[Location: En Route to Luminare Academy – Within a Luxurious Carriage]
The rhythmic clatter of hooves against the cobbled roads reverberated through the grand carriage, a meticulously crafted masterpiece of polished mahogany and embroidered velvet. The golden insignia of Luminare Academy shimmered faintly on the exterior.
Mikoto, dressed in the formal uniform of the academy, sat with his posture relaxed. The black button-up shirt he wore was crisp, tucked neatly beneath a waistcoat of midnight black, its fabric interwoven with golden filigree. His trousers were of the same shade, their tailored fit accentuating his frame, while his polished dress shoes gleamed dully beneath the dim carriage lantern.
Despite the elegance of his attire, there was one thing that stood out.
A mask—an unsettling, ornate creation that covered his face entirely, leaving only his piercing eyes visible through the narrow slits.
Fiona, who had been eyeing him with open curiosity, finally spoke, her voice tinged with something akin to amusement.
"I imagine you would look rather dashing, if not for the mask."
She tilted her head slightly, as though reconsidering something, before adding with mild regret, "Maybe I should not have made the mask so creepy."
Mikoto, who had been idly resting his fingers against the cool surface of the mask, merely tapped it once—a hollow sound against the lacquered material.
"It's fine this way."
Was it creepy? Certainly. But it served its purpose well enough. Attention was inevitable, at least for a time. But that was temporary—people moved on, found new distractions. The moment someone more intriguing came along, he would be forgotten.
The princess.
The second princess of the kingdom was also set to attend Luminare Academy for her first year. Compared to her, a mere masked individual would quickly become an afterthought.
Then there was the other Spawn of Octavia—the one Fiona had spoken of. The presence of another Spawn.
And yet, despite all of this, there was a lingering thought that gnawed at him.
Mikoto exhaled softly, shifting slightly in his seat before finally voicing the question that had sat unspoken between them.
"Say, is it really fine for me to be wearing this, though?"
The realization that he should have asked this far earlier dawned on him, but at this point, there was little he could do about it. They were already en route.
Fiona responded without hesitation.
"Well, of course it would be fine." She lifted a single hand, gesturing vaguely as she continued, "It is an academy for magic, among a few other things. Having a magical object on your person is fine, as long as you wear your full uniform."
Mikoto hummed in understanding, "I see."
At least they were lenient about it. Compared to his old high school in Japan, where regulations were absurdly strict, this academy seemed surprisingly flexible.
But before he could dwell on that thought, Fiona spoke again, her tone shifting slightly.
"But I don't think I need to tell you that it would be prudent for you to avoid drawing attention."
Mikoto turned to look at her as she paused momentarily before continuing.
"Using magic without glyphs and chants is achievable, but usually, that would take years of practice. So, I implore you to make use of glyphs and chants, even if you have no need for them."
It was a logical precaution, one that he had already accounted for.
"Noted."
Mikoto had never been one to seek attention; if anything, he actively avoided it. That much had never changed. If using glyphs and chants would make him appear ordinary, then so be it.
And yet, his stay at Luminare Academy was never meant to be permanent.
His reasons for enrolling were singular, driven by two motives.
The first was the Spawn of Octavia—the one already attending the academy. According to Fiona, this Spawn was able to utilize something known as Familial Arts—a technique exclusive to those bearing the divine blood of Octavia. If true, then perhaps... he could learn from her.
("Familial Arts sound interesting, the unique magics achievable by spawns. The ability varies depending on who the God who blessed you is.")
But that was secondary to his true objective.
The library.
Fiona had spoken of it before—a vast sea of knowledge, surpassing even the extensive archives of her own mansion. If there was anywhere he could find something useful, it would be there. A way to travel between worlds. A method to contact Gods. Something. Anything.
He was running out of time.
Mikoto leaned back against his seat, his fingers absentmindedly tapping against the armrest before another question crossed his mind.
"But I have to ask, is it really this easy to get into Luminare Academy?" He turned to her, a hint of skepticism in his tone. "I mean, I heard it was prestigious, but..."
Fiona gave him a knowing look before offering a small, amused smirk.
"No, it's not that easy."
She flicked a strand of her pink hair over her shoulder before continuing, a faint air of smugness lacing her words.
