The Collapse of Her Worldview

After witnessing Professor Moses conjure flames, Lilith's firmly rooted materialistic worldview began to crumble. She stared intently at Professor Moses's wand, her mind in turmoil. Could it be the wand? Was there some mechanism inside, or maybe a low-ignition chemical? These questions churned in her mind, but she dared not voice them.

Around her, the students, having seen the magic, grew excited again, eagerly waving their sticks. Professor Moses stepped back, letting them continue practicing.

Clutching her wand tightly, Lilith took a moment to gather herself before reciting the spell again. "Whoosh." The flames flickered back to life, a small flame dancing at the tip of her wand like a swaying red flower.

Envious gazes fell upon her, and Professor Moses also looked over. "To grasp the spell so quickly, you have quite the magical talent," she praised. "Keep practicing, and you might become a Magister one day."

"Wow, a Magister!" Her classmates' eyes lit up with admiration. Many magic apprentices spend their entire lives as junior magicians, never advancing to intermediate levels, let alone becoming a Magister. Befriending Lilith now could mean having a Magister as an ally in the future!

Noticing the change in their gazes, Lilith understood the reason. Having read "The Song of Aldrich," she knew the prestigious status of a Magister. They were honored guests of royal courts, and even commoner Magisters were often ennobled. They were above the law, exempt from taxes, and even murder didn't mean jail time. They only had to abide by the Magical Code, a set of rules established by a legendary Grand Magister.

It was said Aldrich himself was a Grand Magister who drove away the beasts of the Western Continent and established new human kingdoms there. Half the royal families in the Western Continent claimed descent from Aldrich. If she could become a Magister, the charge of impersonating nobility would be inconsequential. A Magister was far more esteemed than a noble.

In other words, if the original owner of her body hadn't been exposed so quickly, if she could have held out a bit longer for the academy to recognize her talent and become a Magister, her fate would have been entirely different. She needn't have died. Unfortunately, fate hadn't given her time to grow.

Bitterness welled up in Lilith's heart, an echo of the body's former emotions. It was all too late. She sighed, reciting the spell a few more times before putting away her wand. Professor Moses had cautioned against overuse of magic. As the first to successfully cast the spell, Lilith was allowed to leave class early.

As she left the classroom, a venomous glare bore into her back. It was Vina, staring daggers at her, her face twisted with jealousy and resentment. Lilith pretended not to notice, gathered her things, and exited the room.

With someone dismissed early, the remaining students grew restless. Some were nearly in tears from their inability to sense magical elements. "Don't worry," Professor Moses reassured them. "If you can't sense fire elements, it might be because your body isn't suited for fire magic. Don't fret, I'll let you out in due time."

Meanwhile, Lilith headed to the library. She had become a regular there, visiting every afternoon, and the librarian at the entrance knew her by now. "Lilith, here to borrow more books?" "Not today, I'll read here." Lilith selected a few books on magic, eager to learn more about this world's arcane arts. The reading area by the window was her favorite spot, offering a view of the lawn and fir trees, perfect for a relaxing read.

At three in the afternoon, sunlight streamed into the room, warming the table. It wasn't until her stomach growled that she realized she was hungry. The thought of the dining hall's mushy soup and bloody roast meat quickly killed her appetite.

She decided to buy some bread instead—cheap and filling. Lilith felt the two remaining silver coins in her purse and made a tough decision. One silver coin could be exchanged for a hundred copper coins; three coppers could buy a hard breadstick, and five could buy a soft loaf. She calculated that she could stretch this for a while. But she couldn't live on bread alone forever. Occasionally, she needed to make an appearance in the academy's dining hall, ordering the noble students' favorite tender steak, which cost forty coppers per serving.

Besides, her clothes were dirty and needed washing; she needed to hire someone to bring hot water to her room each morning and evening; and there was the equestrian class in two days—she needed a horse. Life was tough. If Barton didn't come through soon, she'd be exposed!

Lost in thought, Lilith walked towards the school gate. As she crossed the academy square, a crow suddenly flew at her, dropping a gem into her lap. "Oh, sorry, did it hurt?" A handsome boy with chestnut hair hurried over, looking apologetic.

"Is this your crow?" Lilith held the bird, returning it to the boy. "Keep a better grip on it next time."

"Yes, it's mine," the chestnut-haired boy said, taking the crow. "It's my summoned beast. It loves shiny things and keeps stealing gems from my belt, flying off when I catch it."

"No harm done, just keep an eye on it," Lilith replied.

"I'm really sorry, Miss. Please take this gem as an apology." The boy offered her the gem the crow had dropped.

Lilith smiled and declined. "No need, it didn't harm me."

"I insist," the boy said. "Please accept it, or I'll feel too guilty to sleep."

"Really, there's no need," Lilith stepped back. "Your crow is adorable. Please give the gem back to it."

"But—"

"Consider it a gift from me to your crow," Lilith said, her eyes crinkling with a smile. "I took the gem and gave it back. Is that okay?"

The boy hesitated, then said gently, "Alright, kind Miss. My name is Kyle Rosetti, an advanced student in the Summoning Class. May I know your name?"

"You're a senior? I'm Lilith, a novice magic apprentice," she replied with a slight bow. "I have something to attend to, Senior. Let's chat another time, okay?"

"Of course, another time," Kyle said, stepping aside. Lilith smiled apologetically and quickly left the square. She was starving and needed to buy some bread.

Behind her, Kyle's gentle expression slowly vanished, replaced by a cold gleam in his eyes. "Useless creature," he muttered, tightening his grip on the crow. "Couldn't even give away a gem." It was a pity; he had soaked it in poison all morning.

The crow squawked and struggled, flapping its wings. Kyle watched it coldly for a few moments before releasing his grip. "Go, tell Chad she's heading out of the academy. Have him kill her outside."

The crow cawed twice and flew away, as if escaping.