Chapter 2 The School Is Full of People Everywhere… No, There Aren’t People Everywhere!

Evelyn's POV

After getting back from Arthur's place, I called the number on the letter.

A woman with a gentle voice answered, saying she was from the academy's admissions office.

"Evelyn, your student registration is already complete. The records show your grandfather helped register you."

I couldn't believe it and called Arthur to confirm.

"Yes, someone from Thornwick Academy contacted me last year," he said. "They detected energy fluctuations in you and asked if I'd be willing to submit an enrollment application for you. I said yes, and that's when I registered you and got your student ID set up."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because shapeshifter abilities usually show up around age fifteen." Arthur sighed. "But you're a late bloomer. They said you might not show clear signs of awakening until after eighteen, so... I was waiting."

I gripped my phone tightly.

"So what will I turn into?"

Arthur went quiet for a moment.

"Your energy fluctuations point to a very rare bloodline. I don't know either. Maybe once you get to Thornwick Academy, you'll find out."

I felt a bit disappointed.

After hanging up, I sat on the couch in a daze for a long time.

To be safe, I eventually quit my convenience store job and decided to throw myself completely into going to the magic academy to find the truth about my origins and my own abilities!

September first, 47 Charing Cross Road.

When I stood in front of that building, I almost thought I'd come to the wrong place.

I'd been to Charing Cross Road countless times. I could draw a map of this street with my eyes closed.

But number forty-seven was clearly just a wall.

This wall was wedged between an antique shop and a record store, with an expired concert poster stuck on it.

I checked my phone. Forty-seven, that's right.

I hesitated, then reached out and pressed my hand against the wall.

Nothing happened. Just as I was about to pull my hand back, my fingertips suddenly touched a smooth spot.

My hand felt like something was guiding it, sliding down along that metal surface, then touching a small indentation.

A keyhole!

I immediately pulled out the key from around my neck and inserted it.

The wall actually split open down the middle, sliding silently to both sides!

Behind the door was a passage paved with dark gray stone slabs. On the walls on both sides hung glowing wall lamps—clusters of light orbs floating in the air, like fireflies trapped in glass covers.

I took a deep breath and walked in.

The door closed behind me, shutting out the noise of Charing Cross Road.

At the end of the passage was a huge archway, more grand than any I'd seen in movies.

I walked through, and the next second I was standing in a wide open square.

The square was as big as a football field, surrounded by rows of buildings—Gothic spires, Victorian arched windows, and some domed towers in styles I couldn't even name.

The square was full of people.

No, not all people.

I saw a girl with pointed ears walk past me, dragging a fluffy tail behind her. On the other side, a gray wolf stood up and turned into a teenager in a leather jacket.

My legs felt weak.

"First time here?"

A confident female voice suddenly came from behind me.

I turned around and saw a girl walking toward me.

She had messy dark red short hair, wore a dark green short robe over a black turtleneck sweater, and had brown ankle boots on her feet.

"You look like you got hit by a truck," she said. "But don't worry, the first time I came here I threw up right at the entrance."

"...Thanks for the comfort."

"No problem." She held out her hand. "I'm Emma Weasley, Silver Cliff Bloodline Vampire Clan shapeshifter."

I was a bit confused, blinking.

"Vampire?"

"Silver Cliff Bloodline branch. We don't turn into bats and we don't drink human blood." She rolled her eyes. "I hate explaining this. Every time I do, people back up three steps. What about you?"

"Evelyn. I... I don't know what I am."

Emma's eyes lit up. "Are you kidding me?"

I looked innocent. "I really don't know."

Emma looked me over, as if trying to figure out if I was telling the truth. After all, at my age, few people don't know what they are.

I was about to say something when suddenly there was a commotion in the square.

Emma's smile disappeared. She grabbed my sleeve and pulled me back a couple steps.

"Don't look over there."

But I looked anyway.

On the east side of the square, three guys in gray robes who appeared to be from the Lycan Clan were blocking someone.

And the person surrounded in the middle...

When my eyes landed on him, my breath caught.

He was leaning against the wall, taller than those three guys. He had long silver-white hair falling down, with the ends showing a very faint golden-red shimmer. His features were delicate, his nose bridge high, and his deep golden eyes were calm.

I saw a pale gold mark on his forehead, vaguely shaped like a bird with spread wings.

"Who is that?"

Emma didn't answer. Instead, she let go of my sleeve and walked straight over there.

I froze for a second, then followed a couple steps behind.

Emma walked up behind the three Lycan Clan guys and crossed her arms.

"Isn't this Kane Smith?"

Her tone was mocking. "Getting cornered again? The thing about burning down the training grounds last time isn't even over yet. What are you planning to burn this time? People?"

The three Lycan Clan guys turned to look at her.

One guy with a scar on his ear sneered. "Are you here to watch the show too?"

"Watch the show?" Emma shrugged. "I'm just passing by. Just wanted to remind you guys to stay away from him, don't catch something dirty. He's the only survivor of the Phoenix Clan. Who knows what kind of curse he's carrying."

Emma turned around and said to me in a low voice, "See that? That's Kane Smith, the last person from the Phoenix Clan, and the one person in this whole academy you shouldn't go near. Stay away from him, got it?"

I looked at her, then looked at the figure cornered against the wall.

"Why are you all treating him like this?"

"Because he's a bad omen." Emma rolled her eyes. "You're a freshman, you don't get it. You'll understand later."

Bad omen. I repeated the phrase to myself. Growing up, I'd been isolated too because I didn't have parents around. I just never expected there'd be discrimination at a magic academy too.

Those three Lycan Clan guys were still closing in. One of them had already reached out his hand, about to push his shoulder.

Watching from the side, his situation reminded me of myself being bullied back then. My emotions were running high.

I wanted to step forward and help him.

But...

They were Lycan Clan, vampires—these races I'd only seen in books and movies before. If I made them angry, would they bully me too? Or would they kill me right here...

I clenched my fists, not daring to step forward.

While I hesitated, one of the Lycan Clan guys had already pushed Kane to the ground and was about to spit on him.

His clean clothes got dirty, his hand scraped and bleeding. He looked terrible, but still stubbornly bit his lip and said nothing.

My stomach churned, as if I was seeing myself being stepped on by thugs in an alley years ago.

I closed my eyes. Some unknown force inside me grew faintly hot from extreme anger. I clenched my fists, gathered my courage, and shouted.

"That's enough."

Emma whipped her head around to look at me, eyes wide as saucers.

The three Lycan Clan guys stopped what they were doing and all looked at me at once.

I took a deep breath and walked forward a few steps.

"Three of you cornering one guy—don't you feel embarrassed?"