As we walked toward the headmaster’s office, familiar sights and sounds filled the air. Overhead, students practiced their rag—dragons, phoenix’s, and wyverns s across the sky, their shadows stretg over the ground.

  “It’s that time of year, isn’t it?” Alex mused, gng up.

  “Wait…is it that familiar event I’ve heard about?” Elnora asked, her eyes lighting up.

  “Yeah!” Alex nodded. “During the summer, when the weather is calm, the academy hosts the Vertraut event. It’s a sports petition for third, fourth-, and fifth-year students—sihey’re the only ones allowed to own familiars after getting a lise.”

  He tihough in some cases students get a temporary lise early.”

  “Exactly!” Lilli said excitedly. “I’m definitely entering this year!”

  “Really?” Elnora asked with i.

  “Yeah! My family specializes in summoning spirits, so we’re allowed to obtain a lise to summon familiar as well. I’ve been waiting for this very moment!”

  “That sounds like fun and all.” Alex said with a smirk. “I’ll be cheering you on from the stands!”

  “Hey, buddy! I need a team, you know. Yoing to help me out,” Lilli said, nudging her elbow at Alex.

  “Bh, bh, bh! a guy just rex around here?” Alex groaned dramatically.

  Elnora and I watched as the pair bickered in front of us, their pyful arguments filling the air.

  As we walked, Elnora brushed against me.

  “Are you nervous at all?” she asked suddenly.

  “Nervous? Why would I be nervous?” I thought to myself.

  But for some reason, I realized my hands were trembling.

  Odd… I had never dohat before.

  “I—I think so,” I finally admitted. “I’ve never met the Headmaster before. I’ve heard he only leaves his office during graduation and major academy meetings.”

  “Well don’t be nervous. He’s truly a nice man,” Elnora reassured me. “Holy, I visit him from time to time.”

  “Visiting the Headmaster?!” I asked, surprised.

  “Yeah!” she said with a bright smile. “We just get along well. He’s very polite and thoughtful—regardless of my position as your assistant. You’ll see for yourself soon enough!”

  I looked at her, for some reason, the slight trembling faded away. Her smile had brought me fort.

  We tinued walking as we stepped into one of the academy’s buildings. Lilli and Alex halted their banter, mindful of any summer csses that might be in session. The atmosphere inside was calm, the air filled with st of old part and lingering magic.

  As we asded the stairs, they shifted beh us, ing to life in respoo our destination. Uhe infirmary elevator—crafted through fusion of dwarven engineering and magic—these stairs were woven by magical architectures. The academy itself was alive in its own artificial way, like how the endless dungeons was.

  Lilli uhed her bde, pointing it toward the grey brick wall which was in our way. “Liglot” she whispered casting a spell. “Faculty Room, please.”

  At her and, the stairs swirled, the wall shimmering a new pathway materialized several floors above. Without hesitatioepped through, finding ourselves in a differeion of the academy.

  “I don’t think I’ve been here before,” I said aloud, gng around.

  “Really? This floor is where all the professors’ offices and rooms are,” Alex expined. “Students aren’t allowed in the living quarters, though.”

  “Follow me,” Elnora said, walking ahead. “The Headmasters office should be at the end of the hall.”

  As we walked down the corridor, some doors remaiightly shut, while others stood open, revealing glimpses of the professors w. Books hovered in midair, experiments sparked to life across desks, and bcksmiths hammered aell-bde swords, refining their craft. This was no ordinary faculty wing—it ce where the professors lived and bleeag with practice.

  Elnora quied her pace, leading us up a spiral staircase. At the top, we arrived at a grarance—massive wooden doors framed by two t pilrs. A dragon statue loomed beside them; its pierg gaze locked onto us as if assessing our worth.

  Elnora pushed through the rge wooden doors, revealing what felt like an older, untouched se of the academy. The architecture here bore a timeless grandeur, as if the past itself had been preserved within these walls. Alex entered first, and Elnora turned back waving for Lilli ao follow.

  We stepped into the vast chamber lined with intricate wooden carvings. Large paintings of purple-scaled dragons adorhe walls, their pierg eyes seemingly watched us as we moved. At the ter of the room stood an elven woman with ly tied brown hair, gsses resting on the bridge of her he Receptionist.

  “Hey, Ms.Rina!” Elnreeted gleefully, waking over with a bright smile. “I brought Ryn with me! He finally woke up.”

