The academy bustled with activity; demons of various ages and classes moved through the halls and wide marble corridors. Amidst this commotion, a girl walked with quiet steps, clutching a stack of heavy books in her small hands. Her delicate features and long silver hair flowing gently over her shoulders contrasted sharply with the harshness of her surroundings. Large round glasses perched on her nose, slightly magnifying her wide eyes that carried a mixture of shyness and introversion, as if trying to remain invisible among her demon peers.

  She wore traditional attire in shades of blue, with touches of red and gold. She didn't dare lift her gaze from the ground, fearing to meet the eyes of others who never missed a chance to display their superiority over her.

  She advanced cautiously through the crowded corridors, careful not to block anyone's path.

  In a brief moment of inattention, Sylvina didn't notice her approach to one of the students—a girl with stern features and an unmistakable aura of authority. As Sylvina walked, she collided with the girl.

  Sylvina gasped softly and stepped back, but the impact was enough to make the books slip from her hands and fall to the floor.

  She froze for a moment, as if she'd lost the ability to move. Slowly, she lowered her head, watching her books scattered at the girl's feet. She bent quickly, trying to gather the books before things got worse. In that moment, she murmured in a trembling voice, barely audible amidst the surrounding noise: "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to..."

  But the apology wasn't enough. With a gaze burning with disdain, the girl raised her foot and kicked one of the books away, sending it crashing against the wall. The sound of the kick echoed through the corridor like a harsh slap.

  Sylvina's hand froze in place for a moment, but the girl wasn't satisfied. With a deliberate step, she crushed her feet on another book, pushing it away carelessly, before responding in a sharp voice filled with contempt: "Watch where you're going, you pathetic bookworm!"

  Her voice was loud enough to draw the attention of some passing students. No one intervened. None of them seemed to care.

  Sylvina felt the pain. Not just from the words, but from the way events repeated as if pre-written in a story she couldn't change. She'd grown accustomed to this kind of humiliation, but she never got used to the deep sting that came with it.

  Her fingers closed around one of the books, trying to control the trembling in her hands. There was no point in resisting. Any word, any look, any whisper might make things worse.

  She took a shaky breath and bent lower, continuing to gather her books in silence, as if trying to disappear between their pages.

  After collecting her books, without daring to look at the girl again, Sylvina turned and continued toward the library. The library was her only refuge, where she found escape from the harsh reality she lived.

  When she crossed the library's threshold, it was as if the entire world had changed. There was no corridor commotion or scrutinizing eyes. Just complete stillness.

  She chose a distant corner in the library, where the light was dim and the place nearly empty. She sat silently, hoping no one would notice her, then pulled a book between her trembling hands. She knew the pages she would read would carry her away, to a quieter world where nothing disturbed her.

  At sunset, she slowly returned the books to their places. She didn't like the moment of leaving the library, but she had to return to reality. She exited quietly and walked through the academy's long corridors, avoiding others' gazes. The students around her were busy with their conversations, while she passed among them without anyone noticing, as if invisible.

  She crossed the small garden near the academy, where lamps scattered their soft light on the grass and flowers. The cool breeze made her feel somewhat refreshed as she continued toward the dormitory. When she reached the building, she entered and climbed the stairs with steady steps until she reached her room, closing the door silently behind her.

  Her room was small but quiet in a way that comforted her. The room contained a narrow bed beside a window overlooking the distant forest, and a simple desk cluttered with books and scattered papers. There was also a small shelf where she placed some simple personal items, like a small wooden box containing precious things from her Past.

  Sylvina placed her books on the desk, then sat for a moment on the bed, listening to the deep silence filling the place. She rose slowly and headed toward the window, sitting on the nearby chair. She took out a book from among those she'd been carrying and began turning the pages slowly.

  The tranquility enveloping the place gave her a feeling of peace, even if temporary. She sat contemplating the sky beginning to dress in stars, listening to the quiet sounds of night. She felt a kind of reassurance when she was away from others' eyes, alone with her thoughts.

  After a while, she lay on the bed, directing her gaze toward the ceiling. She thought about the day that had passed and the day that would come. She didn't have much hope that things would improve. She closed her eyes and fell asleep.

  The next morning, she woke early to sunlight sneaking through the window. She got up, washed her face, and put on the academy uniform. She looked at herself in the mirror for a moment, then took a deep breath and left the room, ready for a new day.

  The days repeated for Sylvina with the same monotony. After classes, she headed directly to the library. This was how Sylvina lived her days, isolated from everyone.

  But one day, while Sylvina was immersed in the pages of a book, she heard footsteps echoing through the library. She raised her head cautiously to see a young man sitting in the opposite corner, surrounded by a pile of books. A young man about her age, with golden hair and red eyes. She didn't recognize him, but he seemed troubled and absorbed in reading one of the books, his features reflecting a mixture of concentration and frustration.

  Sylvina didn't know much about others in the academy, as she tended toward isolation and avoiding interaction with anyone.

