Things were slowly returning to normal.
Or at least, they should have been.
Except for the fact that I could feel everyone's eyes on me whenever Lillian and I were in the same room. It wasn't obvious—not outright—but there was a certain look, a knowing glance exchanged between the others, as if they were sensing something different.
They didn't know anything.
Well. Except for Camille.
And Camille was currently sitting beside me, staring at me like I was the most entertaining thing she had ever seen.
I tried to ignore her. Really, I did. But it was impossible when she was leaning in, chin resting on her hand, piercing ice-blue eyes glimmering with mischief, and an all-too-wide grin stretched across her face.
I sighed. I knew that look.
"Are you okay…?" I asked, my voice hesitant, already bracing myself.
She didn't even blink. Didn't even try to look away.
"Just admiring you."
I choked on air.
My pen slipped from my fingers, clattering onto my desk as I turned to look at her in absolute disbelief. Was she serious right now?!
Camille just smirked, resting her cheek against her palm as she continued her intense, borderline teasing gaze.
"Admiring me?!" I hissed under my breath, trying not to attract any more attention—though, knowing Camille, that was exactly what she wanted.
She shrugged, completely unfazed. "Mhm."
I narrowed my eyes at her. "You know, if you keep looking at me like that, people might get the wrong idea."
"Wrong idea?" Camille's grin widened, as if I had just set myself up for disaster. She leaned in a little closer, her voice dropping to a playful whisper. "But what if it's the right idea?"
I froze.
I hated how she was so good at catching me off guard.
"You—" I opened my mouth, only to close it again, because what was I even supposed to say to that?!
She was enjoying this way too much.
Thankfully—or unthankfully, depending on how you looked at it—Ms. Sinclair's voice interrupted the moment as she finally began her lecture, drawing the attention of the entire class.
"Everyone, I have an important announcement to make." Evelyn's tone was unusually serious, her normally calm and composed expression unreadable. "Typically, there's nothing of major concern to report, but today is different."
A hush fell over the classroom as all eyes turned to her. The atmosphere shifted, a quiet tension replacing the lighthearted energy that had filled the room just moments ago.
"There have been… reports," Evelyn continued, choosing her words carefully, "of dangerous activity near North Gate of Fiore."
A murmur rippled through the students.
The North Gate. Beyond it lay the wilder, untamed regions of Fiore—lands where monsters roamed freely. Most civilians knew better than to venture too far past its boundaries. It was a place for adventurers, warriors, and mercenaries—those trained to deal with the creatures that lurked in the shadows.
And yet, something about Evelyn's words sent a prickle of unease down my spine.
"As you all know," she continued, "North Gate is heavily patrolled. Those untrained or ill-equipped for combat are strictly forbidden from entering beyond its perimeter due to the high concentration of monsters in that region." Her sharp gaze swept across the room. "However, recent reports indicate that the creatures have become far more active than usual. The frequency of their attacks has increased, and there are concerns that they may begin to encroach upon the outlying villages."
That sent a real wave of unease through the class.
It was rare for monsters to leave their designated territories unless something was disturbing them.
"Because of this," Evelyn said, her voice carrying through the room, "we have no choice but to implement a mandatory training course."
Gasps and whispers broke out immediately.
"Training?" Claire whispered from beside me. "Like, actual combat training?"
My stomach twisted. This wasn't part of the original story.
"Yes." Evelyn nodded, confirming our worst fears. "Due to the severity of the situation, this training will not be limited to my class alone. Instead, it will be a combined effort between my class and Professor Liora's Light Magic Studies."
Elysia Liora—one of the most revered instructors in the academy. Her expertise in Light Magic was unparalleled, and she wasn't just a scholar—she was a combat veteran.
If she was involved, then this wasn't just some simple training exercise.
"This course will focus on offensive and defensive combat techniques, tactical strategy, and survival skills." Evelyn folded her hands over the desk. "We will be evaluating all of you based on your aptitude and performance, and you will be assigned to teams accordingly. This will not be something you can opt out of."
A chill ran down my spine. Mandatory combat training. This was more than just a precaution.
Something was happening.
Something big.
"This is insane…" I muttered under my breath, but Camille—who was still leaning close enough to hear me—smiled faintly.
"Sounds exciting," she mused, her ice-blue eyes gleaming.
I snapped my head toward her.
"Exciting?!" I hissed. "We're talking about actual monsters—dangerous ones! This isn't some theater performance, Camille!"
She just shrugged, looking entirely too entertained.
"Life's a stage, Sera." Camille smirked. "We might as well make it an interesting one."
