People say that the rhythm and sound of trains make the most wonderful lullabies. Without realizing it, Vane had fallen into a deep sleep. When her lashes lifted to meet the sunlight again, the train had already stopped at the platform adorned with the academy's insignia.
Professor Miro gently tapped her shoulder with his knuckles. Vane rubbed the sleep from her eyes as he led her off the train. The dome window filtered the midday sun into a pale gold silk, draping over the shoulders and hair of passersby.
Vane watched the train disappear into the blue glow of a dimensional rift behind her, suddenly realizing, "If they can run a dimensional train, why not just teleport us here directly?"
"Of course, I wanted to get to know the new students better!" Professor Miro smiled, "And large-scale teleportation consumes a lot of magic crystals..."
Watching his evasive gaze, Vane rolled her eyes in exasperation. This definitely sounded like Professor Miro's style.
As they stepped out of the station, dawn light was flowing along the edges of skyscrapers, and the glass facades shimmered with golden hues. Magic energy streams intertwined with steam pipes along the streets, and the air was thick with the metallic scent of alchemy. Professor Miro spread his arms wide, pointing at the sky with a cheerful voice, "Welcome to Herfah City—the wonderland where magic and steam dance together!"
Vane stood frozen in place, her gaze fixed on the dazzling cityscape before her. This vibrant urban landscape had washed away the faded world from her memories, leaving it like a blurred photograph. Although the middle-aged man waving his arms in front of her was more eye-catching...
"Here, do you not wear school uniforms?" Vane tugged at the sleeve of Professor Miro's coat, her tone curious.
"Did you see those insignias on the collars?" Professor Miro pulled a cat insignia from his briefcase, proudly waving it around, "Look, that's your enrollment credential. Just pin it on your clothes."
Vane took the insignia and pinned it on her hoodie, a wave of indescribable emotion rising within her. This small badge had been the object of so many hopes... "Now, I am also a student of Noren Academy," she murmured, her voice laced with complex emotions.
As they walked and talked, their conversation ranged from the mysteries of magic to the uncertainties of the future, filled with ease and curiosity. Unconsciously, their steps had already led them to the gates of the academy.
That gate was carved from deep gray granite, its surface adorned with intricate carvings of vines and leaves, as if the entire gate itself was a frozen forest. Under the sunlight, the stone seams seemed to seep with greenery, making one want to reach out and touch the gently undulating patterns, as if truly feeling life flowing within them.
Looking at the scene before her, Vane felt a strange sense of reverence. This was the entrance to another world, to an unknown destiny.
"This is Noren Academy of Advanced Magic—the cradle of elements and arcane!" Professor Miro suddenly stopped, performing an exaggerated waltz turn, making Vane unable to help but laugh.
"Actually, you don't need to treat me like a child..." she said with a hint of helplessness.
"How could I? It's my duty as a legendary mentor to make new students feel welcomed!" Professor Miro struck a serious yet absurd expression, as if he really was some kind of "Academy Ambassador."
Professor Miro led Vane into the campus, introducing the buildings along the way. "The building in front of you is the teaching building. The circular fountain in front of it is one of the academy's symbols." He pointed at the fountain shrouded in fine mist, which blurred the laughing students on the square into hazy silhouettes, as if painted with a golden edge by the sunset.
"Our right-hand side is the library, that glass-walled building looks like a tilted piece of amber under the sunlight." Professor Miro raised his hand, Vane followed his gaze, seeing the entire building reflecting the sky's light, mingling with the students walking by, while a faint spring breeze and sweet fragrance filled the air.
"Come on, it's getting late. I'll take you to see the dormitory first." Professor Miro said, leading Vane into the teaching building, then they suddenly turned right into a secluded corridor, taking the stairs all the way up to the fifth floor.
"The dormitory... inside the teaching building?" Vane frowned, looking at Professor Miro with a hint of confusion.
"Well..." Professor Miro rubbed his hands, seeming a bit embarrassed, "The west campus dormitories are all full. You're a special admission." He said, pushing open the heavy wooden door in front of him, wood chips falling from it, "But look at this treatment, didn't I tell you? This is a genuine single room!"
Vane stepped into the room, seeing the four parallel lightboard beds, and couldn't help but rub her temples in exasperation, "You call this a single room?"
"It's empty now, and in the future, you will be the owner of this place," Professor Miro patted his shiny bald head, smiling awkwardly, "And well, these four beds are reserved for future roommates. Roommates are all about fate."
