The orientation tour with the Archmage had been... enlightening.

If by enlightening, one meant discovering increasingly alarming ways to die within the Academy's grounds.

"...and of course, the fourth floor of the Eastern Wing is strictly off-limits unless you wish to experience temporal displacement," Elyndra was saying, her voice oddly cheerful for someone describing what sounded like a horrific fate.

Amy trailed behind the group of first-years, maintaining a careful distance. The other six kept exchanging nervous glances, occasionally whispering to each other when they thought the Headmistress wasn't paying attention.

Two girls had already introduced themselves to her in a somewhat awkward manner. She recognized Alba from the manga, a sweet pink-haired girl. The other she did not remember, her name was Stella and she had both red eyes and hair, she seemed to be rather close to Alba. She could tell by the way the others walked and behaved, that those two girls were probably the only non-nobles in this group. It was actually quite interesting how it felt already like groups were being formed between the first years.

"The Royal Academy of Mystical Arts exists in multiple dimensional planes simultaneously," Elyndra explained as they walked. "What you see is merely the physical manifestation of a much larger magical construct."

One of the new students—a tall boy with copper-colored skin and intricate markings along his temples—raised his hand. "Ma’am, is it true that the school itself is sentient?"

Elyndra's lips curved into the ghost of a smile. "Not precisely, Mr. Tallen. Though some might argue the point."

As they turned a corner, the hallway opened into a circular chamber with seven doors, each marked with a different elemental symbol.

"This," the Headmistress said, "is the Hall of Elements, where most of your practical training will take place."

She gestured toward each door in turn. "Fire. Water. Earth. Air. Light. Shadow. And Spirit. Your studies will encompass all seven, regardless of your personal affinities."

Amy stared at the doors, recognizing them from the manga. Beyond each threshold lay specialized training chambers designed to harness and amplify particular magical energies. She remembered the spirit room in particular—a place where students with prophetic abilities spent hours in meditation.

The Headmistress continued the tour, leading them through training grounds, libraries that extended beyond the visible space, and commons areas where older students gathered to study or socialize. Throughout it all, Amy maintained her distance from the other first-years, observing rather than engaging.

"Class S students have access to restricted areas of the Academy," Headmistress Elyndra explained as they walked. "Including the Celestial Observatory, the Vault of Relics, and the Archived Records chambers. However—" she paused, her gaze sweeping over the six new students, "—such privileges come with heightened expectations. Any misuse will result in immediate probation."

[She certainly knows how to set the mood,] the book whispered from her satchel.

"Quiet, I’m trying to listen," Amy murmured under her breath.

"Did you say something, Miss Stake?" the Headmistress asked, turning her penetrating gaze to Amy.

"No, Ma'am," Amy replied quickly, straightening her posture.

The Headmistress studied her for a moment longer before continuing their tour.

After what felt like hours of winding through the Academy's impossible geometry, they arrived at a circular chamber with seven doors, each marked with different arcane symbols. At the center of the room stood an elderly, stern-looking bald man with a silver-streaked beard and piercing blue eyes. He wore a deep purple robe adorned with very expensive-looking jewelry.

"Ah, Vanheim, right on time, I'll leave them in your care," Elyndra said, then turned towards the students. "First-years, this is Professor Vanheim, your lead instructor and the head of Class S. Make sure to treat him with the respect he deserves."

Ah, this guy. I remember him from the manga. I wonder why he wasn’t at the ceremony.

"Thank you, Headmaster Elyndra."

After nodding to each other, the woman walked away in the direction they had come from and rapidly disappeared from view.

"Welcome to the Academy," Professor Vanheim said, his voice deep and resonant. "While you are under my tutelage, you will be pushed beyond your limits. Some of you will not remain in class S by the end of the semester. Those who succeed will find themselves transformed in ways you cannot yet comprehend."

[Cheerful fellow, isn't he?] the book commented.

Amy resisted the urge to shush it again, instead focusing on keeping her expression impassive.

"Your other primary instructors will be Professor Kaelen, whom you met at the ceremony, specializing in Prophetic Arts," Vanheim continued. "Professor Lirienne, who will teach Elemental Manifestation, and Professor Drayke, responsible for Combat Applications."

As if on cue, three doors around the chamber opened simultaneously, and the mentioned instructors entered. Amy recognized Kaelen with his unsettling white hair and black eyes. Beside him walked a petite woman with vibrant green hair that seemed to shift and flow like water—presumably Professor Lirienne. The third was a broad-shouldered man with burn scars covering half his face, a tail and wolf ears, and a mechanical prosthetic arm—Professor Drayke, she assumed.

