The morning bell at Ares Academy chimed, signalling the start of the combat theory lecture.
Zen sat at his desk in the third row with his arms crossed over his chest. The simple matte-black iron ring sat snugly on his finger, keeping his Low A-Rank mana locked behind a D-Rank facade.
Usually, the classroom was a noisy, chaotic space filled with students gossiping about dungeons and gear. Today, however, the room was dead silent, save for the sound of frantic, panicked sweating.
And the source of the tension was the layout of Zen's row.
To his immediate left sat Aria. Aurelia had her desk pushed flush against his, looking immaculate in her gold-trimmed Crown uniform, her amber eyes scanning the classroom like a queen assessing her subjects.
