Chapter 5. Ice Princess

"Ken, I think we have an issue." Lovetta stated as the pair ate their breakfast at the dining hall on Sunday morning.

One week has passed since the start of classes and the pair is already overwhelmed.

"Tell me about it! They say it's beginner classes, but I can't understand anything! How are we supposed to learn anything at all if the first class is already beyond our level."

While history is rather straightforward with mostly just memorization and language is mostly learning new words and how different races and places have different interpretations.

It would seem that even at the beginner level for math, science and magic, things got skipped over and that made the lessons impossible for Ken and Lovetta to understand.

"Well, we know for a fact that even at the beginner level most of the things they are teaching are not the most basic. But how are we supposed to get to that level if they are not even been taught." Ken sighed as he finished up his breakfast.

After attending the beginner physical magic classes and having no clue what he is meant to do, Ken is only able to start getting a grasp of things after Lovetta started tutoring him from the most basic of basics.

For the rest of the classes, he tried to ask the professor for help but was told that at this school, it's up to the students to understand the material. The only suggestions they offered are to study up at the library, ask a friend to help or hire a tutor.

"You know, I always hated been poor and getting accepted to this school, I thought my fate has changed but once again, been poor sucks!"

"I asked around and the cheapest anyone is willing to tutor is 20 academy points for 30 minutes!"

"So, what do we do Ken? It's only been one week, and we are already way behind, the longer this goes on, the more impossible it would be for us to catch up and we will be kickout after a year!"

"Only way for us poor folks to get it done is to have someone tutor us for free, but we can't even make any new friends, and no one will" before Ken finished his sentence, he had a sudden realization and told Lovetta that he has a plan that might be able to get them a free tutor.

After finishing their breakfast, the pair headed back to their common room where Ken surveyed the room and easily located the person he was looking for.

"Hello Clare can" before Ken could even get another word out, he was cut short coldly.

"Please do not disturb me while I'm studying."

"Just hear me out, we"

"No, I do not want to hear what you have to say. Now, leave so I can focus on my studies."

"The two of us will fail and have to drop out if we don't get someone to tutor us." Ken blurred out as fast as he could before he could be cut off again.

Finally putting her quill down and staring at Ken, Clare let out a sigh realizing the boy was just too persistent.

"And exactly why should I care that the two of you will fail and have to drop out?"

"Well, maybe out of the goodness in your heart? You don't want to see your classmates fail when you can prevent it, right?" Ken replied jokingly.

Clare was not amused by his remark as she kept staring at him waiting for him to finish and leave.

"You know, I didn't come unprepared, so I do have an offer for you.

"I know you are obsessed with been the best, and while you are amazing no doubt, it's hard for me to miss that someone did indeed outperform you on the physical portions on the entry exam."

"And what can the guy who got an overall zero possibly do?" Snapped Clare who is clearly agitated by what Ken said.

"Wow, I'm honored that even the ice princess knows who I am"

"Call me that one more time and the conversation is over."

"I apologize for that; you can be assured it won't happen again. Anyways, you are indeed correct that I got nothing to offer, but my friend here just happens to be that very person who is better at physical enhancement than you are.

Since you are from a royal family, I'm sure you had the best of tutors at home and yet she is still better."

"Stop beating around the bush and get to the point" Clare retorted.

"For her to be better than you, it must not be due to the lack of training, so I believe that she has learned something from her family that even the best tutors couldn't offer you.

Since you are no doubt aiming to be the best, we are offering you her expertise on physical enchantment while you tutor us on everything else."

"Lay out the full details on your offer and I will see if it's worth my time." Clare responded showing interest for the first time.

"Well, obviously what you two will be going over is extremely advanced stuff so I feel like it's only fair that for 30 minutes of her coaching you on physical enchantment. You help us for at least an hour and half."

"What if I don't find her coaching useful?"

"Are you in a gambling mood? Obviously, you won't know if she is just more talented, or she just got some special training.

You don't always get what you paid for, so I guess it's up to you to decide if getting to work with her for a while is worth helping us for in return. At the worst, you wasted a few hours, but if it works out, I think it's a worthy trade." Ken offered the deal like he was a salesman.

After pondering at his offer for a bit, Clare decided to take upon the offer and the three headed to the training ground so the two could get some training done.

