"Hi, I'm Niya!" calls a girl with lavender hair and bright blue eyes. Before I can even open my mouth, she laughs and shoves me aside, turning to Elsie.
"You must be Elsie, right? I've heard so much about your mother!"
Elsie's family is well-known in the city, but how dare she push me aside like that?
I roll my eyes and sigh quietly. But before I can say anything, a boy with wild red hair and sparkling orange eyes joins the conversation.
"So, what's so special about lelse mother?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.
Lelse? I blink in confusion.
"Do you mean Elsie?" I correct him automatically.
The boy scratches his head and grins sheepishly. "Oh. Yeah, that's what I meant."
Niya shakes her head and smiles broadly. "Her mom is famous! Elsie's mom is a celebrated singer, and I'm a huge fan of hers!"
Elsie smiles shyly and lifts her shoulders a little.
"Really?" she murmurs softly, nervously playing with a lock of hair. "I... didn't know she was still that well-known."
"Of course she is!" Niya exclaims enthusiastically. "She even sang at Prince Marent's coronation festival! And her song about the Wind Spirit was everywhere!"
The red-haired boy snorts lightly. "Great, and I thought we were here to learn magic not to have fangirl moments."
I give him a sidelong glance. Somehow, I like his attitude.
"What's your name anyway?" I ask.
He shrugs. "Taro."
"Ilana," I reply briefly.
He nods, then points to Elsie. "And I know her now thanks to her luxury-singer mom."
Elsie blushes slightly.
Niya claps her hands excitedly. "Oh, I'm so excited! Hopefully, we'll learn a really cool spell!"
Meanwhile, I glance one last time at the group Elsie, Taro, Niya...
It feels like something is about to start here.
"Can you all finally shut up? You're louder than a horde of goblins!"
I turn around, of course. The blonde guy from the hallway. His eyes narrowed, hands in his pockets, like he's about to explode at any moment. His voice is sharp like a knife, and his gaze leaves no doubt: He doesn't tolerate noise.
He looks at us as if we're the source of all his life's problems.
What a ray of sunshine.
"What's your problem?" I ask, annoyed.
He rolls his eyes. "My problem is that I wasn't enrolled to listen to kindergarten chatter."
"No one made you listen," mutters the red-haired guy next to me.
"Shut it, carrot. I didn't ask you."
"What's wrong with him?" Niya whispers, already taking a step back.
Elsie looks nervously between us. I sigh.
"Seems like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed."
"Tch. Just stay out of my way when things get serious," the blonde growls and turns away.
What a great first impression.
"Who is that?" I ask quietly, turning to the others curiously.
A boy I hadn't noticed before – dark blue hair, a slightly bored expression, leans over to me and answers calmly:
"That's Raik Lennox. His cousin is a general of the land."
For a moment, I forget to breathe.
A general? I stare at him.
My thoughts race. The generals... The twenty most powerful magicians on the continent. They not only lead troops but stand above normal law, acting in the king's name and controlling magic others can only dream of.
I remember the old reports my father once read to me. About a general who supposedly set an entire valley on fire with a single spell. Or about a general who tamed a dragon with nothing but her presence.
I look back at Raik the blonde boy leaning against the wall as if he can barely hold himself back. His eyes are sharp, cold, and his aura practically screams: "Leave me alone or you'll regret it."
He notices my gaze and slightly curls his mouth, not quite a grin, more of a silent warning.
I quickly look away.
What a presence.
No wonder he acts like the whole room belongs to him. If he really is related to a general, he probably learned from birth to listen to no one but himself.
A slight tingling runs down my arms.
Something tells me I'll be noticing Raik a lot more whether I want to or not.
"By the way, I'm Leo," says the boy with the dark blue hair calmly, his gaze lingering briefly on Raik.
I look at him for a moment, nodding briefly.
"Ilana."
"Niya," says the girl with the lavender hair, winking at me.
"I'm Taro," adds the red-haired one.
Elsie, who has been quietly standing next to me until now, smiles shyly and says softly, "I'm Elsie."
The group seems to be settling into place, each in their own way, quiet yet present.
The shrill sound of the school bell rings through the room, and immediately the atmosphere in the classroom becomes livelier. Some students glance at their notes, while others talk quietly. The first classes are about to begin, and everyone seems to be anticipating what's next.
The door opens, and a woman with red hair steps in. Her presence fills the room without her having to do much. She has a calm, collected aura that immediately draws attention. Her eyes scan the room sharply, as if briefly assessing each of us before she speaks in a quiet, but clear voice:
"Good morning. I'm Professor Aria, and I'll be your teacher for Magical Politics."