Slowly, with shuffling steps, Januar forced himself to go into the locker room. Sports bags stood next to each other in an orderly fashion, all of them embroidered with the word 'Sage'.

Different numbers labeled the buttons associated with each student; Januar stepped to number 8. As he pressed one of the small buttons, an almost invisible hatch opened. January stuffed his gym bag into it, then the hatch quietly closed again.

Januar turned around and pulled a button hidden in the collar of his school uniform. Suddenly the uniform changed, the shirt and jacket merging into a loose armless top, while his pants shortened, giving him more legroom.

He felt anything but free.

He sensed the anxiousness, which he had almost forgotten about, only in the span of the few days with Aaron and Steffen, coming back within him. It dripped into his thoughts like honey and stuck to them, slowly but surely, covering every thought process with its filth.

Kay watched Januar, his expression still soaked with guilt and self-mockery. He said nothing because he didn't know what to say, in all his years as a trainer, he had yet to experience a situation like this.

Januar finally approached the door to the gym, but before he opened it and stepped through, he muttered softly:

"Can you please go back into the Card?"

Nothing but silence echoed in the room for a moment before Kay cautiously walked over to Januar and reached out his hand to touch the Frog Prince. As he did so, he caught a glimpse of Januar's face.

Closed eyes, knitted eyebrows, wrinkled forehead, even his mouth was twisted and his jaws bit down hard on each other.

Kay reached out and patted Januar's head covered with blond curls once more, then touched his card and disappeared.

January froze at this touch, he opened one eye and looked over, but the person next to him was already gone.

He let out one last sigh, then straightened his back and put his hand on the scanning device next to the door.

The door opened smoothly, revealing the room behind.

An extremely wide hall, magnified by a Distortion Capsule in its center. Students in similar or even the same clothes as Januar, ran, jumped and stretched. Only one middle-aged man with a muscular torso stood off to the side watching them, occasionally correcting someone.

January took another deep breath before stepping into the hall.

"There you finally are, Mr. Stolz, I was beginning to think you weren't going to grace us with your presence today!"

January winced at his gym teacher's words. He looked up and could see Mr. Bellator jogging toward him. But with the latter's physique, even jogging seemed threatening.

Although he was afraid, January put on an apologetic smile.

"I apologize so much for my tardiness, I-"

January began to apologize, but the teacher waved his hand and cut him off.

"I don't even want to hear it, your classmates already informed me."

It was a brutal statement, at least to Januar's ears. Shame drove redness into his cheeks and made him lower his gaze. By now, all of the students were looking over at them, listening curiously to the teacher's loud voice.

"Go do some separate exercises, I can't teach you any fighting techniques in your physical condition."

Soft giggles sounded in the gymnasium.

Januar nodded quickly and hurried past Mr. Bellator to find a quiet spot, but before he was even three meters away from his teacher he heard a whispered:
"Really, the shame of a family like that."

There it was.

It had been less than an hour since he got back and an old familiar pain clung to his heart, striving to drag it into the deep depths of human existence.

Any joy he had taken with him from the dream, which called itself the 'Realm', vanished and turned into a seemingly unattainable desire that he could only long for eternally.

Januar felt as if he was being deprived of his air, but he kept walking and didn't show it.

"Everyone else, come here and gather around. We will now begin the real lesson. Oh yes, Mr. Eifer, since you have already cleared your first card I would like you to help me with the demonstration."

Frederic had already finished his Realm too?

Januar looked back, knowing he would only feel worse, but his curiosity got the better of him.

Frederic took one confident step after another, an oppressive, intimidating aura emanating from him that resembled that of a leader.

After coming to a halt next to Mr. Bellator, he calmly said, "Lupus Nocte!"

Suddenly, a patch of light darkened before everyone's eyes, this patch of darkness condensing until it took the form of a small wolf. Its claws clacked on the ground the moment it took a solid form.

Immediately he threw his head into his neck and howled at the still lost moon. Everyone who heard this sound felt respect for this animal growing in their hearts.

It had fur as black as night, its eyes glowed in a frightening yellow, and the teeth in its mouth sparkled like the stars in the dark maw of the galaxy. Fearsome and beautiful.

Shouts of amazement rang out from almost all the students in the gym, even Mr. Bellator nodded in satisfaction.

"Very good, Mr. Eifer. What exactly is in the description of your card?"

Frederic smiled around the room, his eyes sweeping over each student in front of him until he finally found Januar's gaze and fixated on him. His smile widened into a mocking grin.

"Elise is a special Beast Card, her attack power is still quite poor at first, but she possesses a summoning ability. This ability, 'Respect the Brother of the Moon', makes anyone weaker than me feel some sort of respect for me. However, that's only the limitation for Rank 1, who knows how much stronger this card can get!"

Januar's heart sank amidst the cheers and excitement. It hurt to have his weakness so obviously displayed.

He averted his gaze as he felt tears welling up in his eyes. He didn't want to give them that satisfaction after all.

"He's right."

Januar startled and looked beside him.

Kay stood silently beside him, eyeing the black wolf that had appeared so suddenly and impressively. But his eyes did not linger long on the black beast, instead, he fixed them on Januar.

"Both of them are right. In your condition, you're much weaker than everyone else and you will only hurt yourself trying to imitate them, so, you should do your best to train and change that fact. Do you think Aaron and Steffen became professional athletes just like that?"

A rare, small smile pulled up the corners of Kay's mouth. This was so different from his other gloomy and sullen expression that Januar paused, puzzled.

"And you're lucky, one of the best trainers is standing in front of you."

Januar stared at Kay, only a whisper escaping his lips.

"Are you serious?"

Kay nodded, that was all it took. Januar couldn't hold back any longer, tears of gratitude welled up from his eyes, he had never been so grateful to a person before.

Kay, too, was glad.

For he wanted nothing more than to be free at last.