Professor McClaff’s Class

  Everyone already knew that Rafinya had traded partners with Princess Nora, which meant Dan had been switched to her side.

  That meant Rafinya’s presence in Dan’s life had grown… and not in a pleasant way.

  (Rumble…)

  Dan glanced to his right. Not Nora—she always sat on his left.

  Rafinya was emanating such an intense aura that no one dared to sit near her. Her ambition was practically shaking the air.

  Are all Luminus people like this?

  “…What game are you playing now?” Dan asked, turning to her. “Run out of plays already?”

  “You’re in my group. Why would you sit far away?”

  “With how much you keep circling around me, do you just want to get close to me or something?”

  “!”

  That made Rafinya’s eyes widen.

  By close, he meant being around him and Nora—studying together, reading together, sitting together, tutoring each other, and so on.

  Oh, poor girl…

  Dan had noticed it long ago; he’d just chosen not to care. But now it was getting excessive—too frequent to ignore.

  “You already have plenty of friends. Don’t bother with me.”

  “If I join your circle, will you tell me your secret techniques?”

  “I told you, I learned them in Velmount.”

  “Don’t lie.”

  “Not interested. Go somewhere else.”

  Nora, silent all this time while taking notes, finally spoke.

  “Didn’t you once say that Mr.Dan wasn’t worth anything in the eyes of the Pauli family? Remember?”

  “The situation’s changed.”

  “But my memory hasn’t.”

  Nora turned her eyes toward Rafinya.

  “Dan has no reason whatsoever to be close to someone like you.”

  “Correct,” Dan added, head still down, continuing to take notes like Nora. The two completely ignored her.

  “Dan! Nora! Do you think I’m just running my mouth?! After all I’ve—”

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  “Nora, do you understand the third board?”

  “I’ll explain after class.”

  “Great, thanks.”

  “Dan!”

  Raises hand

  “Professor McClaff, Rafinya is disturbing our lesson.”

  “!”

  Rafinya’s murderous aura was instantly smothered by an even deadlier one—from Professor McClaff, who was from Velmount.

  “Rafinya. Get out of my class.”

  The girl froze, face pale. She turned and shouted at Dan.

  “Are you insane?! If I leave, who’s going to do the—”

  Nora: “I’ll let you copy my notes, Dan. Don’t worry.”

  “Ah…”

  And just like that, Rafinya was thrown out of class.

  You reap what you sow.

  That saying had never felt truer—for Rafinya.

  Tuesday.

  Dan arrived at the academy gate.

  And there she was again.

  Rafinya Saint Pauli.

  Waiting right there by the fence, sitting with fingers interlocked, posture like a loan shark waiting for money, hair brushed to the side.

  “Took you long enough.”

  “How many weeks is this going to go on?”

  “Today, you’re with me.”

  “Yes, I know.”

  Rafinya stood and picked up her bag.

  “I’m going to train.”

  “…And you’re telling me that because?”

  She just walked off.

  “Hah. This kid…”

  As he watched her leave, Princess Nora appeared quietly behind him.

  “Mr.Fury, she came again today?”

  “Ridiculous, isn’t it? Hahaha.”

  Fury turned and pointed toward the direction Rafinya went.

  “…”

  But Nora’s face looked strangely calm.

  “Mr.Fury,”

  “What?”

  “You’re not planning to bring Rafinya into our group, are you?”

  “Why would I make my life harder?”

  Nora nodded slowly—then suddenly brightened.

  “Let’s go, Mr.Fury.”

  “?”

  Wednesday.

  Normally, Dan and Nora would be studying in the Sheffield Library.

  But today, they changed the mood. They were on the rooftop of the magic wing, enjoying the cool breeze, stepping on patches of snow. A half-eaten sandwich lay on a clean cloth.

  And Nora was teaching Dan ice magic.

  “Mr.Fury, you did it! You can summon ice now.”

  Crack.

  A shard of ice fell from Dan’s hand. He could now form ice on his palm—he could even shape it into a short dagger. In truth, he could make anything; it all depended on imagination.

  “I want to fire spikes of ice in volleys like you do,” Dan said.

  “I think it looks cool.”

  “If you reach level six, you should be able to.”

  “You think that day will come?”

  “Of course. Someone like you.”

  “I guess I’ve got a good teacher.”

  Princess Nora smiled brightly.

  “Practicing ice magic, huh?”

  ?

  Both Nora and Dan turned toward the voice on the other side of the rooftop fence.

  Rafinya had come up.

  She looked winded, a little sweaty—likely from running all over looking for them after failing to find them in the library.

  Nora: “What now?”

  Rafinya didn’t answer. She had her own sandwich in hand, still wrapped, but she came up here anyway.

  To be with them.

  “Stay out of our way. I’m serious—I’ve had enough.”

  “And why should I? Dan’s in my group.”

  “Work group. Can’t you tell the difference between coworkers and friends? Didn’t Luminus teach that?”

  Rafinya ignored her.

  Nora (thinking): Mr.Fury… this doesn’t happen often, but I wish Miss Freya were here right now.

  Dan (thinking): It’s good that it doesn’t.

  “I can teach you fire magic, you know.”

  Both Dan and Nora froze.

  “The fire you saw…”

  Rafinya snapped her fingers—a red Velvet flame flared up, the same one she’d used against Nora.

  “It’s sacred fire… even Lady Casca doesn’t know how to wield it.”

  “Dan didn’t ask you. Don’t offer,” Nora said coldly.

  Rafinya shot her a glare.

  “Then why did you teach him your Cryomancer ice? Isn’t that supposed to be a Snowhaven secret?”

  True enough. It should be.

  “It’s just a small kindness,” Nora said.

  “Then think of this as a small kindness, too.”

  “No matter what, Mr.Dan isn’t going to tell you anything.”

  Rafinya gestured toward Dan.

  “I don’t mingle with the weak. But you’re different. Don’t make me repeat myself.”

  Dan’s footsteps stopped right in front of her. He looked up—smiled—

  And flick!

  “Ow!?”

  Rafinya flinched.

  “What the hell was that for?!”

  “Don’t get cocky.”

  “What did you say?!”

  “Focus on your Friday plans instead, Rafinya.”

  Dan and Nora walked past her, heading down to their next class starting in fifteen minutes.

  “If I don’t see you at the academy gate this Friday, I’m going home—and I’m not going anywhere after that.”

  Friday, 19:03 PM.

  Dan arrived at the academy gate as promised, carrying a small travel bag and wearing a freshly cleaned spare uniform (a gift from Casca).

  And there she was—Rafinya—in a neat casual outfit: her signature black fitted training pants.

  She stood with arms folded, leaning against the fence, waiting.

  Behind her was a dim white carriage adorned with a golden rose emblem.

  Her family had sent transport for them.

  Rafinya walked up, gripped Dan’s arm firmly, and pulled.

  “Come.”

  “I know.”

  “Make sure you don’t run.”

  “You’ve got PTSD that bad, huh?”