In front of the tower, over twenty meters high, four professors faced the hundred students waiting for the class assignment.

  Among these professors was Caria, a middle-aged human with a strict look, located at the far right of the tower entrance. Her graying brown hair was pulled back into an impeccable bun, and her blue-gray eyes were hidden behind a thin pair of round glasses. She wore a high-quality long-sleeved navy dress, accompanied by a dark violet wool shawl draped over her shoulders.

  In contrast, Sylvia, an elf on her left, stood out for her apparent youth. Her hazel eyes shone with vitality, and her honey-colored hair flowed in a fluid cascade down to her waist. Her long dress in a bright apple green highlighted her presence and natural beauty.

  Much smaller than her two colleagues, the dwarf, Darius, looked significantly older than the human. His face, marked by the years, was traversed by deep wrinkles. His skull was balding, except for a crown of short-cut gray hair above his ears. His tired eyes, of jade green, stood out from his face, framed by a finely trimmed mustache and a voluminous steel-gray beard, very carefully brushed. He wore a loose tunic and burgundy trousers, held by a leather belt adorned with a goose feather and a small inkwell.

  The halfling, Luth, even smaller than his dwarf colleague, had a disconcerting appearance and seemed to be halfway between childhood and adulthood, because of his size and the maturity of his face. His long black hair was pulled back under a midnight blue bandana, which covered his entire forehead, highlighting his bright light blue eyes. He wore a simple outfit consisting of a shirt and brown trousers, accompanied by a short-sleeved jacket of deep black that added a touch of discreet elegance.

  The professors' gazes, sweeping over the students chatting among themselves, gave the impression that they were evaluating them. At one point, their eyes settled on the two students from the special class who had just joined the assembly. However, they remained stoic at their sight, with the exception of the elf who then displayed a more than delighted and radiant look upon seeing Elwyn. This expression was immediately interrupted by her colleagues.

  — What are you doing here, stupid elf ? Don't forget that we have our eye on you, grumbled Darius, in a manner not to be heard by the students.

  At this remark, Sylvia froze and lowered her gaze, like a child caught doing something wrong.

  — Please stop showing off like that, you bring shame upon us. The Deity Ogme was clear about it, added Caria.

  — He must be considered like any other student, even if we know his origins, completed Luth.

  The elf's face then slowly frowned.

  — It's not fair… I would have liked to see him sooner. Why did things have to turn out this way ?

  — Use your brain for once. What is the value of an Entity of the Domain of Life in the eyes of the world ? And what is that of a nephilim of the same Domain, knowing its Deity has been gone for over ten years ? asked Darius.

  Sylvia then stealthily slipped her hands behind her back and did not answer these rhetorical questions.

  — What are the various groups in this world willing to do to get their hands on it and use it for their own interest ? asked Caria in the same manner.

  The elf remained silent, but her hands clenched more and more with each question.

  — Among our students, how many belong to a group capable of asking such questions, once its secret is discovered ? eventually asked Luth.

  — You… are right…, replied Sylvia, dejected, but trying not to lose face in front of the students.

  — No, it is Ogme who is right. “Stay in your place” was her motto for you, replied Ezekiel, having just arrived behind her through a cold draft, immediately putting an end to this furtive discussion.

  With that done, the dhampir in a long black coat and with hair as icy as his gaze headed towards the mass of students and faced them. The latter then became tense in front of this intimidating professor.

  — Dear students, we will now proceed with the class assignment. Know that these groups must be set up in a mixed manner with respect to your different origins. However, we leave you the freedom to decide how to proceed. Please form four groups of twenty-five people, demanded Ezekiel in a strong and authoritative voice.

  The various students looked at each other, wondering if anyone would take the initiative to launch the assignment, but no one seemed willing to do so. No one wished to stand out.

  At the same moment, Elwyn and Arimélia were addressed by a gesture from Ezekiel, asking them to join him. It was therefore a slight disappointment when Princess Sylaria had to separate from her friend and a total indifference for Loyd, who saw his comrade leave quietly.

  — You two, since you may not participate in certain classes, will choose after which group you want to join, explained Ezekiel.

  This explanation relieved Arimélia somewhat.

  Just after that, the dhampir leaned towards Elwyn and whispered something aside.

  — Be careful with the elves, they can be problematic for you.

  This warning from Ezekiel surprised Elwyn, who then slowly turned his head towards the four other professors and exchanged glances with each of them.

  Even though each tried to feign ignorance towards the young boy, the elf had some difficulty keeping her neutrality in the face of that gaze fixed upon her.

  “What am I supposed to understand ?“

  — Is something wrong ? asked Arimélia, seeing that the young boy seemed distracted.

  — No, nothing. It's just that I expected the other professors to have something intimidating, a bit like Professor Ezekiel.

  — I see. It's true that they seem more… friendly.

  Meanwhile, noticing that Professor Ezekiel was showing signs of impatience at the lack of movement from the students, Princess Sylaria decided to take matters into her own hands, albeit hesitantly.

  — Listen… we must… start somewhere… Otherwise it will be up to the professor to do it for us and in the end… no one will be satisfied with the result, she said, seeking the support of the other students.

