Immediately after receiving the robes and uniforms, we were given some time to change and gather in our respective classrooms for introductions.
A small room in the dormitory was also provided to me for the first two months. The selection of clothes was modest: shoes, boots for long journeys, a pair of trousers, and three shirts—white, black, and blue, matching the colors of my faculty. What an odd color! I decided to keep the white and black ones. Despite the limited wardrobe, all the clothes were of good quality, with even the shirt cuffs adorned with golden embroidery. I had only seen such attire on overseas merchants before, yet here, many considered it commonplace.
All other equipment needed to be purchased by the students, and the shops in the nearby towns did quite well at the beginning of each year.
Putting on my black shirt, I headed to the classroom where the others were already assembling.
Upon entering, I sensed some tension in the air. Those who were wealthier had pre-ordered their uniforms to their liking and were comfortably taking the better seats. The less privileged students found their spots on the available seats.
In the first row sat those whom I disliked the most—mages with crosses on their uniforms, representatives of the church. Among them, one blond guy with an unpleasant smile stood out, and the others were orbiting around him.
Glancing at the colors of the robes, it was evident that there were only a few warriors here. Apparently, the classes were deliberately separated so that noble children wouldn't mix with commoners, although even among the mages, there were some who were not from distinguished families. I had no desire to have anything to do with them, so I chose a seat far away at the back of the cascading auditorium.
Soon, the instructor arrived—a rough man with red hair—and at that moment, I felt someone else nearby. A figure wrapped in a black cloak appeared in the auditorium, so discreetly that hardly anyone could have noticed. I hoped it wasn't some assassin looking for a more notable target.
"All right then, I'm not a fan of these gatherings, so introduce yourselves quickly, and we'll disperse," said the teacher gruffly. Though he didn't seem like someone who would lecture on history, he looked more like someone who would teach us how to decimate enemy crowds.
"Allow me to begin," spoke up that sickeningly sweet voice, and it sent shivers down my spine. It was the same blond guy from the first row. "My name is Alfred Van Grave, a mage of fire. I follow the path of the church and wish to spread its ideals to all people in the world."
Those sitting nearby chimed in and even applauded, but his speech didn't evoke any joy in me.
"Hypocrite," I whispered barely audibly, and from my seat, it was unlikely anyone noticed, but for a moment, I thought I saw the temple mage flinch.
The other mages introduced themselves, and among them, there was no one I recognized. However, the surname of the blond guy stirred unpleasant memories in my mind, but I couldn't recall where I knew it from.
The rest of the mages in the first rows introduced themselves with noble surnames, some quite renowned, until it was the turn of those seated behind them. These were young people like me, who didn't know the origins of their magic or wielded it so weakly that they couldn't boast of great achievements.
Between the noble and the unaffiliated mages, there sat a lovely girl with neatly cropped hair, politely explaining unclear points to both groups. As I understood, she was chosen as the class representative.
"I'm... Kurone Venres, greetings," said a timid girl with chestnut hair whom I noticed before the opening ceremony. She courteously bowed, though it only elicited smirks from the nobles. "I am a mage of general specialization, and... I hope to establish a magical lineage to bring glory to my family."
The girl hastily took her seat amid sneers from those around her. It was unlikely that she herself believed in her words. If her magic manifested weakly within her, then her children might not have any magic at all. She would always be regarded as a second-rate mage incapable of achieving anything significant. The malicious whispering in the auditorium ceased only when the girl's neighbor stood up.
This burly young man stood close to two meters tall and looked like a fighter, but the color of his robe suggested otherwise. The brown mantle with a sandy pattern hinted at a mage of the earth, but it seemed he would find it easier to move boulders with his hands than with magic.
"I am Grain Ditter, a mage of the earth," his rough voice added a menacing aura, "I want to study earth magic to use it in combat."
A strange statement, considering that no one considered this magic to be combat-oriented. Building fortifications or protecting battle mages had always been the primary tasks of earth magic, and it was unsurprising that no one thought of other applications. Nevertheless, there were few sneers on the noble faces, apparently intimidated by the formidable appearance of the earth mage.
The queue gradually approached my spot, and I increasingly disliked the derision from these first-rate nobles. I wished I could put these upstarts in their place, but I couldn't fathom how. All I wanted right now was to scare them, even if they considered me a clown.
"Krito Vale, a mage of general specialization," I said, knowing they would ridicule me, but I didn't care. "Someday, I will rule the world, and you will all bow before me."
I had always wanted to say this, and even if they laughed, it didn't bother me. I would show them that one's lineage meant nothing. That seemed to be it, but...
Behind me, the figure in the black cloak still sat there. Was this person ever going to introduce themselves?
"Well, you in the back row, are you going to sit there forever?" the instructor impatiently tapped his desk, but the stranger hesitated. For a moment, the suspicious individual glanced at me, sitting closest to them. After some hesitation, they reached for the clasp around their neck, and the dark fabric gracefully fell onto the chair. Before us was a beautiful girl with a delicate build and a full cascade of golden hair that she hadn't managed to arrange properly in the given time. Perhaps it was due to her beauty, or maybe something else, but I felt a slight tingling sensation on my skin.
"Katrina, a mage of lightning," she stated briefly and clearly.
"Is that all?"
"Yes," and the girl didn't bother with lengthy speeches.
She probably had more to say, but it seemed she didn't want to share it with everyone. At some point, I found myself thinking that I wanted to get to know her better.
"That's it for now. Tomorrow, there will be a test of strength to determine your class. I advise you to prepare," the teacher waved off his responsibilities and left the classroom, but when I turned, the girl was no longer there.