While classes had not yet started, Dan Feng and Roxy began their days of frantically taking on quests.
The quests in the Ranoa Kingdom were truly tempting. Though they appeared extremely dangerous—and indeed were not safe at all—the rewards were very high, and the quantities were enormous.
Moreover, Dan Feng and Roxy discovered something: in the Ranoa Kingdom, they could actually accept S-rank quests!
To put it in perspective, the only S-rank quest they had ever taken was back in the Shirone Kingdom, and that one had been ridiculously easy—looking more like a C-rank quest.
But the S-rank quests in the Ranoa Kingdom were genuinely dangerous—for example, subjugating snowfield ice worms or snow dragons, both of which were highly perilous.
For now, Dan Feng and Roxy could not take on the snow dragon subjugation quests, as there were hardly any snow dragons left to be seen anymore. Still, the mere existence of such quests was strange in itself.
In any case, the Ranoa Kingdom had plenty of quests, which provided a solid safeguard against any future shortages of funds for them.
Time passed quickly during their days of taking on quests, and soon the opening day of Ranoa Magic University arrived.
Normally, there were no holidays during this period, but that condition meant nothing to special students.
Special students could even skip classes entirely, as long as they achieved passing grades on the final assessments.
On this day, students of Ranoa Magic University flooded into the school, and the usually quiet student dormitories became unusually noisy.
"We need to hurry—the principal is giving a personal speech this time, I heard." One senior student said to his classmate.
Ordinary students like them could only share a dormitory room with others, while noble children received treatment equal to—or even better than—special students.
For example, they got private single rooms, and the cafeteria had three floors.
The first floor was for commoner students to eat, the second floor offered slightly more expensive options, and the third floor was exclusively for noble students.
Such a design effectively prevented conflicts between commoners and nobles.
After all, placing people from these two classes in the same space would inevitably lead to frequent disputes and friction.
"In the past, wasn't it always the vice-principal who gave the speech? Could something big have happened this time—like some incredible VIP showing up?" Someone muttered suspiciously.
The principal of Ranoa Magic University was quite elderly and had long expressed his intention to retire, even planning to let the vice-principal succeed him as the next principal.
However, the vice-principal was actually not much younger than the principal himself.
At this moment, most of the students were enthusiastically discussing the speech—after all, this concerned the principal's prestige in a big way!
The reasons for changing the speaker were usually one of the following: either an important guest had arrived at Ranoa Magic University today, or the principal had something significant to announce publicly.
Dan Feng, of course, knew that today was the opening day, and the freshman speech in the auditorium was an unavoidable part of it. So as soon as the sky began to lighten, he sat up in bed.
With a light lift of his fingertip, a clear stream of water gathered at his will, forming a small, cool handful of spring water in his palm.
This was the water magic he was most skilled at. Splashing the refreshing coolness onto his face instantly dispelled his sleepiness, leaving him fully refreshed and alert.
"I need to find Roxy first. Special students are required to stand together for the freshman speech—we can't be late." Dan Feng murmured to himself. He straightened his collar, gently turned the doorknob, and the wooden door opened with a soft creak as he descended the stairs.
Leaving the dormitory building went smoothly. The moment he stepped over the threshold, Dan Feng's gaze immediately locked onto a figure standing under the shade of a tree not far away.
It was Roxy.
Her signature water-blue long hair was still tied into two braids, swaying gently with her small running steps. The light blue ribbons at the ends fluttered along, making her look playful and adorable.
Dan Feng stood still for a moment in slight surprise. He had originally planned to wait downstairs at the girls' dormitory, yet here was Roxy hurrying toward him, carefully clutching something in her hands. Her steps were light and quick, like a little deer in the forest.
This unexpected initiative caught Dan Feng somewhat off guard. He subconsciously raised a hand to rub his brow, recalling that they had clearly agreed yesterday that he would go wait for her—why had the roles reversed?
"Dan Feng!" Her clear voice floated over on the breeze. When Roxy reached him, a thin layer of sweat glistened on her forehead, her cheeks flushed faintly from running, yet her mouth curved into an irrepressible bright smile, her eyes bending into crescents.
Dan Feng looked at her panting appearance, a trace of puzzlement in his eyes. When he spoke, his tone carried a hint of confusion: "Why did you come all the way here to wait for me? Didn't we agree yesterday that I'd go wait downstairs at your dormitory?"
Roxy stopped in front of Dan Feng, caught her breath, and said, "Because I actually woke up early today for once, so I thought I'd come wait for you here first!" Her water-blue eyes sparkled especially brightly in the early morning light.
Dan Feng looked at Roxy, a warm current surging in his heart.
This time, unlike usual, he truly felt what it was like to be genuinely placed in someone's heart.
"This is breakfast I prepared especially for you!" Roxy handed the breakfast to Dan Feng, her smile growing even brighter.
It was a breakfast that didn't look particularly impressive—casually placed in a kraft paper bag with no special packaging.
Yet, despite its unremarkable appearance, the moment Dan Feng drew near, an enticing aroma wafted straight to his nose.
The scent came from a sandwich. Though its presentation might not have been outstanding, the fragrance it gave off instantly stirred one's appetite.
Dan Feng looked at Roxy in some surprise as she handed the sandwich to him and couldn't help asking, "Did you make this?"
Roxy clearly hadn't expected Dan Feng to ask that. Her face filled with confusion as she asked in return, "Eh? How did you know?" She was puzzled— she hadn't said anything yet, so how had Dan Feng figured out that she had made this breakfast?
The corners of Dan Feng's mouth lifted slightly, revealing a rare smile.
He shook his head gently and answered, "Just a hunch."
This reply left Roxy even more baffled, but she didn't press the question further. Instead, she hurriedly said, "Never mind that—eat quickly! I kept it warm the whole time with fire magic."
Hearing Roxy's urging, Dan Feng nodded, picked up the sandwich, and took a big bite.
The bread's outer crust was slightly charred—just the right amount to add a unique toasty flavor to the sandwich.
Combined with the fresh vegetables and tender meat slices inside, every bite brought immense satisfaction.
Dan Feng ate with great relish. In no time at all, the entire sandwich had been devoured.
He wiped his mouth in satisfaction and said to Roxy, "It was really delicious."
Though the words were simple, the appreciation they carried made Roxy's face bloom into a joyful smile.
"Really? Then I'll make it for you often from now on!" Roxy said in delighted surprise. Getting praise for her very first time seriously cooking for someone else felt incredibly happy!
"Really—this is just as good as the sandwiches the landlady makes."