Nathan

Year 2849 | Month 5 | Day 7

The rest of the mana manipulation class isn’t all that interesting. She didn’t even let us start training our arcs of mana. All it was, was a bunch of theoretical lecture and explanations.

Although, she did at least say that we would be starting on the actual training of our arcs of mana tomorrow. So, there’s that.

That said, the idea of having classes on weekends is still… strange. In fact, the entire schedule for the Arcane Academy is strange.

Each semester lasts for the same amount of time as a semester in high school lasted, but with six days of classes a week instead of five. The classes themselves can end whenever the professor wants them to end as long as its before the next set of classes begins, and every student can take whichever classes they want – outside of the ones forced on them by their dorm instructor. Yet, despite that freedom, there is a list of required course credits that one must have to graduate. And not only that, but that’s all you need to graduate.

Well, that and being recognized as a Class D magician.

In reality, anyone can graduate in any year as long as they have the required credits and are a Class D magician.

Anyways, I glance at the other three as we walk down the stairs towards the classroom's entrance.

“So did anyone bother finding out where the cafeteria was?” Aidan suddenly asks, giving me pause.

Uh…

Oops.

“It depends on which cafeteria you want to eat at,” Sophia answers, drawing my attention towards her. “There is a cafeteria in each dormitory, but there's also a main one that has better food than the others near the advanced course dorm. One that’s open for anyone to eat at, from any course.”

At least someone looked into it.

Also, now that I think about it, she said that her name was Inverno. If I remember correctly, that’s a branch family of the Winters family – which is the head family in regard to water magic within the Republic.

That would certainly explain her knowledge of magic.

Branch families are pretty common in the top families of the Republic. In fact, there are always dozens of them in each top family.

It’s rather sad, but whenever a family member is born with an affinity that isn’t the one the family focuses on in a top family – such as the Ashfords or Marshalls – they are considered part of a branch family instead, and not part of the main one. Even if they were born to the main family.

Generally, kids tend to take after their parents in their affinity, but there are those that don’t. Myself for example. Considering that my affinity is fire, while my dad’s is wind, and my mom isn’t a magician.

That said, the branch families are still treated rather well by the main families. They just don’t enjoy the same prestige as the main families.

“So, what are you going to eat?” Aidan asks while elbowing me in the side.

I glance at him before shrugging and facing forwards again as I answer, “No idea. Whatever looks good.”

What I eat doesn’t really matter. My body doesn’t technically need food or water since any deterioration done by lack of food and water will automatically restore itself. It just makes not eating or drinking feel rather uncomfortable.

Kind of like tiny little needles are piercing me all over my body whenever I haven’t eaten in a while.

Not pleasant, but it’s tolerable.

And what I eat doesn’t seem to matter, although the doctor could never figure out why that is. Just that my body always stays at what top form was at the time of getting the disease.

I am lucky that the disease doesn’t affect my magic though, in regard to locking it as it is. Because that would suck.

If it had affected my mana arcs like that, then I wouldn’t be able to grow any as a magician.

Not if my mana arcs were to just return back to what they were when I got the disease.

My thoughts are interrupted as I feel Aidan shaking me and asking, “Hello? You home?”

I glance at him before nodding and facing forwards again as we leave the tower.

Okay, so maybe I should stop getting so lost in my head. It’s not a good habit.

“So which of the cafeterias are we going to go to?” I ask out of curiosity before frowning as Sophia takes the lead and begins directing us away from any of the dormitory buildings.

Uh, where is she-

“We’re not going to a cafeteria,” she answers in a suspiciously joyful tone, “we are going to the Snowcrest Diner!”

“The…” I begin before Cyria finishes for me with a strange look on her face, “…Snowcrest Diner?”

“What’s that?” Aidan asks for the three of us as the girl continues joyfully prancing around – acting rather out of character for the normally quiet and reserved girl.

“Oh,” she starts before chuckling, “it’s just my family’s diner.”

I stop walking for a second before opening my mouth to speak and closing it again a second later.

Her family has a diner in the middle of the academy…?

Actually, nevermind. Her family may only be a branch family, but it’s still a branch of one of the most powerful families in the Republic.

We end up walking for several minutes before coming upon a very nice looking building. It has what is obviously a dining setup with several nice-looking tables outside, along with the building itself – which is two stories in height.

Although, what catches my eye is the dining area on the balcony of the second floor.

Sophia seems to notice my gaze and says, “Yep, that balcony is one of the main attractions of our diner!”

It’s certainly unique.

The balcony diner has some sort of gentle snow falling around it, despite the lack of any real weather in this academy. And yet, the snow seems to avoid touching any of the tables, vanishing before it can even get within half a meter of the tables or the diners eating at them.

I wonder how they managed to do that? Considering the number of enchantments needed to keep that running, it must have needed a Class B magician at the least to make it.

My thoughts are interrupted as Sophia waves to a woman in a maid outfit who leaves the shop with a sign in her hands. The woman appears to be several years older than us at most, with the same brown hair and green eyes as Sophia, but with a completely different atmosphere about her.

“Hey, Alex!” Sophia shouts with excitement, drawing the woman’s gaze towards us. “How are you!”

The woman – apparently named Alex – looks up before a grin splits her face and she literally throws the sign onto the ground and vanishes from her spot in a puff of purplish-green smoke, only to appear next to Sophia again a second later, enveloping her in a hug.

“Soph!!!” She shouts with unrestrained joy. “You’re finally heeerrrre!!!”

I vaguely notice Aidan’s jaw having dropped at the sight before the woman notices us and asks over Sophia’s shoulder, “And these people aaarrre? Your friends maybe?”

Once she feels Sophia nodding her head, the woman seems to burst in excitement once more, quickly moving from her position hugging Sophia to rush over to Aidan, enveloping him in a hug that leaves him flabbergasted. She then moves to Cyria and does the same thing, only to move to me and just barely miss me as I sidestep the attempt at a hug.

This woman is too touchy.

“Sophia, would you mind explaining?” I ask her with a frown as the woman sends a confused look my way.

“Alex! You can’t go around hugging people just because they’re my friends!” Sophia shouts with a slight blush on her face, attracting the attention of some of the diners on the second floor balcony. She then turns to look at me and bows slightly as she says, “I apologize for my sister’s behavior.”

I blink slightly before looking between the two.

Sister?

After looking back and forth between the two girls for a few seconds, I lightly nod my head.

Yeah, I can see it. In their appearances at least.

“Ooh,” Sophia’s sister suddenly exclaims, her excitement returning as she turns around and begins walking towards the open door to the diner, “let me get you all a table to eat at!”

I glance at her before looking at the sign she had so unceremoniously abandoned, only to send a questioning look towards Sophia.

Sophia just shrugs at my look and explains, “She is just a very… bubbly? Yeah, that’s the word. She’s just a very bubbly girl and doesn’t get to see me very often.”

That doesn’t explain the-

“And…” she continues, looking away from my gaze, “I haven’t really had very many friends in my life. So she gets happy whenever she hears that I have some.”

Hmm. Okay, that explains it then.

Although I didn’t really think we’ve known each other long enough to be considered friends, but I guess we are.

I glance at Cyria, only to see her shrug when she notices my look.

Guess this will also be my team for any of those group assignments Cyria mentioned before.

“Come on in!” I hear Alex shout from the balcony. “I have a table ready for you!!!”

Sophia sends each of us a pleading look, to which I just sigh and begin walking towards the entrance to the diner.

It looks like a nice place to eat, and despite the fanciness of the place, there don’t seem to be very many customers. Which does bring up a few questions, but those can be left for later.

For now, I might as well get something to eat.