LGT Chapter 7

Vasamiel Academy  

It was finally the morning of the entrance ceremony at Vasamiel Academy.  

Adrian Heather changed into the academy uniform he had prepared. There were no special instructions beyond wearing the uniform. He looked at himself in the mirror, running his hand through his well-textured blond hair a few times. Then, he checked again to make sure his eye color had properly changed to the ordinary brown, and looked away from the mirror.  

Mikhail Rous Inehart was lying on his bed with his eyes closed, possibly resting after an early morning run. Knowing how wonderful it felt to take a short rest after exercising, Adrian didn’t bother waking him up. In truth, he didn’t feel the need to take care of someone who wasn’t a child anymore.  

Surely, Mikhail would wake up on his own and come to the entrance ceremony. The usual age for entering the academy was around seventeen. In just two more years, they would turn nineteen and be considered adults, so they should be able to manage on their own by now.  

When Adrian saw the pamphlet that came with the admission notice, he assumed the entrance ceremony would be a small event. With around 200 students admitted each year, he expected it would just include a brief welcome speech from the headmaster. However, as Adrian walked towards the academy’s banquet hall, he revised his thoughts. The people around the banquet hall looked busy. He saw workers, likely academy staff, moving heavy items. Meanwhile, a group of students wearing the academy’s uniform walked by carrying musical instruments that seemed entirely unrelated to the entrance ceremony. Was this actually a party instead of a ceremony?  

As Adrian walked, someone rushed past him.  

“It’s about to start! Hurry up!”  

Adrian quickened his pace, glancing around. The banquet hall wasn’t far from the dormitory. In fact, it was even a little closer than the main school building. He could already imagine students running frantically every morning to avoid being late.  

Adrian headed toward the banquet hall with the other new students. He assumed they were new because they seemed nervous, glancing around uncertainly, and their uniforms still had the bright colors of something freshly made. Their awkwardness was somewhat endearing.  

The large wooden doors, decorated with elegant marble carvings, were already open. Beyond them was Vasamiel Academy’s banquet hall.  

At the far edge of the hall, there was a large glass wall. Today’s good weather let warm sunlight filter through the glass, making the objects inside the hall shimmer. The already luxurious furnishings looked even more splendid. In the garden outside the glass wall, there stood a massive tree so large that it would take around twenty grown men, arms outstretched, to encircle its trunk. The forest surrounding the academy seemed to enclose and protect this enormous tree.  

A large list posted next to the banquet hall doors divided the new students into twelve groups. 

After checking the list, the students went off to join their respective groups. Some students, already friends, were whining about being placed in different groups.  

Adrian was assigned to Group 1, named “Garnet.” It seemed the groups were named after the twelve birthstones.  

As Adrian headed toward a sign marked with a red symbol, a person who appeared to be a teacher stood holding a piece of paper. The teacher walked among the groups, checking whether the students were in the correct group. When Adrian arrived, the teacher asked for his name, nodded, and pointed to the back of the line where the other new students were already standing.  

It was just as Adrian was walking to his spot that he heard it:  

“Mikhail Rous Inehart?”  

The group of gathered freshmen fell silent for a moment. They were young, but they at least knew the name of the prince of their kingdom. When no one responded, the academy teacher repeated the question to the students.

“Is Mikhail Rous Inehart not here?”

The freshmen began whispering among themselves. Adrian Heather, thinking, Looks like he couldn’t get up after lying around like that, quietly walked to his spot.

“The student who shares a room with Mikhail… Let me see, Adrian Heather?”

Lost in his thoughts, Adrian snapped to attention when his name came out of her mouth. He slowly turned his head forward.

“Is Adrian Heather not here either?”

“Uh, yes. I’m here.”

“Didn’t you come with Mikhail Rous Inehart?”

“…No.”

Adrian felt a bit awkward. He and his roommate weren’t close enough to be looking after each other like that. All eyes in the banquet hall were now on him. They seemed to be silently asking, What kind of nerve does this guy have, not bringing the prince along?

