19 Field Trip? Part I

(Sorry for the delay. Between traveling, and some other things, I haven't had time to write. This shouldn't happen often.)

(Announcement: I am going to be posting the random things I write. If you like my writing and want to see what else I do, feel free to check it out. It should be visible if you check out the list of my other works.)

The rays of light penetrated through my closed eyelids. Rolling over, I buried my face into the pillow in an effort to get rid of the brightness.

*DING... DING... DING...*

I could only sigh as the morning bell sounded off like a stun grenade. The ringing reverberated through my head. I could feel the imminent onset of a headache.

I planted my hands down on either side of my pillow. "UGHHHHH!" I groaned loudly as I pushed off of my bed and lifted myself up.

Behind me I could only hear chuckling and a voice. "What's so hard about waking up in the morning?"

I flipped over and sat down. Looking down towards my groin area I laughed. "Trust me, for humans, waking up is only the second hardest thing in the morning."

Okami made a movement that resembled a shrug before hopping off the bed. "Let's shower before breakfast."

I closed my eyes. In through the nose, hold, out through the mouth, hold. I repeated this a few times, allowing the natural energy to refuel my body. For some reason, I had to do this every morning as of late. Ever since that weird stuff appeared on my skin, my body has been… abnormal.

Shaking my head, I headed to the bathroom after sliding off of the bed. I had never felt better so there mustn't be a problem.

After a quick shower, I stared at myself in the mirror for a few minutes. My body was starting to fill out slightly since that weird occurrence. I had slightly toned muscles that someone my age had no right to have. My skin was glowing with perfection and my hair was as smooth as silk. I'd even say that there weren't many my age that could compare to me in terms of looks.

I smiled and decided to finish my morning routine. I put my hair up into a bun and brushed my teeth. My appearance definitely made me look older. I started to wonder if I would start to grow facial hair at some point. Unfortunately, I don't know what my parents in this world looked like so I couldn't predict how I would look as the years progressed.

Before exiting the bathroom, I hung my towel to dry on a hook. I didn't even bother to put on my robe as I wouldn't remain naked for long. I was only walking about 10 feet to my closet anyways.

I slipped on a pair of briefs and then injected mana into the chain bracelet on my left wrist. The uniform enveloped my body in the blink of an eye. I smiled as I slipped my rings onto my fingers. I had decided to get a second storage ring. It was considerably smaller than the one I received from Mrs. Warren, but I was using it to store my books and any other academic material.

It was listed as the backpack in the school catalogue. It was just large enough to fit a dozen textbooks, a handful of notebooks, and writing utensils. Of course, these items could be replaced with other things such as laboratory equipment for more advanced students.

Ready for the day, I slipped on my new loafers and walked to the door after merging with Okami. After opening the door, two familiar faces were waiting for me.

Jacob smirked. "Right on time." He held his hand out and gestured towards Yanni. The duke's son could only sigh as he dropped a gold coin into the prince's hand.

I shook my head as I reached up, stretching my arms. A deep yawn accompanied the beautiful stretch. "You guys are too much. Let's go eat. I'm starving."

The three of us headed towards the cafeteria. When we arrived, I found the three girls already sitting at our usual table, enjoying some tea and biscuits. I smiled upon seeing this.

The three girls were nice to hang out with. I really enjoyed their company. I felt that we had become friends even after spending one night together. It was definitely a lot of fun.

We quickly grabbed our food and joined the girls. We sat in the same order that we did during the dinner party the other night.

Jacob looked quite happy this morning. "Remember to rest up. We have our first match tonight."

I shook my head. I couldn't understand why he was so excited about it. "What's the big deal?"

In response, everyone turned to look at me with their mouths agape. I felt as if I was being examined by a group of explorers that discovered a man that had been living in the forest for fifty years.

Jacob laughed. "MMA is the biggest stage on the continent, possibly the entire world. Not many things can measure up to it. It is quite normal for the royal families of the kingdoms and empires to attend the higher level matches. We could be superstars!"

I sighed as I sunk in my seat, continuing to chew my breakfast. I washed it down with a sit of tea before replying. "Fame is troublesome. I'd rather be low-key."

Jacob shook his head. "With that attitude, you will be quite restricted in the future. The name of a royal academy can only get you so far."

I shrugged. This wasn't a worry of mine. I would honestly prefer to move around in an incognito fashion. This is especially going to be the case when I explore the world.

Breakfast ended and the morning went by peacefully. As expected, Magical History was very interesting. For me, Aetheria was fascinating. Otherwise, nothing notable happened and that delighted me. Smooth progression is my favorite kind of progression. Who would choose to add unnecessary obstacles to something as simple as a daily routine?

That was at least the case until I arrived at Mana 101. Weirdly, both Professor Thoreaux and Hanako Sensei were waiting in the lecture hall for us. Louis had a white winter jacket on over his usual sweater. He also had a scarf wrapped around his neck. Rather than his usual dress shoes, he was wearing brown leather boots. He looked ready to go on a hike. Hanako was wearing a long, white parka that almost reached her knees. She was also wearing snow boots that had some fur poking out of the tops. Both of their jackets had the White Dragon insignia.

