Academy's Twin Pearls and the Dusty Pearl

The Royal Academy of Magic, situated on the highest point of the Imperial Capital, "Wisdom Hill," is a magnificent complex composed of countless towering spires, domed buildings, and grand magical arcades. It is the center of magical research in the Empire, gathering magical geniuses and scholars from across the nation and even the continent. The air is filled with the rich scent of arcane energy and ancient knowledge.

In the "Court of Elements" square at the academy's center, a small-scale practical demonstration of elemental manipulation among senior students had just concluded. The surrounding junior students let out gasps of amazement and whispered amongst themselves.

In the center of the field, two young women stood facing each other.

The one on the left was Alisa Windsor. She wore an immaculate moon-white mage robe, her silver hair tied back like a waterfall, her purple eyes calm and placid, as if the thrilling duel that had just showcased the agility and control of water magic to its extreme had nothing to do with her. She merely gave a slight nod to the instructor who served as the referee, then turned to leave. Her demeanor was cool and aloof, like an ice lotus atop a snow-capped mountain – beautiful, yet exuding an aura that kept others at a distance.

The young woman on the right presented a completely different image. She wore a perfectly tailored flame-red mage robe that made her skin appear like snow. Her curly red hair, like a burning flame, cascaded wildly over her shoulders. Her emerald green eyes, like the finest cat's eye stones, sparkled with undisguised pride, vitality, and... a lingering spark of competitiveness. She was Eleanor Soros, the granddaughter of Duke Soros, the Minister of Internal Affairs, and was also hailed as a once-in-a-century genius of the Magic Academy.

"Alisa!" Eleanor called out, stopping her opponent who was about to leave. Her voice was clear and pleasant, but with a deliberately drawn-out tone, as if it carried a hook. "Leaving so soon? Not going to share some 'insights'? Your 'Water Mirror Phantom' countering my 'Ice Crystal Thrust' just now nearly got me."

Alisa's steps didn't falter. She merely turned her head, casting a glance at Eleanor with her calm, almost indifferent purple eyes, and said lightly, "It was just a practice. Your 'Fire Phoenix Swirl' also had precise area control." Her tone was flat, betraying no hint of praise or animosity, as if stating an objective fact.

This very calmness, however, made Eleanor feel an invisible sense of frustration. She hated Alisa's perpetually nonchalant attitude, as if nothing mattered! Whether it was academic competitions, magical duels, or the praise from instructors and admiration from classmates, Alisa seemed to treat it all with indifference. Eleanor saw this detachment as the ultimate arrogance!

"Hmph," Eleanor snorted and quickened her pace, walking alongside Alisa, her red hair like a dancing flame. "Precise? Compared to your mentor, Count Margaret's records back in the academy, it's still far off. Speaking of which, your Coming-of-Age Ceremony is next month, isn't it? Time really flies."

Eleanor's tone shifted abruptly, a flicker of undisguised schadenfreude and superiority flashing in her emerald green eyes.

Alisa's steps faltered almost imperceptibly, but she didn't respond.

Eleanor, however, seemed to have opened the floodgates. In a voice audible to those nearby, she continued, "It's truly a pity. Our academy's 'Silver Miracle,' the idol of countless hearts, will soon be married. I'm afraid we won't see your brilliant spellcasting in the Court of Elements anymore." Her words sounded regretful, but every syllable dripped with stinging mockery.

Some students nearby, eavesdropping with pricked ears, wore complex expressions. Alisa Windsor and Eleanor Soros, known as the "Twin Pearls" of the Royal Academy of Magic, were the objects of admiration and aspiration for countless young mages. Alisa possessed higher talent and a cool personality, focusing solely on magic itself; Eleanor, on the other hand, came from a more prominent family, had an outgoing personality, and was adept at socializing, boasting numerous followers within the academy. The unspoken rivalry between the two had long been an open secret.

Now, the news of Alisa's impending engagement to Leon von Hohenzollern had already spread through the upper circles. Leon's reputation as the "Shame of the North" was not unknown at the academy. To many proud young mages, this was simply a pearl cast before swine, a swan falling into mud. Eleanor's bringing this up now was undoubtedly tearing open Alisa's "wound" in front of everyone.

"The path of magic is long and does not conflict with marriage," Alisa finally replied, her voice still calm, but those who knew her might detect a hint of coldness beneath the surface. "Miss Soros worries too much."

