Elves are inherently… superior.
Being closest to the World Tree, Yggdrasil.
From the very beginning, they've always had the upper hand—strength, intelligence, beauty, and of course, Ruah.
The ability to control their own life energy for defensive and offensive purposes.
The ability to use their own life to give others life.
'But of course, these narcissistic beings won't do it.' Grumbling to myself, I made my way to another floor.
Every building in the academy had at least seven levels, including the second-year tower where I currently was.
The sheer size of the place made getting anywhere a chore unless you used the tube elevators.
I glanced out the corridor window as I walked.
My body relaxed itself as I walked alone in the empty place.
There is also another reason why I choose not to travel with tube elevators.
[]
'Yeah, I sense them too.' I replied as I took notice of the four figures hiding behind the wall at the intersection.
Their hardened posture, battle stance—everything told they weren't here to talk.
[]
'I can take care of a few students with ease, Inna.' And honestly, I was curious.
It had barely been two hours since my speech, and soone had already sent lackeys to ambush ?
Who could it be?
The mont I approached the corner, a shimring silver do snapped into place around .
I pressed a hand to its surface, feeling my mana being drained as I touched it.
But with a little more focus, I could see so lines forming on it.
'Are they its weak points?' I wondered.
Being a child of mana felt like cheating sotis.
Anything made of mana revealed its flaws to .
"That was easy."
"I thought he would be cautious."
"Idiot."
One by one, four boys stepped into view, their faces hidden behind masks.
Though they seed relaxed, their grip on their weapons betrayed their unease.
I tilted my head as sothing caught my eye—their ears.
'Halves?' Unlike the elongated, elegant ears of full-blooded elves, theirs were shorter, only half the length.
I rubbed my chin, looking at them.
'This is complicated.' Even though half-elves were a significant part of Akasha's population, they had next to no rights.
From birth, they were oppressed, treated as second-class citizens, and bullied relentlessly—even here at the academy.
"What are you guys doing?" I asked, tilting my head slightly.
"Shut up," the presud leader growled, his adow-green eyes peering out from behind his mask.
"Stay inside and don't make this harder than it needs to be."
One of them moved behind , pushing the do lightly from the outside.
'Interesting.' So it only affects whoever is inside?
"Can't you just let go?" I asked politely, stepping in rhythm with the shifting do.
"I'm already famous for being a racist. Beating up a few halves will only make my reputation worse."
"Keep dreaming, idiot," the leader sneered. "This barrier is unbreakable—"
I raised my hand, pressing lightly against one of the weak points.
Channeling my own mana into it, I overloaded the barrier.
With a sharp crack, the do shattered like glass, leaving the boys stunned.
"You were saying sothing?" I asked with a bright smile.
Their shock didn't last long.
The leader rushed at with a blade.
Cladding my hand in mana, I drove my fist into the leader's gut, causing him to double over.
Before he could recover, I grabbed his head and slamd it into another boy's chest, sending them both sprawling.
They both fell down, groaning in pain.
My gaze shifted to the remaining two.
"I'll ask this once," I said, still smiling. "Who sent you?"
Instead of answering, one of them roared and lunged with his sword while the other began conjuring a magic circle.
I sidestepped the sword easily, my foot blurred out, connecting to his ribs and sending him tumbling.
My eyes then turned to the boy casting magic circle.
'Hm?' I raised my hand as well, making the sa circle albeit a lot faster than him.
Two swirling fireballs collided mid-air, canceling each other out.
The boy stared at , dumbfounded, as I walked toward him.
"What's happening here?"
But a sudden voice stopped mid-way.
I turned to see a woman approaching.
Her long blonde-green hair was tied into a ponytail, and her piercing erald eyes glared at .
Her elongated ears twitched slightly as she drew closer.
"Professor Lirien."
I muttered, staring into her eyes.
She gave a quick glance at the beat-up students.
"Urgh, just so halves." She said dismissively before she started to walk away. "Always polluting the place."
"..."
I quietly looked at her as she glanced back at . "Are you perhaps taking my class?"
"Yes." I replied, to which she smiled brightly.
"Co with then." She said, resuming her walk.
I looked at the boys before trailing behind her.
There wouldn't be any punishnt for what they'd done to them.
Not in this academy. Unless soone was killed, incidents like this were swept under as so ruckus.
Even in killing cases, the heirs of the Highbloods are exceptions.
'So high-ranking elf?' I thought as I tried to guess who sent them.
Hm.
But the question is who?
"Urgh."
A startled groan escaped my lips as I felt my chest contract.
Looking down, I saw silvery runes glowing faintly against my skin.
The burning sensation was unbearable, like my insides were being set on fire.
'Argh, fuck.' I groaned, suppressing my desire to sit down and rest.
The pain is seriously killing .
I need to find a way to fix my problem and quickly.
'But how?' I have no idea.
Still deep in thought, we quickly arrived at her class hall.
The students inside stood as she entered, their gazes briefly shifting to .
The mont I stepped in, all eyes locked onto —so with open hostility, others with mild curiosity.
Full-blooded elves occupied most of the room, with a few half-elves scattered at the edges.
I sighed and made my way to an empty seat in the middle corner, closer to the halves.
'What a pain.' Groaning to myself, I looked at Lirien.
"As I ntioned in the last class, we will be conducting a test today,"
Lirien announced, her smile bright but her tone sharp as she stood behind her desk.
"Anyone who fails the test will be imdiately expelled from my class."
