After the assassination incident, the entire summer passed in such boredom. Every day, Yann engaged in verbal sparring with Euénie, and occasionally Niya would interject, leading to a three-way skirmish.
However, most of the time, the three were occupied with their own activities. Niya immersed herself in reading, aspiring to become a female academic prodigy; Euénie delved into Yann's magical arrays, then queried Yann about magical matters. Yann had already lifted Euénie's magical restrictions, but simultaneously crafted a new magical array—a formation that allowed Yann to adjust the size of magical seals with his thoughts, providing Euénie with combat capability without risking rebellion.
This summer, Euénie benefited immensely, advancing further in dark magic. Yann, being a sovereign-level lich, was a formidable force. If he couldn't even resolve the queries of a fifth-tier level nine dark mage, it would be laughable indeed.
And what was Yann doing? Lying on the ground playing dead every day!
With all tasks completed and desires unfulfilled, the pain from the magic punch behind his head still lingered.
"Let's go! To the Inner Academy!" Today, Niya donned a brand-new school uniform, smiling at Yann and Euénie.
Finally, they were entering the Inner Academy, the core area of the eastern province's most prestigious institution. Students who could study here were the elite of the Sacred Heart Academy, the pride of heaven. In the future, they would also be figures in the upper echelons of the Sheng Luo Empire, at least not destined for a miserable fate.
"Oh!" Yann and Euénie both exclaimed before rising to follow Niya.
"Clang!" Heavy armor clanked behind Niya. Moments later, a heavily armored warrior emerged at the dormitory door, wielding a heavy sword, a flail at his waist, and a half-sword. Behind him hung a knight's shield and a moon-blade axe.
Summer vacation had ended, and the original residents of the girls' dormitory had returned in noisy groups.
Upon seeing the heavily armored undead warrior emerge, the female students on the floor fell silent, looking at the undead warrior with awe. The scene of him single-handedly confronting two fifth-tier mage teachers before was too brutal.
Next, another figure emerged, short in stature, standing only about four feet tall, clad in a black robe and wearing a mask to conceal his face.
But incongruously, the figure's height only reached the undead warrior's chest.
"What's this..."
"Could it be Niya's magical pets again?"
"The undead warrior was already so fierce before. This time, it looks like a mage. With that in mind, Niya's combat power must be formidable."
The girls whispered among themselves about Niya's two "magical pets," some even discussing their heights, almost prompting Euénie to cast a fireball in irritation.
Although they attracted countless gazes along the way, the trio ignored them all.
The Inner Academy was situated on the edge of the Outer Courtyard, nestled against a mountain stream. In Yann's world, it could easily pass for a national park.
Separated from the Outer Courtyard by a five-meter-high wall, the wall served more as a warning than an actual barrier, as mages could use magic to ascend it slowly, while warriors could climb it. Its primary purpose was to signify that the Inner Academy was not accessible to those from the Outer Courtyard.
"Please present your credentials." At the gate of the Inner Academy, an old man dressed in gentleman's attire smiled as he saw Niya and her companions, then politely requested their documents.
Niya immediately took out her acceptance letter.
"Ah, new students this year. Congratulations." The old man doffed his hat respectfully.
With a creak, the massive iron gate of the Inner Academy slowly lifted, revealing a new world before Niya and her two companions.
Under the old man's smiling gaze, Niya and her party entered the Inner Academy's gates.
"So, this is the famous Miss Habsburg of this year..." After Niya and her companions had departed, the old man said slowly.
"Slav has acquired another excellent apprentice..."
A tree, an old man, and an iron gate.
"So this is the Inner Academy? It doesn't seem much different from the outside..." Yann, probing with his telepathy, remarked after finding no one around.
With a layout similar to the Outer Courtyard, a straight path of bricks stretched toward a palace-like building. However, this structure was enormous—almost a palace in its own right! The arches and columns exuded regal authority, while the walls made of bricks, square stones, and concrete were adorned with sculptures of mythological figures. Sacrilegiously, these sculptures included not only angels from the Bible but also deities from ancient polytheistic eras—goddesses of beauty, commerce, the sun, the moon, fertility and marriage, wisdom, and war...
Around a small fountain in front of the palace, staircases spiraled up to the entrance. The steps bore intricate carvings, each mark a testament to the architect's dedication.
In Yann's world, this palace alone would be considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site, joining the ranks of the Palace of Versailles, the Louvre, Fontainebleau, the Élysée Palace, the Palace of Bourbon, and the Luxembourg Palace.
"Well, I take back what I said earlier," Yann said, closing his mouth.
Just the appearance of this palace was more imposing than all the teaching buildings in the Outer Courtyard combined, let alone its interior decorations, which were likely even more luxurious.
Already, there were about a dozen people gathered on the small square in front of the palace. They were all students selected from the Outer Courtyard, who would now become the pride of the heavens.
Upon seeing Niya and her companions arrive, most of the dozen or so individuals simply glanced at them, but those who recognized Niya looked on in shock. They hadn't expected the once-laggard to enter the Inner Academy.
No one came to greet them, nor did anyone dare to provoke them.
Especially Clark, who shivered at the sight of Niya's group and quickly turned away.
Can't provoke me, can't hide from me, can you?
After Niya arrived, she and Yann and Euénie found a secluded spot to wait.
After about a quarter of an hour, everyone had arrived. There were a total of twenty-five people present, although many were attendants like Yann and Euénie, not actual students of the Inner Academy.
There was no rule against bringing attendants into the Inner Academy, but their numbers should not be excessive to avoid disrupting the teaching in the Inner Academy.
As for how many students were actually in the Inner Academy, aside from the dean and a few vice deans, no one knew...
A new semester was about to begin!