"Well, now it's getting late." Macul glanced at the wall clock and said,
"I'm going to have breakfast; after that, I will hurry up and go to the classroom to preview the textbooks."
Macul looked at Astr and said seriously,
"Maybe I'm not as smart as you, but in terms of hard work, I think I'm enough to be your opponent."
Despite being doubted for his perceived weakness in winning, for the past month since Astr fell into a coma, Macul has been studying relentlessly.
'No matter how smart Astr is, he can't easily make up for the gap caused by time, right?'
Macul kept in mind the "letter of war" issued by Astr at the opening ceremony.
'As fourth place in the entrance examination, I also have my own pride.'
However, Macul's announcement only received an airy "Well, I'm looking forward to it" from Astr.
It was as if Macul was not taken seriously by Astr at all.
"..."
After hearing Astr's words, Macul lowered his head and murmured, "The first exam will be in a month. At that time, I'll make sure you see me in a different light."
After uttering these words, Macul slung a diagonally worn bag filled with textbooks over his back. Swiftly, he departed with determination.
Astr raised his eyebrows, looked up at Rafeal in confusion, and asked,
"Did I say something wrong? Didn't I sincerely wish for him to defeat me?"
Rafeal replied with the same flattery smile.
"I don't know; maybe he is sick."
"Ah, I see..." Astr suddenly realised and pondered, "Macul is indeed a bit anxious. But I didn't anticipate he would have some utility."
"Of course," Rafeal nodded.
"We should take more care of Macul in the future. After all, if nothing happens, we will be roommates for three years."
Astr said while feeling that he was really a little angel.
"——Sneeze!"
At this time, Macul, who was walking quickly to the restaurant, suddenly sneezed and shivered.
Inexplicably, a feeling of aversion to cold arose.
.....
'A perfect private room.' Astr thought while looking at the room.
What catches the eye is the clean and tidy decoration. The sunlight poured in from the window, casting a light golden glow inside the room.
To the right is a spacious bathroom complete with a bathtub. Further down the aisle, there's a compact stove and a dining table for cooking.
The small dining room and bedroom are separated by a frosted glass door.
The bedroom has a wardrobe, a desk, and a spacious single bed.
His eyes were fixed on the bed, where there was a dark red gift box tied with a gold ribbon.
Astr and Rafeal were the only two people there, so Astr stopped pretending and stood up from the wheelchair and walked towards the bed.
Regardless, Rafeal must have known him, but Rafeal was shocked. "You can actually walk?"
At the same time, Rafeal was afraid in his heart, and he thought
'Fortunately, I managed to suppress the urge to spin Astr around just now...'
"..."
Astr took a deep breath, and with a smile, he said, "Are you hungry? Do you want to go eat?"
Rafeal looked left and right and said, "I'll get out of here."
The aloof young master of the No. 1 family mellowly rolled out of Astr's sight.
"I hope the next subordinate will have a higher IQ." Astr sighed, and his [Soul Thread] could connect to another creature, so he wanted another subordinate.
Asfr turned his attention back to the dark red gift box, licked his lips curiously, untied the ribbon, and lifted the lid of the box.
"Wow..."
When Astr's eyes saw the things inside, even Astr, who was always calm about things, couldn't help shouting in surprise.
Inside the gift box, there are Astral Academy uniforms neatly stacked.
The dark red colour, like the most precious rose, bloomed quietly in front of Astr's eyes.
In the sunlight, it exudes a hazy and soft halo. A card was placed on top of the uniform, written in strong pen writing.
[Welcome to Astral, Student Astr Serene]
'... I have to say, Astral's sense of ritual It's really good. It's not in vain that everyone worked so hard to get into the exam.'
Astr put away the card and calmly picked up the uniform, handling it with a touch of coolness.
A double-breasted suit jacket with a dark red background and gold thread embellishments on the collar, cuffs, and hem edges The golden buttons are adorned with intricate rose patterns, adding a touch of exquisite detail.
Embroidered on the left chest of the coat is the Astral coat of arms—crossed swords and roses.
This is actually the emblem of the Leonis Empire, symbolising elegance and fearlessness, just like the Princess Astral, who died young.
The bottom of the uniform is a set of dark red gold-edged trousers, which are ironed very straight without any wrinkles.
"What a dazzling gift."
Astr murmured, with a real smile on his face, like a child who got a new gift.
