After Aris put on the academy's uniform, he headed toward the square where the headmaster would deliver his speech. As he walked with calm steps, he noticed many gazes falling on him from students heading toward the square.
His presence drew the attention of many, especially the girls, to the point where some whispers reached his ears:
"He's so handsome!"
"Eeeek, he's beautiful!"
"Does he have a girlfriend?"
That's what he heard along the way from the girls, as well as some scattered voices from the boys:
"Damn it, who's that?"
"Shut up, you fool, look at his clothes!"
"My God, he's from the elite classes!"
"Is he a noble or what?"
"No! Haven't you heard about the genius who shattered the training dummy?"
Then the voices gradually faded, turning into fragmented whispers among them, as if the square itself swallowed the words.
Many students were walking in pairs or small groups toward the square, where all the academy students from different classes and years had gathered.
"Boss!"
As Aris advanced, he heard a voice behind him shouting with excitement. He turned and saw Kai waving at him cheerfully, while Kira walked beside him with steady steps.
Aris stopped, waiting for them to approach, and at that moment, he used the King's Eye on them.
[Name: Kai
Title: Sees Beyond the Supernatural (can see what humans cannot see)
Profession: Knight
Rank: On the verge of breaking through and forming a star
Attribute: Fire
Talent: S
+50 Affection]
[Name: Kira
Title: Sees Beyond the Supernatural (can see what humans cannot see)
Profession: Knightess
Rank: On the verge of breaking through and forming a star
Attribute: Fire
Talent: S
+55 Affection]
"Boss, where did you disappear last night?"
"Do you know how desperately everyone was looking for you?"
"Honestly, I think they're a bunch of weirdos!"
They came closer, and as soon as they arrived, they bombarded him with overlapping chatter nonstop.
Aris felt like his eardrums would explode any moment from their loud, annoying voices, even the air around him seemed to vibrate with their noise. Quickly, he raised his hand and signaled them to stop.
"Silence."
Both of them shut their mouths instantly.
Aris spoke calmly, pointing at Kira:
"Kira, you speak."
"And me?" said Kai, raising his eyebrows in surprise, but Aris cut him off directly.
"Only one will talk, and I chose Kira. Next time, it'll be you. That's how it should be when you both tell me the same thing, understood?"
They both nodded at the same time.
Kira began to speak seriously, raising her hand slightly as if to confirm her words:
"Alright, after you disappeared, a young man approached us with a silly smile and started asking about your name, where you're from, and who we are, and asked a lot of questions. He was like an investigator."
Aris asked her with a cold look, his hand behind his back:
"Do you know his name?"
She shook her head no:
"No, we didn't ask and we ignored him completely, then he started looking for you everywhere."
Aris raised an eyebrow lightly, as if he had expected this:
"His appearance… can you describe him?"
He had a guess, but he wanted to be sure.
"His hair was fiery golden, and his eyes were golden like the sun…"
Aris cut her off immediately, waving his hand as if slicing through her words:
"Do you two want to know who that fool is?"
"No!" ×2
Their answer was quick and direct.
Aris smiled faintly, placing his hand on his chin:
"It's Crown Prince Arthur."
He watched their reactions, but neither of them showed any change.
"So what?" answered Kai, ruffling his hair randomly.
"Oh… that's why his smile looked so fake."
Kira said, trying to imitate Arthur's silly grin, which made her expression more ridiculous than serious.
Kai burst into laughter when he saw his sister's face as she tried to mimic Arthur.
"Hahahaha, that looks exactly like him! Hahaha."
Even Aris lifted his lips slightly, for Kira's imitation was indeed funny, and it really did resemble Arthur.
"Ahem, ahem… Kira, that's enough."
Aris stopped her, as he noticed some students starting to glance at them curiously, and he didn't want to start a conflict with Arthur too early while he still had no influence to rely on.
Everyone noticed this and understood the place wasn't suitable for mocking the Crown Prince. Even though they didn't care much, his status couldn't be ignored in the end.
Aris leaned slightly forward and said:
"And the other person… who is it?"
Kira waved her hand:
"Oh, it was a girl with sky-blue hair."
Aris raised his eyebrow calmly, his expression unchanged, but he didn't recognize this girl.
"And her name?"
Kira shook her head slightly and said:
"I don't know… but she looked like one of those girls who stick a rod up their back… and I don't like that type."
Kai chuckled quietly while Aris just gave her a short glance, then turned his face away, not too interested, convinced he would meet this girl eventually and learn who she was himself.
"Alright, let's go before we're late for the ceremony."
Aris turned with steady steps, the sound of his shoes tapping lightly against the stone floor, heading toward the square. Kai and Kira exchanged quick looks before following him.
When they arrived at the square, the air was filled with mixed scents—luxurious perfumes used by some nobles blended with the damp grass beneath their feet. The square was packed with a huge number of students standing in straight rows, all eyes fixed on the high platform.
In front of the platform, luxurious seats were reserved for the elite students, gleaming under the light, shared with some teachers who sat with dignity, their sharp eyes scanning the rows.
