Day 1: Uniform Disaster
The morning sun filtered into the academy courtyard, where students milled about, neat in their perfectly pressed uniforms.
Except for one.
Vila stood there like a misplaced statue—
—wearing the uniform backwards.
Tie in the back. Jacket buttoned wrong. Skirt slightly off-angle.
Yuxin, walking toward the training hall with her hands in her pockets, spotted her instantly.
She stopped.
Stared.
Closed her eyes for a second.
Then she turned around.
"Nope. Not my problem."
She took two steps away—then heard Vila call, perfectly calm:
"Is something wrong with the attire?"
Yuxin growled under her breath, spun around, and stomped back toward her.
"Are you serious right now?! You look like you lost a bet with a blind tailor!"
Without waiting for permission, she grabbed Vila's tie, yanked it loose, and started redoing the whole mess with aggressive efficiency.
"Front. Tie in front. Buttons in line. Gods, how do you even survive outside?"
Vila tilted her head, unbothered.
"I survive quite well, actually. In Myrdvawein, clothes are not a battlefield."
Yuxin's eyes twitched.
"This is Asterblume. Here, appearances are a battlefield, genius."
Day 2: Cafeteria Confusion
Lunch hour.
Blanche and Ruka sat at their usual table, chatting lightly, when they saw Vila approach the cafeteria counter.
Instead of lining up, she simply walked past everyone, picked up a tray, and grabbed a random sandwich directly from the staff's preparation table.
The entire line froze.
One of the cafeteria workers spluttered, trying to protest.
Before disaster could unfold, Yuxin materialized out of nowhere, grabbed Vila by the collar, and dragged her backward like a cat carrying a misbehaving kitten.
"We queue here, Your Highness of Idiocy," Yuxin hissed under her breath. "You wait. You don't just loot the kitchen."
Vila blinked, tray still in hand.
"I thought food was communal."
Yuxin nearly slammed her forehead into the nearest wall.
"You're not in the woods anymore! You can't just 'hunt' your sandwich, Vila!"
Meanwhile, Blanche tried very hard not to laugh, sipping her tea elegantly.
Ruka jotted something down in her notebook titled "Academy Survival Guide for Vila."
Day 3: Spell Class Disaster
Magic Theory Class.
The professor asked students to demonstrate a basic illumination spell.
Easy enough. A soft orb of light floating in the palm.
When Vila's turn came...
Instead of a simple light sphere, her spell erupted into a massive, blinding pillar of white fire that scorched the ceiling tiles.
The class screamed.
The professor staggered backward, coughing.
Vila stood calmly in the center of it all, blinking up at the ruined ceiling.
"Was that not the intended effect?"
Yuxin, sitting nearby, slapped her forehead so hard it echoed.
She stood up, muttering curses, and marched over.
"No! It's NOT the intended effect! This is an illumination class, not 'call down divine judgment' 101!"
Vila tilted her head.
"But the brightness was sufficient."
Yuxin dragged her away by the sleeve, grumbling the whole time.
"One day... one damn day without blowing something up. That's all I ask."
Behind them, the professor weakly declared class dismissed.
That evening, back in Blanche's room, Ruka snickered quietly while updating the "Vila's Trouble Log" she had started.
Blanche smiled warmly, sipping her tea.
Yuxin slumped against the window, exhausted.
Vila sat near her, perfectly composed, as if none of the day's disasters were unusual.
After a long silence, Vila said calmly:
"Thank you for your guidance."
Yuxin groaned, covering her face.
"Just... just promise you won't accidentally summon a god tomorrow."
Vila tilted her head thoughtfully.
"No promises."
Yuxin let out a long, loud groan while Blanche and Ruka finally broke into laughter.
The morning sun slanted through the tall windows of Lecture Hall A, bathing the polished wood and velvet chairs in gold.
Students shuffled into place, notebooks ready, uniforms crisp.
