Seth and Devus stood in line with a few dozen other students on a wide cobblestone street, most of them being nobles in immaculate and shining tunics. They were all waiting to get their uniform and room keys from the two men stationed behind a long wooden desk by the academy gate. All the nobles adorned with fine jewelry received scarlet uniforms made of rich, vibrant fabric, while the poorly dressed commoners were handed dull gray ones, starkly highlighting their lower status.

Devus kept looking around, studying all his future opponents and Identifying any weapons that stood out. "That one has an Epic sword," he whispered, leaning toward Seth while discreetly pointing at a short noble with a large claymore strapped to his back. "But I bet I could still win against him."

"Mmm," Seth answered with a nod, too mesmerized by the academy's castle ahead to pay much attention to the Guardian. His golden eyes were lost in the beauty of the architecture and its overwhelming size—the massive stone walls, the mystic runes carved within, the dense and vivid aether barrier cloaking its surface. It had the aura of an impenetrable fortress. Nine lofty towers stretched high into the sky, casting shadows over the surrounding green lands he could see through the open gate. Trogan and its marketplace had been quite a sight to behold when they had arrived this morning, but it was nothing compared to the academy.

'Stop being so impressed by that thing,' Nightmare complained. 'You're making yourself look weak.'

'Who cares if I look weak? What matters is my actual strength.'

'You should think more like a beast,' Nightmare growled. 'Give a strong expression and no one will bother you. Like those beasts we avoid even when we can't figure out their Ranks.'

'Yeah, yeah.'

After half an hour of waiting, Seth and Devus finally reached the front of the line. A portly, middle-aged man with a round face and thinning hair looked up at them with a hint of annoyance. Two words were emblazoned above the golden owl emblem on the chest pocket of his dark crimson jacket: Uniform Manager.

"Names?" he asked curtly, glancing down at his list.

"Devus and Seth," Devus replied.

"Ah, commoners," the man muttered, rummaging through a pile of gray uniforms. "Here you go," he said, handing them each a bundle of clothing. "Be careful with them. If you damage them, you'll have to pay for it. And I doubt either of you can afford that."

Seth gritted his teeth but remained silent, taking the uniforms and stepping aside. Devus, however, didn't seem affected at all by the jab.

"Thank you," he said with a smile. "Have a nice day, sir."

The uniform manager barely looked at the Guardian before turning to the next student.

At the following station, the large man behind the desk barely looked at them. "Names?"

"Devus and Seth," the Guardian answered, speaking for both of them again.

"You can choose to be roommates, or I can match you with strangers," the room manager said, going through the list on his clipboard.

Seth and Devus exchanged a glance and nodded. "We'll be roommates," Devus replied.

"Here are your keys," the man said, handing each of them a thin black crystal with a white rune on it.

Keystones, Seth thought as he took the coin-sized artifact, remembering the one he had used to access Link in his father's box.

"You'll be in room 265," the man added. "Don't bother asking for a different one. Only nobles can choose their rooms."

'Of course they can,' Seth muttered to Nightmare through their bond, then thanked the man and walked away with Devus.

'Instead of whining, find yourself a female mate with that title,' the direwolf said with a mocking tone. 'That'd make you a noble, right?'

'Sure, I'll give her family all my wealth, all twenty coppers of it, as bride-dowry,' Seth replied. 'I'm sure they'll accept.'

'Offering a gift to mate with their daughter,' the direwolf scoffed. 'Humans are so strange.'

Seth stifled his smile as he and Devus passed through the towering gate, stepping onto the cobblestone path that cut through the lush green fields and led to the academy's castle. The air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers and trees that lined the path, their branches and petals almost brushing Seth.

"I'm so stoked, mate," Devus exclaimed with a broad grin. "All I want is to find a worthy opponent and fight!"

"Let's go drop our stuff off first," Seth answered. "I don't want to carry all your things if that person beats your ass."

"As if I'd lose!" the Guardian chuckled.

'The aether density here is fairly high,' Nightmare said from within the necklace. 'A little more than in the Wicked Forest, but less than in that undeads' cave.'

'How can you sense that through my body when I can't even do it myself?' Seth sighed in frustration. He had always been grateful that the direwolf could easily detect aether fluctuations, whether from spells or the environment, but his inability to teach Seth had become irritating. 'And don't give me the 'I'm a beast' excuse again—you're doing it through my body.'

