Miss Shurong approaches them. "There's something I intend to ask?" she said, "Where were you yesterday?"

Ijohen and Sung Li exchanged glances before glancing at Rihan.

"I got lost in the training grounds and it started raining so I decided to head back to my room to change." Rihan replies,

"I wasn't aware of the time, so when I stayed in the training ground it's already been a while. When I returned to the dormitory, it was already dark."

Shurong looks displeased, her lips twitching. "You're not supposed to go out unless you have permission from your teacher," she says, glaring at the three of them.

"Sorry! I was too big and I didn't think it would be so easy to get lost in there Sorry, Miss," Rihan apologizes, bowing his head.

"It's fine." She sighs, "Just make sure to follow the rules from now on. If you need help, please come to the staffroom and let us know. I'll assign someone to guide you around."

"Yes, Miss," they say.

"Alright then, you may head back now." She points them to the door, making her way back to her desk where a pile of books is placed, ready for tomorrow's class.

Miss Shurong has always been strict, but she's never unreasonable- she's a good teacher to her students.

I don't know if she's angry or frustrated, but she seems to have changed her attitude since the last time I remember her.

She doesn't even smile anymore in the future, Rihan thinks to himself. It's definitely caused by that 'incident'.

"What's the matter?" Ijohen asks, sensing his mood.

"Nothing." he sighs, "Let's go." he then leads the other two to the exit, passing by the rows of desks.

"I'm surprised to see the three of you getting along so well," Xiao Yi Ling remarks.

"Hm?" Rihan tilts his head.

"Oh, nothing." she shakes her head, "I just thought that you were a weird combination." she laughs softly, "You're so different, yet you're all friends."

"That's not true." Ijohen scoffs, "We're just a bunch of misfits, we're all similar in some ways."

"Bro, you're the misfits. Why lump us together?" Rihan and Sung Li chuckle.

Xiao Yi Ling gives a wry smile, "I see," she then sighs, shaking her head.

"You're too nosy, Little Fish." Sung Li scoffs, walking away from the group.

"Don't call me that!" she scolds, following after him, "I'm not a fish. It's all your fault Rihan!" she huffs, walking behind him.

Rihan sighs, "I don't know if I came back to the past to fix the future or ruin it." He walks forward, keeping pace with them. Clearly, Miss Shurong's is exerting her pressure to force everyone to get out of the class.

***

The Grand Marketplace.

The sun shines bright above the city, its rays reflecting on the red brick walls. The market is filled with people selling their goods to customers, creating a bustling atmosphere as they walk to and fro.

There's no shortage of food stalls, clothing stores, weapon shops, flower stands, and bookstores. Everyone's busy doing business, and it's quite lively. But it's not only the merchants who are excited.

Children play around, running here and there in excitement.

A young man wearing a white robe walked slowly through the crowd, carrying several bags of wheat. He stopped at a fruit stand, picking up fruits and vegetables to fill his bag.

"Excuse me, sir!" A boy, probably the owner, approached him, bowing his head, "Are you interested in buying our products?"

The young man sighs, placing the items back onto the table, "I'm sorry, but no thank you."

Nearby a man wearing a thick winter coat sits on a bench, sipping his tea slowly as he reads a newspaper. He's dressed like he owns the place.

"Hey, you look like you could use this," he offers, placing his cup down and handing the young girl a steaming hot coffee.

"Thank you!" she beams, taking the drink and drinking it greedily. The sweet scent of the warm beverage makes her nostrils flare. "It's delicious!"

"Of course, it is. You should try my tea sometime, it's not bad either." he grins, "You can sit here for as long as you'd like, just don't forget to pay up."

"Thanks!" she says, sitting down beside him, next to a window. They can hear the lively sounds of the crowd outside, which calms her down slightly.

The market is usually crowded during the day, and the streets are lined with carts, carriages and rickshaws. Merchants are constantly shouting to attract the attention of their potential buyers and shoppers are everywhere.

The hustle and bustle of it all made the town feel alive, especially in the afternoon.

"It's a shame the weather's so nice today, though." an old man says, looking at the clear blue sky overhead.

"I don't mind the cold, I'm used to it." the girl says, smiling shyly.

He smiles back at her, stroking his beard, his eyes narrowing, "I'm afraid that might be the case. I hope your parents don't live in the north. If they do, you better hurry home before they freeze to death."

"I'm fine! My father is a merchant, and my mother works in the kitchen at the Academy. We have no problem staying in the capital. Besides, I have my own job." she explains.

Thunder rolls across the heavens, followed by a strong gust of wind, blowing her hair about wildly. Her cheeks redden, her eyes widening, "Ugh, I'd just wish it would stop raining for once."

"You can't control the weather, child," he says, laughing, patting her on the head lightly.

"I'll be alright," she reassures herself, "Ah! Customer!" she shouts, jumping from the seat and rushing towards a customer, waving her hand, "How can I help you?" she asks politely, her voice cracking with nerves.

A cane suddenly dropped on the ground, causing the shopkeeper to flinch. Her heart races as he looks up to see a young teenager around her age.

"Hey, kid. Do you know how much that's going to cost?" the teen snarls, holding his nose, "Your stuff smells like shit!"

Her face turns red as the words leave the youngster's mouth.

"Shut up Ijo, this is called an Irresistible Tofu!" Sung Li retorts, "It's a delicacy that's popular in the south! How dare you insult it!"

"I don't care what you say, Shit Tofu is what it should be called!" Ijohen replies.

"What did you call my tofu?" Sung Li growls, "I will have you know that my tofu is the best tofu in the whole kingdom! And you're saying it's not good enough for you?!"

"You're so full of yourself, aren't you?!" Ijohen yells. "You're not even worth my time!"

Rihan appears in front of the girl and picked up the cane from the floor, offering it to the angry teens.

"Sorry." he smiles.

The shopkeeper sighs, rubbing her temples, "It's alright." before returning to her stall, "Please take your time and browse around, I'm sure you'll find something interesting."

"Thank you," Rihan replies, bowing his head, "I apologize again."

"No need to worry, you have nothing to apologize for." She said while looking at the other two boys bickering.

The three of them walked away, continuing their conversation.

"I'll be honest, I'm not sure what we're here for," Ijohen says.

Rihan sighs, patting the cane on his shoulder, I'm gonna try to earn big money." he answers.

Ijohen scoffs, "Big Money huh." he mutters under his breath, "That's rich coming from someone whose family barely has any."

Rihan looks away, frowning. "You're from the royal noble house, right?" he asks.

Ijohen nods.

"But I'll show you a method to make big bucks even if you're poor," he says.