Today's sunlight was especially bright, and early in the morning, the Royal Magic Academy was already bustling with noise.
Students gathered here, and every road in the academy was packed so tightly that there was barely any space left. Yet everyone's face carried joy and anticipation.
Today was the opening ceremony of the Royal Magic Academy.
The freshman entrance tests had already ended.
This year's freshman assessment was harsher and stricter than in the past.
So much so that the number of students admitted this year was not even a third of before.
Inside the spacious lecture hall, the podium stood on a wooden platform. On both sides were massive pillars hidden behind red curtains.
Thick, wrinkled curtains extended from both sides toward the center, closing together.
Every seat below was filled. Professors and students packed the entire hall, their eyes all focused on the freshman representative on the stage, Aurelian.
Not only did she score full marks in the written exam, but she also took first place in the practical assessment with perfect results.
Inside the dungeon, Aurelian's performance was also outstanding.
As the top freshman, Aurelian stood at the podium, facing everyone below. She spoke calmly and confidently, graceful and unhurried.
Her temperament, far beyond that of ordinary people, left everyone in awe.
The students below looked at Aurelian with pure admiration.
"...Finally, I want to thank my teacher, Count Viktor Klevenar."
As she said this, a dense wave of magic quietly spread from Aurelian's body.
Like layers of ripples, it began to surge through the entire lecture hall, sweeping over everyone present.
The air in the hall became restless. Bursts of airflow circulated nonstop, lifting the two huge curtains behind the podium as if giant hands were dancing with them in the air.
"This is..."
The professors and students below froze in their seats as they felt the powerful magic, their eyes wide open.
A second-tier mage.
The entire hall instantly erupted. Countless people almost could not sit still, shouting their discoveries to those around them.
"Her Highness the Princess is already a second-tier mage??"
"This isn't a dream, right? A second-tier mage? Second-tier the moment she enrolls?"
"She's only fifteen and already a second-tier mage? I really am completely useless!"
This talent was almost catching up to Viktor back then.
The academy's youngest second-tier mage had changed, from Erica to Her Highness the Princess.
While shocked, many students felt the burden on their shoulders grow heavier.
Erica wasn't second-tier when she first enrolled.
So how did it become even more outrageous with the princess?
Each year more outrageous than the last. How were ordinary magic apprentices like them supposed to survive?
Standing on the stage, Aurelian placed one hand over her chest, bent toward Viktor below, and gave a deep bow.
Viktor, seated below, gave Aurelian a faint smile and nodded.
"Thank you, teacher, for your careful guidance."
Everyone stood up, their gazes fixed on Aurelian, filled with silence and awe.
Thunderous applause erupted, as if celebrating Aurelian's success.
———
After the opening ceremony ended, there were still many students inside the academy.
The pebble paths were covered with mottled leaf shadows. Messy footsteps crossed scattered sunlight as people gathered, discussing interesting moments from the assessments and the impressive scene from earlier.
Aurelian strolled along the pebble path, stepping through the alternating light and shadow.
Whenever students passed by her, they would secretly glance at her.
After all, she was royalty.
And it was hard not to notice Aurelian.
Because she was the only one who came to school with guards.
Celia followed behind Aurelian, protecting her at all times.
As they walked, Aurelian spoke up.
"Celia."
"Your Highness, please give your orders."
Celia lowered her head respectfully and replied.
Aurelian turned to her and asked, "Have you seen my teacher?"
After three days of dungeon assessments, Aurelian was very happy.
She had performed excellently in the dungeon. Both her written scores and practical results ranked first in the entire academy.
Aurelian especially wanted to tell Viktor about this in person, privately.
But earlier, they were in the lecture hall. As the top freshman, Aurelian had to go on stage to speak.
Even though Viktor was right in front of her, she could not speak to her teacher.
So after coming out, she urgently wanted to find Viktor.
Aurelian wanted to know whether Teacher Viktor had been watching her all along.
Although she only wanted Viktor's praise and recognition, even that alone filled her with anticipation.
Hearing the princess's question, Celia thought for a moment.
'That bastard Viktor?'
She had seen a flashy guy in a trench coat hurriedly leaving the lecture hall earlier.
In this hot weather, the only idiot who would still wear a trench coat was him.
After recalling it, Celia said to Aurelian, "I just saw him leave through the main gate."
After getting the news, Aurelian did not hesitate and quickly ran toward the main gate.
Having undergone professional training, Aurelian's stamina was stronger than that of many mages.
When she ran to the main gate, she was barely even out of breath.
She turned her head and searched all around for Viktor's figure.
The next second, Aurelian saw the iconic carriage that was not pulled by horses.
The man wearing a black trench coat was walking toward the carriage.
"Teacher!"
Viktor had just reached the carriage when he heard the familiar voice and slowly turned around.
His gaze met Aurelian's.
"Your Highness."
"This is a time when students are not allowed to freely enter or leave."
