''Hmm? It''s dark... ''


    ''Why is it so dark and yet so soft?''


    I slowly raise my body and drowsily scan my surroundings. Although there''s little to no light in the room, the moonlight beside the window casts its shine, allowing me to see a bit.


    Scanning the surroundings, the memories flood back. That''s right, this is Adrian''s room. Is it night already? I fell asleep, huh?


    As my senses fully awaken, I feel a lingering weight—a mixture of weariness and the gravity of the situations I find myself entangled in.


    The room, bathed in the soft glow of the moon, holds a sense of calm amidst the storm that has be my reality.


    Why isn''t Adrian back yet? I pped my hands suddenly, and the lights turned on. It''s convenient that every dorm room has the samemand for the lights.


    I''ve heard from Leslie that they could be manually changed if you ask the dorm head, but I''m too afraid to call for her.


    As the lights brightened, my surroundings became clearer, and I could see everything better. I remembered this ce being clean and cozy, but why is everything so messy?


    There are cracks on the floor, with what seems to be gigantic footprints. The small kitchen seems to have been burned. Did something happen?


    "You''re awake, Louise!"


    "Cecilia?"


    Suddenly, Cecilia licked me with her translucent fiery serpentine tongue, although no saliva came out as she was a great fire spirit. The weird feeling that her warm mouth gave is always peculiar, no matter how much you get used to it.


    "Are you okay now?" Giving her a small but gentle smile, I nodded.


    "Seriously, who does that girl think she is?" Ceciliained while reminiscing about Schwi.


    "I wish I could''ve burned that bitch more…. She dares to—"


    "Stop, Cecilia... What we did was enough."


    Sensing my difort, Cecilia stopped and hissed slightly before licking me once again. At times like this, even the weird feeling of her warm tongue is ratherforting.


    I wonder if other people were able to see spirits like I do; would they freak out? Seeing a giant snake licking a girl.


    Contemting it brought a small giggle to my lips, and Cecilia, noticing my improved mood, responded with a gentle smile.


    Which was kind of weird to look at as she has the face of a snake, though I didn''t say it out loud to not hurt her feelings.


    "By the way, Cecilia, what happened here?"


    "Ah... That''s because of Tn."


    "You traitor!"


    Suddenly, a gigantic translucent gori made out of rocks manifested at the side of my bed. Unlike Cecilia, who only half manifested her head in the room due to her size, Tn was able to partially materialize himself, as his size was small enough to fit in the room, although he was still gigantic by human standards.


    "You told me you wouldn''t tell her."


    "And you trusted me? When will you learn, stupid monkey? Besides, did you want me to lie to her?"


    "W-what? Of course not, it''s just that---"


    Sighing, Tn looked at me and bowed his head all the way to the floor. Although his head would have caused a significant tremor across the floor if it hit, as he was only partially materialized, his head just passed through the floor.


    "I''m sorry, Master! I wanted to make you something to eat after you woke up, but as you can see, it seems myck of human knowledge has failed me."


    "Don''t you mean you''re toorge to cook something?"


    "What did you say, worm?"


    "You heard me, monkey"


    "Hahaha"


    As sparks flew between the two of them, I couldn''t help butugh out loud; these two were the same as usual.


    "Tn, I appreciate the thought, but this isn''t my room, and what you did was rather rude. Not only did you wreck the ce, but you also basically renovated the entire room" I said reprimanding him, pointing out how destroyed the room was.


    There were even some fires left burning in the kitchen.


    ''What exactly did he try to cook? Can''t he see how gigantic his arms are?''


    "I''m sorry."


    "Then go clean this up."


    "Eh…...?"


    "Haah… Don''t worry. I know you''ll cause more damage than fixing, but you still need to learn a lesson"


    "I''ll call the others. You better fix everything before Adrian gets back."


    Sighing I sped my hands together and gathered mana.


    "I call for you, little ones"


    I uttered, my voice carrying a resonance that seemed to vibrate with the very essence of the magical world.


    In response to my summons, a series of intricate magic circles materialized in the air around me. Each circle bore a unique design, a testament to the diverse elements they represented.


