I am Just an Average Tamer

"Well, they look aggressive and hostile, but they are not," Professor Iris said, her voice calm as she paced in front of the class, gesturing toward the floating projection of a massive beast, its fangs bared and scales bristling.

Most of the students were watching with varying degrees of interest. Some nodded, jotting notes.

Except for—

"Ahhh, I'm getting bored," Corrin groaned dramatically, slumping over his desk like a dead jellyfish.

Serena, seated beside Liliana, sighed and mimicked his motion, resting her cheek on the desk. "Same. This is torture."

And then there...

Snor! Snor!

Riven was fast asleep on the backbench, arms crossed, head bobbing with each snore.

"Hey, c'mon idiot, wake up," Aria hissed, elbowing him sharply in the ribs. "She's gonna catch you."

Though Professor Iris definitely knew. Everyone knew. But she didn't even look their way.

Teaching them was her job, and she was doing it. Whether the students listened or not? Not her problem.

Her dry expression stayed fixed on the projection. "These beasts only respond with hostility when provoked..."

Last but not least.

In the front row, someone was... distracted. Completely.

Lira's fingers tapped against her bench rhythmically, lips drawn into a thin line.

Her eyes, though pretending to stare at the floating image, kept flicking toward the classroom gate.

'Why didn't he come today?' Her brows knit slightly.

'Is he still angry about yesterday?'

Her chest tightened a little with, maybe guilt?

'Should I... apologize?'

She shifted uncomfortably.

'No. No no, NO!'

She gave a quick shake of her head, clearing the thought like shooing away a fly.

'It wasn't even my fault...' Her lips twitched. 'Okay, maybe a little... but, so what? He didn't have to lash out like that.'

She gripped the edge of her desk, knuckles faintly white.

'Yeah. Totally his fault. He should be the one apologizing. Not me.'

She gave a tiny, curt nod to herself. As if she were declaring the verdict in a courtroom inside her head.

'I was perfectly reasonable... okay maybe I wasn't—BUT STILL.

Her inner monologue spiraled faster than a tornado before she finally slumped forward with a defeated sigh.

'Dumbass.'

The lecture continued for few more minutes and then...

Ding! Ding! Ding!

The bell rang, echoing across the academy halls and marking the end of the lecture.

Professor Iris closed her book with a soft snap, gave a curt nod to the class, and walked out without a word.

The students immediately came alive. Chairs creaked, chatter picked up, and footsteps shuffled across the floor.

"Haa..."

Lira exhaled quietly, brushing her hair back with a flick of her fingers.

Then she stood, her movements fluid and precise, like everything she did was second nature.

She didn't rush.

And as she made her way toward the door, eyes followed her, like they always did.

Some stared with quiet awe.

Admiration shining in their expressions.

Others turned their faces away, a bit too quickly, feigning disinterest.

But their clenched jaws or narrowed eyes told a different story.

Jealousy. Envy. Maybe fear.

But Lira didn't care. Not even a little.

She was used to it.

Her expression stayed neutral, chin slightly raised, posture flawless.

She stepped out of the lecture hall, letting the warm breeze brush against her skin as sunlight filtered down through the open corridor windows.

And without missing a beat, she turned and started walking, not toward the dorms like most of the others, but toward the administrative building.

Her boots clicked softly against the marble floor.

Lira finally reached the Administrative Building.

It stood tall and broad at the academy's central cross-section, more refined than the other halls, yet not overly grand.

The exterior was built from white stone bricks, with blue-tinted glass panels and polished dark-wood trim lining the edges of the windows.

The academy's emblem was carved into the arch above the entrance.

An intertwining crest representing the five core departments: Beast Taming, Magic, Weapon Mastery & Combat, Martial Arts, and Alchemy.

Lira paused for a moment just outside the building, her eyes trailing over the quiet authority the structure exuded.

Then she pushed open the large oak doors and stepped inside.

The interior greeted her with quiet order.

Unlike the lively chaos of classrooms, this place buzzed with a calmer, more focused energy.

Staff members moved around the marble-floor corridors, some with clipboards in hand, others sorting through crystal-file cabinets embedded into the walls.

A soft, glow lit the hallways, emanating from runes inscribed on enchanted lanterns hanging at regular intervals.

The main floor of the building functioned as the academy's central administration, where general affairs and internal logistics were handled.

Here, everything from mission documentation and grading records to disciplinary decisions were processed.

To the left of the building, connected via covered corridors, were departmental annexes.

The Beast Taming Division, its outer walls adorned with emblems of various mythical beasts and bonded creature statues.

The Mage Department, with its arching spires and runic towers reaching toward the sky.

The Martial Hall, simpler and sturdier in architecture, prioritizing function over flair.

The Weapon Mastery & Combat department had a sword and shield, yeh just that.

And the Alchemical Pavilion, with its unique stone chimneys and reinforced glass domes for venting magical fumes and experimenting in relative safety.

Each division had its own mini-administrative offices, but the central building, where she was now, housed the neutral staff, those who worked regardless of department.

Lira headed straight to the Vice Principal's office, who was also there.

She climbed the stairwell at the far side of the entrance hall. The wood creaked softly beneath her steps, the smell of polished oak and faint traces of old ink lingering in the air.

On the upper floor, the hallway was quieter. The occasional staff member passed by, nodding politely.

Lira didn't stop. She knew where she was going.

Lira stood silently before the Vice Principal's office.

The wooden door loomed ahead, polished and carved with the academy's emblem.

She raised her hand and knocked twice.

A soft, composed voice responded from within.

"Come in."

Lira exhaled quietly, turned the knob, and pushed the door open.

The office was spacious, yet refined in a way that wasn't extravagant. Bookshelves lined the side walls, filled with thick tomes, folders, and neatly stacked scrolls.

A soft-blue enchanted orb hovered near the ceiling, bathing the room in a calm, natural glow.

The floor was a polished mix of stone and darkwood, and a large arched window behind the desk let sunlight filter in, revealing the outline of distant towers and fluttering flags outside.

Seated behind a wide darkwood desk was a woman with slate-gray hair tied into a bun, her expression sharp yet serene. She wore a deep blue robe with silver lining, a formal mark of her authority within the academy.

Vice Principal looked up from the parchment she was reading and gave a slight nod.

"Lira. You may sit."

"Vice Principal," Lira greeted respectfully with a bow of her head before walking to the chair opposite the desk.

Just as she sat down—

"Long time no see, sis."

Lira's body stiffened.

Her eyes shifted instantly to the side of the room.

And there, casually leaning against the bookshelf with arms crossed and a lazy grin on her face, stood a young girl with silver-blue hair, sharp eyes.

Her cousin.