The new students, eager to avoid making their senior mentors wait, returned to the dormitory gates in less than fifteen minutes. From there, they proceeded to the academy's dining hall.
"The academy has two dining halls, one in the north and one in the west. We're heading to the western one, known as the Second Dining Hall," explained Duweenie.
From a distance, the sheer size of the Second Dining Hall was already striking. Upon closer inspection, they noticed an announcement board at the entrance, listing the day's recommended dishes:
Special of the Day: Crystal Mushrooms from the Underground Realm, slightly enhancing mental activity. Price: 20 gold coins per serving.
Special of the Day: Electric Spine Lizard Meat from Zone 1, slightly strengthening physical constitution. Price: 12 gold coins per serving.
Special of the Day: Rainbow Icefish from the Underground Realm, slightly increasing ice element resistance. Price: 30 contribution points per serving, available only for second-level wizard apprentices or above.
The announcement board was filled with similar listings, drawing a crowd of apprentices who appeared to be deep in discussion. Snippets of complaints about the exorbitant prices could be overheard.
Duweenie addressed the curious looks of the new students. "Food here has to be purchased, and prices vary. The dishes on the announcement board are among the most expensive. Even we seniors can only afford them occasionally."
She smiled knowingly and added, "Still, these delicacies are worth their price. On most days, they're sold out quickly, and some dishes are restricted to certain levels of students."
The new students were stunned by the pricing. Even those from affluent noble families had rarely encountered meals costing over ten or twenty gold coins per dish. The numbers seemed outright extortionate to them.
Noticing their shocked expressions, Duweenie simply chuckled. She knew they would change their minds after experiencing the food's taste and effects.
Upon entering the Second Dining Hall, they found the space divided into various sections, each uniquely themed and offering a diverse array of cuisines. The students chose a spot to settle in, and shortly after, staff members arrived to take their orders.
To their surprise, these staff members were not human. Instead, they were an unfamiliar species of humanoid females with coppery hair, smooth skin like polished jade, and flawlessly sculpted faces. Their large, dark eyes shimmered with depth, and their long, folded-back ears bore a faint resemblance to those of elves. They stood slightly taller than halflings, at about a meter in height.
"These are Water Sprites, the dining hall staff," Duweenie explained. "They are gentle by nature, have a fondness for cleanliness, and can manipulate water elements."
"I've never heard of such creatures before," one student remarked.
"That's normal," Duweenie replied with a smile. "Water Sprites are beings from another realm. They don't naturally exist on this continent. The academy summoned them through contracts, and they work here in exchange for compensation."
The sight of the Water Sprites seemed to ignite a flurry of questions from the new students. Duweenie patiently answered their inquiries, while Shaqin sat silently with an indifferent expression.
Before long, the Water Sprites returned with trays of food. One particularly charming Water Sprite served Fleming and even flashed him a sweet smile before leaving. Fleming felt his heartbeat quicken as he watched her retreating figure, captivated by her ethereal beauty.
Previously, he had admired the girl next door, believing she was the epitome of beauty. But now, the Water Sprite seemed to redefine his understanding of loveliness.
After the lively meal, Shaqin and Duweenie escorted the new students to the logistics office to collect their supplies. Each student received an academy map, a rulebook, an exchange catalog, textbooks, robes, and a badge.
"The badge is your student ID," Duweenie reminded them. "You'll need it to access many parts of the academy, so take good care of it. If you lose it, you'll have to pay to replace it."
With that, the two seniors departed, leaving the new students to their own devices. Carrying their supplies, they formed small groups and returned to the dormitory.
The dormitory rooms were all singles, fully furnished with a living room, bedroom, and washroom. The accommodations were luxurious, with brand-new furniture and modern conveniences.
Still buzzing from their introduction to the academy, the new students gathered in the hallways to chat and exchange their impressions. At their age, they were beginning to mature physically but were still somewhat naïve in mindset.
Fleming, however, refrained from joining the chatter. He headed straight to his room.
Shortly after settling in, Donohan dropped by.
"Fleming, what courses are you planning to enroll in tomorrow?" Donohan asked.
"Everything! I'm signing up for all the basic courses," Fleming replied without hesitation.
Donohan raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that a bit too intense?"
Fleming shrugged and countered, "What about you? What will you take?"
Donohan sighed. "Well, if you're doing everything, I can't fall behind, can I? I'll enroll in all of them too."
Fleming patted him on the shoulder. "Let's work hard together."
Having finally gained admission to the prestigious Starlight Academy, Fleming was determined to seize this opportunity. Even without the looming threat of expulsion for failure, he would still push himself to the limit.
After all, this was his one chance to transcend mediocrity.
Who wouldn't want to live longer and witness the grand vistas at the pinnacle of the continent?