  Rina, who had initially fixed us with a serious gre, softeo a rexed smile.

  “It’s so o see you again, Elnora!” she said warmly. “How has your summer been so far?”

  “Amazing!” Elnora beamed. “Oh! Did you read that book I reehe Princess and The Emperor?”

  “Ah, yes! It was exquisite! Thank you for the reendation—it was beautifully written.”

  “Right?! Chapter 50 was so good just like I said, wasn’t it?” Elnora spoke with fidence.

  “Ahh Yes!! So good and how the princess…” Rina giggled before clearihroat, realizing she was still at work. “Ahem. Allow me to check if the Headmaster is ready for you all.”

  She rose from her desk and disappeared through a wooden door at the side.

  I gnced around, taking in the sheer size of the room. “This pce is massive…and it’s just a waiting room?”

  “Yep!” Alex replied. “This is the highest point in the academy—ihe Headmaster’s office.”

  Elnora stood by the door anxiously waiting for Rina.

  Lilli waoward the paintings, her eyes widening as she took in the various ndscapes and creatures. Some vases showcased beasts, while others dispyed different domains across the kingdom.

  “Wait… this—this is derheart!” Lilli excimed, staring at the painting. “I know those fireflies and those woods anywhere. That’s right outside my mansiohe ke!” She turo us in awe.

  “Wow… the Headmaster must be really old. This was before we added the pier and the bathing house!”

  As she marveled at the artwork, I examihe armor statues standing against the wall. Their designs were unique, older than any armor I’d ever seen. A glimpse into history itself.

  Meanwhile, Alex stood calmly, arms crossed, waiting for Rina’s return. Moments ter, the door creaked open, and Rina stepped bato the room.

  “The Headmaster will see you now.”

  We stepped inside.

  A massive dome stretched high above us, its ter pierced an enormous telescope, aowards the clouds. T bookshelves lihe room, stacked with dusty tomes. The air was thick with mana, shimmering like a mist—a and powerful.

  “Hey Headmaster!” Elnora called out.

  At the ter of the room stood a dragonoid man. His richly blue eyes shoh wisdom, his hair white, his features youthful yet carrying the weight of turies. His gaze, at first stern, softehe moment he saw Elnora.

  “Haha, It’s good to see you again, Elnora,” he said, his voice deep and steady. “I hear you’ve brought Ryn with you?”

  He turned his gaze pierg toward me. Within seds his presence shifted—regal and anding.

  As if testing me.

  He stepped passed Elnora, approag Lilli and me.

  “Hmm… and I would assume your Lady Kirkwood, correct?”

  “Y-yes Lilli stammered, momentarily freezing under his question.

  At that moment, I felt it—his gaze cutting through me like a bde. I had fought monsters, survived dungeons, and even battled against a Dungeon Master, yet none of them carried the same overwhelming presence as the Headmaster.

  Even with his mana densed…I knew he was far stronger.

  “You’re sg Lady Kirkwood old man,” Alex interjected with a sigh, shaking his head as he leaned against a bookshelf.

  The Headmaster let out a low chuckle. “Always quick with the tongue, as usual Alexander.”

  “Alexander? I thought to myself. Do these two know each other?”

  The Headmaster turned back toward Lilli. “I apologize, Ms. Kirkwood. If I recall correctly, your family still holds the ability to and spirits, correct?”

  “Yes!” Lilli replied giving a half smile.

  “Good. I am gd Eric passed on that tradition,” he said approvingly.

  Then, his gaze returoward me.

  “And you Mr. Redwood.. your mana is not akin to your families. Acc to your entrance exam records, your mana was recorded blue—unlike your fathers, which burns red. Yet now, you stand before me radiating purple.

  How does he know I'm hiding my mana?

  He paused, studyih growing amusement.

  Go ahead let the mana fre out. This chamber ceal it.

  I then dropped by usual blue mana and uncealed my purple mana. As it filled the entire chamber.

  Suddenly, he let out a hearty ugh.

  “We—We… have much to discuss Mr. Ryn Ashford.” he said putting down his gsses.

  A/N: I hope you all ehis chapter! Thank you for reading!

  Like I have previously, mentiohe feters will focus on world building and blending into Arc 2. When Arc 2 begins I will release a description chapter discussing the plot. Furthermore, before releasing Arc 2 I will be taking a break for a day. Due to that no neters will be posted for a day.