I woke up to a soft bell ringing in the distance.
The light coming through the window was gentle and warm, painting the room in gold. I sat up slowly, rubbing my eyes. For a moment, I forgot where I was. The bed was too soft, the air too quiet. Then it hit me.
Aetherwood Academy.
Today was the beginning.
I looked around the room. Two other beds stood on the opposite side empty. My roommates hadn't arrived yet, or maybe they already left. I didn't know. I was the quiet type. The kind who didn't ask too many questions.
I stood up, walked to the wooden chair where my uniform waited, neatly placed since yesterday. Black jacket, white shirt, dark pants—nothing fancy. I wore it without rushing. Every movement was calm, simple. Just like me.
The corridors were full of students. Some looked excited. Some nervous. Some too proud. I didn't talk to anyone. Just walked with the flow.
The dining hall was bigger than I imagined. Rows of long wooden tables stretched from one end to the other, and students filled every corner—laughing, eating, chatting. I stood near the entrance for a second, unsure where to sit.
Then I saw a spot near the edge. A boy with brown messy hair was sitting alone, chewing on toast while reading some paper. He looked my age.
I walked over and sat quietly on the other side.
He looked up. "Morning."
I gave a small nod. "Morning."
He smiled. "First day?"
"Yeah."
"Same here." He stretched and let out a yawn. "I'm Haruto. You?"
I hesitated. "…Saito."
"Nice. You from the west district?"
I shook my head. "South."
He didn't ask more. Just nodded and kept eating. I liked that. No pushing, no forced talk.
After breakfast, all new students were called to the courtyard. The stone floor was clean and shiny. The academy banners flapped above us—white and blue, with a golden flame in the center.
An old man with a sharp voice introduced himself as the headmaster. He stood on a high platform, speaking about values, aura training, and hard work. But I wasn't really listening.
I was looking at the academy.
The tall towers.
The wide hallways.
The open training fields in the distance.
This place didn't feel like a normal school.
It felt… different.
Like it was hiding something.
Our first class was "History of Demonkind." The room was filled with books and old weapons behind glass cases. I sat near the window, alone. The teacher talked about how demons once ruled half the continent, how humanity fought back with aura warriors, and how the balance still wasn't perfect.
I wrote down everything. Not because I cared about grades… but because something about demons caught my attention.
I didn't know why.
Maybe I was just curious.
Maybe it was something else.
By lunch, I still hadn't spoken to anyone except Haruto. We ran into each other again outside the hall.
"You heading in?" he asked.
I nodded.
"Mind if I sit with you?"
"Sure."
We ate together—quietly at first. He did most of the talking. Told me about his hometown. How his father was a merchant. How he got accepted into Aetherwood because his aura could burn through stone.
I listened.
I didn't talk much about myself. There wasn't much to say anyway.
I was just… me.
In the last class, we were taken to the combat yard. We were told to hold wooden swords and practice swings. Most students were showing off. Trying to prove something. Others failed to lift the sword properly.
I stayed in the middle.
Not weak.
Not special.
Just... somewhere in between.
Haruto ended up next to me during practice. We didn't say anything. But we matched each other's rhythm. Swing after swing.
When the class ended, he gave me a small grin.
"Not bad, Saito."
"…Thanks."
Evening came slowly. The sun dipped behind the academy walls, casting long shadows on the stone paths.
I returned to my room.
Alone.
I didn't open any books. Didn't check my timetable. I just sat on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
So far, no magic. No monsters. No drama.
Just a new school, with too many stairs and too many students.
Still, I felt something strange.
Like… something inside me was waiting.
Sleeping.
Breathing quietly.
And it hadn't woken up yet.
I didn't know what it was.
But I could feel it.
Somewhere… deep.