"Doesn't make sense, huh?" Denis shook his head and chuckled.
Denis narrowed his eyes at Kelly, immensurable magic power seeming to be contained in them.
"Does it make any sense to you that countless people starve to death while nobles are allowed to eat extravagantly? Even going so far as to throw away food?"
Kelly's expression turned affronted. "I never-!"
Denis cut her off and continued.
"Or does it perhaps make sense to you that thousands, tens of thousands have to die at our borders every year so that the ones inside may live in relative peace?"
"I-I-I…"
"I don't believe you do." Denis' eyes turned a touch softer "Not after what I know you have experienced."
Denis looked her in the eyes. "That's also why I believe that you should know not to speak of 'sense'. The world doesn't make any sense, nor is it fair. The world just is, and you must try to make the most of it."
Kelly fell back down into her chair, her hands clenched on her lap with her head tilted down, face covered by her hair.
The class seemed to have been stunned into silence with no one speaking for a few seconds.
"Now that we're done with that, does anyone else have anything to say? No? Good. Let's start with the introductions then."
Denis glanced at Snow and a mischievous smirk appeared on his lips as he remembered his earlier words.
"I suppose we should get this out way before anything else. As some of you may have heard, we have quite the personage joining us this year."
Some got a look of realization on their face as they started looking around in anticipation, searching for the Prince. Their parents had warned them before they came here today that would also be boarding at The Academy.
If they could make a connection with the Prince… They would be set for life!
Not to mention that if the rumors regarding the prince were true, then he would have already participated in real combat, if they managed to train with him their combat standards would advance by leaps and bounds!
With that in mind, everyone that knew of Snow's presence in The Academy started looking around with renewed fervor, wanting to burn the face of this thick golden thigh into their minds.
Or well, almost everyone.
Denis could see, that some were looking around not with excitement but with wariness while two even had hints of hostility in their eyes. He narrowed his eyes for a moment, memorizing both of their faces, before deciding to leave them be for the time being.
It wasn't as if the Prince was helpless against danger.
Snow let out a sigh and got up, allowing his presence to spill out and grabbing the attention of everyone in the room.
There were a few intakes of breath, but Snow ignored it, being accustomed to it. It may have been his appearance or his aura, the two together such a power to enthrall people that it left himself amazed by how effective it was the first few times he had used it, but he had long grown used to it.
Snow went up to the teacher's podium and discreetly rolled his eyes at Denis when he moved aside to let Snow have the "stage".
Nonetheless, he had something to do.
Snow laid the palms of his hands against the podium and smiled, causing yet another wave of breath intakes, this time accompanied by the odd faint blush.
"I'm honored to meet all of you and have you as my classmates. As you know this course is a gathering of the best of the best in the Kingdom, the fact that you are here is already reason enough for you to hold your heads high with pride."
There were a few laughs as some let their happiness leak out, but most listened to with only a smile waiting for what he would say next.
"But you heard him." Snow tilted his head to Denis as he said that. "If we want the best possible resources, we'll have to win this competition."
Snow on as they nodded their heads with grim faces.
"Most of you should have heard some rumors of me and my feats at the borders, some of you may have even seen me with my unit, so you should have some idea of what I'm capable of. That's why I'd like to request the leadership of this class, allow me to lead you." Snow finished with a solemn face.
Snow glanced around with sharp eyes, focusing briefly on a few faces, they were would-be leaders, figures of influence, powerful fighters, inspirational speakers. Among them, there were ambitious people.
They were dangerous.
Ambition could drive someone to go to extreme lengths all for the sake of their ambition, do things that most would not think possible, and things that most would consider crazy.
Such as killing a valued Prince.
But that was something for him to handle later.
"Of course some of you won't be happy with this arrangement, and that is fine. Any of you that wish to take leadership of the class may do so by challenging me. You may do so for the next month." Snow's voice dropped by a degree before he continued in an ice-cold voice "If you try to cause dissent among the class after this month, know that I'll go to extreme measures to deal with you."
Some students seemed to shiver for a moment as if the coldness in Snow's voice had truly dropped the temperature in the classroom.