He winked at Vane, raising his thumb, the sunset's afterglow illuminating his face with some warmth, "Well... at least, this is better than your previous leaking rental apartment."
"Starting today, I am your mentor!" Professor Miro said, attempting to perform a bow, but was caught by his round belly and tight waistcoat, making the motion particularly comical, "In short, please forgive me for any shortcomings. I won't disturb you to rest anymore." He said, turning to walk down the corridor, his slightly clumsy back disappearing around the corner.
Vane watched Professor Miro leave, then turned to examine this new room. Two bunk beds stood facing each other, two square windows letting in the evening light. Although the furnishings were simple, the space was relatively neat and bright.
Standing by the window, she looked at the gradually lighting up buildings of the academy in the distance, a wave of indescribable emotions rising in her heart.
"This... is the new life I'm about to begin." She murmured softly, then stepped into the room, beginning to familiarize herself with this new world that was now hers.
She stood in the middle of the room, slightly awkwardly surveying her surroundings, feeling both a little uneasy and secretly expecting something. Her fingers unconsciously traced the edge of the bed, as if confirming whether this room was real.
She casually picked up the school map left by Professor Miro, her eyes falling on the paper with a faint ink scent. Her fingers lightly traced the intricate lines and annotations — Noren Academy of Advanced Magic consists of three campuses:
Verdandi Campus — Main Campus (Academic and Research Center, housing various colleges, laboratories, and functional facilities)
Urd Campus — Dormitory and Living Area (Features multiple club activity rooms, lounges, and open-air courtyards, serving as a vital space for student socialization and relaxation)
Skuld Campus — Humanities and Arts Campus (Includes open-air theaters, concert halls, galleries, poetry corners, handicraft workshops, teahouses, bookstores, cafes, small theaters, and exhibition halls, acting as the academy's 'cultural heart')
When she came to her senses, the last traces of sunset had faded from the windowpanes, and silver moonlight had quietly seeped in. Her fingertips lightly brushed the cat paw pendant on her left ear — suddenly, a rift split the air. Her suitcase, laundry, and daily necessities tumbled onto the bedsheet, stirring fine dust that floated and settled in the moonlight, as if time itself trembled slightly.
She placed the dragon lizard crystal Road had given her on the bedside table. The little creature, seemingly exhausted, curled into a ball, its belly rising and falling with each breath, as though even its dreams carried a warm rhythm.
The evening breeze carried the scent of inked books, mingling with the resin aroma of the bed frame, brewing a subtle richness like a lullaby wine. The girl curled into a shrimp-like shape, her hair still clinging to the mulberry tree fluff from her journey — now finally resembling a dried-up salted fish, sprawling across the four corners of her new domain.
"Big sister, did you see?" she murmured softly, her eyelashes casting fragmented shadows under the moonlight, "In this room, the gecko will survive the rainy season again."
[Region • Board of Directors]
"The girl who wields black magic has arrived at school today, right?" A poised, middle-aged woman with golden hair asked in a voice laced with hidden gravity.
"Yes, I just arranged her dormitory." Professor Miro hurried to respond.
"Has the information leaked?"
"Rest assured, we sealed the news immediately after the 'Destiny' event and avoided crowds, using the dimensional magic train. Almost no one would notice."
"Still, we can't be careless... I hope this rumor spreads even more slowly." The woman's voice carried a tinge of concern.
"Is it really necessary to be so cautious? Our academy has the strongest guard force. Even the 'Steam Parliament' lunatics wouldn't dare act rashly, right?"
"You still don't understand, Miro," the woman shook her head, a complex flicker passing through her eyes, "The moment we accepted her, we've drawn the attention of different organizations, nations — even entire races."
"If that's the case, we must be even more careful about this power falling into extremist hands! Her magic holds infinite potential!" Professor Miro exclaimed, startled.
"Her magic... truly has the potential to comprehend all magic?" the woman asked, her tone both inquisitive and contemplative.
"Yes, according to our tests, Vane's magic can resonate with nearly all elements and all types of magic. Moreover... it's like a abyss, boundless and capable of swallowing every magical attribute."
"Vane? She wasn't called 'Blackie'?"
"Well..." Professor Miro paused, a faintly mocking smile tugging at his lips, "Stray cat... rummaging through trash... what was that phrase again?"
"Never mind, what she's called doesn't matter," the woman sighed softly, her tone suddenly mellowing, "An abyss that devours all magic is also a convergence of all spectrums, a beacon of hope." She lifted her gaze slightly toward the moonlight outside the window, as if waiting for something... the echo of fate, silently descending.