    As I focused my intent, the magic circles one by one shattered, giving birth to a menagerie of small to medium-sized creatures.


    Their vibrant colors spoke volumes about the elemental affiliations they embodied, creating a kaleidoscope of magical life.


    Some entities wereposed entirely of their respective elements, reminiscent of the legendary beings known as Tn and Cecilia.


    In the realm of magic, it was believed that spirits harmoniously connected to their elemental nature had a greater potential for ascension to higher ranks. I observed a green rabbit made of swirling winds, contemting the possibility of this seemingly ordinary creature evolving into a high-ranking spirit.


    ''He''s rather cute''


    I mused, appreciating the charm of the wind-bound rabbit as it frolicked in the magical aura surrounding us.


    In stark contrast to the autonomous manifestations of Cecilia and Tn, these lower-ranking spirits required my explicit permission to materialize.


    Although they were all contracted to me they existed in a delicate bnce, unable to traverse the physical world without my beckoning.


    "Masshhtere?"


    "Tell, Tell"


    The curious and childlike voices of the low-ranking spirits filled the air, theirnguage a whimsical blend of sounds that bordered on the nonsensical.


    "Why call?"


    One of them inquired, their innocent curiosity evident in their words.


    "Job Job Job"


    A cacophony of gibberish continued as the spirits bombarded me with questions, their childlike expressions reflecting both confusion and eagerness. Despite their linguistic limitations, their enthusiasm was palpable.


    Smiling warmly at the spirited gathering, I gestured toward Tn, the Giant Stone Gori, who appeared downtrodden, struggling with a spat in hand.


    "I need you guys to help the big guy over there"


    I exined, hoping to convey the urgency of the situation.


    "Please help him fix and clean the ce"


    "Ok"


    "Yesh"


    "Master mana"


    With a sense of purpose, the spirits moved toward Tn, their collective presence forming a whimsical procession.


    Approaching the saddened giant gori who was trying his best not to break the spat he was grabbing, theymunicated in their own unique way, seeking guidance on how to remedy the situation.


    As beings intimately connected to the elemental forces, these low-ranking spirits possessed the ability to manipte the environment.


    The earth spirits among them could effortlessly repair floors and walls, reconstructing broken objects with their innate elemental prowess.


    "Master," came the soft voice, apanied by a gentle breeze that wrapped around me like aforting embrace.


    "Oh, sorry. I didn''t realize I was still holding you," I apologized, releasing my grasp on the wind bunny still in my arms.


    "No, I found your touch ratherfortable, master," he replied, his wordsced with an unexpected candidness.


    "It''s just that you kind of smell"


    "Eh?" I responded, caught off guard by the unexpected observation.


    Curiosity piqued, I slowly raised my arms and took a whiff, realizing for the first time that I had been carrying the scent of my endeavors.


    The revtion hit me with a pang of embarrassment, especially considering I had rested in Adrian''s bed. I hastened to check the bed, only to find that my fragrance had indeed left its mark, turning the once-white sheets into a shade of brown.


    Quirking an eyebrow, I made my way to the mirror, my reflection revealing a face adorned with charcoal and uniform stained with dirt. The realization of my disheveled appearance sank in, and a wave of shame washed over me.


    ''Don''t tell me when I hugged Adrian?….. ahhh I want to die!''


    …..


    "You get it, right?" Her question hung in the air, a seemingly innocent inquiry that set off a tumultuous storm within me.


    I coughed, nearly retching as a barrage of distressing images flooded my mind. Why did she make me see that? What was her purpose?


    Despite my concerted efforts to bury the memories, the vivid recollections wed their way back into my consciousness. How did she know?


    It was then that the face of a person, someone with tinum blonde hair simr to mine, emerged from the depths of my mind.


    Her beauty rivaled that of the renowned flower of the empire, Lilliana Vulter Tellus, and her eyes bore a strikingvender hue.


    This woman, my sister, was the epitome of beauty and perfection, someone I had once admired and respected.


    But then, an intrusive image invaded my thoughts: her once-wless body, now marred with bruises and scars, suspended lifeless from a rope. The stark reality of her demise hit me with a gut-wrenching force.


