Saturday Morning.
The sun filtered softly through the enchanted glass of the dorm windows as Kael Vernier blinked awake. He stretched, ran a hand through his long white hair, and started his usual morning routine shower, skincare, teeth, moisturizer.
After toweling off, he pulled open his wardrobe and took a moment to think.
"If I'm gonna ask a genius cat-girl to help me with runes, I might as well look like I didn't crawl out of a mana storm."
He selected a chestnut brown long coat with vintage brass lining, pairing it with a sleek button-up shirt tucked into tailored trousers classic old-money style with a modern touch. The way it hugged his tall frame, combined with his crimson eyes and flowing hair, made him look like he stepped out of a noble bloodline.
Kael gave himself a final approving nod in the mirror and whispered:
"Let's go make some awkward academic history."
The academy was quieter than usual no classes on Saturdays but the lab wings were still buzzing with energy. Mostly upper-rankers, researchers, and obsessed weirdos. Just his type.
As Kael walked through the long tiled hallway of Lab Sector C, heads turned. Whispers followed his footsteps like shadows.
"Wait… isn't that Kael Vernier?"
"Yeah, the guy who got second place in the event heard he solo'd two top 10 Rankers."
"He's... hot."
"I heard he asked for a Book of Origin and ritual ink what's he even planning?"
Kael pretended not to hear as he walked past mana furnaces and potion rooms, scanning each door until his eyes landed on it:
CHEMISTRY LAB
He paused in front of it, brushed some invisible dust off his coat, then pushed open the door.
A soft mechanical whirr greeted him, and instantly, every pair of eyes in the room turned toward him. Students in lab coats and goggles froze mid-stir, mid-spellcast. Some even dropped their mana droppers.
They weren't looking at just anyone. They were looking at Kael Vernier the infamous white-haired enigma who beat two elites, asked for cursed tools, and walked around like a noble prince.
Kael scanned the room casually.
Straight ahead, floating in front of the board, was a holographic projection blinking softly:
Optional Mana Chemistry — Saturday Class