Chapter 7 — Where the Future Gathers
The road leading toward the Academy was unusually lively.
Students—boys and girls of roughly the same age—filled the wide stone path, all dressed in identical uniforms. Dark coats trimmed in white, crisp collars, and polished boots. The only real difference lay in the lower half: skirts for the girls, fitted trousers for the boys.
Among them walked Claire and Olivia, side by side.
Olivia was already mid-complaint.
"I swear, if we'd left even a minute later, we would've been sprinting all the way here," she said, arms crossed. "First day, Claire. First. Day."
"I—I'm sorry," Claire replied quickly, her shoulders drawing in as she bowed her head slightly. "I didn't mean to—"
Olivia sighed dramatically. "You never do."
They continued walking, the crowd flowing around them. After a moment, Olivia's expression shifted—her lips curling into a teasing smirk.
"So," she said casually, "what was Lady Cecil talking about? Something about you wanting to meet someone… and being unusually excited."
Claire froze.
"T-That's—! It's nothing! Nothing at all!" she stammered, her face instantly burning red.
"Oh?" Olivia leaned closer. "Don't tell me little Claire is finally growing up?"
"I said it's nothing!" Claire protested, cheeks puffing as she looked away.
Olivia laughed softly, clearly satisfied, while Claire pouted and stared straight ahead, refusing to meet her gaze.
As they drew closer, the crowd subtly slowed.
Then—the Academy came into view.
It rose like a colossal fortress of stone and magic, its walls tall enough to dwarf even the largest guild halls. Towers pierced the sky, their white stone gleaming beneath the sun.
At the center stood the tallest spire, crowned by a massive magic crystal, floating weightlessly above its peak. Four more crystals hovered around it, positioned precisely at the four cardinal directions, each pulsing faintly with contained power.
Magic inscriptions shimmered along the structure, woven seamlessly into the architecture itself—ancient, elegant, and impossibly precise.
The Academy was not merely a place of learning.
It was a fortress.A symbol.A promise.
Claire stopped without realizing it.
"It looks…" she whispered, eyes wide. "It looks as amazing as always."
Olivia smiled. "It does."
Then, tilting her head, she asked, "Do you actually know how the Academy was established?"
Claire blinked. "Huh? No… not really."
Olivia frowned slightly. "Aunt Jane literally explained it to us just last week."
Claire looked away, embarrassed. "I… kind of got bored halfway and got distracted…"
Olivia pinched the bridge of her nose. "No wonder you barely passed the theory exam. You ace magic power and combat, but honestly—"She sighed. "All muscle, no brain."
Claire huffed. "Hey!"
They walked a few steps in silence before Olivia continued, this time more casually.
"After the Age of Calamity," she said, her voice lowering slightly, "Lady Cecil, the current Guild Master, Lord David, and two other Calamity-class adventurers realized something."
She gestured vaguely toward the towering Academy.
"If another calamity ever appeared… they wouldn't necessarily be enough to stop it again."
Nearby students slowed their steps, drawn in by her explanation.
"So," Olivia continued, "together with His Majesty at the time—the father of our current king—they established this Academy. Not just to train adventurers… but to ensure the survival of the kingdom itself."
"To prepare the next generation," she added, "so we could protect ourselves, our families, and everyone else… if the world ever faced something like that again."
Claire listened in silence, her earlier embarrassment forgotten.
"…How strong are Calamity-class monsters?" she asked quietly.
Olivia didn't hesitate.
"According to the Adventurer Guild's public records," she replied, "a single Calamity-class monster can level an entire kingdom without effort."
Claire's breath caught.
"They're not just monsters," Olivia said. "They're natural disasters."
A chill passed through the group.
"And worse," Olivia continued, "their presence forces nearby dungeons go berserk. Causes Dungeon breaks. S-class outbreaks, which are a Calamity itself."
Fear flickered across Claire's face.
Grandmother… fought something like that.
The realization struck her all at once.
