Yuuji had barely survived his morning toast.
Not because it was poisoned — though that was apparently a thing at Halcyon, according to an unnervingly enthusiastic first-year from the Conspiracy Club — but because it had tried to teleport itself off his plate mid-bite.
"Stop that," he muttered, stabbing it with a fork.
The toast sizzled, glowed briefly, and fell limp with what sounded suspiciously like a disappointed sigh.
Another day, another violation of the food pyramid and basic reality.
He trudged into the central hallway, already exhausted, weaving between floating club ads, broom-riding first-years doing barrel rolls, and one upperclassman threatening a glowing orb of late homework with a frying pan enchanted for vengeance.
[Reminder: You have Class 3B – Cooperative Enchantment Studies in 12 minutes.][New Objective: Do Not Fail the Group Project.][Optional Bonus: Do Not Commit Magical Manslaughter.]
Yuuji groaned. "Another class designed specifically to highlight how useless I am without a walkthrough."
Lecture Hall 12-B
The room pulsed with contained danger.
Hexagonal. Walls inscribed with containment runes. Benches bolted down, possibly for safety. Ambient humming from the ward lines.
No room needed this much magical insulation unless something had exploded inside it. Frequently. Possibly sentiently.
Professor Meriton floated down from the ceiling like a disappointed ghost librarian. Her robes fluttered unnaturally — stitched with actual pocket dimensions that sometimes meowed.
"I trust you've all read the syllabus," she said, in the tone of someone who didn't trust anyone for anything.
Yuuji made for the back row, doing his usual best to fade into the background. "Maybe this time I'll be paired with someone quiet. Maybe a sentient broom."
No such luck.
"Today," Meriton continued, "you will work in groups of three to complete a cooperative enchantment exercise. I will provide the raw material. You will imbue it with a functional, stable magical purpose. Communication and coordination are key."
She paused. Smiled slightly.
"Failure may result in uncontrolled feedback. Or spontaneous transmogrification."
A hand went up.
"Into what?"
"Dealer's choice," she said cheerfully.
Yuuji sighed. "This is how I die. Not in a heroic blaze. But as an enchanted ottoman."
Group Assignments
Golden glyphs flickered to life above their heads.
Yuuji Hoshino. Elira Vortemer. Liam Everhart.
Of. Course.
[System Alert: Plot Density Detected.][Tip: Stop Making Eye Contact With Fate.]
Three seconds later, Elira walked in. Regal. Controlled. Her presence froze ambient mana like it owed her money. She sat beside Yuuji without comment.
She didn't need to say anything. Her whole aura screamed competence. And maybe executive-level murder potential.
Then Liam strutted in like he was being filmed for a noble dating sim opening cutscene.
"Ah," he said smoothly, catching sight of the group. "Group Eight. How... curious."
Yuuji resisted the urge to crawl under his desk. "Don't you have some kind of noble-only etiquette seminar to go to?"
"I was told this group required balance," Liam said, sliding into the seat across from him. "Power. Precision. And... whatever it is you bring."
"Chronic anxiety," Yuuji deadpanned. "Also sarcasm. I'm multitalented."
Ten Minutes Later
Professor Meriton handed each group a simple object.
They got a rock.
A plain, slightly lumpy river stone. Possibly offended by its own existence.
"Enchant this with a practical magical function," she said. "And make sure it doesn't scream, explode, or ask for political asylum."
Yuuji stared at the rock. "Why does it feel like it's judging me?"
"So," Liam said, inspecting it with thinly veiled contempt, "we could enchant it to levitate. Or respond to voice commands. Something elegant."
"We'll need glyph layers to avoid mana saturation," Elira said, already drawing precise runes midair. "A stabilizer circle, then a delayed-trigger modifier."
Yuuji blinked. "Or... we could enchant it to glow when you're about to trip over it."
They both paused. Turned to him.
"It's a rock," Yuuji added defensively. "That's what they do! They trip people. Why not embrace that?"
Elira tilted her head. "Technically, that could be considered a practical enhancement."
Liam looked scandalized. "That's not enchanting. That's... urban landscaping!"
Yuuji squinted. "Have you ever tripped on a rock?"
"I was trained in perfect balance since age four."
"I can tell. You haven't fallen down once — despite your ego being top-heavy."
[Dialogue Bonus: +1 Wit XP][System Quest Updated: Begin Cooperative Enchantment Project.][Warning: Party Coordination Level – Volatile]
The Work Begins
They started sketching layered enchantments. Mana constructs. Runes.
Liam conjured a glowing projection field to model the layering structure. Elira stabilized the ambient intake field.
Yuuji — having spent hundreds of hours enchanting junk in the game — silently re-routed both of their spellwork to prevent catastrophic overlap.
It was like babysitting two magical racecars in a bumper-car arena.
"You're overcharging the primary rune," Yuuji warned.
"I'm refining it," Liam replied, voice smug.
"You're melting it."
"You're just upset because your aesthetic is 'discount hedge wizard.'"
"I'm upset because I don't want to explode again this week."
[System Prompt: Liam Aggro Level Increased.][Social Thread Tension: 89%]
"Enough," Elira said sharply, without looking up. Her tone didn't rise — but the temperature dropped five degrees.
"Yuuji, adjust the glyph symmetry. Liam, cut your output by exactly 14%."
Both paused.
Then obeyed.
Yuuji glanced at her. "How did you—?"
"Authority," she said. "And practice."
"And terrifying eye contact," Yuuji muttered. "Mostly that."
Thirty Minutes Later
One burned sleeve (his), two near misfires (also his fault), and several rounds of silent glaring later — they activated the enchantment.
The rock glowed faintly.
"Alright," Yuuji muttered, gently tossing it a few feet ahead.
It landed. Nothing happened.
Then a glowing sigil flickered to life on its surface. Floating text rose above it in shimmering gold:
CAUTION: TRIPPING HAZARD DETECTED.
A second later, a passing first-year caught their foot, yelped — and instead of face-planting, floated slowly to the ground as a burst of soft, supportive wind caught them.
The room went quiet.
Gasps rippled.
Someone whispered, "Did they just enchant a safety rock?"
Professor Meriton stared at the enchanted stone.
Then she laughed.
"Functional, clever, and unorthodox," she said, arms folded. "And unexpectedly considerate. Passing grade. Bonus points for execution."
Liam looked like he'd bitten into a lemon.
Elira blinked once. "Practical. Unexpected. I approve."
Yuuji grinned. "I told you. Rocks trip people. We just made one polite about it."
[Quest Complete: Survive Group Project Without Exploding.][Reward: +2 Affection (Elira)][Rivalry Progression Triggered (Liam)][Achievement Unlocked: Rock Bottom Innovator][Skill Fragment Gained: Enchantment Efficiency +3%]
Aftermath
As the class ended and groups shuffled out, Yuuji packed up his scorched notebook.
"You're surprisingly competent," Liam said reluctantly.
"I'm alarmingly adaptable," Yuuji corrected.
Elira gave him a sidelong glance. "...You're also incredibly annoying."
Yuuji sighed. "You people really need to work on your compliments."
She said nothing. But her lips twitched. Just slightly.
Liam muttered something under his breath and swept past them, coat trailing like a dramatic cape.
Yuuji watched him go. "He's going to dramatically challenge me to something soon, isn't he?"
[System Forecast: Duel Probability — 78%][Incoming Subplot Detected: Rivalry Arc — Act I]
Yuuji looked up at the stained-glass ceiling and groaned.
"I just wanted to be a tutor."