The young noble paid for everyone and left the inn at a quarter after seven. Luka returned to the carriage, and it drove him to the academy grounds within thirty minutes. The knights stayed outside the school while Bel and Gripper returned to dimensional storage.
As Luka walked alone to the morning assembly, other students noticed the golden band on his left arm and stared at him.
"That's the co-valedictorian!" someone whispered.
"What's his name?"
"No clue. I have never seen this person at social parties."
"Is he a noble or a commoner?"
Luka saw one to three arm stripes on the student uniforms. Males wore blue and white outfits while females wore red and white. Most bands were black, but he came across an occasional silver.
When Luka joined the incoming class assembly, he noticed that every student carried one stripe on the arm. Thus, he realized that these stripes signified the student grade level as a first, second, or third year. The silver color identified the honor students, while the class's top student wore gold.
Luka looked around the schoolyard and saw several hundred students standing there. But he couldn't find the golden band of his co-top scorer. Thus, Luka gave up and stood silently while ignoring the looks of other students. Instead, he paid attention to the podium in front of the assembly.
A wizened man with a long, white beard climbed the podium. He wore a coarse-looking, dark gray robe and possessed a gentle demeanor. A mighty aura emanated from his body despite the man's short stature. He stood at the center of the podium and waited for the bell to ring. Dong! After it tolled eight times, the man began to address the audience.
"Good morning, everyone! My name is Zajic Ladis, and I'm the Morninglory Royal Academy's headmaster. I'm happy to see that you're here on time today. I firmly believe in punctuality, and I hope you will continue to arrive on schedule every day throughout the school year. Our academy is the most prestigious educational institution within the kingdom, and you should take pride in wearing our school uniform. But you must also continue to work hard to graduate in three years."
"After this meeting is over, you will go to your homeroom for a quick briefing before separating to visit your dormitory. The entrance packet you received should include your assigned homeroom, along with your uniforms. Now, let's meet your co-valedictorians and listen to a few words from them."
Luka saw a nod from the headmaster and quickly made his way up the ramp. With a straightened back, he strolled to the center of the platform. Luka saw a short girl with short, raven hair approach from the other end. As he drew closer, Luka noticed her glaring at him! In response, he smiled politely and said, "Ladies first."
With a "hmph!" the girl turned her head toward the crowd. "My name is Terrwyn Cadogan, and I'm happy to meet all of you today. I'm sure you studied very hard to enter this school, and some of you may have set goals already after graduation."
"I'm a very competitive person, so my goal is to become the valedictorian when I graduate in three years. If any of you want to compete with me for top honors, all I can say is, 'Come on!'" The girl motioned her fingers provocatively at the crowd. Terrwyn glanced back at Luka with a snort and marched down the ramp.
The girls cheered while the boys jeered. "That's the lord marshal's daughter!" "She's a genuine heroine for sure!" "I can't wait to beat her ass at the training grounds!"
Ladis stroked his beard and chuckled. He was curious to see how Luka would respond to her provocation.
The boy stepped to the center and looked calmly at the audience. To their amazement, he applauded with the elegance of a gentleman. "I appreciate Ms. Cadogan's honesty and desire to be the best in our class. We should all follow her lead and perform our best as well."
"My goal is a bit more modest: I want to learn from our school's talented faculty. As our headmaster stated, the Morninglory Royal Academy is our country's preeminent school. Therefore, our enrollment here is a privilege, and we should take advantage to soak up as much precious knowledge from our talented faculty as possible. My name is Luka Heavensfell, and I look forward to attending three years of school with you." He gave an aristocratic salute and strolled off the stage.
"Wait! His surname is Heavensfell!" "That's the son of the hero!" "Altima's Godson is in our class!"
Ladis reclaimed the center stage and clapped his hands. "This assembly is over. Please go to your homeroom now."
The students took out their school handbooks and consulted the map insert to find their destinations.
Chapter 53
First Day of School (Part 2)
Unlike his peers, Luka didn't bother taking out his copy of the tiny but thick book for several reasons. First, he already memorized the enclosed map, academic schedule, and rules of regulations. Luka did this because his status as a top-scorer meant other people would target him. By mastering the school's rules, he could use them to defend himself from any accusations of impropriety.
Second, Luka needed to return to his domain to oversee his enterprises; to do so, he must plan his trips around the school holidays. However, Luka was pleasantly surprised that the academy scheduled classes for five days per week. The school's stated rationale for this policy was to allow students to spend their weekends on extracurricular activities, additional studying, or employment. The academy recognized that its tuition and dormitory fees were costly for commoners; therefore, it permitted students to work part-time to earn money.
