"Huh?" Not expecting Apollo's confrontational words, Solomon stared intently at his cheeky smirk.
"You're that freak, is what I'm trying to say," Apollo hissed. His head rested lazily on his right arm, and his smirk only continued to grow.
Although Solomon knew better than to pick a fight with the prince, the academy's mantra of equality gave him a surge of undeserved confidence.
Solomon's expression grew cold. His features relaxed as he locked eyes with the smiling prince.
"Scary. You're interesting. I've never seen a confident weakling before," Apollo retorted.
"You may have that crazy rumor going around about being an anomalous magician, but my eyes never deceive me. I know a person with no mana when I see one," he added, his crimson eyes steady and unchanging.
The atmosphere in the room grew incredibly heavy. None of the servants could look at the table with a steady expression.
Solomon, in particular, felt immense pressure from those words despite his calm outward appearance. His entire plan hinged on taking advantage of his infamous moniker. The simple fact that Apollo had seen right through it made him incredibly nervous. Did everyone know more about him than he thought? Or was it simply because Apollo was the Prince? Thankfully, it seemed to be the latter.
"Wait, the anomalous magician?" Hearing Selene's shocked yet inquisitive question, Solomon started to calm down.
"That's why I'm here—to learn magic and manage mana. Or are you afraid of me?" Solomon snarked back.
Then, as if they had been instantly transported to the frozen north, the room suddenly turned biting cold.
"I think that's enough." Sitting furthest from the rising tension, Kath had her arms crossed. Just behind her, a tall lady carved entirely out of ice stood perfectly still. She appeared to be wearing a silk dress that hugged the curves of her hourglass figure. Contrasting her stationary pose, a crown made of ice hovered just above her head, rotating slowly as a faint glow escaped from its crystalline tips.
"A noble spirit? It wasn't serious enough to warrant such a reaction now, was it?" Apollo chirped, seemingly satisfied with the chaos he had sparked.
"I think that should be enough fun for today," Kath replied with a sarcastic smile as the lady of ice faded from existence.
As the tension began to die down, room for official business opened up. The old head butler of the royal dorms approached the table and greeted everyone before distributing a unique ledger to each person.
"These were all predetermined by Lucy, the artificial mind constructed during the first generation—all except for Young Master Solomon's," the butler reported. "Since you are a unique case, the higher-ups themselves decided on your subjects. However, just like everyone else, you may choose your own electives as long as you finish all the mandatory courses."
Listening to the butler's words, Kath picked up her ledger, glancing between the old man and Solomon. "Realistically, wouldn't Lucy be better suited for this?" she asked.
"Since Young Master Solomon is a very special case, Lucy doesn't have enough data to assign his courses yet. However, since his arrival at the academy, his vital signs, physique, and potential have all been scanned thoroughly by the curious heads of the institution," the butler explained with a casual smile.
Hearing that his entire body had been scanned by some unknown magic or technology, Solomon felt more than a little weirded out. He subconsciously glanced down at himself, trying to spot any lingering marks left by whatever method they had used.
But as the butler continued his report, Solomon noticed someone else analyzing him just as closely. Kath was staring at him, her eyes narrowed with a mix of intense interest and faint annoyance.
Solomon's heart skipped a beat. What was it now? Why was someone like her looking at him with such a complicated expression?
"Well, I guess he is indeed quite special," Kath chuckled, her mysterious, impassive demeanor quickly burying any obvious emotions.
"Anyway, I'm sure we are all busy people. It was nice to meet you all. Please take care of me." Kath stood up from her seat, offering an enchanting smile and a small wave before walking toward the exit.
Although Solomon wasn't looking directly at her as she exited, he swore he could feel her eyes lingering on him as she passed by. Regardless, he was already too paranoid to think straight.
As if Solomon weren't worried enough already, Apollo decided to add fuel to the fire. "Well, good luck, Anomaly. You just caught the attention of a very dangerous person," he teased, that same arrogant smirk forming on his face.
Thus, his first breakfast at the royal dorms came to an end.
Before he could leave for class, the old butler approached Solomon. In his hands was a rectangular, palm-sized item.
"A phone?" Solomon looked at the object questioningly.
"Oh, does the Young Master know of this? It is supposed to be an Ars-exclusive item," the old butler said, looking at him in surprise.
"I saw it in the handbook," Solomon answered quickly.
"Alright, perfect. You should try exploring it on your way to class. As a small heads-up, just tap the icon with the 'Map' label under it, and it will guide you to where you need to be. You can refer to the handbook if you get confused. This technology was only integrated into Ars last year, so it takes some getting used to."
...
On the way to the school grounds, Solomon studied his ledger with a worried frown. Looking at his courses, he couldn't help but notice how many of them included the word "beginner."