"We will now assess personally your baseline abilities," Professor Vanheim announced. "This information will help us tailor your curriculum appropriately."

"But I thought our abilities were private—" one of the first-years began—a slender boy with cat ears.

"Your abilities are classified unless you choose to share them, yes," Vanheim interrupted. "However, your instructors must obviously know what they're working with. The assessment is confidential and will be shared only among the teaching staff. Moreover, we already know your abilities, you took the entrance exam remember? This is merely for us to acquaint ourselves more thoroughly with your powers."

The boy fell silent, looking somewhat embarrassed.

"Each of you will be evaluated individually," Vanheim continued. "The rest will wait here until called."

Professor Vanheim pulled out a small crystal orb from his robe pocket and consulted it briefly. "We'll start with Alba Silvermoon."

The pink-haired girl Amy had noticed earlier stepped forward, her shoulders tensing visibly. With a gentle smile, Professor Lirienne guided her through one of the seven doors—the one marked with the symbol for Light.

"Do try to relax while you wait," Professor Drayke said to the remaining students, his voice surprisingly gentle despite his intimidating appearance. "The assessment isn't a test you can fail—it's merely informational."

The first-years exchanged nervous glances but said nothing. Amy leaned against a pillar, trying to appear casual while her mind raced. She needed to figure out exactly how to present her abilities, once again.

As the group waited for Alba to return from her assessment, the red-haired girl Stella, who had introduced herself earlier with Alba, approached her with a friendly smile.

"First time in a place like this?" Stella asks, gesturing around at the ornate chamber. "It's all pretty overwhelming, isn't it? I keep expecting someone to tap me on the shoulder and tell me there's been a mistake." She laughed nervously, tucking a strand of crimson hair behind her ear.

"It does feel surreal," Amy replied carefully.

Do I need to keep the mysterious act even here, or can I just talk normally…? I suppose it's better to keep it going, just in case. Can’t risk breaking my character.

"Exactly!" Stella's eyes lit up. "I mean, temporal displacement? Multiple-dimensional planes? I'm still trying to wrap my head around not getting lost on the way to breakfast, let alone avoiding death by weird magical accidents."

Amy nodded. "The Headmistress certainly has an interesting way of welcoming new students."

"So," Stella lowered her voice, leaning in slightly, "what's your ability? If you don't mind me asking. I'm just curious since we're all Class S and everything."

Before Amy could decide how to respond, a voice cut in from nearby.

"You know, it's considered extremely rude to ask about someone's ability outright in higher magical circles," said Tallen, the copper-skinned boy with temple markings. He approached them with a slightly condescending smile. "It's like asking someone about their family fortune or bedroom habits. But I suppose commoners wouldn't know proper etiquette."

Stella's face flushed almost as red as her hair. "I—I didn't mean—"

"Amy Stake," Professor Vanheim's voice cut through the conversation as he reappeared at one of the doorways. Alba followed behind him, looking slightly dazed but unharmed. "You're next."

Amy straightened, giving Stella an apologetic look. "I should go."

"Good luck," Stella whispered, still flustered from Tallen's interruption.

“Thanks.”

As Amy walked toward Professor Vanheim, she could hear Stella turning to confront Tallen behind her, but the heavy door closed before she could catch what was being said.

Professor Vanheim gestured for Amy to follow him through the doorway marked with the symbol for Spirit. Unlike the other doors which had opened to reveal well-lit chambers, this one led to a narrow, dimly lit corridor.

"This way, Miss Stake," he said, his tone clipped and efficient. "Professor Kaelen will be conducting your assessment, as he specializes in divination arts."

Amy followed. The corridor twisted in a way that defied normal geometry, making her slightly dizzy.

[Spatial manipulation. Rather impressive work.]

"...why is everything so unnecessary and weird in this world…?" Amy muttered under her breath.

[Looks cool. No other reason is necessary.]

The corridor finally opened into a circular room illuminated by soft blue light emanating from crystals embedded in the ceiling. Unlike the grand, imposing spaces they'd toured earlier, this room was intimate, almost austere in its simplicity. In the center stood a stone table with strange markings etched into its surface. Around the perimeter, shelves held various artifacts—crystal balls, ancient texts, and containers of what looked like liquid starlight.

