Lily felt the days slipping by faster than she expected, each sunrise bringing the interschool tournament closer. What once felt distant now loomed just ahead, like a wave rising higher and higher before crashing down.
When her name was finally called, Lily snapped out of her thoughts.
She looked up instinctively, her eyes scanning the group that had gathered. Nine students stood there—including her—each one chosen to represent their school. Some stood with calm confidence, others with visible tension, but all of them had prepared for this moment.
At the center of the room shimmered a large portal.
Its surface rippled like disturbed water, glowing faintly with spatial energy. The air around it hummed, sending a subtle vibration through Lily's body.
The teacher and the councilor stood beside it, overseeing the group.
"Stay close after entering," the teacher instructed calmly. "The exit point is stable, but disorientation is common."
Lily nodded along with the others.
One by one, they stepped through.
When it was Lily's turn, she hesitated for just a fraction of a second—then stepped forward.
The world twisted.
For a brief moment, everything felt stretched, as if her body had been pulled through an invisible thread. Colors blurred, sounds distorted—
Then—
Her feet hit solid ground.
Lily staggered slightly before regaining her balance.
The first thing she noticed was the air.
It was different.
Heavy, yet refreshing. A faint scent filled her lungs—
Salt.
She inhaled again, deeper this time—and immediately choked.
"Cough—! What is this—?"
Her throat burned slightly as she covered her mouth, eyes watering.
A breeze swept past her, cool yet carrying warmth from the sun above. It brushed against her skin, leaving behind a faint stickiness she had never experienced before.
"The sea…" she muttered under her breath.
Before her stretched a vast arena unlike anything she had ever seen.
The sky seemed wider here, uninterrupted and endless. Beyond the arena, she could see it—
Water.
An infinite expanse of shimmering blue, stretching all the way to the horizon. The sunlight danced on its surface, creating countless sparkling reflections.
For a moment, Lily forgot to breathe.
This was her first time seeing the sea.
Back in her village, there had only been forests and fields. Even in the capital, the furthest she had seen was a river. But this—
This was something entirely different.
It felt alive.
Unpredictable.
And strangely… intimidating.
"First time?" Olivia's voice came from beside her.
Lily nodded slowly, still staring.
"It's… huge."
Olivia smiled faintly. Unlike Lily, she looked completely at ease.
"Yeah. You get used to it."
Lily glanced at her, slightly puzzled.
Olivia continued, "My family travels a lot. Coastal regions, islands… I've seen it a few times."
That explained it.
Most of the other students didn't seem nearly as affected either. Many of them were nobles, accustomed to travel and luxury. The sea, to them, was probably nothing special.
But to Lily—
It felt like stepping into another world.
The teacher gestured forward. "Stay together."
They began walking.
The arena itself was massive, built from smooth white stone that reflected the sunlight. Surrounding it were towering structures—buildings, training fields, and what looked like dormitories.
"This is Bayarm," someone whispered.
The top magic school of the sea region.
Unlike their inland academy, this place was built across an entire island. Everything—from the architecture to the layout—was designed with the ocean in mind.
Open spaces. Wide platforms. Structures elevated above ground level, likely to withstand storms or tides.
As they moved further in, Lily began noticing other groups.
Students.
From different schools.
Each group wore distinct uniforms, marking their origin. Some were elegant, some practical, others extravagant.
Lily's eyes flicked from one group to another.
Her first impression—
They looked strong.
Some stood with arms crossed, their expressions calm but sharp. Others radiated confidence so naturally it almost felt oppressive.
Yet—
At the same time…
"They don't feel that different…" Lily murmured to herself.
It was a strange contradiction.
They were intimidating—but not unreachable.
If anything, some of them even seemed…
Ordinary.
She couldn't quite explain it.
Before she could think further, the teacher led them toward the central arena.
At the far end stood a raised stage.
Below it, multiple groups had already gathered, sitting in orderly rows.
"Line up," the teacher instructed.
The students complied, forming a line before sitting down on the ground like the others.
The stone beneath Lily was warm from the sun.
The breeze continued to pass intermittently, cooling her for a moment before the heat returned.
It was an odd balance—
The scorching sunlight above.
The cool ocean wind brushing past.
Lily shifted slightly, trying to get comfortable.
Time passed slowly.
More schools arrived, each group taking their place beneath the stage.
Eventually, the entire area was filled.
Then—
A quiet murmur spread through the crowd.
Lily looked up.
An old man had stepped onto the stage.
