It was Friday.
The last day of the week.
Just like that, the first week at the institute was almost over. Today marked the second week of my transmigration.
Time seemed to have flown by during those two weeks. I could still vividly recall everything that had happened on the first day as if it were yesterday.
Quite frankly, I was tired.
Both physically and mentally.
But... I was slowly starting to adjust to this world. Slowly but surely, I was getting there.
I just needed a little bit more time.
"Here you go."
"..."
I glanced at the letter that sat on my desk, and I looked up. It was the last lesson of the day, and I was just about to pack up when he suddenly showed up out of nowhere.
"....What is this?"
"An invitation."
Leon answered flatly. I thought about having him elaborate but chose otherwise and just opened the letter.
I was bound to find out anyway.
===
To : Julien of the Evenus Barony.
We extend our warmest greetings to your esteemed self and cordially invite you to join our exchange.
Your presence is certain to elevate the grandeur of the occasion, and we eagerly anticipate the pleasure of your company alongside fellow dignitaries and distinguished guests. The event promises an evening of refined conversation, exquisite cuisine, and cultural enrichment."
.
.
.
I skimmed through the contents of the letter.
"So, in short... A party?"
"Sort of."
Sort of...?
"...And I have to attend?"
I rubbed my forehead.
I was already starting to feel a headache.
"Yes."
Leon nodded and added,
"Everyone does."
"...Ah."
Fuck.
Leon looked around before lowering his tone.
"It's best if you attend the ceremony. Create some connections. It will help you out in the long term."
"..."
Remaining quiet, I sorted through my thoughts.
Indeed, he had a point. Connections were certainly important in this society. Not only to establish myself better as 'Julien', but for the future when the time came for me to leave this place.
It would certainly make my life easier.
With such thoughts, I looked up at Leon and slid the letter over.
".....Fine."
***
The Haven campus was large.
Spanning over a large land, it boasted seven main halls—Leoni Hall, Rondeo Hall, Dorset Hall, Birming Hall, Milnton Hall, Karlson Hall, and Rottingham Hall.
Each Hall had its own distinct function.
The Rondeo Hall was where the dorms were located. The Leoni Hall was where the auditorium was located, the Rottingham was where the professors were situated, and so on…
Each hall served a distinct function, simplifying navigation for newcomers to the academy.
Rottingham Hall.
Tak— Tak——!
The hall echoed with the soft click of her heels.
Delilah walked forward without as much as a single change in her expression.
"Good afternoon, Chancellor."
"It's nice to see you Chancellor."
Along the way, she'd get greeted by the staff that passed her. Glancing at them, she'd return them a nod.
This proceeded until she arrived at her office.
Creaaaak...
As the door opened, her feet came to a pause.
"....."
Her brows twitched at the sight that greeted her. Scratching the side of her head, she nimbly walked past the rows of documents that were scattered all over the floor before reaching her desk, where she sat down.
Gradually, her gaze fell on several fresh documents that sat by her desk.
They said;
[Extra-curricular Activities First Year Cadet selection]
'Oh, there was that.'
It was her job to review their applications.
Flip—
Casually flipping through the pages, she stamped on several of the applicant's submissions.
Tak. Tak—
Her stamp raised and fell continuously.
Until...
"..."
her eyes fell on a certain application. It was none other than Julien's.
"Comedy club...?"
It was a fitting choice after a little bit of thought.
It probably had to do with his powers.
The stamp hovered over the application when...
"Maybe not."
She stopped herself.
Though her assumptions about him had yet to be proven, she still didn't feel reassured to leave him to his own devices.
Therefore.....
"Hold."
She put the application on hold.
"..."
Tak. Tak—
For the next half hour, she sorted through the documents in front of her.
By the time she was done, her head throbbed. Reaching out for her drawer, wrappers scattered on the ground when she opened it. Not minding it, she inserted her hand in and dug through the mess before finally finding what she wanted—A chocolate bar.
The most peculiar part of the bar was the sticker that stuck on top of it.
It said, 'Property of Delilah'.
Yeah, because this was her bar.
She bit into the bar.
"Haaa..."
Only then did her expression relax, and so did her shoulders.
Finally, she redirected her attention to her desk, where a crystal device sat. It was glowing faintly. Shoving the chocolate into her mouth, she tapped on it.
A voice echoed across the room shortly after.
[...Delilah]
It was deep and filled with authority.
Tossing the wrapper, Delilah replied flatly,
"I took care of the problem."