The atmosphere hinted that the banquet was about to begin. A few students in uniform took their seats in the beautifully decorated band section of the hall, each holding their instruments and tuning them. Surrounding them, second, third, and fourth-year students were seated in the chairs provided. The academy’s faculty had already arrived and were waiting for the ceremony to start.

However, it was clear no one had the courage to start without the prince.

“I’ll go get him,” Adrian said first. The teacher, relieved but a bit apologetic, praised him for stepping up.

Cursing inwardly, Adrian left the banquet hall by himself. The entire academy seemed to have gathered in the hall, leaving the outside eerily quiet. The only sound was his footsteps, quickly echoing across the marble floor.

As he was passing through the corridor and heading toward the stairs, a voice called out.

“Hey!”

It was none other than Mikhail Rous Inehart. He was leisurely strolling around the courtyard. Adrian stopped running, standing on the steps with a cold stare fixed on the prince.

“Are you coming or not? I had to come all the way back out because of you.”

Despite Adrian’s urging, Mikhail didn’t hurry. His pace remained dignified, even leisurely.

“What’s the rush? It hasn’t even started yet.”

Mikhail spoke as he walked alongside Adrian back to the banquet hall.

“You’re supposed to show up a little early for events like this,” Adrian muttered.

“I don’t do that.”

Such is the way of royalty. Princes and high-ranking nobles tended to make their entrances only after the party had begun. The higher their status, the later they arrived. In fact, they would find it embarrassing to have shown up before the event started.

“Well, just make sure you explain that to the professor when you’re late to class later,” Adrian snapped, grabbing Mikhail’s arm and pulling him forward. The prince was moving so slowly they’d both end up late. Mikhail quickly swatted Adrian’s hand away with a flick. Adrian, who had been walking ahead, raised his eyebrows and looked back at the prince.

“Don’t touch me without permission.”

“Ah, seriously so picky. Then hurry up already,” Adrian muttered.

Thankfully, the doors to the banquet hall were still open. Adrian led Mikhail to the spot where the Garnet students were gathered.

“Wow! Look over there, it’s really him!”  

“I’ve never seen royalty in person before.”  

“Who’s that beside him? Which noble family has hair like that?”  

“The prince? Is that the youngest prince?”

As the two freshmen walked to their places, the other students whispered among themselves, their innocent curiosity evident in the gazes that followed the pair. 

“There it is,” Adrian said, ignoring the murmurs, and safely brought Mikhail over to the teacher checking off students. When Mikhail arrived, the teacher filled in the last blank spot on his list.

“Mikhail Rous Inehart?”  

“Yes.”  

Mikhail responded to his name and glanced at the gathered freshmen. Both he and Adrian stood a full head taller than the other new students. The freshmen, feeling his unapproachable, intense gaze, stopped their murmuring and stared at the prince in awe. Mikhail had bright silver hair and a delicate, handsome face, but his sharp, elongated eyes gave him a fierce, intimidating look. While his face was indeed beautiful, fitting for someone of royal blood, his cold expression made it difficult for others to approach him easily.

Adrian and Mikhail walked to the back of the line of students.

Then, it happened. The students with instruments began to play, signaling the start of the banquet. In time with the music, someone began walking toward the center of the hall. Everyone in the banquet hall stopped what they were doing and focused their attention on the newcomer.

It was the headmistress of Vasamiel Academy.

Her long, wavy gray hair flowed down both sides of her waist, and she wore a deep green dress, the symbol color of Vasamiel. She had spent her entire life defending the Kingdom of Rustabaran as its youngest royal knight, dedicating herself to its protection. Despite her advanced age, her upright posture and the large sword at her waist conveyed her unwavering spirit. 

At that moment, Adrian noticed Mikhail clenching his fist tightly. He glanced at Mikhail, who was standing beside him. His previously indifferent eyes now held a fire in them. It was likely admiration for the knight he deeply respected.

With the kind expression of someone who had lived a long life, the headmistress spoke.

“Welcome to Vasamiel Academy.”

The entrance ceremony had begun.