{What a huge place!} — Arthur thought, eyes wide.
Upon entering the Magic Academy's garden, Arthur was amazed by the beauty of the place, where various fountains were scattered around. In them, not water but pure magic flowed, lending beauty and an air of seriousness. These fountains, formed by different types of magic, created varied images, easily manipulated thanks to the magical artifacts that allowed almost anything to be molded with magic.
Arthur watched the children and their parents entering through a door that, as they passed, closed quickly, making them disappear instantly.
{What just happened?} — Arthur thought, intrigued.
Those doors teleported the children and their parents to the room assigned to each student. Arthur felt a knot in his stomach, as everything was completely new to him. Although he had studied very basic magic with Charles and had undergone training with the soldiers, experiencing it personally was something entirely different.
{How incredible!} — Arthur thought, looking around with a pounding heart, admiring the wonders that surrounded him.
Excited, he overcame his fear and walked towards the door. When he tried to pass through, the door closed, and even when he knocked, he heard no sound. Suddenly, it opened abruptly, sucking him into the middle of the room where everyone was, making him fall to the floor. Arthur stood up and saw the nobles accompanying their children, feeling lonely for being unaccompanied.
Everyone formed a circle around a magical artifact floating in the center of the main hall.
— Everyone, I'm glad you're all here! I hope you get along well and learn a lot at our Magic Academy. Good luck to all! Now, the sensei responsible for your class will explain everything thoroughly. Have a good study — the director said through the artifact, her voice warm.
— You heard the director. I'll explain everything thoroughly, but first, I want all students to form a circle and introduce yourselves, one by one. My name is Moriyama, and I will be your sensei — Moriyama-sensei announced, her tone firm yet welcoming.
She was a tall woman with beautiful curves and white hair that looked like silver threads or spiderwebs, giving her an ethereal beauty, far from any sign of old age. Her skin was olive-toned, and her emerald green eyes enchanted all the fathers, while some mothers were annoyed and glared angrily at their husbands, who tried to hide their lustful gazes.
— My name is Kidero Raiden, and I will become the most powerful in this kingdom, just like my brother! — Kidero said, proud. (Duke's Family)
(Applause echoed through the room.)
— My name is Mia Haru... N-nice to meet you all — Mia said shyly. (Duke's Family)
(Softer applause accompanied her.)
And so, all the students' names were presented, until it was Arthur's turn.
As the others introduced themselves, the nobles around began to murmur, casting suspicious glances at Arthur.
— Who is that boy without parents? — a duke whispered, frowning.
— How did someone like him get into the academy? — another questioned, disdainfully.
The absence of an escort and Arthur's silence intensified the whispers, making him feel even more isolated in the circle.
— My name is Arthur — he said, his voice hesitant.
(Everyone waited, curious, expecting him to say something more.)
— And your surname? — Moriyama-sensei asked, frowning.
— I don't have a surname — Arthur replied, confused.
— And your parents? — the sensei insisted, curious.
— I don't know... I haven't seen my mother in a long time — Arthur added, lowering his gaze.
— How did this child get in here if his name isn't on the class list? — Moriyama-sensei interrupted, annoyed, cutting Arthur off.
— Moriyama-sensei, Charles asked me to deliver this — Arthur said, offering a paper with the royal seal.
— What? This is an insult to our academy, but if the king allowed it, there's nothing I can do — the sensei exclaimed, astonished, as she read the document.
— As you all know, our Magic Academy has been training children for many years, from the first to the third period, each lasting four years. Since you are six years old, you will finish the academy at eighteen and can choose the path you prefer. Every twelve years, we accept six-year-old students to maintain this organization. We have ten classes, each with twelve students, totaling one hundred and twenty children. Each class is the responsibility of a different sensei. There are small rooms for each class and the main hall for everyone. Now, head to your rooms and get ready, as class will begin shortly in the main hall — Moriyama-sensei explained, with authority.
Arthur walked to the dormitory, observing to his right the girls' corridor, numbered 1 to 60, and to his left the boys', from 61 to 120. They were long corridors with aligned doors, guided only by the numbers above each one. He searched for a while but couldn't find his room. His number was 121, and the doors ended at 120.
{Where will I stay? I can't find my room, and the numbers end here. I guess I'll go to the director's office.} — Arthur thought, disheartened.
Upon reaching the director's office door, he knocked timidly.
The director's firm voice sounded. She was a woman with greying hair, with some white strands standing out, yet still maintaining the glow of youth. Her eyes, a subtle combination of light green and blue, blended naturally, like the calm of shallow waters, and although there were discreet signs of age around them, they were barely noticeable.
— Come in — the director said.
— Hello... I was looking for my room and couldn't find it — Arthur explained, embarrassed.
— That's impossible! All rooms are properly counted for our students. What's your number? — the director questioned, incredulous.
— 121 — Arthur replied.
— Ah, you're the irregular student, aren't you? There's an old hut in the back of the academy. Your belongings should be there — the director said, with disdain.
Arthur left the director's office with his head down and walked to the hut. It was an old, dusty, and messy place. With effort, he organized his belongings and tidied the space, when a voice echoed:
— Class will begin in a few moments! Delays will not be tolerated! — the director announced through magical artifacts that spread her voice throughout the academy.
Arthur gathered his materials and ran to the first class, arriving at a huge room with numbered tables and chairs, all occupied by their owners. He was the last to enter, almost late, and everyone stopped to observe him, as he felt his heart pounding.
— Hey, that's that irregular kid everyone's talking about, right? — some children whispered among themselves.
— Yes, that's him. My parents told me to stay away from him — another replied, in a low voice.
— What a weird kid... He doesn't even have a surname — a third murmured.
As he walked up the stairs, Arthur noticed a seat set apart from the others, of much inferior quality. Sighing, he realized it was for him and walked towards it.
— Hey, who's that idiot? — Kidero asked, loudly.
— I don't know. Seems like that weirdo who got into the academy by the king's order. My parents told me to stay away from him — Sanzu, Kidero's friend, replied with disdain.
— Hey, you idiot! What are you doing here? This academy is no place for failures — Kidero provoked, with a cruel smile.
Arthur merely sat in his chair, quiet, waiting for the class to begin.
— Tsk! Who is this idiot, thinking he can ignore me? — Kidero grumbled, about to stand up.
— Everyone, sit down and be silent! Today, as an introductory lesson, I want you all to focus and imagine a ball of magic inside the small dimensional box on your desks. It's just a magical artifact. You can pour your mana into it with all your might, so that the sensei can see the nature of each student's magic. I'm going now to check our class's — Moriyama-sensei instructed, in a serious tone.
{I'm eager to discover the nature of my magic!} — Arthur thought, with excitement.
As he focused, Arthur's eye glowed, but as the room was illuminated by everyone's magic, no one noticed. He directed all his mana to form a ball inside the box, but something unexpected happened.