"The reason you got in was because of a recommendation from yours truly."
Mikoto exhaled softly. Of course.
She leaned in slightly, her eyes glinting with pride.
"See, I don't mean to boast—"
(She absolutely did.)
"—but I was quite a fine student."
She folded her arms, the smirk widening slightly.
"I even held my own against a number of Spawns."
Now she was definitely boasting.
Mikoto merely stared at her.
Fiona, seemingly unfazed, cleared her throat before adding, "But seeing as I'm to be an assistant in this academy this year, the faculty hold me in high regard; again, I'm not boasting."
Mikoto continued staring.
"Uh-huh..."
She was absolutely boasting.
Still, at least he would have a familiar face within the academy—one he had grown accustomed to over the past month. Their interactions had been... pleasant, even if he wasn't sure what to label their relationship just yet.
Perhaps a friend?
...Maybe.
Before he could dwell on the thought further, the carriage slowed to a halt.
Fiona straightened, adjusting her gloves before announcing with her usual crispness, "And we have arrived."
The carriage door swung open, revealing the grandeur beyond. Fiona stepped out first, her boots clicking against the cobblestone, before Mikoto followed suit.
And then, he saw it.
Luminare Academy.
A sight so majestic—so immense—that for the first time in a long while, Mikoto found himself at a loss for words.
"Whoa..."
It was the only thing he could utter.
It was an impressive structure that resembled an enormous dark castle, and it was a sight to behold. The castle was made of grayish blue stones that gave the building an aged and majestic look. The castle had a tall structure that towered high into the sky. It was a fortified building with walls that ran all around the perimeter of the school. The walls were made of thick stones and were intricate with geometric patterns.
The castle was surrounded by a beautiful green lawn that was trimmed and well-manicured. The extremely vast green grass was perfect for relaxing and enjoying a picnic under the sun. The grounds of the castle were dotted with tall, leafy trees, creating an aerial view that was breathtaking.
At the front, the castle had a vast entrance that was a few yards wide. Its entrance was tall; there were two large wooden doors that were studded with metal to prevent them from being broken during an attack. Carved into the door was a pattern that showed strange symbols.
"For now, this is where we part, Mikoto." Fiona revealed, and he could not help but blink in confusion. Did she not see how huge this academy was? How was he supposed to find his way around? "New first-year students are to make their way to the auditorium for the Headmaster's speech."
"Fiona, this place is huge; how am I supposed to find it?" He asked incredulously.
"You'll find your way." She just said with a smile. "Everyone in the academy does." She mysteriously stated this before she walked off without another word. Mikoto could just sigh to himself.
"Rotten luck."
____________________
The auditorium was grandiose and awe-inspiring, with intricate carvings and ornamentations adorning every surface. The seats seemed to be made of the finest exotic woods and lined with velvet cushions, while the floors were made of polished marble and gleaming stone. The walls were adorned with fantastical paintings and murals depicting mythical creatures, heroes, and battles. The ceiling was high and vaulted, with crystal chandeliers hanging from ornate gilded chains.
The lighting was soft and warm, creating a welcoming and cozy atmosphere. The stage was wide and spacious, with towering curtains featuring intricate embroidery and a gold trim. The decor was otherworldly, with magical crystals and glowing orbs lining the walls. Statues of mythical creatures stood guard at each corner of the auditorium, while banners and flags would hang from the rafters, displaying the colors and symbols of the kingdom.
("It took me a while, but I found it.") Mikoto mused as he settled into a seat on the far right and against the wall. Other students were entering and walking around already, so it was only a matter of following them. "But damn, there sure are a lot of people." He could not help but note as more and more would-be students filled their seats. The stage was still empty, so some kids were just chatting and whatnot. Of course, he seemed to be signaled out for obvious reasons.
But honestly, with the array of bright hair colors he was seeing, he could not help but wince as they clashed with the dark uniform of the academy. This was all still so surreal, even after a whole month had passed. But still, he did not think this situation absurd, at least not any more. All he could feel was this kind of anguish that would not go away.
Like a pit in his stomach—the kind of feeling you get when you know something is about to happen. But something had already happened—this little world travel journey of his. More than thirty days, a month later, he has not made an ounce of progress toward his true goal. He has looked through every avenue presented; teleportation was a dead end, and no progress has been made anymore.
