After a few minutes of silence and calm.
Alex arrived and looked around to see whether they had finished their task or not.
"Hm, good. You cleaned the place completely, and you didn't fight."
Eugene raised his head while sitting on the grass and said enthusiastically:
"So that means my punishment is over."
Alex nodded in agreement, which made Eugene feel happy. He had been extremely bored.
Eugene stood up from the ground and started walking, leaving the terraced soil behind, heading toward the lecture hall since only a few minutes remained.
Ralph put down the scissors and headed off as well. As he passed beside Alex—
Alex placed his hand on Ralph's shoulder. Ralph raised his eyes and met Alex's gaze.
Alex spoke in a cold, firm tone:
"After the lecture ends, you will help clean the office and the bathrooms."
Ralph raised his eyebrow, anger clearly visible, and shouted:
"Huh? Why? You said Eugene is allowed to go, so why do I have to clean the bathrooms and organize the office?!"
Alex's gaze sharpened, the cold air stirring his hair as he replied:
"Why? …Heh. You used a weapon in an attempt to kill Eugene.
You used your mark outside the academy.
You started the fight.
And you caused damage in the Kanvi family garden.
Do you really think I would weigh what Eugene did the same as what you did?!
I won't repeat myself. After the lecture, go to the office, then the bathrooms."
Alex walked away toward the teachers' residence, leaving Ralph behind, watching him with a heart full of hatred and rage.
…..
Tiiiiin—Tiiiiin.
The lecture bell rang. It was a golden bell with twisted decorative engravings, placed atop a brown wooden tower about twenty meters away from the first-year dormitory.
The students headed inside the classroom. They quickly noticed the injuries—hands, heads, faces.
Whispers spread through the hall.
"Did they fight?"
"I think they were training."
"Even if it was training, why all these wounds?"
Eugene and Rin sat on a wooden bench at the back. But when Rim passed by, she grabbed Rin's blue shirt—marked with the golden Gryffirald emblem—and sat on the bench in front of Eugene, with Rin beside her.
Eugene raised an eyebrow in surprise. Rin stayed quiet, especially with the anger clear on Rim's face. He didn't dare ask her anything.
Before Eugene could speak, a tall woman entered the hall. She wore a black cloak with short green accents, and beneath it another cloak of the same color but longer. Her white hair was tied in a ponytail. Wrinkles lined her face, her nose was raised, her eyebrows light, and her brown eyes sharp.
She walked through the students until she reached the board.
The hall was slightly large, fitting around forty students. It contained long brown desks that seated three people each, decorated with plants, small farms, floating books, and a rotating glass ceiling that allowed natural sunlight inside.
In one corner of the almost circular hall stood a slightly large piano, black and white, with a design that looked modern for their era.
A strange mixture filled the air—damp soil, rose fragrance, and a faint hint of rusted iron.
The teacher stood facing the students, raising her head and saying:
"Welcome, dear students, to the first lesson of Alchemy."
As she spoke, the chalk moved on its own, writing on the board.
"I am Professor Adelaide. Since today is the first lesson, and this subject relies on analysis, observation, patience, and memory, our first lesson will be an introduction and general definition of alchemy.
Also, since the end of the first year is approaching, all lectures from today until the final week will be focused on alchemy."
Eugene frowned inwardly, grumbling in his thoughts:
"I hate things that involve patience and memorization… but—"
He remembered Musa's and Fred's words when he lost his ability.
"Alchemy seems important. I guess it will strengthen my skills as a farmer. Still, I hate this kind of subject."
His thoughts wavered between seriousness, annoyance, enthusiasm, and mild happiness.
The board read:
Lesson One: Definition of Alchemy
Adelaide began explaining while moving left and right.
"Alchemy is a very important element in the world of farmers. They create potions, study feathers and energy, craft weapons, and resources that help increase farming speed."
She pointed at a red-haired student with freckles.
"In your opinion, what is the definition of alchemy?"
The student grew nervous, her foot trembling as she stared at the desk.
Adelaide said gently:
"It's fine. Even if your answer is wrong, we're here to learn. Mistakes are part of success."
The girl replied softly, her voice shaking:
"I think… alchemy is the analysis of the foundations and composition of elements."
Eugene leaned forward slightly, thinking:
"What is she saying… why doesn't she raise her voice?"
Adelaide nodded lightly.
"Well done. That's part of the answer."
She then pointed to another student—a chubby one with a short beard and short hair.
He said while rubbing his head:
"And I think it's also purifying resources and mixing them precisely."
Adelaide nodded again.
