With a grunt, I place the heavy box full of trinkets down on the ground.

Glancing around, it looks like the whole Academy seems to have changed overnight.

Well, not really. Preparations for Club Day were already mostly done yesterday, but now that the little festival is in full swing, the air seems to charge with excitement.

Colorful banners and flags can be seen everywhere on the campus atop stalls manned by students representing all the different clubs the school has to offer. Food, drinks, and more, all are available as students both old and new walk around enjoying themselves to the fullest. Games and activities like mock duels, archery challenges, or something as simple as arm wrestling also exist as well.

All of it looks so fun.

Since I'm not in any club, I can just spend the day going around and looking for fun stuff to do, but I promised Yermen that I'll help him set up the stall for his Club. Because the Enchanting Club members are all mages, they tend to have some issue moving stuff around. Yermen was complaining yesterday, so I just decided to help him out.

Feeling a tap on my shoulder, I look back to see the leader of the Enchanting Club smiling awkwardly at me. I think his name was Royce or something. He's a fourth-year mage and is a little chubby, but his baby face makes him look younger.

"Err... Alean? Thanks for your help. I think we're basically done already." He looks a little hesitant, probably because I used to be a bully. Or maybe that I'm quite a bit taller than him, hard to tell.

Looking at the stall, it seems that he's right. The table and the shelves that I brought out are already in place, only waiting to be filled with all the enchanted items in the box I just dropped. A heavy canvas strung above the whole thing to provide shade, and the enchanted banner that floats on its own are the only things left that need to be put up.

A few other members of the club are already working on them while Yermen himself is putting up the items in another box that I also brought here. Really, I feel like I'm being used as a pack mule here. Well, I did say that I'll help, so I can't really complain. They also helped me carry some of them out, so it's not like they didn't do anything.

Royce sigh lightly, seemingly relieved.

"Thanks, again. Without you, we wouldn't be able to set up our stall this fast. We were always the last club to do so every year, but this time, we even got it done before noon. It just takes so long to move everything by hand."

I nod in understanding.

High-rank magic tends to be volatile, so the Academy only allows students to use F-rank or lower spells outside of classes. Disobedience is ground for heavy punishments unless the student is in a life-or-death situation like during the time with the Hobgoblin. And F-rank magic is too weak to move those heavy things.

Knights are also not allowed to actively use enhancements outside training, but since internal mana changes the body in fundamental ways, sometimes accidents can happen, especially outside of the Academy since the school won't monitor you after leaving the gate. But if an Academy student gets reported for misusing of their power anywhere, the school might even expel them.

Students can get a special permit to use magic or enhancements freely within school grounds, but it's very hard to get.

There are permits with fewer requirements though, in exchange for lesser freedom. Such as the Enchanting Permit that allows students like Yermen to perform enchantments and even legally sell them. Of course, the school will do a quality check before any student enchanted items make it to the market

Royce speaks again, breaking me out of my musings.

"So, since you helped us so much already, I think it's only fair that you get some of the money we make selling these items. How about we pay you 50 C?"

I scratch my head shyly. "Er, isn't that too much? I just wanted to help my friend, I don't really need any pay."

The chubby senior is already rummaging through a small coin pouch and producing a small handful of coins.

"Non-sense. You helped us plenty already, and you're not even part of the club. My parents are merchants, you see, and they say that all good work must be rewarded. So here." He smiles, a little less forced this time.

I grab the coins hesitantly.

"Alright, thanks!" I smile as well. He seems like a nice person. "If you need any more help, I'm glad to do it."

Royce nods his head before eyeing me seriously. "You're much more pleasant than I thought. I heard a lot of rumors about you, and I judged you based on them. That was shallow of me, so I apologize." He speaks in a formal tone while bowing a little.

"Oh, it's alright. I don't mind." Just like I thought, huh.

The slight tension in his shoulders melts away after hearing my response. "Still, I'm sorry anyway." He looks around again. "Hey, you should spend the day going around having fun, not stuck here doing chores. Go. Look if there's a club you want to join, or just enjoy yourself."

"Okay, see you guys around." I wave goodbye to all the members of the club. I even got a few hesitant waves back. I look towards Yermen seeing him nodding and smiling in approval. It looks like he wants me to have fun as well.

Tapping the coins in my pouch, I begin to think of how to best use the money that I got.

===

The meat skewer in my hand vanishes almost instantly.

It was overflowing with juices and super flavourful as the seasonings are perfectly balanced. Salty, sweet, with a hint of spiciness. But the star of the show must be the tender, fatty boar meat that melts in your mouth, bursting with wonderful meaty savouriness. So delicious! So amazing! So wonderful!

I just like meat, okay...

I missed eating Eldwind boar. There's hardly any around Garhm, so we can only hunt one or two per year. But every time we caught one, it would turn into a huge party that all the Knights under my father's employ alongside my family come together and eat a whole boar for a day.

