A knock at the Dean's door — and the trap springs shut
Aether shuffled down the corridor outside the Dean's office, hands stuffed into his pockets, his expression twisted somewhere between irritation and dread.
Why me again? I just wanted to eat lunch… he thought with a sigh. The marble floor beneath him reflected light from the stained glass windows, making it look like he was stepping over shards of sapphire and ruby. Normally he might've admired it — today, he was too busy sulking.
He reached the large mahogany door, carved with the academy's crest — a soaring phoenix wrapped in delicate runes. With a reluctant grimace, he rapped three times.
"Come in," called the Dean's crisp voice from within.
He grimaced deeper. Here goes nothing…
The Dean's office — predator and prey
Stepping inside, he was immediately enveloped by the faint scent of old books and a trace of lavender. Shelves lined the walls, stacked with grimoires, ancient relics, and crystal devices that hummed with barely contained power. At the broad oaken desk sat the Dean herself, quill poised over parchment.
When she lifted her head, her eyes fixed on Aether like a hawk spotting a careless mouse. "Please, take a seat."
Huh? Aether twitched. Something about her polite tone — too polite — sent a chill crawling up his neck. His instincts as a mechanic, honed by countless deals gone sideways, screamed trap.
He sank warily into the plush chair opposite her desk. Then, trying to keep his tone breezy, he asked, "Sooo… why did you want to see me, Dean?"
She folded her hands atop her paperwork, a small, sly smile curving her lips. "Hehe. You see, Aether… I have something I need you to do for me."
Aether's internal meltdown — and the offer
Aether's eyes popped wide. Oh gods above — not again. Out loud, he blurted, "What?!"
She leaned back slightly, savoring his panic like a cat playing with its dinner. Then her voice smoothed out into businesslike calm. "Since the Familiar Choosing Ceremony is just around the corner, I require your assistance."
Aether swallowed. "With… what exactly?"
The Dean's smile grew as sharp as glass. "I want you to design and build mechanisms capable of measuring the attack power when struck by a mana beast. They will record the force, distribute a reading, and reset quickly. I'll need quite a number of them."
For a moment Aether just sat there, blinking. Then he barked a strained laugh. "You want what now? Mechanisms that can accurately quantify a mana beast's offensive output? And lots of them? Are you kidding me?"
Her calm gaze didn't waver. "No, Aether. I am entirely serious."
Trying to worm out — but the net tightens
He ran a hand through his hair, exasperation written all over his face. Then suddenly a spark of cunning lit in his eyes. Ha. Got her.
"But couldn't you just use mages to gauge the attacks? Like we do with mana assessments — have mages stand in and let the sensors record the impact. Seems a whole lot simpler."
He crossed his arms smugly, certain he'd found the perfect loophole.
The Dean only chuckled — a low, knowing sound that made his stomach sink. "Yes, that would certainly be an easier method. But…" Her eyes glittered. "I am stubborn."
"Stubborn?!" Aether repeated, aghast.
The trap revealed — and the weight of prestige
She leaned forward slightly, elbows resting on the desk. "You see, many important guests will attend this event. Nobility. Guild masters. Even the newly crowned King and Queen themselves. This is our chance to showcase the academy's strength — including the talents of our non-mage division. Your mechanisms will demonstrate our technological prowess in front of all those eyes."
Aether sat back, chewing his lip. He had to admit — it was a compelling point. As much as it irritated him, it was an opportunity for the academy to shine.
Still, he tried one more desperate ploy. "What about the Year Five non-mages? Couldn't they handle this? Why drag me into it?"
The Dean regarded him as though he were a slow child. "Do you truly believe any of them could complete devices this intricate in time? They might manage eventually, but certainly not before the ceremony. You, on the other hand, have the expertise and speed. I am simply being… efficient."
The reluctant deal — but only with a twist
Aether let out a long, dramatic sigh, dropping his head back so far it nearly hit the chair. "Fine. I'll help. But you do realize there's only three weeks left, right? I can't possibly build that many alone."
The Dean considered this, tapping a long finger against her jaw. Then she inclined her head. "Very well. You may enlist your classmates. I'll offer compensation — 20,000 points each to anyone who assists."
Inside, Aether's mind exploded. HOLY— 20,000 POINTS?! His eyes nearly bulged out. That was enough to buy rare enchantment scrolls or even bid on premium artifacts at auction.
