3 3. The girl in the tree

"Young master Ash, are you sure you want to attend the magic academy. Your father can easily higher tutors for you." The bulter tried convincing the young man.

"Stop trying to convince me, Miles. Only in a competitive environment can I grow. I've already made up my mind." Ash said.

"This...alright. I'll handle your enrollment right now. Just stay here." The butler walked away towards the principal's office.

The moment the butler dissapeared from sight, Ash walked away immediately.

"I can't wait to see what my peers are like." Ash materialized a tiny mana ball that circled around him as he toured around the academy.

Ash was the beloved young master of the Bellot family. He was destined to inherit his father's assests as such he was sheltered and given the best tutors since a young age. He was only 14 this year but he managed to materialize his very first mana ball and managed to control it to a perfect degree already. As such he was labelled as a genius.

The academy was desserted at this point in time as all the students were in class. Ash did not even see a single soul as he was touring around.

He approached the freshman classroom and peaked inside. He could see the students meditating earnestly to draw mana from their surroundings.

"Hmph, bunch of trash." He scoffed arrogantly. He had always prided himself as the number 1 genius of his age.

People usually started training to become a magician at age 15 because that was when their body would be awaken and be able to attract mana. However, Ash had already been able to attract mana at 14. This made him naturally arrogant.

He continued strolling and somehow he managed to reach the courtyard.

"What a huge tree." He gasped. "I wonder if Miles would be able to find me, if i hide there." He thought. He loved pranking his butler and making him panic the most.

He started climbing the braches of the tree. It was tiring but he had trained his body from a young age and that made him be able to easily climb the tree.

"AHHH!" He shouted when he finaly reached the top branch. He nearly fell down for shock.

There was girl in resting on the branch.

"Uh, hello, who are you?" He asked.

"Emilia." The girl replied blandly.

She then paid him no heed and continued staring onto space.

"Hello, I'm Ash, nice to meet you." Ash greeted and extended his hand.

"Hello." Emilia mumbled but did not even glance at his outstretched hand.

"Haha." He awkwardly withdrew his hand.

There was then an awkward silence, and Ash began studying the girl in the tree.

She had long silver locks and very pale skin. Her academy uniform was extremely loose, indicating that she was very slim. Her eyes were a pale blue colour that seemed empty and dead, but at the same time it wanted to suck in people who dared to look her in the eye.

Ash found himself enchanted by her beauty.

"Whoops." He blushed as he noticed that he had been staring for a long time but the other party did not seem to mind.

It was only then he broke free of her enchantment and noticed the tiny blue balls circling around her.

"Mana balls?" He nearly yelped from shock. She looked like she was younger than him yet she had mana balls circling around her.

"1...2...3..4....5??" Ash wanted to faint from his shock. He was considered a genius from manipulating 1 mana ball yet this girl could manipulate 5 seemlessly. It could be said that even manipulating and maintaining 1 mana ball was tiring for him, he could easily collapse from the tiredness but the girl showed no fatigue whatsoever.

"Who are you?" He asked again.

"Emilia." Emilia answered plainly.

"No I mean, which clan are you from? The Vividan supreme magician clan? The Satrini great sage clan? Or perhaps The Faulena Adjudicator of magic clan?" Ash asked. All those clans he stated were the big 3 clans from the top 10 clans, who's offspring were all incredible geniuses that were labelled as children of mana.

Emilia shook her head.

"Then, are you from the Blazing fire clan? Flowing water clan? Fleeting wind clan? Unbreakable earth clan? Mysterious shadow clan? Holy light clan? Berserk lightning clan?" Ash shot out the other 7 clans from the top 10 best clans. These 7 clans were a step less powerful from the other 3 clans. They each control an element and their offspring are almost all magicians.

But Emilia shook her head again.

Ash scratched his head,

"Maybe she's just from another more mysterious clan." Ash thought to himself.

"Are you a freshman here?" Ash asked.

Emilia nodded.

"Me too. I'll be looking forward to meeting you." Ash said excitedly.

"Young master, where are you?" Ash could hear his butler's urgent cried. Miles sounded like he was on the verge of tears.

"I need to go, goodbye!" Ash said. "I hope to meet you again." He added after a while.

Emilia nodded.

Ash climbed slowly down the tree.

"Miles, how is it?" Ash asked after getting down.

"Young master thank god, what were you doing up that tree?" Butler Miles asked.

"Nothing much. So?" Ash asked.

"You have been enrolled. You are expected to move to the school dorms and attend class starting tomorrow." Butler Miles said.

"Alright. Let's go." Ash's heart leaped as he thought of meeting Emilia again.

He took one last look at the girl in the tree before leaving.

After Ash and his butler left, Emilia leaped down the tall tree. She did not fall and break her bones but instead something seemed to be cushioning her fall.