Ashern City - Reinhart Institute of War, 11th of Brightforge, year 315 UC
Lock entered the classroom, pushing a cart draped in a black sheet. Whatever was beneath it created a faint, lumpy outline. He rolled it to the front of the room and came to a stop.
Without a word, he yanked the sheet off.
Underneath was a frog the size of a small bush. Its skin was a deep purple, striped with yellow streaks running down its back.
The creature was very clearly dead.
"Can anyone identify this?"
Lock asked, his gaze scanning the room.
A student in the front row raised their hand. Lock gave a nod.
"Conspirator Purple Bullfrog."
The cadet answered confidently.
"Well done, Cadet Chen."
Lock turned back to the class.
"Now then—what rank is this creature?"
Another hand rose, this time further back. He gestured for the student to stand.
She brushed a strand of blonde hair behind her ear before answering. The motion was fluid, practiced, almost elegant. It caught his attention more than he expected. He'd never really noticed her before—his focus had always been on his team and self-improvement.
Come to think of it, they'd never spoken.
What was her name again?
He couldn't place it. There were too many people in the camp, and names didn't stick unless they were part of his daily circle. Beyond his teammates, instructors, and a few others, everyone else was a blur.
"Conspirator Purple Bullfrog is ranked D as a juvenile, and C when fully grown. The one on the cart is still young—adult variants have small horns above their eyes. They're mostly harmless, though their tongues can cause mild paralysis. Too many hits in a short span can stack the effect, leading to permanent nerve damage if not treated quickly."
She finished with a polite smile.
"I asked for the rank, Cadet Rowe."
Lock said dryly.
"I don't recall requesting a full lecture. But since you seem eager to share—where are they commonly found? What are their weaknesses? And why are they relevant to our society?"
Rowe didn't hesitate.
"They inhabit swamps, forests, and occasionally wander into urban zones. They dislike heat and typically avoid caves due to poor vision. They can't see well in low-light conditions, and their peripheral vision is extremely limited—making them vulnerable from the sides and rear. Their primary elemental weakness is lightning, which also makes it the preferred method for safe capture. Their poison sacs are harvested to produce anesthetics, numbing agents, and certain medical pills."
"Good answer. Sit down, Cadet Rowe."
Alexander jotted a few notes. It was his first time seeing this type of monster. Hopefully they'd get a chance to dissect it or at least study it up close.
When he glanced back at Rowe, he froze.
She was looking at him.
Or... was she?
Her deep green eyes hovered for a moment in his direction before she casually turned away. His breath caught. A heat crept up the back of his neck.
Was she actually looking at me? He couldn't tell. There were other cadets nearby. And it's not like he stood out. Not really. He was ranked at the very bottom.
She wouldn't be interested. Would she?
"What are you doing?"
Christopher muttered beside him.
Alexander flinched.
"Nothing. Pay attention."
Christopher leaned over, glancing past him. "
Lisa Rowe? You were staring at her?"
A smirk crept across his face.
"That's bold, Alex."
Alexander waved him off, ears turning red.
"No! I wasn't—I mean—I was just—"
"Cadet Silvermark."
Lock's voice cut through the room like a blade.
Alexander froze.
"Do you have something you'd like to share with the class?"
Alexander's face burned as he slouched in his seat. All eyes were on him—including hers.
Lisa Rowe. Those deep green eyes he'd accidentally locked with a moment ago now lingered on him, curious.
"No, sir. Sorry, sir."
He mumbled, his voice cracking.
Lock narrowed his eyes.
"Then perhaps you'd like to explain the habitat range of the Conspirator Purple Bullfrog?"
Panic surged. He'd been taking notes—at least until he noticed Lisa. His eyes dropped to his notebook.
"They, uh… prefer swamps and forested areas."
He said, trying to sound confident.
"Sometimes they wander into cities."
Lock crossed his arms.
"And their primary predators?"
Alexander's stomach dropped. That hadn't come up yet. He scrambled for something he might've read in the textbook the night before.
"I believe… some snake species? And larger birds?"
He offered.
Lock's expression didn't change.
"The Crested Viper and Red-tailed Hawk are their main natural predators. Study up, Silvermark. Out there, the wrong guess could get you killed."
He turned back to the class.
"Now, as I was saying…"
Alexander exhaled, trying not to visibly deflate. Christopher nudged him with an elbow, still grinning.
"Smooth."
He whispered.
Alexander groaned internally. Exactly the kind of attention he wanted to avoid. He sank a little deeper in his seat, hoping the class would forget about him.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Lisa laughing softly, covering her mouth with her hand.
'Was she laughing at me?'
He forced the thought aside.
'Come on, Alex. Focus on what matters.'
He stared down at his notes for the rest of the lecture, refusing to look up again.
When Lock finally dismissed the class, Alexander gathered his things quickly, hoping to escape before Christopher could get another jab in.
"Hey, Silvermark."
He froze. That wasn't Christopher.
He looked up.
Lisa Rowe stood beside his desk, her books clutched to her chest. She smiled gently.
