Dawn broke, and the sun rose from beyond the sea in the west.
In these lands, the sunrise was said to be extraordinarily beautiful and because it symbolized a splendid victory over the Night Creatures, the kingdom had been named Shining.
While life was only just beginning to stir in the cities and the capital, one boy was sleeping soundly in his bed. Naturally, since he was lying in a basement, none of that view reached him. But truth be told, he had earned this sleep.
But sleeping through it in the Instructor's own bed? Maybe.
Regardless, the bed felt like heaven to him. He slept so deeply that he didn't hear the ringing bell, nor the door opening. Someone approached him.
And...
Kicked him.
The impact sent Unwan crashing onto the floor. His eyes snapped open as he tried to understand what was happening, his mind still fogged with sleep.
Standing before him was Nort.
— Get up, kid. Life has already started upstairs. And you're still lying around down here, especially on your first day at the academy.
Unwan replied bitterly.
— Why is it that I'm always woken up in the worst possible way? Life has started, first day at the academy, they say…
'You're lying around down here, they say...'
— Hmph. Kids like you are usually ready two hours before sunrise on days like this.
— Just because everyone does that doesn't mean I have to.
— Where did all this philosophy come from the moment you got out of bed?
***
Unwan washed his face and hands, then put on the academy uniform Nort had brought. Honestly, it wasn't much different from his previous clothes. Aside from the academy sign and the fact that it was better suited for physical training.
— "How did you convince the instructors?" Unwan asked.
— I will convince them.
— Then what was the point of making me wear the uniform?
— Because I'm sure I can convince them.
— Why?
— They don't care who you are. All that matters is how well you can use your spells and how deeply you understand your grimoire. And as you know, I'm a Genius-tier Instructor. They trust me.
That settled it. Unwan had no more questions, only curiosity about what came next.
— So… what should I do now?
— What do you think? You go to the dining hall, eat, then attend your faculties.
— But I don't even know what faculties there are.
— Seriously? You don't?
From Unwan's indifferent expression, Nort realized it was true.
— Alright then. I'll tell you the main ones:
• Survival in the Night Curse Realm,
• Grimoires and Runes,
• Martial Arts,
• Spell Control and Concentration,
• Night Researchers, and
• Monsters' Language.
— Monsters' language?
— No. Not their language literally. It's a faculty that teaches their weak points, anatomy, and behavior. Night creatures aren't the same everywhere, but there are widely known common species.
Unwan thought for a moment, weighing his options.
— Honestly… all of them seem necessary. Except 'Night Researchers'.
— That's why you can choose faculties daily or weekly. You can spend an entire day on one, or attend several in a single day. It doesn't matter. So? Which will you choose?
— Hm. First, I'll dedicate a full day to 'Grimoires and Runes'. Starting tomorrow, I'll spend half of every day on 'Survival in the Night Curse Realm'. Survival comes first.
The other half I'll alternate between 'Martial Arts' and 'Spell Control and Concentration.
— A good plan. But why is my class on your schedule every day?
— Why not? Survival is the most important, isn't it? I thought everyone attended that class.
Nort laughed.
— Unfortunately, no. Even regular schools teach basic survival. Nobles and wealthy families hire private instructors for their children long before this. That's why my class is almost always empty. Everyone focuses on martial arts and spell instead.
— But survival matters more.
— Exactly. As Philosophers say, 'If you think you know many things, then you know nothing.'
At that moment, the bell rang loudly for the second time.
— Let's go. Breakfast should be ready.
They left the room and walked down the corridor. Unwan's grimoire floated quietly beside him. This wasn't arrogance, it was simply inconvenient to carry it by hand.
'What kind of idiot carries something that can move on its own?'
Once they reached the first floor, Nort quickly pointed out where the dining hall and the 'Grimoires and Runes' faculty room were, then hurried off in another direction.
Truthfully, Unwan didn't have much of an appetite. The Great Water hadn't exactly made him hungry.
But the closer he got to the dining hall, the richer the smell of breakfast became. It was the kind of aroma that could force even a full stomach to eat again.
'It smells absurdly good.'
'You're not hungry.'
'Still… stocking up won't hurt.'
'Stocking up, huh…'
Unwan entered the dining hall. It resembled an orphanage's one, long tables filled with boys and girls eating together. The difference was that there was no visible kitchen.
Unwan found an empty seat and sat down. The students sitting across from him glanced at him and at his grimoire with strange looks, but said nothing. He had already noticed those stares in the corridors, yet he focused on the table instead.
The spread was incredible. Steaks, boiled and fried eggs, dairy products, desserts, tea and even a drink he'd only recently heard another boy mention: coffee. Most of it, Unwan was seeing for the first time in his life.
Still, he wasn't about to refuse.
He took a piece of steak first. Not knowing how to eat it properly, he awkwardly managed to get a bite into his mouth. It was so delicious that he almost didn't want to swallow it.
But he did, eager to try other things as well.
In the end, no matter how much he wanted to, he could only manage one steak and a slice of cheesecake. He didn't want to leave the place rolling like a ball.
'You didn't eat this for years. That doesn't mean you have to eat everything now.'
He drank a cup of tea, then headed toward the 'Grimoires and Runes' faculty, just as Nort had instructed.
The corridor was wide, with people walking through it. But it wasn't crowded.
Unwan stopped in front of the room, knocked, and stepped inside.