Chapter 62: Two-in-One Chapter

“That’s all for today. One more thing: you’ve completed your 6-day streak, which earns you a 14-day break. You don’t need to come tomorrow.”

The old mage’s voice carried clearly through the floating amplification crystal at the front of the podium, reaching every corner of the classroom. On the cover of his yellowed copy of *Magical Foundations for Beginners*, the gold-stamped magic runes had faded. As his rough fingertips brushed against the worn edges of the pages, his movements held a hint of subtle reverence. It wasn’t just a textbook; it was his first gateway into the Magic World.

Sunlight filtered through the stained-glass dome, tinting his white beard a warm orange. His clouded yet sharp eyes scanned the rowdy children before him, but he didn’t say another word. After all, the low-level mage class consisted entirely of children—the oldest was 12, while the youngest had just turned 8. There was no need to be overly strict. He picked up his oak staff, its pale blue crystal swaying gently with his steps, casting fragmented shadows across the stone floor as he slowly strolled out of the classroom. The hem of his heavy mage robes swept over the threshold, stirring a faint, cool breeze.

Once the old mage left, the classroom instantly erupted into chaos. A young girl with twin tails grabbed her seatmate’s arm and jumped for joy, her hair swaying with every movement. A boy in overalls stood directly on his chair to cheer, accidentally knocking over a magic potion bottle. Luckily, the bottle’s protective spell activated just in time, making only a soft *pop* as the transparent liquid hit the ground and vanished instantly. A group of children huddled together, chirping excitedly about their plans for the 14-day vacation, their faces beaming with delight.

The low-level classroom was filled with childlike wonder. Hand-drawn Magical Beast doodles adorned the walls, while wicker baskets that automatically organized books sat in the corners. From the ceiling hung glowing dandelions that rotated slowly. The entire space radiated a relaxed and cozy atmosphere.

Magic lessons here felt more like games; children only needed to master basic mana control to pass their exams. The complexity was even lower than Su Yun’s Shadow Meld. Most of the lessons were theoretical basics or practical, minor spells like fireballs and drying spells.

The mid-level class was different. The low-level classrooms were located in the Nuanguang Building on the south side of the academy, while the mid-level teaching building, Lingfeng Tower, stood on the north side. The two structures were separated by a massive Plaza.

At this moment, tall, slender figures occasionally flickered past the windows of Lingfeng Tower—mostly young adults aged 16 or 17. Their faces lacked the childishness of the younger students, replaced by a sense of composure and determination. The schedule for Mid-level Mages was the exact opposite of the low-level ones; they had to attend classes for 14 consecutive days to earn 6 days of rest. And this so-called “rest” was never truly a time to relax.

The entrance to the secret realm at the academy’s back mountain remained open year-round, filled with Magical Beasts of various levels and complex magic traps. High-level mages assigned specific cultivation tasks to each mid-level apprentice based on their mana attributes. The trial tower next to Lingfeng Tower pierced the clouds, its embedded rune stones constantly releasing offensive light waves, requiring apprentices to break through layer after layer within a set time.

If someone wanted to slack off, the academy wouldn’t force them otherwise. However, mana crystals and herbs that could rapidly increase mana were only ever distributed to those who cultivated diligently. Slackers were destined to remain stagnant or be overtaken by those behind them. As long as one didn’t feel ashamed, staying a Mid-level Mage forever wasn’t a huge deal. Of course, after a long time, if someone was considered completely hopeless, they would eventually be kicked out and barred from returning.

—

These things didn’t concern the low-level mages. Su Yun sat by the window, his large, pink-blue tail swaying unconsciously. The tip brushed against the chair, leaving a faint mark. His tail was massive—nearly as large as he was. Su Miaomiao, who sat behind him, had to lean to the side just to see the blackboard.

He watched the cheering classmates, a soft smile playing on his lips, while his fingertips idly traced the small cloud pattern embroidered on his sleeve. This was the school uniform Lin Mo had sewn for him by hand. She had given it to him the previous night. The stitching was delicate, and she had even woven in a protective spell to ward off minor magical impacts. It had made Mo Qingqing go green with envy. After all, even she didn’t have something like that.

As a result, Su Yun had been teased and tumbled around in that outfit for 2 hours. However, it hadn’t been as excessive as what happened in the bedroom.

