Day one

Chapter 14

Harabi woke up in her room at the Eden Academy dormitory. The first rays of sunlight gently filtered through the windows, softly illuminating her bed. The room was cozy and quiet, with a light scent of wood and fresh air, as if the Academy itself was rising in the morning silence. Tatsuki, her childhood friend, had already left. Harabi sighed, still feeling the emptiness from the fact that her friend studied one course above her and often left her alone. Tatsuki’s classes had started a week earlier.

The room was cool, and the first thing Harabi did was get out from under the warm blanket. Stepping onto the cold wooden floor, she headed to the wardrobe. Inside was her Academy uniform—red, strict, with golden emblems on the sides. She pulled it out, feeling the fabric, smooth and pleasant to the touch. Harabi couldn’t help but admire how the uniform fit perfectly.

At the end she tied the tie, creating a strict silhouette, and glanced at herself in the mirror. The outfit emphasized her slender figure, making her stride more confident. Despite its severity, the uniform added an air of dignity to Harabi, giving her almost a regal appearance.

Harabi was heading to the exit when she noticed a girl standing by the gates, walking toward her. She was wearing the same Academy uniform, red with golden stripes, but her hair was white as snow, braided into a long braid that cascaded down to her hip. Her blue eyes, lighter than Harabi’s, were hard to miss.

“Good morning!” the girl began, noticing Harabi and approaching her with a gentle smile. “I’m Silver Vinterson from the city of Laguran. Today, as one of the graduates, I’ll be responsible for you. I hope you’ll enjoy our Academy.”

Harabi was a little taken aback but quickly regained her composure.

“Good morning,” she replied. “I’m Harabi Kurosaki. Nice to meet you. The Academy... so far, it’s all a bit intimidating. But maybe I’ll get used to it over time.”

Silver nodded and began leading Harabi across the Academy grounds. They walked along stone walls and cobbled paths, their steps echoing in the empty morning silence.

“Everything here is organized by a strict schedule,” Silver began, pointing to the arrangement of the buildings. “Breakfast is at 9 AM—the cafeteria is to the left. But you probably already know this without me. How long have you been at the Academy?”

“Not counting the day I arrived, it’s been two weeks.”

“Two weeks. So, you’re one of the early arrivals. It’s clear you’re from a main family. Students usually prefer to arrive a day before classes begin, but the strict upbringing of main families doesn’t allow for that,” Silver gave a slight smirk at her words and then led Harabi to the main building.

They stopped in the main hall. Silver looked at Harabi and handed her a sheet of paper.

“Your classroom is on the second floor,” she said. “We have strict discipline here, but you’ll get used to it. Classes start at 10 AM. There are three lessons, with five-minute breaks, until 12:20, and then lunch. After 1 PM, magic lessons begin, and that’s when things get really interesting. Some are individual, some are group lessons.”

“Magic...” Harabi looked around the surrounding area. “That’s what I’m most looking forward to.”

Silver smiled, and there was a hint of understanding in her eyes.

“You’re not alone. After magic, there’s a meeting in the assembly hall from time to time. Usually, after 4 PM, there’s free time, but then dinner is at 6 PM or 7 PM, depending on what’s convenient for you. Dinner is served until 8 PM. Curfew for everyone except the graduates starts right after dinner. After 8 PM, leaving the dormitory is strictly forbidden.”

“So many rules... I feel like I never left home. Well, except for the curfew.”

Silver laughed at Harabi’s words and lightly tapped her on the back.

“You’ll get used to it. Now, let me show you to your classroom."

As they walked, Harabi couldn’t help but notice the ease in Silver’s stride. She moved as if all of this was just another part of her life. There was no sign of fatigue on her face, only confidence and calmness. She was older than Harabi, but in all her mannerisms and behavior, she clearly knew how to act at the Academy.

When they reached the classroom, Silver said goodbye and went on. Harabi stood there for a while, watching her figure until she disappeared around the corner. There was still a glimmer in her eyes, the kind left by someone used to attention and admiration.

The door in front of Harabi swung open, and she entered a room full of students. Many familiar and unfamiliar faces surrounded her. She noticed how, among the other students, those who clearly belonged to the major families stood out. Their walk, manners, even their gaze were different, as if they felt not only like students but also like future leaders.

The major families are those who lead 12 of the 13 cities on the MistLand island.

These families govern their zones, protect them, and make decisions on behalf of their people. The 13th city, Magic, is the center of everything, where the queen resides, and where the most important decisions are made. The major families usually have primary magic, as well as ad-magic [additional magic] that makes them stronger.

This magic not only enhances their own abilities but also allows them to influence the power balance in the region. Each major family has its own style of magic, passed down through generations, making their representatives unique in their kind.

Harabi settled into her seat by the window. The sunlight, filtering through the glass, illuminated her desk, and she thoughtfully looked at her name written on the sheet of paper. A strange feeling was growing inside her, as though she had become part of something new, something she didn’t fully understand. The world outside the window was familiarly green, the morning wind rustling the leaves, but even that couldn’t chase away the feeling of unfamiliarity and loneliness.