Really, the Monster Research Club is pulling out all the stops this year. I'm almost tempted to join just for the food they offer.

Glancing around, I see a lot of other fun and delicious stuff as well. So much to see, so much to experience. 

Suddenly, from within the crowd, instead of laughter and conversation, I hear music being played instead. Turning towards the familiar sound, I find the Music Club has set up a raised wooden platform as their stage and performing one of the many songs I heard during my class with Professor Norete.

It seems that the entire Music Class is in the Music Club as well. Well, all except for me. I even see the flashy professor playing a keyboard alongside the other students.

And they are really killing it.

The song they're playing right now is upbeat, fun, and joyous, fitting for a festival. A singer whom I haven't met before stands at the front of the stage and lets her voice soar through the very air. Every note, every chord, every line of lyrics links together harmoniously to weave a song about youth, excitement, and adventures, of fun curiosities, and meeting new people.

A new journey of discovery, a new life seems to unfold before my very eyes as the song move on to its climax.

I feel my heart pounding hard in my chest as I clench my hands tightly. The song speaks of endless possibilities and encourages the listener to not be afraid when moving forward. It reminds me that I, too, am at the start of a new journey.

To save my family, to learn magic, to go to new places, to explore, to dream, to sing. To heal.

It's beautiful.

Feeling a gaze on me, I turn to see Professor Norete is looking at me while smiling, no doubt amused at my awe-struck expression. Embarrassed, I can only nod back at him in greeting.

With one hand still playing the keyboard, he waves me over and points me at the back of the stage. There, a couple of benches where multiple reserved instruments lay atop, alongside other random stuff as well, can be seen.

Among the carefully laid out instruments, I'm surprised to see a 5-course lute as well. There's only one person who is learning to play the lute in Music Class, and that's me.

Looking back at the professor, he's now smiling even wider while nodding slightly.

Is he telling me to play? But I can't really play anything though? I only started learning music 2 weeks ago...

Well, I did play that song yesterday, but it's not even anywhere near completion or as refined as the song they're playing. Oh, they finished the song already, and are now taking a break.

Professor Norete walks towards me and bows with a flourish of his feathered hat. The whole get-up is now purple instead.

"What do you think of our little performance, Mr. Steelight? Doesn't it just pump the blood of any newcomers seeking knowledge and adventure? Fitting to welcome our first-years, no?"

Since Club Day is the first event that happens every year, it's also the time for new students to get to know their seniors and the school better.

"Yes, it was awesome..."

The professor winks at me. "If you join the Music Club, you'll get to experience the beauty of the performance a lot more. What do you say? I can help you get in easily."

"Err..."

Honestly, I'm tempted. But there are just so many Clubs here, and I barely visited four stalls.

 "Thanks for the offer, Professor, but I'd like to explore a little more before committing to anything."

He nods his head in understanding, but he seems a little disappointed.

"Alright, I won't force you. But if you change your mind, you can always tell me whenever we meet again. I just want you to know that you're the most promising student I ever had, so I really hope that you would consider us. We also practice other performing arts such as dancing or singing, even a little bit of poetry as well."

"Thanks, but I want to see all my options first. I don't mean any offense."

I feel like if I don't stop him now, he might use his words to sway me right here right now.

"Sigh. You're really quite sharp, Mr. Steelight. That's even more reasons for me to want to recruit you. But alas... I do wish you have the best day today. Don't let me stop you from experiencing your youth." He says dramatically, no doubt meaning to guilt-trip me into accepting.

"I'll be sure to do so. Thanks, Professor."

As I walk away from the slightly stunned professor, I accidentally make eye contact with the female singer for a brief moment before she turns back to her conversation.

She's a young woman, with long wavy hair that's colored like deep ocean waves. Her dark green eyes curl upwards happily in a gentle expression as she speaks with her fellow club members, her lips lock in a proud smile. She's not very tall, standing about as high as my shoulders, and her body is quite petite as well.

Well, if I'm being blunt, it's not inaccurate to say that she's as flat as a board, but she seems to have a bit of meat on her as well. Just not in the chest department. She has the same feel as those faster, more agile Knights and not Mages, is what I'm saying.

She looks to be very excited as she gestures animately all the while speaking non-stop. The people around her are all laughing and cheering as well. She's well-liked by the whole club it seems.

Shaking my head to pull me out of my thoughts, I find myself still standing in front of the professor, and his face has this annoying knowing look to it.

"You know... she's part of our club as well. If you want to, I can-"

"Nope. Thanks, bye."

I bolted away as fast as can to avoid the inevitably embarrassing topic.

Really, what's with all the adults wanting to match me up with others!

First the Headmaster, now Professor Norete as well! There must be something perverted running in that family, alright!

My conviction to stay away from the people of the Dawn Ducal House rises.