Chapter 16: The Opening Meeting Ending in Chaos

As dusk approached, a special discussion room in the academy library had been claimed for the inaugural meeting of the basic magic study group assigned directly by Professor Orion. The sky outside the windows began to shift into a golden orange, casting a warm light bias into the old-paper-scented room. However, the warmth of the outside atmosphere did not reflect the mounting tension within my chest. I sat at the end of the long wooden table with a very upright posture, crossing both arms over my chest, and putting on an ice-cold face to assert my status as the most powerful and unquestionable group leader. 

Sitting across from me were three team members who had successfully given me a splitting headache since the very first day of orientation: Elena smiling sweetly with neat notes, Cedric sitting casually propping his chin with a curious expression, and Raven folding his arms with a sharp, challenging glare ready to explode at any moment. This was not a normal academic study group, but rather a war criminal tribunal ready to detonate. That complaint spun around inside my head while massaging my rapidly throbbing temples from prolonged stress. 

"Listen carefully to my instruction," my voice slipped out low, flat, and authoritative, trying to conceal the fierce mental panic raging behind my calm mask. "As the officially appointed group leader, I will not tolerate any form of negligence in next week's practical exam. Our duty is to master basic elemental purification techniques without any exception whatsoever. Do not shame the Valerian family name with foolish carelessness." 

Cedric raised his right hand casually, grinning wide without a care in the world. "Ready, Lady Alicia! Her Excellency the Group Leader's orders will be carried out with all our hearts. But by the way, yesterday afternoon I accidentally overheard a hot gossip from the main corridor, saying that Crown Prince Leonhardt himself asked the council for a special schedule to personally review our group. Is that true? Wow, how amazing is it that we're getting direct attention from the future ruler of the kingdom!" 

My eyes widened instantly behind the cold mask tightly worn. My heart felt like it dropped out of its place hearing the crown prince's name mentioned in such a situation. The prince wants to come review our group?! Please kill me right now and bury me under a banyan tree! If he ends up meddling and observing my movements closer, this training plot I painstakingly built will completely fall apart into unregulated ruins. 

"Cheap gossip, Cedric," I stated sharply in a harsh tone, trying to brush off the extraordinary panic suddenly striking. "Never waste your precious time listening to cheap nonsense in the academy halls. Focus on our magic material." 

"Raven is right, though, Alicia," Raven chimed in suddenly, offering a subtle smirk with a gaze burning full of combat spirit. "I'm also extremely curious about how far your power level increased after our secret duel that night in the backyard field. Why don't we start today's session with a live sparring match in the arena instead of listening to this boring theory? That's far more effective to test our capability limits." 

Elena nodded enthusiastically, agreeing with Raven's absurd proposal. "I completely agree with Raven's suggestion! Direct combat training under Alicia's guidance will surely help us understand elemental purification theory much faster and more tangibly." 

Seeing all three of my group members getting excited in the wrong and dangerous ways, a hysterical scream exploded so loudly inside my mind. Please stop all of them! I just want to be a shadow tutor sitting quietly while drinking warm tea in the corner of the room, not a delinquent magic gang leader whose hobby is late-night street brawls! If this situation keeps up, my peaceful retirement plan in a remote village is truly a pipe dream.