Monday, Spellcasting Theory css.Professor Lucian stood at the front of the cssroom with his usual warm smile. A few students returned it. Most did not. The reason was simple: today was test day. And no one knew if that smile meant “This will be easy,” or “I’m about to cut half of you from the css.”

  Ethan sat at his desk reviewing his notes up to the st second. Not because he was especially nervous, but because Spellcasting Theory was one of those subjects where preparation meant the difference between passing and expulsion.

  Two sharp cps snapped through the air. Conversation stopped instantly. Lucian’s smile didn’t fade.

  “Good morning, everyone. I hope you’ve all had time to review, because today’s test will determine whether you’ve actually understood spell construction—or if you’ve simply memorized runes like parrots.”

  A few nervous ughs echoed.

  “The test is individual, and will be held in the meditation room. Each of you will be required to construct and cast an original spell using only the runes we’ve studied so far.”

  He held up one finger. “No rune outside of that list. If you use something beyond what we’ve covered in css, you’ll fail.”

  Another finger. “No recreations of spells we’ve already practiced. This is about creativity.”

  And a third. “Lastly, this test should take only a few seconds if you know what you’re doing. Don’t expect mercy if you fumble.”

  There was a long pause.

  “But don't worry! On average, only a dozen fail, and since you are almost 30, that's less than half of you!” he added, clearly thinking that was supposed to be reassuring.

  The air went heavy with pressure.

  “You have thirty minutes to prepare. Then we head to the meditation room. That is all.”

  The room immediately erupted into frantic noise as chairs scraped, paper flew, and students scrambled into their groups.

  Ethan, Oliver, and Daniel huddled together.

  “Okay,” Oliver said. “We just have to build something new with the runes we’ve learned, right?”

  “Right,” Ethan said, already listing them in his notebook. “Water, fire, wind, earth, summon, quantity, unch, speed, direction, target, and sustain.”

  Daniel leaned over, eyes narrowed in thought. “What if… we use unch and earth and direction to make a rock bullet?”

  “That’s kind of close to what we did in css,” Ethan pointed out. “Not sure if that would count.”

  “Okay, how about this,” Oliver offered. “A wind push spell? Like a gust that pushes stuff away?”

  Ethan considered it. “Maybe. But I think that would be too simple. Wind plus direction is useful, but not impressive.”

  Daniel rubbed his chin. “What about summon water, then use speed, direction, and unch? Like a water bullet?”

  Ethan looked up, interested. “Add target, and that could be something.”

  Oliver raised an eyebrow. “So like, a sniping water needle?”

  “Exactly,” Daniel said. “You summon a small quantity of water and fire it at high velocity. Technically original, practical, and not something we covered in css.”

  Ethan nodded. “If we tune the quantity rune properly, it should be stable enough. If you put too much mana into it, though, it’ll lose cohesion and just spsh.”

  “That’s the tricky part,” Daniel said. “Fine control on the quantity rune.”

  “But if we nail it,” Ethan added, “it’s a guaranteed pass.”

  Oliver leaned back in his seat. “Sounds like a pn. Let’s go with the water needle.”

  Each of them got to work practicing in the air, tracing the runes mentally and slowly filling them with mana. Daniel had some trouble keeping the spell from just becoming a mist, while Oliver focused on shaping the water droplet itself. Ethan, meanwhile, adjusted the rune order to create a more efficient flow of mana.

  The three worked hard, refining their spell over and over. A few minutes before the time limit, they finally managed to cast a decently stable version. But there was one gring problem.

  No matter how precise their runes or how careful the mana control, the "needle" shape dissolved mid-flight every single time, spshing apart into a simple spray.

  "So… it’s not a water needle," Oliver muttered. "Just a water spray."

  Daniel groaned. "Damn it. We’re so close! What’s missing!?"

  "Doesn’t matter anymore," Ethan said, exhaling. "There’s no time left."

  Lucian cpped twice, his voice crisp and clear. “Time’s up. Gather your materials and line up.”

  The css moved quickly into formation, the tension thick in the air.

  Ethan looked at his friends. “Well, this’ll be fun.”

  “Sure,” Daniel muttered. “Unless I blow up again.”

