The announcement for the midterm practical assessment had been posted on the bulletin board of the Magic Academy for exactly one week, but until the morning of the assessment day, no one had actively invited me to join their team.

This was within my expectations.


Since completely defeating Lina at the training ground last time, my "reputation" at the academy had undergone a subtle change. The voices that used to gossip behind my back about being "arrogant" had now turned into wariness of my abilities. But wariness itself is a form of distance; it makes people even more reluctant to approach me.

However, this is fine too.

I walked alone toward the gathering point behind the academy. The morning mist had not completely dissipated, and the air was filled with the scent of leaves and damp soil. Other students had already gathered there in small groups, discussing today's assessment content and team arrangements.


"Everyone, please pay attention!" The supervising magic instructor Klaus raised the magical amplifier in his hand. As a senior instructor at the academy, he had the typical scholarly demeanor—graying beard, deep-set eyes, and a monocle that perpetually rested on the bridge of his nose.

"Today's assessment involves subduing low-level magical beasts in the forest. Each team must defeat at least three magical beasts and bring back their magic stones as proof. The assessment period is four hours, and leaving the designated area is strictly prohibited."


His gaze swept over the gathered students: "Now, let's confirm your team arrangements!"

I looked around and saw that the other students had already formed stable groups. Lina naturally stood at the center of her team, with the Prince on her right, and several noble children surrounding them. The scene looked just like a classic moment from a fairy tale—a beautiful maiden protected by a handsome prince and brave knights.

Karen stood on the other side, surrounded by several powerful students, each with faces full of confidence. This was a team formed purely based on strength.

As for me...

"Miss Ethelgard, are you acting alone?" Mentor Klaus noticed my situation.

"Yes." I answered calmly.

Whispers spread around. Some said I was too arrogant, some said it was natural that I was isolated, and others worried if I would encounter danger alone.

But all these voices meant nothing to me. What mattered was that acting alone would allow me to test the combat effectiveness of "Stardust Weaving" more freely.

"Very well." Mentor Klaus nodded, "Now, everyone enter the forest. Remember, safety first, don't push yourselves too hard!"

As the mentor's words fell, students began to enter the forest one after another. Lina's team chatted and laughed along the way, with the prince occasionally asking if she was tired, while other members eagerly displayed their gentlemanly manners.

This harmonious and warm atmosphere was typical of an Otome Game plot.

And I chose a completely different path.

The forest was denser than I had imagined. Tall trees formed a thick natural barrier, with dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves, casting swaying shadows on the ground. The chirping of birds and the buzzing of insects intertwined, creating nature's background music.

I carefully observed my surroundings while contemplating today's true objective. On the surface, I needed to defeat three low-level magical beasts to complete the assessment. But in reality, I was more concerned about whether I could verify the power of "Stardust Weaving" in actual combat.

In my research over the past few months, I have essentially mastered the theoretical foundations of this new magic. The essence of "Stardust Weaving" is to transform magical power into extremely fine energy threads that not only possess powerful cutting abilities but also release a purifying effect the instant they make contact with their target.

But theory and practice often have an enormous gap between them. Only in actual combat can I confirm whether this magic can become my weapon of protection.

Suddenly, the sound of breaking branches came from the left.

I immediately stopped in my tracks, focusing my attention in the direction of the sound. Soon, I saw the source of the noise—three low-level Slimes foraging near a fallen tree trunk.

Slimes are among the most basic magical creatures, slow-moving with limited attack power. For a second-year student, defeating them should not be difficult.

However, I don't plan to deal with them using conventional methods.

"Stardust Weaving, First Form—Thread Binding."

I softly recited the incantation while channeling mana to my fingertips. In the next instant, several threads of energy glowing with a pale blue light extended from between my fingers, wrapping around the Slimes at a speed that the naked eye could barely follow.

The effect was even better than I had anticipated. Those seemingly delicate threads actually possessed an astonishing binding force, firmly trapping the three Slimes in place, rendering them immobile.

Next came the second step—purification.

"Star Dust Weaving, Second Form—Light of Purification."

The threads began to emit an even more dazzling radiance, and under the illumination of this light, the bodies of the Slimes gradually decomposed, ultimately transforming into sparkling Mana Particles that dispersed into the air. The entire process was elegant and efficient, like a meticulously choreographed artistic performance.

I bent down to pick up the three magic stones that had fallen to the ground, feeling a surge of satisfaction. The power of "Stardust Weaving" truly lived up to my expectations, and it felt more intuitive and natural to use than traditional magic.

Just as I was preparing to venture deeper into the forest to find more targets, footsteps once again sounded from behind me.

These footsteps were more rhythmic, clearly human rather than magical creatures. I turned around to see Karen Astra emerging from the bushes, with two students I didn't recognize well following behind him.