At the front of the room stood Professor Kaelen, an imposing figure in deep blue robes, his golden hair tied neatly at the nape of his neck.
He tapped his staff lightly on the ground, and the noise immediately died down.
"Today," Professor Kaelen began, voice deep and commanding, "we begin with the foundation of all your futures: the Pacta."
A shimmering glyph spun slowly into existence behind him, depicting the six major branches of power.
"Pacta is the essence of your contract with the Astraga — beings of the Ætherial Veil, ancient and bound by agreements older than history."
The glyph split into six glowing icons.
Each icon pulsed with different colors and forms, and the Professor pointed to them one by one.
Enhancement :
A bright red symbol flared up.
"Those who walk the path of Enhancement amplify their physical forms. Strength, speed, endurance—your body becomes your weapon."
Channeling :
A blue symbol swirled into existence.
"Channelers shape elemental forces—fire, water, lightning, earth. They embody nature's fury, bending it through their will."
Possession :
A deep violet emblem shimmered.
"Possessors merge with their Astraga, borrowing traits, abilities, or entire forms. This power is potent—yet dangerous."
Blanche's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
Yuxin twirled her pen, pretending not to care but clearly listening.
Invocation :
A green sigil bloomed.
"Invokers summon constructs or manifestations of their Astraga—familiars, guardians, or weapons made of flesh."
Ruka scribbled notes furiously.
Perception :
A golden light shimmered.
"Those gifted with Perception heighten their senses beyond mortal limits. Seeing through lies, sensing distant movements, hearing the silent thoughts of others."
Hexing :
A black sigil pulsed, almost malevolent.
"Hexers manipulate energies—debilitating foes, cursing bodies and spirits, altering luck, rotting resolve. A treacherous, yet powerful art."
Professor Kaelen let the images hover, rotating slowly.
"Each of you has made, or will make, your choice—whether by fate, ambition, or necessity."
He turned, eyes sweeping the room.
"Your path is tied not just to your will, but to the very being you are bound to. Choose wisely."
The glyphs faded into motes of light.
The class sat in tense silence, digesting the gravity of his words.
Yuxin leaned over to Blanche, whispering:
"Guess some of us didn't really get a choice, huh?"
Blanche just smiled faintly, her eyes glinting.
The lights dimmed as Professor Kaelen raised a crystal device in his palm — oval-shaped, faintly glowing with runes spiraling along its silver casing.
"This," he said, holding it up for the class to see, "is the Æther Harmonizer. It will react to the dormant signature of your Astraga and manifest the Pacta type bound to your soul."
Murmurs spread across the room.
"Simply place your hand on the surface. Breathe slowly. Let your pact respond."
The first student stepped up — the crystal flashed red.
Enhancement. Applause followed.
The next student — flickering blue.
Channeling.
One by one, students revealed their Pact type — some looked proud, others disappointed.
Then—
"Lady Equinox," Professor Kaelen called.
Blanche stood, composed as ever. She pressed her hand onto the crystal.
A blinding light burst from the core — two intertwined sigils glowed: green (Invocation) and violet (Possession).
Gasps echoed across the class.
Kaelen's brows lifted slightly.
"A dual-type. As expected of the Equinox line."
Blanche bowed her head slightly and returned to her seat without a word.
Next, Yuxin.
She sighed, stepping up with a bored expression.
"Let's get this over with."
She touched the Harmonizer.
A pulse of dark violet, edged in writhing shadow, rippled across the room.
Invocation, with traces of something deeper—ominous.
Kaelen narrowed his eyes for a brief second, then nodded.
"Shadow Invocation... rare, and volatile."
Yuxin shrugged. "Yeah, I noticed."
Then Ruka, quietly stepping forward.
She hesitated at first, glancing back at Blanche and Yuxin for a flicker of reassurance.
Yuxin gave her a small nod — subtle, but enough.
Ruka stepped up and placed her hand on the Harmonizer.
