The Student Council, as the core representative of student interests at Glory Cael Magic Academy, naturally possessed authority and resources far beyond those of ordinary clubs or interest groups.
In addition to a solemn and independent meeting hall, a spacious and orderly office area, and a classical banquet hall for formal receptions and celebrations, the Student Council also owned a fully equipped private training ground.
Located behind the Student Council building and surrounded by ivy-covered stone walls, the training ground featured composite stone slabs designed to withstand high-intensity magical impact. It was divided into multiple independent practice areas and equipped with basic targets.
In terms of hardware, while it couldn't match the academy's large public training grounds, it was more than sufficient for the practice needs of most Mid-tier and High-tier magic.
However, unlike the other Student Council facilities that were often bustling with activity, this training ground was usually exceptionally quiet. Rarely did any Student Council members stop by to practice.
The reason was simple: the Student Council's supreme leader—Vivian.
Aside from handling mountains of official documents, attending a heavy schedule of academy courses, and taking brief breaks for basic biological needs, Vivian devoted almost all of her remaining time to this training ground.
Ordinary Student Council members felt an invisible pressure just being in the same office as the formidable President. They had to remain focused and efficient at all times, fearing even the slightest mistake.
To ask them to voluntarily step into the training ground during their leisure time and practice magic under her icy gaze?
That would be a form of mental and physical torture.
Over time, this training ground, which was technically open to all Student Council members, effectively became Vivian's personal sanctum.
As a long-standing member of the Student Council, Yelena was well aware of this fact.
Therefore, when she couldn't find President Vivian in the Student Council office, she didn't hesitate for a moment. She turned immediately and walked quickly toward the training ground.
Her guess was correct.
When Yelena pushed open the heavy oak side door of the training ground and stepped into the vast, quiet space, the familiar blue figure came into view.
The lighting magic circles in the center of the training ground were adjusted to a soft brightness suitable for individual practice, casting a glow like cool moonlight.
Vivian was still wearing her academy uniform, pressed without a single wrinkle, with the silver-edged short cape representing her status as President draped over her shoulders.
Her lake-blue hair was meticulously tied into a high ponytail that hung down her back, swaying slightly with her movements.
Her eyes were slightly closed, and her hands traced complex patterns in front of her. Points of ice-blue mana gathered from the air as if drawn by invisible hands, condensing before her palms.
The temperature in the air dropped noticeably. Tiny ice crystals formed on her eyelashes and the tips of her hair, only to melt silently under the vibration of her mana.
She was attempting to cast a Mid-tier ice-attribute magic—【Ice Crystal Spike Array】.
This spell required precise mana control to condense several sharp ice crystals, imbued with piercing and frostbite effects, in a very short time. It then had to be unleashed in an array to strike a specific area. Combining control and lethality, it demanded extreme mana control, elemental shaping ability, and mental focus from the caster.
Yelena held her breath and softened her footsteps, not wanting to disturb her. She stood quietly in the shadows at the edge of the field, watching.
Vivian's casting process appeared smooth and stable. The ice-blue mana leaped at her fingertips like a flowing cold spring.
However, just as the magic was nearing completion and the array of ice spikes was about to stabilize and fire—
Buzz!
A faint but clear Mana Disorder wave emanated from in front of Vivian without warning.
Spiderweb-like cracks suddenly appeared on the surfaces of the ice spikes, which had already begun to take shape and emit a dangerous cold light.
Immediately following that, the mana structure forming the ice spikes seemed to lose a critical balance and began to vibrate violently.
Crack! Snap—!
A series of crisp shattering sounds rang out.
The incomplete 【Ice Crystal Spike Array】 abruptly collapsed less than half a meter from Vivian's palms. It disintegrated into countless tiny ice shards, scattering across the stone slabs like a miniature hailstorm before quickly melting and leaving behind only a small patch of dampness.
The spell had failed.
Vivian slowly opened her eyes.
In her ice-blue eyes, there was no frustration, no anger, and barely even a flicker of emotion. There was only a bottomless calm.
She simply watched the water stains rapidly disappearing on the ground and the lingering chill of the mana in the air. She stood in silence, looking like a perfect ice sculpture.
Standing at the edge of the field, Yelena couldn't help but sigh softly in her heart.
As a veteran of the Student Council, she had witnessed many similar scenes.
Sometimes, deep down, she felt quite a bit of sympathy for this Student Council President who appeared perfect in everyone's eyes.
Because Yelena knew better than anyone that Vivian Kahn's current status and strength were not achieved solely through her noble birth or so-called talent.
Her position as the Representative had been built piece by piece through diligence and effort that far exceeded that of ordinary people.