Seeing the way they were dressed, I froze. I had completely forgotten that we were going outside today! The White Dragon was in the North of the kingdom. With the Azure Empire bordering the Dragon Kingdom in the South, nothing sat to the North of the kingdom's borders other than the frigid waters of the Northern Ocean.

Due to the kingdom's location in the Northern hemisphere, it might be presumed that it must have a cold climate. However, this was only partly true. The massive size of the kingdom made it so that there were a few different climates within it. For most of the year, the Southern regions were quite warm. Even in the winter, it was very rare for the temperature to drop low enough for snow to fall. The middle of the kingdom had a typical cycle of the four seasons. The North, however, was bitterly cold. The freezing waters of the Northern Ocean kept the temperature low throughout the year. It would occasionally even snow during the summers. In turn, the winters were harsh. Even a mage that could keep their body warm would suffer from exhaustion after long periods of exposure to the weather if not properly dressed. Unfortunately, I found myself in the North during such a winter.

I couldn't figure out what to do. Coming from the South, I did not own clothing that could keep me warm in this extreme cold. It was the exact opposite. Some days, I would struggle to convince myself to put on clothes due to how hot it was.

Not being able to figure out a solution, I decided to sit down and wait. There was no way that these two professors expected every single student to be prepared. As I watched everyone file in, no one else was dressed to go outside. I thought it was highly unlikely that everyone forgot about this special class session so I concluded that they must know something I didn't. Not even my friends were dressed for the cold.

Once the clock struck 11AM, Louis spoke. "Good morning, students. Today we will be going outside. I forgot to mention last time that this adventure will last until dinner time. Thus, Hanako Sensei will be joining us as she will be giving some outdoor instruction as well."

He then smirked. "I can see that you all came prepared! Worry not, all first year students are issued winter clothing. They are to be your uniforms when we go outside. You can pick up your jacket and snowpants at the same window that you received your uniform. We will meet in the reception hall on the ground floor in thirty minutes. Use that time to retrieve your uniform, pack lunch, and prepare in any other way you see fit. You are dismissed!"

Hanako and Louis quickly walked out of the room. It took only a few seconds for the students to start scrambling. Thirty minutes wasn't a lot of time. I sighed as I got up and rushed to the cafeteria. I needed to get food for both myself and Okami. After quickly storing some sandwiches in my personal ring, I rushed back to the kiosks to make some purchases.

Since I had funds in the form of points, I wouldn't dare to be caught wearing those raggedy old boots I had been wearing for a few years. Thus, I bought a few things. Since the value of points is so high, normal clothing items would often come in bulk. I was able to choose multiple items and only spend a few points. This was even with me choosing the nicest items I could find! I got a pair of waterproof leather boots made by a company called Timberlake. I also purchased several pairs of thick and tall socks to keep my feet and legs warm.

I was quite fortunate in this scenario. The kiosks were right next to the dorming area. Thus, I was able to acquire my new purchases quickly. With provisions taken care of and proper footwear retrieved, I headed to the ground floor to be issued my winter clothing.

At 11:30AM, I arrived in the reception hall. I was one of the last students to show up so I quickly found my friends. It was an interesting sight. Regardless of background, rank, standing, or anything else, everyone was wearing the same jacket and snow pants. They were white with black accents and had the White Dragon insignia.

Suddenly, everyone started shuffling outside. It took about thirty seconds for everyone to get through the doors. There wasn't enough space for everyone to fit through at once. Aside from the chatter between students, everyone silently followed the two professors.

After passing through the doors, I became very thankful. I couldn't imagine how much I would suffer if I had to use my light jacket and shitty boots to get through this weather. I didn't even own a pair of snow pants!

The ground was blanketed with a thick covering of snow. Apparently, there was a relatively small blizzard over the weekend. About two feet of snow dumped from the skies.

The large amount of snow yielded a beautiful sight. The ground sparkled in the sunlight, the rays scattering to create various colors of light. Small holes could be found when looking closely. These were left by the various animals that inhabited the surrounding forest. Even with the snow, they still needed to find food and move around.

Aside from the voices of the students, the forest was silent. This peace, this tranquility, it made me feel relaxed. I could only deeply breathe the cold air as I appreciated the winter wonderland around me. It reminded me of my old world. I lived in the North so snow was normal in the winter. I would never forget the time when we had this crazy blizzard. My dad took me outside during it and I wasn't even able to see my hand when I extended my arm out. The snow was pouring down like an avalanche. Once it stopped snowing, I got to go outside again. I was only six years old at the time but the snowfall was mind blowing. My dad carried me outside and then threw me into the snow on our front lawn. I sunk right into it and found myself in a hole that was deeper than I was tall! There must have been at least five feet of snow!

I smiled in nostalgia, hoping that maybe I'd get to see that magnitude of snow in this world. It would truly bring me some happiness and send me back to my childhood.

Jacob's voice broke me out of my nostalgic episode. "So, what do you guys think we are going to be doing out here?"

I thought for a moment. Then it came to me. "I'm not surprised they are taking us outside. Nature is where the elements are in their purest state. They flow freely and the mana is undisturbed. Think about it. The two classes that we are outside for are about mana and the elements. I'm not sure what they will tell us to do though."

Jacob nodded. "That makes sense. I guess we'll just have to wait to find out what that exactly means."