  Lorian, her cousin, nodded in agreement.

  — She's right. We must take advantage of this freedom that is graciously given to us.

  Encouraged by these words, the students began to gather, based on their prior knowledge of their classmates or their intuitions. Some students looked for each other with their eyes, wishing to be with friends or acquaintances, while others seemed lost, looking for familiar faces.

  Among the hundred first-year students, one third were human and the rest were distributed more or less evenly among elves, dwarves, gnomes and halflings. The five ethnic groups therefore each divided themselves into four and complemented each other gradually to form the groups of twenty-five people requested. Finally, after about ten minutes, the requested groups took shape.

  — Very well. Now, professors, please choose a group to teach, said Ezekiel, visibly satisfied with the result of the groups.

  Without wasting a moment, the professors chose their group one by one, starting with Caria. Sylvia then prayed that the group in which Sylaria and Loyd were should not be taken by her colleague, hoping that this would attract the nephilim of the Domain of Life.

  The result was a total success for the elf professor, who obtained the quartet in her class, as Arimélia took the group to be with Princess Sylaria and Elwyn followed her move with Loyd.

  In view of the turn of events, Ezekiel then took Sylvia aside for a moment, taking advantage of the entry of the other groups into the first-year study tower.

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  — Be very careful with your behavior with him. He is not your sacred idol. In this place, he is just a simple student among others, the dhampir made firm with an intimidating air.

  Sylvia then swallowed her saliva and her victory, with some difficulty, in the face of the pressure placed on her by her teaching colleague.

  — I understand well… Professor Ezekiel. I will be careful with him, she replied in a syrupy tone, trying to appease her colleague, but a lump in her throat betrayed her nervousness.

  — In that case, I leave you, Professor Sylvia, replied Ezekiel, before heading towards the arena to give his class.

  Once the tension subsided, Professor Sylvia faced these new students with a new cheerful look.

  — Young people, we will now join our class for the coming year.

  The elf professor then led the way and entered the study tower with a determined step.

  The circular room bathed in the soft sunlight, which penetrated through the four pointed windows framing the room. The white walls reflected and diffused this light evenly, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. In case of a lack of brightness, a chandelier with a magical engraving, casting a diffuse light, was suspended from the ceiling.

  A few steps to the right of the entrance, a stone spiral staircase rose, traversing the tower in its full height, offering unique access to its four identical floors.

  On the left, a vast blackboard was solidly anchored between two windows, facing the professor's desk, while the desks were arranged in a harmonious arc of five rows of five and one row of two. Each desk, designed for a single student, was attached to a bench with a sufficiently comfortable cushion, facilitating the seating of species with a tail and forcing the students to remain upright. All the tables were previously provided with paper, pens and an inkwell for the classes.

  The built-in shelves in the walls overflowed with books and manuscripts, saturating the room with the intoxicating smell of old paper. A multitude of subjects of knowledge for the first years were covered by these works, carefully organized and labeled in four copies each, creating an atmosphere of calm and order. It was a place where every student could escape into the pages of history, science, magic and many other fields.

  The entire tower exuded serenity, creating an atmosphere conducive to study. It was a place where curious minds could flourish, where future scholars began to quench their thirst for knowledge in an inspiring setting, before plunging into the Great Library. Moreover, access to the first floor of the imposing building was possible via a stone bridge connected to the second floor of the tower.

  Once in the building, the students took their available seats. Elwyn and Arimélia, being part of the special class, were the last to enter and took the two seats at the back. The young boy then took advantage of his position to observe how the other students were seating themselves.

  “The four elves have seated themselves in a square at the front right, while the four dwarves have arranged themselves in a square at the back left… The two gnomes have positioned themselves in front of the dwarves and the halflings have settled at the front left, leaving a space between them and the gnomes… The rest of the space is occupied by the humans… Loyd has seated himself in the middle of the last row, facing Arimélia and Sylaria just to his right, facing me… Hmm ? Sylaria’s cousin and his two companions have taken the last three seats in the center…”

  Suddenly, Loyd, filled with a certain agitation and worry since he had sat on his bench, got up from his seat and abruptly turned to Arimélia.

  — Would you mind switching seats with me ? I don't like having someone behind me.

  Surprised by this sudden request, Arimélia froze for a second, before slowly turning her reptilian gaze towards Sylaria, who signaled her to come to her side.

  — Alright… if you don't mind…, stammered the half-dragoness before giving up her seat.

  The nephilim of War was then able to sit next to his comrade of Life and regain his calm once his back was against the wall.

  — Sorry for breaking up your nice couple like that, but I don't like having my back exposed, explained Loyd.

  — No need to apologize. You could have also said that you felt lonely without me, simply replied Elwyn, whose gaze followed Arimélia as she took her new seat.

  — You really are looking for trouble.

  — Not really, sighed Elwyn, his gaze now fixed on Arimélia’s tail, which she gently slid to the side of her bench after sitting down.

  — That thing must not be practical, that thing, commented Loyd, after noticing the direction of his comrade's gaze.

  — Why ?

