Zara took a deep breath and nodded."Okay, sign in, Fluff."
[Okay, Host!] Fluff chirped brightly.
He raised his tiny paw in the air, giving Zara an enthusiastic thumbs-up.With a small pop of light, Fluff disappeared from her shoulder, diving into the system space to process the sign-in.
A moment later, a clear voice echoed inside Zara's head:
[Ding! Today's sign-in used. Distributing reward: Basic Swordsmanship.]
As the reward announcement echoed in her mind, Zara's eyes lit up.
"Swordsmanship! That means I can be considered a knight now!" she said excitedly, her voice practically bubbling over.
But before she could celebrate further, Fluff reappeared in front of her with a disdainful look on his tiny face.
[Host! With Basic Swordsmanship, you can only be considered an apprentice. Don't get ahead of yourself.]
With a single comment, he completely shattered her fantasy.
Zara deflated on the spot, her excitement leaking away like a popped balloon.
Before Zara could even argue, Fluff floated closer, flapping his tiny arms in panic.
[Host! Quickly head to your classes! There's only a little time left before they start!]
His voice was sharp and urgent, snapping Zara out of her disappointment.
She jumped to her feet, groaning, "Ugh, no break at all, huh?"
Without wasting another second, she grabbed her bag and rushed out the door.
As soon as Zara stepped into the classroom, a loud shout caught her attention.
"Zara! Over here!"
She turned toward the sound and spotted Mia waving energetically. Beside her sat Elira, looking as composed as ever. There was an empty seat right next to them.
Smiling to herself, Zara made her way over and slid into the empty chair.
Just as Zara settled into her seat, the classroom door swung open with a soft creak.
A woman with striking red hair entered, her confident steps carrying her straight to the podium at the front of the room.
Setting down a stack of papers, she looked out over the students and introduced herself, her voice clear and commanding.
"Good morning, everyone. I'm Professor Natalia, and I'll be your instructor for Basic Magic Theory."
As Professor Natalia began explaining the basics of spellcasting, Zara's eyelids grew heavier and heavier.Before she knew it, her head was drooping, and she started dozing off right there at her desk.
Suddenly, a sharp voice cut through the haze.
Without warning, Natalia — frowning in irritation — chanted a quick spell under her breath and flicked her fingers toward Zara.
A small arc of electricity zipped through the air and struck Zara squarely on the arm.
"Ow—!" Zara yelped, jolting upright in her seat like she'd been shocked awake. "Owwie…!"
Laughter rippled quietly through the room, but Professor Natalia stern gaze silenced it immediately.
Her voice rang out, cold and sharp:
"Students, when you're in my class, you will pay attention—or you will be punished. Understand?"
The entire class, even the ones who had been sneaking glances at their notebooks or whispering, immediately straightened up and shouted in unison,"Understood!"
Zara rubbed her arm, grumbling under her breath, but kept her eyes wide open this time.
As the magic class ended, the students stood up from their seats, stretching and chatting among themselves.
Without wasting time, they began making their way toward the training hall, where their second class of the day—Basic Swordsmanship—would be held.
Inside the training hall, a bulky man stood waiting for them.
He had broad shoulders, thick arms, and a deep scar running across his forehead—a mark that made him look even more intimidating.
His piercing gaze swept over the students as they filed in, instantly silencing any chatter.
"Alright, students! Hellooo!" the instructor boomed, waving his massive hand enthusiastically."I'm your Swordsmanship and Physical Training teacher! Name's Jason! Say hello to me!"
He struck a series of exaggerated poses—flexing his arms, puffing out his chest, and grinning like a fool.
The students blinked in confusion at first, but a few couldn't help chuckling at his ridiculous energy.
Despite his intimidating appearance, Jason spoke in such a goofy, lighthearted way that it completely broke the tension in the room.
Suddenly, Jason's grin vanished, and his expression turned deadly serious.
He picked up a wooden training sword from the rack and slammed it lightly against his palm.
"Alright, listen up," he said, his voice deep and commanding."One by one, you're going to attack me with these practice swords—and I'm going to beat your ass into the ground."
The room fell completely silent.
No one dared to laugh now.
Zara, sitting in the last row, figured no one would hear her.
Thinking she was safe, she muttered under her breath,"What a mood killer…"
But just as she spoke, the entire class went dead silent.
Her words echoed clearly across the room—loud enough for everyone to hear, including Jason.
The students turned to stare at her in horror, some even holding their breath.
Jason slowly turned his head, his serious eyes locking onto Zara like a hawk spotting prey.
Seeing everyone staring at her, Zara froze.
Slowly, she lifted her hand to cover her mouth, realizing what she had just done.
With a sheepish, awkward smile, she squeaked out,"H-Hello…"