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The next day, Aresia didn’t want to waste her father and brother’s time so she prepared and ate breakfast early in the morning. After breakfast they hopped onto a carriage and made their way to the Royal Academy.
The Royal Academy was bustling with activity. Outside the gates, numerous carriages were parked, and people were constantly coming and going. Inside the Academy, the school authorities had arranged for experienced staff to welcome the newcomers, help them register and select their dormitories, ensuring that no one would get lost in the vast place.
Aresia had already completed the registration process yesterday, so she didn’t need to do it again today. However, Duke Rogest expressed his desire to visit the headmaster of the Royal Academy. Aresia, being loyal to her brother, accompanied him.
The headmaster of the Academy, Albert Smith, was considerably older than Duke Rogest. He was an 80-year-old sixth-rank mage. Mages typically lived for two to three hundred years, so his age was not considered old for his rank. He looked younger than his actual age.
The Duke had a close relationship with Headmaster Albert. Albert came from a noble family, and the Duke’s father, the former Duke, was his childhood friend. Their relationship had always been good.
When they saw the headmaster, Aresia and Amos respectfully greeted him. Aresia addressed him as “Grandpa Albert” and quietly sat by while they exchanged pleasantries.
After a brief conversation with Headmaster Albert, the Duke noticed that Amos and Aresia seemed to be getting along well and said, “Why don’t you go around and explore the Academy? I’ll stay here and chat a little bit with the Headmaster.”
Aresia and Amos nodded to their father and bid farewell to the headmaster, leaving his office.
As soon as they left the office, the siblings dropped their facade of being obedient and well-behaved, giggling and running off.
“Let’s go! I’ll show you the Warrior Department’s dormitory.”
Amos knew that Aresia had already explored the Academy yesterday, so she must be familiar with the dormitories of the Warrior Department. Amos himself had graduated from this Academy two years ago and was revisiting for nostalgia. Together, they walked towards the dormitory.
Aresia didn’t have any particular preferences, so she followed Amos.
During official hours, the dormitories were strictly managed. Only residents were allowed to enter, and visitors had to register. However, since it was the reporting period, there were people coming and going, and many were there to see off their children. Amos and Aresia were exempt from registering this time, so they easily entered the dormitory of the Warrior Department.
The Warrior Department consisted of various divisions like knightry, swordsmanship, and close combat. The department had over a thousand students, and their dormitories were spread across ten buildings. Coincidentally, Amos used to live in a building next to the wall, while Aresia’s current building was just across the road. The distance between their dorms was not far, with Aresia on the sixth floor and Amos on the fourth floor in a four-person room.
Upon arriving at the dormitory, they noticed that someone was already in the process of moving in. They didn’t want to disturb them and simply glanced at the room before Amos decided to show Aresia around elsewhere.
Amos, having graduated two years’ prior, knew many of the older residents. As they greeted them, Amos guided Aresia towards the stairs, saying, “The dormitories in the Warrior Department are mixed. Each building houses students from different divisions, but most of the time, people from the same division live together. However, there are some exceptions due to the number of residents.”
“The situation is a bit different for the Magic Department. They don’t divide the students until the second year. Some choose to focus on combat-oriented magic, like becoming a powerful mage, while others specialize in alchemy, magical arrays, and other related fields. Even research-oriented mages need to maintain their magical skills. Whatever the case, they’re assigned accordingly.”
Aresia nodded. “I inquired from Professor Feng that I’ll have a single room, so I don’t have to worry about this.”
Amos realized that they had different preferences and decided to give up his single room for a more suitable four-person room. After all, his sister wasn’t someone who would be comfortable sharing a room with others.
“Well, we don’t need to consider that anymore. Shall we go? Where do you want to visit?”
Aresia thought for a moment. Since their father wouldn’t stay at the Academy for long, his conversation with the headmaster would probably end soon. They shouldn’t wander too far.
Amos nodded in agreement.
As they reached the second floor, they noticed that this floor had eight-person rooms, with more residents than the upper floors. Their ages varied, but most were boys. It was natural for them to get excited when they saw their parents, and they were running around and playing. Aresia walked along the wall while avoiding two chasing boys. Just as she turned her head, she accidentally bumped into someone.
“I’m sorry.”
As she turned to apologize, she saw Jorgus, whom she had a brief encounter with on the playground yesterday.
With a jolt, Aresia realized just how tall Jorgus was. She herself stood at 1.65 meters, but she barely reached his shoulder. Judging by his height, he must be well over 1.8 meters, not much shorter than Amos, who was already quite tall. And considering his age, it seemed he would only grow taller.
Moreover, at their age, some people tend to be thin and frail, but Jorgus was not. He had a physique that was approaching adulthood. His rolled-up sleeves revealed well-defined muscles, and though there was a hint of youthfulness on his face, his gaze was steady and mature.
Jorgus, who was helping his roommate move, was taken aback when someone bumped into him. It was the same girl he saw yesterday on the field. He paused for a moment before responding, “It’s fine.”
Aresia nodded in acknowledgement and continued walking with Amos.
Once they were out of earshot, Amos asked his sister, “Did you just meet someone new?”
Aresia shook her head. “I think he’s from the Knight Division. I saw him on the field yesterday.”
Aresia felt a sense of regret for Jorgus, a potential talent who had unfortunately fallen to the 9th rank. She wanted to recommend him to Amos, so he could recruit him to the Gryphon Legion. However, Amos didn’t need to know how formidable Jorgus was just yet.
They walked towards the direction of the academic building. Aresia had a feeling that their father hadn’t spent too much time talking with Headmaster Albert. When they returned, he was already waiting for them at the entrance of the academic building.
As one of the top nobles in the Holy Lotean Empire, the Duke was acquainted with many of the administrators in the Academy. Standing at the entrance, he was recognized by several individuals, who approached him to strike up a conversation. However, as soon as they noticed the Duke’s children, they tactfully left. The Duke’s gaze fell on Aresia, and he said, “The school doesn’t allow servants, and cleaning services are not provided. You’ll have to take care of your own chores. Is that a problem?”
Aresia nodded. “I understand.”
“If you find anything that is inconvenient to the dormitory, I’ve spoken to Headmaster Albert. If there’s anything you can’t resolve, feel free to ask for his help.”
“I will remember that.”
The Duke gave her some final instructions, making sure nothing was missed, and prepared to leave.
“Well, head back to the dormitory to rest. No need to see us off.”
Aresia watched as her father walked away, following his advice and returning to the dormitory.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the Magic Department wasn’t quite lively compared to the Warrior Department, especially in the male dormitories.
The Royal Academy had different fee structures for different departments. Just in terms of fees, the General departments cost one-tenth of what the Magic Department charged. It could range from one hundred gold coins per head to more than two thousand gold coins. This was due to the nature of their studies, as learning magic was quite costly. The materials provided by the Academy for the Magic Department were expensive, and all of this was factored into the fees.
Moreover, the Royal Academy’s reputation was tied to the Aristocrat family. Studying there not only enhanced one’s talents but also one’s social status. This was especially true for the Magic Department.
Those who entered the Magic Department were not just nobles but also children from wealthy merchants. Truly ordinary commoners were rare. Aresia knew that in the past decade, there had only been one, who was constantly targeted by the upper-class students.
As noble and merchant parents sent their children to the palace, it was common to see servants helping with the move-in process. The parents sat in the first-floor lounge, enjoying the refreshments provided by the dormitory staff, while engaging in conversations. It had essentially turned into a tea party.
Aresia wasn’t interested in socializing or making friends. She walked past the lounge without even glancing in that direction, heading straight upstairs. However, she heard someone calling out to her.