Leo sat in the office of Headmaster Aldric Veyron, fingers drumming against the armrest of his chair. The room was grand yet oddly comfortable—bookshelves stacked high with ancient tomes lined the walls, and large windows let in soft, golden light that somehow existed even in the Dark Sector. A single desk, massive and cluttered with papers, sat at the far end, though the seat behind it remained empty.
Beside him, Professor Eury shook her leg in her chair, excited and nervous. The silence stretched on. Her leg stopped. She side-eyed Leo. "So…"
"Yes?"
"Can I ask why you were in the streets?"
"...my family used to live there."
Total lie. He was being deliberately vague to make it sound tragic too and it worked. The professor started to apologize profusely. "I-I am so sorry, I didn't know."
"So...where's the headmaster?"
"He's..." The professor trailed off. "He'll be here."
Leo's gaze flicked to the cup of water on the desk.
He had been offered it when he arrived. A simple thing, really, but something about it felt… off. Like a test.
As if sensing his thoughts, the water in the cup rippled. It swirled, twisting upward into a thin stream, stretching and bending like a living thing. Leo straightened as the water coiled into the shape of a man—then, in a blink, the liquid solidified into a tall figure with silver-threaded black hair and sharp, foxlike golden eyes. His robes were as aquatic as water itself.
Leo blinked rapidly solely because of the clothes and not the transformation.
The Headmaster of Arcadia Academy was here.
Aldric Veyron smirked, adjusting the cuffs of his liquid-like sleeves. "I was waiting to see if you'd take the water."
"You wanted to prank me?"
The Headmaster laughed again, clapping his hands together. "Of course! Temptation is a strong thing. Most take the water before they even realize they're being tested." He turned to Professor Eury. "So, this is the applicant?"
She nodded. "Leo Truman. He has an application and ID, but no money due to… circumstances. I, er, told you about it in the letter?"
"Yes, yes." Headmaster Aldric hummed, walking around his desk before leaning against it. "Leo Truman…"
Yes, he was using the same alias 'given' to him by the Soviets. He needed this to go as smoothly as possible.
"See, we are the largest academy in this realm in terms of numbers," Headmaster Aldric began. "It's why we have an upfront fee and many methods of entry. First is coming with an application with a strong reference and a small test. Second is with a fee, an application, and no reference."
'Riiight. Just two, right?'
Wrong.
"The third and final method of application," Aldric continued, "is through a special scholarship program. Throughout the summer, we set up events and tests for locals. Free of cost, no entry fee necessary. Those that earn our eye are accepted." He tilted his head. "However, those events are over. They are not an option. Are you following so far?"
Leo nodded once.
'I didn't know that. Nobody told me!'
Not it mattered too much since it was all over. Maybe he should have asked. Sigh. Being a single father had seriously dropped his social skills and social awareness.
"Good," Headmaster Aldric said. "Since you have an application and ID but no money, the only way forward is for you to prove yourself here and now. If you fail, you cannot go. If you succeed, welcome to Arcadia Academy."
"Er, and my money."
"Who was the student that destroyed it?"
"Ashen, sir," said Professor Eury.
"Then he'll pay for the damages. Don't worry, he's one of our best students. He'll pay you back in no time. So, the question is what you will choose."
Leo didn't hesitate. "I want to go to Arcadia Academy."
Leo kept his face calm, but panic was curling in his stomach. See, he was a warrior. A strong one. But this? Sorcery stuff? No clue. Zero. He was trained to fight Sorcerers when he was raised, not to be one of them.
He had no idea what the headmaster was about to ask him to do. If it was a test of skill, fine. If it was something technical or academic? He was absolutely screwed.
Headmaster Aldric gestured for Leo to stand. "Come along, then. Let's not waste time."
Leo followed the Headmaster as they moved toward the open space in the office. Headmaster Aldric raised a hand and a ball of water formed in his palm, swirling lazily. He tossed it into the air and hovered it between them.
"Alright," Headmaster Aldric said. "Do whatever you can to strike it."
Leo narrowed his eyes at the water. Was this… the test?
He had been expecting something harder. Maybe a complex spell formation or a written test on magical theory—something that would've required him to think his way through it.
But this?
Without waiting, he flicked his wrist and sent a razor-thin blade of wind magic slicing through the air.
Schlkt!
The ball of water split cleanly in half. The two halves drifted for a moment before splattering to the ground with a faint splat.
Silence.
Professor Eury blinked.
Headmaster Aldric Veyron blinked.
Leo, standing there like it was nothing, finally realized something.
'…Oh. Was I supposed to wait for him to say go?'
He didn't lift his hands, he didn't use an incantation, he just summoned a gust of wind and accurately hit a ball of water that, in all likelihood, was supposed to react to motion. Leo's strike was too fast. The silence stretched for another second before the headmaster threw his head back and laughed. A full, genuine laugh, as if he had just witnessed the funniest thing in his entire life.
"You—" Headmaster Aldric wheezed, clutching his stomach. "You didn't even hesitate!"
Leo rubbed the back of his neck. "S-sorry, sir."
Aldric wiped a tear from his eye, his laugh dying down. "Technically, yes. But that was so damn funny, I'll allow it." He clapped a hand on Leo's shoulder. "Alright. You're in."
Leo blinked. "…That's it?"
"That's it," Headmaster Aldric said, still grinning. "Welcome to Arcadia Academy, Leo Truman."