The only solution was this academy; if Fiona's words were to be believed, then this place was a haven of knowledge and information waiting for him. There had to be something that could help him. But then again, what was he expecting to find—a nifty spell that could 'poof' him back home?
("What a pain!") Behind his mask, a nasty grimace sat.
"Excuse me?" A voice to his side cut off his thoughts.
"Hm?" He turned to see another boy; of course he was his age, as all in the auditorium were first-years. He had bright blonde hair with bright green eyes, along with a slightly pale complexion and a semi-sculpted face. He was dressed in the same male Luminare Academy uniform.
"Do you mind if I sit here? Most of the other seats are taken." The boy requested with a smile.
"Sure, go ahead." The boy gave him a grateful nod before taking a seat next to him. "William Gregory, a pleasure." The boy introduced himself as he outstretched his hand.
"Mikoto Yukio, a pleasure." Mikoto introduced himself as he shook the boy's hand.
"Oh, you're an Easterner?" The boy deduced as he smiled. "Well, I hope you enjoyed Galadriel."
"Thanks..." ("Didn't even mention my mask; eh, it must be too awkward.") Mikoto mentally shrugged while turning to the stage as the auditorium quieted down.
Silence was the only thing that followed as someone walked onto the stage. He was a tall, imposing man, looking to be in his late twenties or so. He had a head of spiky, long, dark blue hair with a sculpted face where two ocean blue eyes sat. He was dressed in what seemed like a blue military uniform. He took slow strides to the center stage as he came to a halt before turning to them. His sharp eyes seemed to scan each and every student like he was undressing their character.
"Headmaster Aleister, whoa..." Beside him, William looked at the apparent headmaster with no small amount of admiration, though many other students were following his example, and for good reason. The Headmaster was a formal general for the kingdom, and furthermore, he was a spawn of Aragorn, the same as the princess, not to mention he was an extremely powerful mage. Maybe one of the strongest person in the kingdom, the only other person being able to surpass his potential being the spawn of Octavia.
"I won't waste your time with a meaningless speech. As I have better things to do than talk to some brats." The man bluntly started, his voice traveling throughout the auditorium effortlessly. Of course magic was involved; when was it not? "Now, I'll only be saying a few things." The man started.
"If you're weak, then quit right now." Confusion and some level of anger were the extent of the expressions Mikoto saw. Some students must have been expecting some long winded speech from an academy this prestigious. Yet this man, this icon was only willing to offer a few words.
"No matter what you hear from others or what you might see, there's one truth in this world. Power is needed to succeed; whatever your plans are for the future, remember that you'll accomplish nothing while remaining weak. Power is everything." The man finished as he raised his right hand, snapping his fingers. A small radiating light appeared above each student before something took form and fell on their laps.
Mikoto picked up what he had identified as a piece of paper with something written on it.
("Wolf.") Mikoto could not help but tilt his head in confusion, an action that was noticed by William.
"Oh, right, you might not know how things function in Luminare Academy." He deduced.
"Yep, I've no clue about most things." He admitted sheepishly as the boy let out a slight chuckle.
"I suppose that is understandable, but I'd be happy to inform you." He offered, and Mikoto was grateful. Fiona only really told him a bit about the academy but never really went into detail about how things function in the academy.
"Thanks a bunch."
"No problem. Now you see these notes, we have separated us all into individual classes. Every class is named after an animal, or Astrothian. This is mostly so the professors have an easier time distinguishing each class." He explained as Mikoto hummed in interest. "See? We both got wolf, so we're classmates."
"I see. Is there any other purpose for this naming scheme?" It seemed too elaborate; would it not be easy to just number each class? In response, William sent him a sheepish smile as he spoke.
"Well, I don't personally know if it's true. But I heard that the Astrothian and animal names used were preferred by some of the faculty, and sometimes they put classes against each other." Mikoto could not see the purpose for that, but he supposed they had to have a way to keep students motivated. And what better way to have them beat the shit out of each other?
"It seems like something to look forward to in the future." William only chuckled at his words.
"With the kind of monsters that are in our year? I think not. But enough of that. Wanna go search for the class together?"
"Sure, let's."
And so his stay at the academy began.