Once Donohan left, Fleming eagerly picked up the textbook he had received earlier. It was the only book provided to new students for free: Stellar Ring Meditation Method.
With a deep breath, he calmed his mind and focused on the book.
According to Duweenie, the fastest any senior had mastered this meditation method was in 25 days, and even the slowest had done so within a month and a half. Fleming didn't expect to break any records, but he was determined to master it within the time frame.
This was his chance to stand out among the new students.
Even in his short time at the academy, he had already sensed the intense competitive atmosphere. Everyone was racing against time, striving to improve their abilities.
"I'll make it into the Dragonbone Tower one day," he resolved.
---
In the Royal Palace of Shimmering City
In the council chamber, King Kyi sat deep in thought, his brow furrowed. Nearby, advisors Bred, Jotun, and Stalli sat silently, not daring to interrupt.
The recent aptitude tests had yielded disappointing results. Both the second prince, Wes Ernest, and the crown princess, Adella Ernest, had failed to qualify for admission to Starlight Academy. This news had left the king sighing in frustration.
None of the advisors were surprised. The king, a legendary knight rather than a wizard, had no better odds of producing wizard-qualified offspring than any ordinary person.
Breaking the silence, Bred cleared his throat and spoke up. "Your Majesty, it's not the fault of Prince Wes or Princess Adella. Wizard aptitude is exceedingly rare, and no one can control their innate gifts."
The king sighed. "I know. I don't blame them. But the absence of a wizard apprentice within the royal family could harm the monarchy's prestige over time."
The advisors exchanged uneasy glances, silently acknowledging the truth of his words.
Jotun, less reserved than his counterparts, shrugged and said, "Your Majesty, there are plenty of other princes and princesses. Surely one of them will have wizard potential."
King Kyi blinked in realization, his expression shifting. Indeed, with enough offspring, it was only a matter of time before one displayed wizard aptitude.
His spirits lifted at the thought. With the empire's resources, even a mediocre wizard apprentice from the royal family could be nurtured into a third-tier apprentice.
Suddenly inspired, the king suggested, "What about arranging marriages between the royal family and the apprentices of Starlight Academy? Wouldn't that strengthen our lineage?"
The advisors froze, taken aback by the bold proposal. It was a pragmatic strategy, aiming to integrate wizard bloodlines into the royal family.
Bred hesitated before responding, "Your Majesty, many nobles have already attempted similar alliances, but few apprentices agree. Most are focused on their studies and have little interest in marriage."
Kyi nodded thoughtfully. Wizards were ambitious individuals, often prioritizing their goals over personal relationships. However, he believed circumstances might change. As competition within the academy intensified, some apprentices might seek noble support to alleviate financial burdens, making marriage alliances mutually beneficial.
Though this plan would take time to implement, Kyi was confident it would bear fruit.
After a moment of contemplation, Kyi shifted his focus to another matter.
"How is the logistical mobilization coming along?"
Hearing this, Bred, Jotun, and Stalli instinctively straightened their postures, ready to report.
"All resources have been moved to the border cities," Bred replied confidently. "They are sufficient to sustain a large-scale war."
Kyi nodded in satisfaction before asking, "Have there been any unusual activities from the surrounding nations?"
"Other than increasing troop deployments in border towns adjacent to the empire, there have been no other significant movements," Bred reported.
Kyi understood immediately. Such actions from neighboring states were expected—they were preparing against the possibility of the Shimmering Empire launching a campaign to unify the southeastern region.
At this point, the Shimmering Empire's territorial size rivaled that of the former Golden Empire. In terms of overall strength, it was even more formidable, not least because it boasted the continent's only wizard.
It was no surprise that other nations were on edge. Even if the empire declared it had no intentions of unifying the southeast, no one would believe it.
The truth was, Kyi did intend to unify the southeastern region. In fact, the southeast was merely the first step. His ultimate ambition was to unite the entire Starlight Continent under his banner.
He had discussed this goal in depth with Su Nan, and the two brothers had reached a firm agreement.
With Su Nan's unwavering support, Kyi's confidence was soaring.
Imagining the future of the empire, even the more composed and mature Kyi couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.
Just then, an attendant appeared at the doorway to the council chamber, bowing respectfully.
Kyi glanced at him and asked coolly, "What is it?"
"Your Majesty, an envoy from the Thornflower Principality requests an audience."
The announcement startled all four men in the chamber.
Jotun furrowed his brows. "Sending an envoy at this time... could it be that they've uncovered our plans?"
Stalli, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke up. "That's unlikely. The Thornflower Principality did increase troop deployments in their border towns, but that was before the empire began its resource mobilization. They likely remain unaware of our intentions."
Kyi considered this for a moment before waving his hand decisively. "Escort the envoy to the reception hall. I'll meet him there."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
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