“You’ve already been learning from the great archmages of material magic at the Academy. You’re not taking those basic classes with me anymore, are you?”
Not knowing how to respond to Aurora, Flora thought she could brush her off with silence, but to her surprise, Aurora simply decided to go with her to class.
This gave Flora an indescribable feeling.
Unlike the naive and innocent girl she had imagined, Aurora was intensely jealous and possessive.
Whenever she saw other students being enthusiastic toward Flora, she would cling to her, as if afraid someone might get too close.
Flora didn’t exactly dislike it, but she felt that if things kept on like this, they would become quite odd.
“Is there a problem? Miss Flora, I just feel my foundation is a bit shaky, so I wanted to review the basics. Not everyone stays in the research lab cultivating magic herbs or fussing over a cauldron every day, you know.”
For a top student like Aurora, assisting the archmages was merely a way to help colleagues who were falling behind, sparing them some embarrassment from the teachers’ harsh criticisms.
But Aurora had long been regarded as an oddball.
No one truly appreciated her proactive efforts in the research institute, sharing the teachers’ burdens.
If she wanted to improve herself, what she really needed was more practical experience outside.
So she didn’t mind at all.
Now that Flora was around, someone who could keep her occupied and let her focus her energy elsewhere, there was no reason for Aurora not to stick by her side.
Besides…
“And you could be my teacher too, Miss Flora. In material magic, I need all that knowledge you have stored up.”
Someone’s earlier boast about being a healer’s mentor had given Aurora an endless supply of excuses and reasons.
In fact, the archmage who usually looked after the cauldron had been about to summon Flora herself, but once Aurora mentioned Flora’s name, she was gravely told to hold tight to such a wild powerhouse by any means necessary, and try to bring back some useful resources for the material magic research institute.
“A self-fulfilling prophecy, huh.”
She had dug this hole for herself, and there was nothing Flora could do but endure it.
But with Aurora acting like this, Flora’s plan to expand her social circle was about to fall flat.
Other than Purple Lan and Kate, since coming to the Imperial Academy, Flora hadn’t learned the names of any other students she could strike up a conversation with.
But maybe that was for the best…
Given her current status and her own personality, trying to be too proactive with anyone wasn’t exactly a wise move.
After comforting herself with these thoughts, Flora ignored the sharp glances around her, kept a calm face, and entered the classroom together with Aurora.
It wasn’t the start of the school year, so any unfamiliar face would be easy for the students to spot.
News of Flora’s arrival at the school had already spread far and wide thanks to Kate and several faculty members.
Moreover, most of the nobles at the party had come from the Imperial Academy.
So without Flora even needing to introduce herself, everyone in the classroom knew exactly who the blue-haired, blue-eyed, elegant woman was.
There was no gossip, nor too much attention.
Only curious glances swept over Flora from time to time…
Students raised under noble etiquette didn’t dare act improperly at the classroom door, especially with a woman Flora knew standing right there.
“Miss, there’s no need to worry.”
Flora heard a soft and steady whisper from Liz, the palace guard who had attended the banquet earlier with Lisette.
“Nothing absurd will happen here. Just keep your composure and treat them naturally.”
“Thank you.”
Flora whispered her thanks.
A gentle smile flickered in Liz’s calm eyes before she turned a cold gaze toward Aurora, whose face wore a somewhat nervous smile.
“Miss Valentin.”
Her voice was still quiet, but carried unmistakable authority.
“Miss Liz…um… It should be within the rules for me to attend this class, right?”
Like the other students, Aurora was quite wary of this woman who enforced their etiquette.
Flora couldn’t help but think that Aurora’s cautious side was even cuter than her earlier possessive jealousy.
As Flora mused about this inappropriate thought, she heard Liz say: “If you do that again next time, there will be punishment. Also, Miss Lisette asked me to give you a message.”
“Huh? Her Highness has a message for me…”
Aurora blinked in confusion, and Flora focused her attention as well, curious about what Lisette had to say.
The students entering for class had already detoured to the back door; none dared eavesdrop, though curious glances kept flickering toward them.
“She’s prepared an outfit for you. It will be delivered to your dorm tonight. Consider it her gift.”
“Eh…”
Aurora instinctively looked at Flora, who frowned slightly, deep in thought.
“Her Highness sent me a gift, but…I haven’t even…”
“She thought the dress you wore at the banquet looked wonderful, so she commissioned an even finer one for you. She hopes you’ll like it.”
“Ah… Mmph!”
