By the end of the wind magic course, everyone was exhausted.

  We had gone through barriers, air pushes, assisted takeoffs, gates, air steps, jumps, combined dashes—everything.

  Elinia, naturally, became the “star of the course.”

  Kairen sulked in silence: for the first time, someone had caught up to him in his own element.

  Then came the final exam—and it was… strange.

  The instructor said:

  — There is only one task.

  Change the direction of the rain front.

  Disperse the clouds.

  Make the sky above the Academy clear.

  Everyone was surprised.

  — Alone?! — Finn asked.

  — Alone, — the instructor confirmed. — And whoever passes earns the right to be late ten times without penalties.

  The class:

  — …

  — THAT’S AN INSANE REWARD!!!

  The instructor chose a day when the Academy was buried under a hellish downpour—thunder, wind, gray clouds stretching to the horizon.

  A real storm.

  And the first to step forward was Kairen.

  He rose high, confident as always.

  Poured in mana.

  Pushed the mist apart.

  Drove the wind currents forward.

  The cloud shifted slightly…

  …and five seconds later, drifted right back.

  Kairen was breathing hard, raising the wind again.

  And again—the cloud returned.

  Thirty minutes.

  One hour.

  An hour and a half.

  He descended completely soaked, angry and irritated.

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  — They! Keep coming back! It’s impossible!

  The instructor merely nodded.

  — Your flow lacks mass.

  Finn tried evaporating the rain with fire.

  Edgar attempted to compress air pressure.

  Astra prayed to the gods of wind (for some reason).

  Noah simply held up a barrier so the rain wouldn’t hit his face and waved it off—“not my thing.”

  No one succeeded.

  In the end, only two remained:

  Me and Elinia.

  I stepped out into the downpour.

  Looked at the sky.

  Looked at the class.

  Looked at the massive clouds.

  And said:

  — I pass.

  The instructor blinked.

  — …What?

  — I’m flying up to take a nap on a cloud.

  And I simply took off.

  Lightly. Freely. Even beautifully.

  I shot upward—and vanished into the mist.

  The class:

  — Uh…

  — What is he doing?

  — Did he just… leave?

  — Does that count as a failure?

  The instructor sighed deeply.

  — Fine. Nothing we can do. Next—the princess.

  Meanwhile, I reached the tops of the clouds.

  And above them—clear sky.

  Quiet. Blue.

  The sun shining.

  Soft white clouds, like snow.

  And I just said:

  — Perfect. Sleeping.

  I lay down on a cloud, holding myself with wind and mana, and slowly started drifting off.

  Like this wasn’t an exam, but a vacation in the heavens.

  Incredibly comfortable. Soft. Like a massive air mattress.

  I was already closing my eyes…

  When I heard:

  — So THIS is where you are!

  I opened my eyes—Elinia was hovering above the cloud.

  The rain on her robe had evaporated from electricity.

  She was glowing.

  — What are you doing?! — she asked.

  — Sleeping.

  — On a cloud?!

  — Mm-hm.

  She looked at me like I was insane.

  Then said:

  — So… can I… too?

  I shrugged.

  — Hold yourself with wind. Apply pressure from below. As long as the cloud holds, you’ll float.

  She tried to lie down.

  And—

  fell straight through.

  — A-A-A!!

  I caught her and pulled her back up.

  — You dropped too sharply. Be gentler, — I said.

  Blushing, she tried again—more carefully this time.

  And lay down.

  The cloud held.

  Her eyes went wide.

  — This is… amazing…

  — It’s SO comfortable…

  — And warm…

  — And… beautiful…

  Me:

  — Yeah. That’s why I decided to sleep.

  Elinia smiled.

  Then suddenly stood up, like she remembered she was a princess.

  — Fine. You sleep. I’ll go finish… my exam.

  She parted the clouds around us—smoothly, beautifully.

  Cleared the sky within an hour.

  And flew back down.

  I kept sleeping for… a few more hours?

  Until a voice boomed over my head:

  — ARE YOU STILL SLEEPING?!

  I opened my eyes—Elinia. Furious.

  — Get up! They’re looking for you! The instructor thinks you died!

  — Uh-huh…

  She rolled her eyes.

  — Get up, Helvard.

  — Later…

  — GET UP!

  And she just shoved me off the cloud.

  I fell like a stone.

  Below—

  The field.

  The Academy.

  The students.

  Me:

  — He-he-he-he-he…

  Right before hitting the ground, I formed an air cushion—and landed softly on my feet.

  Elinia’s expression from below was priceless:

  — You…

  — You…

  — You can FALL like it’s NOTHING?!

  I shrugged.

  — Habit.

  Elinia passed the exam first.

  She earned the right to be late ten times.

  As for me…

  I earned the right to:

  sleep on clouds.

  And that’s better than any privilege the Academy could offer.