  Some time passed, and the young man seemed to have given up. He sighed deeply, as if the words he'd been reading had drained his energy, then slowly closed the book in front of him and returned it to its place. He took a book of his own, pressed it between his fingers before leaving the library with heavy steps.

  After spending a long time reading, Sylvina began to feel tired. She closed the book quietly and took a deep breath. The library had become nearly empty, with only a few students remaining, busy with their own affairs. She stood slowly, returned the book to its place, then gathered the rest of her books in her arms. She decided it was time to leave.

  She left the library with quiet steps, heading to the small garden near the academy. The night air was refreshing, and the scent of grass wet with dew gave her a slight feeling of comfort. She sat on one of the stone benches, watching the wildflowers swaying under the cool night breeze. These small moments of solitude were what kept her together in this place.

  A few minutes passed before she decided to return to her dormitory. While walking through the long corridors, she noticed some students talking in low voices at one of the arcades. She didn't pay them much attention, but she felt some gazes following her. This wasn't new to her, but she didn't care. As soon as she reached her room, she closed the door behind her and lay on her bed, ready to end this long day.

  The next morning, she woke with the sunrise. She repeated her usual routine: making her bed, washing her face, and putting on the academy uniform. After classes ended, as usual, she carried her books and headed to the library.

  If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

  When she entered, she noticed something unexpected—someone else had arrived before her this time. In the far corner, at one of the long wooden tables, the young man with golden hair was already there, immersed in the pages of a large book. She hadn't expected to see anyone else at this early hour. For a moment, she hesitated before continuing on her way, but decided not to care and chose a distant seat.

  Days passed, and each time she came to the library, the young man was there, bringing his book and drowning in attempts to understand some spell. Sylvina didn't know who he was and didn't care about his presence at all, continuing to stay silently in her place.

  One day, while she was reading in the library, the young man entered carrying his personal book. He placed it on the table, then headed to the shelves to take several books. While he was searching, suddenly, one of the teachers entered and approached the young man, speaking with him about something, then they left together immediately.

  Sylvina remained in the library, immersed in the pages of the book she was reading. As the day neared its end, she felt tired and realized it was time to return to the dormitory. She closed the book quietly and rose from her place, preparing to leave.

  As she moved toward the door, she noticed a strange book on one of the tables. Its cover was completely different from anything she'd seen before, decorated with intricate designs and dark colors that gave it an aura of mystery. She felt something drawing her toward it.

  She hesitated a little, but curiosity overcame her. She approached the table and extended her hand toward the book, grasping it carefully and lifting it to her face. She opened the cover slowly, only to be surprised by its contents. The pages were filled with ancient symbols and a complex spell written in an ancient language. She immediately realized this book was rare and highly valuable.

  Sylvina hesitated for a moment, wondering about returning the book to the table and leaving it, but she couldn't ignore the worry that took hold of her. What if the book was stolen or something happened to it? She might be blamed for being the cause, as she was the only one in the library all day. She wasn't ready to take that risk.

  After quick thinking, Sylvina decided to take the book with her to the dormitory. She carried it carefully and left the library with quick steps, heading to her room in the academy. When she reached the dormitory, she entered her room and locked the door tightly.

  She placed the book on the table and sat on her bed. She looked at the book with curiosity and wanted to read it, but she was hesitant. She said to herself: "This book... it belongs to someone, not a public book. And I have no right to read it without permission..."

  However, after moments of hesitation, she rose from the bed and grasped the book again. She sat at the table and began reading it quietly, trying to decode the spell and understand the mysterious texts. Time continued to pass, and Sylvina became completely immersed in the book's pages, unaware of time or fatigue.

  After finishing reading the book, she looked at the clock and was surprised by the time. It was three in the morning. She placed the book on the table and lay on the bed to get some rest.

  She woke after a few hours of intermittent sleep, feeling a weight accumulating on her chest. She was turning thoughts over, unable to sleep peacefully because of the book she'd taken yesterday. She wasn't sure if she'd made the right decision. She looked at the book she'd placed on the table beside her and felt tension rising within her like a wave hitting a fragile wall. She had to return it as quickly as possible.

  She got up from bed and carried the book carefully as if it might break at any moment. She headed toward the library very early, while the corridors inside the academy were still immersed in dawn's stillness.

  When she approached the library door, she pushed it slowly to enter quietly. The place was empty as she expected, and silence filled the area, but her eyes immediately caught unusual movement between the shelves.

  It was the young man who owned the book, and he looked remarkably disturbed. His expressions were tense as he moved quickly between the shelves, searching with his desperate eyes among the lined books. Sylvina felt worried; she didn't want him to think she'd taken the book with bad intentions.

  She approached him slowly and hesitated for a moment before saying in a faint voice barely audible: "Excuse me... are you looking for this book?"

  The young man stopped suddenly and turned toward her quickly. When he saw the book in her hands, expressions of deep relief appeared on his face to the point that he closed his eyes for a moment and fell to his knees from sheer relief. His stance was strange to Sylvina, and she saw how his features relaxed as if a great burden had been lifted from him.