As Liz smiled and spoke, Aurora’s face turned crimson.
Flora finally understood what Liz meant and quickly took Aurora’s hand.
“We shouldn’t block the entrance any longer. Thank you for looking after us.”
The thing she had worried about most still happened after all.
Flora gave a helpless smile.
Back then, Aurora had even said she was afraid Lisette would laugh at her.
Now it seemed nothing could escape that princess’s notice.
Personally delivering a maid outfit to Aurora showed the royal family’s wicked sense of humor perfectly.
But this definitely wasn’t meant as humiliation—at least judging by Aurora’s embarrassment, she was flustered and shy, not angry.
“This is pharmacology class, Miss Flora.”
With that brief statement, Liz ended their conversation and left the classroom.
The heavy atmosphere quickly eased, but even so, no one dared approach Flora or Aurora.
The pharmacology teacher was notoriously strict; it was wise not to move around before class unless necessary.
After all, the Academy’s classrooms and teaching style were much like the universities Flora remembered.
Leaving your seat could easily mean losing your spot up front.
Flora looked around at nearly a hundred gathered students, but the first two rows were almost empty.
She couldn’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia, but her heart was calm as she led Aurora to the front row, calmly accepting the faint whispers and constant stares.
“You’re even calmer than I thought. That’s the thing about half-elves, huh? Maybe you don’t even feel awkward.”
Aurora, recovering from the embarrassment of Listte’s “gift,” whispered to Flora as she sat in the front row.
“Are we not allowed to sit up front?”
Flora had thought that someone like Aurora would be used to this.
“No.”
Aurora didn’t really mind.
She chuckled.
“It’s just that only oddballs like me ever picked these seats before. In this Academy, sitting in the front row basically means you’re desperate to learn—everyone knows that.”
“Learning never ends.”
Flora agreed with Aurora.
No matter how much the Imperial Academy was praised, it couldn’t change its essence as a tool for nobility to embellish their status.
There were indeed outstanding nobles eager to better themselves, but most were just playboys forced by their families to attend.
For the rest, their families’ elite education already let them look down on any other institution’s attempts to improve academic skills.
Only the lucky commoners and lower-ranking nobles who got in would truly throw themselves into their studies, especially someone like Aurora.
“It’s not just that. The front row is usually for oddballs like me.”
Aurora muttered with a hint of melancholy, but there was no real negativity.
At that moment, she finally had someone who didn’t shun her, who was willing to deeply engage with her, sitting beside her in the front row.
For someone so used to sitting alone, this made her heart leap.
“There’s no need to put yourself down like that, really.”
Flora, annoyed, stopped her from talking that way.
Being eager to learn should be praised, not belittled.
She soon noticed a vaguely familiar figure dash into the classroom just as the bell rang and sit beside her.
“Eh…”
She instinctively leaned closer to Aurora.
The newcomer looked so disheveled she fit Aurora’s definition of an oddball perfectly.
“Miss Elko?”
Aurora greeted her proactively.
Apparently, as an oddball herself, Aurora got along quite well in that group.
The rather gloomy-looking Elko had just put down her notebook when she glanced at Aurora, then at the total stranger between them.
“Mmmmhuhhh?!”
A very un-human shriek suddenly rang in Flora’s ear.
“Uh…”
Flora was caught off guard.
She was about to ask when Aurora shot her a meaningful look, so she simply stood up and swapped seats with Aurora, who was on the outside.
[Looks like we’ve met someone with social anxiety.]
Resettling, that thought flashed through Flora’s mind.
She then saw Aurora quietly whispering to the girl called Elko.
The other students, clearly used to such scenes, watched the trio in the front row with helpless, amused expressions.
Flora could feel all eyes on them.
It seemed that campus life wouldn’t be calm for her at all.
Soon, a note appeared in front of Flora.
In neat handwriting, it read…
“I’m Elko Syphus. I apologize deeply for my earlier rudeness. Please forgive me.”
Flora turned her head slightly.
Over Aurora’s smiling face, she saw the anxious Elko glancing at her, and became even more interested in this odd classmate.
Seeing Elko hurriedly duck her head, Flora didn’t dwell on it, but picked up her pen and wrote back on the note.
“I’m Flora Jade. Nice to meet you. Please look after me during the coming Academy life.”
Just as she passed the note back, Flora heard Aurora mutter quietly: “Don’t judge Elko by her looks. She’s actually the most talented necromancy user here. I hear the Academy is planning to open a whole new department for her—studying all those creepy souls and whatnot. Makes her lose sleep, always looks a little weird…”
“A soul researcher?”
