Milly stirred as little hands nudged her arm.
"Miss Mila… wake up?" one timid voice whispered.
Milly blinked, stretched, and got to her feet. "Alright, everyone, let's start class," she said, trying to sound bright and energetic.
A faint murmur ran through the students. "Is she… spacing out again?"
"She's… Miss Mila, right? She's human… isn't she?" another student whispered, glancing nervously at her.
Milly ignored the whispers, moving to demonstrate a stance. "Keep your feet planted! Balance is key!"
Her gaze drifted briefly to the corner of the room as memories of last night crept in. The dragon beam… it burned through me… I can't control it yet…
"Miss Mila? Are you listening?" one of the students asked, snapping her back to the present.
"Of course," Milly replied, voice steady. She placed her hands on her hips, forcing her attention fully on the class. "Remember, stamina is just as important as strength. Control your breathing, control your energy."
"But Miss Mila," a boy piped up, "you never seem tired! How are you doing this?"
Milly smiled faintly, shaking her head. "It's… a lot of practice."
From the back, another student muttered, "I swear she's… different from us. How can someone teach and have energy like that?"
"I'm spacing out again," Milly admitted quietly to herself, though only she heard it. Her eyes flickered toward her hands for a brief moment, where a faint crimson glow pulsed an unintentional reminder of the dragon energy she had nearly lost control over last night.
"Stay focused!" she commanded, snapping back to her usual authoritative tone. "Let's finish today's drills properly. Pay attention!"
The students nodded nervously, some impressed, some still whispering, but all trying to keep up. And inside, Milly's thoughts churned: I have to master it… that beam… I can't fail again.