CHAPTER 99: BACK AT THE ACADEMY!

Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye and it was the day of the Academy Re-opening.

Albedo had spent these past 2 weeks training, reaching the absolute limit of the Silver Rank and preparing everything for the Guild Registration. The last thing he needed to do was figure out a suitable name for the Guild.

He thought of a-lot, like perhaps The Avengers as a nod to his past life, or the Justice League, or perhaps AEGIS, the Shield of Athena, or something related to Seraphyne as a Vampire, but he hadn’t made his choice as of yet.

However, he had to put all of that on hold as the Academy had finally re-opened after its break due to the events of the Mid-Terms.

The shadow of the events that had happened still lingered. The attack of the Abyssal Worshippers had burned itself into the mind of every single student at the Academy.

On that day, 100 students lost their lives, that being the tally that was confirmed after all this time. Many more were critically injured to the point of needing to drop out.

The death tally also included Myth-Class students, Grant Talden and Julian Greaves had died, while another student Alicia Starfall, was still in bad shape and receiving treatment.

It was certainly a sombre mood, but things moved on and people endured. Albedo walked through the hallways of the Academy, drawing the eyes of various students, some even from the upper years.

"That’s him..."

"The top contributor..."

"They say he cut down worshippers like they were nothing."

"I heard he took down multiple Abyssal Cullers,"

Albedo ignored them, their voices were nothing but irrelevant noise at this point. The path wound through the campus until he reached the tall doors of the Freshman Myth-Class Hall.

He pushed them open.

The classroom was already alive with murmurs. Rows of polished desks stretched beneath towering windows, beams of sunlight scattering across the floor.

He spotted the usual suspects, Miranda and Lucian who were talking near a window, greeting him as he entered, William and his group of lackeys, Dorian chatting up some of the ladies of the classroom while Veronica and Lira studied together.

There was 3 open seats, that being for the two who died, and Alicia who was still recovering.

At the far side, seated by the window next to where he sat was Morgana, the girl he saved and who he had met in the city a few weeks back.

Her hair shimmered faintly as she tucked a strand behind her ear. A book lay open before her, though her eyes weren’t on it, they darted restlessly, as if trying to avoid catching anyone else’s.

When she noticed Albedo, her breath caught. She straightened immediately, fingers tightening on the desk. A faint flush crept across her cheeks.

Albedo walked directly toward her. He pulled out the chair beside her and sat, calm as ever. For a moment, silence hung between them, broken only by the shuffle of papers and distant chatter.

Then Albedo tilted his head slightly, his voice low and even,

"How have you been since we last saw each-other?" He asked, pulling out one of his books as their first class was Mana Formations, a class that was jampacked with endless notes.

"I’ve been well, a-lot of training. What happened made me realize I need to step it up," Morgana said, and Kayn looked into her book, spotting various blood and shadow sigils.

"My Mom got this for me, I’ve been studying it to improve," She said shyly and Albedo just nodded.

He was about to say something when the door swung open and Kayle stepped inside, golden light spilling before her that caused a hush to sweep through the room immediately.

Her presence alone immediately drew every gaze, tall, radiant, her white-gold hair cascading like a banner of sunlight. Her golden eyes burned with an authority that silenced chatter instantly.

Then she smiled, a sharp, radiant thing that felt more like a blade than warmth.

"Welcome back, Freshmen."

The air itself seemed to listen.

"...Before we continue," Kayle began, her voice even but heavy, "we must first acknowledge those who are no longer with us."

Her words fell like stones into still water.

"Grant Talden. Julian Greaves. Both of them gave their lives during the attack. They will not return to these halls."

A quiet stillness followed. A few lowered their heads. Even William, who usually wore arrogance like a crown, sat straighter and allowed the moment to breathe, knowing it was disrespectful to not at least mourn slightly.

Kayle let the silence linger before she continued.

"Alicia Starfall still fights for her life under the care of the Healing Division. For her, we pray. For the fallen, we remember. And for the living, " her eyes sharpened, golden light flashing within them, "we endure. That is the spirit of Zephyr Academy. That is what it means to belong to the Myth-Class."