Beginner Mana Control SP1
Beginner Mana Collection SP1
Beginner Wizard Theories SP1
Unique Powers 1S
Basic Combat Techniques 1S
Systems and Society 1S
Field Combat Practices 1S
History 1S
Ethics 1S
Recalling the information from the academy booklet regarding courses and sections, Solomon began to analyze his ledger.
Depending on the total number of students enrolled in Ars, a specific number of sections was opened. Students were divided into seven rankings: 'S' contained students with immense talent and potential; 'A' was for those with high potential; 'B' for above-average students; 'C' for the average; 'D' for those needing improvement; 'E' for below-average students; and finally, 'F' contained the worst of the bunch. At least in Ars's standards.
Furthermore, 'SP' denoted special classes designed for students who needed further improvement in specific capabilities. Students with absolutely no prior experience in magic were often enrolled in these additional weekend classes to help them catch up to their peers.
Looking at his current classes, Solomon's worry only continued to mount. Except for Apollo, everyone in the royal dorms seemed somewhat approachable. But, of course, they were the cream of the crop—people who naturally strived for perfection. If he encountered students who didn't care about the rules and loved stepping on those beneath them, it was going to be a massive headache.
Regardless, if the information the academy received was strictly from René, then no one should know he was actually from the slums of Astaris. That alone should be enough to minimize the number of people looking to cause trouble for him.
Besides, no matter who he ended up facing, he wasn't going to back down.
For the next few minutes, Solomon figured out how to operate his new phone while making his way toward the classroom buildings. Thankfully, the academy was built with convenience in mind; the academic sector was just down the street from the dormitories.
Even without the map, it wasn't something he could easily miss. The moment he exited the dormitory gates, he saw three towering rectangular buildings extending high into the clouds, their peaks completely hidden from view.
The towers rose not in tapering spires, but as a series of staggered glass walls with edges so sharp they seemed to slice the very air. There were no ornate carvings; the architecture consisted entirely of flat, clean, and almost imposing straight lines.
He wasn't sure when it had started, but somehow, he always felt a spike of anxiety right before entering grand buildings. Was it because he was afraid of looking like a bum? Or was it simply the intense dread of facing the unknown? Shaking the feeling off, he continued walking.
Since all three towers looked identical, the only ways to tell which school was which were the map on his phone and the large holographic signs planted in front of each entrance. As he looked around, he also noticed the three distinct uniforms worn by the student body. Those wearing the same white blazers accented in blue as him were heading toward the building marked on his phone. Students wearing black blazers accented with red were walking toward the School of Arms. Lastly, students in brown blazers accented with gold were huddling around the final building, the School of Crafts.
Checking the time, Solomon stepped inside the School of Magic. If he hadn't been used to hustling for gigs back home, he might have been too intimidated to ask for directions. Thankfully, as long as he was dealing with staff and not fellow noble students, he could converse normally. "Hello, could I ask how to get to the Unique Powers 1S class?"
"Oh, that should be indicated on your phone," the receptionist replied. "However, given the status of that class, I believe it is held on the highest floor. And looking at your pin, you have full clearance to use the teleporters. Just head down the hallway to your right."
Hearing this, Solomon felt a small spark of excitement.
"Alright, thanks," he nodded.
Following her directions, he made his way to the teleporter room. Thanks to his prior experience with teleportation magic back in Katharos, he wasn't too worried about the process.
Unlike the rough, almost mechanical teleporter he had seen the day before, the one sitting in front of him looked sleek and inconspicuous. If not for the digital panel listing all the floors in the tower, he would have thought he'd walked into the wrong room.
Remembering what the staff member at the front desk had said, he needed to go to the highest floor. Thus, he started scrolling down the panel without restraint.
"500th Floor." After a few seconds of scrolling, the list on the panel stopped.
Glancing at his phone, he decided to double-check if his room number was actually listed. Sure enough, written in a smaller font just beneath the class name was his destination.
"Room 5ZB, Floor 500."
Certain of his destination, Solomon pressed the 500th-floor icon and stepped onto the teleportation platform. A moment later, the scenery instantly shifted. Instead of the enclosed teleporter room, he was now face-to-face with the open sky. A massive floor-to-ceiling window stretched out in front of him, offering a dizzying view of the clouds.
He wanted to step right up to the glass and look down at the ground far below, but due to the high traffic of students bustling through the hallway, he decided to hold off on the urge.
Instead, he checked his phone once more to get the exact location of his classroom. It didn't take long before he was standing directly in front of it.
5ZB...
Standing before the door, a complicated mix of emotions swirled in his chest. This was the true beginning of his journey—the start of becoming something he never expected to be.
Turning the knob, Solomon pushed the door open. He could already hear the loud chatter coming from inside, so he knew the room was packed.
But the moment he stepped inside, a very familiar, highly grating voice immediately caught his attention. "Oh, would you look at that. The Anomaly is just in time for class."
Sitting directly in the front middle row, Apollo stared at Solomon with a mischievous, mocking smile.
'You have to be kidding me...'