Curse of Lysertis

"Is it always this lively here? "Fubuki asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well, mostly when I'm the center of attention, yeah, "Adam patted him on the shoulder, his smile never fading.

Just as Adam finished his sentence, the academy's main doors slowly swung open. Every student turned their heads toward them. Standing at the entrance was Director William, accompanied by other professors. They began descending the stairs toward the courtyard where the students had gathered. Once they took their places, the Archmage spoke:

"Dear students, I am pleased to announce that the new academic year has begun. You have no idea how delighted we, your teachers, are to see you again. This year will be particularly exciting for many reasons. First of all, the Department of Magical Arts has introduced a new curriculum. From now on, practical lessons will be just as frequent as theoretical ones."

Most students greeted this news with loud cheers, applause, and bursts of magic aimed at the sky. However, the excitement was short-lived. The magical flashes suddenly vanished, and a heavy pressure filled the air, as if an earthquake had begun. The force wasn't overwhelming, but some students were forced to drop to one knee under its weight.

"SILENCE!"

The director's voice was no longer warm; it had turned stern, even intimidating.

"I understand that this news has excited you, but I ask you to control yourselves. Ahem…"

The Archmage cleared his throat before continuing,

"With this change, there are also new adjustments. Some practical lessons across different faculties will now be held jointly. Secondly, this year, we will once again hold the Tournament of the Strongest Mages for seventh-year students. Keep in mind, this tournament is extremely dangerous and not for the faint-hearted. If you wish to participate, weigh the risks carefully. Those who decide to enter must submit an application. Professor Adrian, who will be judging the tournament, will provide further details. Professor Adrian, if you would."

The director gestured toward Adrian, inviting him to take the stage. Without hesitation, Adrian stepped forward and began speaking:

"The tournament will indeed be dangerous, which is why I have arranged with the Department to introduce a preliminary selection stage. This will determine whether you are worthy of advancing to the second round. Further details will be provided later. Do your best not to embarrass yourselves and prove why Moro Academy is rightfully considered the best in the world."

"What does the winner of the tournament get?" a student shouted from the crowd.

"Exemption from exams and the highest possible scores in all subjects. This applies to every course. The winner will also be excused from the final ninth-year exam."

"Whoa, that's awesome!"

The crowd buzzed with excitement once more but quickly fell silent when the director reclaimed his place. After both the professor and director returned to their spots, William continued:

"Thank you, professor. Now, onto the third announcement. The new academy prefect is seventh-year student Nohara Shun."

Shun stepped out from behind the main doors, gazing at the students with an air of arrogance. His expensive coat billowed in the wind, his bright blue eyes gleamed under the sunlight, and his sleek, well-groomed black hair perfectly complemented his refined appearance.

The girls immediately squealed at the sight of him:

"Oh my god, he's amazing!"

"I think he's the best student in the academy, totally deserves to be prefect."

Fubuki, surprised by their reaction, glanced at Adam. Adam, his face twisted in irritation, was glaring at Shun.

"That arrogant idiot, as always," he muttered. "He doesn't even realize how ridiculous he looks."

"Still, he's popular with the girls," Fubuki noted calmly.

"That's putting it mildly. He's not just a favorite among the girls, but among the professors too," Adam added with clear displeasure.

Fubuki smiled and patted him on the shoulder:

"Don't get upset. Your time will come."

"What am I, a guitar to get 'upset'? I couldn't care less," Adam scoffed, though the vein throbbing on his temple told a different story.

Shun was saying something, but Adam wasn't listening. He yawned, scratched his head, and let his mind wander. When Shun's speech finally ended, the crowd of students began murmuring again. That's when Adam spotted Hanabi, happily making her way toward her classmates. One of the girls standing nearby saw her and exclaimed:

"She's so beautiful."

"Yeah… really," Adam muttered quietly, his face turning red.

Hanabi, beaming with a bright smile, greeted everyone around her before finally approaching Adam and Fubuki.

"Hello," she said, shaking Fubuki's hand. "My name is Hanabi. Nice to meet you."

"Hey. I'm Fubuki, nice to meet you too."

Then she turned to Adam. He blushed even more and quickly tried to look away. Hanabi leaned in closer.

"Adam, are you running a fever?" She placed her hand on his forehead.

Adam felt sweat trickle down his face, and for a moment, it was as if steam was coming out of his ears.

"Yep, definitely a fever. Adam, you should see a healer before it gets worse."

"N-no, I'm fine. It just got a little hot in here, that's all," he mumbled.

Fubuki leaned in and whispered in Adam's ear:

"Do you always use that same excuse?"

Adam jabbed Fubuki lightly in the ribs with his elbow, making him step back.

