The bell rang, signaling the end of the Earth Element magic class.
The instructor at the lectern closed his thick magic tome and surveyed the young faces in the classroom-some were still bent over their notes, while others were already gazing distractedly out the windows. He cleared his throat.
"All right, that concludes today's lesson on the mana node structure of Earth Spike."
With that, the stern Earth Element mage picked up his tome and left the classroom without looking back.
The classroom immediately came alive.
Students rose in twos and threes, packing their books and discussing where to eat or what to do that afternoon. In a window seat, Linley let out a soft breath and slipped his quill back into the inkwell.
"Finally over..."
Bebe yawned on his shoulder, his little black eyes half-closed. He clearly had little interest in magic theory classes.
"Let's go, Bebe. Back to the dorm."
Linley packed his things, slung them over his shoulder, and rose to leave.
The corridor bustled with people. Students in magic robes of various colors chatted, their laughter and discussions mingling with hurried footsteps. Linley made his way through the crowd and followed the familiar flagstone path toward the 1987 Dormitory.
As he approached the dormitory building, he spotted Yale standing at the entrance, talking to someone in an institute guard's uniform.
Yale had his back to him, but his signature outfit of obviously expensive silk casual wear made him instantly recognizable.
"...Our Third Bro isn't here. He went to class and hasn't come back yet. What do you need him for?"
Yale's voice carried over, tinged with casual indifference. The young master of the Dawson Chamber of Commerce was famous at the institute for knowing how to handle people. He got along with everyone.
The guard was