010 New and Old Faces (2)

During Alchemy and Artificing, nothing particularly interesting occurred. The classes mostly focused on explaining the fundamentals of both skills. However, Fenris found the subject matter of exploring a new branch of magic highly intriguing. He took the class seriously, diligently filling his notebook with extensive notes and practically transcribing every word from the teacher.

Moving on to the third period, another double class, Fenris's excitement was palpable, as spellcasting was his forte. Arriving early, he opted to sit at the front to ensure he would be noticed by the teacher. He eagerly speculated on who the instructor might be, hoping for someone who would bring fun and flexibility to the class.

As the classroom filled with people, side chatter soon followed. Amongst the sea of faces, Fenris's attention was drawn to a few familiar figures. There was Tristan, his self-proclaimed rival, who always seemed eager to prove himself. And then, there was a beautiful scarlet-haired girl, exuding an aura of overwhelming self-assurance. Whispers and broken segments of conversations from other students reached Fenris's ears, and amidst the fragmented discussions, the name "Elisé" seemed to be recurrent.

Gradually, Fenris pieced together the information, realizing that the enigmatic scarlet-haired girl was none other than Elisé Crane, the individual who had secured second place on the entrance exam, just one spot above him.

Nearly ten minutes passed, and the teacher was not yet here. Fenris began to grow concerned, arching an eyebrow as his eyes focused on the door, his impatience and eagerness growing by the second.

Suddenly, the door swung open, bringing everyone's attention to the right side of the room. The figure that stepped in was a beautiful green-haired elf, an enigma to all but Fenris, who instantly recognized her. "Sorry for being late, everyone," she apologized to the class before standing up on the podium and clearing her throat.

"I would like to start off by saying that I'm very glad to have all of you here today. I'm your professor, Ms. Rifa. I trust everyone will remember that, correct?" She asked politely, prompting the entire class to nod their heads in response.

'Since when did Rifa become a professor? Didn't she say she wished to grow stronger?' Fenris recalled the night of her departure, still in relatively recent memory for him. Seeing her back here now left him confused, but he figured there had to be a reason.

Rifa's gaze landed on Fenris, and she squinted slightly before breaking into a warm smile. The sight of his presence in her class brought a sense of joy to her heart. She knew that passing the entrance exam was no small feat, but she held unwavering confidence in Fenris's abilities and knew he would excel.

"Okay, class. For our first period, we're going to be diving into casting theory! Take out your notebooks and pay close attention," she instructed, and the students all promptly did as they were told. Fenris's excitement was palpable as he prepared himself for the class. Casting theory was an area in which he excelled, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation for what was to come.

Instead of using traditional chalk like other teachers, Rifa employed her Earth magic to telekinetically manipulate woven threads, forming letters that spelled out 'SILENT CASTING.' The unique display caught the attention of the students, leaving many of them perplexed. Rifa quickly noticed their confusion and addressed it.

"I can see that many of you are puzzled by what you see before you. Fear not, it's not as difficult as you might think," she reassured the class, her tone calm and reassuring.

"Silent casting is, as the name suggests, casting silently without an incantation. While trickier to learn, it is very useful for a mage in combat. While sometimes incantations are necessary for larger spells, in fast-paced combat scenarios, you'll be dead long before you can finish chanting your spell when fighting against a swordsman, for example," Rifa explained, while most of the class was furiously taking notes, only Fenris and a few others of the roughly forty attendees would look around, surprised by the ignorance of their peers.

As Rifa continued to elaborate on the life-and-death scenarios and the fundamentals of silent casting, Fenris found himself in that familiar bubble where he already possessed a solid understanding of the material. Nonetheless, he maintained an amiable smile, aware that the upcoming Combat Magic class would likely prove far more exhilarating. The rest of the class proceeded without incident until the end of the lesson.

As the first period drew to a close, Rifa wiped away the notes she had written and addressed the class. "Alright, it seems you've all done an excellent job of copying down the notes. Well done!" She applauded her students with enthusiasm.