Professor Kaelen was already waiting, his unsettling black eyes seeming to absorb the blue light rather than reflect it. Beside him stood Professor Lirienne, her flowing green hair now contained in an elaborate braid.

"Miss Stake," Kaelen's voice was soft yet somehow carried an undercurrent that made the hair on Amy's arms stand up. "Welcome to the Seer's Chamber."

Amy inclined her head in acknowledgment, trying to project calm confidence while internally scrambling to decide exactly how to present her abilities.

"I initially planned to use the Veritas Mirror for your assessment," Kaelen continued, gesturing to a familiar ornate mirror resting against the far wall—the same one she had encountered during her inscription test. "However, after reviewing your entrance examination more thoroughly, I believe a different approach would be more... illuminating."

"The Veritas Mirror? What exactly does it do?"

Last time she had asked and they told her somewhat politely to shove it. Her curiosity hadn’t disappeared yet, though.

“It’s quite complicated,” Kaelen's lips quirked in what might have been amusement. "Simply speaking, it reflects the truth of one's magical essence. Most find it... confronting. But that's not our concern today."

He moved to a cabinet and removed what appeared to be a small wooden box inlaid with silver. When he opened it, Amy saw what looked like a collection of smooth, dark stones arranged in a spiral pattern.

"The Nexus Stones," Professor Lirienne explained, noticing Amy's curious glance. "They respond to temporal disturbances and prophetic energies. Perfect for assessing a Seer's capabilities. Though very very expensive."

Kaelen placed the box on the stone table and turned to Amy. "Your entrance examination indicated that your abilities allow you to see convergence points—moments where choices matter—and that you follow non-temporal signs to guide yourself through these choices. Is that correct?"

Amy nodded, mentally rehearsing the description of her supposed powers that she'd been refining.

“You are such an interesting creature, Amy,” Kaelen murmured, his black eyes unnervingly fixed on her.

Holy fuck this guy is creepy…

Kaelen exchanged a glance with Professor Lirienne before turning back to Amy. "Please, approach the table."

Amy stepped forward, keeping her breathing steady despite her racing heart.

"Place your hands on either side of the box," he instructed. "Then close your eyes and attempt to access your abilities. Focus on the stones—they will help channel your prophetic energies."

Amy did as instructed, placing her palms flat on the cool stone table, and flanking the wooden box. She closed her eyes, feeling slightly ridiculous as she pretended to concentrate.

What am I supposed to do now? Fake it?

[Look within. The power is there, even if you don't understand it yet.]

Amy suppressed a sigh and tried to clear her mind, not really expecting anything to happen after yesterday’s failures. To her surprise, she began to feel a subtle warmth spreading from her hands into the table, as if the stone were drawing something from her.

"Interesting," Kaelen's voice seemed distant now. "Continue."

The sensation intensified, a gentle pulling that gradually grew more insistent. Amy felt a strange pressure building behind her eyes, not painful but disorienting, like trying to focus on something just outside her field of vision.

"What do you see?" Lirienne asked, her voice sounding as if it came from underwater.

"I..." Amy hesitated, uncertain whether to fabricate something or admit she saw nothing.

Then it happened.

The darkness behind her closed eyelids shifted, sprouting tendrils of light that branched and intertwined like a vast, luminous web. Each intersection glowed more brightly than the connecting strands, pulsing with potential.

"I see... connections," Amy heard herself say, her voice sounding strange to her own ears.

"Can you follow any particular thread?" Kaelen pressed.

Amy tried to focus on one of the glowing intersections. The effort sent a sharp pain lancing through her temples, but the strand brightened in response.

"Yes," she said, gritting her teeth slightly against the increasing pressure. "But it's... difficult. Taxing."

She attempted to trace the thread further, curiosity overcoming her caution. The pressure behind her eyes intensified to near-pain, and sweat beaded on her forehead.

The thread led to another nexus, this one burning so brightly she could barely perceive its shape. Something about it felt significant—urgent, even—but when she tried to focus on it, the connection snapped with an almost audible crack in her mind.

Amy gasped, her eyes flying open as she stumbled back from the table. The room spun around her, and she might have fallen if Professor Lirienne hadn't steadied her with a surprisingly strong grip.

"Take it easy," Lirienne murmured.

[Ability: Fate’s Sight has increased to level 2.] The book's voice resounded in her mind in a fully robotic way.

Amy blinked in confusion.

Level 2? That easily…? After an entire night of trying to do this shit…

"Remarkable," Kaelen was saying, studying the Nexus Stones, which had rearranged themselves into a new pattern. "You have unusual potency for an untrained Seer."

