Starglade Royal Academy was a world of its own.
Aric stepped out of the carriage and tilted his head back, taking in the towering structures of white marble and the crystal bridges connecting the academy’s buildings. Students of every race filled the courtyards, elves with silver hair walking beside dwarves, beastfolk with pointed ears and tails gathering beneath the trees, and demons in dark robes passing through the enormous archways. The sheer amount of mana in the air made his skin tingle.
Beside him, Eryx stared at the academy with wide eyes, though he quickly tried to disguise his amazement.
Ivar came down from the carriage and approached them, adjusting his gloves before looking towards the gates.
"This is where we part ways," he said.
Aric turned towards him. "You’re leaving already?"
"I have to report back to Father. The knights and I will be departing shortly." Ivar placed a hand on his younger brother’s shoulder, his red eyes becoming serious. "The academy is neutral ground, but that doesn’t mean it is free of politics. Nobles, commoners, and different races all have their own interests here, so be careful about who you trust."
"I understand."
"Good. And try not to get yourself into trouble."
Ivar’s gaze briefly shifted towards Eryx.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Eryx complained.
"Take care of yourself too, Eryx." Ivar replied.
He gave Aric a final nod before returning to the waiting knights, leaving the two boys before the academy gates.
Aric watched until his brother disappeared, then turned towards the reception building.
"Come on. Let’s find out where we’re supposed to go."
The reception hall was enormous, its polished marble floors reflecting the light pouring through tall windows. After confirming their identities, a receptionist directed them towards the headmaster’s office in the eastern wing.
They passed several classrooms where students practised magic under their instructors’ supervision, while others studied books filled with unfamiliar symbols. Aric paid particular attention to the different races around him, wondering how the academy managed to accommodate students with such varied abilities and backgrounds.
Eventually, they stopped before a pair of heavy doors. Aric knocked twice, and a woman’s voice called from within.
"Enter."
The office was circular, with bookshelves stretching towards the ceiling and tall windows overlooking the gardens. Behind a massive desk sat a woman with striking red hair and sharp blue eyes, her wooden staff resting beside her chair.
Headmaster Cyra looked up as the boys entered.
Five professors occupied a long table to her left, and their expressions suggested that the meeting had already taken an unpleasant turn.
The first was a broad shouldered human man with short brown hair, a thick moustache, and stern grey eyes. His immaculate robes and rigid posture suggested someone who valued rules above all else.
Beside him sat a human woman with silver hair arranged neatly behind her head. Her pale blue eyes and tightly pressed lips conveyed little patience for irregularities.
The third professor was a beastfolk man with fur covering his pointed ears and forearms. His eyes were alert, and several small scars marked his knuckles. A long tail rested behind his chair as he studied the newcomers with curiosity.
The fourth was an elf with shoulder length blonde hair and striking red eyes. His elegant features and composed expression made him difficult to read, although his attention remained fixed on Aric.
The final professor was an elf woman with long black hair braided over one shoulder and golden eyes that missed very little. Her dark green robes were embroidered with silver patterns, and she sat with her hands folded neatly on the table.
"Ah, our latecomers," Cyra said. "Come forward."
Aric and Eryx stepped into the centre of the room.
"Headmaster," the brown haired professor began, rising from his seat, "I must object to this arrangement. They missed the entrance examinations, and there is no reason to disregard our admissions regulations."
"Professor Garrick, you have made that argument several times already," Cyra replied.
"Because it remains valid. Duke’s son or not, the rules exist for a reason."
The silver haired woman nodded. "I agree with Garrick. If we admit students outside the regular process, other families will demand the same treatment. One is the son of a duke, while the other appears to have no formal education whatsoever."
Eryx’s expression darkened, but Aric subtly motioned for him to remain quiet.
The beastfolk professor leaned back in his chair.
"Perhaps we should examine them before deciding they have nothing to offer," the beastfolk professor said, leaning forward slightly. "Their late arrival is certainly a problem, but I would rather see what they can do before passing judgment."
Cael, the blonde haired elf, gave a small nod. "I agree with Rovan. Whatever circumstances brought them here, their abilities should determine whether they deserve admission. If they have the necessary talent, we should at least give them the opportunity to prove it."
Lyra glanced at the two boys. "Then let us see their results first. There is little point arguing over their potential when we can evaluate it for ourselves."
Cyra smiled faintly. "Excellent. Then we can stop arguing and begin."
She tapped her staff against the floor, and a large crystal appeared above the desk, its transparent surface glowing with faint magical patterns.
"This is the mana evaluation crystal. Place your hand against it and allow it to assess your elemental affinities and proficiency in Menos."
Aric stepped forward and pressed his palm against the crystal.
Light erupted from within.
Four distinct colours spread across its surface, each growing brighter as the crystal responded to his mana. Red flames flickered through one section, followed by blue, green, and brown radiance, their colours intertwining without fading.
Cyra examined the display.
"Fire, Advanced. Water, Advanced. Wind, Advanced. Earth, Advanced."
The professors exchanged surprised looks.
"Four elemental affinities at Advanced rank?" Rovan exclaimed, his ears lifting. "That is quite a result."
Garrick’s stern expression faltered for a moment before he recovered.
"Impressive, certainly, but possessing several affinities does not automatically make someone suitable for Class S."
