Little by little, several young people entered, among them nobles and commoners. About an hour later, around fifty admitted students had gathered in the amphitheater. That's when an elf with an overwhelming aura—surpassing even that of a Level 7 Swordmaster—entered the room and ascended the stage. It was the Dean.
"A few decades ago, it was unthinkable for a commoner to reach heights such as Archmage, Swordmaster, Inquisitor, Scrutator, or even to attain Rank A or S as an adventurer. But thanks to His Holiness, supported by the noble families, it was decided to found an institution that ignores social or economic status, favoring instead the potential for progress of its students. Believe me, the hour is grave. I won't go into details, but the Saint of Prudence warns us that we have less than ten years before darkness engulfs the world. Only the strongest and most ruthless will survive… and restore the light of Luciel."
"A rather shocking introduction, isn't it?" remarked the Dean with a slight smile, observing the stunned expressions of the new students. "Welcome, everyone. I am Merlin Lheim,"
The Dean was an elderly woman with long white hair. Yet, despite her appearance, her aura radiated extraordinary vitality.
"I am pleased to see that this year counts several exceptional cases among our students. I am here to explain the rules for the next three years. First, as you can see, the Martial Arts and Mage Sections are separate—with the exception of the Practical Methodical Skills course. Second, as I have already mentioned, this institution values potential rather than social status. Therefore, any wealth or external influence you possess is of no importance here. The academy provides nothing—except housing. You will have to earn it, as well as much more, through a ranking and merit point system. Each trimester, you will be evaluated on both theory and practice. For example, we might organize a tournament to determine your ranking—from first to last. The best will receive hundreds of merit points, luxurious manors with servants, and privileges like free access to teleportation gates. As for those at the bottom of the ranking… let's just say they'll have to settle for miserable conditions or simply drop out."
"Points are not just for buying food. Here, you can get anything—from a simple dessert for 5 points to resources needed to level up… or even Rank A artifacts. As you can see, nothing is free. Potential and power are kings at A.L.L. Finally, as with all new students during their first trimester, an initial evaluation will take place. This allows us to assess your basic abilities and, of course, attract the attention of a faction."
"In ten minutes, the evaluation will begin. BE THE SHINING STAR OF YOUR GENERATION AND HELP US EXTERMINATE EVIL!" With these words, Merlin left the stage, leaving the students to digest this information.
Once the Dean had left, the amphitheater filled with noise. The commoners, confident in their potential, applauded and vowed to prove themselves. As for the noble students, still naive, who had imagined the academy would be easy, relying on their family's influence rather than their own work—they wore dark expressions. Some even protested to the already departed Dean, their despair betraying their psychological distress.
That's when one realizes that even though factions were essentially absent from Merlin's speech, they remained the central point. No need to have merit points when you're part of the main members of a major faction.
"Damn, our years here are going to be super intense," Morgan muttered thoughtfully.
"I'm far too talented to worry about that kind of thing," Eden replied, half-asleep.
"Oh, shut up," Morgan retorted, giving him a disdainful look.
...
In another corner of the room sat, side by side, the Princess of Elfim, Elisabeth Dawnflare, Liam's cousin, and Sahara Isis Wolberg, an elf from a fallen noble family. They had known each other since childhood, and despite Sahara's family being destroyed, they remained close. At least on the surface, for Elisabeth was known to be as cold as ice and unpleasant company.
"Lady Elisabeth, what do you think?" Sahara asked, intrigued by the situation.
"These methods ensure the hegemony of talented students, so I don't think they'll pose a problem for me," she asserted to her friend.
"Hmm… There will be many exceptional cases in our class, don't you think? Maybe you'll end up at the bottom by accident?" Sahara replied with a laugh, annoying the otherwise confident Elisabeth.
"As long as you're here, I'm sure I can't be last."
---
These conversations multiplied in the amphitheater when suddenly, the door opened again. The Dean returned, accompanied by a young woman exuding a powerful aura, though calmer than Merlin's violent aura. A star-shaped diadem sparkled on her forehead, matching her earrings. The winged sun engraved on her silver armor indicated she belonged to the paladins, a group of fighters operating under His Holiness's aegis.
The young woman had a slender and perfect body. Her arms and legs bore well-defined muscles, without excess, preserving her femininity. Her graceful and confident silhouette, paired with a stunning face marked by a beauty mark on her right cheek, long hair, blond eyebrows and eyelashes, and pale skin highlighting her golden irises, made her a remarkable presence.
Many had already guessed her identity—there were no two people with those eyes. She was the "Saint of Strength," the current Rê's younger sister. Luxia von Arcadia. Considered the undisputed prodigy of the imperial family, she had reached the first level of Swordmaster at just 18 years old, surpassing Raven (Indivar), who achieved it at 19. After graduating from the academy, she completed her mandatory military service in the empire. Then, in less than two years, she became a First-Class Paladin and a Two-Star Swordmaster at 19.
"It's time for the practical evaluation," she declared. "