Before noon and evening, the academy was basically closed.
But this rule clearly did not apply to Aurelian.
After all, she was a princess. If a princess wanted to go out, no one could stop her, and no one dared to.
Aurelian placed both hands on her chest and looked at Viktor with expectation.
"Teacher, I..."
She really wanted to tell him directly that she had become the top freshman and wanted his praise and recognition.
She wanted to hear it from Viktor's mouth.
"Aurelian, you are my most outstanding student."
But after seeing Teacher Viktor, the anticipation in her heart could not be spoken out.
"I..."
Viktor looked straight at Aurelian and said casually, "If there's nothing else, I'll head back first."
As soon as the words fell, he turned around and stepped onto the carriage.
Aurelian watched Viktor get into the carriage, feeling empty and lost.
She reached out one hand, wanting to say something, to stop Viktor.
But then Viktor, already on the carriage, leaned his head out and gave her a faint smile.
"The final 'task' was done well."
"Keep working hard."
After that, the curtain was drawn shut. Aurelian stared blankly as the wheels slowly turned, then the carriage left the academy gate.
Celia walked over beside her and said happily to Aurelian, "That's great, Your Highness."
"Your teacher still praised you."
Celia thought Aurelian would be even happier, but in reality, she showed very little reaction.
Even her expression gradually calmed, as if it carried no emotion at all.
Seeing this, Celia could not help but feel puzzled.
Aurelian looked in the direction where the carriage had gone and said softly, "He seems... not to be my teacher."
The one she meant was the Viktor who had just boarded the carriage.
The Viktor who had sat below the stage and listened to her speech.
"There was no crow on him."
Celia found it hard to understand and was even surprised.
Although everyone knew that Viktor always had a crow pet with him, this should not be the way to determine whether that person was really Viktor.
Celia felt that the princess was being too decisive.
Of course, it was not just that.
There were more reasons that Aurelian did not say.
After the dungeon ended, she felt her magical power increase.
After verification by the court mages, the current Aurelian was truly a second-tier mage.
She did not tell Viktor about this.
Because she wanted it to be a surprise, wanted to see the look of shock on her teacher's face when he saw her.
But... her teacher had no reaction at all.
The real teacher would never be like this.
Aurelian felt that this 'Viktor' who had left did not have the same elegance as the real one.
Her teacher's unique elegance and nobility were like something carved into his very bones.
Although he was cold, he would never ignore others.
And that person seemed like he was deliberately imitating him.
So Aurelian was certain.
The Viktor who had just left was definitely not her real teacher.
Then... where had her teacher gone?
Aurelian did not know.
She could only return to the academy, head lowered, wandering around in disappointment.
The students around her were enthusiastically discussing the newly opened courses. Their conversation happened to reach Aurelian's ears.
"I heard Associate Professor Henny's classes are really good. I'm planning to sign up and check them out."
"Ah, isn't that a very young associate professor? I remember she used to be Professor Viktor's assistant."
Hearing this, Aurelian froze slightly and turned to look at those students.
Just now, she seemed to hear a very familiar name.
The students' conversation continued, "Associate Professor Henny's classes have been full for a long time, and you can't even find her now."
"Why?"
"Haven't you heard? Associate Professor Henny took a few days off. Seems like she's going on a trip with Professor Viktor."
Almost the moment the words fell, it was as if a shadow covered their backs.
"Students."
They turned around, and the not very tall princess was standing there, smiling at them.
But that smile looked somewhat unhealthy, stiffly hanging on her face.
Her open eyes also revealed a hint of fanaticism.
"Could you repeat what you just said?"
———
The carriage continued forward and soon arrived at the gate of Viktor's estate.
Viktor slowly opened the carriage door and stepped down. When the servants saw the master return, they respectfully opened the gate.
"Master."
Viktor nodded and walked inside.
After entering the estate, he did not go straight back to the residence.
Instead, he first wandered around the areas where the servants worked, making several rounds.
Along the way, many servants bowed deeply when they saw him.
Each time, Viktor would nod in response.
As if he greatly enjoyed being respected like this.
At this moment, Liya appeared at some point.
She stood in a corner, arms crossed over her chest, coldly looking at the 'Viktor' in front of her.
"Marey Dim."
"Viktor asked you to take his appearance, not to show off using the master's identity."
Viktor turned around, his face filled with an extremely rich smile.
But the real Viktor would never show such an expression.
"Oh, Liya, don't worry. I just wanted to experience it a bit."
"With such a status as the master of the house, and yet Lord Viktor doesn't know how to make use of it. Isn't that too much of a waste?"
Liya rolled her eyes and shrugged.
"Do whatever you want."
"When Viktor comes back, I hope you can still use this same explanation."
Viktor's body gradually became transparent. Then his facial features and face began to twist, as if being scrambled and reassembled. His body also slowly dispersed into different parts.
"Of course."
"Sir will understand my good intentions."
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