The sun was about to set, extended shadows could be seen across the academy grounds. One by one, the students of the Copper Class left the classroom, their voices exhausted, their footsteps dragging just a little more than they had that morning.

  Kana and Suri exited together, their armbands catching the fading light—a dull bronze shimmer that marked them, unmistakably, as Copper-rank students.

  Boris had already wandered off with Adam, the two vanishing into the distance to do whatever loud, muscle-related rituals counted as bonding.

  Up ahead, a few of their classmates walked in loose formation, heads down. Kana caught whispers and side-eyes from other students passing by. Their expressions twisted into brief sneers or judgmental glances before slipping back into neutrality—just long enough to avoid being seen by Andel, their lone noble peer. His presence was like a shield, but only when he was looking.

  Kana noticed it all. She didn’t have to try. High perception wasn’t something she could turn off.

  The boys smiled as Kana and Suri passed, polite or perhaps flirtatious. The girls however were colder—sharp looks, curled lips, the kind of silent venom that didn’t need words.

  Rin hesitated as they about to leave in each other's company, the dorms branching in separate directions.

  Kana caught her eye. “Don’t mind them, Rin. Your class is rare for a reason. There aren’t many like you because you’re special.”

  Rin paused, eyes uncertain. Then she smiled, shyly. “You’re a good person, Kana.”

  But as she turned away, Kana’s ears picked up the whisper beneath her breath. Faint. Almost lost in the wind. “But why doesn’t my skill [Judgement], tell me anything?”

  Kana didn’t respond. Just watched Rin go, her brow furrowed slightly.

  “Don’t worry,” Suri said, cheerfully enough to cut through the dusk. “One of my summons is already watching her. If anything happens, you’ll shred whoever did it.”

  Kana blinked. “You assigned a summon to watch her?”

  Suri grinned and gave an exaggerated wink. “Of course! We can’t let adorable girls like her get crushed by this awful school spirit.”

  Why am I the one who will do it? Kana thought for a moment.

  Kana shook her head with a quiet smirk. “Great. I’m already jealous of Rin.”

  Suri let out a dramatic gasp, then tackled her in a sudden hug, nearly knocking her sideways.

  “You’re irreplaceable,” Suri declared. “Even if you’re moody and weird and have the emotional range of a wet rock.”

  Kana groaned, but didn’t push her away.

  ……

  Back at the dormitory the night before, Tan—the butler from House Stark—had visited with the promised fifty silver coins. It was more money than any of them had held at once, and they’d stayed up late discussing how to spend it wisely.

  Now, with no classes scheduled for the day, the trio had set out toward the Butcher District. It wasn’t its official name, of course. But over time, the central district earned the nickname thanks to how well it sold to people. Most people left with their purse significantly lighter.

  The three dressed in their village clothes. Kana wore her usual mix of light armor—small pieces strapped to her forearms, shins, and shoulder. It was more habit than necessity. Boris looked like he’d come straight from the fields, his muddy, faded shirt and shorts giving him the look of a particularly scruffy beggar. Suri, as always, was the wild card. She wore a thin blouse and flowing skirt that looked more like sleepwear than streetwear, yet somehow managed to turn heads with every step. Boys in the crowd found themselves distracted. Even Kana noticed.

  Their walk took them past training fields and open courtyards. Students from other classes were busy sparring, casting spells, or performing exercises under instructors' watchful eyes. Swords clashed, and mana sizzled in the air.

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  Kana watched them with a quiet frown.

  If they knew how fast leveling could happen with real monsters, would they still spend their days doing drills on grass?

  The thought lingered until the crowded noise of the Butcher District swept it away.

  By the time they arrived, the sun was high and the streets thrumming. The central district was bustling with different kinds of energy. People flowed like water through narrow lanes, jostling past packed stalls and shouting vendors. The crowd was so dense, even carriages had to stop and wait, their drivers yelling in frustration as pedestrians ignored them.

