The lecture hall of Classroom Seven was surprisingly large.
Tiered rows of seats descended toward a central teaching platform.
Ancient runes glowed faintly along the walls.
Large crystal windows allowed sunlight to pour into the room.
Thousands of tiny mana particles drifted through the air like invisible stars.
Everything about the classroom felt different from ordinary schools.
This was Aetherial Institute.
Even the classrooms possessed enough magical infrastructure to support research projects capable of altering entire regions.
Students continued entering.
Conversations echoed softly.
Some discussed examination results.
Others spoke about dormitories.
Several already compared schedules and future plans.
Meanwhile—
Kel quietly entered.
His gaze swept across the room.
Habit.
Observation had long become instinct.
Exits.
Windows.
Professor's position.
Student distribution.
Potential disturbances.
Everything was processed automatically.
Then he selected a seat.
Middle row.
Neither too visible.
Nor too hidden.
Perfect.
Or at least—
That was the plan.
Unfortunately.
Plans and reality maintained a long-standing rivalry.
And reality was currently winning.
As Kel sat down.
A girl occupied the seat beside him.
She appeared roughly his age.
Long dark brown hair.
Sharp green eyes.
Neat academy uniform.
Several books already rested on her desk despite class not having started yet.
The sight immediately revealed something.
A serious student.
The girl noticed him sitting nearby.
Then nodded politely.
Kel nodded back.
Several moments passed.
Then—
The girl spoke first.
"First year?"
Kel blinked.
The question seemed unnecessary.
Everyone present was a first-year.
Yet conversation required beginnings.
"Yes."
The girl smiled slightly.
"So am I."
Reasonable.
Kel considered that information.
Then replied.
"Congratulations."
The girl laughed softly.
"You too."
Their conversation remained simple.
Comfortable.
Neither awkward nor particularly energetic.
Just ordinary.
Something Kel found strangely refreshing.
No political implications.
No hidden agendas.
No territorial negotiations.
Just two students talking.
The girl eventually introduced herself.
"Luna."
Kel nodded.
"Aedon."
The introductions ended there.
Neither asked about family backgrounds.
Neither asked about achievements.
Neither asked about rankings.
Which made the interaction surprisingly pleasant.
More students arrived.
The classroom gradually filled.
Conversations continued.
The atmosphere remained lively.
Then—
The doors opened.
Instantly.
The room quieted.
The lecturer had arrived.
An elderly professor entered calmly.
His gray robes flowed softly behind him.
Several books floated beside him.
Mana controlled them effortlessly.
His white hair reached his shoulders.
His expression appeared peaceful.
Yet his eyes remained sharp.
The kind of eyes possessed by someone who spent decades studying the world.
The professor stepped onto the teaching platform.
Then turned toward the students.
Silence spread throughout the hall.
The old man smiled.
"Good morning."
The students responded immediately.
"Good morning, Professor."
The lecture officially began.
Mana Theory.
One of the academy's foundational subjects.
One of the most important.
And one of the most underestimated.
The professor began teaching.
His explanations were clear.
Detailed.
Professional.
Years of experience became evident.
The students quickly became immersed.
Many wrote notes.
Others listened attentively.
Several stared with admiration.
Meanwhile—
Kel genuinely listened.
For fifteen minutes.
A full fifteen minutes.
Inside his mind—
Seiren sounded impressed.
"A new record."
Kel ignored her.
The Guardian laughed.
"I thought you would get bored after five."
"Ten."
"Fifteen."
"Apparently."
Unfortunately.
The problem wasn't the professor.
The professor was excellent.
The problem was—
Kel already knew everything.
The lecture continued.
Mana circulation principles.
Energy density.
Environmental absorption.
Fundamental theory.
Advanced foundations.
The concepts flowed smoothly.
Students absorbed knowledge eagerly.
Many encountered these ideas for the first time.
Others finally understood things they previously struggled with.
The classroom atmosphere remained focused.
Engaged.
Academic.
Meanwhile—
Kel sat motionless.
Listening.
Waiting.
Trying.
Genuinely trying.
Then—
The professor began explaining something Kel had mastered years ago.
Then something else.
Then another topic.
Then another.
The silver-haired young man slowly looked toward the ceiling.
Inside his mind—
Seiren immediately noticed.
"There it is."
"What?"
"The look."
Kel sighed internally.
"What look?"
"The bored genius look."
The Guardian sounded delighted.
"You lasted fifteen minutes."
A pause.