  “Remember the mana quantity and you should be fine,” Oliver said, patting him on the back.

  Ethan gave a thumbs-up. “Or at least go out with style.”

  The line moved steadily until it was Ethan’s turn.

  “Ethan,” Professor Lucian called. “Step forward.”

  Ethan walked into the meditation room, trying to keep his breathing steady.

  “Before we begin,” the professor said casually, “let me confirm—did you work with Daniel and Oliver on your spell?”

  Ethan blinked, caught off guard. “...Was that a problem?”

  Lucian chuckled. “No, of course not. Magic research is a colborative discipline—I never expected you to work alone.”

  Ethan tilted his head. “Then why ask?”

  The professor’s smile turned ever so slightly foxlike. “Because there’s a difference between colboration… and pgiarism. Some students copy others’ work without permission.”

  He didn’t finish the sentence, but the implication hung in the air.

  Ethan nodded quickly. “We worked together. All three of us.”

  “Good. Proceed.”

  Ethan closed his eyes for a second. Breathed. Then opened them and began to draw the runes in the air, carefully channeling mana through each one.Summon.Water.Quantity.Target.Direction.Speed.Launch.

  The runes glowed, and with a hum of energy, a small burst of water shot toward the professor.

  “Oh! Careful!” Lucian said pyfully, raising a hand.

  The water hit an invisible barrier in front of him and spshed harmlessly down the sides.

  He grinned.

  “Well done! That’s a cssic water spray. Perfect for watering pnts!”

  Ethan’s smile faltered. “...I was hoping more for a needle.”

  Lucian let out a good-natured ugh. “A fine aspiration—but shaping high-pressure projectiles requires tighter control and often a few more runes than you’ve been taught. For now, this is an excellent base. Clean formation, safe output, stable structure.”

  He gave a nod of approval.

  “Don’t worry. You passed. Now, send in the next student.”

  “Thank you, professor.”

  Ethan left the meditation room, half-relieved, half-motivated. He passed... but he still had a long way to go.

  Upon leaving the room, Ethan stretched his shoulders and exhaled, feeling the pressure of the exam finally ease. He passed, after all.

  But just as he turned to head back, he noticed who was next in line.

  Misha.

  Their eyes met for a split second—at least, he thought they did. But almost instantly, she looked away, turned down her head, and slipped past him into the room without saying a word.

  “…Huh?”

  He stared at the closed door, confused. The silence offered no answers.

  Before he could think much more, a pair of hands nded on his shoulders.

  “ETHAN! What have you done!?”

  “Wha—?”

  He spun around to find himself face-to-face with Misha’s two closest friends: Anya and Celica. Their faces were stern, serious… and not at all in the mood for small talk.

  “What are you talking about!?”

  “Saturday!” Anya accused.

  “We know you met with her!” Celica added, stepping closer.

  “What did you do to her!?”

  Their interrogation was like a two-pronged assault, and Ethan found himself cornered, literally and figuratively.

  “Wha—Saturday…?” he repeated, his mind loading the events.

  And then it hit him.

  A wave of red rose to his face. “That’s… I mean, she had a request—”

  “We know that much!” Celica snapped.

  “We want the details!” Anya demanded. “She hasn’t been acting like herself since then!”

  “She’s been totally off! What did you do!?”

  They pushed him back against the wall, gring like investigators hot on a suspect’s trail.

  Despite his embarrassment, Ethan managed to keep calm—mostly. “We just studied the Gardik Circution Technique. That’s it.”

  “Studied how exactly?” Anya narrowed her eyes.

  “Well… I expined the technique, pointed out some key points on her body, and... guided her.”

  “And?” Celica pushed.

  “And… helped her circute mana through the intended path.”

  “That’s all?” they both said at once, skeptical.

  “Yes! That’s all!”

  “Really?”

  “Yes!”

  “Really, really?”

  “YES, REALLY!”

  “Swear on your mana.”

  “…That’s asking a bit much. But fine! If that’s what it takes, I swear on my mana!”

  The two girls exchanged a look… and then grinned.

  “Then teach us too!”

  Ethan blinked. “Huh?”

  “Yeah! Guide us like you did with Misha!”

  “Wait, wait—what? You don’t even have permission to learn that yet!”

