Restrained Grief

The next morning, as sunlight streamed through the academy's high windows, Liyana left Delyan's dormitory humming an out-of-tune little ditty. Her steps were brisk, and she radiated a sense of total refreshment.

"Hmm... there are still quite a few empty rooms in the manor. I'll ask Xia Lun later if we can just have Delyan move in too. Nobody lives in them anyway, so leaving them empty is such a waste..." Liyana muttered to herself. "Wait, no, that child Yisi is still at the manor. Her identity would be a bit hard to explain..."

Liyana scratched her head, thought about it a bit more, and decided it was too much trouble. Better to just drop it.

Delyan's family seemed to be well-known nobles anyway, so she certainly wasn't short on money.

"Hum, hum, hum..." The cheerful tune resumed as Liyana started walking again, strolling somewhat arrogantly down the middle of the path, soaking in the morning light.

Time flew by so fast. She was about to graduate from the magic academy.

It felt like her enrollment was just yesterday...

Wait.

Liyana suddenly remembered something.

A thought hit her like a bucket of cold water—could she even graduate?

What magic did she actually know? Aside from a few of the most incredibly basic low-tier elemental spells, all she had left were little parlor tricks like making flowers bloom on a bed—things only good for setting a mood.

Even if Wolund was the principal, letting someone like her graduate from the magic academy would probably be pretty difficult, right? You could rely on connections to get admitted, but surely not to graduate...

Whatever. It didn't matter if she couldn't graduate; she was only here to accompany Xia Lun and experience life anyway.

Hah, Xia Lun probably wouldn't be able to graduate either. She had never even seen him use any magic.

The grand and mighty Hero, unable to graduate from a magic academy. That would be too embarrassing... Liyana thought, gloating a little.

Wait, no. With Aina around, Aina could probably help him cheat without anyone noticing.

Aina was a living fossil in the magic world. Liyana couldn't even imagine what level Aina's magic had reached after a thousand years of refinement... Casting spells for someone else would probably be a piece of cake for her.

Xia Lun would just need to strike a pose, and Aina's magic would flawlessly shoot out.

Hehehe, that sounded a bit weird... Liyana broke into a knowing, mischievous smile.

Just as Liyana was lost in her wild imagination, a petite figure crashed right into her.

"S-sorry! I'm looking for my classroom..." a somewhat panicked voice rang out.

"Ah, it's fine. I was spacing out too."

Liyana steadied herself and looked down. The person who had bumped into her was a very young girl, wearing a thick, fuzzy animal-hide coat. Looking like a little snowball, she tilted her head up, her large eyes blinking as she stared at Liyana.

Although she was a bit tempted, the other party was far too young—only about thirteen or fourteen years old. Liyana still had her principles.

What a beautiful lady, and an elf at that. Anana was instantly stunned as well.

"Little girl, are you from the snowfields?" Liyana looked at the robe Anana was wearing; this kind of animal-hide garment was highly recognizable.

"Yes!" Anana answered quickly and loudly, like a student called on by a teacher.

"What a coincidence. I just came back from there," Liyana said, a nostalgic smile appearing on her face. "The snowy scenery of the snowfields is truly wonderful. Having snowball fights with friends is so much fun, and the beast milk is delicious too..."

"Really, really? The snowfields are indeed a great place!" Hearing Liyana praise her hometown, Anana's eyes sparkled.

"Um..."

Anana suddenly realized that she clearly didn't have time to keep chatting with Liyana here. "Excuse me, do you know where the training grounds are?"

The training grounds? Liyana actually knew this, seeing as she had been wandering aimlessly around the academy for a while.

"Oh, sorry, sorry! You have a class to get to, right? Let me take you there!" Liyana offered enthusiastically.

She had nothing better to do at the academy anyway.

"Really? Thank you so much!" Anana let out a long sigh of relief, her tense shoulders finally relaxing.

"But you know, these are the most basic things, you really should pay more attention to them..." Liyana put on the airs of a senior student. "You're a student of Olifando, after all."

"Ugh... I know. Actually, I looked for today's classroom yesterday..." Anana's voice sounded a bit aggrieved. "But this place is just too big, and I forgot the way again today."

So she was just a little directionally challenged. Liyana smiled slightly.

Although she hadn't been here long, Liyana was very familiar with the academy. Weaving left and right, she soon led Anana to her destination.

Unfortunately, it seemed they were already late.

With Anana's arrival, everyone's gaze immediately focused on her.

"It's Anana the Skinner!"

"To think she'd be late for the very first session of such an important class."

"As expected of her, easily doing what the rest of us couldn't."

Liyana pricked up her ears, a bit surprised. She hadn't expected Anana to be quite so famous.

A young man wearing a lecturer's robe and gold-rimmed glasses walked over with a frown, his expression stern.

"Student, today is the first day of practical class. Magic practice is an extremely important course, and I hope you will take it seriously," Gauss said earnestly, adjusting his glasses with one hand.

"I am very sorry, sir," Anana lowered her head slightly, feeling ashamed.

"Ah, it's you!" Liyana, who had come along with Anana, pointed at Gauss as if discovering a new continent, her voice crisp and loud. "You became a teacher too!"

This sudden greeting made Gauss's face stiffen, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.

He had some impression of Liyana as well.

Back then, he and a few other upperclassmen had ventured into the Ash Corridor Labyrinth alongside Liyana's group.

Halfway through, Aina and Xia Lun had gotten lost, and they ended up bringing back a Yisi, though that was something only Liyana knew about.

"Ahem, what a coincidence, Miss Liyana. So you've returned from your field practice expedition."

"Field practice expedition?" Liyana tilted her head, but she quickly caught on. "Ah, right, field practice expedition!"

Hmm...

Liyana suddenly fell into deep thought again.

What was this guy's name again? Liyana remembered he had a twin brother who looked just like him.

"Gawain! You're Gawain, right?"

"My name is Gauss."

"Oh, then Gawain must be your older brother." Liyana slapped her forehead.

"I am the older brother. My younger brother is named Goth," Gauss said helplessly.

"Then where is your brother?" Liyana asked curiously.

"He left. He's no longer here." Gauss shook his head and sighed, seemingly missing his brother very much.

"Ah, my condolences." Liyana shook her head as well and patted Gauss on the shoulder. "The dead cannot be brought back to life..."

"He went to the Truth Academy of Magic," Gauss added.

Liyana scratched her head. "Ah... congratulations, then?"