For a moment, the crystal pulsed softly...
Then two sigils bloomed outward:
A steady blue glow — Channeling and overlapped by a faint violet flicker — Possession
The combined light wavered gently, like a flame behind glass.
Professor Kaelen raised his eyebrows slightly.
"Channeling and Possession... an uncommon pairing."
He tapped his staff lightly.
"Your Astraga likely allows you to project power through mediums. You'll have strong defensive potential... and possibly summonable integration."
Ruka blinked fast, clearly overwhelmed, then bowed quickly and scurried back to her seat, clutching her notebook to her chest.
Then came Vilaphine Nhrfreya.
Some students whispered.
"Wait, is that the elf from Myrdvawein...?"
Vila moved with her usual grace, placing her hand lightly atop the crystal.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then—
A blast of midnight wind surged from the Harmonizer.
The projection shimmered into shape:
A dark blue symbol laced with wind, delicate yet sharp.
Perception — with highly attuned stealth and sensory traits.
Professor Kaelen raised an eyebrow.
"An advanced Perception user... fused with Wind alignment."
He studied Vila's emotionless expression.
"Rare. Uncommon even among elves."
Vila just nodded once, expression flat as ever, and returned to her seat.
Yuxin leaned over, muttering:
"Show-off."
Vila glanced at her, deadpan.
"You went before me."
Yuxin rolled her eyes.
Professor Kaelen returned to the center of the room.
"As you've now seen — the Pacta type not only defines your combat capabilities, but also the limits and risks your Astraga will place on you."
He turned toward the blackboard, where new diagrams began to appear.
"But type alone is not enough. Next... we'll assess your core stats — the qualities that shape how you survive and thrive as a Pact-bearer."
Professor Kaelen stepped back toward the center of the lecture hall as the Pacta diagram behind him faded into sparks.
"Understanding your Pacta is only the beginning."
He gestured toward the students.
"To survive as Pact-bearers, you must understand your own foundation—your Main Stats."
With a flick of his staff, a series of glyphs lit up behind him, forming a circular chart with five distinct runes.
At the same time, subtle glowing threads flickered across every student's right sleeve—drawing attention to a previously unnoticed seam in their uniform.
"Your Asterblume uniform is more than clothing," Kaelen said. "It's woven with Æther-sensitive fibers. When attuned to your presence, it calibrates and displays your current capability levels."
He tapped the air with his staff, and five glowing categories appeared midair:
Essence
The bond between you and your Astraga. Measures how deeply you resonate with your pact.
Higher Essence = stronger control, faster recovery, more stable abilities.
Yuxin muttered under her breath, "Huh. Wonder how broken mine is…"
Spirit
Your mental fortitude and emotional connection to your Astraga.
Protects against madness, corruption, or losing control.
Ruka fidgeted slightly in her seat.
"...Sounds like this one decides if I panic mid-fight…"
Vitality
The raw strength of your body—stamina, endurance, pain tolerance.
Essential for Enhancement types and long combat.
Blanche gave a light nod at that, already familiar.
Vila, expression flat, didn't react—but silently noted it.
Aether
Your magical capacity. Determines the strength and volume of energy your body can channel.
Critical for Channeling, Invocation, and Hexing.
Professor Kaelen turned toward the class.
"Those who burn bright often burn out. This stat defines how long you will last in the storm."
Will
Your inner drive—the strength to resist domination, curses, or being overtaken by your own Astraga.
Especially vital for Possession and Hexing types.
Yuxin glanced down at her sleeve, then back at Kaelen.
"So this is the 'don't get possessed and go berserk' stat?"
Kaelen raised an eyebrow. "Impudent, but accurate."
He clapped his hands once.
"Now, check your right sleeve. Focus your Æther lightly into it."
The students did as instructed.
Glowing runes softly lit up along their sleeves, forming small numeric displays under each stat category — personalized for each student.