And won.
She swallowed, seeing Lady Cecil in a completely new light.
Sensing the shift in her mood, Olivia softened her tone.
"You don't need to worry about monsters entering the city," she said, pointing upward. "See those crystals?"
Claire nodded.
"After the last calamity and dungeon outbreak, the previous king ordered to reinforce the city's defenses," Olivia explained. "The head of the court magicians—who was also one of the Calamity-class adventurers—designed those crystals."
"In an emergency, they can form a barrier around the entire city," she finished. "Strong enough to withstand multiple Calamity-class attacks… and completely block an S-class dungeon outbreak."
Claire stared at the floating crystals in awe.
"…Amazing," she whispered.
The rest of the walk passed in quiet reflection.
Soon, they reached the Academy gates.
Senior students—third and fourth years—were already guiding newcomers toward the assembly hall, ensuring order. The presence of additional guards made it clear that important guests would be arriving.
Once inside the Academy grounds, Claire and Olivia couldn't help but look around.
Wide training fields stretched beyond sight. Stone pathways connected lecture halls, libraries, workshops, and dormitories. Magic lamps floated gently above walkways, while practice arenas radiated controlled mana.
The Academy was a city within a city.
Eventually, they entered the grand assembly hall.
The interior alone could rival a royal palace. Tiered seating rose high above the stage, capable of holding thousands. Decorative banners hung from the walls, each bearing the Academy's emblem.
They found their assigned seats as students slowly filled the hall—some nervous, some excited, some already whispering eagerly.
Then the doors closed.
Soft music filled the air.
The opening ceremony began.
After performances by senior students and a few formal introductions, the organizer stepped forward.
"Next," he announced, "the current Student Council President."
The reaction was immediate—applause mixed with whispers.
A young woman stepped onto the stage.
She was beautiful—golden hair flowing freely, her presence commanding without effort. Her uniform bore gold highlights, marking her as a fourth-year, and on her breast pocket rested the emblem of the Student Council President, a symbol of authority unique to her position.
Claire recognized her at once.
"That's Elizabeth Ravenshield," Olivia murmured. "The Archduke's daughter."
"And the First Prince's fiancée," Claire added quietly.
The hall buzzed faintly.
Last year, during the First Prince's birthday celebration, he had shocked the entire kingdom. In front of nobles, royalty, and foreign guests, he had gone down on one knee and proposed.
Elizabeth had accepted through tears.
It was rare—almost unbelievable—for a royal engagement to come from genuine affection rather than politics. The story had spread everywhere, praised even by the King and the Archduke themselves.
As Elizabeth reached the center of the stage, the noise faded.
"Welcome to the Academy," she said, her voice calm but firm. "Today marks the beginning of a path that will not be easy."
She looked across the hall, meeting no one's eyes directly—yet somehow addressing everyone.
"Some of you came here chasing strength. Others came because you were told to," she continued. "Whatever your reason, you'll quickly learn something."
"This place does not reward excuses."
A few students shifted uneasily.
"You will fail here," Elizabeth said plainly. "More than once. And if you learn from that failure, you'll grow."
She allowed a small smile.
"On behalf of the Student Council—welcome. Make the most of your time."
The applause was strong, genuine.
Even the instructors nodded in approval.
Then the organizer called the final speaker.
"Lady Cecil. Headmaster of the Academy."
The hall fell into complete silence.
Cecil Ashborn rose from her seat.
No one dared breathe as she walked forward, clad in her official uniform, radiating authority born not from status—but from history.
The woman who saved the kingdom.The woman who founded the Academy.
She stopped at the center.
"Welcome," Cecil said. "This Academy exists for one reason—to ensure that when the world tests you, you don't break."
She paused.
"Grow strong. Grow wise. And remember that power exists to protect, not dominate."
That was all.
The applause that followed was louder than before, echoing through the hall.
With that, the opening ceremony concluded.
And the new academic year finally began.