Chapter 21: A Shifting Tide

Chapter 21: A Shifting Tide

The rain from the previous day had left the academy grounds refreshed, the scent of wet earth lingering in the morning air. Aetrial walked briskly across the cobbled paths toward the lecture hall. Despite the awkward encounter with the stranger in the pastry shop, she had no time to dwell on it. The lecture today was essential—an advanced theory class on mana manipulation.

Yet, as she entered the hall, a strange energy filled the room. The students who once snickered at her now watched her warily. Some whispered, while others avoided her gaze altogether.

---

A Change in Atmosphere

Aetrial couldn’t help but notice the subtle shift in how people treated her. Although she was still “Aetrial Ranolf, the arrogant noble” to most of them, her recent display of dark magic proficiency had clearly unsettled many.

As she settled into her seat, Tyler, her assigned partner for this course, cautiously approached her. The once bold and confident Tyler seemed hesitant, almost reluctant to meet her eyes.

“Good morning,” Tyler said, his voice quieter than usual.

Aetrial raised an eyebrow. “Morning.”

An uncomfortable silence stretched between them. Normally, Tyler would have bombarded her with sarcastic remarks or complaints about their assignments. Instead, he shuffled his notes nervously, avoiding her gaze.

---

The Class Begins

Professor Eldrin strode into the room, commanding attention. His stern demeanor had always set the tone for these sessions. Today’s topic was the nature of mana signatures and how they differ between magic types.

Aetrial listened attentively, but her mind drifted to her predicament. She thought back to her interaction with the stranger yesterday, her apparent shift in reputation, and the curious way people now acted around her.

Is it just because of my magic display? Or is something else going on?

---

The Lecture Turns Practical

“Now,” Professor Eldrin said, clapping his hands, “let’s apply theory to practice. I’ve prepared a series of magical challenges to test your understanding of mana signatures. Pair up and proceed to the designated stations.”

Aetrial and Tyler stood awkwardly, making their way to their station. The task was to identify and dispel a minor barrier spell using mana signature analysis.

Tyler took the lead, muttering the analysis incantation. His mana flared briefly before sputtering out. He sighed, stepping back. “It’s more complicated than it looks. Want to give it a shot?”

Aetrial shrugged. “Why not?”

She placed her hand against the shimmering barrier and closed her eyes. Unlike the others in the class, Aetrial’s mana had always been attuned to the dark magic spectrum. This gave her an edge when dealing with barriers constructed with mixed elements.

With a focused effort, she located the barrier’s weakest point and channeled her magic. The barrier shattered effortlessly, leaving the class in stunned silence.

---

The Aftermath

Tyler blinked, clearly impressed. “You... actually did it.”

Aetrial smirked. “What? Surprised?”

“It’s not that,” Tyler said, scratching his head. “It’s just... that wasn’t normal. You broke it faster than anyone else.”

Unbeknownst to her, Professor Eldrin had been observing from afar. His sharp eyes narrowed as he assessed her performance.

---

A Sudden Encounter

After the class ended, Aetrial decided to take a detour through the academy’s gardens. The peaceful scenery often helped her clear her mind. But as she turned a corner, she bumped into someone unexpectedly.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Aetrial began before looking up.

It was the same stranger from the pastry shop—the one who had given her his handkerchief.

“You again,” she said, startled.

The man smiled faintly, his crimson eyes glowing slightly under the afternoon light. “A coincidence, it seems.”

Aetrial furrowed her brow. “What are you doing here? This is the academy.”

“Visiting,” he said smoothly. “I was invited as a guest lecturer on magical theory.”

Aetrial didn’t fully believe him, but she let it slide. She couldn’t deny he had an air of authority, though she still couldn’t place where she’d seen him before.

“I never got your name,” she said cautiously.

“Anos,” he replied.

“Well, Anos, I guess I’ll see you around,” she said, brushing past him.

---

The Villain Revealed

As Aetrial disappeared down the garden path, the mysterious figure from Anos’s shadow emerged once again.

“My lord,” the figure said, bowing. “She is growing stronger.”

“I noticed,” Anos replied, his voice laced with intrigue. “But something about her is... peculiar. She’s not the same as before.”

“What do you intend to do?”

Anos smirked, his crimson eyes glowing brighter. “For now, I’ll observe. But when the time is right, she’ll learn who I truly am.”

The shadow figure bowed again before vanishing, leaving Anos to watch the spot where Aetrial had disappeared.