My Second Chance in Life in Another World-Chapter 56: TENSION IN CLASS

I woke up to the sound of the ringing bell echoing through the dormitory. Normally, I would be up before it even started, but exhaustion had taken its toll after juggling two classes yesterday. My body was crying out for more rest, but there was no time to indulge. Today marked the third day of the second week at Drei Academy, and I couldn’t afford to start it off on the wrong foot.

Dragging myself out of bed, I began my morning routine. The cool water of the shower helped wash away some of my drowsiness, but the fatigue still lingered. After preparing my things for the day, I turned to wake the others. Raiden groaned in protest, but Tyiyn and Tork were already stirring. Soon, the four of us headed to the cafeteria for breakfast, the warm morning light filtering through the windows as we walked.

When we arrived, the familiar bustling scene greeted us: students chatting and eating, the clatter of trays and dishes filling the air. However, because we were running late today, our usual spot had already been taken by other students who had arrived earlier.

"You can go ahead and order. I’ll find us a spot," I said, scanning the room. "Just grab something for me, and I’ll pay you back later."

The others nodded and joined the queue while I wandered off in search of an empty table. My eyes darted around the crowded room, hoping to catch sight of Chris’ group, but there was no sign of them. Maybe they had already finished and left. As I pondered this, someone suddenly covered my eyes from behind.

"Guess who?" a playful female voice asked.

The voice was instantly recognizable. "Miss Fia," I said without hesitation.

She removed her hands and stepped into view, a bright grin lighting up her face. "You’re good! How did you know?"

"Your voice is pretty distinctive. It’d be hard not to recognize it," I replied, unsure how else to explain it.

"Is that so? Hmm, alright, next time, I won’t speak," she teased, crossing her arms and smirking mischievously.

Next time? Did she not believe in personal space? We’d only met yesterday, and yet here she was acting like we were lifelong friends. Still, I couldn’t bring myself to be annoyed. It wasn’t every day that someone as talented as the academy’s top-ranked magician approached you so casually.

"So, what brings you over?" I asked, curious about her sudden appearance.

"Oh, I just wanted to let you know that we, the fifth-years, will be your instructors again today," she said, her tone casual but her eyes sparkling as if she were delivering exciting news.

"Eh? Is Instructor Refu that busy?" I asked, surprised that he would be absent for two consecutive days.

"Well, you see..." She hesitated for a moment, as if deciding whether to share the full story.

Then, with a quick glance around to ensure no one else was listening, she leaned in close, her breath tickling my ear as she whispered, "Almost all the instructors are occupied today investigating this so-called fighting ground."

Fighting ground? My mind immediately flashed to the place Alad had taken Crestia.

"What’s with this fighting ground?" I whispered back, trying to mask the concern in my voice.

She cast another glance over her shoulder, lowering her voice even further. "It’s an illegal site where students are forced to fight with real swords, and bets are placed on the outcomes. The fights can get brutal. When the principal caught wind of it, he mobilized all the instructors to investigate and shut it down. They’re trying to catch the organizers and participants before more damage is done."

A chill ran down my spine as her words sank in. So that was why the instructors had been so preoccupied lately. The idea of such a dangerous place existing within the academy’s grounds was deeply unsettling. I clenched my fists, recalling how Alad had taken Crestia there. If the instructors found it and managed to apprehend those responsible, maybe they could stop him as well.

"I see," I said finally, keeping my tone neutral despite the storm of emotions swirling inside me.

As I pondered these thoughts, Miss Fia stopped whispering and took a step back, her sharp gaze scanning my face as though trying to read my mind.

"Will, do you know anything about it?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. Her eyes held a mixture of curiosity and suspicion, and I realized my moment of contemplation must have betrayed me.

Her question hit me like a jolt. Did she sense that I knew more than I let on? Could she have picked up on the flicker of recognition that must’ve crossed my face when she mentioned the fighting ground?

"No, it’s just that I think I’ve heard of that place before," I lied, keeping my voice steady. "But I can’t recall when or where."

Miss Fia studied me for a moment longer, her lips pressing into a thin line as though deciding whether or not to press further. Finally, she nodded.

"Is that so?" she said, her tone neutral but not fully convinced. "Well, let me know if you remember anything. It might aid the investigation."

"Yeah, I’ll do that," I replied, forcing a small smile to ease the tension.

"Alright then," she said, her usual cheerfulness returning. "I’ll take my leave now. See you later, Will."

She turned on her heel, her hair swaying as she walked toward the cafeteria’s exit.

"See you later, Miss Fia," I called after her. My voice carried more calmness than I felt, my mind already racing as I watched her disappear into the crowd.

With a quiet sigh, I realized how long our conversation had gone on. My friends, who had already ordered their meals, were waiting for me at a table across the cafeteria. I spotted them quickly—Raiden’s slightly tall frame was hard to miss, even in a crowded room.

As I approached, the puzzled expressions on their faces made it clear they were curious about the delay.

"Care to explain?" Tork asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah," I replied, setting my tray down and taking a seat. "I was talking to Miss Fia. She’s going to be teaching us again today."

Their interest was immediately piqued. Tork leaned forward, his expression a mix of disbelief and excitement. "Wait, wait—Miss Fia? You mean the top-ranked magician in the academy?"

"Yeah, that’s right," I said, shrugging as though it weren’t a big deal.

"Are you serious?!" Tork’s tone was so exaggerated that even Raiden chuckled.

"It’s not that big of a deal," I said, trying to downplay it, though inwardly, I had to admit it was a little surreal.

"But if your relationship is just that of teacher and student," Raiden interjected, his sharp gaze narrowing slightly, "why do you seem much closer? I mean, it’s not every day a top magician walks over to chat like that."

