Mana Theory is incredibly boring. It takes place in the Center Hall, the large building directly across from the Foundation Hall where all the main classes are taught. There are far more people here, all dressed in different robes that I’m guessing show their affinities, but they have no time for initiates as they move to where they need to be. Luckily, the initiate classes are on the first floor so I have no problems finding my room. Even if I did, I could have just followed any of my fellows from the field. Seems we’re all one happy family until the end of the year.

The classroom is a simple room filled with twelve short tables arranged in two columns. A large desk at the front for the teacher, the wall behind them made of something resembling dark glass. At a touch, shapes and words flit across the surface, showing in-depth diagrams as the teacher excitedly speaks about the topics we’ll be exploring.

The woman has an uncomfortable fixation on natural disasters caused by surges in ambient mana, but hey. Either way, I diligently pay attention and write my notes. Once upon a time, I would have ignored the information I deemed useless and boring.

Never again. Since my time in the Enchanted Forest, my own lack of knowledge has been slammed in my face time and time again. Back then, I vowed to be the most diligent student that ever existed should I get the chance. I don’t have many great points but I do keep my vows.

Afterwards, the main event that I’ve been dreading, er, looking forward to all morning. Back to the fields for Foundation I.

There’s still a chance. I know my wife has been assigned a group of initiates but from my understanding, there are more than one, each group having slightly different schedules.

Cosmo. The saints. Any higher power that is listening. Please don’t let my wife get a hold of my group. I might be able to enjoy this class, as I’m fairly confident in my physical abilities by now, but not if she has anything to do with it. Mainly because she won’t let me cheat and use my elemental form.

Though as I see the field populated with sweetly ignorant youths, a terrible feeling twists my gut as the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I know this feeling too well. She’s watching us right now, isn’t she?

[Yes.]

By the swinging of her tail, I can see Geneva is amused by my predicament. Honestly, I shouldn’t be surprised. This is how my luck always goes.

“Why are you so distraught?”

Hm? Was that directed towards me? I turn to see the girl with the short hair and light armor facing me, waiting. Huh, guess it was. “Because we have been sentenced to hell for a year.”

“You don’t look like a stranger to training. I’ve seen the way you move.” She gives my body a pointed once over. Heh. In a different kind of scenario, that kind of look might get me excited.

Now that I’m thinking of it, she’s not bad looking. Doesn’t have the fierce beauty of my wife or the heart-melting cuteness of Geneva. Her face is rather plain but she has nice eyes. They’re open without wide-eyed naivety and a blue as clear as a summer sky. It’s a comfortable stare, unlike my overbearing companions.

“…what’s your name?”

“Alana.” She sticks out her hand and I grasp it. Her fingers close over mine, trying to squeeze them. Pfft. Going to take more than that if you want to impress me. She grins when I return her grip. “May our meeting be blessed by the saints.”

“Call me Lou.”

“You going to tell me what you mean by hell?”

“Ah. I have some idea about who our instructor is going to be. Probably the best we could have gotten but, well…” I let the words trail off, sighing. There’s just no putting her into words.

“Hmph. Whatever it is, it can’t be worse than knight training.” Her eyes narrow as she recalls what must be unpleasant memories. “That was hell.”

You’re going to eat those words. And a lot of dirt. I wonder, did she get put in charge of my group because of me? I doubt she’d want anyone else messing up her work and she gets a particular joy watching me struggle. This place has made it clear how much they value her so if she asked to be in charge of a particular group, I doubt they’d deny her.

I reach out and pat her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Alana.” You’re about to go through quite a bit of pain because of me. One of these days, I’ll treat you to lunch in the market.

“What?”

“You’ll understand eventually.”

“…you’re a strange one, Lou. Though I guess strange is better than the rest of these idiots.” She gives the others surrounding us a baleful glare. Particularly on the obvious nobles dressed in heavier clothing. There’s another point in the common-born theory of mine.

We stand in companionable silence for several minutes. The crowd starts whispering amongst themselves as time continues to pass and the teacher doesn’t show up. Some are quite loud in their denouncements. I wince, knowing that Kierra is watching and taking notes. Fools. You don’t know this is all a part of her game.

For my part, I begin stretching as I know it won’t be long before she appears. Alana nods in approval and joins me, the two of us ignoring the looks we get.

“Looks like everyone is here.”

I stand up as the whispers around me turn into loud exclamations. Beside me, Alana gasps as Kierra walks onto the field. She’s dressed in the light leathers she prefers while hunting, silver hair pulled back and tied with a strip of leather.

Something so simple but on her, it’s stunning. I’m not the only one who thinks so either.

“Hello, everyone. My name is Kierra D’Atainna but you will call me teacher. I am here to make you strong. Strength comes with pain. If you cannot bear the pain, then you will break and I will toss your broken, useless carcass off my field. Yes? Good. Here’s to a happy year together~”