No one dared speak. The room seemed to pulse with her conviction. Kayle inhaled once, letting the tension ease, before shifting the subject.

"...But the class cannot stagnate. The Academy has chosen two new candidates to fill the vacant seats based on their performance in both the theory and practical Mid Term examinations. Many of you will have crossed paths with these two during your survival battle during the exam. Both are exceptional, and you would do well to measure yourselves against them."

Her hand reached for the door. With a gesture, it swung open. The first to enter was a girl Albedo knew well.

Elara!

Her dark auburn hair caught the light, tied neatly back, her forest-green eyes alert yet calm. She walked with quiet determination, her boots sounding a steady rhythm across the polished floor. She stopped before the class and inclined her head slightly.

"My name is Elara Vance. I specialize in tactical support and Nature affinity magic. I’m also an Alchemist. Thank you for having me,"

Albedo caught her eye briefly. She smiled, just a faint, knowing curve of her lips, before turning back toward Kayle.

Kayle nodded approvingly. "Take your seat."

She gave a slight curtsy and walked down the aisle, choosing the desk a row behind Albedo’s. She carried herself without arrogance, though the confidence beneath her calm demeanor was unmistakable.

The second figure entered, and with her came a ripple of curiosity.

She was a young woman with soft chestnut-brown hair, her features refined with the delicate poise of nobility. Her eyes were a clear shade of violet. She smiled faintly as she stopped at the front, bowing gracefully.

"My name is Nilah Blaire, daughter of Count Blaire. It is an honor to join the Myth-Class. I look forward to learning and growing alongside all of you."

Her voice was melodic, her manner graceful, yet not haughty. Unlike William, she did not wield her noble background like a weapon—she seemed intent on making a good impression.

Still, a few students raised brows.

"Blaire? From the eastern provinces?" whispered one.

"I heard her family oversees the border fortresses."

Albedo watched her closely, not a name he recognized from the Novel, but it never hurt to gain a new potential ally.

Kayle regarded Nilah for a moment, then gave a slight nod, "You may take your seat as well."

Nilah moved gracefully down the aisle, choosing a spot nearer to Veronica and Lira, greeting them with a polite smile as she sat.

Kayle let the room settle again before she spoke once more, her voice steady and sharp:

"These are your classmates now. Learn from each other. Challenge each other. Surpass each other. The world will not coddle you, nor will I. If the events of the Mid-Terms taught you anything, it should be this, strength is not optional. It is survival."

Her golden eyes cut through the air like blades.

"There is one final matter I must address."

Her voice sharpened, and every head in the room lifted.

"The Academy, in cooperation with the Imperial Court, has accepted an invitation from the Demon Kingdom. In three weeks’ time, the Myth-Class will participate in an exchange program, alongside myself, the Headmistress, and the Student Council."

A ripple of shock coursed through the class, whispers rising at once.

"The Demon Kingdom? Isn’t that, "

"Dangerous."

Even Lucian and Miranda exchanged a glance, the latter’s starlit eyes narrowing with calculation. William scowled openly, as if the thought of bowing his head in enemy territory offended him to the core.

Kayle silenced them all with a single raised hand. The golden light in her eyes pressed down like a weight.

"You are students of Zephyr Academy’s Myth-Class. You will one day be pillars of this World, or its shield when the world seeks to burn it down. That means you must understand not only your allies in this Kingdom, but others,"

"The Demon Academy is where the best of the best Demons gather. You all will meet on the battlefield against the Abyss eventually, this is just a preview, you will train beside them, learn beside them and hat you take from that experience will shape your future."

She let her words hang, every syllable polished into steel.

"For those of you still shaken by the Mid-Terms... take this time to sharpen your weaknesses. The Hydra, the Worshippers, the dead you mourn, they will not be the last obstacles you face. What waits for you in the Demon Kingdom will test your resolve even further."

Her eyes swept over each of them, lingering a heartbeat longer on Albedo.

"Prepare yourselves. Three weeks."

Then she turned, her white-gold hair catching the light as she moved toward the board. Her tone softened, but only slightly.

"For now, let us begin with today’s lesson. Mana Formations."