Astr looked at the uniform from side to side admiringly and immediately wanted to try it on, so he opened the closet and looked for the shirt underneath.
The room has been tidied up by the maid. In the wardrobe, there is a row of white shirts of different styles hanging, various bow ties on the lower shelf, and shiny black leather shoes on the bottom shelf.
Astr casually took down a white shirt and then discovered that its cuffs and buttons were actually decorated with pleated lace.
After thinking for a moment, Astr nodded solemnly.
'It's up to you.'
After a lot of fuss, Aste finally changed his clothes without the help of the maid. He felt a little out of breath, and there were some beads of sweat on his forehead.
"When will my body get better, at least like a normal person?" Astr sighed, but he was not in a hurry.
'Compared to the beginning, I can now be called a miracle.'
Astr straightened out his curly hair, which had become a little messy due to lying in bed, and stood in front of the full-length mirror.
In the mirror, a young man with a gentle temperament was reflected. The well-fitting uniform outlines the lines of his slender and soft body.
Waving his hands, the white pleated lace protruding from the cuffs swayed.
"Damn, I'm so handsome."
Astr sniffed, feeling like he was about to bleed from his nose.
After turning left and right twice, Astr completed his admiration—or, in other words, "appreciation of excessive beauty."
Then he got back on the wheelchair, slowly rocked the turntable, and walked out of the dormitory, ready to have breakfast.
When his conspicuous white head appeared in the corridor, the noise stopped for a moment.
The students looked at Astr in disbelief, unable to believe that he could actually attend class on time.
'Wasn't Astr Serene weak from birth? '
Their knowledge was washed away once again. It's as if Astr is another species that cannot be treated with common sense.
Later, a student came forward and helped Astr push the wheelchair.
"Thank you." Astr said it without politeness, looking up and smiling.
"It's nothing." The student shook his head, fell silent for a moment, and scratched his head in embarrassment. "I thought you were a difficult person to get along with."
Just like the reputations of Astr and Rafael, they believed that Astr's personality was also comparable to that of the golden-haired young master.
Astr chuckled and said, "It's definitely different. I have a brain after all."
"..."
The expressions of the students around him immediately became animated. It seems... it's a "bad character" in another sense.
When leaving the apartment, Astr suddenly felt an extremely strong sight, like some lava.
That sight shot at him like a blazing flame.
With a sweep of the room, Astr turned his head and gazed at the shadow in the corner of the dormitory, squinting his eyes and observing.
'There is nothing in sight. Strange...' Astr frowned.
This glimpse was fleeting, yet the emotion contained in it was intense and fiery.
'It doesn't seem like Lust Painter's subordinate, [Steed Stream], and I am not worthy of concern in the eyes of four dead believers'
'What's more, this is Astral; this is where Principal Gabriel Hamlet rules. No matter how unreliable this principal seems, he is still an "old" wizard with immeasurable strength who has lived for hundreds of years.'
'This is why, even if someone wanted to capture me, they would not dare to show up in person here in Astral'
'Afraid of meeting the same fate as the oak banshee of the forest. But if not an enemy, then who could it be? Perhaps one of my ardent fans?'
Astr couldn't help but laugh.
'Even though I am the number one freshman and attract much attention, and some people admire me, it's not to the point of 'fanaticism.' Besides, I haven't done anything to harm anyone else.'
Astr temporarily withdrew his gaze and secretly increased his vigilance.
On the surface, he was chatting with the enthusiastic student, who helped him push his wheelchair as usual while heading to the student cafeteria.
.....
After eating breakfast, Astr's face turned a little red.
Astr was slowly pushed along the boulevard that was beginning to turn yellow, feeling the cool autumn breeze comfortably.
His white, curly hair danced in the breeze, and his ice-blue eyes mirrored the swaying green grass and sparkling lakes. The entire person radiated a tranquil demeanour, unconsciously calming the hearts of those around him.
The fellow students gradually parted ways, and the noise gradually subsided. In the end, only a few people stood in front of the simple and elegant building of the Wizard Department.
The number of young wizards recruited this year is similar to previous years. There are twenty-three people in total, forming a small class.
This does not mean that the empire only has this many young people with wizard talents.
Instead, there are only twenty-three young individuals who are ready to confront the unknown, engage with extraordinary powers, and successfully enter the Astral.
In the future, there may be people among them who are extremely talented and mentally determined and who will travel across the ocean and enter the Wizard Tower for further studies.
