Silver University Tower [2]

"Hey, wake up."

"Nnh."

"Seriously, wakeup!"

"Nmm…. What?"

Ezra groggily raised his head, blinking as he was shaken awake by the student seated beside him.

As soon as he sat upright, he noticed the stifling silence in the room.

Eyes. 

Every single one of them, staring at him.

"Ah?"

His gaze shifted, landing on the imposing figure, who was wearing a pair of black–framed spectacles, standing at the center of the podium.

"You there," the Professor called for him.

"Yes?" Ezra straightened his posture, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

The Professor's piercing amethyst gaze locked onto him, sharp enough to make even Ezra shudder.

"Would you care to tell the class what's so important that you felt the need to nap during my introduction?"

Ezra blinked, his mind scrambling.

"I, uh…."

—Pftt….

—What's wrong with him?

Laughter rippled faintly through the room, quickly silenced by the Professor's sharp glance across the students.

"Silence." the Professor's voice cut through the commotion like a blade.

Ezra's tablemate muttered under his breath. "Good luck. I heard anyone that gets on his bad side would often be targeted."

Tak. Tak—!

The Professor stepped forward, his polished shoes echoing on the marble floor.

"Ezra Kaelus, isn't it?"

Ezra froze, staring intently at the Professor's amethyst gaze. Truth be told, he hadn't checked the curriculum at all.

He only knew the classroom, but didn't bother to check who the Professor in charge was.

"Y–Yes, Professor."

The Professor's brow arched, and the room seemed to grow colder.

"Good. You should have no problem answering my question then. Tell me, what is the foundational principle behind mana resonance?"

The question struck Ezra like a slap.

"Mana resonance?" he repeated, stalling for time.

"Yes. Or is that too much for the top ESAT scorer to handle?"

The room collectively held its breath, waiting.

Ezra ruffled his hair and sighed. "Mana resonance is the synchronization of mana waves between a caster and the surrounding environment. It creates a feedback loop that amplifies the flow of energy."

The Professor didn't nod or give any sign of approval. Instead, he paced slowly with an unreadable expression.

"A perfect answer," the Professor said, voice cold. "But it seems you lack the discipline to act like someone deserving of your position. Also, Ezra, it's Professor Vanitas, be sure to remember that."

"U–Understood, Professor!"

"Here, respect and effort take precedence over talent," The Professor continued, addressing the class now. "You'll find no shortcuts in my lectures. If you think you can coast by, leave."

His words lingered.

No one dared move.

"Good. Now, let's begin."

Vanitas turned, gesturing for his assistant, Karina, to distribute papers.

"Haaa….."

Ezra let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.

The student next to him whispered, "Guess you made an impression."

Who the hell even is this guy?

Ezra slumped forward. "Some impression…."

Vanitas, meanwhile, began writing on the board.

"Today, we start with the core mechanics of spellcasting efficiency. Open your textbooks to page three."

Flip— Flip—

The students scrambled to comply, some frantically flipping through their books while others, like Astrid, had already marked the page.

Ezra, however, reached into his bag, only to realize….

He'd forgotten his book.

No, he couldn't even remember if he bought one!

"Ah, shit."

The student beside him stifled a laugh, whispering. "You're fucked, man."

Vanitas's sharp eyes found Ezra again.

"No textbook, Ezra?"

"Uh, I think I left it at the dormitories…."

Ezra turned to the side, grinning sheepishly. "I'll just share with him," he said, gesturing to the student beside him.

Vanitas's lips curled into the faintest hint of a smirk, but it wasn't friendly.

"No problem then. But make sure you purchase one before the day ends."

"....."

How did he know!?

Vanitas turned his attention back to the board, seemingly uninterested in Ezra's plight.

"Now," Vanitas began, "before we delve into spellcasting efficiency, let's address the most common mistake young mages make."

The chalk in his hand scratched against the board, drawing precise diagrams of magic circuit formulas.

"Overexertion," he said, underlining the word with a sharp stroke.

"Mana is not infinite. Your core is not indestructible. Yet, many of you will foolishly push past your limits in an attempt to cast spells beyond your means."

Astrid raised her hand.

"Yes?" Vanitas acknowledged her.

"Professor, isn't overexertion sometimes necessary in battle scenarios?" Astrid said.

Vanitas nodded slightly.

"In dire situations, yes. But that is a calculated risk. What I'm referring to are the careless, reckless actions taken out of arrogance or desperation."

His gaze swept over the room, lingering briefly on Ezra.

"You may think you're invincible now, but your arrogance will destroy you."

Ezra sighed quietly, rubbing the back of his neck. Why did it feel like every comment was directed at him?

Vanitas continued, "The first step to understanding efficiency is knowing your limits. Open your papers. Question one will test your theoretical understanding."

Karina moved between the rows, distributing neatly stacked sheets to each student.

Ezra picked up his paper, glancing over the questions.

His head tilted.

These were…. surprisingly difficult for a first lecture.

"What's wrong?" whispered the student next to him.

"These questions," Ezra muttered. "They're not beginner level."

"No kidding. This guy's just fucking with us. If I knew we'd be having a test on the first day, I wouldn't have played League all night."

"Oh~? What rank are you?"

"Plati—"

"Care to share your thoughts with the rest of the class?"

Vanitas's sharp voice cut through the chatter.

The two students froze.

Ezra's tablemate, who had been mid-whisper, turned pale. "N–No, Professor."

Vanitas's piercing gaze didn't waver. He stepped forward, his polished shoes clicking against the marble floor. Tak. Tak—!

"If you find this class beneath you, feel free to leave."

"No, sir! I was just…." The student stumbled over his words, glancing nervously at Ezra.

"Just?" Vanitas prompted, folding his arms.

"Just…. discussing the difficulty of the questions," Ezra chimed in. "We didn't mean to disrupt."

Vanitas raised an eyebrow. "Then perhaps you'd like to answer question two aloud."

Ezra winced internally but nodded. "Of course, Professor."

Vanitas turned to the rest of the class. 

"Pay attention. Let's see if the top scorer can teach you something."