I am Just an Average Tamer

The sun hung low in the morning sky, casting a warm golden hue over the towering spires of Azurean Academy.

Students moved over the cobbled pathways, the air buzzed with the usual early-hour energy.

Boots tapping against stone, conversations overlapping, the occasional rustle of wings from flying beasts overhead.

Kai made his way toward the main campus building, hands tucked in his pockets, his uniform neat but slightly rumpled at the collar.

Around him, students were already gathered in clusters, some chatting excitedly about upcoming classes, others yawning and clutching mugs of steaming tea.

The entrance doors stood ahead.

He was just stepping past them when—

"Hey, wait!"

A familiar voice cut through the buzz behind him.

Kai slowed, glancing back.

A caramel-haired girl was darting fast, her soft blue eyes narrowing at him as she closed the distance. Liliana's breaths came in quick gasps, as she looked at him.

"Let's go together," she said, slightly out of breath, falling into step beside him.

Kai glanced at her with a half-smirk.

"Someone learned their lesson, huh?"

Liliana shot him a sharp glare, brushing back a strand of hair from her cheek.

"I—I was just busy yesterday."

Then, with a dramatic huff, she picked up her pace and walked a few steps ahead, lifting her chin like she had something to prove.

Kai's smirk deepened.

He didn't argue.

They walked in companionable silence for a few more minutes, weaving through the main corridor lined with glimmering blue runes etched faintly into the walls.

The magic-infused sconces flickered faintly with light, maintaining the building's gentle glow even in the morning sun.

The classroom was just around the bend.

As they stepped through the open archway, the familiar hum of student chatter greeted them.

The room was already filling up.

A group near the windows was loudly comparing beast stats, parchment sheets waved around with exaggerated hand gestures.

Two beast tamers in the far corner were having a whispered, heated discussion, likely about whose creature had better reflexes.

A boy in the front row yawned openly, scribbling something on his notebook while his partner tried to fix her clothes.

A few others turned their heads as Kai and Liliana entered, then began doing their own works.

Then, Kai and Liliana moved toward their usual seats at the back row, the ones near the window.

But as they got closer, they spotted someone already sitting there, legs stretched out, arm draped over the back of the chair like he owned the place.

"Yo."

The silver-haired boy gave a lazy wave, his mismatched silver and grey eyes gleaming with that usual carefree look.

Kai raised an eyebrow but smirked faintly. "Decided to show up?"

Corrin ran a hand through his hair and gave a one-shouldered shrug. "It's not like there was anything special going to happen yesterday."

Kai didn't bother responding to that one, he just slid into the seat beside to him.

Liliana, slightly puffing her cheeks at being denied her usual spot, took the chair in front of them.

"You'll see what exactly you missed," Kai muttered, glancing at him with a lopsided grin.

Corrin only shrugged again, as if nothing in the world could bother him.

Around them, the classroom buzzed to life, chairs scraping, casual chatter bouncing off the walls, some students still yawning while others looked like they'd already downed an entire pot of coffee.

A few were huddled together, whispering about yesterday's lesson, mostly how terrifying Lysenna was.

"She smiled and I thought my heart stopped," someone muttered nearby.

The classroom was still filling up.

Voices echoed from every corner, laughter, gossip, the occasional clatter of books dropping on desks.

Kai leaned back in his chair, arms folded behind his head, gaze flicking across the room without much interest.

Corrin, on the other hand, had already checked out, his head was planted on the desk, soft snores slipping past his lips.

Completely dead to the world.

Liliana sat quietly, chin in hand as she stared out the window. Her cheeks puffed and eyes narrowed.

That's when a familiar voice cut through the noise.

"Oh my, what do we have here?"

Kai turned his head just in time to see Serena striding toward them, her silver hair catching the morning light, matching eyes sparkling.

There was that ever-present smirk at her lips.

"It's not good to break a girl's heart, pretty boy," she teased, stopping right in front of him and giving him a mock-scolding look.

Kai blinked, caught off guard. "What—"

But before he could finish, Serena's gaze flicked to Liliana.

"You should apologize and make up with your girlfriend," she added with a playful wink.

"I'm not his girlfriend," Liliana snapped, sharp and immediate.

Her voice carried a little more heat than intended, though there was a faint pink flush creeping onto her cheeks.

Serena tilted her head, grin widening. "If you say so," she said, before slipping into the empty seat beside her.