"No one suggested otherwise," Lyra replied, leaning closer to examine the readings.
The crystal shifted, revealing a darker pattern beneath the four colours.
"Menos, Intermediate," Cyra announced.
Garrick immediately seized upon the result.
"Four Advanced elemental affinities, but only Intermediate Menos. His magical potential is considerable, yet Class S demands exceptional ability across the board. Class A would be more appropriate."
The silver haired professor nodded. "I would place him in Class B until further assessments establish otherwise."
"You’re all responding as if it’s common for someone to be disciplined in both aspects." Cael observed, his red eyes sharpening with interest
Aric withdrew his hand and stepped aside without responding.
"Eryx, your turn," Cyra instructed.
Eryx approached the crystal and pressed his palm against its surface.
The crystal flashed so brightly that Garrick instinctively raised an arm to shield his eyes. An intense glow filled the transparent object, spreading throughout its interior until the entire crystal shone with concentrated light.
Unlike Aric’s display, no elemental colours appeared.
Cyra studied the result.
"Menos, Advanced."
The room fell silent.
Garrick lowered his arm, staring at the crystal in disbelief.
"Advanced? That cannot be correct."
The silver haired professor examined the reading, her eyes narrowing. "There are no elemental affinities. His result consists entirely of Menos."
Rovan leaned forward. "How long have you been training?"
Eryx scratched his cheek. "I don’t really train."
"You must have received instruction from someone."
"No."
"Then how long have you been using Menos?"
Eryx hesitated before answering. "About a month, I think."
"A month?" Lyra repeated, her composure breaking slightly.
Garrick slammed his hands onto the table, rising to his feet. "That is absurd! Advanced Menos cannot be reached in a single month by a commoner with zero formal instruction!"
"And yet the crystal does not lie," Cael smoothly countered, leaning back with a faint smirk. "Unless you care to accuse the headmaster’s artifact of malfunctioning, your disbelief is irrelevant."
Garrick glared at him but had no immediate answer.
Cyra rose from behind her desk and faced the professors.
"Let us consider what we have learned. Aric Noctra spent three years in a coma, and six months ago his mana core was shattered. He was once unable to cast even the simplest spell. Today, he is proficient in all the great elements and has reached advanced stage in all and Intermediate Menos."
Her gaze moved towards Eryx.
"Meanwhile, Eryx has reached Advanced Menos in approximately one month, without formal training or access to the resources available to noble families."
The silver haired professor remained unconvinced.
"Their potential is undeniable, Headmaster, but that does not establish that they belong in Class S."
"Then tell me," Cyra replied, "how many students in this academy are proficient in the great elements and have reached advanced? How many have reached Advanced Menos under such circumstances? And how many existing students could demonstrate comparable results?"
No one answered immediately.
Rovan was the first to break the silence. "Very few. I see no reason to deny them an opportunity simply because their circumstances are unusual."
Cael nodded. "Their results justify serious consideration for Class S."
Garrick shook his head. "Potential is not the same as proven ability. Those students have worked for years to earn their places. Admitting these two directly would undermine that achievement."
"Then they will have to prove themselves after admission," Cyra replied. "I will not reject exceptional talent merely because it arrived outside the schedule."
She looked around the table, leaving no room for misunderstanding.
"Both boys will be admitted to Class S."
The reaction was immediate.
Garrick stared at her in disbelief, while the silver haired professor sat rigidly in her chair. Rovan raised his eyebrows, clearly surprised by the finality of the decision, and Lyra exchanged a brief glance with Cael.
"Both of them?" Garrick demanded. "Headmaster, you cannot be serious. Neither completed the entrance examinations. You intend to place them among the academy’s most promising students based on a single assessment?"
"Yes," Cyra answered firmly.
"And when the other students question this decision?"
"They may question it all they wish. Their own achievements will determine whether they remain in Class S."
The silver haired professor rose slowly.
"They arrived two weeks late and missed the regular assessment period. Their admission should not grant them an advantage over students who followed the established process."
"Agreed," Cyra said. "They will have to catch up with the assessments they missed and prove themselves through their performance in future academy activities."
Garrick let out a frustrated breath before returning to his seat.
"Very well. I accept your decision, Headmaster, but I remain unconvinced that it is wise."
"Your concerns have been heard, Garrick."
Cyra tapped her staff against the floor, and two neatly folded dark blue uniforms appeared on the desk. Each bore a silver armband.
Aric looked at them curiously. "What are those for?"
"Your disciplinary committee uniforms."
Eryx blinked. "Our what?"
"The Disciplinary Committee," Cyra repeated. "You arrived late, missed the regular assessment period, and will require additional supervision while catching up with your studies. You will therefore be assigned to the committee."
Aric stared at her. "You’re assigning us to disciplinary duties because we arrived late?"
"Consider it an opportunity to learn the academy’s rules."
She pushed the uniforms towards them.
"Find your president. He will explain your responsibilities and ensure that you understand what is expected of committee members."
Aric picked up the uniform, feeling the heavy fabric between his fingers. He looked at Eryx, who was staring at his own uniform with a mixture of confusion and dread.
This was not the introduction to the academy Aric had expected.
But then again, he had never expected anything about his second life to be normal.