But outwardly he schooled his expression into a sly grin. "Alright. But there's one condition — I don't want coins this time."
The Dean's brows lifted. "Oh? And what exactly do you want, then?"
The audacious demand — and the Dean's horror
Aether leaned in, eyes glinting mischievously. "I want a training room. The largest one you've got."
The Dean actually froze, her quill dropping with a tiny splatter of ink. Then she pressed her palm to her forehead, muttering under her breath, "Brat, how did you even know we had those?"
Aether blinked, then burst out laughing. "Wait — there are actual training rooms? Lucky me!"
The Dean very nearly smacked her own forehead against the desk. She just exposed academy secrets to this clueless little demon. She lifted her head, glaring. "Even so, I cannot simply hand those over. They're not public facilities. Not even our Year Fives have managed to secure access."
Aether only shrugged, eyes still twinkling with mischievous triumph. "Then I guess I won't take on your little project."
The gamble pays off — and a devil's smile
He stood and turned to leave. For a heartbeat, it seemed like she might just let him walk out.
Then — "Fine!" she snapped, voice strained. "I'll grant you access."
Aether paused at the door. Slowly he pivoted back, a grin breaking over his face so wide it threatened to split his cheeks. "I want the biggest room. Hehe."
The Dean closed her eyes for a long moment, breathing out slowly. Then she forced a tight smile. "Yes. But be warned — they were designed for mages' destructive tests. Is that acceptable?"
Inside, Aether was absolutely over the moon. Perfect for my own magic experiments, too. But he made a show of sighing. "Uh… well, I guess I can make do."
The Dean very nearly growled. "And one more thing — this remains strictly confidential. If word spreads, we'll have Year Five students breaking down my door demanding equal treatment. Understood?"
"Understood!" Aether saluted, his expression bright and smug. Then he sauntered out the door, whistling.
Alone with her thoughts — and the wise owl's cryptic judgment
As soon as he was gone, the Dean slumped back in her chair, letting out a groan that sounded almost painful. "That damned brat… at this rate he'll clean out every hidden benefit this academy has."
Her eyes drifted to the windows, where warm afternoon light pooled across the rug. Then she lifted her voice. "Lisve… what do you think of him?"
There was a faint shimmer of gold and brown, and suddenly a massive owl — easily the height of a tall man — perched on the back of an armchair. His feathers rippled with intricate patterns, dark and light stripes dancing in mesmerizing fractals. His eyes, deep as midnight wells, regarded her with the solemn intelligence only an SS-rank mana beast possessed.
"Well?" the Dean pressed.
Lisve only tilted his great feathered head, letting out a long, thoughtful, "Hmm."
Then he bobbed once, slow and deliberate — as though the gesture alone carried centuries of consideration.
✦✦✦
Aether's victory march — and schemes already brewing
Down the corridor, Aether practically skipped. "A private training room… ohoho, this is gonna be fun. Hehehe…"
A pair of younger non-mages passed him, eyes going wide. "Eh? Why's he laughing like that… kinda creepy…" they whispered.
Aether didn't even notice. His mind was already racing with ideas — new amplifier arrays, custom mana circuits, maybe even testing the theory he'd been toying with on dual-core crystal fusion. No more being cramped by my dorm space. I'll build something that makes even the mages jealous…
Meanwhile — eyes in shadow
Far across the academy, on an upper balcony shrouded by ivy, Luke stood with one hand resting on the cold stone railing. His emerald cloak fluttered in the breeze. His expression was unreadable, eyes narrowed, lips barely parted as he watched distant figures moving about the courtyard.
"Soon," he whispered. Then a thin smile curved his mouth — the smile of someone who believed every piece on the board would soon land exactly where he intended.
And so — the gears turn
The stage was set. The grand ballroom was nearly ready. Invitations to the royal family had been accepted. Mechanisms to test mana beasts' strikes would soon be crafted in hidden workshops, non-mage students buzzing with excitement at the promise of extra points.
Vivien sharpened her resolve for whatever shadows Luke might cast over the coming days. Esme quietly readied herself to stand at Vivien's side. And in that hush of preparations, destiny's threads wove tighter — each heartbeat pulling them all closer to a climax none of them could yet see.
But if you listened carefully, you could already hear it — the faint whisper of fate sliding into place.