Flora was interested, but didn’t show much on her face.
“Yeah, amazing right? Maybe she has some kind of obsession…um…”
Aurora fell silent, realizing this topic wasn’t suitable for the moment.
Flora also knew to let it go, simply remembering it for later.
But soon, Aurora leaned in with a mysterious look and whispered: “But, isn’t that kind of cute?”
“What?”
Flora blinked, confused.
The purple-haired girl gave her a sly smile.
“Girls like Elko, with that kind of vibe, are somehow just adorable, don’t you think? I could tell—the moment she walked in, you noticed her. What I said before…are you maybe thinking of getting close to her now? Oh my, oh my…”
Before she could say more nonsense, Flora, expression unchanged, pinched the soft flesh at Aurora’s waist with her right hand, not holding back at all.
Only when Aurora gave her a pleading look did Flora let go, muttering inwardly.
[Wait, what am I doing? Flirting?]
Reacting like that to Aurora was just weird.
“Stingy.”
Aurora pouted, which only made Flora feel more suffocated.
This wasn’t right!
“Miss Flora? Here’s your notebook. Everyone gets a set.”
Just as her mind was in chaos, a familiar voice sounded.
Flora looked up to see Purple Lan, whom she’d met recently in the dorm, smiling at her and holding the silver-white notebook that every student—including Aurora—carried.
“Thank you.”
She took the notebook without hesitation and watched Purple Lan move behind her, sitting at the desk directly behind.
“Every class has a representative, and Purple Lan is ours,” Aurora whispered, introducing her.
Flora made a mental note and glanced at the door.
Sitting in the front row really did make her stand out; every student entering through the front would look at her.
But after Purple Lan, no one else chose the front two rows, just as Aurora had said.
Flora breathed a little easier and opened the notebook.
What greeted her was a line of writing.
“Flora Jade’s Diary.”
Her pupils contracted.
She instinctively turned the page.
On the title page, graceful handwriting appeared again.
“I am Flora Jade, a hopeless fool.”
A suffocating sensation welled up in her chest.
She opened her mouth helplessly, wanting to turn around and question Purple Lan about what was going on.
“Flora?”
“……”
The soft voice beside her and the hand waving in front of her eyes brought her back.
The writing on the page was gone.
“What’s wrong?”
Relieved, Flora closed the notebook and looked at Aurora, trying not to dwell on whether what she’d seen was a hallucination or a trick.
“Felare is here. She’s really strict, so don’t get distracted in class. If you can’t…”
Aurora grinned and grabbed Flora’s left hand.
“I can help you.”
Whether it was flipping through books or taking notes, magic could handle it.
Even if Flora didn’t keep her right hand on the desk, the teacher wouldn’t complain much.
“Don’t underestimate me.”
Flora pouted, but felt a bit touched.
Where had she picked up lines like this?
It wasn’t a bad imitation at all, just the right touch.
Aurora spun her pen with a satisfied look.
“No one could ever underestimate Teacher Flora.”
This girl spoke just like she was flirting…
Honestly.
Flora didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but she had no choice.
She turned her attention to the woman hugging her books—a middle-aged lady with the stereotypical stern look of an old professor, whose gaze fell on Flora.
“Miss Flora?”
Being called on directly still took Flora by surprise.
“Yes…”
She wasn’t sure how to respond and quickly answered.
Felare nodded and looked at the rest of the class.
“Our Academy has welcomed a new student—Miss Flora Jade, who recently became an Imperial Lord, as well as the mentor to the Saintess and Princess. I believe you all know of her.”
She gave Flora a de facto introduction.
Flora instinctively assumed this was Listte’s arrangement.
Glancing at Aurora, she saw her gazing at Flora like a starstruck fangirl, full of anticipation.
This was truly awkward…
Flora dared not imagine what chain reaction her fame could set off in a school full of noble elites.
She could only try to stay calm and keep a low profile.
However, Felare’s next words utterly shattered that hope.
“She is not like you. Though she’s come to the Academy to study, it’s only as an auditor, and… as a teaching assistant for material magic, pharmacology, and other subjects related to healing arts. In the future, you may regard her as a faculty member of the Academy, embodying the Imperial student’s spirit of learning.”
With that, Felare glanced at the blue-haired girl left dumbstruck by her words and chuckled, making a gesture.
“For today’s pharmacology class, I just happen to need a qualified assistant. Miss Flora, please come up and join me in teaching this lesson.”