Morning sunlight slipped through the curtains of Jezebeth's room.
The soft light slowly spread across the room, illuminating the furniture and casting pale golden lines across the floor. Outside, the academy grounds were already beginning to wake, though Jezebeth remained completely unaware of how late he had slept.
His eyes slowly opened.
For a few seconds, he remained completely still, staring at the ceiling while his mind tried to catch up with reality. His body still felt heavy from sleep, and the warmth of the blanket made getting out of bed feel unnecessarily difficult.
Then it hit him.
Academy.
Jezebeth sighed.
"Another day."
He stared at the ceiling for another moment before finally sitting up. The thought of spending another full day in classes wasn't exactly exciting, but there was something about academy life that had already begun to feel strangely familiar.
He reached for his phone and checked the time.
7:18 AM.
His eyes widened.
"Wait."
He immediately sat up.
Class started at eight.
"Why did I sleep this late?"
He threw the blanket aside and hurried into the bathroom.
His usual morning routine was supposed to be calm and simple. Apparently, today had decided to remove that privilege.
A few minutes later, he stepped out after taking a quick shower and began getting dressed. His academy uniform was mostly black with silver details, neat enough to look formal without feeling uncomfortable.
He quickly buttoned his uniform and slipped his arms into the jacket. Despite his complaints about waking up late, he moved with surprising efficiency.
He stood before the mirror and adjusted his collar.
His dark hair was slightly messy.
He tried fixing it.
It somehow looked worse.
Jezebeth stared at himself for a moment.
"...Good enough."
There was no point fighting his hair any longer. He grabbed his phone and bag, then left his room before he could find another reason to waste time.
The halls of LaCroix Dorm were already busy.
Students walked toward the exits in groups, some still yawning while others were already deep in conversation. A few rushed past him, clearly having realized they had overslept.
The noise was completely different from what Jezebeth had been used to growing up. At Chronos Mansion, mornings had always been quiet and organized. Here, people were constantly moving, talking, laughing, and complaining.
Jezebeth descended the stairs and stepped outside.
The morning air was cool against his face. Sunlight reflected off the academy buildings, while students crossed the grounds in every direction, heading toward their respective classes.
He immediately noticed Seraphina standing near the entrance.
She stood with her arms folded, apparently waiting for someone. Her silver hair caught the morning light, making her stand out among the students passing through the entrance.
She looked toward him.
Then toward the clock.
Then back at him.
"You're late."
Jezebeth frowned.
"It's 7:31."
"Exactly."
"Class starts at eight."
"I know."
Jezebeth stared at her for a second, trying to figure out where the problem was.
"Then how am I late?"
Seraphina turned around.
"You're late because I had to wait for you."
Jezebeth smiled.
"You could've left."
"I thought about it."
"But you didn't."
She started walking.
"Unfortunately."
Jezebeth followed beside her.
"You waited for me."
"I was going to the same class."
"Still."
"Don't make it a big deal."
"I didn't say anything."
"Your face did."
Jezebeth laughed.
He couldn't help it. Seraphina always seemed to have an answer ready whenever he tried teasing her, and somehow that made walking beside her more entertaining.
The two continued across the academy grounds.
Morning had completely taken over the campus. Students filled the walkways, moving between buildings while conversations echoed throughout the grounds.
Jezebeth watched them as they passed. Some students carried books, others talked about their abilities, while a few were already discussing the day's lessons.
He was slowly getting used to the place.
It was nothing like Chronos Mansion.
The mansion had always been quiet, controlled, and almost unnaturally peaceful.
Every movement there seemed to have its place. Servants knew where they needed to be, guards stood at their posts, and every hallway seemed to carry the same familiar silence.
The academy was the complete opposite.
There were students everywhere.
People laughing.
Arguing.
Training.
Running late.
Living normal lives.
For some reason, Jezebeth found himself enjoying it.
It was strange. He had spent most of his childhood surrounded by people, yet he had never experienced anything quite like this. There was no one watching his every move here, and for once, he wasn't simply the heir of the Chronos family.