“Tomorrow is officially the start of the break!” Chu Yu’er’s voice rang out like crisp wind chimes, breaking Su Yun’s train of thought. She jumped up from her chair, her round face flushed with excitement and her dark, grape-like eyes sparkling.

She reached out and grabbed Su Yun’s arm, her grip nearly pulling him right out of his seat. Her pink school uniform was puffy, making her look like she was wrapped in soft cotton. The candies in her pocket jingled with every move; her mother had specially prepared them to provide a brief boost to mana perception when eaten.

“Why don’t you ask your Master if you can stay out today?” Ning Die walked slowly over to Su Yun’s side. Her golden curls draped over her shoulders, the ends carrying a faint scent of jasmine. She reached out her pale, slender fingers and carefully pinched the fluff at the tip of Su Yun’s tail. Her movements were as gentle as if she were handling a fragile treasure.

Once, on a whim, she had gripped his tail too hard. After being scolded by Chu Yu’er and finally calming down, she had felt guilty for a long time. Since then, she constantly reminded herself to be gentle. She would never hurt Su Yun again.

The pink-blue fur was soft and fluffy with a faint milky scent. Ning Die couldn’t help but rub it gently, a hint of hidden satisfaction flashing in her eyes. Her usually cold voice softened significantly.

“Ah, haha… I’ll ask later. We still have plenty of time anyway,” Su Yun laughed nervously, quickly pulling his tail back.

Being able to play with them for a bit after class was already thanks to Ning Die’s influence. Ning Die’s father was a Dominator! To be honest, that was basically a God. Although he only mastered one Law, he could use that Law to connect with countless others. He could achieve things that were absolutely impossible for mortals.

Su Yun was certain that to get on the Dominator’s good side, Mo Qingqing would never refuse such a small request; she might even be happy about it. But if he pushed his luck and asked not to return tonight, he might provoke that Witch… Even if she agreed at the moment, there was no telling how she would ‘discipline’ him later. It wasn’t worth the risk. His biggest fear now was making a mistake and being sent to that room again.

“It’s fine! It’s not like you have anything else to do,” Ning Die persisted, tilting her head slightly. Her long eyelashes were like two small fans, casting thin shadows under her eyes. She tugged gently at Su Yun’s sleeve, her tone carrying a hint of unconscious pouting—a side she only showed to Su Yun.

“Ah, ha… We’ll see… By the way, is there anything fun to do around here? I haven’t really explored outside the school much,” Su Yun quickly changed the subject.

Ever since Mo Qingqing took him in, his range of activity had been limited to her house, the Nuanguang Building, and the cafeteria—a three-point line. Despite the academy’s massive size, he hadn’t even explored one-tenth of it. In fact, the school itself was a recent addition. If it hadn’t opened, he probably would have spent the rest of his life imprisoned in that small house. Now that he had a chance to walk around, he certainly wasn’t going to let it slip by.

Ning Die pouted, clearly dissatisfied with Su Yun’s subject change. Her small chin lifted slightly with a childish stubbornness, but she still answered. “The commercial street behind the mountain has been built. It just opened to the public today.”

In reality, it was only open to children like them. The mid-level mages were usually too exhausted after class to go anywhere else. Su Yun related to that feeling deeply. If Mo Qingqing hadn’t been a bit jealous last night and punished him slightly, he usually just took a bath and read in bed after going home. At most, she would pull him over to use as a body pillow; she wouldn’t do those kinds of things again.

“Then let’s go quickly! I can only play for 3 hours at most,” Su Yun said, hastily grabbing the small cloth bag from the corner of the desk.

Mo Qingqing had placed this hamster-shaped bag on his head once, and he hadn’t taken it off since. Inside was a piece of osmanthus cake wrapped in oil paper that Lin Mo had given him. It was her favorite snack—sweet but not greasy, with a light floral scent. She had wanted Su Yun to try it. However, Su Yun couldn’t bear to eat it and had kept it until now. Fearing Ning Die would harp on the previous topic, he grabbed Chu Yu’er and Su Miaomiao’s hands and ran out of the classroom.

“Hey…” Ning Die sighed helplessly at Su Yun’s panicked retreat. She followed slowly behind them, her silver skirt swaying with her steps as the sunlight hit it, creating a soft luster.

