A new year at Nine Petal Academy means a new crop of students, including a boy who can't control his magic, a thief, an angel, and even a suit of armor? Adela, Lei, and their friends are tasked with welcoming the new class of first years and helping...
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Ayawamat glared at me as we stood in the middle of the ring.
I smiled. "What? Do I have popcorn in my teeth? Know I ate a whole tub of the stuff per each battle, but I usually make sure to clean my teeth with my tongue." I stuck out my unusually pointy tongue.
He grumbled. "Why are you here and not Lei?"
I snickered. "Aww. You would rather have him than me. I'm disappointed to hear that."
He rolled his eyes. "Must you always make everything a joke?"
"Allow me to explain," Marina said, smiling as she walked over to us. She stared at a piece of paper. "According to Dad, either Sokw or Aban will be admitted into the academy based on their performance in the tournament. This is to remedy the mistake with last year's hack."
I gasped. "Wait, will the prince get expelled because of that?"
"Uh, to my knowledge, no."
I grinned. "Great!"
Ayawamat raised an eyebrow at me. "You're not mad at him? If it were me, I would be."
I shook my head. "Nope! I know that it wasn't him who hacked the system."
He smiled and shrugged. "Seems you're more magnanimous than I'd expected."
I tilted my head. "Maga-what?"
"It means forgiving," Marina said.
"Oh, thanks!" I glanced back at Ayawamat. "Wow, your vocabulary sure has gotten bigger. Have you been reading a lot?"
He coughed. "I-I saw it on a newspaper stand in your adopted mother's store."
I laughed. "For real?"
Rubbing his neck, he grumbled. "Let's just begin this thing already."
I blinked. That motion. My big brother would often do it. Row... Did he and the others get back home safely? Or did they perish in Vandavale?
"Wait, is your name Sowk or Sokw?" Marina asked, lowering her microphone.
"Sokw, but people tend to call me Sowk as it's easier for them to say. Plus, Sokw means sour. I"m not sure why Papa or Mama named me that, but they did."
"I see." She lifted the microphone to her mouth. "Alright! The match between the shadowy Sokw and the aloof Ayawamat begins now!"
I side-stepped Aya's fist and grasped his arm with one hand, flipping him unto the floor.
He kicked the tiles and headbutted my arm as he straightened himself out. Unfortunately for him, my arms were as hard as his forehead, causing him to get bruised.
"Ugh, forgot that your bones are as hard as orichalcum," Ayawamat said, rubbing his forehead.
I giggled and held my hand out, summoning my new lapis lazuli wand. It transformed into a sword, just like the ones that my brother liked.