He was small, his back slightly hunched with age. His white hair fluttered gently in the wind. Beside him stood a tall, muscular young man, supporting him carefully.
"The dean…" someone whispered.
This was the head of Bayarm.
Together, the two walked toward the center of the stage, where a device stood—a voice amplification tool.
The old man cleared his throat.
"Ummm—"
His voice echoed across the arena, slightly shaky but clear.
"Welcome… all."
The murmurs died down instantly.
"We… of Bayarm School… are honored… to host this interschool tournament…"
His speech was slow, occasionally interrupted by small pauses, but no one dared to interrupt.
"We hope… to encourage competition… and growth…"
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"But also… respect."
Lily listened for a moment—
Then her focus drifted.
Another breeze passed.
She closed her eyes slightly, letting it cool her heated skin.
When will the next one come…
The sunlight pressed down relentlessly, making her feel sluggish.
"…the tournament will officially start tomorrow…"
Her attention flickered back briefly.
"…feel free to use the facilities…"
Then drifted again.
"…thank you."
A soft round of applause followed.
The dean bowed slightly before slowly exiting the stage, still supported by the young advisor.
As soon as they were gone, the tension eased.
Teachers from each school began calling their students.
"Over here."
"Follow me."
Lily stood up as her group was gathered again.
"Stay close," their teacher said.
They were led away from the arena, through a series of pathways that wound between buildings.
Eventually, they reached a dormitory-like structure.
"You'll be staying here," the teacher explained. "Rooms have been assigned. Rest well—but don't neglect preparation."
The students nodded.
Lily checked the room list.
She blinked.
"…Olivia?"
Olivia glanced over. "Same room?"
Lily nodded.
"Well," Olivia shrugged lightly, "that's convenient."
They found their room quickly.
The moment the door opened—
Both of them stepped inside—
And immediately dropped their belongings.
"Finally—"
Lily stretched her arms, letting out a long breath.
The room was simple but comfortable. Two beds, a window overlooking the sea, and a light breeze drifting in.
Lily walked toward the window.
Her eyes widened again.
The ocean looked even closer from here.
"You can actually hear it…" she said softly.
The distant sound of waves reached her ears—a rhythmic, calming noise.
Olivia had already started moving.
"Let's go."
Lily turned. "Huh?"
"The beach."
"You mean—now?"
Olivia raised an eyebrow. "Obviously."
Lily hesitated.
"…Shouldn't we—"
"Train?" Olivia interrupted.
"…Yeah."
Olivia shrugged again.
"We will. Later."
There was no hesitation in her voice.
And somehow—
That confidence was contagious.
Lily looked back at the ocean.
Then at Olivia.
"…Okay."
Within minutes, both of them were out the door.
They followed the path leading down toward a more secluded area of the island.
Eventually—
They reached it.
A private beach.
Golden sand stretched beneath their feet, soft and warm. The waves rolled in gently, creating a soothing rhythm.
Lily stepped onto the sand.
It felt… strange.
Different from anything she had walked on before.
She took another step.
Then another.
"It's so soft…"
Olivia had already moved closer to the water, her eyes scanning eagerly.
"There might be fish near the shore."
Lily followed, her gaze fixed on the waves.
Her heart beat slightly faster.
"I… want to try swimming."
Olivia glanced back with a grin.
"Then do it."
Lily hesitated at the edge of the water.
The wave rolled forward—
Touching her feet.
She flinched.
"Cold—!"
Olivia laughed.
"It's not that bad."
Lily stepped back instinctively, then slowly edged forward again.
Another wave came.
This time, she didn't move.
The water wrapped around her feet before retreating.
"…It's weird," she murmured.
But not unpleasant.
She took a deeper breath—
And stepped further in.
For a while, the two of them simply stayed there.
No thoughts about the tournament.
No pressure.
Just—
The sea.
The wind.
The sound of waves.
Then—
Lily froze.
"…Wait."
Olivia turned. "What?"
"We're supposed to be competing tomorrow."
"…Yeah?"
"…And we're here."
Olivia blinked once.
Then shrugged.
"Yeah."
A pause.
Lily stared at her.
"…Shouldn't we be training?"
Olivia thought about it.
"…Probably."
Another pause.
A wave rolled in.
The breeze passed.
Olivia turned back toward the sea.
"I'll train better if I'm relaxed."
Lily stared at her for a moment longer.
Then—
"…That makes sense."
And just like that—
Her resistance crumbled.
She stepped further into the water.
"Alright… just for a bit."