A bright morning welcomed the first day of the academy. In front of the mansion gate, three handsome young men stood ready to embrace their new life.
"Mother, I'm leaving!" said Allen, bidding farewell to his mother with a wide smile.
"Aunt Elisa, we're leaving!" said Kazien and Alvin in unison, who also bid her farewell politely.
"Study hard, you three!" shouted Elisa while waving from the porch.
The three of them nodded, then turned to exit the mansion's iron gate and crossed the street toward the grand academy complex.
However, as soon as they stepped in front of the academy gate, Alvin immediately became the center of attention. His presence sucked the attention of all prospective new students and senior students.
The figure of a handsome yet seemingly graceful elf, with golden-yellow hair and distinctive pointed ears, had amazed them.
"Look at that... An Elf?"
"So beautiful..."
Even the parents of the students who were busy dropping off their children shifted their gazes to the elf figure rarely seen in the human capital.
However, a different reaction was shown by a small group of people. The nobles who had met Alvin at their engagement party only remained silent and kept a polite distance, keeping their knowledge to themselves.
The three of them continued walking through the crowd toward the main academy hall with enthusiasm, trying to ignore those stares.
Upon arriving at the hall, Alvin became even more of a center of attention. All students, even the academy instructors standing on the podium, couldn't help but glance at the High Elf. Many of them wanted to approach him out of curiosity.
However, their steps halted when a deep voice echoed.
"Attention!"
The Dean had arrived at the hall. All students immediately retreated orderly and returned to their respective positions in line. A middle-aged man with a strong aura of authority stood on the podium.
"Welcome to all new academy students! I am Claus Velger, the dean responsible for this academy!"
After a brief opening, Dean Claus pointed to a table beside him. There was a black box covered with a red cloth.
Claus pulled the cloth. "The class division system this year is different!" he said.
They wondered about the function of that box.
"You will all come forward one by one and take a paper inside this box!" explained Claus loudly. "Each paper taken will determine your classroom! This is an absolute lottery system."
Hearing that, Kazien's shoulders slumped.
Lottery? thought Kazien disappointed. I had planned to hold back my magic power to get a low class, but it turns out fate is determined by a luck lottery?
Kazien felt disappointed because the class determination was not through a magic test that he could manipulate. Alvin and Allen realized that disappointment. Both nudged Kazien's arm gently from the left and right so he wouldn't dissolve in his disappointment.
The procession began. One by one the students started coming forward and taking the small rolled papers inside the box.
After everyone held a paper, Dean Claus spoke again.
"Red color is class A, blue color is class B, white color is class C, green color is class D, and yellow color is class E! Open the paper you are holding now!"
With a fast-beating heart, Kazien opened the paper he was holding. He really hoped not to be separated from Alvin.
Rustle!
Kazien unfolded the paper and saw the color printed there.
Green color! thought Kazien. That means I'm class D. What color are Alvin and Allen?
Kazien turned quickly to his right and peeked at Alvin's paper. He could breathe a sigh of relief because the color Alvin had was also green.
Kazien turned to his left and saw Allen's paper. His smile expanded because Allen also had green color on his paper.
"Kazien, what color are you?" asked Allen.
"Green!"
"Really?" the two of them exclaimed in unison, then showed their papers.
"The three of us will be in the same class. I feel relieved. Hehehe." chuckled Kazien.
Alvin and Allen could breathe a sigh of relief because the three of them would be in the same class as per their hope earlier this morning.
"Students, look at your homeroom teachers in front! On their arms are colorful ribbons. Gather with the homeroom teacher with the ribbon of the same color as printed on your paper!"
One by one they gathered with their respective teachers.
"Welcome to this academy and happy studying to you all!" concluded Dean Claus.
And then, all the teachers turned away and led the line of new students to their respective class buildings.
Upon arriving inside the spacious class D, the students scrambled for seats. Kazien, Alvin, and Allen immediately sat at the same long table. Where Kazien sat in the middle, flanked by Alvin and Allen.
A beautiful female teacher with a stern aura stood in front of the class.
"Starting today, I will be your homeroom teacher! My name is Dania Rolvold! Now, please submit your academy registration forms to me!"
One by one they started coming forward and submitting their registration forms to Dania.
When it was Alvin's turn to come forward, Dania received his form. She observed the Elf young man figure from head to toe. However, Dania's observant eyes were distracted by the intricately carved silver ring attached to the ring finger of Alvin's left hand.
Dania frowned. She remembered seeing a ring with a similar design on the form of a student named Kazien earlier. And as a teacher who had access to information, she knew a little rumor about the Duke's family.
Isn't that ring the same as the one worn by Kazien? thought Dania. Are the two of them engaged? I heard rumors saying that a few months ago Duke Elgard Altavis's youngest son had become engaged to a High Elf. Is that High Elf him?
Dania moved her face slightly forward, leaning closer to Alvin so her voice wouldn't be heard by other students sitting behind. She asked very quietly, as if whispering.
"Are you engaged to Kazien Altavis?" whispered Dania full of inquiry.
Alvin understood the situation. He also answered in a very low voice, only to be heard by Dania.
"Yes, Mrs. Dania. He and I were officially engaged a few months ago." whispered Alvin politely.
Dania nodded slightly, her face remaining professional so as not to provoke class suspicion.
"Thank you for answering! Please return to your seat."
Alvin walked back to his seat. All eyes were on him, especially the female students who were mesmerized by his handsomeness.
"Alright!" Dania clapped her hands once to draw the class's attention. "For now we will start our lesson on this first day! I want to test your knowledge."
Dania wrote on the blackboard.
"First question: How many kingdoms are there on the continent of Azvel and name them!"
Silence. The students looked at each other in confusion. No one could answer it. Except for one person.
Kazien.
Only he alone raised his hand calmly.
"Yes, you in the middle?" pointed Dania.
Kazien stood up. "There are 6 kingdoms! Among them, Garveon Kingdom, Ignias Kingdom, the Holy Kingdom of Niverta, Larkvood Kingdom, Altoria Kingdom, and Lasc'ar Kingdom."
Dania smiled in satisfaction. "That is correct! Then a history question: Since what year was the Kingdom of Garveon established?"
Without hesitation, Kazien answered again. "On the 10th of the third month of the year 382!"
"That is correct!" praised Dania.
And every question asked by his homeroom teacher, ranging from geography to complicated history, could be answered by Kazien correctly and precisely without the slightest hesitation.
The class atmosphere turned into admiration. All students in the class widened their eyes and couldn't believe that Kazien, their classmate in class D, was a very smart person.
Allen sitting next to him also couldn't hide his surprised expression.
He can answer all those questions correctly? thought Allen amazed. I never expected my cousin to be a genius.
Dania, who was his homeroom teacher, smiled broadly, very proud of her new student's intelligence.
With him here, thought Dania optimistically, I am very sure that class D will get the title as the best class this year!