    "Guk!" I couldn''t contain the nausea any longer, and I expelled the contents of my stomach. Tears streamed down my cheeks as the horrifying memory continued to resurface.


    "Louise!"


    "Master!"


    Cecilia and Tn''s voices resonated in my head, but I signaled them to stand down. The emotional turmoil within me needed to be confronted.


    "I didn''t expect you to be a murderer, Louise"


    Schwi calmly remarked with a smile, crossing her legs in front of me. Behind me, her maid touched my back with an orb in her hand.


    Examining the intricate magic circles enveloping the orb, it became apparent that celestial magic was at y. Did they use celestial magic on me?


    "No, I--"


    "Yes, you did not to be exact you did nothing" "and that''s what makes you a murderer you know what I mean right"


    "I''m short on time you see and that damn Sage seemed to have disappeared for some reason---"


    After that, Schwi continued to delve into the intricacies of academy politics, a discourse that proved to be abyrinth of information I couldn''t quite grasp.


    Her words seemed to flow through one ear and out the other, forming an indistinct hum in the background.


    A deluge of thoughts and emotions swirled within me, drowning out any attempt at understanding theplex web of political maneuvers she was attempting to exin.


    Unbeknownst to me, the tension in the room escted, reaching a breaking point. It happened so swiftly that my senses struggled to keep up.


    The atmosphere crackled with an electric charge as Cecilia and Tn, my loyalpanions, materialized autonomously.


    Their manifestations were swift and fierce, a sudden explosion of magical energy that sent shockwaves through the surroundings. In the blink of an eye, they became an unstoppable force, devouring and incapacitating the guards while reducing the room to chaos.


    Caught in the whirlwind of unfolding events, I found myself unwittingly drawn into the maelstrom. My wand, gripped tightly in my hand, seemed to move of its own ord, instinctively pointed at Schwi.


    Even though people were dying for some reason I felt nothing about it.


    …..


    With a heavy breath, I slowly emerged from the bath, the warmth of the water still clinging to my skin. The weight of the world seemed to settle on my shoulders, and I could feel the telltale prickle behind my eyelids—a sign that tears were threatening to spill.


    Sighing, I stepped out, the tiles cool against my feet. The silence of the bathroom amplified the tumultuous thoughts racing through my mind.


    The emotional turmoil within me mirrored the state of the water now draining from the tub. It was as if the very act of bathing had failed to cleanse the filth that seemed to fester within.


    In an attempt to wash away not just the physical grime but the emotional weight as well, I turned on the shower.


    The water, now cooler, cascaded over me like a gentle rain. Each drop felt like a small attempt to purge the unseen stains that lingered within, a futile effort to rid myself of the lingering difort.


    Facing the mirror, I sought my own reflection, unsure of what I might see.


    The mist from the shower clung to the ss, distorting the image staring back at me. I couldn''t discern whether the moisture on my cheeks was a result of the shower or the silent tears that had escaped.


    Grabbing a towel to wrap around myself, I stepped out of the bathroom, only to find that the atmosphere in the room had swiftly returned to its usual state.


    The abrupt transformation left me disoriented; how long had I stayed in the bath? It felt as though time had yed tricks on me,pressing what should have been a lengthy period into what seemed like a mere moment.


    As I began to tread cautiously toward Adrian''s closet, a voice sliced through the air, pulling my attention away.


    "You!" Themand was sharp, demanding recognition. I turned around to see a pair of red eyes, captivating and intense, locking onto my pink ones.


    It was Adrian''s sister, Aria, exuding an air of natural allure with her golden blonde hair and crimson red eyes. Apanying her was a beautiful ck-haired maid with striking golden eyes.


    "Aria and—"


    "Why are you here, Louise?" Aria questioned, her tone a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.


    The query hung in the air, and for a moment.


    I wanted to reciprocate the question. How had she arrived without Adrian? Was the door not locked? Yet, the current situation restrained me from voicing my own inquiries.


    "Adrian brought me here…."


    The two just stared at me in utter silence.