Moonveil Academy: Trapped With The Five Kings

Elara:

”Study where?”

The question slipped from my lips before I could stop it. For a brief moment, I wondered if I’d finally lost my mind. That would certainly explain everything.

The impossible castle, the silver-haired man, princesses, hidden islands, DNA reports - it would all make perfect sense if I’d simply gone insane after watching my family die. Unfortunately, the woman sitting across from me looked far too real.

Vice Headmistress Katherine Noctis folded her hands neatly atop the mahogany desk, seemingly unaffected by my stunned expression.

”As the sole surviving heir of House Argentis,” she began calmly, ”you will enroll at Moonveil Academy.” She said it as though informing me of tomorrow’s weather.

I stared at her.

She continued before I could interrupt. ”Moonveil Academy was established nearly a century ago and serves as the foremost institution for educating the future leaders of Starfall. The heirs of the four noble houses are already enrolled here and are currently preparing to inherit their responsibilities as future Regents.”

Her gaze remained steady as she added, ”And as the Crown Princess, you will receive the same education.”

My thoughts had already begun drifting - a prestigious academy, regents, noble houses - it all sounded like some elaborate historical role-playing society. Except, no one here behaved as though this were pretend.

Ms. Noctis reached for another document inside the folder. ”There is another matter that concerns you.”

I barely managed to focus again.

”Everything that belonged to the Argentis Royal Family now belongs to you.”

I frowned. ”What do you mean?”

”The Royal Palace, the surrounding estates, the royal archives, the private libraries, the ancestral properties, the royal treasury, and the Crown’s investments.” She listed each item as though reading a grocery list. ”They are all registered under your name.”

I blinked, completely stunned. ”...What?”

”You are also the legal owner of numerous businesses and financial assets accumulated by House Argentis over several centuries.”

Silence.

My brain simply... stopped. Only this morning I had spent nearly an hour calculating whether I could afford next semester’s tuition without taking extra shifts at the diner. I had worried about rent, about grocery bills, about replacing my worn-out sneakers before my parents could waste their hard-earned money on it.

And now, someone was calmly informing me that I apparently owned - a palace, an entire treasury, and probably enough wealth that money didn’t even seem worth mentioning. It felt absurd. Like listening to someone describe another person’s life. Not mine.

Definitely not mine.

”I don’t...” I laughed weakly, but the sound felt hollow. ”I don’t even know how much is in my savings account. And you are telling me I own a kingdom?”

”No.” She corrected gently. ”You own the royal inheritance. The kingdom itself is governed by the Five Regents... until your coronation.”

The distinction barely registered. Nothing about tonight made sense anymore.

Ms. Noctis’s expression gradually became more serious. ”Material wealth is not why you have been brought here.” Her voice carried more weight now. ”The Argentis bloodline has always possessed extraordinary magical potential.”

I stared blankly.

”Our royal family has historically produced some of Starfall’s strongest elemental magic users.” She paused. ”But... you are different.”

The room seemed strangely quiet.

”As the Moon Child...your magical potential may exceed every royal before you.”

Moon Child.

The same title the masked men had mentioned.

I swallowed. ”I... I’m sorry.” I rubbed my temples. ”I think you are losing me.”

She nodded once. ”Understandable.” Then she said something that completely shattered whatever little grip I still had on reality. ”The purpose of your education at Moonveil Academy is to awaken your powers.”

”...Excuse me?”

”And to master them.”

I stared.

”Powers?”

”Yes.”

”Elemental abilities. Magic.”

I laughed, like actually laughed. But it was a tired, broken, and disbelieving laugh. ”This has to be some kind of joke.”

She remained silent.

”Magic isn’t real. It doesn’t exist. I can maybe understand hidden islands, ancient royal families, and secret organizations. But magic?” I shook my head. ”No. That’s impossible.”

Ms. Noctis watched me quietly before speaking again. ”You have grown up among humans. So it’s natural for you to not believe in magic. But it isn’t impossible. It exists and you possess it.”

I almost interrupted again.

Then she continued, ”Your powers are currently sealed.”

That made me pause.

”Sealed?”

”We believe the Reapers placed a magical seal upon you twenty years ago.” She leaned back slightly before continuing, ”But the seal appears to have weakened tonight.”

My brows knitted together and before I could stop myself, I asked, ”...Why?”

”It happened when you attempted to fight the Star Warriors.” She watched me closely. ”Did you feel anything unusual? Perhaps a sudden rush of warmth, or a surge of energy. Something awakening deep inside you.”

I opened my mouth to deny it. But before the words could leave my mouth, my voice disappeared.

Warmth.

There had been warmth. Right after Felix... I remembered throwing myself against the warriors while a burning sensation had spread through my chest. At the time I’d assumed it was rage.

But now...

The memory refused to leave.

”No...” I whispered. ”It couldn’t be...”

Magic?

There was no way. Magic wasn’t-

My thoughts stopped as several objects around the office suddenly lifted into the air - books, a silver pen, a crystal paperweight, and even the lamp beside the desk slowly floated upward.

My breath caught. ”W-What...” I stumbled backward so suddenly that I almost tipped over. The objects remained suspended. Perfectly still. My heartbeat thundered inside my ears. I blinked my eyes rapidly and when I focused again, everything was back in their places. It was almost like nothing had even moved in the first place.

I blinked. Had I imagined-

”You didn’t.” Ms. Noctis’s voice remained perfectly composed.

I looked at her and realized I had spoken the words out loud. A tiny smile touched the corners of her lips as she explained, ”But the scene you witnessed just now... never happened.”

I stared, more confused than I was moments ago. ”What?”

”I did not levitate those objects.”

”...You didn’t?”

She shook her head. ”I simply wove a memory into your mind.”

Silence.

”I...” My mouth felt dry. ”You made me see - remember - something... that never happened?”

”Precisely.”

A chill traveled down my spine. That sounded far more terrifying that anything I might have heard so far. Anyone could be fooled by an illusion. But changing memories? Creating memories? How could anyone know what was real anymore?

As if reading my thoughts, Ms. Noctis nodded. ”My magical specialty is Memory Weaving. It includes manipulation, creation, alteration, and restoration of memories.”

I stared at her in complete disbelief. That... was infinitely more frightening than making furniture float.

Without another word, she opened a drawer once more and withdrew a cream-colored envelope. Then she placed it neatly on top of the folder. ”Inside you’ll find everything you’ll require.” She lightly tapped the envelope. ”Your dormitory key card, student ID, library access pass, and a bank card connected to your royal accounts.”

Everything already prepared. As though they had expected me.mAs though my arrival had never been in doubt.

”If you are ready...” She looked toward the office door. ”Professor Cedric Fenrith will escort you to your dormitory.,He will also introduce you to Moonveil Academy.”

My eyes lowered to the envelope. Dormitory, student ID, library pass - it all looked so... normal. Almost laughably normal. As though I were simply starting university. And not burying my family. Not discovering I was supposedly a princess with magic. Not having my entire life torn apart in the span of a few hours.

The silence stretched.

Finally, I looked back at Ms. Noctis. My voice came out quiet and hoarse, bertain.

”I don’t plan to attend your academy.”