[GL] I will max my intelligence

The school bell rings, indicating the end of the school day. Kids all rush out in groups as it's now the start of the weekend. Hani is still engrossed and walks home daydreaming about Stella. 

Imagine! A date with Stella. We can feed each other cake and go a photo booth together and take cute pictures. I have to win this! I cannot let another grimy parasite like Leo get their hands on her!

Determined, Hani makes her way to the library. 

If I am going to train for this, I might as well increase my knowledge in magic. 

She walks into the library, making a beeline for the magic sections.

Hani is good at studying, so ultimately this is her plan.

This is perfect! I cannot lose this way at all! So what if I am F-rank? If I try hard enough, anything is possible! I work my ass off to get 1st place in studies all the time, so how can I fail in magic, which is basically studying with a practical?... Yes, Hani, you can do it, it's just like doing a science project! Just way cooler.

She picks out a couple of magic books and steps into one of the magical study rooms. Unlike normal study rooms or spaces, when studying magic, there are special rooms created so that people who study magic can also practice it. A room protected with special seals so that the whole place does not get destroyed. These rooms also come in different levels, and each level can withstand different strengths of magical destruction. 

Swiping her card, she enters a basic-level magic room. It is a very simple room with a desk and a chair at the far end, with pale white walls. Next to the table is a little nook where one is able to order mana and health potions. On the walls are multiple inscriptions that are used to protect the room itself from any spells the user casts. 

Hani places the stacks of books down and takes a seat. 

The books make a large thud as they drop them down. It is going to be a long weekend. 

Zap! 

Another failure. Hani practices making a lightning ball. 

Why is this so hard? Maybe I should just stick to the simple spells which only use one element instead of two. But what should I do? Lightning spells are the best! They look so cool! If I practice hard enough, I could even create fireworks like displays! Stella would love that, maybe she would even fall in love with me. 

Her simple-minded craziness explodes as she giggles to herself. Hands covering her face, muffling her laugh. 

"No, Hani!" She uses both her hands to smack both sides of her cheeks. "Breatheeeee! Focus. It's not the time to daydream! Come on, practice! Practice! Practice!"

While Hani was able to perfectly understand the text, she came to the hard truth to realise that when in action, it's not the same. Without practice in using these spells, she would never be able to fully showcase her understanding of magic itself. 

If she is not able to use the magic on the same level, she understands that everything would be a failure! 

Bang!

Finally, after hours of examining and reexamining the text and throwing away spells like crazy, Hani was finally able to create a perfect lightning blast spell.

Bang! Bang!

Again, she tries it and one more time! She has perfected it!

"Hehehehehehe! Finallyyyyyy!" Hani jumps in joy, laughing like crazy," I thought it was going to be impossible!" 

After the rush fads, but still giddy, Hani looks at her watch.

"Shit!" 

It's past midnight. The school dorms' curfew is midnight. 

She stands still and thinks about her next steps. She has decided... she is going to attempt to use a teleportation spell to get in. Still riding the high of accomplishing a complex lightning spell, she makes up her mind. 

How hard can it be? I managed a lightning spell three times in a row!

As she walks to the door, there is a button which says [End Session]. She presses on it. 

Hani is traumatised. The cost for her stay is displayed on the screen. 

"What the hell? Why is this happening to me!!!" 

On the screen, it shows the cost. 1200 units. 

"I only get 5000 units a month for my monthly expenses!" Hani lets out a pouty complaint. 

"Stupid room, so expensive, I am never going to come here again, shit", she says pouting as she reluctantly fights with herself not wanting to swipe her card to pay the bill. But if she does not, she won't be able to get out of the room and will keep charging her!

"Seriously, why Hani!! How are you so dumb that you did not look at the price!!" 

It was Hani's first time paying for one of these rooms since normally the ones she used before were all in lessons.

Back slouched, face drained of the excitement of the achievement she made moments ago, she burdens her wallet. Thinking about it brings her ecstasy and sadness at the same time. 

I could have bought so much food with that... 12 sets of Chicken lunch set.... or 24 Bubble Teas..... Or I could have gotten 1200 Strawberry candies! I could be swimming in candy! 

Hani grumbles as she walks towards her dorm. She does not have time to get distracted anymore as she walks to the side of the building closest to her room. 

Okay Hani... You can do this! You have done this spell before; it's not a long distance, so you will be fine.

She hypes herself up. The spell is activated. The floor lights up with a magic circle around her as wisps of light encircle her body. 

Woosh

She did it. She is in her dorm room. 

"Yes! Thank god I made it." Hani flings herself onto her bed in joy, ecstatic that she managed to get away. "Finally, things are going my way."

Then suddenly a red magic circle lights up below her as she is encircled with the red light itself.

"Or maybe not." 

Thud

She falls onto the floor inside a small room. The walls are colored black, and just enough space to lie down. No place to move or even turn. Like a casket. 

A screen pops up in front of her with the face she had dreaded to see the whole time. 

"Hello, Miss Jin" 

The face speaks, Hani looks at the floor, avoiding eye contact, and is sweating from her head. 

"Why must we always meet like this, Miss Jin? From your records, I can see it's the 3rd time this month, and we are not even halfway through the month. This time, teleporting into the dorm? Do you think we don't have the security to track these?"

Hani darts her eyes to the screen and quickly back to the floor. 

"Sorry, Miss Blight." '

The face on the screen scrunched itself as she pinched her furrowed brows. 

"If you did not have your student tag on, we would have had a whole dorm shutdown! This is no small matter, Miss Jin! I am sorry, but I will have to reprimand you for this. Your monthly allowance is going to be cut in half for 3 months."

Hani's mouth falls to the ground. Her eyes shot up, finally facing the screen

"Noo!!! Miss Blight, pleaseee!" She clasps both her hands together as she drops onto her knees. "I will do anything else, I'll clean the dorms for the next three months, or I can do labour help around the school like last time. Don't take away my money!"

Miss Blight, the dorm administrator for scholarship students, is very strict. As Hani, who has always been good at her studies, managed to get a scholarship, which allowed her to get away from the terrible orphanage and move to stay in this special dorm. While she had her freedom in many ways, she was also met with strict rules to follow, and as a free spirit, Hani always seemed to manage to break them. Miss Blight, known for her 'cold heartedness' as the students in the dorm said, has become well acquainted with Hani by now.

"No, this is your punishment, Miss Jin. Since this seems to be the most effective for you, I suggest you use your money sparingly, and maybe that will stop you from having enough funds to even cause trouble." The face signs as she looks at Hani, " You will also be spending the night in this detention room. Goodbye, Miss Jin."

The screen clicks off before Hani can even say one more word. 

Dejected, she accepts her fate as she lies down on the floor. She clutches her fist, biting it as a tear falls down her face. 

Ah fuck now what? I am already low on funds. What am I going to do??

Tired and full of tears, Hani soon falls asleep. It's a problem she needs to solve after a good night of sleep!