  “We’ll get it!” Anya said.

  “Eventually!” Celica added. “It’s just a matter of time, anyway.”

  Ethan scratched his head. “I mean, that’s not really how it—”

  “We’ll pay double.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Double?”

  “Two hundred each,” Celica said, arms crossed.

  “Four hundred total,” Anya confirmed with a confident grin.

  Ethan blinked.

  “SOLD!”

  But just as he said it, a voice exploded from the doorway.

  “NOOOOOO!”

  All three turned toward the source—Misha had just emerged from the meditation room, looking pale and furious.

  “Eh? Misha?”

  “I SAID NO!” she snapped.

  “But we—”

  “NO! NO! NO! Absolutely NOT!”

  “We’re just trying to—”

  “NO! NO! NO! I DON’T CARE! IT’S A NO!”

  Her hysterical shutdown left no room for debate. Every time someone tried to speak, she cut them off with another sharp “NO!”

  Finally, Celica and Anya backed down, both confused and a little disappointed.

  Ethan, however, stood frozen as the image of 400 silver coins fpped their metaphorical wings and flew away.

  With a sigh, he turned to Misha. “But… why not?”

  She gred at him. “Think about it yourself, idiot!”

  And just like that, she stormed off.

  Ethan stood there in silence.

  Daniel and Oliver, who had been lingering nearby and witnessed the entire chaotic exchange from start to finish, walked up to Ethan slowly, both wearing matching expressions of disbelief.

  “…What the hell just happened?” Daniel finally asked, blinking as if trying to make sense of what they’d just seen.

  Oliver crossed his arms. “Was that... Misha? What was all that about?”

  Ethan let out a long, defeated sigh. He didn’t even try to expin. He just looked at his two friends with the deadpan weariness of a man who had seen something sacred—and expensive—slip through his fingers.

  “Four hundred silver coins,” he muttered.

  “…Huh?” Daniel tilted his head.

  Ethan closed his eyes and let his head fall back dramatically. “Just flew away.”

  There was a moment of silence.

  Then Oliver, without missing a beat, asked, “Wait, you were the one getting paid!?”

  Ethan gave him a sideways look. “Yes.”

  “By two girls!?” Daniel added, incredulous.

  “Yes.”

  “And Misha just shut it all down!?” Oliver excimed.

  “…Yes.” Ethan answered, feeling something in this conversation was sounding a bit odd.

  “Bro, you are my Hero!” Daniel praised Ethan, showing he was clearly impressed, meanwhile Oliver just nodded, completely agreeing to Daniel's words.

  "Wait, I think you are misundestanding something here!" Ethan tried to defend himself.

  “You know... if she’s reacting that strongly, there’s no way that was just a normal study session.” Daniel added with a smirk on his face.

  Ethan just gnced sideways at him.

  Daniel grinned. “Don’t worry, we won’t ask...” "yet." Oliver completemented

  Ethan groaned. “Let’s just get to the next css already.”

  The trio had barely taken a few steps toward the cafeteria when Ethan felt it—that strange, inexplicable sensation of eyes boring into his back. A subtle chill ran down his spine, not from fear, but from instinct.

  He paused mid-step and turned around slowly.

  Daniel and Oliver stopped too, following his gaze.

  “What is it?” Oliver asked.

  “…Someone’s watching,” Ethan muttered.

  His eyes scanned the hallway. There were students milling about here and there, chatting or walking to their next css, but none of them seemed particurly interested in him.

  And yet… that feeling persisted.

  He stared a moment longer, but eventually shook his head. “Weird. Must be my imagination.”

  Still, even as he turned back and followed his friends, the heavy presence didn’t fade from his mind.

  Not far from where Ethan had just turned to look, down a corridor bustling with student traffic, a girl stood quietly.

  She wasn’t hiding in the shadows—there weren’t even any to hide in. She was simply there, one figure among many, yet still separate in presence.

  Her eyes, cold and narrowed, were fixed on Ethan with silent disapproval, as if she had seen something that didn’t sit right with her.

  After a moment more of quiet observation, she turned sharply on her heel and walked away, blending seamlessly into the stream of students moving through the hall.

  Within seconds, she had vanished into the crowd—like she’d never been there at all.