Chapter 15 Book 1 The Arrogant Young Noble
Xu Mei felt a surge of protectiveness for Chu Xinxin, who was now trembling slightly. "Oh? So you are the son of a noble?" Xu Mei said, her voice calm, but with an underlying steel. "So, what? So what if you are a noble's son? We have no reason to bow to you. We're all students here."
Oscar's face flushed a furious red. "Insolent wretch! How dare you speak to me like that? Do you know the consequences of disrespecting a Yang?"
Oscar is now fuming with rage. How dare a little brat be so disrespectful towards him? In his home, everyone would treat him with respect and cordiality; how dare a mere peasant girl show disrespect? Oscar was about to lift his wand when he noticed someone.
Just then, Master Fa's calm voice echoed back. "The carriages await. We must make haste. First-graders, remain in your lines."
Oscar's sneer faltered slightly. He clearly didn't want to incur the Master's wrath. He stepped back, but his eyes remained fixed on Xu Mei and Xinxin, burning with a promise of future retribution.
The group continued their slow procession towards a cluster of ornate carriages, their wheels silently gliding on the paved path. These weren't ordinary carriages; some were pulled by majestic, feathered beasts resembling miniature griffins, others seemed to float above the ground, propelled by unseen magical currents.
"Master Fa has again left the group!" a small, nervous voice whispered from behind Xu Mei.
Indeed, Master Fa had stopped at the head of the line of carriages, presumably to coordinate their departure or finalize arrangements. He was momentarily out of earshot, preoccupied with a brief conversation with a carriage driver.
This was all the opportunity Oscar needed. He had been stewing, his noble pride wounded, and his fury simmered just beneath the surface. He saw Xinxin, still looking fragile and easily intimidated, and decided she would be the easiest target for his immediate need to assert dominance.
With a sudden, dramatic flourish, Yang Oscar reached into the inner folds of his sapphire robes and produced a slender, gleaming object. It was a magic wand. Not a training wand, but a proper, finely crafted wand, its handle intricately carved, its tip glowing faintly with a subdued magical energy.
A collective gasp, louder this time, rippled through the first-grade students. Astonishment, mixed with a hint of fear, flashed across their young faces. As first-grade students, they were not expected to possess wands yet. As they have not learned how to use it yet. Basic mana control and theoretical magical studies came first. Only those who had already trained as a mage and knew the theory would be able to wield the wand effectively.
And yet, this boy, this arrogant Yang Oscar, already had one. It was a clear display of his family's influence and wealth, bypassing standard school protocols.
"You!" Oscar shrieked, pointing his wand, not at Xu Mei, but directly at Chu Xinxin. "How dare you glare at me! I challenge you, peasant girl! A duel! Right here, right now! Let's see if your glaring eyes can protect you from a true Magii!" His hand, gripping the wand, trembled slightly with a mixture of anger and childish excitement.
Chu Xinxin gasped, her eyes wide with terror, her face paling. She instinctively clutched Xu Mei's arm tighter. Xu Mei, meanwhile, felt a cold knot form in her stomach. She knew Xinxin was shy and gentle. A confrontation like this would surely overwhelm her.
"Oscar, stop it!" Xu Mei interjected, stepping slightly in front of Xinxin, shielding her. "This is ridiculous! We just arrived, and you're already trying to cause trouble!"
"Stay out of this, you insignificant commoner!" Oscar yelled, his magic wand now twitching, a small, barely perceptible spark of raw mana flickering at its tip. He was clearly trying to channel power, though clumsily. He might not have been able to cast a proper spell yet, but the intent, the raw, aggressive magic emanating from the wand, was unmistakable.
The surrounding students began to back away, a few whimpering. This was turning serious, and they were all just children, fresh from their homes, thrust into a world where magic was real, and so were the rivalries.
"Master Fa will be back any second," Xu Mei warned, trying to appeal to his sense of self-preservation. "You'll be in serious trouble!"
"He won't know!" Oscar retorted, his eyes narrowed, fixed on Xinxin over Xu Mei's shoulder. "Just a quick lesson for the two of you, on who truly holds power here!"
But before Oscar could make any further move, before the nascent conflict could escalate into anything more than a blustering threat and a terrified whimper, a calm, chilling voice cut through the tense atmosphere, seemingly from nowhere, right behind Oscar.
"Yang Oscar."
The boy froze, his wand hand dropping slightly. He spun around, his arrogant expression instantly replaced by one of startled apprehension. Master Fa stood directly behind him, his dark robe blending with the shadows of the carriage, making his sudden appearance almost spectral. His pale eyes, usually unkind, now held a piercing, unyielding severity that made Oscar visibly flinch.