She then drew a square on the board, made of five columns, each column containing four smaller squares.
"Alchemy, as your classmates said, is the analysis, study, purification, and fusion of resources.
But not all resources are compatible. For example—"
She pointed to a blue-and-white flower.
"Frost Blossom is a cold, solid component. You cannot merge it with—"
She pointed to a red flower beside it.
"A hot, fiery element.
This contradiction would cause an explosion—or worse—"
She raised her voice slightly, then lowered it again calmly.
"Unless you are a professional alchemist."
Eugene noticed Rim shaking her leg and clenching her fist.
He remembered their argument from hours earlier and whispered so the teacher wouldn't hear:
"You're really angry."
Rim glared at him sharply.
"Oh, angry? You throw us into mortal danger, then act like nothing happened, and call it angry?!"
Eugene raised an eyebrow and replied sarcastically:
"At least we survived. And I already told you—how was I supposed to know we'd be attacked?"
Rim's tone grew more intense.
"That mad old man came because of your secret bag."
Eugene placed his hand on the back of the chair.
"And who said the bag belongs to me?"
Rim placed her hand on the chair as well.
"Oh, so it belongs to ghosts from ancient times?"
Her voice mixed sarcasm and anger.
"It belongs to Milessia, okay?"
Rim's tone sharpened like a blade:
"Oh, Milessia? Then why are you carrying something that belongs to her?!"
Eugene grew tense—between his relationship with Rim, Milessia's secret, and the risk of the teacher noticing.
"She gave it to me to hold for her," he said quietly.
But Rim's voice rose even more, making him glance nervously at the teacher.
"Wow, what a noble man. Why doesn't Milessia keep it herself? And why you specifically?"
Both Rim and Eugene pressed down on the backs of their chairs, small cracks forming beneath their hands.
Eugene clenched his teeth, brows furrowed.
"Because she can't."
Rim lowered her voice into a questioning tone.
"Why?"
Their voices had grown loud enough that Adelaide tapped her pen lightly on the desk.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
She looked at them.
"Mr. Eugene… Miss Rim… is there a problem?"
Silence grew heavy and suffocating. Eugene felt a headache and inner frustration.
"Why did I get dragged into this…" he thought bitterly.
Eugene returned to his seat and said simply:
"I'm sorry."
Rim felt heat rise in her cheeks—shame mixed with anger. She sat upright, her foot shaking, biting her lip lightly, nodding faintly.
"No… there's no problem."
Adelaide read their body language easily—her long life and background in a family of psychologists helped.
"Alright, focus with me."
The lesson continued.
A student to Eugene's left whispered:
"They were fighting. Why?"
Another student beside him—brown hair, green eyes, round face—replied:
"Lovebirds' problems."
A pen struck the boy's head.
"Ouch! What was that?" he said, looking at Eugene.
Eugene glared at him fiercely, veins visible on his hand.
"Lovebirds? I'll put birds somewhere you won't like."
The boy grew nervous and faced forward.
Rin thought to himself:
"How long will they keep fighting… they're both stubborn and emotional. Especially Eugene. I'm afraid this will turn into hatred. I don't want that."
The lesson continued, discussing elements, regions, and the TX index.
The bell rang again.
Students stood and left.
Eugene's mind was still stuck on his argument with Rim. He felt guilty. Part of the blame was his.
He saw Rim and Rin leaving and hurried after them, wanting to apologize.
"I don't want to lose anyone else," he thought. "My ability, my village, my mother… Rin's sacrifices are enough."
But as he exited—
"Riiiim!"
Milessia hugged Rim warmly. Rim returned the hug.
"I want to show you the tree I told you about," Milessia said.
"Okay, but hurry. I'm hungry."
They walked toward the garden.
Rin looked at Eugene curiously.
"Do you want to apologize to her?"
Eugene replied, surprised:
"How did you know?"
Rin smiled gently.
"You're my brother. I know you. You're becoming more responsible."
Eugene laughed softly and put his arm around Rin's shoulder.
"I'll let her cool down first. If I talk now, she might throw a rock."
They laughed as they walked away.
Adelaide stood at the classroom door, watching Rim and Milessia disappear into the garden, then turned toward Eugene and Rin.
She sighed softly.
"Ah… nothing is harder than teaching teenagers. Especially… a boy and a girl."
She closed the heavy wooden door.
Thump.
End of the Chapter
(The sound of piano keys played clumsily, then stopping suddenly.)
Narrator (with a slight smile):
"My first time trying the piano… I think I'll need more practice playing chapter endings. Well then—see you."