28 A New Year (1/2)

”Mai, on your left!” yelled Maria.

”Maria, above you!” said Julian. Maria dodged the attack from the beast she was up against and moved in to attack with her crimson dual fire fans. Once all three were beasts were taken out, the three friends happily congratulated each other.

They were in the middle of their Confrontation Against Magical Creatures class, which took place in a forest located outside on the academy's grounds.

Confrontation Against Magical Creatures was a course where students learned how to face off against a variety of beast-type creatures, but ever since Maria and the others graduated to third-years, they also fought against a few rook-class beasts as well.

So far the three had gained some fighting experience and was showing improvement from when they were naive first-years. Maria no longer felt afraid, Julian no longer had the urge to puke, and Mai... Well, Mai was still Mai.

When the sound of a whistle was heard throughout the forest, the three friends made their way back to Ms. Abby. A fierce goth looking woman and the instructor for this course, whose rumors said she once served in the imperial army.

”Alright, you brats, wipe down, and get some water! I see improvement in some of you while others still have a long way to go. I'm talking to you, Pendragon!”

The woman pointed towards an embarrassed golden blonde-haired boy, his head hung low in shame as some of the other students snickered at him. Emerald eyes stared at the blonde-haired boy and couldn't help but think of the irony of his name.

'Arthur Pendragon. A famous and legendary person from my old world. Sadly, I don't get that same inspiring feeling that is usually depicted in movies and television shows when I look at him. From what I know, Arthur is always failing in courses that teach students how to utilize their magic and he barely passed his last two Final Exams. I wonder why he's having such a hard time with his magic?'

Once class finished, students were assigned to head towards their next class and Maria stared at her friends' backs. The young girl contemplated how much time had passed since she first transmigrated into this world. She had experienced many different things in this world, that she was unable to do in her old world.

She had changed a bit from the girl she used to be, seeing how the old Maria did not fight magical monsters. No longer was Maria a first-year at the academy but now was in the midst of her third-year here at Diamond Academy, Elementary Division.

Once they arrived in their next class, the group of friends took their seats next to each other, and class soon began.

”Our duty as teachers here in the Elementary Division is to prepare each and every last one of you for the Middle School Division. When students reach the next division, they will form teams, take on requests, and journey throughout Astral, sometimes to other countries in order to successfully complete the request their team takes on,” said Mr. Grey, their grouchy History teacher.

This wasn't the first time he made this speech nor was he the only one. More and more teachers were starting to say the exact same thing. Expressing the difficulties they would encounter and how it was nothing like the Elementary Division.

Honestly, it was starting to make Maria a little scared of becoming a Middle School student. Something which her big-brother along with Isis would be next year, seeing how both were in their last year as Elementary students.

Turning her gaze towards the window, Maria sighed. 'Time truly does fly.'

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The very next day was Saturday, meaning no school; currently walking down the roads of the capital city, Maira was making her way towards a popular dessert store that she saw advertised on the Crystal TV.

An object that was made by placing a Crystal Butterfly inside a special magical vase that would project a holographic screen which in turn acted similar to regular TV in modern times.

”It shouldn't be too far, ojou-sama!” said Shirone, standing on Maria's left.

”Maa, how about we try out some of their religieuses, ojou?” eagerly asked a drooling Kuroka, standing on her right side.

”Kuroka, behave.” Shirone lightly scolded her younger twin sister, who pouted. Smiling to herself, Maria felt just as eager as Kuroka, increasing her footsteps just so they could get there faster.

”C'mon, babe, stop playing so hard to get. I'm just trying to ask you out for drinks.”

”I said no! Now get your hands off me!”