Then—
"That's honestly impressive."
The lecture continued.
Kel continued listening.
For approximately another two minutes.
Then he finally surrendered.
Inside his mind—
He spoke calmly.
"Seiren."
The Guardian immediately became suspicious.
"Whenever you say my name like that, something terrible happens."
Kel ignored the accusation.
"I have an idea."
"Absolutely not."
"You don't even know what it is."
"I know you."
Reasonable.
Unfortunately.
Not helpful.
Kel continued.
"I am using illusion magic."
Silence.
Then—
"...why?"
"To create an afterimage."
Seiren became even more suspicious.
"An afterimage?"
"Of myself."
The Guardian slowly understood.
Then immediately disapproved.
"Kel."
"Yes?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because normal students attend lectures."
Kel looked toward the professor.
Then toward his notes.
Then toward the lecture material.
Then back toward the professor.
"I already know everything."
Seiren refused to surrender.
"Then review it."
"I reviewed it."
"Review it again."
"I reviewed the review."
The Guardian became silent.
Momentarily defeated.
Several moments later.
Kel continued.
"The illusion will sit perfectly."
"...Kel."
"It will take notes."
"...Kel."
"It will even nod occasionally."
"KEL."
The Guardian sounded horrified.
"Yes?"
"You are describing academic fraud."
The silver-haired young man considered that.
Then shook his head.
"No."
"How is it not?"
"The illusion isn't taking the class."
A pause.
Then—
"I am."
Seiren became speechless.
Again.
A surprisingly common occurrence lately.
Meanwhile.
Reality remained completely unaware of the telepathic argument.
The lecture continued peacefully.
Students listened.
The professor taught.
Notes accumulated.
Everything appeared normal.
Beside him.
Luna remained completely focused.
Her handwriting moved rapidly across pages.
Detailed.
Precise.
Impressive.
Kel observed briefly.
Then returned his attention forward.
Inside his mind—
The debate continued.
"What exactly are you planning to do?"
The Guardian asked cautiously.
Kel answered honestly.
"Read."
Silence.
"...read?"
"Books."
Another pause.
"While attending class?"
"Yes."
Seiren sounded utterly defeated.
"That somehow makes this worse."
The professor continued speaking.
A diagram appeared in the air.
Complex mana pathways rotated slowly.
Students watched attentively.
Meanwhile—
Kel subtly activated magic.
Very carefully.
Very quietly.
After all—
He had sealed ninety-nine percent of his power.
But one percent of Kel remained absurd.
A tiny fluctuation appeared.
Invisible.
Undetectable.
The illusion formed.
Perfect.
Absolutely perfect.
A second Aedon Flinth now sat beside Luna.
Attentive.
Focused.
Listening.
Even taking notes.
Meanwhile—
The real Kel remained exactly where he was.
Still sitting.
Still appearing normal.
The difference was microscopic.
The illusion simply handled visual behaviors automatically.
Inside his mind—
Seiren stared.
Then stared harder.
"...that is disturbingly convincing."
"Thank you."
"That wasn't a compliment."
"It sounded like one."
The Guardian sighed.
Kel quietly opened a book beneath the desk.
Not a novel.
Not entertainment.
A research text.
Naturally.
The title alone appeared intimidating.
Advanced Interactions Between Mana Density and Spatial Distortion Fields
Seiren immediately groaned.
"You got bored in class."
"Yes."
"So your solution was harder studying?"
"Correct."
The Guardian laughed helplessly.
Far away.
Several fish at Scarder Lake once again suffered emotional confusion.
Time passed.
The lecture continued.
Students learned.
The professor taught.
The illusion performed perfectly.
And Kel peacefully read his research material.
Meanwhile—
Luna occasionally glanced sideways.
At first.
Nothing seemed unusual.
Then—
Something felt strange.
Very strange.
Aedon looked attentive.
Perfectly attentive.
Suspiciously attentive.
The kind of attentiveness no human naturally possessed.
Luna frowned slightly.
Then looked forward again.
Then sideways.
Then forward.
Then sideways.
Her suspicion gradually increased.
Inside his mind—
Seiren noticed immediately.
"The girl beside you suspects something."
Kel continued reading.
"About what?"
"You."
"Everyone eventually does."
The Guardian laughed.
Unfortunately.
That statement was completely true.
And somewhere beside him—
Luna slowly narrowed her eyes.
Because for reasons she couldn't explain—
The student sitting beside her felt just a little too perfect.
And that alone made him suspicious.