Aris saw a sea of heads before him, swaying like human waves. At that moment, a student moved aside without hesitation to let him pass.
Soon, others stepped aside too, forming empty paths within the crowd. Murmurs rose among the students, and the eyes of the elite classes turned to watch what was happening.
Aris walked with steady steps through the crowd, the air charged with admiration that gleamed in the eyes of the commoner students, especially after learning that he, along with Kai and Kira, all came from humble origins. Aris, who had secured first place in entering the academy, had become the pride of the common people.
As for the nobles, their expressions varied; some clenched their teeth in anger, while others looked at him with obvious disdain. They were all nothing but trash corrupted by the old authority, along with their families.
Yet there were exceptions… like Arthur, Selina, and even Ryan, who drew the gaze of many in the audience.
Aris's eyes roamed over the crowd until they suddenly stopped on a girl who matched Kira's description perfectly:
Sky-blue hair cascading like a waterfall, deep black eyes, fair and flawless skin, and delicate features as if carefully sculpted.
He didn't recognize her, and there was no trace of anyone like her in his memory. But she was looking at him with strange joy and excitement, her small smile seeming sincere.
Aris quickly reached his seat and sat down, with Kai and Kira beside him. Nervous breaths echoed in the air, and the faint whispers did not cease.
A group of teachers glanced at Aris, then at Ryan, then Arthur, then Selina… before exchanging looks.
It didn't take long before the headmaster, Alan, walked onto the platform with steady steps, his assistant following behind.
Headmaster Alan stood on the platform, his dignity and authority making him seem like a mountain unshaken by the winds.
The square fell completely silent, even the sound of the students' breathing seemed heavier than usual, with every eye fixed on him, awaiting his words.
He took a deep breath, extended his hands forward, and his voice rose, deep and powerful:
"Students…
Today, you stand at the threshold of a new beginning. This land you tread is not just an academy… it is an arena where legends are forged and illusions collapse.
Since its founding, Heart Academy has never been a place for the weak, nor a refuge for cowards. It is a crucible of fire, melting your bodies, minds, and souls to reveal your true selves. Some of you will emerge from it as sharp blades… and others will melt away into ashes."
His tone rose further, as if his words were pounding against their hearts like drums:
"You are here today because you are the best of your era… but listen well: being the best now means nothing. The summit only acknowledges those who protect it with their blood, sweat, and will.
The road ahead of you is filled with harsh trials… your pride will be crushed, you will face pain, fear, and even betrayal. In these halls and grounds, your names and lineages will mean nothing. Only your strength will earn respect.
Remember… this academy is the heart of the world. Whoever stands at its center has the power to change history."
He paused for a moment, his eyes sweeping over the rows as if his gaze weighed heavily on each student individually.
Then he continued, his voice like rumbling thunder:
"Strive, fight, prove yourselves! For those who fall will find no hand to catch them. And those who endure… will one day stand on this platform, not as students, but as examples, as leaders, and perhaps as legends whose names are etched in history.
Remember my name well, because I will remind you of these words the day your star shines… or your shadow is buried."
Then he raised his hand high, his voice booming:
"Welcome to Heart Academy… where geniuses are born, and where a new era begins!"
As soon as Headmaster Alan's words ended, a heavy silence fell over the square, as if every student lost the ability to breathe for a moment.
His words weren't just a speech, but whips striking their hearts, igniting their blood, and planting awe deep within them.
Some students' hands trembled unconsciously, cold sweat dripping down their foreheads, for they felt the weight of truth in his voice. Meanwhile, others bit their lips stubbornly, sparks of challenge blazing in their eyes, as if fire had ignited in their chests.
Kai smiled with excitement, clenching his fist so tightly he could almost hear the sound of his bones holding together, whispering:
"This is what I want… this is what I came here for."
As for Kira, her eyes gleamed sharply, she tilted her head slightly, her lips trembling with a small smile that carried a hint of arrogance:
"Let's see who will melt into ashes and who will remain standing…"
Aris remained silent, observing everyone's reactions. His gaze did not change, steady as stone.
He murmured in his heart:
"Haha, this old man still knows how to get everyone fired up."
His eyes narrowed slightly, his expression turning colder, for he knew well the disasters that would befall this world, and how many of these people would survive.
In the nobles' rows, Selina sat upright, her back taut like a drawn bow, her gaze confident and unshaken. Arthur crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes like calm embers, his face showing nothing but a faint smile that carried a silent challenge. As for Ryan, he let out a short, quiet laugh, but it carried sharp arrogance.
The general crowd of students did not settle; whispers rose like the roar of the sea:
"Did you hear what he said?"
"Legends… can we really become that?"
"Damn it… I have to prove myself!"
The air was filled with tense energy, a mix of fear and excitement, until it seemed as if the entire square was about to explode.
Then Alan raised his hand gently, and silence returned once more.
His eyes swept the rows, his voice now lower but piercing to the bone:
"From this moment… your true trial begins. Remember, no one will protect you but your own strength."
And as soon as his words ended, the sounds of applause and cheers thundered, shaking the ground beneath their feet, as if the entire square had awakened to the birth of a new era.
____
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