Some gasped in surprise.
Others frowned, clearly disappointed
Yuxin looked at hers and raised an eyebrow.
"Huh. Better than I thought…"
Ruka just blinked, confused, and started frantically scribbling in her notes.
Vila stared at hers for a long moment without saying anything.
Kaelen paced once in front of them.
"Your numbers will evolve. Some are faster than others. Don't chase perfection — chase balance."
He turned to the board again.
"Next lesson, we'll examine how each stat interacts with Pacta types — and how to train your weakest link."
The bell chimed softly.
Class dismissed.
The bell had barely finished ringing when a small group of students crowded around Yuxin's desk.
Most wore casual grins—slightly nervous, but eager. A few glanced at Blanche first, as if seeking silent permission.
"Hey, Lady Zhen, right?" one of them asked—Tori, a quick-tongued student from Channeling class. "We were gonna head to the east commons for lunch. You should come with us!"
Yuxin looked up slowly, expression flat.
"...Why?"
Tori blinked. "Uh. I mean… to eat? Together?"
Another student—Callisto, with freckles and fire-aligned magic—chimed in.
"We're just trying to not be strangers, y'know. You did blast someone across the dueling ring last week. We figured it'd be safer to be friends."
That earned a couple awkward laughs.
Yuxin groaned under her breath, rubbing her temple.
"I don't do crowds."
Blanche, sitting beside her, smiled apologetically at the group.
"I'd join, but I'm expected at the Council Annex in twenty minutes."
She stood gracefully, gathering her books. "Do enjoy yourselves."
Ruka peeked over the back of Yuxin's chair, eyes wide like a trapped deer.
"I-I… I think I left… s-something in the library… gotta go!"
She vanished in a blink, the sound of hurried footsteps trailing behind her.
Yuxin sighed loudly.
"Seriously?"
She turned slightly.
"And where the hell is Vila—"
She stopped.
Vila's seat? Empty.
Gone.
Not even a breeze left behind.
Yuxin slumped in her chair, glaring half-heartedly at the group still standing hopefully in front of her.
"Look, I'm not really a 'friendship circle' kind of person. Go bother someone else."
But Tori grinned and crossed his arms.
"Yeah, well, we're not really good at listening. C'mon."
Callisto chimed in again, more gently this time.
"You can sit by the wall. No forced small talk. We'll even let you insult us once, deal?"
Yuxin blinked slowly.
"...Once per person?"
They both laughed.
"Right, sure."
Yuxin grumbled, standing up.
"Gods above. This better not turn into some bonding exercise."
"Too late," Tori winked. "You already said yes."
East Commons, Student's midday rush.
The East Commons was lively—students spread out on sunlit benches, magical lanterns hanging from trees, enchanted birds mimicking conversations overhead.
Groups played card games, shared tasty snacks, and exchanged spell notes.
A team of third-years demonstrated a new protective ward in a corner, while a few first-years struggled with animated books that wouldn't stop biting.
Yuxin walked slightly behind the group, arms crossed, hoodie pulled halfway over her head.
She wasn't smiling.
But for the first time in a long while—
She wasn't scowling either.
As Yuxin followed Tori and Callisto into the sun-dappled commons, she spotted three more students waiting under the shade of a wide, leafy tree.
The first was already striking a pose—hand on hip, hair cascading in perfect ocean-blue waves that shimmered in the light.
"At last," she announced dramatically, "the shadows have arrived to meet the sun. You must be Zhen Yuxin."
Yuxin stared at her blankly.
"…Who the hell are you?"
"Mika. Mika Aurenwave," she replied with a hair flip worthy of a stage actress. "You may not have heard of me… yet. But you will."
Yuxin blinked slowly. "Right, kay."
Next to her, stood a soft-spoken girl with silky black hair in a traditional hime cut, clutching a neatly folded picnic cloth and a small portable kettle for tea purposes.