What they will face then will be a real nightmare.
Therefore, the standards for becoming a wizard must be high, and the foundation and roots must be solid. Otherwise, even death will only be a luxury.
When Astr was pushed into the classroom, the students all showed expressions of surprise, and their eyes followed him.
'Astr. Serene '
Like a pebble falling on water, this name caused ripples in everyone's hearts. Everyone stared at the white-haired boy in the wheelchair with burning eyes.
The mandatory courses at Astral Academy are typically extensive sessions, lasting two hours each with a ten-minute break in between, occupying the entire morning or afternoon.
Astr's morning course was "Basic Theory and Introduction to Wizards", taught by Mr. Keal, professor of herbology and alchemy.
'Still an old acquaintance.'
At this time, there are only five minutes left before class.
On the podium, when the round, chubby old man with a white beard saw Astr, his eyes lit up, and he took the initiative to say hello.
"Good morning, respectable young gentleman, Mr. Astr! Are you feeling better? You can come here; I am surprised!"
As he said that, Keal rubbed his hands excitedly.
'Wow, he can actually be praised by Astral's professor. He is worthy of being the number one among the freshmen.'
The students were amazed in their hearts and moved their seats, hoping that Astr could sit next to them.
The classroom is not a rigid, boxy one but a circular staircase classroom, with rows of wooden seats surrounding the front podium.
The dome above was wrapped with dark green vines that grew out of nowhere, swaying slightly in the wind.
For a classroom with only about twenty people, the space can be said to be quite spacious.
Aste was helped up; he raised his eyes and saw Macul sitting in the centre.
So, under the gaze of many eyes, Astr slowly walked over and sat down next to Macul.
The other students' faces immediately showed regretful looks.
"Oh!"
Macul exclaimed, feeling flattered; his cheeks flushed, and his back unconsciously straightened as straight as a sword.
'I just don't know why, but Astr's eyes carry a peculiar kindness.'
Macul was on pins and needles watching this. At this moment, a dark figure walked into the classroom.
It was like a crow had flown in; even the dark red uniform couldn't suppress the black hair that was like ink.
In an instant, there was silence in the classroom. Countless eyes were fixed on the tall girl walking into the classroom, with a mixture of surprise and repulsion in their eyes.
She is in third place on the entrance exam. Ellara's face was like an ice sculpture, indifferent to the surroundings, and she stepped over the stairs with her long legs.
When she walked past Astr, Aste seemed to feel a chill drifting over him.
Ellara walked to the last row and sat down in the far corner, away from everyone, without saying a word.
"..."
Suddenly, a low and melodious bell rang outside the classroom, breaking the silence in the room.
"Dang——dang——"
The bell resounded throughout the campus, signalling the official start of the first class of the new semester.
Professor Keal was completely unaware of the strange atmosphere in the classroom and still said cheerfully,
"Gentlemen and ladies, welcome to Astral Wizarding Academy. I am Keal Savorie, who will teach you the basic wizarding course for the first three weeks. I am a professor who mainly teaches herbology."
Facing the excited and burning gazes of the students, Keal curled up his moustache and said with a smile,
"I understand you all are eager to delve into the mysteries of wizard power, but officially, before we commence practice, let's review the fundamental knowledge first."
"What is a 'wizard'?"
"In a broad sense, those who have learned meditation methods and can spontaneously gather elemental energy are referred to as 'wizards'—this is something that also appeared in the first multiple-choice question of the written test."
As if remembering something, Keal glanced at Astr.
After a pause, he continued:
"But according to the standard, if you just learn meditation, you can only be regarded as a 'wizard apprentice'. Only if you pass the assessment can you be considered an official wizard."
"There are three stages of wizard apprenticeship: first level, second level, and third level, with strength increasing step by step."
'Corresponding to the levels, level 20 is the second level, and level 30 is the third level.'
Astr added it to his mind.
"After three years of studying in Astral, most individuals can reach the second level. Achieving the third level is considered exceptional, with one or two in a class being regarded as highly talented."
"If you wish to pursue further studies in the wizard tower, you must reach the third level before the age of 18. The requirements are quite demanding."
"Then there is the Wizard School."
At this point, Professor Keal calmed down and said seriously,
"Remember, you can only engage with the seven major schools of wizards under the control of the three righteous gods."
"The rest are all evil ways."
On one of the seats, Astr blinked and felt an arrow hit his knee.