Monday morning came with gloomy weather that caused students to groan when looking outside. Cold rain soaked the academy grounds, turning training spots into mud and making outdoor lessons unpleasant.

The morning chaos in the first-year dormitories was especially intense.

"Has anyone seen my cultivation manual?" Patrica was rummaging wildly through her room, scattering books and papers everywhere. Her roommate, Emma, a quiet girl, observed with slight concern from her bed.

"You had it last night during study group," Emma offered.

"I know I had it last night! The question is where did I put it after study group?" Patricia checked under her bed for the third time. "Professor Ashcroft is giving a quiz today on essence flow patterns and I can’t find my notes or the manual and I’m going to fail and—"

"It’s on your desk. Under the essay you were writing."

Patricia hurried to her desk and located the manual exactly as Emma described. "Oh, thank the ancestors. You’re a lifesaver."

"You say that every Monday."

Because I panic about something every Monday and you calmly tell me where it is, Patricia grabbed the manual and her bag. "Are you coming to breakfast?"

"In a minute. I want to finish this Chapter first."

Patricia exited her messy room and almost bumped into Marcus in the stairwell.

"Watch out!" Marcus stumbled, catching himself on the railing.

Sorry! I’m running late for breakfast and need to review before Ashcroft’s quiz.

"There’s a quiz today?" Marcus looked panicked.

"I didn’t study!"

"It was on the syllabus for three weeks!"

"I thought that was next Monday!" Marcus immediately turned around and sprinted back upstairs, likely to get his study materials.

Patricia moved on to the dining hall, already busy with students rushing to eat before first period. She took some food and spotted an open seat at a table with other first-years she recognized from different classes.

—I’m really dreading combat practice today, someone was saying. It’s pouring rain, and I bet Professor Chen will still make us practice outside because he believes wet conditions build character.

"At least you have combat practice. I’ve been stuck with magical theory for three hours," said Sophie, who always looked a bit exhausted.

"Three hours listening to Professor Larkin explain essence resonance patterns in excruciating detail."

David, who had just arrived with his breakfast tray, said, "I like Professor Larkin’s classes. They’re very thorough."

"Thorough" is a polite way of saying he goes on for forty minutes straight without allowing questions, and half the class ends up sleeping." Sophie stabbed at her eggs. "I swear he lectures in a monotone on purpose."

He is truly passionate about essence theory.

David, you find everything related to education fascinating. You’re not the best indicator of a typical student experience.

They continued discussing their various classes while Patricia reviewed her cultivation manual, occasionally interjecting comments about the ongoing debate over optimal cultivation timing.

At the table behind them, a group of second-years were having a different conversation entirely.

"I’m simply saying, if I were plotting an assassination, I’d come up with a far better plan than Derek did," confidently declared a boy named Christopher.

His friends stared at him.

Rachel pointed out, "That’s a deeply concerning thing to say out loud."

It’s just theoretical! I have no intention of harming anyone!" Christopher said nervously, glancing around. "I’m merely pointing out that Derek’s plan was badly thought out from a strategic perspective."

Rachel said dryly, "Please elaborate on how you would theoretically plan a better assassination." She added, "This conversation definitely won’t get us reported to academy security."

Look, Derek hired outside assassins, which immediately increases the exposure risk.

The assassins failed, were captured, and likely provided testimony about who hired them.

That’s a serious breach of operational security. Christopher lowered his voice. If you’re going to take such extreme actions, you need plausible deniability and no direct links.

Michael, the third member of their group, remarked, "You’ve thought about this specific amount."

I read a lot of historical military texts! Well-known assassinations are thoroughly documented! I’m simply using theoretical frameworks!" Christopher explained. "Plus, after what occurred, everyone is thinking about it. I’m just prepared to speak it openly.

Rachel begged, "Please stop saying it out loud before someone overhears and reports you."

"Alright, I agree. However, I still believe that Derek’s method was unprofessional."

Their conversation moved to safer topics—future assignments, weekend plans, and discussions about Inter-Academy competition brackets.

---

Professor Edwards was writing progressively more complex equations on the board in the second-year advanced mathematics class, as students hurriedly took notes.

"—and therefore the essence-to-force conversion ratio can be calculated using this modified formula," he was explaining, his chalk clicking rapidly across the slate. "This becomes particularly important when considering multi-element techniques where different essence types have different conversion efficiencies."

A student in the front row raised her hand and asked, "Professor Edwards, could you explain how this is practically applied? When would we need to calculate essence conversion ratios during combat?"

You wouldn’t perform calculations during combat. Instead, you’d internalize these ratios through practice until they become instinctive.

However, understanding the mathematical basis can help you develop those instincts more efficiently,

Another student raised their hand. "Doesn’t William Cross use multiple elements? Has anyone asked him about practical conversion ratios?"

"Mr. Cross is not available as a reference source for your homework," Professor Edwards said without turning from the board. "You’ll need to work through the calculations independently."

"But wouldn’t actual multi-element user data be valuable for verification?"

"It would, which is why your assignment includes the optional section where you may interview advanced practitioners and compare theoretical calculations with practical experience. However, Mr. Cross is preparing for the Inter-Academy competition and is unlikely to appreciate interruptions for mathematical theory assistance."

The students returned to their notes, though several were clearly considering whether approaching William Cross for interview data was worth the risk of his likely refusal.

In the back of the classroom, a girl named Victoria was completely ignoring the lecture in favor of writing a letter. Her friend noticed and leaned over.

"Are you seriously not taking notes?"

"I’ll copy yours later. This is more important." Victoria continued writing with intense focus.

"What’s more important than Professor Edwards’s conversion ratio formulas?"

"I’m writing to my brother about the Derek situation. He graduated three years ago and works for the military intelligence division. I want to know if this kind of thing has happened before." Victoria paused in her writing. "Think about it—a student hiring professional assassins to attack an academy expedition? That’s insane. Either Derek completely lost his mind, or there’s more to this story."

"You think there’s a conspiracy?"

"I think professional assassination organizations don’t work with random unstable students. They work with people who can pay extremely well and who have serious motivations." Victoria returned to her letter. "My brother might know if there have been similar incidents. Pattern recognition is important."

"You’re as paranoid as Christopher."

"Christopher is theoretically planning assassination for fun. I’m trying to understand actual threats. Completely different."

---