'Because I'm a beast with a strong mind.'

Seth rolled his eyes. 'Great joke, mister I-can't-remember-what-I-ate-yesterday.'

'Fish… as if I'd forgotten such a delightful feast.'

As he passed through the open castle door, Seth once again found himself marveling, this time at the size of the entrance hall. The high ceiling soared above them, ornate chandeliers casting a warm, golden light throughout the room. Tapestries depicting massive battles and what seemed like famous Wielders from Kastal adorned the walls, while the polished marble floor gleamed beneath their feet.

A cold, mocking voice cut through the air, shattering the moment.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't my favorite Primalist." Lucius strode into the hall from a corridor to the left, wearing the academy's scarlet uniform. Trailing behind him were four students dressed in the same colors, each with a similar disdainful expression etched on their face.

Great, he's got apes with him here too, Seth thought with a sigh.

"I can't believe you actually made it. Next time I'll put more coins on your head," Lucius continued. "You should be mucking out stables somewhere instead of being here."

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Seth's knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists. "Put as much money on my head as you want, it won't stop me from kicking your ass."

"You, a commoner, kicking my ass? That's funny," Lucius retorted with a low chuckle. "You wouldn't even be able to hit me."

"Oh, really? Didn't I do it twice during—" Seth began before getting elbowed by Devus.

"You'll have to excuse us, Lucius, but we need to get going," the Guardian interjected.

Before Seth could respond, Devus spun on his heels and strode away, his hand clenching onto Seth's jacket and dragging him along. They wove through the crowd and down two long corridors, before finally the Guardian released his grip.

"For Gaia's sake, you can't talk back to Lucius Faertis like that, mate," Devus said with a loud sigh. "You'll get yourself in serious trouble—even more than it sounds like you're already in."

"Sorry," Seth muttered, rubbing his neck. "That jerk really knows how to piss me off. "

"I get it, but you gotta keep your mouth shut. Nobles run this academy and they can do whatever they want. Just bow to them for now—it'll make everything easier. For you and for me."

Seth nodded and followed Devus in silence, his core stirring a little in his chest. The Faertis' tax collector had burned most of his parents' keepsakes, Lucius had shattered Renwal's arms, and the prick had put a damn capture order on Seth's head—and he was supposed to bow to the noble? That wasn't something he could do. Maybe I should've spent more time in cities to get used to dealing with arrogant nobles like him.

Guided by small wooden signs, they eventually reached the dorm tower and ascended the countless stairs before heading down a long corridor. Their footsteps echoed off the stone walls as they passed numerous doors, each with its own brass plaque displaying a number. Finally, they arrived at their room, and Devus tapped the keystone against the lock. The door didn't budge as he pushed it.

The young Guardian frowned. "It's not working."

"Did you use aether?"

Almost immediately, Devus tapped the lock again, and this time the door swung open with a gentle push. A sheepish smile spread on his face as he rubbed the back of his head. "My bad."

The room inside was modest but had everything they needed: two comfortable-looking twin beds with plush pillows and duvets, two wooden desks with matching dressers and chairs, and a small window that let in a soft breeze and a sliver of sunlight. The stone walls were also fitted with several hooks to hang extra clothes and shelves to store belongings.

"Nice digs," Devus said, dropping his shield before flopping down on the bed near the window.

Seth nodded in agreement, setting down his bag and uniforms on the other bed. As he walked around the room, he noticed a piece of parchment lying on both desks. Curious, he picked the paper up.

It was a list of classes offered for the first semester, each accompanied by a checkbox. At the top, it instructed them to select three optional classes and submit their choices to the administration on the first floor of the east tower. Four courses were already checked off, probably indicating that they were mandatory:

Combat Theory I

Covers the basics of combat against Wielders through both theoretical sessions and hands-on training.

Aether Manipulation and Sensing I

Focuses on improving one's aether manipulation and sensing to push the limits of their spells and break through the Copper tier.

Wielder Class Theory I

Delves into the student's Wielder class and introduces their potential subclasses.

Military and History I

Explores the fundamentals of the military system, etiquette, and essential knowledge about the country's history.

After reading each of the descriptions, Seth took his quill and looked down at the list of the optional courses below. His decision would significantly impact his progression as a Wielder for the next three months, so he knew he couldn't choose carelessly.

Warfare Theory I

Covers the basics of war, including tactics for both small- and large-scale battles.