"Now, let's move on to combat magic. We'll be taking the class outside, where you'll have the opportunity to apply what you've learned by practicing your spells on targets."

The class promptly made their way outside, heading to the same courtyard where the magical portion of the entrance exam had taken place. However, the targets had been repurposed, with their elemental signatures removed.

"To make things a bit more exciting, I've decided to turn this into a little competition," Rifa explained. "Depending on how accurately you hit the targets, you'll earn a certain number of points. You'll be given the class period to get as many points as possible."

'Hell yeah! That's the fun-loving mentor I've always known!' Fenris couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. His prayers for a more enjoyable class had been answered. He grinned, recognizing the fun-loving side he had always known in Rifa. Casting a determined gaze towards Tristan on his right, Fenris saw this as an opportunity to surpass him and gain some well-deserved attention.

Tristan simply ignored his gaze, knowing that his audience was watching him. Prioritizing insignificant things was just unnecessary trouble for him. He deemed Fenris to not be a threat, but under his poker face, he smirked at the boy's bark towards him.

Meanwhile, Rifa snapped her fingers, conjuring a magical barrier that enveloped the area, ensuring the class remained isolated from any external disturbances. "Just in case your magic loses control, we won't risk the safety of others," she explained with a smile before stepping back and raising her hand.

"Alright, begin!"

The students wasted no time, unleashing their spells upon the targets. Some opted for incantations, while others relied on silent casting. Fenris, leveraging his mastery of silent casting, launched projectiles faster than anyone else, gaining a significant advantage. The targets, designed to regenerate upon being destroyed, allowed for a continuous accumulation of points.

Numbered signatures appeared above each student's head, representing their accumulated points, making it easy to track and tally the results.

Fenris glanced around, observing how many of his peers were relentless in their efforts to destroy the targets, albeit at varying speeds. 'I must be far ahead of the others, right?' he wondered, a mix of anticipation and determination fueling his desire to outclass everyone else.

The competition intensified, with time flying by swiftly. As Rifa announced the class had reached the halfway mark, Fenris steeled his resolve, focusing solely on his goal of surpassing all others.

In the heat of the moment, Rifa blew a whistle, signaling the end of the exercise. "Time's up, everybody!"

With the barrier disabled, Rifa instructed the students to form a shoulder-to-shoulder line for a headcount. After carefully examining each student's score, she proceeded to announce the winner.

"What a surprise! Fenris Tonelico takes the victory with an astonishing 10,890 points! The highest score in the entire class!" Rifa exclaimed, a glimmer of pride evident in her voice as she celebrated her protégé's achievement.

Fenris's eyes lit up upon hearing the results, overwhelmed with joy at having not only surpassed Tristan but the entire class by a wide margin. This newfound success garnered the attention of many students, both male and female, who quickly surrounded him, their expressions filled with admiration. Tristan's face contorted with frustration as he watched the attention being stolen away from him. However, he stubbornly clung to his belief that Fenris must have cheated in some way, refusing to take him seriously.

After the conclusion of the class, Rifa motioned for Fenris to stay behind for a moment. Intrigued, he approached her, wondering why she had singled him out. "What is it, Rifa?"

"I've noticed some hostile glares coming from the tall blonde boy—" Fenris interjected, "Tristan," providing Rifa with the correct name. She cleared her throat and continued, "Yes, Tristan. Thank you. Anyways, I've heard he belongs to the Marwitz family. I've also observed that you displayed a heightened level of determination during the exercise. I advise you to tone down the competitiveness a bit when you're around him, for your own safety."

Fenris nodded, fully comprehending Rifa's concern. "Thank you. I appreciate your advice, and I will take it into consideration," he responded earnestly before turning away and leaving the courtyard. However, the lingering sense of suspense left Rifa worried, uncertain whether Fenris would truly heed her words, even if his intentions were genuine.