Inside the grand fortress, Nico found that the interior of SilverWing Academy was just as lavish if not more than the exterior.
Corridors were furnished with plush rugs, chandeliers, and murals fitted at almost every turn. There were so many paintings that he quickly lost count.
From a glance, they seemed to depict ancient battles and wars long past. Intrepid warriors were warring against forces of evil, doing everything they could to take them down. Mages upturning the world as their spells ravaged through their foes.
…Walking Calamities who destroyed vast swathes of the earth.
And lastly, there was even a mural on the War of Broken Pacts, more commonly known as the Second Great War.
Nico felt as if he was just trashing the space by being there.
What right did he even have to gaze at these esteemed people?
He had no idea what the Saintess saw in him for her to think of offering him a place here.
He did not doubt that some of these figures had graduated from SilverWing Academy at one point. Otherwise, what purpose would this institution have in displaying these impressive deeds?
Sighing inwardly, the brown-haired boy glanced out of the corner of his eyes and discovered Leon fidgeting, also feeling like he didn't belong.
'Me too, buddy. Me too…'
Isaac meanwhile, rather than feeling down, was entranced by the countless murals and the luxury on display. His eyes seemed to sparkle permanently, his joy infecting the rest of the group.
Nico couldn't help himself and chuckled, wearing a wry smile. The younger elf was just a bundle of energy one could not help but love.
'No, I can't get entranced! Get it together.'
Nico vigorously shook his head.
He would not let that blasted charm get to him!
After some more travelling with the help of a guide, the quartet and the other students who naturally formed a group as they navigated the halls finally stopped outside a wide double door.
Two finely dressed members of staff then opened the entrance upon their arrival.
A low hum greeted Nico at first.
It slowly rose in intensity until it completely dominated his ears.
It was like he had stepped into a roaring tide.
The brown-haired boy winced, his headache increasing.
All around him, a vast room sprawled. Long buffet tables ran along the length of the hall, taking up around three-quarters of the room. Numerous youths dotted their expanse, already having taken their seats and munching on some of the snacks that were set out.
They were dressed lavishly, as one would expect from people of their station. Nico spotted a few boys making some last-minute adjustments to their hair, outfit, and whatever else comprised their ensemble, no doubt hoping to impress the opposite sex.
He smirked inwardly.
Explosions of murmurs filled the vast dining hall, the youngsters discussing all the last gossip. Nico's ears picked up on more than a few conversations centred around the arrival of the Dragon Princess.
Tuning them out, Nico's gaze continued to flit through his surroundings. He noticed the centre of the hall was left empty.
His brows furrowed.
Ignoring his suspicion, for now, the brown-haired boy walked up to a table near the back of the room, picked a seat and unbuttoned the top button of his suit.
Leon and Isaac sat on his right and left, with Oliver beside his younger brother.
Nico ignored the scores of eyes on him. His chaotic aura threatened to become even more tumultuous if he did not keep his emotions under control.
Taking a deep breath, the boy paid no attention to the rising tension.
It was bad enough that his neighbours were staring at him, surprise, envy and a hint of reverence evident in their eyes. Leon and Isaac both placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, each warning their peers not to get near.
'Ha, so much for not attracting attention.' Nico mocked himself and released a deflated sigh.
It was an unreasonable dream to stay in the background. With his talent, that was all but impossible.
Time passed slowly. Nico did not bother himself with others, choosing instead to keep his head down. Even as numerous auras similar to his popped up, he focused on the snacks in front of him, determined to display an indifferent front.
…That was the only way he could deal with his nerves.
Finally, after the span of what felt like several epochs, a hush descended on the hall, followed by the rise of a tranquil aura. It was only then that Nico looked up, his mind registering the familiar presence that had visited him earlier that day in the hospital room.
The Saintess was as otherworldy as ever. Her mesmerising eyes seemed to captivate every youth present, their mystical shine never failing to awe Nico even after witnessing them so many times. The deputy headmistress was garbed in a fine black robe, the fabric flowing down to her feet.
In her right hand, a wooden wand engraved with numerous runes entered the crowd's gaze. She stood atop a slightly raised dais.
The pillar displayed a faint smile similar to the one she had shown at the beginning of the Awakening Ceremony.
A pang of nostalgia quickly hit Nico, before he focused his attention on the deputy headmistress's next words.
"Welcome to SilverWing Academy, everyone! It is my honour to welcome you into these esteemed halls, filled with boundless tradition, heritage and courage. Don't worry, I'll keep this brief. I can sense some of you have finished your appetisers already,"
That remark earned her a wave of chuckles before the Saintess continued, her features turning solemn.
"Here at SilverWing Academy, it is no secret that we will train you to become the best of the best. Once you graduate from here, you should all hopefully have the necessary qualifications and experience to be the future leaders our world so desperately needs. So, what you should hopefully see in due time, is our curriculum will reflect that.
"There will be no days off if we can help it. Once you have chosen a class, we expect you to commit to it and not slack off. Most importantly though, here at SilverWing Academy, we do not tolerate laziness. With the Demons constantly threatening to invade our atmosphere, time is a luxury you don't have. That is why we expect you to make the most of your time here.
"Every teacher in this Academy is at your beck and call. However, the onus is on you to establish first contact. We will not coddle you."
The pillar deliberately paused, allowing a hint of her aura to leak out as she scanned the room.
From what she could see, most youngsters had the sense to sit up straight and stare back at her with solemn intensity, promising they would not let this golden opportunity go.
Her eyes reached the opposite end of the hall. Of course, she had no problem gazing so far - her ascendant sight allowed her to see youths at the far end with no problem. Her gaze settled on a brown-haired boy with a chaotic aura.
The Saintess's strict demeanour threatened to crack.
Noticing the seriousness within Nico's gaze, she nodded, satisfied.
"With that out of the way, I just want to say one last thing," the pillar's voice dropped to a dangerous level. "If I hear a single whisper of discrimination, bullying, or any other nasty thing, I will expel those responsible immediately. Especially if the matter involves a conflict between members of different races. Such squabbles are beneath us here at this institution!
"We are all here to learn. It does not matter what someone looks like, where they come from, or where their social standing lies… in the face of true strength and adversity, insignificant matters such as this cease to be important.
"I expect you all to adhere to that. Is that clear?" The deputy headmistress's voice rose with the intensity of a raging squall. Everything about her demeanour told the youngsters not to disobey her words.
Their instincts screamed at them to listen, to agree, to obey…
"Yes, ma'am!"
A resounding wave of assent followed.
She nodded once more, knowing that her words could not completely stop such behaviour. At the very least, it would help deter any major incidents from taking place.
The students could then deal with any minor disagreements themselves.
The Saintess's gaze lingered on the crowd for a moment before she clapped.
Instantly, her stern demeanour vanished, replaced by an amiable and gentle air.
"That concludes my speech for tonight. Tomorrow, you will start the new term. Report to this room after the Fate Temple is finished with their rituals. If you have any queries or wish to see me after this, you can find me at the peak of the southernmost tower. I sincerely hope you youngsters enjoy yourselves tonight. We've organised a dance after the banquet is over, so feel free to get involved!"
With that, the mystical woman stepped off the slightly raised dais and promptly left the room under a round of thunderous applause.