Rick and the other students made their way down the mountain after finishing the test. Everyone knew the results would be announced soon, and tension hung heavy in the air. Some students were already crying quietly, certain they wouldn't be accepted.
But Rick's thoughts were somewhere else entirely.
His mind kept replaying the sight of the students around his age who had defeated their monsters with terrifying ease. They were strong—far stronger than he had imagined.
Stronger than him.
Yet rather than discouraging him, the realization sharpened his thoughts.
He understood what he needed to do.
Work harder.
Train relentlessly.
Surpass them.
But that determination could wait until tomorrow. For now, Rick headed toward the inn where he had been staying; night was settling in fast.
After wandering through the busy streets for a while, Rick reached the inn. The moment he stepped inside, he was taken aback by the sheer number of guests. The entire lobby was packed—travelers, families, instructors, and students preparing for the Royal National Magic Academy's entrance results.
The innkeeper and staff were rushing about, emptying plates, delivering meals, and shouting orders.
Eve, the innkeeper's daughter, spotted Rick instantly. Her eyes brightened, and she hurried over.
"So… how did it go? What do you think?" she asked, trying to read his expression.
Rick let out a soft sigh. "It went… okay, I guess."
Seeing his gloomy face, Eve's expression softened. "Hey, come on. Say loudly—did it go well?"
Rick thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah. I think it did."
A relieved smile spread across Eve's face. "Good! I knew you'd be fine."
Rick glanced around at the crowded room. "There are so many customers today."
"Well, most of them came because of their kids taking the academy exam," Eve said. "The results will be announced tomorrow, so the whole city is packed."
While speaking, she was already carrying plates to tables, taking orders, and dealing with impatient guests. Rick could see how overwhelmed she was.
"Looks like you're busy," he said quietly. "I won't bother you anymore. I should go rest."
Eve nodded, brushing her hair back with a tired smile. "Yeah… get some sleep. Tomorrow's a big day."
Rick headed to his room, letting his exhausted body sink onto the bed.
Within minutes, he drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.
The next morning, Rick was already awake before dawn. As always, he jogged through the quiet streets of the city, letting the crisp morning air sharpen his focus. After running, he practiced physical drills and mana training, pushing his body to wakefulness.
By the time the sun broke over the horizon, Rick had finished his routine and returned to the inn. Inside, Eve was cleaning tables, hair tied back, moving quickly as the morning rush slowly formed.
"On morning duty again?" Rick asked, dropping into a chair.
Eve looked up, surprised. "Oh—Rick! Done with your training already?"
He nodded. "Yeah. Can I get a tea?"
"Of course," she said with a smile. "Just give me a minute."
She hurried into the kitchen. A moment later she returned with a warm cup of tea, setting it gently on the table before sitting down beside him.
"So… today's the day of results," she said, tapping her fingers on the wooden surface.
"Yeah," Rick replied, taking a sip. "It'll come out soon."
Eve leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "See, Rick… I hope you aren't forgetting about the party."
Rick raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm not forgetting it."
They both burst into light laughter.
After finishing his tea and chatting a bit more, Rick went back to his room to wash up and change into fresh clothes. When he came downstairs again for breakfast, the inn was already full—students, families, and anxious parents everywhere.
Still, he found a seat, ate quickly, grabbed his bag, and stepped outside.
Today was the day.
He headed to the Academy to see the final results.
Rick boarded the tram leading to the entrance of Aader Mountain, and from there walked the familiar path toward the Royal National Magic Academy's main gate.
After walking for some time, Rick reached the entrance. A huge crowd had gathered around the board displaying the names of selected students. People were pushing, shouting, and scrambling to catch even a glimpse.
Rick took a deep breath and plunged into the crowd.
It took effort—lots of it—but after squeezing and struggling his way forward, he finally reached the board.
And there it was.
His name.
Rick stood frozen for a moment, staring in disbelief.
He'd made it.
A wide, uncontrollable smile broke across his face.
He had been accepted.
And Rick was truly, incredibly happy.
But then Rick saw an additional notice on the board:
All accepted students must report to the Academy dormitory by tomorrow noon.
Rick read it twice just to be sure.
A smile spread across his face.
With excitement building inside him, he headed back down the mountain path, practically jogging toward the city. As soon as he reached the inn, he burst through the door.
"Eve!" Rick shouted as he rushed in. "I got accepted!"
Eve, who was serving guests, froze for a second—then her face brightened with pure joy.
"That's amazing! In that case," she said, eyes sparkling, "let's party tonight!"
And so, that evening, Rick and the people he had grown close to at the inn celebrated together. It wasn't extravagant, but it was warm, lively, and filled with laughter. For the first time in a long while, Rick felt a sense of belonging.
The next morning—after completing his routine and washing up—Rick packed his bag.
He sighed softly.
"Finally… it's time."
When he came downstairs, Eve was waiting for him at the counter.
"So, you're ready to go?" she asked.
"Yeah," Rick replied.
"But don't forget— Come visit whenever you can." Eve said while handing him a small paper slip. "Take care at the Academy, alright?"
"I will," Rick said, giving her the payment.
Then, with a final wave, he headed toward the Academy dormitory.
At the dormitory gate, Rick presented his guild card to one of the instructors as proof of identity.