"You like it here."
Seraphina's voice pulled him from his thoughts.
Jezebeth looked at her.
"What makes you say that?"
"You've been looking around since you arrived."
"I'm just observing."
"You're always observing."
"Is that a bad thing?"
"No."
She paused.
"It suits you."
Jezebeth smiled slightly.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"It wasn't meant to be."
"Still taking it."
Seraphina shook her head.
Despite herself, the corner of her mouth lifted slightly. Jezebeth noticed but decided not to point it out.
They eventually reached their classroom.
Leon was already sitting in his usual seat.
He was leaning back in his chair, looking completely relaxed even though the bell would soon ring. His books were scattered across his desk in no particular order.
The moment he noticed them entering together, he raised an eyebrow.
"You two are together again."
Jezebeth dropped his bag beside his chair.
"We were walking to class."
"Together."
"Yes."
Leon looked at Seraphina.
"You sure?"
Seraphina sat down.
"Don't encourage him."
Leon smiled.
"I didn't even say anything."
"You were about to."
"I was."
Jezebeth laughed as he took his seat.
The three had somehow developed a strange rhythm within their short time together. Leon's teasing, Seraphina's patience, and Jezebeth's habit of provoking both of them made their conversations far more entertaining than they probably should have been.
The bell rang shortly afterward.
Their teacher entered and began the morning lesson.
Books opened across the classroom as the students settled down. Jezebeth rested his chin against his hand and listened quietly, occasionally glancing toward the board.
The first class passed quietly.
Then the second.
By the time their break arrived, Jezebeth was already beginning to feel bored.
He leaned back in his chair.
The lesson had been simple enough that he barely needed to think about it. Most of the information had either been taught to him by Arahel years ago or was something he had already encountered during his training.
"How many classes do we have left?"
Leon checked his schedule.
"Three."
Jezebeth stared at him.
"Three?"
"Three."
"That's criminal."
Leon chuckled.
"You've barely been here a week."
"That's enough time to know when something is wrong."
Seraphina looked at him.
"You've been here for less than a week."
"And?"
"You complain about everything."
"I complain about things that deserve it."
Leon laughed.
"He's got a point."
Seraphina gave them both an unimpressed look.
"You're both impossible."
Before they could continue, another bell rang.
But this time, instead of the teacher entering, a message appeared on the classroom's display.
The sudden change immediately caught everyone's attention. Students stopped talking as the screen at the front of the room flickered before displaying a single message.
ALL FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS ARE TO REPORT TO THE MAIN HALL.
The classroom immediately became confused.
Several students exchanged looks while others began whispering among themselves.
Leon looked at Jezebeth.
"What's going on?"
Jezebeth shrugged.
"No idea."
Seraphina stood.
"Let's go."
The three joined the crowd heading toward the main hall.
As they moved through the academy, more students joined the growing stream. Nobody seemed to know exactly why they had been called, which only made the speculation grow.
By the time they arrived, hundreds of students had gathered inside.
The enormous hall was unusually quiet.
Students filled the seats and aisles, their conversations reduced to low whispers. Teachers stood along the edges of the hall, watching the crowd with expressions that suggested the announcement was more important than an ordinary school notice.
A large stage stood at the front, with the academy's crest displayed behind it.
Jezebeth looked around.
"Something serious happened."
Leon nodded.
"Definitely."
Jezebeth's eyes moved across the hall. Even the teachers seemed unusually attentive, which made his curiosity grow.
A few moments later, the headmaster walked onto the stage.
The conversations immediately stopped.
He stood before the students, hands behind his back.
For a moment, he simply looked across the hall, allowing the silence to settle completely.
"Students."
His voice echoed throughout the hall.
"I have an important announcement concerning this year's academy exchange."
A wave of whispers spread through the crowd.
Jezebeth's attention sharpened.
The words immediately caught his interest. An exchange program wasn't something he had expected to hear about so soon after arriving.