I looked around and imdiately noticed the confused looks on the students' faces.
Lirien ignored them, pulling out a slip of paper.
She scribbled sothing quickly before making her way toward .
"Here," she said, handing the paper without a second glance.
I frowned, staring at it as she returned to the front of the class.
"Congratulations!" She said, smiling. "Everyone passed except the heir of Segyal Highbloods."
The class burst into laughter, the room filled with mocking stares that bore at .
'...'
"And now," she continued, gesturing toward the door, "if you would kindly remove yourself from my class."
"I still haven't given a test." I said, raising the paper. "Isn't that unfair?"
"Those questions haven't been solved in five thousand years, Sir Himl." She said, still giving that fake smile. "Don't even bother with it."
"How much ti do I have?" Ignoring her comnt, I asked.
Her smile dropped as she looked at coldly. "Don't you understand my words?"
"Ti, Miss Lirien." I said, relaxing myself on the chair.
"Fine, if you wish to struggle then be my guest." She sneered, glaring at . "I will give you today's ti."
She turned away sharply and began addressing the class as if I no longer existed.
"So, as you all know, those leeches known as vampires can't use Ruah," she stated, pacing with an air of superiority.
Her gaze swept over the students. "Orina, care to tell us why?"
"It's because they abandoned their elven lineage," a female elf replied, her voice clear.
"Correct. Unlike us noble beings, they sold their bodies and souls, severing their connection to the World Tree," Lirien said, her voice dripping with disdain.
"This is why those disgusting leeches feed on the life energy of others."
She paused, her erald eyes narrowing. "Theoretically, a vampire can live for eternity by sucking others' life energy, but they don't. Anyone knows why?"
"Because life energy isn't pure—."
"Shut up, you filthy half!" she snapped, glaring at the timid girl. "Be glad I am even letting you in my class."
The girl shrank back, her cheeks flushed with embarrassnt.
"...."
Lirien took in a deep breath before she gestured at another elf girl who raised her hand.
"It's because no being in this world possesses pure life energy," the girl answered confidently.
"Exactly," Lirien said, clapping her hands. "Not even the demigods are exempt from this truth."
The class continued as I looked down.
I stared at the question, and frankly, I didn't understand shit.
'The fuck is this?' I wondered, tilting my head.
'Oh wait, it's upside down.' []
'Shut up.' Staring at the question, I took out the glasses that I 'borrowed' from Mariam.
[]
'Yeah, yeah.' Grumbling, I wore the glasses before channeling a little mana into them.
Spectra Glass. Sothing that was made by the first Head of Segyal Highbloods.
It was supposed to be in Ragnar's possession, but for so reason, it isn't.
It hasn't been used before because one must fulfill a condition.
Only the child of mana can use it.
'That's good for .' I thought as the glasses lit up, projecting a holographic screen before my eyes showing different research done by the first head.
I scrolled through the archives.
Gods and their weaknesses, temporal anomalies, spatial rifts around Lumina, avatars, dungeons… Finally, I found the section I needed: Ruah.
The docunt opened up, sweeping it to my left eye.
I focused on the question given by Lirien.
'What is the relationship between Ruah and mana? Base your answer from an elf's perspective.' 'Why is Ruah easily usable to elves? Answer should not contain "long life" and "nature-based beings."' 'How to combine Mana and Ruah?' "...."
This is shit.
The fuck type of questions are they?
'Anyway.' Putting the question paper aside, I started reading his research on Ruah.
Like everyone says, Buinal was the greatest genius to this day.
He was perfect in everything, just like Ragnar.
But unlike Ragnar, who didn't pay much attention to the basics of the ability, Buinal was different.
And the more I read his research, the more it becos clear.
Even though it was written in fancy words.
For so reason, I could clearly understand it.
"..."
I shifted my attention back to the paper.
Mana and Ruah, huh? ****
"What are you doing?"
A soft voice pulled out of my thoughts.
"Huh?"
I looked up, my gaze eting that of a pale girl with a curious expression.
"Why are you here alone?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.
I frowned, confused.
Looking around, I realized I was sitting in an empty classroom.
"Class ended?" I asked, turning back to her.
"Yeah," she replied with a light smile, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's already lunch."
'The fuck happened?' I thought as the girl walked out of the class.
[]
'Really?' I thought, looking at the scrambled-up papers lying on the desk.
'Lirien didn't say anything?' []
'Oh, serves her right.' I sneered, shaking my shoulders.
As I stepped out into the bustling hallway, I scanned my surroundings.
Where did that girl go?
And… who was she, anyway?
Shrugging off the thought, I began making my way to the cafeteria.
[]
'Yep.' If anything, I got a clue about my life energy and how to fix it.
From the start, I'd wondered why Amun-Ra's blessing couldn't repair my body.
One of its core abilities was converting other energies into mana.
Why couldn't the opposite be possible?
[]
'Shut up.' Anyway, if I want to fix my life energy, I need to find sothing that can reach my life source directly.
As I entered the cafeteria, the lively chatter of second-year students filled the air.
I scanned the room, quickly spotting Elijah and Aimar at a table.
I started toward them, but my steps slowed as I noticed a few others seated with them.
And... my eyes fell on her.
She had long, flowing black hair, contrasting her pale skin.
Her striking red eyes, frad by delicate features.
She carried herself with a captivating confidence.
As if sensing my gaze, she turned toward .
My attention dropped to the small mole just below her lips.
Siersha. My fiancée.
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