"Is that so?" Eleanor raised her eyebrows exaggeratedly and leaned closer to Alisa, whispering in a voice only they could hear, with a malicious chuckle, "Does it really not conflict? Every day, facing that... hmm, Leon von Hohenzollern? That's the name, right? That idiot who sneaked into the ladies' changing area during the Royal Palace Summer Festival a few years ago and tried to peek at me bathing? Can you meditate peacefully? Can you maintain pure perception of the Magic Elements?"

This remark struck like a poisoned dart!

Alisa's pupils contracted slightly. A faint, almost imperceptible ripple finally crossed her usually placid face. She was, of course, aware of Leon's past scoundrel deeds, including the "peeping incident" that had brought such humiliation to her and the Windsor family. Although the matter had been suppressed at the time, it was no secret in high society circles. This was also a significant reason why Eleanor looked down on Leon and, consequently, harbored even greater animosity towards Alisa – she believed Alisa choosing (or being forced to accept) such a fiancé was an insult to their status as genius mages!

Seeing Alisa finally react, Eleanor smiled with satisfaction, her smile bright and venomous. "Oh dear, did I say something I shouldn't have? After all, he'll be your 'fiancé' soon. I was just... feeling it wasn't worth it for you. With your talent, you should have had a broader horizon, not be tied down to such a... well, you understand."

Alisa stopped walking, turned around, and faced Eleanor directly. Her height was similar to Eleanor's, but the chilling coldness gathering in her purple eyes seemed to lower the surrounding air temperature.

"I will walk my own path," Alisa's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears, carrying an undeniable firmness. "Miss Soros need not worry. As for Leon von Hohenzollern, whether he is good or bad is my business and has nothing to do with outsiders."

With that, she gave Eleanor no more time to respond, turned, and continued walking with her usual elegant and steady pace directly towards the library. Her back was straight, still aloof, as if the provocation just now had been nothing more than an insignificant breeze.

Eleanor watched Alisa's retreating figure, her smile gradually fading, a flash of annoyance in her emerald eyes. It was always like this! No matter how she provoked, Alisa always responded with an almost indifferent demeanor, making Eleanor feel like she was punching cotton, with nowhere to exert her force.

"Putting on airs!" Eleanor spat softly, cursing inwardly. "Just you wait until you're actually married to that good-for-nothing, and see if you can still be so arrogant! By then, the title of the academy's number one genius, and those resources and attention that originally belonged to you, will all be mine!"

She could already envision a future where Alisa was bogged down by marriage and her useless fiancé, her magic stagnating, while she, Eleanor Soros, would leverage the Soros family's influence and her own talent to completely replace Alisa and become the Empire's most dazzling new star!

Thinking of this, Eleanor's mood improved. She tidied her fiery red curls, a confident and flamboyant smile returning to her face. Surrounded by a group of admirers, she headed towards the social hall in the opposite direction. She couldn't wait to see the expression on Alisa's face when that Leon von Hohenzollern made a fool of himself at Alisa's Coming-of-Age Ceremony banquet! It would surely be very amusing!

Meanwhile, Alisa, walking towards the library, tightened her fingers slightly on a thick ancient tome at an unseen corner.

Eleanor's words, like stones thrown into a calm lake, had ultimately stirred ripples. Leon's past cast a shadow over her. Would marrying such a person truly... not affect her magical path?

The thought flashed and was immediately suppressed.

"Cannot resist, can only accept," she recited the maxim in her heart again, her purple eyes regaining their usual calm and determination.

At least, until she reached the level of her teacher, marriage was merely an accessory to be "handled" on her long magical journey. And Leon von Hohenzollern... perhaps, just a troublesome "variable."

She raised her head, gazing at the library's towering vaulted ceiling, where a vast celestial magic array was painted. The ocean of knowledge was her eternal destination. As for those bothersome people and matters, they would ultimately be kept outside the magical world by her powerful intellect and her will to pursue strength.

However, deep within her heart, perhaps unbeknownst even to herself, lay a faint trace of... annoyance and helplessness regarding the upcoming Coming-of-Age Ceremony, where she would be scrutinized by everyone, and the engagement that was destined to be anything but peaceful.

The rivalry between the academy's Twin Pearls was merely a tiny microcosm of the vast vortex of the Imperial Capital. Would the brilliance of Alisa, this pearl about to be "dusted," truly dim? Perhaps the answer lay hidden within her unfathomable purple eyes and her never-ending quest for knowledge.