The classroom had really long and curved tables around the room. One long table on either side of the room with a space in the center leading to the front of the room. Several students sat at each table.

Elly sat at the very back on the left. Half the time, he didn’t pay attention. He knew the content already, so he would stare out the window and daydream.

Every student had to wear an armband with their aristocratic rank. Elly had gotten a black armband with a B. B for baron, the lowest. 

While Mr. Nelson was talking, Elly got a few glances his way.

Mr. Nelson went on and on and on. Something about magic of course.

I could go for a sandwich about now. Suki, do you ever eat?

I have not in decades. I have no need in my ethereal form.

How convenient.

“ViQoné.”

Maybe tea. What tea do they have here? Suki, do you drink tea?

I do not.

What?! You’re missing out.

“ViQoné.”

Really? That sounds like a wonderful beverage.

It is. You need to try some. If you had a human form, it would be so much easier to let you try it.

I shall consider a human form to take them. Perhaps later then.

“ViQoné!” Mr. Nelson yelled. His voice rang in the air.

Elly finally looked to the front of the class at him. Everyone was looking at him. “Hm? Did you say something?”

The whole class laughed.

“A total airhead!” someone said.

“His rank is baron, so it makes sense!” another boy replied.

“Did you hear my question?”Mr. Nelson asked.

“Sorry, wasn’t listening. Can you repeat that?”

A few students chuckled.

With a deep sigh, he asked, “How do you make a combination spell?”

“Do you mean how I personally make one, or do you mean the by-the-book method?”

“What the book says,” Mr. Nelson replied.

“Combination spells should be cast by multiple spellcasters due to the complex nature of those spells. Numerous sets of multi-categorical formulas must be generated simultaneously by all casters involved. These materialized formulas from different categories are known as ‘wordless incantations’, and the incantations must be maintained midair and supported by a firm mana structure while filling them with sufficient magical energy. Once they are filled with energy to a reasonable degree, the formulas merge, and the spell is ready to cast, which are typically multi-elemental in nature.”

Everyone gawked at him, even Mr. Nelson.

“We haven’t even reached that far,” Mr. Nelson said.

“Wow, he’s smart,” a girl mumbled from the other side of the classroom.

“And adorable,” another said beside her.

“Don’t look at him. His rank is baron,” a third girl said.

“Shhh, he’ll hear you.”

Too late, girls. I heard everything. They all seemed conflicted between his looks and rank. Personally, I just skip all the steps for the combinations. All the steps involved were time-consuming and tedious. Like really, who had invented these spells? And then he remembered reading about it in a textbook years back: some crazy scientist.

Mr. Nelson cleared his throat. “Thank you.” He went back to talking about other stuff.

A boy glared at him from across the room. His armband had a V. V for viscount, a rank above baron.

Of course. He obviously thinks he’s better. He must be envious that I’m smarter and cuter than him. Sapphire had called Elly pretty, cute, and adorable a thousand times, so it was obviously true! He tried not to smirk but couldn’t help it. Now he felt like he was being rude to the poor boy. Whatever. He couldn’t be resisted with his killer looks. And he knew what was in a girl’s mind, so girls would be easy to manipulate.

He couldn’t contain himself. “HAHAHAHAHA!”

Everyone looked at him, puzzled.

“Sorry,” he smiled anxiously at Mr. Nelson.

“Weirdo,” a boy mumbled.

He clenched his teeth as he smiled, holding in his anger. Shut up or I’ll turn you into a frog! He wanted to shout that.

“Hmph.” Elly went back to looking out the window beside him.

~~~

He walked down the corridor, passing lots of people.

They didn’t even hide the fact that they were talking about him.

“No way! Is that him?! Didn’t he one-shot that hydra the other day?”

“Yeah, that looks like him.”

“No way! He’s so short!”

“Yeah, I expected him to be taller. Hehe, I heard he asked for the prez’s panties too. A real charmer.”

“He’s so adowable!” a girl shouted. “I wouldn’t mind taking him on a date!”

“Noooooooo! HE’S ONLY THE SON OF A BARON? WITH HIS LOOKS?! SO UNFAIR!” Some other girl began bawling behind him. “WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”

“Hey, it’s okay!” Another girl comforted her. “He’s a little too young for you anyway.”

The first girl sniffled. “I… guess.”

Where’s the cafeteria again? Suki, do you remember?

I was asleep during the tour.

Perfect. Now they were wandering around.

Three boys walked down the center of the corridor, looking left and right with sneers as the other students made way for them.

“That’s right! Move aside!” the middle one said. He had a tall pompadour and an M on his armband. M for marquess, the second highest rank in the school just below duke. His magical energy was much higher than anyone else along the corridor. That explained why everyone around him didn’t want to get in his way.

Elly and the group stopped just in time to avoid running into one another.

“Hey, pipsqueak! Move it!” the middle one said.

“Move what?” Elly asked. I wonder what kind of sandwiches the cafeteria has… The school was for aristocrats, so he expected great food.

“Don’t play dumb!”

“Why?” He put his hands in his pocket. I’d like some kind of sandwich with meat in it. Yeah, that would be good. Sandwiches are nice.

Agreed, Suki replied.

What do you know? You don’t eat…

No, but I have a little knowledge on human diets.

Oooh! Suki would be great in helping him to choose then.

“Don’t argue with us!” The pompadour boy raised his foot and swung it to his face.

Elly’s stomach growled. “Well, there’s my cue.” Food time. 

An invisible force lowered his foot and parted the three boys out of his way. Two slammed into the left wall, and one crashed into the right wall.

He had used a psychic spell. He walked past them.

“Don’t ignore us! We’re third-years! Know your place!”

“My place is in the cafeteria,” he replied without looking back. “Talk to you later.” If he knew exactly where the cafeteria was, he could just teleport there. This sucks. Suki, try and remember next time for me, please?

I shall try.

That response didn’t make Elly feel any better. So unconvincing. 

The boy with the pompadour got to his feet and pointed his wand and shouted. “BLACKHOLE!” A large blackhole flew from his wand, narrowly rushing past the students, heading towards him.

Elly sensed it. He was impressed. The boy had skipped the whole 100+-word incantation of a highly advanced, spatio-temporal spell and had just said the name. And he was controlling the gravitational flow so that the bystanders it passed wouldn’t be sucked in.

Yikes, is he trying to kill me?

He does seem like the reckless type, Suki replied.

He didn’t bother stopping and turning around to confront him properly. As the blackhole was within striking distance, it vanished. Elly sent it to another plane of existence. Classic teleportation used together with telekinesis.

There were many sounds of surprise behind him as he reached the end of the corridor, leaving the boys frozen in disbelief.

He went down the stairs…

“JUST WAIT! WE’LL GET YOU NEXT TIME!” The pompadour boy shouted.