Finally, Luka wished to familiarize himself with the campus. He wanted to know the locations of his classrooms, dormitory, library, mess hall, and other facilities. He was surprised at the expansive size of the school properties. Also, the academy possessed a small dungeon! However, student access to it was very restricted and closely monitored.
Furthermore, the student handbook provided a separate set of rules regarding student conduct while visiting the dungeon. Luka viewed them as bureaucratic red tape because he already went to two other dungeons. Therefore, the adventurer knew how to take precautions while exploring a dungeon. Nonetheless, he marveled at the school's ability to keep a living dungeon on campus and have students attend class, eat, and sleep near it.
Luka entered the main academic building and walked into room A107. He took an empty seat toward the back of the classroom and quietly observed his fellow students. Luka noticed Terrwyn sitting in front and smiled at her choice.
When all the students sat down, a male teacher walked in and stood in front of the blackboard. He wore a dark red mantle over a tight-fitting, orange robe that enhanced his tall, lean body. The newcomer held a staff with a replica of a dragon's head on the top end; radiant gemstones bedded the statue's eyes and mouth and emitted faint wisps of power.
The mage appeared to be in his late twenties; he possessed a handsome face, making the female students turn gaga. But two pointy ears protruded over his chocolate hair! His gray-blue eyes surveyed the room and confirmed that all his students arrived on time.
When Luka's eyes met the elf's, the student sensed familiarity with the instructor and became puzzled over these strange feelings.
The homeroom teacher placed his staff inside his magic item box, took out new chalk, and slowly wrote on the blackboard. When he finished, the elf turned around to address his students. "My name is Tannyll Ravahorn, a member of the Magical Research Department at this school. I am also your magic lecturer and homeroom teacher for this Elite Class."
"I congratulate your academic achievements thus far. But I caution you not to rest on your laurels because the other students are gunning for your seats! At the end of this academic year, you will partake in final examinations that will reevaluate and determine the Elite Class's seating during the second year."
"Take a look around; some of you won't return to this class next year. The same culling will occur during your second year of school. Graduating from the Elite Class will open doors to many employment opportunities. You may receive an invitation to join this academy as a res
earcher or faculty. Royalty and nobility are always seeking talented commoners. And for the aristocrats here, your outstanding achievements will enhance your family's reputation. Therefore, I strongly urge you to work diligently in your studies and retain your seat in this Elite Class."
Tannyll smiled faintly at his students. "Okay, now please stand up one-by-one and introduce yourselves starting from the front row. And while you're at it, feel free to ask a question if you have one."
Terrwyn immediately stood up. "My name is Terrwyn Cadogan, the co-valedictorian of this incoming class. My father is Lord Mashal Rhun Cadogan, the Defense Minister and general of the king's army. My goals are to take over his position someday and also become the finest swordswoman in the kingdom."
Boys in the room reacted poorly to her stated objectives.
"Hahaha! What a joke!"
"How can a girl become the marshal?"
"What a foolish girl!"
"Go back to playing with dolls!"
The girls quickly rose in Terrwyn's defense.
"Gender has nothing to do with these positions!"
"Terrwyn is the best swordswoman in our grade. She will soon become the best in our school!"
"I dare you to challenge her to a duel!"
Clack-clack! Tannyll tapped the blackboard with his staff. "Okay, let's settle down. You are young, and our school is here to help nurture and grow your talents. Therefore, you should aim high and elevate the people surrounding you. Terrwyn has the right idea. That's why the faculty sees her as a model student. Let's continue with the next person."
Some male students accepted this mild chastisement, while others rejected it. But none of them wished to turn the homeroom teacher into an enemy. Thus, they ignored the foolish girl and her big dreams. Instead, they refuted Tannyll by offering only modest goals during their introductions, such as staying inside the Elite Class for all three years or finding suitable marriage partners.
One girl asked bluntly, "Please excuse my rudeness, teacher. Why would an elf teach here? Since the Morninglory Kingdom supported the Religious Wars and took over your elven homeland, aren't you helping your oppressors?"
The students froze in silence as they stared at her with horror. They worried that the instructor would become angry and cast a death spell on the stupid child. To their surprise, Tannyll wasn't upset by the inelegant question.
"I'm two hundred years old, and I actively participated in the Religious Wars as a magic soldier. I claimed tens of thousands of human lives with my blade and magic. I also lost family members and my home in what is now the Droustan Duchy. Hence, your worries are legitimate."
"I have multiple reasons for being here. First, our patron deity, Alectos, transported the survivors to a previously unknown continent. He also negotiated with Altima to prevent her church from ever setting foot there without Alectos's express invitation. Any believer who disobeys Altima's command will become a heretic and receive her curse."
