The magical journey of a countryside boy

After hurrying out of the corridor, William catches up with Caleb and Edward and asks if they felt the sudden shift in the atmosphere. To his surprise, neither of them noticed anything strange.

​Caleb rubs his chin, thinking for a moment before offering an explanation. “Maybe it’s because we weren’t paying as much attention to it as you were.”

​William nods slowly, still unable to accept the answer.He glances back over his shoulder at the hallway entrance, the image of the monochrome painting and that subtle knocking sound still ringing in his ears. ‘There’s definitely something else with this building.’

​After their eventful afternoon, all three of them agree to head back to their respective rooms to get some rest. Having just completed the long journey that morning, William and Edward are still thoroughly exhausted, and sleep quickly claims them.

The next morning, William sits in the hall enjoying his breakfast. Suddenly, Caleb comes bursting into the dining hall, shouting at the top of his lungs.

​“The new kids are here!”

​Everyone pauses mid-bite for a brief moment, but only a few students actually get up to go check out the newcomers. William decides to take his time, prioritizing finishing his warm meal before heading out to see what the commotion is about.

​When he steps out into the central hallway, he spots four unfamiliar children standing near the main entrance. The very first thing William notices is the color of their skin.

‘​They’re so pale... they must be from the North. According to what Edward said, the sun rarely rises up there, so it makes total sense.’

​William begins walking over to greet them, but before he can even get close, the four newcomers turn on their heels and hurry upstairs toward the guest rooms.

​William turns to Caleb, who is standing nearby, looking perplexed. “Why did they leave in such a rush?”

​Caleb turns to him and shrugs. “Oh, yeah—they said they aren’t used to this warm weather, so they immediately bolted inside to cool off.”

​William nods in understanding.

‘​So students from every corner of the Empire have finally arrived. Based on what Mark said, we’ll be taken somewhere important tomorrow... Maybe it’s finally time to learn magic.’

By the early following morning , all the students gathered in the main hall dressed in their new uniforms, excitement and anticipation written across every face—except for one.

​“Why did they have to pick light brown for the robes?” Caleb complains, pulling at his sleeve. “We look like potato sacks stored in a warehouse.”

​Arya immediately kicks him in the back of the leg. “Look around. You’re the only one throwing a fit about it.”

​As the two of them bicker, William takes a good look down at his own brown robe.

​Honestly... we really do look like the sacks we used to store potatoes in back in Ashbrook.

​Before their chatter can continue, a sharp cough echoes through the hall, instantly silencing the room.

​William and the other students turn to see a stunning, brown-haired woman standing gracefully at the center of the hall. Having secured everyone’s complete attention, she clears her throat once more.

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​“Anyone who does not have their identity badge on them right now, go get it immediately,” she instructs smoothly. “Once you have it, gather outside.”

​Without waiting for a response, the woman turns and strides calmly out of the building with a confident, effortless gait.

​A second of silence passes before panic strikes, and half a dozen students bolt up the stairs to scramble for their forgotten tokens.

As everyone gathers outside, William looks down at his token shaped like a single flower petal.

​His gaze shifts upward to the front of the woman’s robe, where a silver emblem rests—similar to his own, but featuring three distinct petals that form a complete flower.

​So I was right... these emblems do represent rank, William thinks to himself. Mark mentioned mages have tiers. If my iron token is for a beginner, she must be a Tier 3 mage, and likely a former student here just like Mark.

​Once the final lagging students fall into line, the woman turns on her heel and begins walking, gesturing for the crowd to follow.

​“Let me give you a warning,” she says, her voice carrying clearly over the crowd without her even turning around. “Keep your token on your person at all times. Without it, the academy’s protective enchantments will not recognize you. You will lose your way, triggering automatic defenses, and likely end up in a restricted area.”

​She comes to a halt in front of an empty expanse and turns to face them.

​“Pin your badges onto your robes now. We are about to step through the barrier that separates the surrounding grounds from the main academy.”

As everyone finishes pinning their badges to their robes, they resume walking.

​Suddenly, a wave of biting coldness washes over the crowd, feeling as though someone has just dumped a bucket of ice water over their heads. But as William blinks his eyes open, the sensation vanishes, replaced by a breathtaking view.

​Sprawled before them is a lush landscape of pale green grass and scattered, ancient trees, centered around the main academy building. Up close, it looks vastly more majestic than it did when William first glimpsed it upon entering the city of Mageia.

​The quiet stupor holding the students is broken by the rhythmic sound of footsteps as the instructor sets off toward the fortress-like structure.

​The group follows closely behind, stepping through grand archways into an interior built like a classic castle. Though William has never seen a real castle before, it matches every grand image he has ever imagined. Towering walls rise up to soaring ceilings supported by massive stone pillars, while impressive sculptures of armored knights and fearsome beasts line the corridors.

​The woman turns down a wide hallway, pushes open a heavy set of doors, and gestures inside.

​“Take a seat and wait for your instructor,” she commands.

​Before she can step away, a boy from the Northern region—whom William recognizes by sight but has not yet spoken to—raises his hand hesitantly.

​“Excuse me, Lady Mage, but we were informed that academy classes would not officially start for another month. What lessons are we taking today?”

​The woman stares at him in silence for a long second, holding his gaze until the boy takes a nervous step back.

​“You are going to have remedial lessons,” she replies coolly, turning on her heel and walking back down the corridor.

As they step into the classroom, William takes in a large, bright space illuminated by sunlight streaming through massive glass windows. Rows of wooden desks and chairs face a wide blackboard that covers almost the entire front wall.

​As they take their seats, Edward slides into the chair next to William and leans over. “What do you think they’re going to teach us?”

​William shrugs. “No idea... but I’m more curious about who’s actually going to teach us.”

​Their conversation is cut short by the creak of the classroom door.

​William looks up to see a familiar figure sauntering into the room.

​“So, everyone made it,” the man says, looking around at the gathered students.

​William blinks in surprise. “Are you going to teach us?”

​“Well, of course,” Mark replies, a familiar amusing smile playing on his lips. “As I told you before, the academy pays absurdly well.”