The sun hung low over Lunaris Haven, painting the sky in soft hues of gold and warm peach.

A gentle sea breeze drifted through the wide balcony, carrying the faint scent of salt and blooming mana-flowers from the gardens below. The waves rolled steadily in the distance–calm, rhythmic, peaceful.

On the spacious balcony of one of the resort's private suites, four figures sat around a round marble table.

Professor Adelia Evangeline, her long bright green hair glowing under the warm light, sipped from a porcelain cup with elegant posture. Her yellow eyes half-closed in contentment as she enjoyed the rare moment of quiet.

Beside her sat Professor Aria Magetra, her wheat-blonde hair tied loosely, strands fluttering with the seaside breeze. She exhaled softly, looking far more relaxed than she ever appeared during classes.

Across from them lounged Professor Asher Ravenhood, one leg crossed over the other. His brown hair fell over one eye, and the steam from his coffee rose slowly, reflecting in his brown irises. He didn't show it often, but right now, he looked genuinely at ease.

Lastly, Professor Cristina Frostblade leaned her elbow on the chair's armrest, swirling the coffee inside her cup with a faint grin.

The warm tones of sunset highlighted the sharpness of her eyes and the authority she carried even while relaxing.

The table between them held a small tray of fresh pastries, a silver pot of coffee, and crystal cups reflecting the afternoon light.

A comfortable silence lingered until Adelia spoke first.

"Lunaris Haven never disappoints," she said, gazing toward the shimmering blue sea. "I forget how beautiful it is every time."

Aria nodded gently. "It's peaceful… Even the mana here feels soothing."

"And the students?" Cristina added with a smirk. "They're probably running around the city excitedly."

Asher scoffed lightly. "As long as they don't burn the city down, I'll consider it a successful trip."

Adelia chuckled, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Some of them need this break. The Forest Examination was harder than usual and there is no one mad enough to burn the city."

"Harder," Aria agreed, "but it was good that there was no casualty."

Cristina took a sip of her coffee. "They handled it. Better than expected."

A soft breeze rolled through again, rustling their hair and carrying the distant sound of waves meeting the shore.

Adelia's smile softened. "They deserve a few days of peace."

Asher tapped his cup lightly. "So do we."

All four of them laughed quietly, the sound blending with the evening sea.

The late afternoon sun continued its slow descent, turning Lunaris Haven into a world of warm colors and calm magic, while the four professors enjoyed a rare, tranquil moment together.

Cristina put down the cup of tea on the table. She sighed.

"But you know... I never thought it would be Amon Vale who would be second rank. I mean, I did expect either Seraphina or Arnold to be at the first two ranks. But to think Amon took second place... If there is anything unexpected that happened this year in the practical exam, then it must be this."

"Hehehe~ True. True. I bet no one expected innocent-looking Amon to attack Marcus from behind. Just after barely saving him." Aria chuckled in amusement.

"I am surprised as well. I never thought he would do something like that. If that's not enough, he even fought Seraphina at the end. Even if he only stood against her for a minute, it was praiseworthy."

This time Adelia spoke. "Well, I thought you wouldn't like the fact that he attacked Marcus from behind, knowing that you like warrior-type people who fight head-on."

Asher scoffed. "Hah... That's when you are fighting one-on-one or sparring with someone. This was a survival game. Everything was fair. Surviving was the most important thing."

Everyone agreed to his words.

Then Cristina, her expression, for the first time that afternoon, turned serious.

"…By the way, how did all of you find the students reactions during the exam?" she asked.

Adelia leaned back, eyes thoughtful. "Most of them handled the pressure better than I expected. The Forest Examination this year was… harsher. The mana density, the monsters, the unpredictability. Some students froze at first, but they recovered. More than anything. We told them other rules on time. During exam."

Aria nodded. "Yes. And surprisingly, many of the weaker-ranked students showed good instincts. Not strength, but… survival awareness. They avoided unnecessary fights, made teams wisely. That was exactly what we wanted to see."

Asher exhaled deeply, his tone low. "But we also saw the opposite. Some of the talented students panicked when things didn't go as they imagined. A few fought arrogantly and got eliminated early. Strength doesn't help if your mind collapses under fear."

Cristina narrowed her eyes. "True. And many relied too much on their mana… not enough on strategy."

Aria sipped her coffee. "Still… some impressed me. Aisha, for example. She used her senses well, and her reaction speed saved her more than once."

"As expected of a beastwoman," Asher added. "But even Marcus did well. I saw the report. His decision-making improved."

Adelia smiled faintly. "And Seraphina… she was calm from the beginning to the end. She handled everything like someone who already has experience in real battle."

"And Arnold was a monster in his own way," Cristina admitted. "His instincts are terrifying. His fight with those two Ranks 2 beasts–impressive."

Asher shrugged lightly. "There were messes too. Some students cried. Some fought each other unnecessarily. Some overestimated themselves and paid the price." He paused.

"But no casualties. That alone makes this year successful."

Aria looked toward the sea, her voice softer. "They're young. They learned something real this time. Fear, pressure, how quickly life can change. It will make them stronger."

All four fell silent for a moment, letting the weight of those thoughts settle with the sound of the ocean breeze.

Then Cristina sighed.

"I have to say this, Amon has shown really great improvement in these few months. While Seraphina and Arnold are true geniuses of this generation. Their talent is something else compared to others." Asher continued his talk.

Their fight was amazing. Those attacks, abilities they used were something that could even harm a master-rank person.

"I am eager to watch them grow. Of course Amon as well. He's fun to tease in every class." Aria said cheerfully. She remembered his every expression when she teased him. How he avoided eye contact every time she asked a question to the whole class.

Adelia gave a small laugh. "That's true. I guess it's good to have some students like him."

Professor Cristina narrowed her eyes. "Now that we talked about Amon… He's surely second rank in the practical exam. But what about theory? He really had low marks in my history subject."

Asher gave an amused smile. "Now that you say it… He also had low marks in my combat theory subject. Well, he still passed."

"So that means he passed in your subjects? In my subjects he barely passed. In one subject I needed to give him two extra marks to pass him." Aria also chimed in.

All of them looked at her with surprise.

"I didn't think you would actually do something like that. You never pass someone even if they need one mark." Adelia asked her, surprised.

"Hah... I just felt bad for the poor boy. You don't know how bad he is at studying. He even told me multiple times that if he got failed for a few marks, please pass him. For some reason I felt pity for him. So I passed him."

Asher looked at her silently. "That's favoritism! You can't do something like that."

Cristina nodded. She also felt that it was wrong.

Adelia just smiled worriedly.

While Aria stuck out her tongue, showing it to them. "Phuu! I will do what I want! Also he's the reason why the class always remains fun and cheerful."

All three of them sighed. They knew Aria from their Academy days. They were friends from their academy time. They knew she wouldn't listen to anyone.

Asher decided to change the topic. His eyes turned to Adelia. "I heard that boy also visits you from time to time." There was a teasing smile on his face.

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