Soon it was Saturday.

  The previous day I'd made decent progress with my training on the magic circle, now able to draw it quickly enough to actually use it effectively in practice. Not combat-ready yet, but getting there.

  I hadn't bothered checking if there were any academy activities scheduled for today. I was just thankful I hadn't been dragged into anything and could actually enjoy my weekend.

  I woke up about an hour later than usual, feeling pleasantly lazy. It seemed like a good day to organize things. I moved some clothes around, straightened my desk, threw away some things I wasn't using anymore. The usual maintenance that had been neglected for weeks.

  I noticed the book Emberheart had lent me sitting on my desk. I'd completely forgotten to return it. I put it together with my magic circle drawing and finished tidying up.

  My room was once again feeling like a small organized space instead of some kind of disaster zone.

  I left the dormitory, walking out of the D-rank area and into the main corridors. The academy felt different on weekends. Quieter, more relaxed. Students wandered around in casual clothes instead of rushing between classes.

  I'd spent some time thinking about what to do with my future here. Not every day could be an adventure, and I was getting tired of the same routine of training and studying. Perhaps I should join a club or try some other activity. Maybe a sport?

  I was wondering what my friends would be doing today when I was surprised to find Mira in one of the courtyards.

  Her bright pink hair was down today instead of in her usual ponytail, falling just past her shoulders. She wore a casual dress with a light jacket covered in colorful pins and patches. She was carrying a small bag that had something glowing faintly inside, and she was using whatever it was to paint symbols on various objects around the courtyard.

  "Kai!" She called out the moment she noticed me approaching, her face lighting up. "It's been so long!" She set down her bag and walked toward me with a big smile tinged with exaggerated sadness.

  "Hey," I said, giving her a polite wave. "What are you up to?"

  "Oh, I'm setting up for tonight! I'm in the Student Activities Committee, so it's our responsibility to prepare everything." She gestured around at the courtyard with obvious pride.

  "Tonight?" I asked, looking around more carefully. The objects she'd painted were now looking normal again, as if nothing had happened to them. Whatever enchantment she'd used had settled invisibly.

  "Don't you know? Tonight we're doing a welcome party for the first years! We usually do it on the first Saturday, but with all the corruption expedition stuff we had to postpone it."

  "I see..." I looked around at her work. "And the rest of the committee isn't helping you?"

  "They already helped tons over the week. I'm just doing the final touches now." She leaned in conspiratorially. "I want it to be a surprise, so don't tell anyone what you saw, okay?"

  "Alright, my lips are sealed."

  "So..." Her smile turned mischievous. "How are things with Aurora? Hm?"

  "What?"

  "Come on, tell me! I promise I won't tell anyone." She was practically bouncing with excitement. "How did you do it? Was it the big hero thing during the expedition? Or more of a 'lost first year who needs help' strategy?"

  I felt heat rising to my face, both embarrassed and confused about what exactly she was suggesting. "Uh... I don't know what you—"

  "Fine, fine! You really are full of mysteries." She seemed satisfied by my embarrassment alone. "But hey, if you want a tip..." She lowered her voice like she was sharing state secrets. "Aurora is in the Strategy Games Club. Building seven, second floor."

  "Ah... thanks, I guess."

  "Don't sweat it!" She made a shooing motion with her hands. "Now go before she misses you too much."

  She actually pushed me gently toward the corridor and went back to her enchanting work, humming to herself.

  I started walking away, trying to get some distance before my face stopped burning.

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  I hated that my mind immediately started trying to figure out where building seven was.

  It took me a while to find the Strategy Games Club.

  Building seven turned out to be one of the older structures on the academy grounds, with narrow staircases and smaller rooms. The club itself was just a modest space with a few tables, where a handful of students were playing what looked like an incredibly elaborate version of chess.

  The room was completely silent except for the soft sounds of pieces being moved. Everyone was focused on their games with intense concentration.

  Aurora sat at one of the center tables. Her silvery-white hair was loose today instead of pulled back, falling in straight lines past her shoulders. She wore her perfectly maintained white uniform, and her expression, while neutral as always, seemed slightly more relaxed than usual. Almost peaceful.

  When I took a small step inside, she turned her head toward me.