  — Because it takes up space for no reason, it's not easy to sit with on a chair and there's a risk someone might step on it.

  — That's true… however, the mobility and muscular strength of her tail allow her to use it like a kind of powerful rear arm.

  — Oh really ? Interesting… Just hope she doesn't lift it too high then, replied Loyd amused.

  — Why is that ? asked Elwyn, intrigued.

  — Well, it's obvious.

  Elwyn then gave a negative nod to his comrade, not seeing the obvious.

  Loyd then sighed in exasperation, before signaling Elwyn to come closer, to be sure not to be heard by his comrades right in front.

  — She wears a skirt under which is the base of her tail. Agreed ?

  — Yes and so ?

  — Think about it a little. If she lifts her tail too high, her skirt will also lift and there is a risk of seeing her panties.

  — And so ? continued to ask Elwyn, still not seeing where his comrade was going with this.

  — What do you mean “And so ?” ? You really don't see the problem ?

  — Well no… Is it so problematic to see someone else's underwear ? asked Elwyn after a brief reflection.

  — It's mostly very embarrassing when it happens, replied Loyd, astonished at the completely opposite reaction than what he expected from his comrade.

  — If you say so, replied Elwyn, not really convinced, before settling properly back on his bench after noticing some movement from their professor.

  — Well, now that everyone is well seated, we can begin the class, announced the elf professor to her entire class.

  A complete silence instantly fell in the classroom.

  — Today, and for the next four years, we are beginning “The Mastery of the Quill”. This course aims to perfect your writing, your spelling, your grammar and your vocabulary. It represents the cornerstone of our teaching. The ability to transmit one's knowledge and to preserve it intact over time depends on writing. Speaking well is good for being understood, but writing well is to inspire credibility in your reader. Many high-level fields require these skills, and you, dear students, belong to some of these fields. Do you have any questions regarding my introduction ? asked the professor.

  Lorian then raised his hand.

  — Professor, why do you say “to be able to claim to occupy these positions”, when nobility, royalty and magic are innate and not acquired ? There is nothing to claim, it is a fact, he remarked in a self-satisfied manner.

  A mischievous smile then appeared on the professor's face, expecting such a reflection.

  — Because an idiotic or, worse, incompetent noble or king risks attracting the wrath of his subjects, even of Entities and Divinities if he causes too much harm. Not to mention the ridicule and abuse from neighboring countries, or even from his own supporters. As for the magician, if he has a weak vocabulary or major grammatical weaknesses, he risks especially injuring himself or injuring something other than what he aims at. Anything else to add ?

  The sullen expression on Lorian indicated that he had no argument to add.

  — What about Entities and half-Entities ? Then asked one of the dwarves at the back.

  — Now there is an interesting question. Would someone like to answer him ? asked the professor enthusiastically.

  Without much surprise, the eyes of the class turned at the same time to the back of the room, where the two half-Entities were.

  Aware that they were being watched, Loyd preferred to play indifferent, while Elwyn, for his part, raised his hand to speak.

  — From my own experience and my current knowledge, Entities are born with fragments of knowledge belonging to all the individuals who caused their “birth”. Therefore, they are not necessarily more intelligent beings than others, but their immortality gives them time to learn. However, their knowledge concerning their entire Domain is innate and their competence is focused solely on it, which they develop through practice. As for half-Entities, they inherit the power concerning the ability of their parent Entity, but have the energy reserve of a newborn, and possess more or less free will. Some can therefore decide to turn away from their Domain to do something else, replied the young boy in a perfectly neutral tone.

  — That's very good and even very fair, but can you do something simpler and more concise ? asked the elf kindly, a bit too enthusiastic about the young boy's intervention.

  — Alright. Simply put, an Entity will always have total mastery of the subject of its Domain, but its practical competence in that subject will depend on its experience and practice over time. As for half-Entities, they are identical in terms of knowledge of their Domain and inherit the power of their parent Entity's abilities.

  Then the deeper voice of a dwarf was heard at the last row.

  — So, half-Entities can become more efficient than their parent Entity, if they inherit its power.

  Loyd then decided to speak.

  — Not really. They possess the same powers at the same strength as their parent Entity or Deity, but their low energy reserve at birth very strongly limits the duration of use and effectiveness of their powers, which makes them extremely inefficient at the beginning of their existence.

  At the first row, the slightly childish voice of a halfling was then heard.

  — So that means nephilim are not as dangerous as they say, since they are limited ?

  Elwyn then took the floor again.

  — For me, the danger of a half-Entity depends on its Domain, but especially on its detachment from the rules of that Domain. If it is as free as any individual and devoid of any moral consciousness, then it can do anything with these powers and cause death and destruction. It is therefore to avoid such a drift that Divinities choose not to have children, at least, the majority of them.

  At these last words, a heavy silence settled in the room and, seeing that the debate did not seem to go any further, Professor Sylvia then took the floor in her soft voice.

  — Well, thank you both for enlightening your classmates on the subject of Entities. Now, let us make way for the lesson before it ends. I am now going to dictate a passage to assess your level of comprehension, the aesthetics of your writing and your spelling. So take one of the sheets on your desk and your pen. I begin.