Against the backdrop of my action, these words seemed unfair, but I had to urgently correct the situation that I myself had created. To nip in the bud the impression that everyone can do exactly the same. It is forbidden! It’s possible – only for me!

There were pops. Ezeroth stood next to me.

– Bravo! Couldn't have said it better, Ethan! Did you all hear? “He looked around the room and nodded with satisfaction.

Jumping off the table, I headed towards my friends, and Aiz followed me. The dining room was as quiet as a graveyard, except for Fat Ben's loud slurping sound. Never learned to eat silently after all these years, idiot!

Something happened in my soul, I couldn’t understand why I did this. First he launched Focus, then he embarrassed the girl, and now he pushed this speech. Three inexplicable actions in a day. Isn't it too much? The theft of the Focus was probably to blame. Once you break the law, you become more and more uncontrollable and do some crazy things.

For example: “The rest are not allowed, is it only possible for me?”

Where did this thought come from in my head?

“What did you tell Dean Blackrock’s daughter that she ran away like a thousand angry wasps were chasing her?” – Kayu asked when Aiz and I took our places.

I didn’t answer, silently grabbing the menu. He opened it to the third page and, without looking, pointed it with his finger. Over the years, I learned by heart where and what was written.

– And you, you cunning ass, Ethan! – Jed admired. “I think I understand what you’re up to.”

“Just keep in mind, if you offend her, she will complain to daddy,” Kayu warned me.

“And what will Dean Blackrock do to him?” – Jed grimaced, but immediately realized. – Exactly! Points!

– How do you know who she is? – I asked Kayu.

– Yes, yes. I managed to ask around a little while you were busy. Do you want me to tell you a little about everyone? – Kayu began to share with us what he managed to find out about the adepts.

– Which one do you think is the one? – Jed asked.

– Nobody. I pointedly pulled up the sleeves of my shirt.

– AND? – the fireman frowned.

Malachite was the first to decipher my hint.

– How so? But… But then… – He quickly looked around and fell silent, not wanting to discuss this in front of possible witnesses.

The spirits brought our order and I began to eat. I ate without rushing. Then I thought about it and ordered more. It turns out that he was quite hungry. We arrived late, and the dining room was quickly emptying. Soon, except for our company, there was no one left here.

“I sympathize, but I was sincerely happy for you,” Aiz suddenly said.

– Everyone is so mysterious! Maybe explain what you're talking about? – Jed couldn’t stand it. – They speak in riddles here. Dragons suck!

Aiz shoved Freckled in the shoulder.

–Watch your language, idiot!

And Kayu smiled contentedly and began to explain:

– When Focus finds the true one, a special mark appears on her hand, right? “He looked at Aiz and me, and we nodded in unison. “I believe that Ethan should have the same mark or something similar on his hand.”

– But there is no sign! – Jed stated the obvious.

– That's it, stupid! That's it!

Fireman was not offended by the dumbass. Instead he asked:

– So what should we do now? So, the Focus is gone?

“It seems so,” I admitted with a sigh. “Someone must have intercepted it, and that’s a problem.” Didn't you hear, no one found him?

My friends shook their heads negatively, and I realized that the artifact would not be found so easily.

– This is a serious problem, Derberg! – Ezeroth sympathized with me. “I wouldn’t want to be in your place, friend.”

And as soon as he finished speaking, something completely incredible happened.

Mirre Blackrock, elemental mage, adept at the Academy of Wind and Storms. Border of Onyx Rocks and the Steppe of the Seventeen Winds.

The girls were waiting for me at the end of the corridor at the exit to the hall. I hurried towards them, putting on my coat as I went. At the same time, she tapped her pocket to check if the artifact was in place. For a second I was even afraid that I had dropped it, but the precious ball still remained with me.

– Chiari, is everything okay? – Ada asked quietly when I joined my group.

My confused state did not escape the attentive eyes of the northern woman.

“Yes, yes,” I waved it off, hiding my eyes.

– Ah, it seems to me…

– Everything is fine, Ada! The situation was just awkward, but it’s all over now. Nonsense! – I reassured my friend.

– Right?

– Exactly! “I nodded and turned to the others: “Girls, what are our plans?”

“We’ll go to the library to get textbooks, then to our room to clean up,” Volde answered for everyone.

– Maybe we’ll look at the schedule first and get the form? Just when the flow of visitors will subside,” Lisel suggested.

– Of course, let's go look at the schedule. It's right here!

Khvoyana pointed to a large stand in the center of the hall, to which a line of first-year adepts lined up. They approached one at a time and placed their palm on the large round stone at the bottom right, after which writing appeared on the surface of the stand, giving information about the group, class time and list of items. The stand quickly went out, so some did not have time to rewrite everything and applied their palm again to the displeasure of those waiting.

We walked up and also stood in line. The guys looked sideways at us, but were silent. Some actually blushed, and some looked with interest. I thought that they, like us, were embarrassed. That is OK. We will still study together, we will get to know each other in class and maybe even make friends with some of them.

The line was barely halfway through when a group of older adherents approached the stand, led by the same curly-haired guy who had provoked Zikki with his attention in the cafeteria. They watched us pointedly for a while, and then one asked:

–What are they doing, Harvey?

– What hole did these idiots come out of? – The other one grimaced.

– Disperse, young bastards! “They pushed the freshmen out of the way.

Curly slowly approached the stand and pathetically declared:

– Watch and learn!

He activated the stand, and the others simply came up one by one and applied sheets of paper or notepads to its surface – whoever had what. Harvey himself applied the sheet last, and then turned it over and, holding the top corners with two fingers, showed it to the newcomers.

– Nobody told you, right? “With feigned sympathy, he looked around at the new arrivals.

Next to me, Wolde’s paper rustled out of nowhere. It seems that she was the only one who thought of taking a notebook with her to the dining room.

– Be there! – Kudryaviy’s comrade waved his hand.

And he turned and said:

– Ashers, where are your manners? They could have let the girls go first, after all, they are the weaker sex.

He blew a kiss to Zikkaera, who almost lost her composure.

– Quiet, Zikki. Calm down! – Ada held her by the shoulder.

“I didn’t understand why then they didn’t let us through if those were the rules?” – Volde asked, clutching a notebook to her chest.

“Because they made fun of them and us,” her sister muttered.

“Come in, eshsheri,” the guys, embarrassed and ashamed of the senior student, suggested in disarray.

Kudryaviy’s group settled down in the recreation area. They chatted, looking in our direction every now and then. This seemed suspicious to me, and I decided to watch them too.

“Mirre,” Volde called me and handed me a sheet torn from the notebook. – Hold it.

– Thank you! – I thanked my prudent cousin.