The silence that descended upon the magic training field felt incredibly heavy, as if the very air around them had frozen in an instant. The unanimous answer from the Class 1-D students still rang out, bouncing off the academy's stone walls, pointing to one name as the mastermind behind their improved abilities: Kazien.
Professor Orlando, a royal mage who was usually composed and authoritative, now stared at the figure of the silvery-white-haired youth with a gaze that was hard to interpret. He stepped closer, his eyes tracing Kazien from head to toe. Kazien stood there with a relaxed posture, as if his classmates' mass confession just now was merely a passing breeze.
"If you are indeed this smart and this much of a genius in guiding a whole class..." Orlando began, his voice holding a note of astonishment that couldn't be hidden. "Why did you even become an academy student? With your abilities, you could have applied directly to become a court mage or a high-level instructor."
Kazien smiled faintly, a polite smile that nonetheless harbored a mystery.
"I just want to get the graduation certificate and hang it on my wall at home later, Professor." Kazien answered candidly, his tone so light as if he were discussing a dinner menu. "If I have that certificate, there is a distinct personal satisfaction for me. Like... a simple collection of life achievements."
Orlando was stunned. He never expected to hear such an absurd reason come out of a nobleman's mouth.
This boy... is he serious? Orlando thought in disbelief. Most people come here for connections, for positions, to change their lives, or to become respected great mages. But him? Just for a piece of paper to decorate a wall?
Orlando's curiosity grew even stronger. He felt there was a thick layer concealing terrifying potential behind that handsome, innocent face.
"Do you really have no other ambitions, Kazien?" Orlando asked, trying to dig deeper. "Power? A military position? Or perhaps becoming a royal mage?"
Kazien shook his head slowly, without a shred of doubt.
"I am already quite satisfied with what I have right now, Professor." Kazien answered gently. His eyes flicked toward the edge of the field, where Alvin, Allen, and Arken stood. His gaze softened, full of affection. "I have the people I love."
Orlando pulled his face back. He looked deep into Kazien's sapphire blue eyes, searching for hesitation in his gaze. However, seeing Kazien's composure, Orlando realized that the silvery-white-haired student before him was indeed not joking with his words.
"Very well, if you say so." Orlando surrendered, though in his heart, he noted the name Kazien Altavis as the greatest anomaly in this academy.
....
....
A few days later, the commotion on the practice field proved to be just the beginning.
In the academy's main hall, a crowd of students jostled in front of the giant announcement board. Today was the announcement of the mid-term exam results, for both theory and practice.
Usually, the leaderboard would be dominated by a mix of classes and typically ruled by a few genius students. But today, a low hum of shock could be heard everywhere.
"This is impossible!" cried a student from Class 1-B.
"Is there an error in the grading system?" shouted another student.
"Look! Look at the names!" chimed in another, pointing at the announcement board.
On that announcement board, the top 40 rankings for the first-year cohort were clearly displayed.
From the first rank down to the thirty-eighth in the top forty, not a single name from another class appeared. The entire prestigious slots were swept clean by Class 1-D students. And even crazier, their average scores were all perfect.
That historic achievement shook the academy's foundations. Never before in the hundreds of years of the Garveon Royal Magic Academy's history had a class usually considered "average" pulled off an academic coup of such magnitude.
In the academy hall, the Class 1-D students who saw the announcement were initially stunned in disbelief. They rubbed their eyes repeatedly, ensuring they weren't dreaming.
But when the reality sank in, cheers of joy exploded.
"WE DID IT!"
"WE BEAT THE OTHER CLASSES!"
"THIS IS CRAZY! I MADE IT INTO THE TOP 10!"
Amidst the crowd, Kazien stood casually with a smile on his face as he watched his friends' joy. He felt quite satisfied. His efforts in teaching them before the exam had not been in vain.
However, the subsequent reaction was something Kazien had never imagined.
"That's Kazien!" shouted one of his classmates.
Instantly, all the Class 1-D students turned in unison toward him. Their eyes sparkled with gratitude and admiration. Without a signal, they ran toward their unofficial "teacher".
"Kazien! Thank you so much!"
"If not for your notes, I would have definitely failed the practical exam!"
"Kazien, you are our savior!"
Grab!
The student in the very front row, disregarding noble etiquette or social distance, immediately hugged Kazien tightly. That action triggered a chain reaction. Other students joined the swarm, patting his back, shaking his hand, some even crying emotionally while holding his hand.
Kazien, who could usually anticipate enemy attacks, this time seemed overwhelmed facing this barrage of affection from his classmates.
"Hey, hey, calm down... You guys are crushing me." Kazien said with an awkward laugh, trying to loosen the mass hug.
A little distance away from the crowd, Alvin, Allen, and Arken stood watching the scene.
Alvin smiled broadly, his eyes crinkling with delight. "Look at him. Right now, he's being swarmed by so many people."
"That is our fiancé's charm." Allen responded proudly while gazing at the crowd before him. "He did plan to do this, right? Now, he has done it until he became the primadonna of our class."
Arken, standing next to Allen, stared at Kazien who was now being lifted into the air by his male classmates as a form of celebration.
"As long as they don't try to take him from me, I will let them borrow My Huby for a moment to celebrate this victory." Arken mumbled with a gaze full of wariness, though his lips still curved into a relieved smile.
Erica could only laugh softly after hearing Kazien's three fiancés' words.
Amidst the cheers of "Long live Kazien!" and words of thanks echoing through the academy's main hall, Kazien could only resign himself to being paraded by his friends, while his heart secretly felt warm and relieved.
And on that very day, Class 1-D was crowned the best class.