"I'm Naoi Rei," she said with a gentle smile. "It's really nice to meet you. I brought tea, if anyone's interested."
Yuxin raised an eyebrow.
"…You bring tea all over the place?"
"Only the calming kind," Rei said sweetly. "Caffeine stresses the soul."
Before Yuxin could respond, a calm male voice joined in.
"Hey there," said a tall, golden-haired guy leaning against the tree trunk. "William Haldecrest. Don't worry, we're all weird in our own way. You'll get used to us."
"I am not weird," Mika interjected, sounding offended.
"You're just… energetically misunderstood," William added with a grin.
Yuxin looked at the group, then at the open path behind her.
She sighed heavily.
"I should've skipped lunch today."
"But you didn't," said Callisto, nudging him forward. "And now you're stuck."
Yuxin sat down slowly on the grass, arms crossed.
"If this turns into some afterschool special, I'm leaving."
"What if it's a good one?" William asked.
"Then I'm directing it," Yuxin deadpanned.
That earned a small round of laughter from the group.
And just like that, without even realizing it,
Yuxin stayed.
The group sat beneath the sprawling tree in the East Commons, shaded from the noon sun. A soft breeze rustled the leaves overhead, and the warm hum of student chatter filled the air.
Rei carefully laid out a soft cloth on the grass and began pouring tea into small wooden cups from her kettle.
"Here," she said gently, handing one to Yuxin. "Chamomile and moonleaf. It's good for tension."
Yuxin took it reluctantly.
"Do I look tense to you?"
"You look like someone who could turn someone into a pretzel with their mind," Rei replied softly, with a disarming smile.
Yuxin stared.
She took a sip.
"…Okay. Not bad."
Nearby, Mika was adjusting her hair while using a compact mirror enchanted to float beside her shoulder.
"It's so refreshing to have everyone in one place," Mika sighed. "I was beginning to worry that no one here knew how to socialize properly."
"You mean like you?" William said, plucking a blade of grass and spinning it between his fingers.
"Excuse you?" Mika replied, mock-offended. "I'm the definition of social refinement."
"You did call the cafeteria lighting 'aggressively tragic' yesterday," Tori added with a grin.
"Because it was," Mika shot back. "How am I supposed to shine when I'm bathed in the glow of sadness?"
Yuxin blinked. "Are you always like this?"
"A masterpiece doesn't tone itself down," Mika said proudly.
"No filter," William muttered.
Rei poured tea for William and Callisto next, then sat down with her own cup, hands folded neatly in her lap.
"So… what kind of classes are you all focused on? Combat? Theory?"
William shrugged.
"Channeling and Perception, mostly. I like wards and support spells. Not big on hitting things."
"I'm Enhancement," said Callisto. "And pretty sure I'm the only one here who actually enjoys sparring."
"Says the one who cracked the floor last week," William noted.
Callisto grinned. "What can I say? Fire makes things exciting."
They all turned toward Yuxin.
She sighed.
"Invocation. And a bit of Hexing, probably. Depends on who you ask."
"Shadow-based, right?" Rei asked. "I've heard it's really hard to control."
Yuxin looked at her, half-smirking.
"Tell that to the guy who needed stitches after our last practice match."
Everyone went silent for a beat.
Then Mika clapped once, delighted.
"I love a woman with a dangerous edge."
Yuxin visibly froze.
"...Don't say things like that."
William laughed quietly. "You'll get used to Mika. Or you won't. Either way, it's fun to watch."
As the afternoon wore on, the conversation shifted between classes, gossip, and small magical mishaps.
At one point, Tori tried balancing a floating teacup with a wind rune—it exploded gently in the air.
Rei offered to clean it up without a word.
Mika launched into a rant about fashion enchantments.
William doodled a bird that looked suspiciously like a chicken with antlers.
And Yuxin… stayed.
Even as her eyes wandered.
Even as she complained.
She stayed.