"Alright, confirmed," the instructor said, returning the card. "Here are your room keys and the dormitory rules. You'll receive your uniform tomorrow after you deposit your fee at the main building."
The instructor then went on to explain important details about the Academy, the dorm, and the orientation process. Rick listened carefully, absorbing every word.
After receiving his keys, he walked down the hall toward the room he had been assigned.
He stopped at the door, took a breath, and opened it.
The room was empty.
"It looks like this room is for four people," Rick muttered, glancing around. "But… I'm the first one here."
He stepped inside, taking in the clean beds, simple desks, and the quiet atmosphere of a place that would soon become his new home.
The room Rick had been assigned to was surprisingly spacious—four beds, four desks, and a cabinet for each student. A single window overlooked the back of the mountain, giving the room a peaceful view.
After inspecting the room and placing his belongings into his cabinet, Rick lay back on one of the beds, staring at the ceiling and letting the reality of everything sink in.
A moment later, the door creaked open.
A boy with black hair stepped inside.
"It looks like this is my room," he whispered.
Rick sat up.
"So you're my roommate," Rick said, offering a small smile. "Hello, my name is—"
"Leze," the black-haired boy said, cutting in, his voice quiet but calm. "I'm a first-year student. Just like you."
"Oh! Hello. My name is Rick. Nice to meet you."
Leze didn't respond. He didn't even nod. He simply placed his things inside his cabinet and walked straight out of the room.
Rick blinked.
A silent type… he thought.
Not long after, the remaining two roommates arrived.
One was named Krin, and the other Rome.
Krin was quiet—almost as silent as Leze—and after putting his things away, he left the room without saying much.
Rome, on the other hand, was the complete opposite: hot-headed, sharp-tongued, and the type who got irritated over almost anything.
And Rick?
Well… Rick already felt like the odd one of the group.
But now that all three roommates had come and gone, the room finally felt complete. All they had to do was wait for the Academy life to truly begin.
The next morning, Rick made his way to the main building to receive his uniform and student ID.
After reading the dormitory rules carefully, he learned something important:
every student's fees depended on their class rank.
Since Rick had been placed in D-Rank Class, his tuition was twenty gold for the first year and sixty gold for the second.
He stood there thinking for a moment, weighing the pouch of coins he carried.
In the end, Rick decided to pay for his first two years immediately, saving himself from future trouble and keeping the rest of his gold for emergencies or daily expenses.
As Rick stepped into the academy's main building, a strange mix of nerves and excitement tightened in his chest. It was his first time inside; all previous exams had been held in the arena, so he had only seen the building from afar. Now, at last, he was walking through its towering entrance.
Inside, several students crowded around the reception desk, collecting their uniforms. Rick approached the counter, straightening his posture.
"Hello," he said. "My name is Rick. I'm here for my uniform and ID."
The receptionist barely glanced up as she handed folded clothes to another student. "Your dormitory key and fees for the year," she said briskly, extending her hand.
Rick placed the key and the gold coins on the desk. "Here. And this is the payment for two years."
The receptionist examined the name, counted the money carefully, then nodded. "Two years, confirmed."
After a moment, she returned with a neatly packed uniform. "First-year set for you. Everything inside is yours. And here," she added, handing him a yellow card, "your student ID."
Rick lifted an eyebrow. "Yellow? Everyone else has blue."
"That's because blue IDs belong to first-years,while yellow id belong to second year," she explained. "But since you've already paid for the next two years, we issue you a yellow card with a blue mark. It lets the committee know your fees are cleared up to second year."
Rick nodded slowly, absorbing the system. "I heard there's also an individual rank for students. Where can I see mine?"
"About that…" The receptionist sighed softly, as though she'd answered the question a hundred times already. "The class ranks are out, but individual ranks are still being processed. They only received half the test data so far. Individual rankings take time—at least a month. It's all based on points."
"I understand," Rick said, bowing his head politely.
"Good. You'll be notified when it's ready."
"Thank you for your help."
With that, Rick stepped away from the busy reception hall and headed toward his dorm room.
Rick pushed open the door to his dorm room, expecting an empty space. Instead, he found Rome sitting on the lower bunk, staring at his student ID with trembling hands. His eyes were red, on the edge of breaking down. But the moment Rome noticed Rick enter, he quickly wiped his face and shoved the ID into his pocket, pretending nothing had happened.
Rick didn't comment. He simply walked in, placed his newly received uniform on the bed, and examined it with quiet excitement.
The boy—Rome—glanced at Rick's yellow ID card. The color struck him instantly, and his expression twisted. A flash of anger crossed his face.
A yellow card… and with a blue mark.
Rome rose from the corner, fists clenched. "Lucky bastard," he muttered under his breath, his voice filled with resentment. The word wasn't meant to be heard, but it cracked through the room's silence.
Rick heard it clearly. But he didn't react.
Rome's frustration boiled over. He grabbed his things and stormed toward the door, bumping Rick's shoulder on the way out. "So that's it," he spat. "Some people just get everything."
The door slammed behind him.
Rick exhaled slowly. Did I… do something to trigger him? he wondered.
But he let the thought go. His focus returned to the uniform lying neatly on the bed—his first real proof that he belonged here.
Tomorrow would be his first official day at the academy.
And for the first time, every student would be present.
A new beginning was waiting.