Kaede dragged himself up the stairs to his dorm room. Bingo had run him ragged saying that the only way he'd make it out of F tier is if he practiced unrelentlessly. Which was true, but Kaede thought she was a bit ruthless. Maybe she was nocturnal because he had no idea how she could stay up this late and lose no energy.
Regardless, she was a good trainer. He managed to be able to do Bingo Style. When he summoned one chain, he was beaming with so much pride. Then Bingo brought out another chain and chased him around the gym prompting him to fight her. His arms and legs were sore, but he could do one style.
What Kaede had learned was that mana would be difficult to learn if you didn't know about it your entire life. It was like second nature to everyone else and Kaede was still looking for a style. Over time he'd have to get out of that mindset so the process of doing a style is seamless and less of a mechanic process.
Kaede sighed as he reached his dorm bedroom. There was so much to think about and consider, but he wanted nothing more than to just pass out in his bed. He swiped his card to unlock the room and stumbled inside.
The dorms, like the rest of the school, were very nice. The room was very wide and spacious. If it were any other school they would've stuck four people in the room. There was plenty of room for his belongings (no that he had much), and they provided a desk for him to work at. What really called out to him was his bed. It had a plush mattress, soft pillows, and cozy blankets. His body succumbed to its tiredness as he saw it.
He shut the door behind him ready to leap into bed, but noticed that the other side of the room was still illuminated by the soft glow of Nova's desk lamp. Nova was sitting at his desk, hunched over a book, his face illuminated by the lamplight. He looked deep in concentration, his eyes darting back and forth across the page.
"You're still up?"
Nova turned around to look at him. "You're still up."
Over time Nova had warmed up to him. Kaede just chalked up his attitude on his first day as nervousness. He didn't seem to know how to talk to others all that well. It didn't really matter to Kaede. Nova was really the only person who kept talking to him after finding out he was F tier. Maybe that's why the other students didn't seem to like him much. Or it was the unanswered question of Nova's mana level. Either way, Kaede would take whatever friends he could get.
"But I have to study really hard to even be slightly decent at using mana. Don't you already know it?"
"Just because I know it doesn't mean I don't have things to study for." Nova replied placidly. "How did your training go anyway?"
Kaede perked up. "It went really well actually! I learned the trick to getting mana out."
"Oh? How did you manage to do that?"
Kaede wanted to tell Nova about Bingo, but he remembered what she said. For whatever reason he couldn't tell anyone. Maybe they'd be upset if Kaede got preferential treatment from Angel. But if that were the case then it was really dumb because everyone else at this school seemed to have it.
"You told me I was trying too hard so I didn't try as hard!"
It was kind of the truth. Except that he had to be hand held to that conclusion…
"Good job then. I'm glad you figured it out."
"But now I'm really really really tired! What's that about?" Kaede moaned.
Nova sighed at him. "You're new to using mana so it will take a lot of your energy to use it. Think of it like exercising. The more you train the more you'll get used to it." Nova paused. "And your mana level plays a factor as well. Don't overdo it."
"How are you still up then?" Kaede complained.
Nova hesitated. "Don't you go trying to use this to help you train more. I might be low level, but I'm not F tier. This style isn't going to work for you."
Kaede shook his head. "Trust me. I value sleep."
"It's called Harris style. You use mana to reinforce your body parts to give you more energy. I use it to stay up later and study more. It doesn't actually take up that much mana, but for a continuous flow you'd need to at least be C tier."
Kaede had no idea what that meant. Or how to do that…
"But wouldn't that just make you more tired later?"
"Kind of… which is why only well trained mages use it."
"Oh so then you're well trained?"
Nova rolled his eyes. "I'm training right now."
Kaede walked over to Nova and peered over his shoulder. "What are you even working on?"
The paper was very neat and his notes were organized. Kaede couldn't really understand what the paper was about though. It was something about mana styles. Far too advanced for Kaede. The only thing he could understand was the name at the top of the paper: Nova Harris.
He leaned back in surprise. "Harris? As in Harris School for Mana Arts? As in the super powerful mage family leaders of the mage council Harris?"
Nova looked away from Kaede's prying gaze. "Yes…"
"What?!? That's so cool!"
"I guess…"
Nova's cheeks were turning red. Kaede guessed that it could be a topic for embarrassment, but if he were a Harris then he would never shut up about it. The other students treated him like dust in a corner when he practically owned the school!
"Why does everybody avoid you if you are a Harris? Shouldn't they be nicer to you???"
Nova sighed. "Being a Harris isn't enough. I should be S tier, but I'm not. Before you I was the lowest ranked student in the class. The main family won't acknowledge me if I don't do well."
Kaede started to feel bad. If that's what it meant to be a Harris he took back his wish to be one.
"I think you're doing well." Kaede said. "Look at you studying through the night to become better."
"You too." Nova said. "We're not going to be the lowest in the school forever."
"Yeah! Let's reach the top together and show them what we're really made of!"
Kaede grabbed Nova's hand and shook it. Who cared if no one else believed in them? They only needed each other.