The students filtered out of the classroom, their animated chatter filling the corridor. Amberine winced with each step, her body aching from the intense concentration and mana exertion. "Ouch, ouch," she muttered, rubbing her temples. Her frustration was palpable, not just from the physical discomfort but from the realization that Elara had matched her success once again.
As the last of her classmates exited, Amberine lingered for a moment by the doorway, casting a final glance back at the now-empty room. Her mind replayed the events of the lesson, each detail weighed against her internal barometer of self-critique. The intricate web of mana circles she had constructed with painstaking precision, the slight waver in her control when Draven's gaze fell upon her work, and the irritating perfection of Elara's execution—all of it churned within her, leaving a sour taste of unfulfilled potential.