Her schedule was precise to the minute, her training intensity made many male students of the same grade shrink back in fear, and her self-discipline was suffocatingly strict.
However, some chasms could not be crossed by diligence and effort alone.
Just like right now.
Vivian's level had already reached LV34.
This was a top-tier level among the academy's second-year students and even some third-years.
Logically, given her level and long-term, relentless practice, her proficiency in Mid-tier magic like 【Ice Crystal Spike Array】 should have naturally reached LV3 long ago.
But the reality was that no matter how hard she studied or how much extra time she spent researching magical principles, she couldn't seem to get past this hurdle.
That bottleneck representing a proficiency increase stood before her like an invisible wall, solid and indifferent.
What a stark contrast this was to her sister, who had only recently enrolled. Her sister had already reached LV20 and, seemingly without any effort, had increased the proficiency of the Supreme-tier fire magic 【Flame Burst】 from LV1 to LV2, unlocking 【Molten Burst】.
One gave her all yet struggled to move forward.
The other did it with ease and advanced by leaps and bounds.
The gap in talent echoed silently through the empty training ground like a cold mockery.
Yelena shook her head slightly, forcibly dispelling these somewhat presumptuous thoughts.
She knew very well that given her status and ability, what she could do for the President was truly limited.
The greatest support she could offer was to silently cheer for the President's efforts and complete every task assigned to her as efficiently as possible, without adding any extra trouble.
With that thought, Yelena took a deep breath, tidied her uniform and hair which were slightly disheveled from her jog, and put on a serious expression. She stepped forward toward Vivian, who was still standing silently in the center of the field.
"P-President."
Yelena stopped a few paces away from Vivian and gave a respectful bow.
Hearing her voice, Vivian slowly turned around. Her ice-blue gaze fell on Yelena, and she gave a slight nod, indicating that she could speak.
Her expression had returned to its usual state, as if the failure just now had never happened.
"It's the report on the handling of the student dispute in the Central Courtyard this afternoon."
Yelena took out her notebook and began to give a clear and organized report.
After finishing the report, Yelena hesitated for a moment before proactively adding:
"Um... President, Greg Sass had some... well, some urgent personal matters to attend to, so he asked me to report on his behalf."
"But he acted very professionally while handling the dispute today. He cited the relevant rules and maintained a very fair attitude, showing no bias because of the other party's noble status. I think... it seems he's actually taking his work as a Disciplinary Committee member seriously."
She tried her best to put in a good word for Greg, hoping to change the President's potentially terrible impression of the former shame of the academy.
After listening to Yelena's report and additional comments, a nearly imperceptible trace of surprise flickered in Vivian's ice-blue eyes.
"Greg Sass... is actually performing his duties seriously?"
This was completely unexpected.
In her understanding, Greg Sass and words like 'serious' or 'responsible' were parallel lines that could never intersect.
In her view, his joining the Disciplinary Committee was purely another nonsensical prank by Headmistress Olivia.
She had even prepared herself to receive reports of his dereliction of duty at any time, after which she would immediately expel him from the Student Council.
But now, she was hearing such an evaluation from the always-honest Yelena?
Vivian was silent for a moment, her ice-blue eyes downcast as if she were contemplating something.
"Could it be... because he was exiled by his family and lost all his support, he finally realized the cruelty of reality... and wants to start changing?"
As soon as that thought surfaced, countless images involuntarily flashed before Vivian's eyes.
The blond boy who had always led her and walked ahead of her when they were children...
The youth whose gaze grew frivolous as they got older, who always pushed her away whenever she asked him to practice magic together...
Expectations fallen through time after time, trust betrayed time after time, and dignity shamed by that name time after time...
A freezing chill, like the hardest layer of ice, instantly recovered the extremely faint ripple that had just appeared in her eyes.
Regardless of whether he truly wants to change or not...
That absurd engagement between us, and that unpleasant past, should have ended completely a long time ago.
Now, he is a student of the academy and a temporary Disciplinary Committee member, while I am the Student Council President. That is all.
Vivian looked up, her gaze restored to absolute clarity and composure. She nodded to Yelena and spoke in a flat, emotionless voice:
"I see. The report was very clear. Thank you for your hard work, Yelena. Go back and rest."
"Yes, President."
Yelena breathed a sigh of relief, bowed again, and then quietly exited the training ground.
The heavy oak door closed softly behind her, separating the inside from the outside.
Inside the training ground, Vivian was alone once more, surrounded by a cold silence.
She stood where she was, her ice-blue eyes looking out the window at the fading daylight. Only after a long time did she whisper in a voice only she could hear:
"No matter what... the relationship between us ended... long ago."
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