Kai let out a breath and leaned forward, shooting Liliana a sideways glance.

She didn't look at him.

While Corrin just snored louder, completely unfazed.

Rashira and Seyvr entered a moment later, slipping into the front row, center seats.

Rashira looked calm as ever, a quiet focus in her crimson eyes.

While Seyvr sauntered beside her with the usual teasing smile, clearly mid-whisper as she rolled her eyes.

Not long after, Riven and Aria arrived.

Aria gave a polite nod toward Kai and Liliana, who'd stopped sulking somewhere between Serena's teasing and their conversation turning into an animated chatterfest, just offered a light smile in return.

Riven, on the other hand, waved at them like they were best friends reunited after a long war.

Or maybe just at Kai, his grin was far too bright to ignore.

Kai's lips twitched. He gave a small nod, acknowledging both.

The pair took their seats in the front row too, just a few spots to the side of Rashira and Seyvr.

That's when the noise started.

First it was low, just two boys in the middle row bickering.

Something about who stepped on whose foot, or who borrowed something without asking.

But after a little while, it escalated quickly.

Chairs scraped.

One of the boys stood up, pointing a finger at the other's chest.

The other didn't take it lightly. Soon enough, they were face to face, hands grabbing collars like they were about to throw down right there.

A few of their friends tried to get between them, pulling their sleeves, whispering harsh warnings, but none of it worked.

Kai stared, leaning his cheek on his fist.

"Morrons," he muttered under his breath.

Liliana didn't even blink. She was watching too, but with the kind of detached disinterest.

Corrin, however, perked up like a kid hearing the ice cream cart roll in.

"Ooh, now we're talking." He got up and casually strolled to a closer desk, not to break the fight… but to watch it unfold.

Or maybe even stir it a little.

Serena giggled, resting her chin in her palm, eyes flicking between the two boys. "Careful, boys~ try not to ruin those pretty faces," she called out, voice dripping with amusement.

The collar-grabbing quickly turned to fists flying.

The first punch landed with a dull thud, then came the retaliation. Within seconds, the two were swinging wildly.

Corrin whooped. "That's the spirit!"

A few other boys nearby got swept up in the energy, cheering like it was an arena match.

Kai sighed again. "First class of the morning and we're already starting with brawls."

Liliana just shook her head and muttered, "Idiots. Both the fighters and the ones cheering."

Corrin, meanwhile, was having the time of his life.

Just before the fists could fly again—

Click! Click!

Two sharp taps echoed across the classroom. The rhythmic click of boots on stone.

The room shifted.

The temperature dipped, not a lot, but just enough to make skin prickle and breath catch.

A ghostly chill slipped through the air like the first wind before a storm.

Then a figure walked in.

Platinum silver hair spilled down her back in soft waves, catching the morning light like liquid metal. Her eyes, bright emerald green, held a glacial calm, unreadable and sharp, like something that saw too much and judged too fast.

A crimson insignia marked her left shoulder, unmistakable.

An Ace.

She stopped just past the doorway. Her voice, when it came, was low. Cool. No anger, no bite, just a blade's edge.

"What's happening?"

A foggy wisp of breath escaped her lips as she spoke, visible in the now noticeably colder air.

The fighting boys froze.

One swallowed audibly, the other's knuckles unclenched on instinct.

In the next second, they dropped each other's collars and scrambled back to their seats like kids caught stealing from the teacher's desk.

The rest of the class moved too, seats scraping, backs straightening. The cheers and laughter died in seconds.

Corrin clicked his tongue in disappointment and trudged back to his seat beside Kai, hands behind his head like nothing happened.

"Damn," he muttered, flopping into his chair, "she really knows how to kill the vibe."

But Kai didn't respond. Not a word.

His eyes were fixed on her.

While the girl scanned the room. Calm, calculating.

Her gaze passed over students who instantly dropped eye contact, whispered under their breath, too afraid to meet her stare.

"That's the Frost Empress, right?"

"Heard Serpent Queen was dangerous, but… she's also very pretty."

"Yeah, don't say that out loud if you like breathing."

Murmurs rippled like waves through the classroom, low and cautious.

Then… her eyes found Kai.

Their gazes locked. Just for a moment.

Not long. Not intense. But enough.

Long enough to feel the pull.

Then she looked away and moved to the front row and sat down at the far-right corner.