Suddenly, something on her back caught her attention. A feeling of a light touch, almost imperceptible, yet familiar. She turned around and met clear blue eyes. Rumiya stood before her, her face calm, but there was a faint gleam of surprise in her eyes.

“You’re here,” she said quietly, as if not believing she had found Harabi in this class.

Harabi felt her heart skip a beat. Over the past week, they hadn’t become close friends, but meeting Rumiya always brought a wave of warm memories. Although their relationship had been more cold than friendly, Harabi was still glad to see her.

“Rumiya,” Harabi said, barely holding back a smile. “I… I’m glad to see you.”

Rumiya raised an eyebrow slightly but didn’t say anything. She stood there as if searching for something in Harabi’s eyes. The atmosphere between them was tense, as always, but now, in this new setting, Harabi felt that these moments mattered.

“Have you been here long?” Harabi asked, feeling her voice tremble a little. She wasn’t sure she could immediately understand Rumiya, but something about her presence brought comfort.

Rumiya nodded, her gaze calm but deep. She didn’t hurry to answer.

“Almost,” she replied. “I just got into the class too.”

Harabi smiled, her face unable to hide a slight grin. Everything felt so… real, but also a little strange. As if there was still an invisible barrier between them that they couldn’t or didn’t want to cross. At the same time, she felt an odd warm closeness, as if they were, after all, closer than she thought.

They exchanged quiet words, both noticing the gazes of other students slipping over them. Eyes pierced through them, and Harabi felt the judgmental attention, as though they were undeservingly out of place. She knew that their past would stir the curiosity of many, and her breath hitched at this realization.

“Don’t mind them,” Harabi said quietly, noticing the awkwardness. “They’re just bored.”

Harabi nodded, but her heart still tightened with unease. She still felt out of place here, and that weighed on her. But maybe, it was here that her real journey would begin.

Before they could continue their conversation, the classroom door opened, and a middle-aged man entered the room. He was dressed in a strict suit, but he looked quite young—such was the characteristic of all people on the island due to the magic that slowed aging. His dark hair was neatly combed back, and his face, though serious, remained youthful and rather attractive. Harabi felt her body instinctively tense up; she wasn’t yet accustomed to how every moment here seemed new and requiring attention.

“Good morning,” he said in a voice that immediately captured everyone’s attention. “I’m Mr. Kim. Congratulations to all the third-year students on the start of the new school year. Before we begin the lessons, I’d like to welcome our newcomers.”

The class fell silent. All the students turned toward Harabi, Rumiya, and another girl sitting at the last desk. The atmosphere changed. Harabi felt a light moisture form at her neck from nervousness. No one knew her personally, but her origin, her status as a representative of the main Kurosaki family, already drew attention. And then there was the dark past tied to the Sudzukawa family.

“I’m Harabi Kurosaki, from Nox,” she said, lifting her head and trying to speak calmly, not letting her nervousness show in her voice. “I’m the youngest daughter of the Kurosaki family, and I look forward to meeting you all.”

Everyone turned toward her. It was clear that, despite her words, they still saw her as a newcomer, an outsider. Some averted their gaze, others huffed in annoyance. A few students began to whisper among themselves.

"I am Rumiya Sudzukawa, from Soleil," her friend introduced herself with restraint, her voice unwavering. She broke the silence, and all eyes turned to her.

Harabi noticed how several students' expressions changed instantly. It was familiar, as if the entire class suddenly remembered who she was.

A representative of the main family, from Soleil, where the curse seemed to run in their blood. But Rumiya didn’t want to see that. She tightened her grip on the hem of her dress.

Next, a girl with purple hair introduced herself, her eyes the same bright blue as Rumiya’s. Harabi immediately realized that this was another representative from Soleil.

"Aisha Rarelight, from Soleil," the girl said. But her tone was different. She abruptly stood up, interrupting Rumiya, who was about to say something more. Aisha didn’t even glance at her, as if she hadn’t noticed.

A simple gesture, yet so provocative. The way she interrupted made it seem like she had the right to speak first. A light silence passed through the class, with several students noticing it.

It was immediately clear that Aisha considered Rumiya not as important a person as herself. Rumiya was part of the main family, but for Aisha, it seemed, that didn’t matter. Just a distant fact that wasn’t worth paying attention to.

The atmosphere was tense. Harabi felt her face grow cold from the inner tension. She didn’t know what would happen next, but she understood that her peers weren’t ready to accept her easily. Aisha’s gaze was icy, as if she was trying to convey that this meeting was for her, not for Rumiya.

Mr. Kim, evidently noticing the tension, smoothly eased the situation, like a professional. "Thank you," he said, his voice calm. "Now we will go over your curriculum, and then we’ll begin the lesson."

But even his intervention couldn’t fully smooth out the tension that hung in the air. The class was, in essence, silent, but it was a tense silence, like a string stretched tight between one gaze and the next. After all, each of them came from noble families, and here began a new chapter in their lives. And though each carried the weight of their past, only new challenges awaited them ahead.

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