Taika, spend the rest of the week trying my best to circulate mana around her body to a single point.
4 days ago. Taika experienced bullying she needs expected to. Because of that, she isolated herself and blame herself from being herself.
But it all changed when Maya oeverheaed her and rushed ito her room and slap her.
After that, Maya and Taika spend their first week to training. They don't have enough time to perfect at least one burst of light.
So Taika didn't give up.
She reads books.
Copy it.
And the more she reads, the more she learned.
Only 24 hours left.
She's halfway through.
She can finally light up a candle using her fingertips.
She was filled with joy.
Maya hugged her, congratulating her.
Maya: [You did a great job!]
3 hours left.
It was 1 am.
Maya was tired.
So did Taika.
Taika learned a lot and she even managed to use basic fire magic.
This, is a progress.
The next day.
The first day of class.
Taika was sitting behind all students.
She sat at the back right corner where it is cold.
She's beautiful.
If someone doesn't know her, they might think she was a part of Royal family branch.
Maya arrived carrying her bag.
Maya: [Good morning my dear friend!]
She said spiritedly.
Taika: [You seemed, energetic today, eh?, are you always this energetic when we met a few days back?]
Maya: [You silly!, I'm just so happy to know you changed yourself overnight!]
Taika: [thank you..]
Maya smiled.
Bright.
Like nothing bad ever happened.
The classroom slowly filled.
Chairs scraping.
Voices overlapping.
Students glanced at Taika.
Some whispered.
Some laughed quietly.
She lowered her head.
But this time--
her hands didn't shake.
The instructor entered.
Silence fell.
Instructor: [Welcome to your first official class at Galdur Academy.]
His eyes scanned the room.
They stopped---
just for a second---
on Taika.
Instructor: [Today, we begin with the fundamentals of Thaumatology.]
Books opened.
Pages flipped.
Taika followed carefully.
Mana theory.
Circulation paths.
Output control.
This time--
the words made sense.
Not all of it.
But enough.
Instructor: [Now. Light a basic flame.]
A murmur spread.
Students raised their hands.
Fire bloomed easily.
Taika hesitated.
Maya glanced back at her.
She nodded.
Taika inhaled.
Slow.
She gathered mana.
Not forcing it..
Not rushing it.
Just guiding it.
Her fingertip warmed.
A small flame appeared.
Tiny.
Weak.
But real.
Gasps.
Some laughter.
Some surprise.
Instructor raised an eyebrow.
Instructor: [Interesting.]
Taika extinguished the flame.
Her chest hurt..
but she was still standing.
She clenched her fist under the desk.
I did it.
It wasn't perfect.
It wasn't strong.
But it was hers.
And for the first time--
Taika Zeit felt like
she truly stepped
into Galdur Academy.
Someone noticed.
From the front row.
A girl with straight posture.
Perfect uniform.
Mana flowing naturally around her.
She turned her head slightly.
Her eyes landed on Taika.
Sharp.
Cold.
Not mocking.
Observing.
She saw the flame.
Small.
Unstable.
But controlled.
[Clare Mahika]
A name whispered among students.
An elite.
A prodigy.
She didn't laugh.
Didn't scoff.
Instead--
she frowned.
As if something didn't add up.
Clare: […That circulation was wrong.]
Her fingers tapped the desk.
Clare: [But it worked.]
The class continued.
Taika felt it.
That gaze.
Not pity.
Not disgust.
Interest.
For the rest of the lesson,
Taika kept her head down.
But her heart was beating fast.
Not from fear.
From resolve.
She wasn't invisible anymore.
She wasn't just
the poor scholarship girl.
She was someone
worth watching.
And somewhere in the room--
A rivalry
quietly began.
It was lunch break.
Taika and Maya having a lunch together near a tree at the school yard.
Maya: [Hey,Taika...do you consider me as... Your friend?]
Taika smiled.
Taika: [Mm!, of course, but why'd you ask?, I thought it's already official..]
Maya chuckled.
She stopped.
Maya: [Can we share something... Like a story?...]
Taika: [Story huh?, hmmm... I guess we can. What kind of topic you want?]
Maya thinks.
Maya: [why not our stories?, how did we get here in this academy?]
Taika: [Ehem...one day, my father died for using too much magic. After that we face financial problems and it became worst to the point we just sell our house. Mom died by sickness. Then I was alone. Until one day.. I got found by a random family and take me as their maid. They treat me well and that's also where I grew up.]
Maya wiping off her tears.
Taika continues.
Taika: [....then one day, an old man came to us and offer me a scholarship. It was so sudden and I hesitated. I eventually agreed and so my non biological father.]