  Sylvina felt confused and hesitated about how she should act. She extended her hands cautiously, saying with confusion while looking down slightly: "I'm really sorry... yesterday I saw the book on the table and feared it might be stolen, so I took it with me."

  The young man raised his head and looked at her face, then quietly took the book from her hands. After a short moment, he smiled at her with a sincere smile full of gratitude and said in a calm voice: "Thank you, miss."

  Sylvina felt relieved that he wasn't angry with her, but was clearly grateful. She watched him as he stood slowly and regained his composure, then said: "My name is Darius, I study in class 1-1. Who are you, miss?"

  Sylvina answered in a faint voice: "Pleased to meet you, Darius-san. My name is Sylvina, I study in class 1-3."

  Darius smiled, saying: "Pleased to meet you too." Then he added while bowing slightly in respect: "Excuse me now, I'll go to class." Then he began walking toward the door.

  He left the library, and while walking in the corridor, he met one of his friends who had just entered the academy. He was carrying his bag on his shoulder and a lively smile on his face.

  "Hello Darius!" the young man said energetically.

  "Hello Castro," Darius replied with a small smile, but fatigue still showed on his features.

  Castro noticed the book in Darius's hand and raised his eyebrows, saying: "Good that you found the book. You looked like you were going to lose your mind yesterday searching everywhere."

  Darius looked at the book, his eyes carrying a glimpse of relief, then said: "I'm happy about this."

  Castro asked curiously: "Is this book really that important?"

  Darius answered in a serious tone, staring at the book in his hands: "Yes, this book is one of a kind and has no replacement. The texts inside are written with special magic that prevents any attempt at copying. Whenever you try to copy the text, whether manually or with other magic, the words disappear from the copy and remain only in the original book. For this reason, no other copy can exist. And I want to master the spell inside it by any means."

  After that, they began moving toward class, and while walking, Castro asked: "By the way, where did you find the book?"

  Darius answered: "I found it in the library. One of the students, named Sylvina, took it with her yesterday."

  Castro was puzzled by the name and asked: "Sylvina? Who is she? I don't remember a girl with that name."

  Darius answered: "Actually, I don't know her personally. She told me she studies in class 1-3."

  Upon hearing the class, Castro remembered her and said in a tone mixed with some mockery: "Oh, that weird girl? The one who spends all her time buried in books? She doesn't possess any talent in magic; all her magical abilities are at level one. It's strange that she was accepted into this prestigious academy."

  Darius said in astonishment: "Really? Level one? But that's... even newborns have level two magical abilities!"

  Castro answered, shaking his head: "Yes. Word spread about her on the first day. She could barely cast a weak magical spell. No one understands how she got accepted into the academy."

  Darius felt curious about Sylvina and began thinking about the matter. "The academy doesn't accept just anyone. Even if she's at level one, she must have something special."

  At this time, Sylvina left the library and headed to her class.

  Time passed quietly inside the academy. After classes ended, Darius headed directly to the library, his important book in his hands as if afraid to leave it out of sight.

  He entered the library quietly, heading toward the shelves containing the books he needed. His eyes passed quickly over the titles until he found what he was looking for, then began pulling books one after another.

  While heading to one of the tables, he noticed someone else's presence in the library. In a distant corner, Sylvina was reading a book quietly. It was clear she was engrossed in reading and wasn't aware of his presence.

  Darius chose a nearby table but maintained an appropriate distance between him and Sylvina. He sat and opened his books before him, beginning to analyze the texts and decode the complex spell. But as time passed, he found his thoughts drifting toward Sylvina.

  "All her magical abilities are at level one." Castro's words kept echoing in Darius's head.

  Darius continued contemplating Sylvina's matter, thinking about Castro's words that still echoed in his mind.

  He was silent, unable to remove one thought from his head. How was she accepted into the academy despite her power level?

  Slowly, he moved his left arm, extending it beside him. He made no sound, but in one moment, a long sword materialized from nothing, emerging smoothly from inside his arm as if it were an extension of his body itself. After that, Darius's eyes transformed from red to green. And he began placing several hidden magical barriers at once.

  At the same moment, Sylvina was trying to focus on the book in her hands, but her heart was beating rapidly as she felt fear. She was certain Darius was watching her, and although she didn't look at him directly, she felt his weight in the atmosphere.

  Worry began creeping into her thoughts: "Why is he watching me? Did I do something wrong? Did he discover something strange about me? Did he think I did something suspicious with the book?"

  She tried to remain calm and continue reading, but she couldn't get rid of the feeling of fear. But suddenly, she felt something else.

  An invisible field surrounding the library, as if invisible walls had been erected around the place, isolating it from the rest of the academy. There was no sound. No air moving. No sense of time.

  Her heartbeats accelerated; she felt as if her soul was being slowly drawn from her, as if his gaze was penetrating her beyond the mere surface of the body. She didn't understand, but she knew one thing—she couldn't stay here.

  (Continued)