The clock on the wall ticked steadily toward 9:00 AM as the massive History Lecture Hall gradually filled with students. One by one, voices filled the room chatter, laughter, hushed gossip, the sound of boots and shoes on polished marble floors.
Kael sat at the back, arms crossed, silently observing. He noted who came in late, who seemed uninterested, and who immediately scanned the room for familiar faces. The main cast were all here Jin, Elira, Samantha, the Solaris twins, and others whose names would likely come into play later.
Right on the dot, at 9:00 AM, the murmuring stopped.
The door at the front of the hall creaked open.
In walked a short old man with a hunched back, thin spectacles resting on his nose, and white hair slicked back neatly. He wore a faded brown robe that looked older than most of the students in the room. Despite his size, there was something undeniable about his presence.
A calm, calculating aura, sharp like brittle parchment and flames behind ancient scrolls.
Kael's eyes narrowed the moment the man entered.
'That's him… Mr. Greaves. History Instructor. S-rank Fire Core user… disguised under the persona of a frail scholar. People underestimate him until they realize he once reduced an entire battlefield to ash during the Border Wars.'
The man stepped up onto the platform and placed a small book on the podium. He didn't need to speak loudly. His presence alone commanded attention.
"Good morning," he said, voice soft but clear. "I am Professor Eridan Greaves. I will be your instructor for History of Realms and Empires."
No one said a word.
"Some of you will find this subject boring. You're wrong. History is the spine of this world. The empires you walk through, the mana you wield, even the enemies you fight… they were all shaped by events long before your birth."
He opened his book slowly.
"Let's begin with the First Age when the Realms were divided under the Primordial Accord, and the gods still walked among mortals…"
Kael leaned forward slightly, eyes focused.
'This isn't just history. It's the blueprint of the world my father created… and the key to surviving the chaos ahead.'