11: You Won't Mind Sparring With A First Year?

After the test ended, the students who passed were allowed to return to their dormitories. With no other activities scheduled for the day, they had time to unpack their belongings and become acquainted with the academy.

Evelyn, who had regained her composure and appeared as though she hadn't shed any tears just minutes ago, walked back to her dorm room. She noticed Zoya following closely behind her from the corner of her eye. She couldn't understand why someone as powerful as Zoya would want to be kind to her, especially considering her status as a member of the Dwight family from Fremoda City.

'Maybe she thinks I'm a Zeccammon because my ID carries the name Evelyn Zeccammon,' Evelyn pondered silently. To secure admission to the academy, their mother had them use the surname Zeccammon, even though their actual family name was Calder. The siblings, Elvis and Evelyn Calder went by this false name to ensure their acceptance into the academy.

In Humaldor, the human settlement located in Zitherland, there are five cities, each governed by a powerful family. Rylinth, the capital city, was governed by the Zeccammon family. Yaldor City was under the rule of the Hamilton family, Fremoda City belonged to the Dwight family, Zyra City to the Brown family, and Liventhon City to the Chesterfield family.

Dorcas, who was a Zeccammon before marrying into the Calder family, managed to secure spots for her children at the largest academy in Humaldor by using the Zeccammon name.

Evelyn wondered if Zoya's kindness was based on the assumption that she belonged to the powerful Zeccammon family. This made her question the authenticity of Zoya's actions. Regardless, as long as Zoya didn't become her next bully, Evelyn didn't mind playing along. This was especially true since Zoya was already an intermediate-level mage.

Lost in thought, Evelyn arrived at her dorm room without even realizing it. She attempted to open the door, but it was locked and wouldn't budge. It appeared to be securely locked, and she couldn't discern the reason why. She stood there, attempting different techniques to turn the doorknob, but all her efforts were in vain.

"Let me do it," offered Zoya as she caught up to her. Evelyn stepped aside, allowing Zoya to try her approach. She couldn't help but wonder if Zoya would freeze the door and break into the room. However, what Zoya did to open the door surprised and embarrassed Evelyn. Zoya simply took out her ID and tapped it against the door, prompting it to creak open. Evelyn stood there, stunned by her ignorance of how things worked in this magical world called the academy.

"What was that? How did you know that the ID would open the door?" Evelyn asked, still amazed by what she had witnessed, her curiosity piqued.

"This is a locking mechanism used at the academy. After the test is over, students are given their IDs, and the doors to the dorm rooms assigned to the students automatically lock. Only the person with the correct ID can access the door. Also, only mages at the Master level or above can open the door without an ID," Zoya explained while unpacking her belongings in the room.

Inside the room, there were two beds placed at opposite ends, each accompanied by a side table and a chair. A cabinet-like cupboard stood between the beds, dividing the space. On the wall, they could see the schedules and routines that the students were expected to follow every day.

Evelyn sat on her bed, feeling thrilled by the information that Zoya had shared. Somehow, she felt a rapport building between them, which allowed her to be more open and curious. She couldn't help but ask another question: "What if I fail the test and my belongings are already in the room? I wouldn't have an ID, so how could I retrieve my belongings and leave the school?"

"In that case, you would have to wait for your roommate, who passed the test, to open the door for you. And if both of you fail the test, you can seek the assistance of a teacher to unlock the door," Zoya replied. She finished unpacking and settled on her bed, facing Evelyn.

"Why would they go through the trouble of implementing such a locking mechanism? Do you know why? And will we always have to unlock our room like this?" Evelyn bombarded Zoya with questions.

"You certainly surprise me, Evelyn. Just a few minutes ago, you were crying and moody, and now you're curious and questioning me as if nothing happened," Zoya remarked, amused.

"Oh... that," said Evelyn, her voice low, as if her mood had been dampened. "I don't want to bother myself with those things. As you said, I can still improve."

The two girls continued their discussion as if they had been friends for years. Zoya explained that the locking mechanism was a simple measure implemented by their headmaster to prevent students from breaking into each other's rooms. From now on, they would always unlock their door with their ID card. After a few more minutes of conversation and getting to know each other better, Zoya left the room to explore the academy and familiarize herself with its surroundings.

With Zoya gone, Evelyn retrieved her amulet and fastened it around her neck. She summoned her fire once again and boom! A burst of flame erupted from her hands and spread towards her bed. Fortunately, she managed to extinguish the fire before it reached the bed. She experienced a feeling of contentment. Even though she was only a 1-star mage, with the amulet, she can compete with a 3-star mage.

Yet, she couldn't help but wonder about the nature of the amulet. It remained a mystery, even to her mother. When she asked her mother about it, she learned that she had possessed the amulet since birth. Determined to unravel this mystery someday, Evelyn couldn't stop thinking about it.

—— — ——

On the second floor of the male dormitory, a woman emerged from one of the rooms. At the same time, a boy with short black hair, tanned skin, and black eyes entered the same room after placing his ID on the door. Cedric, the boy, stood over six feet tall with a muscular build. The woman who had just left was Dorcas.

Elvis sat on his bed, wearing a troubled expression.

"Hey, Elvis. What's going on?" Cedric walked over to Elvis's bed and called out to him.

"I'm okay, Cedric," Elvis replied, attempting to conceal his bitter countenance.

"I heard everything, Elvis. I heard what your mother said, so don't try to hide it from me. We may just be roommates, but I consider you a friend. I saw the disappointment on your face when you watched your sister's performance, and I agree with your mom," Cedric said, attempting to help Elvis comprehend.

"I know, I know... I have been the worst brother ever. I'm so disappointed in myself right now, and I don't even know how to face her anymore," lamented Elvis, with his head down and his palm covering his eyes.

"Did you know it was the first time I ever saw her cry? She has always been good at keeping everything to herself. Instead of talking things out with me or our mom, she would isolate herself in her room and brood in silence. But today, she let it all out. It must have been so painful to hear those remarks and see the disappointed faces of other students, including mine. I've made a big mess of things, and with her personality, I just hope she'll ever talk to me again," Elvis rambled on, recalling his mother's words before she left.

"It's okay. She needs you now, and I understand that. Despite seeing your disappointment, she doesn't have anyone else on her side in this school. Everyone will try to take advantage of her low rank, which is why she needs your support. You have to be there for her, to protect her," advised Cedric as he pulled out a map from his pocket.

"For now, let's forget about this and go explore some of the departments in the academy. From tomorrow, we will have our orientation and be asked to choose a department to study in." Cedric got up from his bed and went to change his clothes.

—— — ——

Zoya arrived at the training grounds, which were divided into four different sections: the sparring unit, dueling unit, tournament unit, and general training unit. Her gaze was drawn to the sparring unit, where a girl with crimson hair and flickering flames had just defeated her sparring partner. She called out for another worthy challenger.

Judging by the silver dress she was wearing, it was evident that she was a second-year student and a powerful fire elemental mage.

Zoya approached the stage, her gaze cold as she looked at the other girl.

"I hope you don't mind sparring with a first-year," she said audaciously, causing a murmur of surprise among the other students standing by.