"Are you incapable of following simple instructions?" Master Fa continued, his voice still a low murmur, but now laced with an undeniable edge of authority that silenced all whispers. "I specifically instructed all students to remain orderly and calm. Your 'challenge' is not only disruptive but also a clear violation of initial conduct rules. This is a school, not a dueling ground."
Oscar stammered, his face losing its arrogant flush and turning a sickly pale. "But… but Master Fa, they… they were disrespectful!"
Master Fa's gaze, cold and unwavering, fixed on Oscar. "I do not care about your little pride, boy. Drawing a wand on another student, particularly a first-grade student, is a severe infraction. You are fortunate that the school year has not officially begun, and your abilities are clearly rudimentary. Otherwise, your first act at Minx Jinx would have been your expulsion."
Oscar swallowed hard, his head bowing slightly. The arrogance had completely drained from him.
Master Fa turned his gaze to the assembled first-graders, his eyes sweeping over their nervous faces. "As I said, maintain orderly lines. Noise will not be tolerated. The purpose of your presence here is learning, not playground squabbles." His eyes lingered on Xu Mei and Xinxin for a fraction of a second, a flicker of something unreadable passing through them, before moving on.
He did not pursue the matter any longer, much to the collective relief of the students, and perhaps to Oscar's immense gratitude. The threat of expulsion, however fleeting, had clearly rattled the haughty boy.
"All of you," Master Fa announced, his voice returning to its calm, but still firm, cadence, "mount the carriages. Those in the front will occupy the first carriages. Quickly now. We have wasted enough time."
With a renewed sense of urgency, the students began to board the magnificent carriages. Xu Mei and Chu Xinxin quickly found a seat in one of the first carriages, settling beside each other. The interior was surprisingly spacious and plush, cushioned seats inviting them to sink in.
As the carriages began to glide forward, silently lifting from the ground, they offered an unobstructed view of their surroundings. The port slowly receded, and the path wound its way up the towering cliff face, revealing more and more of the breathtaking Minx Jinx Magii School.
It was even more impressive from a distance. The spires glowed with an internal light, casting a soft, ethereal radiance over the surrounding landscape. Intricate bridges connected different sections of the school, arching gracefully across deep chasms. Lush, vibrant gardens, filled with exotic, luminescent flora, cascaded down the cliffside like living tapestries. Powerful, ancient-looking runes pulsed with protective magic along the school's perimeter, a visible shield against any potential threats from the outside world of Mana Beasts, a world that had become so much more prominent since the destruction of the dimension separating the Heumane and Magii worlds.
Xu Mei leaned her head against the window, her breath fogging the enchanted glass slightly. She could feel the gentle thrum of magic in the air, a constant, invigorating presence. Xinxin, beside her, was equally captivated, her small nose pressed against the glass, her eyes wide with a silent awe. The trouble caused by Yang Oscar is now at the back of their minds.
"It's… It's incredible, Mei Mei," Xinxin whispered, her voice barely audible over the soft hum of the carriage.
"It really is," Xu Mei agreed, a profound sense of destiny settling over her. She knew, with an unshakeable certainty, that her life was about to change irrevocably. This wasn't just a school; it was a gateway. A gateway to understanding the magic that permeated this world, to perhaps even understanding her own unique abilities and the game-like status window that had been her secret companion for so long. She thought of the books Teacher Elara had given her, the 'Advanced Mathematics: A Heumane Approach', 'The Principles of Alchemy: Science over Sorcery', and 'The Unspoken Truths of Science: A Guide to Unlocking a Magii-Free Future.' They were a constant reminder of the Heumane side of her lineage, a counterpoint to the revelation of her mother being a Witch. Minx Jinx was where these two worlds, her past and her future, would finally converge.
The carriages ascended higher, and the school grew larger, its intricate details becoming clearer. The architecture was a blend of ancient and fantastical, grand arches leading to hidden courtyards, towering libraries with endless shelves of glowing tomes, and training grounds where faint magical light occasionally flared.
"Do you think… do you think we'll learn to fly?" Xinxin asked, her eyes sparkling with innocent hope.
Xu Mei chuckled softly. "I don't know, Xinxin. But I think we're going to learn a lot more than just flying." She squeezed Xinxin's hand again, a silent promise of support. This journey, this new life, they would face it together. As the carriage smoothly glided towards the grand entrance of Minx Jinx Magii School, they both knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that their lives were going to change as soon as they entered the school grounds. The path ahead was unknown, but filled with the promise of magic, friendship, and discovery.