Upon entering the garden of the Magic Academy, Arthur marveled at the beauty of the place. Various fountains were scattered throughout the space, and instead of water, they flowed with pure magic, giving the environment a fascinating glow. The fountains, formed by different types of magic, created various images, shaped effortlessly thanks to the magical artifacts present.
Arthur watched the children and their parents entering a door that, as they passed through, quickly closed, making them disappear instantly.
{What just happened...?}
Curious, he realized that the doors teleported students and their companions to designated rooms.
The sensation was strange. Although he had studied basic magic with Charles and undergone training with soldiers, experiencing it personally was entirely different.
{This is amazing!} — he thought, his heart racing, admiring the wonders around him.
Excited, he overcame his fear and walked toward the door. As soon as he tried to step through, it shut suddenly. He knocked on the surface, but he heard no sound.
Then, the door abruptly swung open, pulling him into the middle of the room. Arthur fell to the floor, stunned, but quickly got up.
The first thing he noticed was the nobles accompanying their children, engaged in conversation.
He, on the other hand, was completely alone.
Everyone formed a circle around a floating magical artifact, positioned at the center of the main hall.
A voice echoed through the artifact.
— Everyone, I'm happy that you're all here! I hope you get along and learn a lot at our Magic Academy. Good luck to you all! Now, the sensei responsible for your class will explain everything. Have a great time studying!
Arthur swallowed hard upon hearing the warm voice of the director.
The assigned sensei, a tall woman with white hair that shimmered like silver threads, gazed firmly at the students. Her emerald-green eyes gleamed under the light of the magical artifacts.
— You heard the director. I will explain everything in detail, but first, I want all of you to form a circle and introduce yourselves one by one. My name is Moriyama, and I will be your sensei.
Her tone was firm yet welcoming.
— My name is Kidero Raiden, and I will become the most powerful in this kingdom, just like my brother!
The nobles applauded enthusiastically.
— My name is Mia Haru... N-nice to meet you all!
This time, the applause was more subdued.
One by one, all the students introduced themselves.
Then, it was Arthur's turn.
As the others spoke, the nobles began whispering, casting suspicious glances at him.
— Who is this boy without parents...?
— How did someone like him get into the academy...?
The absence of an escort and Arthur's silence intensified the murmurs.
Taking a deep breath, he finally said his name.
— My name is Arthur.
The room remained silent, as if expecting him to say more.
The sensei furrowed her brow.
— And your last name?
Arthur hesitated.
— I... don't have a last name.
The whispers grew louder.
— And your parents?
Arthur lowered his gaze.
— I don't know... I haven't seen my mother in a long time.
Moriyama-sensei visibly stiffened.
— How did this child get in if his name isn't listed in the class?
Arthur swallowed hard and quickly handed her a document bearing the royal seal.
The sensei opened the paper, and her expression suddenly changed.
— What? This is an insult to our academy... But if the king permitted it, I have no choice.
She took a deep breath and turned back to the students.
— As you all know, our Magic Academy has trained children for many years, from the first to the third period, each lasting four years. Since you are six years old, you will complete the academy at eighteen and will be free to follow whatever path you choose.
Arthur tried to steady himself as he listened to her explanation.
— Now, go to your rooms and get settled. Classes will begin soon!
Arthur followed the other students to the dormitories, observing the numbered corridors.
However, he couldn't find his room.
His eyes scanned the aligned doors, but room number 121 simply didn't exist.
Confusion clouded his mind.
{Where am I supposed to stay...? I can't find my room, and the numbers end here. I guess I should go to the director's office.}
Upon reaching the director's office door, he knocked timidly.
A firm voice responded from the other side.
— Come in.
Arthur opened the door hesitantly.
The director, a woman with gray hair streaked with white, looked at him closely. Her greenish-blue eyes had an intense and calculating glow.
Arthur took a deep breath.
— Hello... I was looking for my room, but I couldn't find it.
The woman raised an eyebrow.
— That's impossible! All rooms are properly counted for our students. What is your number?
— 121.
A brief silence followed.
Then, the director smirked slightly, her tone laced with disdain.
— Ah, you're the irregular student, aren't you? There's an old cabin behind the academy. Your belongings should be there.
Arthur left the office with his head down, feeling a strange weight in his chest.
Upon arriving at the cabin, he found a dusty and disorganized space.
With effort, he tidied everything up.
Just as he finally sat down, a voice echoed throughout the academy.
— Class will start in moments! Tardiness will not be tolerated!
Arthur grabbed his materials and ran.
Entering the main classroom, he saw that all the students were already seated.
As soon as he stepped inside, all eyes turned to him.
— Hey, is that the irregular student everyone's talking about...?
— Yeah, that's him. My parents told me to stay away from him.
— What a strange boy... He doesn't even have a last name.
Arthur felt his heart race, but remained silent, walking to his isolated seat.
Kidero looked at him with contempt.
— Hey, who's that idiot?
— Not sure. Seems to be that weird kid who got into the academy by the king's order.
Kidero grinned cruelly.
— Hey, you worthless trash! What are you doing here? This academy isn't a place for garbage like you.
Arthur did not respond.
He simply sat, waiting for the class to begin.
— Tsk! Who is this idiot, thinking he can ignore me? — Kidero grumbled, about to stand up.
— Everyone, sit down and stay quiet! Today, for our first lesson, I want all of you to focus and visualize a ball of magic inside the small dimensional box on your desks. It's just a magical artifact. You can channel all your mana into it so the senseis can observe the nature of each student's magic. I will now check on our class — instructed Moriyama-sensei in a serious tone.
{I'm excited to discover the nature of my magic!} — Arthur thought, eagerly.
As he concentrated, his third eye gleamed, and a strand of his hair turned red, but since the room was illuminated by everyone's magic, no one noticed. He directed all his mana to form a sphere inside the box, but then—
Something unexpected happened.
The artifact began vibrating, and an intense blue light erupted, momentarily blinding the students around him.
The glow intensified rapidly, and the cube cracked, unable to contain such overwhelming energy.
Whispers spread throughout the classroom.
Moriyama-sensei quickly approached, her gaze sharp.
— What was that? I've never seen an artifact break in such a way...
Arthur looked at his own hands, feeling an unknown energy pulsing within him.
Kidero watched and scoffed, crossing his arms.
— Hah! Must have been a faulty artifact. That failure has no power whatsoever.
Arthur remained silent, still feeling that strange energy inside himself.
Kidero furrowed his brow, irritated.
— Hey, idiot, I'm talking to you!
Arthur did not respond, keeping his gaze fixed on his hand.
Kidero clenched his fists, frustrated.
— Do you think you can ignore me?!
He stood up, furious—
But Moriyama-sensei intervened once more, her gaze severe.
— That's enough, Kidero. Stay silent and continue the exercise.
Kidero huffed, reluctant, but he sat back down, still shooting angry glares at Arthur.
The teacher turned to the class.
— Everyone must keep training. I will examine this incident later.
Arthur took a deep breath, trying to push away the doubts clouding his mind, and refocused on the cube.
Yet, deep down, he knew that something was wrong.
Something inside him was not normal.