Suddenly everyone heard a scoff and turned to look at its origin, including Snow who looked at the person with a neutral expression, only his narrowed eyes showing any displeasure he may have felt.
"Don't think that just because you're the prince everyone will simply lie down like obedient dogs for you. I won't be ordered around by someone who doesn't deserve my respect."
The one talking was a guy with black hair and contrasting ruby red eyes, sitting at the front right side of the classroom, the seat closest to the door.
Snow locked eyes with the boy for a moment, his red eyes reminding him of the blood he had long grown used to seeing before he opened his mouth.
"Is that a challenge?" The question was oddly calm like his earlier icy cold words were merely an illusion, yet, at the same time, it made them think of the calm before a storm.
The red-eyed boy frowned as he looked at Snow. "What if it is?"
Snow didn't acknowledge his question and merely looked toward Denis before opening his mouth.
"Teacher, I'd have to trouble you to prepare a sparing ring for us, if that isn't too much trouble."
Once more, a sharp intake of breath occurred throughout the room, but whereas the earlier ones were from admiration, this one was from a mixture of shock and unease as everyone took in Snow's decisive actions, feeling somewhat unsettled.
Denis hummed in thought for a moment as he looked between Snow and the Red-eyed boy.
"I don't see why not, as long as Noll is in agreement that is."
Everyone turned to look at Noll, waiting for his response, while the person in question hesitated for a moment before nodding.
"Okay~, now this is an exciting turn of events. Would all of follow me, please? You might as well get to know the school facilities while we head to the sparing rings." Denis headed towards the classroom door dispelling the noise-canceling barrier and opened the door with a wave of his hand.
Snow followed closely behind, with Noll doing the same shortly after, leaving the rest of the class scrambling to their feet to follow after the three.
While they did so they couldn't help but start talking to each other in hushed whispers.
Kelly's group, in particular, stood out, due to being the largest group at the moment
"Who do you think will win?"
"Probably the Prince, right? With the support of the Crown, there's no way he'd be weak."
"But Noll isn't weak either, remember his sparring match with a Novice Knight last month? He managed to bring it to a draw!"
"That knight was holding back." A voice inserted itself into their conversation.
"The knight purposefully matched his strength with Noll's. Nonetheless, it's still quite the feat to match a Novice Knight in technique as an Initiate."
The group turned to look at the sudden intruder, a young man with golden hair and green eyes, Kelly's eyes, in particular, lit up with apparent interest as she laid eyes on him.
"Leon! Even you are interested in this, huh?" Kelly greeted the green-eyed young man, a beautiful smile gracing her features.
Leon turned to look at Kelly and smiled warmly.
"Indeed Ms. Milo, after all, our prince hasn't graced us with his presence in a long time, I'm curious about how strong he might be."
Having returned to the topic they were discussing previously, everyone started piping in again.
"Right?"
"And with that aura he projected earlier… Man! I thought I was hit by a blizzard spell!"
Leon nodded with a serious look on his face.
"His aura was no joke. It also seems to confirm some of the rumors about him."
Kelly widened her eyes with disbelief. "About him being at the level of an Intermediate Knight already? There's no way right?"
Leon shook his head, dismissing her statement. "There's quite the gap between a Novice Knight and an Intermediate one, it's next to impossible for him to have reached that level already. However, there are rumors that he has also reached the level of a Novice Mage."
"Already? Then wouldn't Noll..." Kelly asked with surprise.
Leon had a wry smile. "He most likely doesn't have a chance. I wouldn't be surprised if Snow said that he had already reached that level years ago, after all, if the rumors are true, his teacher…" Leon trailed off, a faint feeling of envy in his eyes before he shook it off with a light shake of his head.
The others nodded in realization seeming remembering something, adopting looks of envy themselves before sighing.
"As expected of Royalty."
"There's no way to compete."
Kelly stayed silent as she turned to look at Snow's figure walking in the front, a look of yearning in her eyes for a moment before it was promptly hidden away.
A little distance away, Elise and Monique who had been listening discreetly to their conversation also turned to look at Snow, admiration shining in their eyes.