I must say: I am intrigued at who those new Rank Two and Three are. I didn't think there was anyone better than Derrick in our generation that wasn't already in the Honor Class.

  Clive knocked the ground with his cane—Tap-tap—and the seated turned their bodies straight at once.

  "It appears Rank Three has just left the Academy," Clive said.

  What a shame. Well, I guess that confirms he is some kind of high-aristocrat if he's able to come and go as he pleases. We've been in the air for more than a day though, so why does he look like this is the first time he has heard of it as well?

  Could he have jumped?

  Arthur imagined looking at himself through a mirror, shaking his head at the ridiculous thought. No, there's no way that can be it.

  "You may resume now, lady–half asleep in the back," Clive called out.

  "Thank you, Mr. Clive!" A voice sparked from the back of the room at a decibel rivaling Clive's.

  Her hands slapped her desk, drawing all wandering eyes. Her appearance struck a memory of familiarity towards all who saw it: blue hair, yellow eyes. The class was made up of nobles, and they were now looking upon the highest noble of all.

  She pushed herself up; her teeth gleamed pearl-white. Though her face was befitting of her status, her hair seemed even messier than Arthur's, like a tiger.

  "My name is Celeste Devreux, new student," she said melodically, as if singing a lullaby.

  She angled herself in Arthur's direction, but even though their pupils were perfectly aligned, it seemed as if she could not see him.

  This is the only daughter of the strongest Aristocrat in the Viera Kingdom; the Grand Duke of Devreux!

  "I am currently Rank Two, but I'll be Rank One soon!"

  She wobbled back and forth once or twice before falling into her seat, waving her head side to side whilst looking at nothing at all.

  I sense something unusual; I have to be wary of her and Derrick.

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  "Now that introductions are finished, let's begin," Clive said.

  "Our first unit will be understanding Blessings: They are physical markings left on your body by another being, whether that be by an Elemental or otherwise."

  "Spirit is a general term for all beings who are not descendants of the first Celestial God, or the first Demon God. By that definition, monsters are spirits, and so are humans; this is true because the Human God was a first-generation descendant of one of the original Spirit, Dragon, or Ocean Gods. However, unlike any other lifeform, we do not have the ability to grant blessings ourselves."

  "As you've seen on your own bodies, the structure of Blessings all share the same pattern."

  He took a small white cylinder, twice the thickness of a pencil and half the length of one, and began drawing lines on the blackboard that stretched from entrance to exit.

  "The element or attribute of the Blessing will always be in the center; it will be written in the Magic Language, and will have circles that correspond to the level of the blessing: One being beginner, two being Intermediate, and so on until the Emperor, with seven circles. Each is exactly fifteen millimeters apart from each other, with the first circle starting fifty millimeters from the center."

  "You can research the uniquity of humans more thoroughly in the Monstrology Course I teach, or Magic Language in the Magic Engineering course my good friend Head Instructor Vigo teaches in your third year.

  "There are = two types of blessings, and six symbols you need to know for this semester. Four of those symbols are those for Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind; blessings two of the students in this room currently hold."

  He turned his head to a minor degree toward the one he suspected Clive referred to, and found her smiling widely.

  "There are some key differences between Elemental Blessings and Non-Elemental Blessings; one such discerning characteristic is their actual function: Elemental Blessings enhance the magic efficiency, output, and control the user has. However, Elemental Blessings only apply when the user is using the enhanced element. It does nothing if the user is not using the element, or doesn't have the ability to manipulate magic."

  "The other type of Blessing that you need to remember are Non-Elemental Blessings. While the Elemental Blessings are granted by Elemental Spirits, and last for as long as you live, Non-elemental Blessings are not always permanent: Monster Blessings die once the Monster who grants it dies, and Celestial Blessings have the potential to last forever, even after death, as the Celestial has complete control over its Blessings. The two Holy Blessings that are required for you to know now are Protection and Exercise."

  "Non-Elemental Blessings do not enhance magic itself, though in some cases it can indirectly enhance its efficiency. Non-Elemental Blessings grant abilities; and for the most part, they have the same function, and don't require the ability to manipulate mana to use. The Holy Blessing of Exercise allows a person to use the power of the Celestial God, though the extent to which one can use it is directly tied to the tier of its blessing. This is what allows Priests to heal and Holy Knights to eliminate evil, though it must be trained all the same."

  "The Holy Blessing of Protection provides shield from harm. This can range from physical strikes, to curses, to mental attacks, and so on."