Since today is Sunday, the training facility for the students is pretty empty with only a few students scattered around. Some are doing weight training; some are having a spar and a few others are on the track doing laps.

The three of them find a nice quite corner where Lovetta and Clare begin to discuss and show each other how they enhance and what techniques they use while Ken just stands there as the third wheel having no clue what the two girls are talking about.

"Interesting, I never thought those techniques could be combined this way. I have never seen an elf do what you are showing me even those that have mastered holy level of enhancement."

Clare Yelwraek, the elf girl who took Ken's breathe away during the entrance exam and who got the top score is one of the only first year that's more famous than Ken.

Unlike Ken, who got famous for all the wrong reasons and has been avoided by most. Clare is on the top of the class hierarchy and is someone everyone tried to build a connection with.

The Yelwraek kingdom is said to be one of the oldest kingdoms in the world dating back all the way to the Great Reset. Not only is it the largest elf kingdom, along with the human kingdom of Darrumburgh, the kingdom of Yelwraek is without a doubt one of the two superpowers that's head and shoulders above even the other 8 major kingdoms.

After figuring out that Clare is not only from the kingdom of Yelwraek but the 14th child of the king, making her a princess of the Yelwraek kingdom. Every elf and even royalty from other races tried to butter up to her but all ended up getting coldly rejected like Ken did when he tried to talk to her on day one and her cold attitude and pure white hair and pale skin earned her the nickname Ice Princess.

After an hour of going over different techniques and enhancement, the pair called it a session and the three headed to the dining hall for lunch. While in line to get food, Clare ordered an elf dish that cost 10 whole points like it was nothing while Ken and Lovetta grabbed their free meal. Before Lovetta could ask for an extra portion, Ken spoke up with authority.

"Hey Clare, grab a portion of the free lunch for us."

As the three got their food and sat down, they became the center of attention. While most are used to the beastman girl and human pair, seeing the princess of Yelwraek eating together with them is a total shock and whispers can be heard all around them as rumors quickly spread.

Tuning out the stares and whispers, the three went on with their lunch without caring for their surroundings.

"So, that was one hour of coaching which means you need to help us for three hours. I would prefer if we can get started after lunch since I want to at least be able to catch up before week two of class starts." Ken stated while grabbing the free food from Clare's plate and handing it to Lovetta.

"Works for me, I just hope that was worth it. Now I am having some regrets spending so long and now have to deal with you people for at least three hours."

"Oh please, you know you enjoyed that. I bet that hour of whatever you two were talking about is worth way more than you train alone for days." Ken replied calling out Clare's complaint.

"I won't deny that, but why do I have to tutor you too when she was the one that did all the work."

"HEY! It's a package deal, ok? I might be pretty useless now but it's only because I never had any training, so I have no clue what's going on.

With Lovetta helping me with the physical enhancement from the very basics, I was able to catch up in no time. I'm sure once I get you to explain the very basics to me, I will be able to catch up in all the other subjects in no time." Ken answered defensively.

While Lovetta sat and listened, Ken and Clare went back and forth at each other like siblings as the three ate their food totally oblivious to their surroundings and the whispers.

After finishing their food, the three headed back to the common room and began the afternoon with the much-needed tutoring session for Ken and Lovetta.

To Clare's utter surprise, the questions Ken asked were so elementary that she couldn't believe there were people of their age that never learned things that she thought any 7-year-old would know.

"Did the two of you never go to school?" Clare asked in astonishment.

"And I thought you were smart. You think anyone who went to a proper school could ever get a zero on the entry exam?" Ken said bluntly.

"Fair point. In my defense, I thought you were just trying to act stupid to get noticed since I didn't think anyone could get an overall zero." Clare answered while still in shock.

As the afternoon went on, Clare was able to teach the pair most of the basics for the subjects that's been giving Ken and Lovetta issues.

"That made things so much easier! If I had knew those simple concepts I won't have been so lost in class." Ken complained as the three packed up and got ready to head to the dining hall for dinner.

Once again, Clare ordered some fancy elf dish and without even been asked this time, she got an order of the free dinner as the three finished their orders.

"She sure eats a lot for someone who isn't even that big or buff." Clare commented while handing over the food as the three sat down at a table.

"I know right. Maybe her appetite is why she is so good at physical enhancement." Ken replied jokingly.

Letting out a small smile, Clare and the pair chatted and got to know one another while ignoring all the stares and whispers from those around them.