The first week for the new batch of Academy students began with excitement. The Royal Academy in the capital was considered the most prestigious university in the kingdom. All of the students had fought hard through exams and preparations to make their way through the grueling entrance examinations.
Academies offered further study for 19-year-olds for the two years of standard magical education. Other universities existed for medical, law, and various topics.
But the Royal was solely for magical exploration and research. The study of improving oneself in all areas. The harsh criteria of such a place implied that students had to be at least a Grade Two mage.
Anyone could use magic, but it was a rigged game. It required a practiced mind with all the equations and learning involved, which firstly required a good mindset and, secondly, a lot of money. Books, tutors, schooling, advancements, it all meant that the typical mage organically came from a good background.
One could say that being a mage was socially gatekept.
This batch of students entering the lecture hall on Monday morning were no different. All of them were from some form of wealth, making it to Grade Two at their age was impossible otherwise.
Remus watched them with indifference from the front of the hall, recognizing a few of them. Sons and daughters of the nobility, others not exactly noble but families rich enough to act like one through trade and business.
Then there were two even above them.
A young man with red hair and gray eyes, a pompous smile on his face, chatting animatedly to his companion, a young woman. Both of them were accompanied by two Royal Knight’s, fully armored. Both of the knights went to either end of the hall by the doors, not following their charges up the steps to the rows of seats.
No one batted an eye at the armored men, considering this was perfectly normal.
The young woman in question was the Crown Princess of this kingdom, Princess Beatrice Lux.
She had warm brown hair, tied back neatly in a simple tail. Her vivid blue eyes looked upon the distant Remus in curiosity. The professor couldn’t help but note that the bright eyes were identical to her mother’s, the Queen’s.
Beatrice dressed simply with the uniform required to attend the academy, with no ornamentation. No jewelry, nothing in her hair, nothing to stand out or flaunt her status or wealth. Perhaps a statement? It was an opposite approach from most of her fellow students, including the red-headed young man beside her.
Jacob Barth, the son of Duke Barth, the King’s cousin. This would make him a distant cousin to the princess beside him, having been raised as close friends. Unlike Beatrice, Jacob was lavished with rings, even elegant silver earrings to match his eyes.
He was also eyeing Remus with curiosity, his lazy permanent smirk whispering side commentary to the silent princess.
Remus, who had been standing still at the front of the hall beside the blackboards, had waited for them all to settle into their seats. Now that had been done, all of the students looked upon him expectantly, likely to introduce their much older and experienced Professor.
But much to their surprise, Remus just turned and wrote out ’Professor Blake’ on one of the boards behind him, in large and elegant writing.
"Good morning," he announced, turning around to them, clasping his hands behind his back. His voice was crisp and authoritative, carrying through the lecture hall as if it owned it.
"I am Professor Blake, and for this academic year I will be your teacher for Grade Three mage status. A goal you should all aspire to achieve by your graduation in two years’ time."
All of the students widened their eyes, some slack jaws of disbelief opening across the hall. Even one of the Royal Knights frowned, had anyone turned to look.
They all assumed this man was the professor’s assistant, which was the norm. He looked to be a little older than them! A graduate becoming a teaching assistant wasn’t unheard of, this gentleman would fit the bill.
But to be an actual professor!?
"Is this some sort of prank?" A cold but amused voice came from the audience. "Is this one of those hazing rituals we’ve heard about?"
Remus turned to look at the speaker, the princess’ companion.
"Your name?"
"Jacob Barth."
"Jacob." Remus nodded to him politely. "No. This is not a prank despite appearances. I am your professor, a Grade Five mage."
That statement actually caused a burst of laughter from someone in the back rows. The students all smiled uneasily, doubting this situation. A very poor prank indeed.
"What absolute rubbish." Jacob scoffed again, leaning forward. "Why are we to waste our precious time with this farce? Enough with the joking and bring the professor in."
"Arguing about this is a waste of time," Remus replied calmly, his gaze never leaving Jacob. "Therefore, how about an irrefutable test of knowledge?"
"That would be welcome." Jacob sneered in reply. "However, would you do that, though?"
The professor’s gaze went slowly around the room, mapping the amused and, in some cases, angry, student’s faces. His gaze continued to the door, where one of the Royal Knights stood on guard, attempting to ignore everything.
"You. Sir. May I borrow you for a moment?" Remus called politely to the knight, gesturing to him.
The knight blinked, turning to him. He then glanced up to the princess for approval, who returned a subtle nod. Her curious gaze had not left the ’professor’.
Now with permission, the knight approached the professor and stood before him. Their bulky metal armor was an imposing difference between them. Despite Remus remembering the man, just a squire in Alec’s time, his face remained impassive.
"Your name, Sir?"
"Sir Wilfred of the Royal Knights of Lux," The knight replied smartly, ignoring his partner across the hall who was making stupid faces at him.
"Sir Wilfred," Remus began, talking aloud to the class and not just the knight. "The Royal Knights of Lux are bestowed with special armor, famous for its durability and utility."
The class eyed the knights’ shiny armor, noting the small and intricate glyphs making up various lines across the different pieces. It was a well known fact of the Royal Knights’ armor, despite their training, it was a critical factor of their effectiveness.
"The armor is famed, of course." Remus continued, turning his attention back to Wilfred. "But its exact function is not. On your right arm there, across your wrist are control glyphs for different functions of your armor."
Wilfred and his knight partner now began to frown.
"What these controls do is also a famed secret only known to the Royal Knights. And to, if you’d agree, a mage experienced enough to know what they are looking at? Your armors are a Grade Four artifact, are they not?"
Wilfred’s frown deepened, but understanding bloomed in his eyes. "That is all correct. Only a trained Royal Knight would know of its purposes, or a trained Grade Four mage or above."
"Very well," Remus nodded, gesturing for the knights right armored arm. Wilfred obliged, also leaning his head forward as Remus whispered to him. The professor pointed at different glyphs, explaining each of their purposes, while also briefly explaining the passive effects of the armor based on the more visible glyph work.
The muted conversation took less than a minute, but all of the students could see Sir Wilfred’s eyes widen in surprise. His head nodded in affirmation more and more as the conversation went on, until eventually, both men stood back from one another.
Wilfred turned to the waiting students.
"This man is who he says he is. As he is not a Royal Knight, he is obviously knowledgeable enough to be a Grade Four mage," he stated, before giving a nod of respect towards Remus for keeping his answers quiet, then returned to his post.
Remus returned the nod before giving the class his full attention again. "Now—"
"That proves Grade Four, but not Grade Five, Professor." Jacob interrupted him with a sneer once again.
The professor’s gaze turned to Jacob slowly, his face still serene. But his eyes had darkened slightly.
"I have proven enough to be capable of leading you all to the Grade Three qualification," Remus answered calmly, then held his hand up as Jacob tried to call out again.
"Continued class interruptions without prompt will result in punishment. Enough, Jacob."
The professor then turned and approached the board again, beginning to write out the introductory lists.
Jacob had leaned back into his seat, a furious look on his face at being talked down to. The princess beside him didn’t spare him a glance.
Her curious gaze had remained fixed on their new professor.
’He looks just like him,’ she thought.