A voice rang out from the crowd:

"How can Lady Hanabi even talk to that trash?"

Adam glanced toward a group of girls watching him with disdain. Some averted their eyes, while one even covered her friend's face. Adam just shrugged and looked away. Hanabi, seemingly unaware of the exchange, was gazing at Shun with a blush and admiration in her eyes. Fubuki observed the scene, tilting his head slightly.

The rest of the event followed the usual routine—professors' speeches, music, dancing, and refreshments. When the celebration finally came to an end, students began dispersing to their dormitories.

Fubuki and Adam walked together, weaving through the crowded academy corridors. Fubuki curiously examined the walls, adorned with magical engravings that shimmered in rhythm with the mana pulsing through the air. Life was bustling all around them—some students navigated the labyrinthine hallways with maps in hand, trying to find their way, while others gathered in small groups, excitedly discussing new techniques they had learned over the break. At one of the corridor intersections, a pair of students were practicing safe magic—small flames danced over their palms, flickering in and out of existence. Somewhere ahead, the sound of cheerful laughter and magical bursts echoed—clearly, someone had started a friendly duel.

Fubuki took it all in with admiration, noting just how alive this academy truly was.

They walked along with the other students toward the dormitory. Eventually, they reached a fork in the staircase—one leading to the female dormitory and the other to the male dormitory. Adam and Fubuki continued onward.

As they walked down the first-floor corridor, Fubuki occasionally glanced out the window, admiring the vast park stretching out in front of the dormitory. When they finally arrived at the dorm rooms, Adam asked:

"Which room are you in?"

"31A."

"Whoa, what a coincidence."

"What do you mean?" Fubuki asked.

"That's my room too!" Adam exclaimed.

Shrugging, he grabbed Fubuki by the wrist and led him inside. They navigated through the crowd of students until they reached the right door. Since their room was on the first floor, they didn't have to climb any stairs.

"Welcome to the legendary Room 31A," Adam announced ceremoniously as he swung the door open.

Fubuki stepped inside and immediately took a look around. The room was spacious and cozy.

"Not bad," he remarked, scanning the space.

"Are you kidding? This is the best room in the world! It's the farthest from the stairs, so the inspectors barely come by. It used to be a storage room, so we even have a staircase to the second floor."

"Cool. What's up there?"

"Nothing for now. Just a dusty room full of spiders. Haven't figured out what to do with it yet. But that's not important. Come on, let me show you the rest of the place."

Adam gave Fubuki a quick tour, showing him the bathroom, kitchen, and other amenities.

"This is the bathroom. It's got a toilet and a bathtub. After a tough day, nothing beats sinking into hot water," he said enthusiastically. "My bed is on the left, by the way. Yours is on the right—hope you don't mind."

"Nope, nope, not at all. Right side it is," Fubuki said, even extending his hands forward as if to emphasize his lack of objection.

"And over there's the kitchen. To be honest, I have no idea why it's even here. I never cook. I mostly eat in the academy cafeteria. Though sometimes, Professor Charlotte would drop by and cook something. Even though I can't stand that old hag, her cooking is amazing."

"Wait, what? A professor cooked for you? Why?" Fubuki asked, surprised.

"Since my first year, I've lived alone. When they first placed me here, there was some fifth-year bookworm already in the room, but he got so scared of me that he begged to be transferred. Ever since then, no one wanted to room with me."

"So let me get this straight… You lived alone, and the most beautiful woman in the academy would come by to cook for you?" Fubuki raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smirk forming on his face.

Adam nearly sank into the floor, his face turning bright red.

"No, no! You've got it all wrong! She just cooked, nothing else!"

"Oh, come on, I get it. You're young, she's a beautiful woman. It's only natural. I'm not judging you—in fact, my respect for you just went up." Fubuki struck a mock-serious pose, placing a hand on Adam's shoulder.

"I DIDN'T SLEEP WITH HER! That would be a crime!" Adam burst out.

Fubuki simply burst into laughter.

"Relax, I'm just messing with you. Why do you always take the bait? I know you didn't sleep with her. That would be way too cool for someone like you."

Adam exhaled in relief before suddenly straightening up and narrowing his eyes.

"Hold on. What do you mean, 'for someone like me'? Are you calling me a loser?"

"Based on what I've seen… yeah, you're definitely a loser," Fubuki shrugged.

"Screw you," Adam muttered, waving him off and heading toward his bed.

As the evening came to an end, Fubuki and Adam finished unpacking their things. Fubuki sat down to read a book while Adam took a shower. After drying off and getting dressed, Adam offered to take Fubuki to dinner, but Fubuki declined. Adam shrugged, grabbed his things, and left for the dining hall.