The moment our eyes met, the air seemed to freeze.

In Karen's eyes flickered a light that I couldn't fully decipher—there was curiosity, inquiry, and a subtle kind of respect. He had obviously noticed the battle just now, or at least its aftermath.

"Using Light Magic?" he asked, his tone carrying purely academic interest.

"Similar, but not exactly the same." I answered honestly. There was no need to completely lie, but also no need to reveal too many details.

Karen nodded thoughtfully: "Indeed, the quality of that light just now was very special. I've never seen magic like that before."

"There are many things in this world you haven't seen yet."

"That's right." He smiled, "That's exactly what learning is all about."

This brief conversation changed my impression of Karen somewhat. In the original storyline, although he was powerful, his personality was relatively arrogant, and he rarely acknowledged his own ignorance. But now, he was displaying a rare humility and thirst for knowledge.

Perhaps my changes were also unconsciously influencing others?

"Well then, good luck with your assessment." I prepared to leave.

"Wait." Karen called out to me, "If you don't mind, we could exchange some magical insights. I'm very interested in the technique you just used."

This was an unexpected invitation. In the original plot, although Karen admired Eliana's talent, the relationship between them had always maintained a subtle state of competition. He had never actively proposed such an academic exchange.

"Maybe another day." I politely declined, "I have other plans today."

After saying this, I turned and walked deeper into the forest. Although the interaction with Karen was interesting, my real goal today was to further test the limits of "Stardust Weaving." To do this, I needed to find more powerful opponents.

The depths of the forest were noticeably quieter than the outskirts. Sunlight struggled to penetrate through the dense canopy to the ground, giving the whole atmosphere a gloomy and mysterious feel. There was an indescribable tension in the air, as if some dangerous presence was observing me from the shadows.

This sensation heightened my alertness. According to the examination rules, there should only be low-level magical creatures in this area. But now, this oppressive atmosphere clearly exceeded the category of "low-level."

Suddenly, a dark shadow darted out from the bushes to my left.

It was a giant wolf-like magical creature, its body covered with pitch-black fur, eyes flickering with blood-red light. Its claws and fangs emitted ominous magical energy fluctuations, and even the ground it stepped on was left with corrosive marks.

Shadow Wolf—a mid-level magical creature that absolutely should not appear in the academy's examination area.

Moreover, judging from the magical energy intensity it was emitting, this was an individual that had undergone some kind of mutation. Its power likely approached the level of high-grade magical creatures.

This was definitely not a coincidence. Someone deliberately placed this Shadow Wolf here, with the purpose of...

Killing me.

This realization made my mind exceptionally clear. Although I don't know who's plotting behind the scenes, the most important thing now is to deal with the immediate threat.

The Shadow Wolf let out a deep growl, clearly marking me as its prey. In the next moment, it would launch its attack.

But this is fine too.

Since someone has provided such a good "test subject," I might as well verify the effectiveness of "Star Dust Weaving" against high-level enemies.

It's time to reveal the true power of "Star Dust Weaving."

I took a deep breath, mobilizing the magical power throughout my body. Unlike the small-scale spellcasting when facing the Slime, this time I'm prepared to go all out.

"Star Dust Weaving, Third Form—Heaven and Earth Net."

This is an advanced technique I developed during my research, capable of simultaneously releasing dozens of energy threads to form an attack network with extremely wide coverage.

Countless threads shimmering with silvery-white radiance extended from around my body. They intertwined and coiled in the air, forming a beautiful yet deadly web of light. Each thread contained enough energy to slice through steel, and their total number... even I couldn't count them all.

The Shadow Wolf seemed to sense the mortal threat, letting out a shrill howl as it attempted to retreat.

But it was already too late.

The web of light contracted instantly, enveloping the Shadow Wolf within. Those seemingly delicate threads, upon contact with its body, immediately erupted with blinding purifying light. The Shadow Wolf's agonizing screams echoed through the forest, but the sound abruptly ceased.

When the light dissipated, the Shadow Wolf had vanished without a trace, leaving only a high-grade magic stone with a dark purple luster lying quietly on the ground.

The entire process took less than ten seconds.

I bent down to pick up the mana stone, feeling the powerful magical energy contained within it. The value of this mana stone is probably more than a hundred times higher than an ordinary Lesser Mana Stone.

More importantly, through this real combat, I confirmed the immense power of "Stardust Weaving." This magic can not only easily deal with low-level enemies, but even mid-level magical beasts cannot resist it for more than ten seconds.

This gave me a long-lost sense of security.

Since my rebirth, I have been living in fear of death. The cold sensation from that guillotine constantly reminds me that if I'm not strong enough, the tragedy will repeat itself.

But now, I finally have enough power to protect myself.

"Stardust Weaving"... this is my capital for survival in this world.