As the final speeches and slogans with the promise of glory ended with the magical screen projecting the stage video stopped.
But by the time this ceremony ended the Zeref was completely exhausted.
And just like him many other students similar to his age looked exhausted as the dome was no longer as loud as before.
Now some students stretched, some sighed and some others still buzzed with excitement
Zeref remained seated with the same stiff posture as before with his hands supporting his chin as he gazed at something non-existent.
'Five years.' He thought. 'Five years in this place'
'Didn't I suffer enough in my master's degree in my previous life that I need to do school again?'
At this moment Zeref was questioning himself whether to run way from this place as he did not want to go through that suffering again.
And at this moment when Zeref was questioning his life another voice rang out sharper and more depper than the noice around him.
"All first-year students, remain seated."
The crowd quieted again.
Several teachers came forward with each of them standing a small distance away from each others with an insignia being displayed above them.
"As you all know the Cube is divided into five primary departments." One of them announced. "You have already been evaluated and assigned as it was written in your letter of admission."
"Knight Department, Archery Department, Priest Department, Alchemy Department and finally Magic Department." Another continued.
The murmurs became louder this time.
"When your department is called." The teacher continued. "stand and proceed in an orderly manner to the instructor above whom your department crest is glowing. You will be guided to your temporary assembly halls."
A simple command for the kids to follow but just like in any world, no one followed the teacher's command and went here and there according to their own judgment.
Zeref exhaled quietly.
"Knight Department." The voice called.
Rows of students stood up.
Zeref rose with them.
The second he stood up fully, he felt the gazes of many other shifting to him,
He was taller than most people his age, which he just noticed but was not much concerned with it.
Not an overwhenliming height but was enough to stand out in the crowd of sixteen year olds. With broad shoulders and long limbs with a combination of sharp facial features, including his naturally cold gaze.
It gave him a natural aura of intimidation.
The girl beside him noticed it too. Just now.
She looked up. Then up a little more.
"Man…You're seriously tall." She said.
Zeref glanced sideways. "Is that unusual?"
"For me? Yeah. I mean, look at me, I am much smaller than you in build." She said geturing towards herself and their height difference with her barely reaching his chest. "And your facial expression is so cold, else you'd probably be popular."
He blinked. "Cold? Does it look that way?"
They started walking to the ground while talking.
She gestured vaguely at his eyes. "You look like you're judging people's life choices just by standing there." She said with a small laugh.
"That's quite unfortunate."
She laughed. "Anyways I'm Mira Valen." She said, sticking out a hand. " From Archery Department."
Zeref shook her hand. "Zeref Noctis. Knight Department."
"Figures." Mira said, eyeing his build. "You look like you could take a beating without breaking much of a sweat."
Before Zeref could respond, someone tugged lightly on the back of Mira uniform.
"M-Mira…"
A second girl had appeared behind her.
She had long blue hair that was tied loosely at the back with some of the strands falling over, covering her facial features. Her green eyes looked at Zero for less than half a second before she immediately ducked herself behind Mira using her as a shield from him.
'She was… hard to miss.' Zeref thought to himself as he looked at the new girl.
Curvy. Way too curvy. The academy uniform was strained against her chest, making her look even more out of place among the students. But her posture and confidence were completely opposite with her shoulders hunched and head lowered as if she just wanted to disappear.
'She is attracting attention for reasons completely opposite to me.'
Mira sighed. "Sorry. This is Elia Frostwind. She is a bit of a scardey cat. Sh's from the magic department."
Elia squeaked softly and pressed herself further behind Mira's back.
Zeref stared.
'…Am I really that scary?' He wondered. 'That a girl needs to use someone as a shield? But still magic I am really curious.'
"I'm sorry." He said, trying to be as gentle as possible, going as far as to put up a smile on his face. "I wasn't trying to intimidate you."
Elia peeked out for exactly half a second, met his red eyes and that smile making her vanish again. As his smile looked much more intimaditing that his neutral face.
"Haha look at that, you scared her with yoru smile." Mira groaned. "Anyways, ignore her. She's shy. Like aggressively shy. And your smile ain't making it better."
"I can hear you…" Elia muttered weakly.
Zeref considered the situation.
'Can such a cute creature really use magic from those fantasy world powerful enough to incinerate the whole world at 9th circle mage type thing.'
Then slowly and deliberately, he bent down until he was at eye level with where Elia was hiding.
She froze.
He leaned slightly to the side, close enough that she could see his face clearly.
"…Am I that scary?" Zeref asked, genuinely curious.
Elia's brain visibly malfunctioned.
Her face turned red. Bright red. She made a small, strangled sound and immediately ducked fully behind Mira while grabbing her like a lifeline.
"D-Don't look at me!" she squeaked.
Mira smacked Zeref's arm. "Why would you do that?!"
"I was asking a question."
"You are scaring her!"
"I even lowered myself to appear less threatening."
"That made it worse!"
Elia nodded frantically from behind her back.
Zeref straightened again, returning to his full height.
"Noted. I won't do it again."
After a few seconds, Elia cautiously peeked out again. This time, she didn't immediately retreat.
"H-He doesn't… sound mean." She said softly.
"I'm not." Zeref replied.
She hesitated.
"…You just look like a big bully."
"That's also unfortunate. Its all the fault of my looks."
Mira snorted. "See? He's harmless. Probably."
As they walk the flock of students strted to seprate from one another.
"Guess this is it for now." Mira said as she pointed to one direction. "Archery department is that way."
Elia nodded, still half hidden behind Mira's back. "M-Magic Department… is over there."
She pointed weakly to another direction where teachers were present with a grimoire floating beside them.''
"Good luck both of you" Mira said with a grin filled with energy.
"Yes... good luck Mira" Elia with a smile.
"What abbout me?" Zeref interjected. "Where's my best wishes?"
He asked this question while putting his face just in front of her.
"Wha..." Elia face became as red as a tomato looking at him so close to her with a small. "Eeekkk...."
Mira just shakes her head as she sees Zeref teasing Elia.
With that, she ran away.
"Try not to disappear completely." Zeref said to Elia and Mira as they parted ways going towards his own.
'Its fun teasing her.'
And with that they all went their separate ways merging with the crowd under different teachers.
************************************
By the time Zeref reached the Knight Department grounds, he found rows of students already lined up in straight, disciplined formations. Assistants likely senior students or junior staff moved along the lines, correcting posture and ordering everyone to remain exactly where they were placed.
No talking. No moving. No fidgeting.
Zeref stifled a yawn.
This was taking far longer than he expected.
The type of discipline which one is forced into in front of an superior to not get on their bad side.
Then she arrived.
The instructor.
A woman who looked to be somewhere in her late thirties ormaybe early forties stepped forward. Her face was marked by a long, old scar that ran from her temple to her jawline. It didn't ruin her appearance.
If anything, it made her look more dangerous.
Her presence alone was enough to straighten several students without her saying a word.
Then she spoke.
"Keep quiet and stand straight."
Her voice cut through the field like a blade.
And for some reason…
She was looking directly at Zeref.
At that exact moment, Zeref had been stretching his shoulders.
The look in her eyes made it very clear she would not hesitate to rip him apart on the spot if he stepped out of line again.
Zeref immediately snapped into position.
Back straight. Chin level. Arms aligned perfectly with his sides and a posture so precise it could have been measured with a ruler.
Perfect.
'…What did I do?' he thought silently.
He hadn't spoken. He was just streaching a bit.
And yet somehow…
He had already been marked.