"That was a good save on the predator question."
She said.
"Oh—um—thanks."
Alexander replied, fumbling his papers. One nearly slipped from his hand.
"I was paying attention. Mostly."
He added, trying to play it off.
Lisa chuckled and lightly placed a hand on his shoulder.
He might as well have melted into the floor. It suddenly felt way too warm in the room.
"You're a funny one, you know that?"
She said.
"Ugh…"
Alexander couldn't find anything clever to say. He didn't think he was funny—but he wasn't about to correct her.
She laughed again at his reaction.
"Lisa! Let's go!"
Another girl called from across the room.
Lisa turned.
"Coming!"
Then she glanced back at Alexander.
"See you then."
She walked off, leaving him in stunned silence.
Christopher appeared at his side.
"So… Lisa Rowe, huh?"
He said, amused.
Alexander nodded slowly, still processing.
"You know her fiancé is Victor, right?"
Christopher added.
"Her what?"
Alexander's heart sank to his stomach.
"Fiancé?"
The word felt heavy in his mouth as he watched Lisa walk away.
"Heard it from someone else. Not a secret exactly—they just don't talk about it much. But, uh, yeah… most people here know."
"Everyone except me."
Alexander muttered, heat rising to his face again. Of course she was engaged. Someone like Lisa—smart, composed, beautiful—would never go for someone like him. A merchant's son with average grades and an awkward mouth.
Christopher gave his shoulder a consoling slap.
"Don't look so crushed. Plenty of fish in the sea, man. That one's just… swimming in a different pond."
Alexander nodded, but his thoughts were elsewhere.
"You coming?"
Christopher asked.
They had a two-hour break: the first was free time—most cadets went to the cafeteria or their dorms. The second was for lunch.
Alexander groaned, already dreading their next class.
Military Tactics.
Gloria Reinhart taught it, and so far, she'd proven every assumption he had about strategy painfully wrong.
He'd come in thinking he might have a knack for war theory.
Turned out?
He was no military genius.
"Yeah, give me a minute. I'll catch up."
Alexander said, watching Christopher nod and disappear out the door.
Despite what Christopher probably assumed, Alexander wasn't heartbroken over Lisa. Okay—maybe a little. Learning she was engaged had stung more than he expected.
Still, he wasn't even sure if he liked her. There were plenty of other girls at camp. Not that any of them would be interested in him.
Relationships weren't his focus anyway.
Graduating—on time and in one piece—was the goal. Clearing a path for his little sister, Sophie. That's what mattered.
As he stepped into the hallway, his thoughts drifted to training. Maybe Lock could give him some advice on combat technique. Or maybe Silvia—she was sharp when it came to magic control.
Then he heard it—laughter. Quiet, smug.
Near a window, Max and Kai stood talking, grinning at something. Alexander hesitated, then took a breath and walked over. They were fellow cadets. Maybe it was time he started being more social.
"Hey. How's it going?"
He asked, scratching the side of his cheek.
Both turned. Max's grin widened.
"Well, if it isn't the weakest link of Team Three."
"What?"
Alexander's hand froze midair.
"You heard me. Everyone knows it. Bryan carries your whole squad while you coast in the background."
"That's not true."
Alexander said, trying to keep his voice level.
"I contribute to the team."
Max laughed.
"Contribute? You mean standing in the back while the rest of your team does all the work?"
Alexander clenched his jaw.
"I'm working on improving."
Max stepped closer.
"Working on it? Come on, Silvermark. You don't belong here. Everyone knows they padded the numbers for this camp, and you're proof. What, your family buy your spot?"
Alexander's fists tightened at his sides.
That wasn't true.
His family wasn't wealthy. They couldn't have bribed anyone if they tried.
"My family earned everything through hard work. Just like I earned my place here."
Max snorted.
"Right. Because hard work gets you into the top twenty. How many nobles did your dad bribe to make that happen?"
"You don't know anything about me."
Alexander snapped.
"Or my family."
"Oh, but I do."
Max leaned in.
"You're a fraud. A placeholder. Just here until the real mages rise up and kick you to the bottom where you belong."
Alexander bit back the anger boiling in his chest. He thought of Sophie. Her smiling face. Her trust in him.
He couldn't let this get to him.
And then Max added.
"And don't even get me started on Lisa. You actually think she likes you?"
Alexander stiffened.
"I—"
"Please."
Max cut him off with a loud laugh.
"She's clearly just being nice. We've all seen it. You're embarrassing yourself thinking you're special. She's engaged to Victor, remember? Or did that slip your mind too?"
The words landed like a gut punch.
Max grinned cruelly.
"I can't wait for the term to start. Guys like you? You'll drop to the bottom where you belong. Maybe then the instructors'll stop pretending you're worth teaching."
As he passed, Max slammed a shoulder into Alexander's, hard enough to knock him a step sideways. Kai followed behind him, silent but smirking.
Alexander didn't move.
He just stood there, his heart pounding, fists clenched, throat tight.
Not because Max was right.
But because some part of him—the part that still doubted himself—was afraid he might be.