Maya: [... And now here you are.]
Maya hug her gently.
Maya whispered.
Maya: [it must've been hard for you... ]
Taika hugged her back as a token of appreciation.
Taika: [Thank you, I appreciate it.]
Maya leaves te hug.
Maya: [I guess it's my turn for story telling.]
Maya: [I was born in a Royal family. I always taught to be more competitive and be more rude to people, they say that, "you can't trust anyone" , or, "Crying will never be an excuse", they want me to be inside my bedroom because, " it isn't safe", bla, bla, bla... ]
Taika: [... Wow, that... Doesn't reflect the way I see you...]
Maya: [it's because I never followed their stupid rules. I wanted to be independent. ]
Maya looked down at her hands.
Maya: [I ran away.]
Taika blinked.
Taika: […Ran away?]
Maya nodded.
Maya: [Not like… disappearing forever. But I left without permission.]
The leaves above them rustled.
Shadows danced on the grass.
Maya: [They wanted me to attend a private royal institute. No friends. No freedom.]
Maya: [So when I heard about Galdur Academy…]
She smiled faintly.
Maya: [I begged. I argued. I cried.]
Maya: [They said no.]
She clenched her fist.
Maya: [So I proved them wrong.]
Taika listened quietly.
Maya: [I trained in secret. Studied at night. Took the entrance exam without telling them.]
Maya: [When the acceptance letter came… it was too late for them to stop me.]
Taika's eyes widened.
Taika: […That's brave.]
Maya laughed softly.
Maya: [They were furious.]
Maya: [But they still paid my tuition. Pride, I guess.]
She looked at Taika.
Maya: [I came here to prove something.]
Maya: [Not to them.]
Maya: [To myself.]
Silence fell between them.
Not awkward.
Comfortable.
Taika stared at the grass.
Taika: [We're kind of similar, huh.]
Maya tilted her head.
Taika: [We both came here with nothing but a reason.]
Maya smiled.
Maya: [Then let's make it worth it.]
She extended her pinky.
Maya: [Promise me something.]
Taika hesitated---then hooked her finger with Maya's.
Taika: [What promise?]
Maya: [No matter how hard it gets…]
Maya: [We don't face it alone.]
Taika felt her chest tighten.
Taika: […I promise.]
The bell rang.
Lunch break ended.
They stood up together.
Side by side.
As they walked back toward the academy--
Neither of them noticed
the pair of eyes
watching from the distance.
Quiet.
Calculating.
And iinterested
From a distance.
Clare Mahika watched.
Under the shade of a stone arch.
Arms crossed.
Posture perfect.
She saw the pink-haired girl laughing.
She saw Taika walking beside her.
Too calm.
Too composed.
Clare narrowed her eyes.
Clare's mind—
A weak mana body.
A flawed circulation.
Yet—
She formed a flame.
Clare: […Strange.]
She turned away.
But the name stayed.
Taika Zeit.
The bell rang again.
Students gathered outside the training grounds.
This was different from lectures.
No desks.
No chairs.
Just stone floors.
Magic circles carved into the ground.
The instructor stood in the center.
Instructor: [Today is your first practical class.]
A ripple of excitement spread.
Instructor: [You will practice mana circulation and output control.]
Instructor: [No advanced spells. No showing off.]
Eyes shifted.
Some confident.
Some nervous.
Taika stood near the back.
Cold stone under her shoes.
Maya leaned close.
Maya: [You got this.]
Taika nodded.
Instructor: [One by one.]
Students stepped forward.
Clean spells.
Bright lights.
Smooth mana flow.
Then--
Instructor: [Taika Zeit.]
The air tightened.
Whispers returned.
Taika stepped onto the circle.
She closed her eyes.
Slow breath.
Don't force it.
Guide it.
Mana moved.
Her body resisted--
but not violently.
A small light formed above her palm.
Unstable.
Shaking.
She felt pain.
But she endured.
Instructor raised a hand.
Instructor: [That's enough.]
The light faded.
Silence.
Instructor: […Crude.]
Taika's heart sank.
Instructor: [But intentional.]
Murmurs.
Instructor: [Your circulation ignores the standard path.]
Instructor: [Dangerous.]
Instructor: [Yet--]
He looked directly at her.
Instructor: [You stayed conscious.]
Clare's eyes widened slightly.
Instructor: [Sit down.]
Taika bowed.
Returned to her place.
Her hands were shaking.
But she was smiling.
Small.
Quiet.
This wasn't failure.
It was the beginning.
And Galdur Academy--
Had finally noticed her.