Su Miaomiao hadn’t said a word the entire time. She carried a dark green backpack that was larger than she was, adorned with a string of small leaf charms that made a light *rustling* sound as she walked. She followed the three of them quietly, like a well-behaved little shadow, listening to their conversation. Her steps were as light as a feather landing on the ground.

Her personality was naturally introverted. Back home, she had always hidden in corners until the academy made enrollment mandatory. Her sister had told her to follow Su Yun, Chu Yu’er, and Ning Die, and only then did her world gradually become lively. In her world, colors had always been a monotonous gray. It wasn’t until these three appeared that her life was painted with vibrant hues.

Su Yun was a warm, pink-blue sun. His smile was like the gentlest spring breeze, and his voice was soft and sweet. Even the tail behind him radiated cuteness. Every time Su Yun smiled at her, she felt a warmth in her heart as if she were enveloped in sunlight, making all her loneliness and anxiety vanish. When Ning Die had pulled on Su Yun’s sleeve earlier, he had quietly turned back to wink at her. In that moment, Su Miaomiao felt the whole world light up. The radiance Su Yun emitted was gentle enough to melt any ice.

Chu Yu’er was a hamster. She was always round, her cheeks puffed out as if she were hiding snacks. Sometimes she would get grumpy over small things; for instance, she had tripped over the threshold while running just now and muttered a complaint with a pout. Her cheeks puffed even more, looking like she had stuffed two large walnuts inside. But after a few moments, Su Yun would coax her with a few words, and she’d start bouncing around again. She never stayed truly angry; at most, she would turn her head away and ignore people, which was incredibly cute.

Ning Die was a talking stalk of sugarcane. She always seemed cold, rarely smiled, and spoke in a flat tone that felt like it was wrapped in a thick layer of ice. When they first met, Su Miaomiao was afraid of her, but after spending time together, she realized Ning Die’s heart was softer than anyone’s. She remembered that Chu Yu’er liked candy and would secretly tuck a piece into her bag whenever they met. She would also quietly clean up after other students’ messes—like when someone knocked over the potion bottle earlier, it was Ning Die who had used a cleaning spell on the floor. She also noticed when Miaomiao wasn’t talking and would slow her pace to wait for her. Ning Die was like sugarcane: hard and cold on the outside, but hiding sweet juice within. Only those who got close could taste it.

As for herself, she was a gust of wind circling around them. She had no fixed shape or bright colors; she just followed them quietly, watching them laugh and listening to them play. It seemed like she wasn’t participating in anything, yet she was involved in everything.

She could smell the faint jasmine scent from Ning Die, mixed with the milky scent from Su Yun and the sweet aroma of the candies in Chu Yu’er’s pocket. These scents intertwined to form a fragrance that put her at ease. She could feel the warmth Su Yun brought—a warmth that traveled from his fingertips through the air, drifting into her heart and dispelling all the cold. She could see the puffy Chu Yu’er, see her bouncing around, see her clutching her candies with a bit of sugar on the corner of her mouth.

Walking out of the Nuanguang Building, the flagstone path was lined with glowing hydrangeas. Pale purple and light blue petals shimmered softly in the sunlight. Occasionally, a few round little sprites would fly out from the bushes, circling them with a soft *buzzing* sound. Cherry trees lined the road, their pink petals falling like a gentle rain onto their hair and shoulders.

Su Miaomiao looked up at the three figures laughing and talking ahead. Su Yun’s pink-blue tail was especially dazzling in the sun, Chu Yu’er’s laughter was crisp and bright, and Ning Die’s profile looked exceptionally soft in the light and shadow.

She secretly reached out her hand as if trying to grab something, but her fingertips only touched the warm air. However, she wasn’t disappointed. She knew that she was like the wind; although she couldn’t grab anything, she could always be with them, feeling this liveliness and warmth. This world was so much better than the days that only held gray and white.

A shallow curve appeared at the corner of Su Miaomiao’s mouth, and her eyes reflected the glow of the hydrangeas, as if filled with all the tenderness of spring. She quickened her pace to keep up with the three ahead. The leaf charms on her backpack swayed gently, making a fine *rustling* sound, acting as an accompaniment to this beautiful time.