"You're the 89th batch of Acolytes to enter the Academy. Like your predecessors, the first lesson is a joint lecture, followed by an in-depth assessment for classroom assignments."
A benign old professor in wizard robes stood on a floating magic circle, his voice amplified through the sound system installed on the walls and ceiling of the great stadium.
Nearly nine hundred young and promising children who had finally reached this step stood in rows of nine.
Among the Acolytes, Darvis observed calmly, his golden eyes without a ripple. He could hear people around him whispering and discussing the recent fall of his predecessor's family: House Solomon.
Then again, any member of House Solomon with a pure bloodline is discernible at a glance. Golden eyes, sun-kissed chocolate skin, and a mane of silver hair.
Nourished by mana and the power of the elements over thousands of years, human genetics gradually evolved towards perfection. Any random Magi, if not a peerless beauty or a heart-throb gentleman, wouldn't be far off from that level.
At this point, aesthetic perfection is just a bonus to be expected.
"I heard that the entire upper echelon of the Solomons were ambushed and killed while exploring an Ancient Dragon Liar."
"That's just surface-level rumors for fools make believe. Do you really think a family that stood the test of time throughout the Dark Magus Era can fall to a mere Dragon's Liar? They probably fought a living, breathing Ancient Dragon in the past, let alone a dead one."
"Their Ancestors? Perhaps they truly fought a Dragon. Previous Duke Solomon and the elders of his family? They've probably gone rusty. I smell a conspiracy."
Aren't you all the clever ones? Darvis sighed inwardly. The Alliance of Dukes who massacred the Solomons didn't care what reason they provided, as the ends justify the means in this world of magic.
Would the Seven Magic Kings and Three Emperors hold the Dukes responsible for the slaughter? For a mere Acolyte's sake? Darvis didn't believe it one bit.
Thus, an excuse is better than nothing at all. At least, the order can be maintained through a fake screen of investigation and justice.
Likewise, if Darvis one day displayed greater value for humanity as a whole than the Alliance of Dukes, then the Seven Kings and Three Emperors wouldn't mind upholding justice for him.
Although they might not help him directly, they wouldn't stand in the way of his vengeance or deliberately obstruct his path. Joining the Academy without a hitch is one such assistance.
Davis could even imagine the mindset of those in power. Letting him join the Academy with but the wave of a hand. He could either grow enough to threaten the Dukes, or the heirs of those Dukes would grow under his pressure.
For humanity as a whole, this was a win-win situation.
Realizing that the higher-ups wanted to use him as motivation and limitation on the Duke's faction, he knew that he didn't have to worry about being targeted in case he revealed too much talent.
With his mind cleared up, he focused. The old Magi had just mentioned a Tabboo topic.
"Yes!" he emphasized, his tone laced with gravity.
"Grimoires are the main driving force behind the systematic establishment of Magic Academies throughout the Human Territory. We keep young and promising Acolytes like you safe from harm and evil. All of you know what a Magi's heart is, an Elemental Heart!
"This miraculous creation of nature was bestowed upon the lesser races when the Ancient Dragon God fell that year. This is the key to the gate between the ordinary and the mystical planes. As a Magi, you only have one heart, your greatest reliance and weakness. A Magi's dignity and reverse scale.
"A Magi's heart is one other thing: the main material to create a Grimoire!"
Sharp gasps of alarm and horror were plastered on the faces of the Acolytes from common origins. This was their first time hearing of such news, and for a moment, the grotesque and cruel sights of the Magi world reeled its ugly head at them.
Behind every Grimoire's creation lay the dead body of an innocent Magi.
Young, tender, clueless Acolytes raised for the sole purpose of arvesting the greatest value... A Magi's heart with high capacity yet clean from divine script.
Darvis glanced to his side, where a pair of commoner siblings held hands in both anxiety and relief. A brother and sister pair.
Both of them paused for a moment before returning Dravis' gaze.
Hm? Dravis raised an eyebrow. They sensed my fleeting glance? Their perception is extraordinary!
Darvis smiled faintly, with gleaming white canines and a sunny, infectious smile.
He immediately decided to recruit the pair under his wing. The two siblings seemed surprised, a bit flustered, and lost on what to do. Dravis decided to swing by and say hello on the way to the testing grounds.
He turned around, inspecting the 89th batch of Acolytes for prospective recruits. He noticed that almost everyone either dodged his gaze or whispered in hushed murmurs while pointing fingers.
He didn't care, mainly focusing on those who either didn't care for the gossip, focused on the old man's lecture, or eyed him with open curiosity.
Once his unprecedented talent was exposed, that would be his best option for recruiting followers.
Soon, the lecture ended. Instructors arrived, ushering the Acolytes toward the teleportation circles nearby. Darvis conveniently tagged along with the commoners' group, much to the surprise of the nobles, royalty, and commoners alike.
"Yo!" Darvis grinned at the pair of siblings who seemed the most astonished. "I'm Darvis; can we be friends?"
As he asked, Darvis looped his arm around the young man's stiff shoulder and chuckled.
"I... I..." The young man was confused. His sister, hesitant, also examined Darvis with suspicion.
After much deliberation, the sister mustered up her courage and spoke: "Master Darvis, I'm afraid our status is too low to accept your friendship..."