[What was it this time?]
"Still manageable... Nothing much yet. A Terror Rank."
[.....Terror Rank?]
A certain gravity seized the room after Delilah's words.
A specific classification existed for those originating from the Mirror Dimension.
It was one that the four Empires came to a consensus with.
The ranks were as follows: Infant Rank, Junior Rank, Terror Rank, Destroyer Rank, and Primordial Rank.
The fact that a 'Terror Rank' beast had shown up near the premises of the Institute served as a deep reminder of how grave the situation was.
[It seems like they're becoming bolder and bolder. When was the last time they sent someone this powerful?]
"Maybe a couple of years ago? I'm not sure."
As she spoke, Delilah's hand reached out for her drawer again, and she took out yet another chocolate bar.
"...But it wasn't anything worth paying attention to."
A Terror Rank was a monster that had the equivalent power of a High Wizard.
Her trivialization of its power showed just how powerful she was.
[Were there any other problems...?]
Delilah pondered before carefully saying,
"...It seems like they're planning something, but I'm not quite sure what. I've already raised the security of the institute, so we shouldn't have any problems, but you might never know."
[Yes... Make sure to keep alert. We've already stopped many attempts over the years, but you might never know when they will make a breakthrough.]
"Understood."
The call seemed to end on that note, and just as Delilah planned to end it, she heard his voice again,
[.....Oh, there should be a gathering tonight. Are you going to be attending?]
"Gathering?"
[Did you forget?]
"..."
[So you did...]
"I didn't."
For some reason, Delilah felt the need to deny it.
Her pride wasn't allowing her to admit that she had forgotten.
Because...
She really had forgotten.
[Oh, that's good. I'll be seeing you there, then. I'll be going now, and... clean your mouth.]
"....Uh?"
The call ended on that note.
Stunned, Delilah reached for her lips, where traces of the chocolate remained.
Her brows slowly knit together.
"How did he know...?"
***
It was late into the night when I reached the destination.
Since it wasn't far, we walked along the campus road to get to the place.
The venue sat at the Academy's outskirts amidst a cluster of villas. The chosen gathering spot distinguished itself effortlessly.
Towering over its neighbors, this particular villa not only boasted impressive size but also flaunted intricate decorations. Bright lights strategically placed accentuated this further, setting it apart from the others.
"We're here."
Having rehearsed the situation beforehand, Leon went ahead of me and handed over our letters to the butler in charge.
He was a young man with black hair, perhaps about my age.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Black Star."
The butler greeted me after a quick look at the invitation.
His welcoming smile felt rather burdensome as he extended his hand toward the door of the villa, where he proceeded to open it.
[The son of the third head of the Evenus Barony. A first-year cadet and the Black Star. Julien Dacre Evenus.]
Having already been briefed beforehand by Leon, I wasn't startled by the sudden announcement.
I was, however, struggling to keep my face composed.
'I know this is something nobles do... But does it really need to be this exaggerated?'
There was also the issue regarding all the attendees who were now directing their attention toward me.
"Please have a pleasant night."
The butler added. As if he was trying to add salt to my wounds.
"Huuuu..."
Taking a deep breath, I proceeded forward toward the hall.
I once again reminded myself of my identity.
'I'm Julien Dacre Evenus.'
'The Black Star and the number one ranked cadet in the first years.'
'When people look at me, they are the ones who grow nervous.'
'Not me.'
And with such thoughts, I headed deeper into the venue.
There were a lot of familiar faces as I moved forward. From members of my class to some of the staff and professors I had met over the past week. There were also many unfamiliar faces. Some old and some young.
But there was one person that stood out the most out of all of them.
She seemed to be the center of attention.
The one where the focus gravitated toward.
Aoife K. Megrail.
The Empire's one and only princess.
In a one-piece red dress that accentuated her striking red hair, she stood out, her beauty eclipsing many of those present.
Graceful movements and an elegant demeanor added to her image as she eloquently conversed with those engaging her in conversation.
"..."
Just as I noticed her, she noticed me. I thought nothing of it and prepared to look away when, all of a sudden, she smiled.
Smiled...?
I was momentarily taken aback.
So did the many that were looking at her.
By the time I regained my senses, she was standing in front of me. I felt the attention of all those present in the room.
...And just as I looked down to wonder what was happening, her glossy lips parted open, and her crisp voice gently reached my ears.
"I've been waiting for you."
She extended her hand.
".....Would you give me the honor?"
The fuc—