Chapter 15: I Am a Genius

Arthur walked back to the dormitory with long, steady strides. His body felt loose and humming. The nights with Talia had left him sore in the best possible way, but the real reason he moved like that was simpler: the Eros Codex had already begun healing the bruises and exhaustion. Every time he had come, the black book had soaked up the spent mana, restored what was needed, and kept him fresh for the next round. It was a silent perk he had not expected, but one he was quickly learning to enjoy.

The black ears and fluffy tail of the previous night still lingered in his memory like a brand. Talia had been relentless, a beast in bed who demanded everything and gave it back harder. When he had finally collapsed beside her at dawn, she had pulled him close and whispered a new condition against his ear.

"Breeding season is twice a year. Winter and summer. You will fuck me every time. No excuses. No skipping. You belong to me during those weeks, and I belong to you for the rest of the year. Do we have an understanding?"

Arthur had answered with a kiss and a quiet "Deal."

Now he pushed open the door to his room and dropped onto the bed still dressed. Sleep came easily. The Codex worked while he rested, quietly repairing every cell. When he woke the next afternoon, the ache was gone. He felt sharper, calmer, ready for whatever the academy threw at him.

The following morning he walked into Professor Selene Frost’s lecture hall with clear eyes and a steady gait. Most students were still half-asleep, but the moment she entered the room the air shifted. Selene Frost, Ice Queen Grimoire, the woman who had taught them Mana Compression with terrifying precision, now carried herself with a different kind of weight.

She stood at the front of the hall in a crisp instructor’s coat, silver-white hair pinned neatly, ice-blue eyes sharp. A single crystal slate hovered in the air above her palm.

"Core Mana Mechanics – Module Two," she announced. "Today we will test every student’s mana pool. This is not optional. Sit straight. When your name is called, approach the center. I will measure your current pool size and stage."

The room fell into tense silence.

Selene raised her hand. A thin beam of pale mana swept across the first row. The first student stepped forward. A girl named Elara took her turn. The beam flared emerald green. The slate hovered, then glowed softly.

"Early Level 1 – Elara Voss. House Nova."

Murmurs rippled. Elara looked proud but nervous. A few students in the back exchanged glances.

The process continued. Names were called in order. Each measurement was the same: early Level 1 for most. A handful of students hovered at intermediate Level 1. Selene’s expression remained calm, but her eyes sharpened with every result.

Then came Milo Sterling.

"Early Level 1," the beam registered. The boy nodded, satisfied, and returned to his seat.

Arthur Vance.

He stepped forward.

The beam swept over him. The slate flared violently. Bright cyan light exploded across the surface. Then the number formed in glowing letters.

PEAK LEVEL 2

The hall went dead silent.

Even Selene Frost’s hand trembled for a fraction of a second. She stared at the reading, then at Arthur, as if she had misread the stone.

The murmurs that followed were loud enough to echo off the walls.

"Is that... possible for a first-year?"

"Peak Level 2? With a Tier 1 Grimoire?"

"Must be a mistake. Look at his face. He doesn’t look special."

A boy behind Arthur muttered loud enough for several people to hear, "Lucky Fringe reject. Probably got lucky in the Choosing and now everyone’s going to think he’s hot shit."

Another voice answered, "At least he’s not pretending like the princess."

Selene Frost lowered the slate slowly. The cyan light faded, but the shocked silence remained.

"Everyone," she said, voice calm but carrying the weight of command, "keep your opinions to yourselves. This is not a popularity contest. This is a measurement. I have chosen to conduct the pool test today because the academy wants every student to understand their true baseline before we move into practical work. Misbehavior will not be tolerated."

She paused, letting the words settle.

"Today’s Practical lesson. You will receive a single volatile Mana Crystal. You will channel your unique Grimoire ability into it. The crystal will change color based on how well you compress the mana. It is designed to shatter if you lose focus or fail to maintain even pressure. Work in pairs if necessary. Do not touch the crystals until I give the signal. Begin."

Chairs scraped. The students divided into groups around the long wooden desks. The volatile crystals sat in small stands at the center of each station, glowing faintly like tiny captured stars. Selene walked the rows, monitoring, correcting, occasionally stopping to adjust a student’s posture.

Arthur sat alone at the front. He picked up the crystal without hesitation. It felt cool in his palm. He closed his eyes and drew on the large mana pool inside him. The Flame ability answered instantly. A controlled thread of heat rolled outward and pressed into the stone. He was using flame because he had practiced it for many days, he just got Talia’s yesterday.

The crystal responded immediately.

It shifted from pale blue to soft orange, then to deep crimson. The color stabilized. The stone did not crack. Not under his most casual attempt. He could feel the mana compressing perfectly, every particle locked in place, the same way he had formed Mana Skin the day before. The crystal simply absorbed the precision and gave it back as a perfect indicator of his control.

Selene’s ice-blue eyes flicked to him for a second. Then she moved on to the next station without comment.

The others struggled. Several crystals shattered. The loud cracks echoed through the hall. Students jumped. A few cursed. Selene’s voice cut through the chaos like a blade.

"Focus. Compression requires patience. One loose thread and you destroy your own desk."

Arthur sat at the front, crystal steady in his hand, and felt the familiar rush of power. The Eros Codex had already restored his body overnight. He was not tired. He was not distracted. He was simply operating at a level most of his classmates would not reach in months.

The practical continued for another hour. When the final chime sounded, Selene Frost dismissed the class with a single wave of her hand.

"Review the compression diagrams for tomorrow. Vance. Remain after class."

The room emptied. Arthur waited until the last footsteps faded. Then he stood and followed her through the side door that led to the instructor wing.

Selene Frost’s office was small but spotless. A wide desk. A single window overlooking the floating gardens. She did not offer him a seat.

"Explain the Mana Skin you used in Instructor Vane’s class," she said quietly. "And do not waste my time with vague answers."

Arthur met her gaze. The pink-gold mist around her was still faint, but the desire thread was there, thin and steady.

"I learned the technique from practice," he said. "You push the mana outward, then lock it tight against your skin. It becomes armor. It works for offense and defense. That is all I understand."

Selene studied him for a long moment. Then she exhaled.

"Vance. You are going to make some people very uncomfortable. Good." She paused, then added, "You have a talent most students will spend years chasing. Use it wisely."

She gestured toward the door.

"Class is dismissed for the day. Come to my office tomorrow at the same time if you have further questions. Do not be late."

Arthur bowed once, turned, and left.

Outside in the corridor, the black book resting against his ribs began to pulse once, softly, as if acknowledging the day’s events.

The empire was only just beginning to notice the Fringe boy who had stolen the magic of goddesses.