He was perceptive, as always, and it caught me off guard. I scratched the back of my head, trying to think of an explanation that wouldn’t reveal too much.

"I can’t quite understand it either," I said honestly. "Maybe she’s just excited to have a new student? Or maybe she just enjoys talking to people. Who knows?"

Raiden’s eyes lingered on me for a moment longer, as though searching for any cracks in my response, but he seemed to let it go.

"Is it really that simple?" Tyiyn chimed in, smirking. "Honestly, it’s not fair. If she’s so friendly with you, you should at least share some of that luck with us."

We all laughed, the tension easing as the conversation shifted to lighter topics.

"Well, it doesn’t really matter," Raiden said after a moment, checking the time. "Let’s eat. The bell’s about to ring, and we’ve wasted enough time already."

He was right, so I dug into my food, though my mind was still elsewhere. The thought of the fighting ground lingered at the back of my mind, and I couldn’t help but wonder if Alad would get caught in the investigation. Part of me hoped he would; he deserved it after dragging Crestia into such a dangerous place. But another part of me worried what might happen if he managed to avoid capture.

We finished eating just as the bell rang, signaling the start of the next period. The four of us stood, grabbing our trays and clearing the table before heading toward the training fields. The bustling energy of the cafeteria was quickly replaced by the crisp morning air as we stepped outside.

At the entrance to the training fields, Tork gave us a quick wave before splitting off toward the magic classrooms. "Good luck, guys. Try not to slack off too much!" he called over his shoulder with a grin.

"Speak for yourself," Raiden shot back, rolling his eyes but smiling nonetheless.

As we continued walking, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease settling over me. Between the investigation, Miss Fia’s cryptic words, and my own connection to the fighting ground, there were too many unanswered questions swirling in my mind. But for now, I pushed them aside. There were lessons to focus on, and I’d need all the energy I could muster to keep up.

The three of us arrived at the training field just as the bell rang, its echo fading into the crisp morning air. The open space was buzzing with first-year students, all of them either chatting or stretching in preparation for the class. Yet something felt off. Instructor Gord, who typically led the sessions, was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, a group of older students stood at the center of the field. They exuded confidence, their relaxed postures contrasting with the nervous energy of the first-years. Among them, two figures stood out the most: Leonardo Moon, the academy’s ace swordsman, and Hans, the fifth-year known as "the Joker" which is the highest rank a student can attain in this academy.

"Good morning, everyone," Leonardo began, his voice cutting through the chatter like a blade. He carried himself with an effortless authority, his piercing gaze commanding the attention of every student. "We’ve been tasked with overseeing your training in place of Instructor Gord, who has an urgent matter to attend to."

Hans stepped forward next, a mischievous grin playing on his lips. "The sixteen of us will be teaching you today, pairing each of you with a fifth-year student. The rest of the fifth-years are assisting first-year students who haven’t activated their swordsmanship skills yet," he explained, his tone dripping with self-assurance.

"Now," Leonardo interjected, his expression serious, "let’s form pairs and begin the lesson immediately."

Hans took over again, clearly enjoying the spotlight. "Choose your partners! Just so you know, the sixteen of us are the top swordsmen among the fifth-years, just as you are among the first-years. You don’t need to worry about who’s teaching you; we’re all strong—much stronger than any of you." He smirked, his eyes scanning the crowd as if daring someone to challenge him.

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes slightly at Hans’ theatrics. Though his reputation as one of the academy’s best swordsmen was well-deserved, his arrogance grated on me. Still, I kept my thoughts to myself as the students began moving to pair up.

"Let’s pair up!" a voice called from behind me, one I immediately recognized—and dreaded.

I turned to see Alad approaching, his usual smug expression plastered across his face. Out of all the people here, he was the last person I wanted to work with.

"I’m sorry," I said quickly, my voice polite but firm, "but I already have someone in mind."

Without waiting for his response, I turned and began walking away, hoping to avoid a confrontation.

"Eh?" Alad called after me, his tone incredulous. "Is it acceptable to turn down your senior? I reached out to you first; isn’t it disrespectful to refuse me?"

I stopped, sighing inwardly before glancing back at him. "I apologize, but I really have someone in mind," I repeated, keeping my voice calm and steady.

Before I could take another step, I felt his hand clamp down on my shoulder, his grip tight enough to make me pause.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" he snarled, his voice low but venomous.

The atmosphere around us shifted instantly. Conversations halted as heads turned to watch the unfolding scene. Even the fifth-years, who had previously seemed indifferent, were now observing with interest.

Alad’s anger was palpable, his frustration boiling over in his eyes. Yet, amidst the growing tension, one person remained completely unfazed.

"You are free, right?" a calm voice cut through the silence.

I turned to see Leonardo Moon standing a few feet away, his expression unreadable. Unlike the others, he didn’t seem the least bit concerned by Alad’s outburst.

"Leonardo, fuck off," Alad snapped, his anger now directed at the ace swordsman. "I was the first to approach him!"

Leonardo didn’t even flinch. His gaze shifted to me, completely ignoring Alad’s protests. "partner with me," he said simply, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Alright, let’s pair up," I replied without hesitation. Between Alad and Leonardo, the choice was obvious.

"Hey! I said he’s pairing with me!" Alad shouted, his voice rising in both volume and frustration.

Before things could escalate further, Hans’ voice rang out, sharp and commanding. "Alad! Don’t cause any disturbances during class!"

The sudden authority in Hans’ tone startled everyone, myself included. Alad froze, his defiance wavering as he glanced toward Hans. After a tense moment, he begrudgingly released my shoulder and stepped back, muttering under his breath.

"Now that everyone has a partner," Leonardo announced, his voice cutting through the lingering tension, "let’s begin the swordsmanship class."