If Luciel is the dawn of the sword at the Knights Academy, then Windsor is the magic moon at the Academy of Magic, her light casting a glow across every corner of the school.
Windsor is a legend at the Academy of Magic.
Within half a year of enrolling, she skipped two grades and became the youngest third-year student at the Magic Academy. Then, she jumped another year to become a fourth-year student. After a year of silence, she reappeared before everyone, now a true magician-level powerhouse.
Only a handful of people in the Academy's history have reached the level of a true magician before the sixth grade.
Windsor's achievements are comparable to Luciel's, with the only difference being the speed of their rise. Luciel's meteoric growth was even faster and more exaggerated than hers.
Moreover, Windsor's background is immensely noble. She is the daughter of the Governor of West Asia, the jewel of the Duke, and a first-class aristocrat in Baifeng City.
Young men from all over the city line up from the West Gate to the East Gate just to pursue her.
Windsor wore a light blue magic robe with gold trim. Her dark blue long hair cascaded elegantly, and her delicate features radiated a cold, noble aura.
As soon as she appeared, the girls of the Magic Academy seemed to fade into the background, like stars dimming in the presence of a bright moon.
The young men from the Knights Academy stared at her, their eyes following her every movement with rapt attention.
"Quiet!"
Suddenly, a voice imbued with an almost tangible magic filled the field.
Everyone was taken aback, and the entire arena fell silent.
"What powerful mental strength!" Luciel thought to himself. His will, which had already broken through level 5, still felt shaken by the voice. The mental strength of the speaker was vast like a sea of stars, something Luciel could only look up to.
Soon, two figures appeared on the stage. One was an elderly man dressed in a crimson magic robe, his wise eyes betraying his age. The other was a tall, thin man in gray, appearing no different from an ordinary old man.
"It's the two deans," Luciel heard someone whisper.
Bridges, the Dean of the Magic Academy, and Browning, the Dean of the Knights Academy.
Both were incredibly powerful, masters at the level of Great Magister and Sky Knight. It was said that they had lived for centuries, becoming true living legends.
The voice just now belonged to Bridges.
Bridges began outlining the rules and format of the competition. Browning, on the other hand, seemed disinterested in speaking, his eyes seemingly lost in thought as though he were pretending to sleep, but his gaze appeared to sweep over the students in the crowd.
Luciel couldn't shake the feeling that Browning's gaze lingered on him, like a sharp sword piercing through the air, before disappearing in the blink of an eye.
The rules for the exchange match were simple.
Ten students from each grade would take the stage to compete, and the competition would continue until all members from one side were defeated.
All participants on the winning side would receive honors and rewards.
"Alright, let's begin with the first grade," Bridges declared, signaling the start of the event.
The first-year students from both the Magic and Knight Academies took the stage.
At this level, the first-year students were still new to their training and not much stronger than ordinary people, but their battles were nonetheless entertaining.
The first-year students of the Magic Academy, clearly inexperienced in combat, fumbled through their attempts to cast spells while the apprentice knights easily fended them off. Even when the knights' swords nearly struck, the magic students still managed to complete the only spell they had learned.
After a dozen or so bouts, the Magic Academy had won only one, while the Knights Academy emerged victorious overall.
However, the students of the Knights Academy didn't mock or ridicule their opponents. After all, the Magic Academy students were still quite young and cute, and most people felt a protective affection for them.
The second-year competition ended in a similar result, with the Knights Academy taking the win.
By the time the third-year students took the stage, Luciel noticed a familiar figure.
Bellis.
His half-sister.
Bellis's strength exceeded Luciel's expectations.
Bellis, who majored in fire magic, had already mastered three low-level spells completely. She used them to easily overwhelm the third-year knights on stage.
"Cold Witch!"
"Cold Witch!"
A small group of people in the audience began chanting Bellis's nickname. Luciel couldn't help but smile. He hadn't expected her to win such a title, but it seemed to fit her personality perfectly.
Luciel's feelings toward Bellis were neutral, neither resentment nor closeness.
The two were in a good place now—maintaining their distance, pursuing their respective paths.
Bellis won five straight matches, leaving the third-year knights of the Cavaliers Academy unable to respond.
She didn't continue after that, as her magical and mental energy had been drained.
So far, Bellis had been the most impressive participant in the competition.
"Bellis, are you alright? How are you feeling?" Helen hurriedly rushed over to support Bellis, whose face had turned pale, and she asked with concern.
Bellis shook her head, her eyes instinctively darting toward a particular direction on the opposite side of the stage. There, she met a pair of clear eyes. A moment of panic surged in her heart, and she quickly looked away, a sudden surge of inexplicable pride rising within her.
Did you see that? Even if I'm not as good as you, I will never bring shame to the Lanster family.
"Why are you working so hard? Isn't there someone else who can take over?" Helen complained under her breath.
Bellis's response was cool. "For the reward."
Helen sighed helplessly.
Helen knew exactly why Bellis was pushing herself so hard. Bellis was trying to prove something to someone.
That was Bellis's pride.
After a moment of thought, Helen hesitated before saying to Bellis, "Bellis, you should actually thank Luciel..."
"What?" Bellis frowned, confused by Helen's comment.
Helen hesitated but finally spoke. "It's about the Shelley Chamber of Commerce's scholarship for your studies..."