The morning bell of the Imperial Academy rang loud and clear, echoing across the marble towers and vast courtyards. Sunlight spilled through stained glass windows, scattering color across the hallways.
Sho Ardenthal stretched his arms and yawned as he walked beside Liyana. His uniform was neat — though his sleepy expression made it look like he'd just rolled out of bed.
"You're late again," Liyana said, her tone flat but her eyes amused.
Sho rubbed his eyes. "I wasn't late. I just… arrived fashionably delayed."
Liyana let out a small laugh — a rare sound that caught a few students' attention nearby. "Fashionably delayed? You almost missed the bell."
"Then you'd have missed me. You're welcome," he said, smirking.
She sighed softly. "You really don't know when to stop, do you?"
---
Inside the main hall, the new students gathered in neat rows as Professor Elara Windcrest stepped up to the podium.
"Welcome, new students," she announced. "From today onward, you are part of the Empire's future — train hard, uphold discipline, and remember: power without control is just destruction."
Her sharp gaze moved through the crowd and stopped briefly on Sho and Liyana. A faint smile crossed her lips before she turned away.
---
Swordmage Division – Class Orientation
After introductions, the students split into divisions. Sho and Liyana entered a large training hall filled with mana dummies, weapon racks, and shimmering wards.
A tall man in light armor stood before them — Instructor Kaien Drossel, a former knight commander. His voice was deep and commanding.
"Listen up, brats. You're in the Swordmage Division — which means you'll be learning to fight and cast. Fail either, and you'll be transferred to the remedial classes. Got it?"
"Yes, sir!" the class responded in unison.
Sho tilted his head. "He's… energetic."
Liyana whispered, "Energetic isn't the word I'd use."
---
Combat Pairing
"Today," Instructor Kaien barked, "we'll start with mock duels. I want to see what you can do. Pair up!"
Immediately, nobles scrambled to show off. Spells flew, wooden swords clashed, and the sound of mana bursts filled the hall.
Sho watched quietly until a student approached him — a boy with short blond hair and a confident grin.
"Sho Ardenthal, right? Heir of a duke, huh? Let's see if you live up to the rumors."
Sho sighed, taking a step back. "You really want to do this now?"
The boy smirked. "Unless you're scared."
Liyana, standing nearby, smirked faintly. "Don't break him too much, Sho."
Sho smirked back. "No promises."
The duel began.
---
Sho Ardenthal vs. Arlen Trass – Mock Battle
Arlen charged first, sword gleaming with mana. Sho sidestepped effortlessly, countered with a clean parry, and flicked his wrist — disarming Arlen in one motion.
Before the crowd could even react, Sho vanished in a blur — Blink.
He reappeared behind Arlen and tapped his shoulder with the practice sword. "That's your loss."
The crowd murmured in disbelief.
"Did he just… teleport?"
"That was instantaneous!"
Instructor Kaien's brows rose. "Spatial control at his age… impressive."
Sho just shrugged. "Guess I'm not bad at this."
---
Meanwhile – Liyana's Turn
When Liyana stepped forward, no one dared volunteer against her. Finally, Instructor Kaien called up a top-ranked student — a tall girl with twin daggers and sharp eyes.
The duel began — or at least, it was supposed to.
The opponent charged. Liyana didn't even move.
Her crimson eyes lazily followed the girl's motions. Every attack missed by a hair's breadth.
Then, with a soft sigh, Liyana flicked her finger. A small spark of red mana flashed — the girl's daggers instantly flew from her hands, landing meters away.
Liyana smiled faintly. "You dropped these."
Even Instructor Kaien looked speechless. "...Remind me not to spar with you."
Sho chuckled from the sidelines. "Still showing off, huh?"
Liyana turned to him, smirking. "Says the guy who teleported behind his opponent just to poke him."
"Fair point."
---
System Notification
As the class ended, Sho's system glowed faintly.
> [Quest Update: "Path of the Scholar"]
Progress: 45%
Objective: Attend and complete the first week of academy classes
Bonus Reward: ??? (Hidden)
Sho stared at the screen. "Huh… another hidden reward?"
Liyana leaned closer, curious. "What's that?"
He quickly closed the screen. "Nothing. Just… homework."
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "You're a terrible liar."
Sho grinned. "Maybe. But I'm a charming one."
---
As the day ended, the two walked together through the glowing academy gardens. Liyana looked up at the stars — the same way she once looked at them from her sky-bound throne centuries ago.
For the first time in a long while, she smiled — truly smiled.
Sho noticed but didn't comment. He just smiled back faintly.
"Tomorrow's going to be fun," he said softly.
Liyana nodded. "It better be."
The moonlight shimmered above them — the start of their new chapter together.