The headmaster continued.
"This year, our academy has been selected to participate in an exchange program with three of the kingdom's most prestigious institutions."
He paused.
The hall became noticeably quieter.
"Clover Academy."
The hall became louder.
Students began whispering excitedly, clearly familiar with the name.
"Imperial Academy."
More whispers.
Jezebeth remained focused on the stage, listening carefully.
"And Rose Academy."
This time, the reaction was even stronger.
Several students began talking at once, while others looked toward their friends with obvious excitement.
Jezebeth glanced toward Seraphina.
She looked just as interested.
The headmaster raised his hand.
"The exchange will bring selected students from all four academies together."
The display behind him changed.
Four academy crests appeared.
The sight of them together made the announcement feel far more significant. These weren't simply schools competing against one another. They represented some of the most respected institutions in the kingdom.
"Our students will have the opportunity to study alongside students from these institutions, participate in joint training, and compete in supervised evaluations."
Leon leaned toward Jezebeth.
"That sounds like a competition disguised as education."
Jezebeth smirked.
"Probably because it is."
Seraphina quietly laughed.
The headmaster continued.
"Selection will not be based solely on strength. Academic performance, ability control, discipline, teamwork, and individual potential will all be taken into consideration."
The hall erupted into excited conversations.
Students immediately began speculating about who would be chosen. Some were already comparing themselves with their classmates, while others seemed determined to prove that they belonged among the selected students.
Jezebeth remained quiet.
Clover.
Imperial.
Rose.
He had heard their names before.
Growing up in the Chronos family had exposed him to plenty of information about the kingdom's major institutions, but knowing their names was different from actually having the opportunity to meet their students.
But hearing them together made the world outside the academy suddenly feel much larger.
For most of his life, Jezebeth's world had been centered around Chronos Mansion and the training grounds. Even the academy was still a relatively new experience for him.
Now there were entire groups of talented students somewhere beyond these walls.
Seraphina turned toward him.
"You want to go."
Jezebeth looked at her.
"How do you know?"
"You're smiling again."
He touched his face.
"I am?"
She nodded.
"A little."
Leon looked between them.
"He's definitely going."
Jezebeth smiled.
"Maybe."
Leon shook his head.
"That's definitely a yes."
Jezebeth ignored him and looked back toward the stage.
The headmaster raised his voice once more.
"Details concerning the selection process will be announced in the coming days. Until then, focus on your studies and continue developing your abilities."
His words echoed across the hall.
"Remember, representing this academy is not merely an honor. It is a responsibility."
The announcement ended.
The students immediately began leaving the hall, their excitement impossible to hide.
The noise returned almost instantly as hundreds of students began discussing the exchange. Names were thrown around, predictions were made, and arguments over who deserved to be selected had already begun.
Leon stretched.
"Well, this should be interesting."
Jezebeth looked toward the four crests still displayed on the screen.
Clover.
Imperial.
Rose.
And their own academy.
He stared at them for a moment longer.
Something about the exchange felt different.
It wasn't just another class.
It wasn't another training session.
For the first time since entering the academy, Jezebeth had a reason to wonder what existed beyond the world he already knew.
There were other students like him. Other prodigies. Other people who had spent years developing their abilities.
And soon, some of them might be standing beside him.
He looked at Seraphina.
"You still want to go?"
She smiled faintly.
"Definitely."
Jezebeth smiled back.
"Then I guess we'll see what happens."
Leon walked between them as they left the hall.
"Just don't embarrass us."
Jezebeth glanced at him.
"Why would I embarrass you?"
"Because you're you."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one I need."
Seraphina shook her head, but she was smiling again.
The three walked out of the hall together.
None of them knew who would be selected.
The announcement had only been the beginning, and the actual selection process had yet to start. Whatever challenges waited ahead, they would soon find out exactly how they compared to the students beyond their academy.
But one thing was certain.
The academy year had just become a lot more interesting.