Well, this was Camille for you. The ever-dramatic, ever-smug genius of ice magic. Always seeing life as some grand performance where she played the lead, even when the situation was far more dire than she let on.
But this wasn't just a show.
Monsters at the North Gate… This wasn't something that had ever happened before—at least, not this soon.
I folded my arms, my gaze flickering toward Evelyn, who was still addressing the class, her expression unreadable.
This wasn't supposed to happen yet.
In the original novel, monsters attacking Fiore's borders was an issue, but much later. And even then, it was only mentioned in passing—more of a background event while the real story focused on Sera Vandren's fall as the villainess and the heroines' rise.
But now?
Now the timeline had changed.
Because I existed.
I clenched my fists. How much else was going to change?
"But still," I muttered, trying to push away the gnawing worry in my chest, "they're monsters. We should still be careful."
Camille simply hummed, tilting her head as if the whole thing was no more concerning than a mild inconvenience. "Relax. If anything happens, I'm sure we'll handle it. There are plenty of strong people in Fiore, and we're not exactly weak, you know."
That was true. The academy housed some of the most powerful mages in the kingdom. Lillian, Camille, Tessa, Diana, Claire—they were all prodigies in their own right. Even I wasn't weak, despite how much I still struggled with controlling my magic.
But it wasn't just about strength.
I nodded, trying to convince myself. I hope so.
And yet…
The novel never talked much about monsters.
The focus was always on political struggles, noble rivalries, and the heroines' long journey to defeating the villainess—Sera Vandren.
Me.
But now that I was here, that meant the original villainess arc was gone.
Which left a void in the story.
A missing antagonist.
A conflict that no longer had a purpose.
So what if that conflict was replaced?
A chill ran down my spine.
Were the monsters at the North Gate the new threat in my place?
The thought unsettled me. The novel had always been clear—Sera Vandren was the villain. The entire plot revolved around the heroines coming together to take her down. But now that I had derailed that storyline, something had to take its place.
And if the timing of this sudden monster surge wasn't a coincidence…
Then what exactly was waiting for us beyond that gate?
Before I could spiral any further, Evelyn's voice cut through the murmurs of the class, sharp and commanding.
"Alright, everyone, head to the training grounds." She adjusted her glasses, her piercing gaze sweeping over us. "Today, I'll be the one training you. Tomorrow will be Ms. Liora's turn. We'll be alternating instructors daily, so get used to it."
A collective groan rippled through the students.
"Do we have to?" someone muttered under their breath.
Evelyn's lips curled into a smile that was far too pleasant to be reassuring. "No, you don't have to. But I'll personally escort anyone who refuses straight to Headmaster's office to explain why they're skipping mandatory combat training."
Silence.
A few reluctant students muttered their understanding, exchanging weary glances before standing up, resigned to their fate. Chairs scraped against the floor as everyone hesitantly made their way toward the exit, the weight of mandatory combat training sinking in.
Beside me, Camille stretched lazily, rolling her shoulders before shooting me a smirk.
"Should we go?" she asked, her tone casual—too casual.
I sighed, dragging my fingers through my hair. "Do we even have a choice?"
Camille chuckled, linking her hands behind her head. "Not unless you want to risk Evelyn dragging you there herself. And personally, I'd rather fight a hundred monsters than deal with that."
She had a point. Evelyn Sinclair was terrifying in her own right—especially when someone tested her patience.
I let out another sigh, standing from my seat. "Well, at least we'll most likely be partners for this," Camille added, nudging me lightly.
I blinked, suddenly remembering how these training sessions worked.
Right. Pair training.
Everyone would be assigned partners to practice with, which meant…
My gaze flickered across the classroom, taking in my friends. Lillian sat poised as ever, her expression unreadable, while Tessa was already cracking her knuckles, looking way too eager. Claire, on the other hand, seemed to be barely containing her excitement. Diana had a lazy smirk on her lips, as if she already knew she'd dominate whoever was unfortunate enough to be paired with her.
And then there was Ms. Liora.
Right. Elysia Liora. The other combat instructor.
The radiant professor who specialized in light magic, rumored to be one of the strongest mages in the academy. She and Evelyn would be alternating training sessions, meaning today was Evelyn's turn—and tomorrow, we'd be suffering under Ms. Liora.
Great.
I let out a deep breath, adjusting my sleeves as I followed Camille and the others toward the training grounds. "Whatever. Let's just get this over with."
As we stepped outside, the crisp air filled my lungs, the hum of magic already crackling in the distance.
This was going to be a long day.