  “I can’t believe there’s this many people,” Boris said, craning his neck to see a merchant balancing a whole roasted boar on one shoulder.

  Suri’s stomach growled loudly enough to turn heads. “We have to eat first. I’ll faint otherwise,” she declared, her eyes already tracking the source of the nearest savory aroma.

  Kana grunted as Suri latched onto her arm and dragged her through the crowd.

  They soon found themselves standing before a large restaurant—twice the size of any they'd seen before. Its walls were polished stone, and the door gleamed with polished brass fittings. The smell coming out was divine that even Kana acknowledged.

  A woman in a crisp uniform stepped forward with a graceful nod. “Good day, young ones. I’m Olga. May I ask your identities?”

  “We’re academy students,” Kana said flatly.

  Olga's eyes shifted. For a second, there had been a flicker of doubt in her expression—likely assuming they couldn't afford to be there. But at the word students, her demeanor changed. Academy students came from powerful patrons, or so the logic went. If they couldn’t pay, the Academy would.

  “Of course,” Olga said, voice smoothing into a warm, professional tone. “You’re more than welcome here. Please, follow me—I’ll show you to a table.”

  Inside, the restaurant was spacious. Light streamed through tall windows, glinting off polished cutlery and crystal glasses. The room was a strange blend of hierarchy and harmony. Nobles sat near commoners, each absorbed in their own worlds. Near the far corner, a table of senior-year students laughed over full plates.

  Olga handed the menu to Suri, who took it with a hum and a confident smile.

  “I’ll handle this,” she said. Without even asking, she began placing the order—for herself, for Kana, for Boris.

  The other two didn’t argue. When it came to food, Suri had already claimed the crown.

  …..

  The table was overflowing with food—enough to feed five people easily. Platters of sizzling meats, bowls of exotic vegetables, and trays of sweet fruits filled every space. The scents danced through the air, rich and tempting.

  Suri nodded in satisfaction with every bite, occasionally humming as she chewed. Then, as if remembering something important, she set her spoon down and leaned forward.

  “Right. The dungeon I mentioned before—” she said, her voice dropping just a little. “I think we can raid it.”

  Kana paused mid-bite. Boris, halfway through tearing a hunk of roasted meat, stopped too. The three leaned closer over the table.

  Suri continued, her tone becoming more conspiratorial. “We’ll use [Doppelganger] for cover. One for Boris to avoid his roommate noticing, and you and I will leave ours behind too—just in case.”

  Kana nodded.

  “We don’t have classes tomorrow, so we’ve got some time. But we’ll still need to return before anyone starts asking questions.”

  “So we leave at night, return in the afternoon?” Kana asked.

  “Exactly,” Suri said, pointing at her with her spoon.

  “Sounds good to me,” Boris agreed, already imagining the loot.

  Suri grinned and tapped the table lightly. “There’s an abandoned building near the edge of the Academy. The sewage there collapsed long ago—enough space for someone to slip through. Some seniors already sneak in and out through there at night. We’ll just have to ignore them and keep our faces hidden.”

  Kana raised an eyebrow. “Risky.”

  “I’ve already placed a few of my summons on the patrol guards above the city wall,” Suri added. “They’ll give me a heads-up if anyone spots us.”

  Then she leaned back in her chair, lowering her voice again for dramatic effect. “There’s a small crevice in the slum district. It looks like a collapsed shed, but underneath is… a hidden business. But if we pay a few coins, they’ll let us through a secret passage that leads outside the city.”

  Boris groaned and rubbed his temples. “That sounds way too complicated.”

  Kana folded her arms, eyes narrowed in thought. “And there’s no guarantee they’ll let us use the passage. They might not trust young students.”

  Suri shrugged, unconcerned. “Then we give them a reason to trust us. Additional coin, charm, or—” she winked, “a favor.”

  Kana sighed. “Fine. For now, we focus on preparing. Finish eating. Then we gather what we need.”

  Boris grinned, already fired up since it's been a while since they got some real action.