Amy steadied herself, trying to process what had just happened. She hadn't been faking. Something had actually occurred, something beyond her control or understanding.

"The stones rarely respond so... dramatically," Kaelen continued, his black eyes fixed on her with new intensity. "What exactly did you perceive?"

"Threads," Amy said, deciding to stick as close to the truth as possible. "Connecting points of significance. When I tried to follow one thread to its conclusion, it became too overwhelming."

Kaelen nodded slowly. "As expected. Prophetic abilities are among the most physically and mentally taxing forms of magic. Without proper training and conditioning, extended use can lead to severe consequences."

He closed the box containing the now-rearranged stones and set it aside. "You will need to develop both strength and restraint, Miss Stake. Your potential is considerable, but so are the risks."

Professor Vanheim, who had been observing silently from the doorway, now stepped forward. "We'll incorporate specialized endurance training into your regimen. Physical conditioning is essential for Seers—the body must be strong enough to channel prophetic energies without burning out."

Amy nodded, secretly dismayed at the prospect of physical training. She had always hated sports…

"One more thing," Kaelen said, stepping closer to Amy. "Did you encounter any... resistance during your vision? Any sense of being blocked or diverted?"

Amy hesitated, trying to interpret his question. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"Sometimes," Kaelen explained, his voice dropping to an almost intimate level, "other forces in the prophetic realm can interfere with a Seer's perceptions. Particularly when exploring certain... sensitive paths."

There was something in his tone—a probing quality that put Amy instantly on edge.

"No," Amy said carefully. "Just my own limitations, I think. As you said, I'm untrained."

Kaelen studied her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, abruptly, he smiled—a gesture that did nothing to warm his unsettling black eyes.

"By the way, did you know that my nephew Zayd is also a Seer? The only other student with prophetic abilities in Class S."

Amy kept her expression neutral, though inwardly she tensed at the mention of Zayd. In the manga, he had been a side character who later became significant to the plot—though not in a totally positive way, quite grey, in fact.

"The Gaspard family has a long tradition of prophetic magic," Kaelen continued, watching her closely. "In fact, we maintain something of a... superior expertise in the field. It's exceedingly rare for someone without Gaspard blood to manifest true Seer abilities."

[Cute way to say monopoly.]

Amy wasn’t particularly good at reading people, but she clearly understood that her existence wasn’t something they liked at the moment.

"I wasn't aware," Amy lied smoothly. "I'm the first in my family to show any magical aptitude at all."

"Indeed." Kaelen's smile remained fixed. "How fascinating. Perhaps you and Zayd could...become acquaintances. I'm sure he would find your perspective on prophetic methods quite illuminating."

The suggestion was delivered pleasantly, but Amy detected an undercurrent of something that made her instinctively wary. It was the same feeling she had while reading the shippers' comment, but way more creepy and scary.

"Indeed, perhaps," she replied neutrally.

Silence followed her words, and the two of them found themselves staring into each other's eyes for what felt like more than seconds.

"Well then," Professor Vanheim interjected in their staring contest, "that concludes your assessment, Miss Stake. You may return to the waiting area while we complete the evaluations of your classmates."

Amy nodded, relieved to be dismissed, and turned toward the door.

"Oh, and Miss Stake?" Kaelen called after her. When she looked back, his black eyes seemed to bore into her. "Do take care with those visions. Some paths are best left unexplored... especially by those who might not fully understand what they're seeing."

Amy maintained her composure as she exited, but once she was back in the twisting corridor, she released a shaky breath.

[Well, that was intense. And also quite interesting. Did you actually experience a vision, or were you acting?]

"I was mostly truthful this time," Amy whispered, keeping her voice low. "Something actually happened. What did you mean by 'Level 2'?"

[Self-explanatory, really. You leveled up, congratulations.]

"I see," Amy muttered. "We need to have a conversation later about this System thing. I still don’t fully understand how it works."

[That would indeed be recommended. It will definitely help with your future classes as well.]

Amy sighed. "Speaking of classes. I need to be careful around that creepy dude…and apparently around Zayd too."

[Indeed. One more thing to add to your growing list of concerns.]

"Thanks for the reminder," Amy replied dryly. "As if I needed more complications."

She paused before reentering the waiting chamber, taking a moment to compose herself. Despite the exhaustion weighing on her limbs and the lingering headache from whatever had just happened, she forced her expression into one of calm detachment.