[The Next Day]
The moment morning light pierced her eyelids, the girl sprang up like a coiled spring. When she caught sight of the blinding daylight through the window, her heart nearly leapt from her throat: "Oh no! How long have I been asleep?!" She roughly kicked off the blanket and bolted out of the dormitory.
"Turn left then right... dammit! Where the hell is that damned theoretical class room?" Vane's canvas sneakers echoed sharply down the empty corridor, each step a desperate race against time. She gripped tightly the crumpled parchment schedule Professor Miro had given her yesterday, her palms slick with cold sweat.
"Ah! Found it!" She suddenly froze, her eyes sweeping over the glowing sign above the classroom door—the words "Elementary Theory of Elements "glaringly obvious in the corridor.
At that moment, the blue light spilling from the front door stretched her shadow long across the floor. Inside, the magic projection screen was playing the Elementary Theory of Elements. The girl crouched low, moving like a stealthy wildcat, slipping through the back door into the classroom. She held her breath, pressing against the wall as she moved, each step careful and cautious, fearing she might disturb anyone.
"The student who came in through the back door, arriving late on the first day of school?"
The homeroom teacher's voice cut through the air, laced with an enigmatic mockery. With a light press of her finger, the magic projection screen's image abruptly stopped. Behind her glasses, her gaze pierced like invisible blades, precisely locking onto Vane's crouched posture in the classroom corner.
A ripple of rustling noises filled the classroom as all the students turned their heads in unison, their stares converging on her like spotlights.
Vane froze in place, her cold sweat soaking the parchment in her palm. Slowly, she leaned against the desk to stand upright, forcing a strained smile onto her face: "Time... is relative, isn't it? Maybe... it's not that I was late. Maybe..." She swallowed hard, "you all arrived early?"
Silence fell over the classroom, even the hum of the ceiling fan became deafening. The unbearable weight of stares + the awkward joke = ultimate social death.
At that moment, a soft "pfft" echoed from the back right of the classroom, like crystal wind chimes crashing into glass windows, crisp and mocking, instantly shattering the awkward silence.
Realizing her lapse in composure, the purple-haired girl hastily covered her face with her textbook, her ears turning pink. Her frantic flipping of the textbook resembled a startled plush cat.
"Find a seat and sit down. Today we'll review the basics of magic theory." The homeroom teacher's voice came from the front, her tone carrying a touch of authority. She lightly tapped the remote control, and the holographic projection slowly resumed its flow.
Vane kept her head low, quickly walking to the back of the classroom and finding an empty seat. As soon as she sat down, she noticed her new neighbor—precisely the girl who had laughed earlier.
"I like that joke," the purple-haired girl turned her head and lowered her voice.
"Thank you, that joke… comes from a movie I really like." Vane smiled slightly, the corners of her lips lifting ever so slightly.
At that moment, the homeroom teacher suddenly passed between them, startling both of them into simultaneously shrinking back like frightened small animals.
Vane secretly turned her head, catching a glimpse of her neighbor's profile: the girl's lavender-blue gradient short hair naturally cascaded from her ears, the cool blue and dreamy purple blending like gauze, as if morning mist gently caressed the sunset, beautiful yet unreal.
The shoulder-length hair ended in lazy waves, as if touched by the sea breeze, casual yet elegant. The left strands lightly draped, delicate lines outlining her delicate facial contours, while the right strands were gently tucked behind her ear, revealing her slender neckline. Her full cheeks added a touch of childishness, while her straight nose carried a stubborn sharpness, the subtle curve of her nose tip hinting at an elusive charm.
Her pale blue eyes, like morning dew on the petals of a cornflower, radiated a cool yet dreamy light, as if she stood perfectly balanced between sharpness and softness.
The white pearl earring on her left ear lobe was particularly striking, like stardust falling to the mortal world, shimmering with soft light under the sun, glowing faintly with each subtle movement.
Suddenly, the bell rang, jolting Vane back to reality from her reverie.
"I wish I had known class was ending, I wouldn't have come in..." Vane suddenly muttered under her breath, covering her face with her hands, the muffled sound of her muttered commentary barely audible through her fingers.
"Do you want to go to the cafeteria together?" A sweet voice now softly fell into her ear.
Vane suddenly looked up, colliding with the purple-haired girl's falling hair strand as she leaned forward. In the backlight, her lashes were edged with gold, her pale blue eyes like melted starry lakes, even the lines of her smile were imbued with the sheen of honey.