A wave of jubilant cheers erupted from the children, their excitement a palpable force in the square. To them, Veridian Academy was more than just a school; it was the most renowned institution for magic in the entire southern continent.
Every child in this part of the world who dreamed of becoming a Magus dreamed of this very moment. Today, for everyone gathered in the square, that dream had finally come true.
Alaric was no exception. The instant he heard he’d been admitted, he threw his hands in the air and leaped for joy. He pulled Edric into a tight, breathless hug, the two of them jumping around in a fit of pure elation.
Professor Godfrey savored this scene, just as she did every year she welcomed new students. Their wide-eyed wonder and burning desire to learn magic was a deeply gratifying sight.
Her gaze swept over the students, finally settling on a girl with blonde hair, green eyes, and round, black-rimmed glasses. Unlike the others, she stood with a detached sort of calm, her posture suggesting that her acceptance had been a foregone conclusion.
Professor Godfrey’s eyes then shifted to a blond youth with blue eyes, his arms crossed and a smirk plastered across his face. This, she knew, was Joric.
So these are the two with A-grade aptitudes, she thought to herself.
Finally, her gaze landed on Alaric, who was still enthusiastically hugging the portly boy and bouncing with uncontained energy.
A small chuckle escaped her lips. And this is the prodigy with monstrous comprehension… No wonder Montclair has taken an interest in him.
She allowed the children to revel in their moment of triumph. Only when the last of the excited shouts had died down did she speak again. “Everyone, please follow me into the main building’s auditorium. There, you will participate in the combat assessment.”
“This will determine your rankings for the first year. The students who place first, second, and third will receive exceptional rewards. I must stress that these rewards are both precious and rare. I expect all of you to give it your best effort.”
The children fell into an orderly line behind the dozen Archons—their new professors—and proceeded into the main building, soon arriving at the auditorium.
Like everything else on campus, the auditorium was immense. A raised stage dominated the far end, while the rest of the vast hall was filled with roughly one hundred and twenty octagonal mats, all hovering a few inches above the polished wooden floor.
The professors, including the Headmistress, took their places on the stage and looked down upon the assembled students.
Professor Godfrey’s voice was solemn. “These mats you see before you have been inscribed with an illusion formation. The moment you sit on one, your mind will enter a simulation where you will engage in combat. This is how your assessment will be conducted.”
A murmur of surprise rippled through the children. Nearly all of them had assumed they would be physically fighting one another for the test. The idea of battling inside an illusion was something none of them had anticipated.
“Now, I know what you may be wondering,” Professor Godfrey continued, her tone growing more serious, her voice rising to fill the hall. “Why must Archons engage in direct combat when we can cast spells from a distance? Let me be clear: that is a flawed and dangerous way of thinking.”
“There will be times when an enemy interrupts your spell, or something prevents you from drawing upon your mana. What will you do then? A Magus must be prepared for any eventuality. To walk the path of a Magus is to defy the natural order of the world. It is true that we are scholars, but we are also warriors!”
“To become a Magus is to pursue truth, to fight against all odds, and to stand tall in the face of adversity. We are arcane scholars. We are warriors. We are Archons. This is our path of magic!”
“OHHH!” A unified roar answered her. The children raised their fists in unison, a fire ignited in their hearts. The Headmistress’s words resonated with every soul in the room.
Alaric clenched his hands, his eyes shining with a fierce new determination. Her words echoed in his mind. We are scholars… We are warriors… We are Archons!
A new group of Archons filed into the auditorium, all of them wearing olive-colored cloaks. These were not professors, but students—final-years, here to help the new arrivals with the illusion formation.
One of them, a beautiful young woman with black hair and blue eyes, walked directly up to Edric and wrapped him in a warm hug from behind.
Edric jumped, startled, but when he turned and saw who it was, he let out a sigh of relief before grumbling.
“D-Don’t scare me like that!” he mumbled, adding softly, “And don’t hug me in public. It’s weird.”
The girl just smiled warmly and pinched his chubby cheeks. “Congratulations, my dear Edric. I’m so proud of you.”
At the sincere praise, Edric puffed out his chest and laughed smugly. “Hehe, thank you, thank you!”
The young woman’s gaze shifted to Alaric. “Did you make a new friend?” she asked Edric.
Edric nodded. “Yes! This is my friend, Alaric. He has a B-grade aptitude, just like me!”
“Hello, Alaric.” The young woman extended a slender hand. “I’m Elaine, Edric’s older sister.”
Alaric was completely star-struck. He had never seen anyone so beautiful. A faint blush crept up his neck as he took her hand. “H-Hello, Alaric… I-I’m Elaine.”
Damn it! The words had barely left his mouth before he realized his mistake, and his face turned the color of a ripe tomato.
Elaine covered her mouth, a light giggle escaping. “You’re adorable.” She gave the two a final smile before moving off to assist her classmates.
As the first group of new students began to take their seats on the mats, Alaric turned to Edric, a look of genuine puzzlement on his face. “Edric, are you sure you’re not adopted?”
“Huh?” Edric squinted. “Why would you ask that?”
“Well, your sister is so charming and pretty…” Alaric paused, searching for a delicate way to put it, but failed. He decided to be direct. “While you… you’re just round and ugly.”
“Hmph!” Edric snorted, his chubby cheeks jiggling with indignation. “I’m just waiting for my growth spurt. You’ll see!”
While the two friends were bickering, a third of the new students had already settled onto the illusion mats. Not a minute later, nearly half of that group were suddenly flung from their positions.
They had clearly been defeated. Terror was etched onto their faces; a few had even fainted from the sheer shock of the experience.
But amidst the chaos, something remarkable was happening. One of the students still inside the formation—the girl with the-grade aptitude—was doing something extraordinary.
Even the professors watched on in astonishment.