Rowan woke up to the blurry, flickering lights of the infirmary. The sterile white walls and the faint smell of healing herbs told him he was still at the academy. His body ached all over, and he felt bandages covering bruises on his arms and chest.

"Back among the living, huh?"

He turned to see a familiar face — Headmaster Liz, standing by his bedside with a bemused expression, her arms crossed as she looked him over with a mixture of concern and amusement.

"Headmaster…" Rowan muttered, shifting uncomfortably under her gaze. "I, uh…guess I messed up my first day pretty badly."

Liz sighed. "Getting into a fight on your first day isn't ideal, no. But I suppose I should have expected you to run into some trouble."

She stepped closer, her expression softening. "But I will say this: standing up for yourself is good. The academy can be rough, and you'll need to be strong — not just physically, but in spirit. Remember that."

Rowan nodded, though he still felt the sting of failure. He didn't have any magic; he didn't have the strength or skills of other students. How could he prove himself when he barely fit into this world?

A light knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. The girl from earlier stepped in, the one with the silver hair and bright, curious eyes. Rowan's cheeks flushed as he remembered how she had come to his rescue.

"Oh, I didn't mean to interrupt," she said softly, bowing slightly to Liz. "I just wanted to check on him."

The headmaster gave Rowan a sly look. "Well, it seems you already have some support here." She glanced back at the girl. "Good to see you again, Elena. Try to keep him out of trouble, would you?"

With that, Liz left, and Rowan found himself alone with Elena. He tried to sit up straighter, ignoring the soreness in his body.

"So…you're, uh, Elena?" Rowan asked, still feeling a little awkward from his earlier encounter.

She smiled warmly. "Yes, and you're Rowan Ross, right? I have to say, you made quite an impression on everyone." She tilted her head, a hint of laughter in her eyes. "I didn't expect the headmaster's godson to be such a, well, unassuming guy."

Rowan rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Yeah…let's just say I'm not exactly living up to any expectations yet."

Elena gave him a curious look. "But you want to, right? To be strong, to stand out?"

Rowan hesitated. "I mean, sure, I want to be strong like my brothers or even like Headmaster Liz. But…it's hard when you're not really talented in magic."

Elena's eyes softened. "It doesn't always have to be about magic. The academy has people from all walks of life — sword masters, alchemists, even scholars who don't use magic at all. You'll find your place, Rowan."

Her words resonated with him, but doubt still lingered. The two talked a bit more, with Rowan learning that Elena was actually one of the top-ranked first-year students, known for her exceptional control over wind magic. Despite her reputation, she seemed down-to-earth, kind, and unexpectedly humble.

The next few days at the academy were a whirlwind. Rowan struggled to keep up in his classes, often feeling out of place among students who could conjure flames with a snap of their fingers or move objects with a mere thought. But every now and then, he caught glimpses of Elena in the hallways, or they'd sit together during lunch. Her presence was comforting, a reminder that he wasn't alone in this strange world.

Then came Combat Class, a class where students were paired to practice dueling techniques, both magical and physical. Rowan felt a familiar surge of anxiety as he entered the training arena, his eyes sweeping over the other students — many of whom he recognized from his rough first day.

"All right, students!" boomed their instructor, a burly man with a scar running down one side of his face. "Today, we'll be pairing you up to test both your magical skills and physical prowess."

Rowan swallowed, feeling the weight of expectation from everyone around him. The instructor started pairing off students, calling their names and directing them to sparring circles around the arena. Then, Rowan's name was called.

"Rowan Ross, you're up against Roderick."

A groan escaped him as he recognized the name. Roderick was one of the bullies from his first day — the red-haired guy with a wicked grin. As they stepped into the ring, Roderick cracked his knuckles and smirked.

"Ready to get another beating, Headmaster's kid?"

Rowan clenched his fists, feeling the familiar frustration rising within him. He didn't have magic, he didn't have advanced skills…but he wasn't going to let this guy walk all over him again.

The instructor gave the signal, and Roderick wasted no time, conjuring a flaming orb that he hurled toward Rowan. Rowan barely dodged, feeling the heat singe the air beside him.

"Come on, magic-less wonder! Show me what you got!" Roderick taunted, sending another orb flying his way.

Rowan gritted his teeth, keeping his focus on Roderick's movements. He didn't have magic, but he had speed. He lunged forward, using the momentum to close the distance between them, dodging and weaving through Roderick's attacks. Just as Roderick was about to launch another spell, Rowan ducked and tackled him, surprising everyone watching.

For a moment, he held his own, but Roderick quickly recovered, his anger flaring. Rowan felt a sharp impact as Roderick's fist collided with his side, sending him stumbling back. The fiery-haired boy advanced, but before he could strike again, a gust of wind swept through the arena, separating the two of them.

"Enough!" Elena's voice rang out as she entered the arena, her expression fierce.

The instructor intervened, stopping the match and calling it a draw. As Roderick stomped off, muttering under his breath, Elena approached Rowan, helping him to his feet.

"You really don't know when to give up, do you?" she teased, though there was warmth in her eyes.

Rowan managed a grin, despite the ache in his side. "Hey, I was doing fine…sort of."

Elena shook her head, laughing softly. "You're not hopeless, Rowan. You just need to find your own way. Maybe magic isn't your strength, but that doesn't mean you're weak."

Her words stayed with him, a reminder that maybe he didn't need to follow the same path as everyone else. As the days passed, Rowan threw himself into training, focusing on honing his speed, agility, and resilience. He may not have been able to conjure spells or wield magic like the others, but he found a way to carve his own path.

One evening, as Rowan trained alone in the courtyard, he heard a familiar voice behind him.

"You're still here, huh?" Elena walked over, her silver hair catching the moonlight.

"Yeah," he replied, catching his breath. "Just trying to get better."

Elena watched him for a moment before nodding. "I believe in you, Rowan. Even if no one else does, remember that."

In that moment, Rowan felt a surge of determination he hadn't felt before. He wasn't just the headmaster's godson, or the boy who struggled with magic. He was Rowan Ross, and he was going to find his own strength.

"ELENA"Rowan screamed,"I will be the one who will protect you next time"as those words left Rowan mouth Elena smiled at him."hmm protect me next time"