It was the second day of the new term at the academy of magic. I was at my desk,
imagining what my life here would be like, when a quiet voice sounded from behind me.
"Hello...?"
A faint, sweet scent of hair tickled my nose. The owner of the voice—a quiet girl—was looking at me with a touch of anxiety.
She wore a deep purple cardigan instead of the regulation uniform, and a striking, shiny key pendant hung around her neck. Her pale golden hair was left to fall loosely around her waist, and from beneath her fringe, a pair of bright... blood-red eyes gazed out.
"It seems we're desk mates. How lucky... Ah, it's nothing..."
She was holding a book, which, from the look of its cover, didn't seem to be a textbook but some kind of picture book or novel. A hint of nervousness seeped into her gaze, her fingers restlessly tracing the cover as if she was afraid I might think her strange for what she had just said.
"...Actually, this isn't the first time I've seen you. Though you probably don't know..."
Her gaze shifted for a moment, but then, a look of resolve settled into those unique red eyes. She gently pulled out the chair and sat down at the desk next to mine.
"I'm Violet... It's a pleasure to be in your class."
"You've seen me before?" I couldn't help but ask.
Violet nodded, a hint of reminiscence in her crimson eyes. She laced her long, slender fingers together and placed them gently on her lap.
"Yes... It was last winter. I saw someone near the library being picked on by some upperclassmen..."
Her voice was soft, as if she were afraid of startling someone. "You were the one who stood up for them. I remember... you warned them never to bully the weak again..."
Her gaze fell briefly to the key pendant on her chest before rising to meet mine again.
"I thought then that a person who would help others must be someone trustworthy..." Realizing she might have said too much, a slightly panicked look crossed her face. "Ah, does that sound a bit strange...?"
She bit her lip, then added, "So when the lots were drawn for seating, and I found out I was next to you... I felt it was a wonderful stroke of fate."
"I'm surprised you remember something from that long ago..."
Violet smiled at me, a faint, relieved smile gracing her lips. She gently tucked a strand of golden hair that had fallen over her shoulder, and her blood-red eyes, catching the sunlight streaming through the window, glowed with a warm luster.
"Something like that... is hard to forget," she said softly, her tone sincere. "On that cold day, your actions were like a lamp in the dark."
She nudged the book, a beautifully bound collection of essays, a little closer in my direction.
"I go to the library often... If you ever need reference materials or want to borrow a book, perhaps I could help you find it. I know where some of the lesser-known collections are kept..." She said this with a slight quickening of her pace, clearly driven by an eagerness to help, before consciously slowing her tone with a touch of shyness.
"But, if you think it would be a bother..." she paused, her gaze momentarily avoiding mine and landing on the blackboard at the front of the room.
"I just think... that getting to be desk mates with someone who helps others is a very fortunate thing."
"Well then, it's a pleasure to have you as my deskmate, Violet."
Hearing the formal greeting, a faint blush rose on Violet's cheeks, and her red eyes shone with clear delight. She responded with a soft murmur, and then, for the first time, a truly genuine smile bloomed on her face.
"The pleasure is all mine..."
She adjusted her posture, tucking her long hair behind her ear in a gesture that was both elegant and natural. Then, she carefully arranged her textbooks, each movement revealing a quiet and well-mannered grace.
"Oh..." She hesitated for a moment, then took a small notebook from her bag. "These are some notes I've compiled on magical theory. If they're of any help to you..."
She opened it to the first page. The handwriting was neat and graceful, and the illustrations were remarkably detailed, clearly the work of a meticulous mind. I could see that every page was filled with carefully marked key points and her own thoughtful annotations.
"Of course, this is all just my personal understanding, so it might not be entirely accurate..." she added, her tone humble yet full of anticipation. "If you find any mistakes, please be sure to tell me."
The bell for class rang from outside the classroom. Violet quickly closed the notebook but kept it held out in front of me, her eyes filled with expectation, seeming to wait for my decision.
I took the meticulously crafted notebook. "Thank you..."
Seeing me accept it, Violet visibly relaxed, her shoulders slumping in relief. A gratified smile touched her lips, as if she had just fulfilled an important wish.
"You're welcome..." she whispered, her voice nearly lost in the growing classroom chatter.
As other students filed back to their seats and the instructor entered the room, Violet silently took out her own materials, positioning herself to listen attentively. But from time to time, she would cast a sideways glance in my direction, and whenever I turned a page in the notebook, a small smile would play on her lips.
The first lesson began, a lecture on basic elemental theory by an elderly magus. As the class progressed, Violet took notes with intense focus, occasionally looking up to listen, appearing exceptionally diligent. The tip of her pen moved swiftly across the paper, pausing now and then in thought before continuing.
When the bell rang to signal the end of class, she turned her head slightly, asking with a touch of shyness, "The notes... did they make sense? If there was anything you didn't understand..." She trailed off, her red eyes filled with a hope for conversation. "I'd be happy to explain it to you..." Having said her piece, she fell silent, quietly tidying her things with an air that was gentle without being fawning.
"The notes... are incredible. I can tell you put a lot of serious thought into them. They're very detailed. Thank you..."
At my praise, Violet's movements paused for a fraction of a second. She looked up, her face a mixture of surprise and bashfulness. She lowered her head, her long golden hair hiding half her face, but I could still see the tips of her ears turn red.
"Thank you for saying so," she replied softly, her voice laced with an unmistakable happiness. "I just... I like to have these concepts organized clearly."
She carefully adjusted the illustrations in the notes she was holding. The diagrams, showing the flow of elemental paths, were rendered with both precision and beauty.
"My grandfather used to say that knowledge is like a maze. You can only truly understand its structure by walking through it yourself..." It was a rare personal comment, but she quickly seemed to catch herself. "Ah, I shouldn't be talking about private matters..."
She stole a glance at me, then quickly looked away.
"If I have any new insights or discoveries in the next class, I could... continue to build on this section," she proposed tentatively, her voice growing quieter, her pale red eyes still holding that hopeful light. "After all... knowledge that can be shared with others is the only knowledge that has true value, isn't it?"