The Vale Academy's entrance ceremony was exactly as pompous as Aldrich expected. Hundreds of noble offspring gathered in the grand hall, their magical auras creating a symphony of power that would have impressed anyone else. To Aldrich, it was like watching children play with sparklers while he held a supernova in his palm.
As the ceremony droned on with the same old speeches about tradition, excellence, and the prestige of the academy, Aldrich couldn't help but feel a familiar sense of boredom wash over him. How many times had he sat through these kinds of self-congratulatory displays in his previous life? Too many to count.
"Brother!" Rosalind's voice cut through the ambient chatter. His older step-sister glided toward him, her silver hair catching the light. As the student council president, she'd already positioned herself at the top of the academy's social hierarchy. "I saved you a seat at the advanced class section."
"How thoughtful," Aldrich replied with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Unfortunately, I'll have to decline. Wouldn't want anyone thinking I got special treatment because of my dear sister."
The emphasis he placed on 'sister' made Rosalind flinch. Good.
"But your test scores-" she started.
"Were perfect, yes. Just like everything else about me." He turned away, dismissing her. "How dull."
As Aldrich walked away, Rosalind remained in place, an unfamiliar heaviness in her chest. When did you become so distant? she wondered. She had always seen herself as the family's anchor, guiding her siblings with poise and care. Aldrich's cold dismissal echoed in her mind.
As he walked toward the back of the hall, he could feel dozens of eyes tracking his movement. The infamous youngest son of House Vale, whose magical awakening had shattered every record in the academy's history. The prince-like figure who'd suddenly turned cold and mysterious, which is totally not suspicious, The perfect prey for ambitious nobles and starry-eyed admirers.
He chose a seat next to a plain-looking boy who nearly jumped out of his skin when Aldrich sat down.
"You're either a scholarship student or from a very minor house," Aldrich observed clinically. "Perfect. Let's be partners for the entrance ceremony."
The boy gaped. "But... why would you want to-"
"Because it will annoy exactly the right people." Aldrich gestured subtly toward the front rows, where various noble scions were already turning purple with indignation. "I'm Aldrich Vale, and I'm going to use you to make a point."
"Marcus. Marcus Thorne," the boy replied weakly. "I'm here on scholarship."
"Excellent. Now, what do you know about advanced magical theory? The real kind, not the watered-down nonsense they teach here."
Marcus's eyes lit up with genuine enthusiasm. "Actually, I've been researching some theoretical applications of mana crystallization that the standard texts don't cover-"
Aldrich's lip curled in his first genuine expression of interest all day. Perhaps this wouldn't be a complete waste of time after all.
The opening ceremony droned on, full of speeches about tradition and excellence. Aldrich spent it discussing increasingly complex magical theories with Marcus, their conversation just loud enough to be heard by the surrounding students. By the end, he'd simultaneously found a useful pawn, infuriated the nobility, and identified several fatal flaws in the academy's standard magical curriculum.
As they filed out of the hall, Evelyn - his step-sister of the same age - tried to intercept him. Her ruby-red eyes were filled with hurt. "You've changed so much since your fever. Why won't you even look at me anymore?"
Aldrich paused, then turned to her with a look of mild curiosity, as if examining an interesting but ultimately insignificant insect. "Because, dear sister, the person you're pining for never existed. He was a mask I'm no longer interested in wearing." He tilted his head. "Though I must admit, the level of attraction you and Rosalind harbor for your step-brother is... fascinating, from a psychological perspective."
He left her standing there, Marcus trailing behind him like a bewildered shadow. As they walked toward their first class, Aldrich's mind was already racing with possibilities. The academy's magical barriers were impressive but flawed. The political structure was rigid but brittle. And everyone was so desperate to either love or hate him that they'd never see him coming.
This world wanted a perfect young master? He'd show them what happened when perfection went wrong. God I am corny
"Marcus," he said suddenly, "how would you like to help me break this entire system?"
Marcus hesitated, suddenly realizing the gravity of what Aldrich was proposing. "Break the system? But... why? And how?"
Aldrich's lips curved into a predatory smile. "Because, my dear Marcus, I'm not interested in playing by their rules. This academy, this society - they've handed me the perfect mask, the flawless face of a noble prodigy." His eyes gleamed with a dangerous light. "Now I intend to use it to tear down their precious illusions, piece by piece."
He placed a hand on Marcus's shoulder, his grip firm yet almost casual. "And you, my friend, are going to help me do it. After all, who better to dismantle a system than someone who's been denied a place within it?"
Marcus swallowed hard, suddenly aware that he had just made a pact with a true force of nature. But something about Aldrich's conviction, his sheer magnetism, made Marcus want to follow him, regardless of the consequences.
"Alright," he said, steeling his resolve. "I'm in. What's the plan?"
Aldrich's smile widened, and Marcus knew in that moment that he had just unleashed a storm upon the tranquil waters of the Vale Academy.