Zoella

Part 37

After some time, Zoella was finally able to calm her friends after making a fuss about her birthday. Zoella made a promise that she wouldn't complain if they throw a birthday party for her.

The four of them talked about the party and completely ignored Hayes who was still standing beside them.

"Ahem."

Lilian, Margaret, and Warren came back to their senses after hearing Hayes's deliberated cough. They smiled awkwardly while avoiding Hayes's eyes.

"Teacher, where's the other one?"

"Here."

Hayes showed his right ear. There's an earring that looked exactly the same as Zoella's gift.

"The blue crystal is a mana stone. We can communicate through this. You'll need it later."

Zoella nodded with a fascinated expression on her face.

'Just like an earpiece, huh? Cool.'

"That aside, I also come here to tell you that I will be conducting an exam only for you, Zoe."

Zoella's bright face slowly turned surly.

"Why suddenly?"

"It's not. I already planned it from the very start to see your improvement. I'll test your swordsmanship and magic."

Truthfully, Hayes came up with this idea just a moment ago. But Zoella didn't need to know that.

"What about my archery?"

"You think I will let you use a bow after what happened last time?"

Zoella closed her mouth as she averted her gaze from Hayes.

Not long ago, Zoella really blew the training ground completely with her arrows. Since then, Hayes prohibited her to touch a bow and arrows in the Academy. Because she had no choice, Zoella began to practice with a sword.

"The exam is this weekend. Let's meet at the training ground. Your friends can come too."

Hayes said that as he left them. Zoella scoffed as soon as Hayes's figure disappeared. Now she needed to train her friends and herself.

During her time at the Academy, Zoella still kept her plan to be an average student. She didn't show off her skills too much but still trained secretly in her room.

However, the problem is her swordsmanship skills.

It's been a while since she practiced that if she were to fight Hayes, Zoella had no choice but to train again. And this time she did it harder.

"Let's meet here every day after the class end."

"Sure."

The four of them ended their training for today and head back to the dorm.

***

That week, Zoella stopped her potion-making practice and her meeting with Ezekiel. She felt bad at first but right now her coming up exam was more important to her.

Every day after class, the four of them would gather in the dorm's backyard. Zoella had Margaret control her mana and Lilian trained her physic first. After that, she taught Margaret how to shape her mana into something while practicing her magic herself.

Meanwhile, Lilian still swung her sword and once in a while, Zoella would fix her stance. After she assumed that Lilian was ready, Zoella asked her to have a duel.

And now, the two of them were ready to defeat one another. Lilian with no doubt attacked Zoella with all her might. Each time she attacked Zoella, her swing got faster and stronger.