This shitty manga was becoming more and more complex by the hour. The timelines she knew from the story were already shifting, and it had only been a single day—Kaelen hadn't even appeared in the original story, at least in the published chapters she had read, which were 225. Right now she was at chapter 152, which meant she had 70 chapters left of knowledge...so little, and yet so much was probably going to become obsolete if more things kept changing at such a rapid rate.

The worst part was that she couldn't do anything about it, it was she after all, who provoked these changes. The reason why Kaelen was here was probably due to her choosing seer as her ability.

And after that conversation where he not so subtly asked for her and Zayd to get close together... If it wasn’t obvious before, it was confirmed now. He was here for her…

"Adapt or die," she whispered to herself, then pushed open the door to rejoin her fellow first-years, mentally preparing for whatever new challenges awaited.

[How dramatic. Though not entirely inaccurate, I suppose.]

Amy returned to the waiting area, carefully maintaining her composed expression despite the throbbing headache pulsing behind her eyes.

Amy moved to a corner of the chamber, leaning against a pillar and closing her eyes briefly. The vision—or whatever it had been—had left her drained in a way she hadn't expected. The sensation reminded her of how she'd felt after staring at a computer screen for too many hours, except amplified tenfold.

[Are you alright?] the book asked from her satchel, its voice low.

"Not really," Amy muttered, keeping her voice to a barely audible whisper. "That was... intense."

[You should rest while you can. I suspect your day is far from over.]

Amy couldn't argue with that. She slid down the pillar until she was sitting on the floor, drawing her knees up to her chest and letting her head rest against the cool stone. From this position, she could observe the other first-years without being too obvious about it.

Alba, the pink-haired girl who'd already completed her assessment, sat on a bench nearby, fidgeting with the hem of her uniform jacket. She kept glancing at the door through, worry evident in her expression. The remaining two students—Tallen and another boy with silver-white hair whose name Amy hadn't caught yet—stood together near one of the other doors, speaking in hushed tones.

The sound of a door opening caused Amy to turn her attention. Stella emerged from her assessment, her face flushed and her hair slightly disheveled, as if she'd been running or exerting herself significantly. She spotted Alba immediately and hurried over to her friend, dropping onto the bench beside her and speaking in animated but low voices.

"Lysander Nightfall," Professor Vanheim called, and the silver-haired boy detached himself from Tallen's side with a confident stride.

One by one, the remaining students were called for their assessments. Amy remained in her corner, conserving her energy and observing. Tallen returned from his assessment looking oddly shaken, his copper skin ashen. The final student—a slender girl with dark purple hair and eyes to match—came back with a serene expression that revealed nothing.

Finally, when all six first-years had completed their assessments, the professors returned to the chamber. Professor Vanheim stood at the center, flanked by Kaelen, Lirienne, and Drayke.

"Your baseline evaluations are complete," Vanheim announced. "Your results and specialized training regimens will be finalized by tomorrow morning. For now, you will join the second-year students for an introductory session."

"Follow me," Professor Drayke said, stepping forward. "The second-years are waiting."

The six first-years fell into line behind Lirienne, with Amy positioning herself at the back of the group. As they walked, Professor Kaelen fell into step beside her.

"Miss Stake,"

Omfgggg! Leave me alone!

“Yes, sir?”

“Do you know what the most important quality is for those who follow fate?”

Amy tilted her head. Silence stretched between them. When it was obvious she was not responding, Kaelen opened his mouth.

“Intuition,” He said with a smile containing no warmth at all.

What is this weirdo getting at… Also, why is he so god damn creepy...?

“Miss Stake, do you want to know what my intuition says about you?”

“What might it be, sir?”

“That you are a liar.” He said, his voice pitched low enough that only she could hear. "I don’t know in which way or how, but I can feel it… It's both interesting and slightly unnerving…”

[Welp, it was nice meeting you, Amy. We had a good time, but alas, all things come to an end.]

“...”

“You are stronger than you look, aren't you?"

“...” What…?

[What…?]

“A word of advice. Hiding your powers will only make others doubt your identity. Especially in the times we live in…”

Before Amy could respond, he had already moved ahead to walk alongside Professor Vanheim, leaving her with an uneasy feeling crawling up her spine.

[...you really are quite something, aren’t you? A misunderstanding magnet of some sort. Saving the world might be either the easiest or hardest job for a creature like you.]

"..."

[If only he knew how right and wrong he was.]

Amy decided not to think further about whatever that had been and instead kept walking.