  Even though I was certain I hadn't made any sound, she'd still noticed. Probably felt my mana. She looked at me directly, those striking eyes focusing on me, and I immediately regretted every life choice that had led me to this moment.

  Fortunately, she chose to continue her game until it finished.

  I waited by the door, watching her play. Her movements were precise and deliberate, each piece placed with complete confidence. Her opponent, a serious-looking third year, seemed to be struggling. Within a few more turns, Aurora had won.

  She said something polite to her opponent, then excused herself and walked toward the entrance. She led me out into the hallway without a word.

  "So you plan on doing this even on weekends?" she asked once we were alone. She didn’t look mad about it.

  "I guess I can let you rest on Sundays," I offered.

  "How generous of you."

  "So uh... what exactly is that game?"

  "You don't know Regicide?" She looked genuinely puzzled. "It's quite simple in essence: capture your opponent's pieces, don't let yours be captured, and try to find a winning position. Most of the difficulty is in the details. What pieces do what, how they interact, how to create effective strategies."

  "Sounds fun. Do you enjoy playing it?"

  She thought about the question for a moment, like no one had ever asked her that before. "I enjoy when things work as intended. I wouldn't say I enjoy the game itself, but it's better than the alternatives. And it serves to keep my mind sharp."

  "I see..." I paused, then decided to just go for it. "Can you teach me?"

  She looked surprised. "You really want to learn Regicide?"

  "Do you have anything better for us to do today?" I admitted. "Honestly, I came here without a plan."

  She laughed quietly, a sound I was starting to realize was rare. "Sure. I'll teach you the game then. Come with me."

  She started walking and I followed, falling into step beside her.

  "What else do you do on weekends besides playing?" I asked.

  "When I'm not involved with the weekly activities, I tend to get ahead on my classes and train. Some weekends I also have to attend social events or family meetings."

  "All work and no fun, huh?"

  "To neglect my duties just to have fun would be inappropriate."

  "Agree to disagree," I said.

  She looked at me, clearly considering whether to argue the point. Then she simply chose to continue walking instead.

  We ended up in the library on a small table on the third floor, tucked away in a quiet corner near the history section.

  Aurora pulled out a Regicide set from a nearby shelf where the club apparently stored equipment. The board was beautiful, made of polished wood with inlaid squares. The pieces were carved from dark and light stone.

  She explained the rules to me patiently, demonstrating how each piece moved. It was very complicated. Each piece had unique movement patterns, some had special abilities that only activated under certain conditions, and there were positional bonuses I could barely keep track of.

  I had to keep the rulebook by my side to check on things, but Aurora was a surprisingly good teacher. She didn't seem to mind repeating explanations or answering my confused questions.

  As time passed, I noticed students settling at nearby tables. They were glancing at us periodically, pretending to study but clearly more interested in watching us. Aurora, however, didn't seem to even notice them.

  "You really are good at this," I said after she'd won our third game.

  "I've played with my father since I was a child."

  "I mean..." I corrected myself. "Dealing with all this attention. Do you just ignore everyone?"

  "As I told you before, you get used to it. But no, I don't ignore everyone." She looked up from the board, her eyes sweeping the room casually. Everyone immediately turned back to their books. "Of the ones present here right now, there are two nobles, two spies from outside the academy, one shadow, and four enthusiastic students from simpler families."

  I paused, also looking around. They just looked like normal students to me.

  "Right now," she continued, "I wouldn't pay attention to any of them. The ones with good intentions are too weak politically to matter. The ones with power are up to no good."

  "What? How do you even know all that?"

  "Politics is a skill you can learn just like magic." She began setting up the pieces for another game. "Now that you're publicly associating with me, it's advisable that you learn it too."

  Learning politics didn't sound particularly fun, but it felt important. Necessary, even.

  "I guess I should..." I thought for a moment. "Please teach me politics too. In exchange, I'll let you keep beating me at Regicide."

  "Oh, you'll let me?" She smirked, an expression I was seeing more often lately. "How nice of you."

  "I can be nice sometimes," I smiled back.

  "If you're going to be talking to me every day, we might as well do something productive." She moved her first piece. "Let's start with the basics."

  And then she began explaining.