Artificer's War Tools I

Introduces the basic tools of Artificers, from arcane cannons to runic fortresses, and teaches how to fight with and against them.

Weapons Mastery I

Provides instruction on essential techniques for various weapons through both theoretical sessions and hands-on training.

Fundamentals of Beasts Hunting I

Introduces the basics of hunting Arcane beasts and surviving in the wild.

Traveler's Guide I

Offers essential guidance for traveling across the continents, providing students with information to stay safe among different nations.

Aether Affinity I

Assists students in exploring their aether affinities and improving their mastery.

Politics and Royalty I (Nobles only / Friday)

A deep dive into Kastal's political landscape and royalty, with an introduction to international relations.

Spell Theory and Evolutions I (Nobles only / Friday)

Covers the fundamentals of spell evolutions, providing students powerful evolution alterations for their spells while exploring the theory around them.

Path Theory I (Nobles only / Friday)

Explores the students' Path and offers guidance on how to use it to become great and unique Wielders.

Why am I not surprised at all, Seth thought with a sigh. Back in the night caravan, Devus had mentioned that commoners were free of classes on Fridays—something that had initially pleased Seth, since it would give him three days a week to hunt. But now, seeing the exclusive courses for nobles on that day left a bitter taste in his mouth—especially the last one. The Path was supposed to be one of the most crucial aspects for Wielders, yet he still had no idea why. The wealthy bastards hoarded that knowledge, keeping it out of the commoners' reach, just like they locked away the perfect grooves and possible evolutions behind enormous price tags.

"You should probably also pick your optional classes before we head to the opening ceremony," Seth suggested to Devus.

"Oh, crap." The young Guardian sprang up from his bed and rushed to his desk. "On it."

Seth hesitated for a moment as he weighed the pros and cons of each option, his quill spinning between his fingers. Fundamentals of Beasts Hunting I and Weapons Mastery were no-brainers, but he couldn't make up his mind between Traveler's Guide I and Aether Affinity I. The first could be useful in the future if he had to leave the country for a contract, whereas the other might teach him something completely new about aether.

'What do you think?' Seth asked Nightmare. 'Traveler's Guide I or Aether Affinity?'

'Aether Affinity sounds better,' the direwolf answered. 'Aether is more important than traveling.'

'That's what I was thinking too.'

Seth exhaled loudly and marked his choices on the parchment before setting it down on the desk. He then turned to tell Devus he was done, only to see his new friend still deep in thought, staring at his own parchment with a furrowed brow.

"Hey, Dev, you alright?" Seth asked.

"Yeah," Devus answered, rubbing his forehead. "Just deciding between Artificer's War Tools and Aether Affinity."

Seth nodded. "I went with Aether Affinity, but they both sound good."

Devus groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Shit, you just made the decision even harder." He let out a heavy sigh. "I was about to go with Artificer's War Tools, but now I'm second-guessing it."

Seth chuckled, then grabbed one of his three new uniform kits. The gray jacket was made from a material that felt extremely soft to the touch, while the white shirt beneath was crisp and clean, with intricate embroidery at the cuffs. The black pants seemed tailored to fit perfectly, surprisingly stretchy and comfortable as he slipped inside.

Uniform of Trogan Academy

Armor

Tier: Copper

Grade: Uncommon

Effects:

- Increases Toughness by 7%.

- Spells consume 5% less aether.

The scarlet one's probably Rare or Epic, Seth thought, regretting not having cast Identify on one of the nobles' uniforms earlier.

After buttoning up his jacket, he reached for his adventurer emblem and carefully pinned it onto the chest pocket just above the golden owl—to make Warsis proud.

"Done!" Devus exclaimed, jolting up from his desk. "Just give me a minute to change!"

Seth glanced at the clock on the wall. "Think we have the time to swing by the administration before the welcoming ceremony?"

"Certainly!"

As Devus put on his uniform, Seth took a deep breath and looked through their dorm window. Although he was thrilled to have finally made it into the academy, he couldn't shake that odd feeling in his chest. With Link and Nightmare, he had gained nine Ranks in just two months—did he really need to put up with all the nobles' nonsense? Couldn't he just continue to grow through the Adventurers Guild and beast-hunting without the academy's knowledge?

Devus, now fully dressed, slung his bag over his shoulder. "Ready?"

Seth nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

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