Ruach's POV
"WHAT?!"
Silence.
Dozens of eyes turned toward me at once. Some students froze mid-conversation, others stared openly, and a few leaned back in their chairs as if instinctively creating distance. The instructor stood at the front, chalk paused halfway to the board, brows knit in confusion.
"…Miss Ruach," the instructor said slowly, adjusting his glasses. "Would you care to explain why you appeared in the middle of my class?"
I swallowed and bowed my head slightly. "My apologies, sir. I was… teleported here by the grandmaster."
That only made things worse.
A low murmur spread through the room—whispers layered over whispers.
"Teleported?"
"Did you see that?"
"That was high-level magic…"
I moved quickly to an empty seat near the back, keeping my expression neutral as I sat down. My body still ached, but now it was the weight of attention that pressed harder.
The whispers didn't stop.
"…That's her, right?"
"The Ruach girl?"
"I heard she knocked out someone from House Mecharin last night."
"No way—that family's elites."
"They say she did it alone."
So the rumors had already spread.
I stared straight ahead, refusing to react. Whether they looked at me with awe, fear, or hostility, it didn't matter. Attention was dangerous, and I had no intention of feeding it.
The instructor cleared his throat sharply. "Enough. This is a classroom, not a market. Open your manuals."
Reluctantly, the room settled, though the tension never fully faded.
As the lesson began, my thoughts drifted despite my efforts.
House Mecharin. Astrixion. Threats and allies.
The grandmaster's warning echoed in my mind.
She hadn't been exaggerating.
From today onward, every action I took would be observed, interpreted, and twisted. Any mistake would confirm every prejudice attached to my name. Any success would provoke a challenge.
And yet…
My godmother.
The word still felt unreal.
She had spoken so casually—almost gently—about being unable to care for me before, about watching from afar. It explained too much: her attention, her bluntness, her insistence that I learn to rely on others before it was too late.
As it settled, something I had long ignored finally made sense. After my mother's death, I had expected everything to disappear—the house, the servants, even the meals that continued to appear each day. There should have been no way to sustain it all.
Yet nothing ever stopped.
I remembered asking the servants how they managed it. Even blind loyalty couldn't pay for supplies or wages. They had only smiled and refused to answer.
Now I understand. It was because of her.
But even so that didn't mean I trusted her completely.
But it did mean this academy was no longer just a battlefield.
Someone was watching over me.
Whether that made things safer—or more dangerous—I had yet to decide.
I straightened my posture and focused back on the lesson.
A week later
After a week it was once again Monday. I still hadn't made any friends, but that was ok because at least no one seemed to have a problem with me, plus it was break time.
So I went to the cafeteria, joined the line, and collected my meal without incident. With no one to sit with, I chose an empty table near the side of the hall. I focused on my food, grateful for the brief quiet.
It didn't last.
Four students—my classmates—stopped in front of my table.
"Hey," one of the girls said sharply. "You're from that treacherous Ruach family, right?"
The hostility in her voice made their intention clear. They hadn't come to talk.
I ignored her.
That only angered them.
As I lifted my spoon for another bite, my plate was suddenly swept off the table. It crashed onto the floor, food scattering across the tiles.
"So?" another girl snapped. "You going to keep ignoring us?"
I said nothing. Instead, I calmly lifted my soup cup.
The first girl shoved it into my face.
The cup struck my mouth, hot liquid splashing as I was forced backward. The chair tipped. I hit the ground, the seat collapsing beneath me. She didn't stop pushing until I was fully down.
"So?" the girl in the center said, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "You going to talk now?"
"Of course she won't," a boy scoffed. "She's a Ruach. Cowardice runs in the family."
"Honestly," the girl added, "it's good your family lost power. People like you should never lead a nation."
Then another boy spoke, grinning.
"Did you hear about the execution of the last Ruach? They said she stole from the country. Good thing she died. This one'll probably end up the same way."
That was enough.
I could endure the insults.
I could endure the humiliation.
But I would not tolerate words about my mother.
Mana surged before I could stop myself.
"Air Blast."
The force exploded outward.
All four of them were thrown back at once, hitting the ground hard and skidding across the floor. The cafeteria fell silent.
I stood.
My hand trembled—not with fear, but restraint.
"You want me to talk?" I said, my voice steady despite the heat in my chest. "Then let's talk properly."
I pulled out my handkerchief and let it fall to the ground between us.
"All four of you. At the arena," I said coldly. "Come at me."
End of Chapter