NOVEL NEXT Chapter 189: Student Council President
After eliminating a few more examinees, Azel and Rain pressed on through the sprawling forest.
The canopy thinned, the trees grew further apart, and soon a vast horizon stretched open before them.
The midday sun shone bright against the endless blue, and in the distance something massive rose from the landscape.
"…That's big," Azel muttered under his breath.
His crimson eyes widened slightly as the sheer scale came into focus.
The Academy loomed like a fortress.
The walls soared skyward, smooth and impenetrable, easily ten times the height of any city fortification Azel had ever seen except for the Winter region walls of course.
The spires rose above the walls like spears piercing the heavens, glimmering in the light with magical runes etched into their stone.
Even from here, the sight of it made him pause.
"That's Astralis Academy for you," Rain said beside him, she was excited about going here once again.
Her hair fluttered in the breeze as she looked on fondly at the monumental structure.
"It's one of the best academies in the entire Empire, maybe the continent. Only the most talented or the most ambitious make it through these gates." She paused, then turned her gaze toward him. "You should be careful who you speak to. A place like this… it draws more than just local students. People from other nations attend too. Nobles, heirs, even foreign spies in disguise."
She wasn't exaggerating.
Astralis wasn't merely a school; it was the Empire's silent show of power.
Its halls housed the most promising talents of every nation, and that alone kept rival empires from recklessly declaring war.
To attack Astralis was to attack the future of the continent itself.
Azel, however, only gave a faint shrug as they approached the looming gates.
'Well, I already knew all that,' he thought.
But even with his prior knowledge, standing in the presence of the Academy's walls made his heart beat faster.
It was one thing to remember it from a game and it was another to walk toward it in flesh and blood.
The cobbled path ended at a wide archway flanked by towering iron gates.
Two guards clad in silver-blue armor stood waiting.
They weren't there for ceremony though, although they weren't as strong as the guards he had seen up until this point… These people were still good.
One of them stepped forward, his polished halberd gleaming as his eyes settled on the duo.
His stern face softened into a small smile.
"Welcome to Astralis Academy, Apprentice Rain, and Lord Azel," he said, voice firm yet courteous.
He extended his gauntleted hand. "Congratulations on being the first pair to pass the test."
Rain's lips curved into a pleased smile at the recognition.
Azel, however, only blinked and slowly took the man's hand, shaking it with mild hesitation.
"How do you know we didn't just run straight here?" Azel asked bluntly. "It would've been plausible if we ran all the way here, don't you think?"
The guard chuckled softly but before he could reply, a voice rang from above.
"That's because of me."
Both Azel and Rain glanced up.
A shadow cut across the sunlight.
From the sky, a griffin descended, its wingspan wide enough to blot out the view of the spires above.
Its talons hit the ground with a heavy thud that shook the earth, and on its back sat a young man with oversized spectacles that magnified his already wide eyes.
"I'm the overseer of this event," the spectacled youth declared proudly, puffing out his chest. "I keep track of the examinees, calculate points, and verify completion."
Azel squinted at him, unimpressed.
"You're supposed to be overseeing the rest, aren't you?" he asked flatly.
The young man froze.
His posture stiffened like a child caught skipping chores.
"Oh! Oh, oh, oh! You're absolutely right!" he shouted, voice pitching high in sudden panic. "Thanks for the reminder!"
With comical haste, he pulled at the griffin's reins.
The beast screeched, flapped its massive wings, and lifted them both into the sky.
The force of the wind nearly knocked Rain's hair loose as the youth called out while vanishing into the clouds.
"I'll see you later!"
Silence followed, leaving only the faint echo of flapping wings.
Rain blinked, then sighed.
The guard cleared his throat, reclaiming their attention.
His expression had barely changed, as though he was entirely used to such antics.
"The moment these gates are opened, you will be escorted to the examination hall," he explained, tone professional once more. "Once the tests conclude, you will wait three days for the results. During this time, you may explore the Academy grounds, but you will remain under monitoring. Or you could go back home, you can choose."
Both Azel and Rain nodded in acknowledgment.
The gates creaked open with a deep metallic groan.
Beyond them stretched another world entirely.
The first step inside Astralis felt like stepping into a painting.
The grass underfoot was trimmed to perfection, each blade uniform and lush, as though no season could ever touch it.
Magical lampposts lined the paths, glowing faintly even under the sun, powered by magic cores.
To their left, a wide lawn stretched out like a meadow.
Students sat cross-legged on the grass in neat rows a little bit far away from them, listening to a professor lecturing under the shade of a massive oak.
His voice carried effortlessly across the field, no doubt aided by a sound spell.
To their right, elegant dormitories rose, their windows sparkling with warded glass.
In the distance, libraries and training halls dotted the campus, each more majestic than the last.
'Feels nice,' Azel admitted inwardly.
For everything it was worth, there was something undeniably peaceful about the Academy at this moment.
But his eyes darkened as the thought settled.
It wouldn't last.
Once the real plot began, Astralis would be swallowed by chaos.
Students would scream, halls would burn, and blood would stain these perfect lawns.
They continued forward until the quiet rhythm of footsteps broke with the sound of heels clicking against stone.
A woman approached from the opposite path.
Her uniform matched the standard white and blue of Astralis Academy, yet it was adorned with a black vest embroidered with a golden crest.
She was dark skinned and had beautiful black hair combed, with a pair of full lips.
"Good morning," she greeted smoothly.
Her gaze swept over Azel and Rain.
"My name is Lorraine Dmitri, Student Council President of Astralis Academy. May I have your names?"
"Rain Medalia," Rain answered politely, offering a small nod.
"Azel Thorne," Azel said.
He wanted to say Winters, to claim the name that would truly be his.
But here, in this Empire, he was still bound by the title of Sword Saint's son.
For the briefest moment, Lorraine's expression changed.
Her eyes widened ever so slightly, her lips twitching into what seemed like a smile too wide, too delighted.
But it vanished as quickly as it came, replaced by the practiced composure of a council president.
"Very well," she said, voice level once more. "I will lead you to the examination room. Please follow me."