"Second, our two deities realized that the Religious Wars sapped our collective strength to protect Zaleron from a future Netherese invasion. Altima especially grieved over the sacrifice of Tsunka Heavensfell's life to repel the undead armies. Hence, she tasked the new pope to seek peace with the Delfrir royal family."
"However, we elves have long lifespans and equally long memories. How could we easily forget about the war and our dead people? Once lost, trust takes time to rebuild slowly. In furtherance of this goal, our king reached an agreement with Pope Demetrius to send elven ambassadors and representatives to the Morninglory Kingdom. I came to this academy as part of this trust-building effort. I specialize in the research of the unique Nethererse energy signature and dispelling it from our world."
"But the Netherese War ended in our victory! The Netherese are gone from Zaleron. How would you find their energy?" the girl asked in puzzlement.
Tannyll shook his head. "This is a common misconception among humans. Altima expelled the Undead God and his armies. But a small number of his minions remain hidden somewhere on Zaleron. And they continue to work to reconnect portals between our worlds. One of the reasons your school curriculum emphasizes fighting skills is training and developing more defenders to participate in the next Netherese War. Sooner or later, they will invade Zaleron again," he warned.
The students became disheartened upon learning the truth about the result of the Netherese War. Some dreamed of developing peaceful and prosperous lives; they had no interest in fighting at all.
The elf noticed their collective depression and abruptly pointed his staff at Luka. "Fear not, children! Here is our future savior!" he said and grinned.
The class turned around and looked at Luka.
"Introduce yourself," Tannyll ordered.
Luka belatedly stood up. "My name is Luka Heavensfell, the co-valedictorian." He sat down.
"Luka is the son of Tsunka Heavensfell, the hero of the Netherese War. He is also the Godson of Altima and possesses the Divine Summoner bloodline. And he still doesn't have a fiancée."
The student glowered at his mischievous teacher.
With the notable exception of Terrwyn, the unengaged girls eyed Luka like hungry wolves staring at a rabbit. The cold-hearted ones realized that once Luka became a living sacrifice, the surviving widow would rule the most prosperous duchy in the kingdom. Thus, they intended to flirt with the brilliant and handsome-looking teenager once the homeroom period ends.
Tannyll urged the remaining students to offer their introductions. "Now that we all know each other's names, we finished today's agenda. But before I dismiss you from class, I offer two reminders. First, if you are living on campus, you should visit your dorm rooms and meet your roommates, if any. Second, homeroom will begin at eight-thirty sharp tomorrow morning. Have a great day!" The elf waved goodbye and walked out.
When Luka saw the girls approach his desk, he quickly rushed out of the classroom. He wasn't interested in any of them as a marriage partner. Although most of the girls were beautiful, they didn't appeal to him intellectually.
Terrwyn, on the other hand, piqued his interest with her passion. Unfortunately, she saw him as the biggest roadblock to her goals and an archrival. Besides, a marriage between the Heavensfell and Cadogan families would rile up the royal family. Many aristocrats would rightly view this union as a future threat to the throne.
Luka walked on campus while contemplating kingdom politics. His destination was his dorm room. Surprisingly, the academy organized the dormitories by grade. Hence, the dorm residents moved in and moved out at the same time.
This form of living arrangement was strange in his eyes because it segregated the younger and older students. Luka wondered if the school did this to prevent bullying of the incoming class.
And in a nod to the nobility, students may bring servants to the dormitories. But non-students must register with the dorm supervisors and pay a hefty fee of 100 gold to receive a non-student ID card. However, these helpers couldn't sit inside classrooms and labs; instead, they were encouraged to run errands while their employers attended class.
There were twelve residence halls on campus, and each one carried the name of a birth month flower. Luka's dorm room was inside the Larkspur building. Upon arrival, he noticed that the walls were purple to match the residence name.
A middle-aged woman stood in the lobby with a name tag, "Drinara." More surprising was her race: a beastman! A pair of long, brown rabbit ears stood on top of her head, and her pink nose was flat like an anime character. She wore a white blouse and tan breeches, which barely contained her thick, muscular thighs.
"Welcome to Larkspur Residence Hall. My name is Drinara, and I'm your dorm supervisor for the next three years. Please show me your student ID card so that I will learn your names and confirm that your room is in this building," she requested politely.
Most students cooperated and displayed their IDs. However, one snotty brat tried to bypass her to enter the stairwell. "Move aside, you lowly cur!" he cursed in a be
llicose tone and leaned into her face.
Whoosh! Drinara lashed out instantly and kicked him in the midsection! Her victim slammed against a wall! BAM! She wagged her brown paw and said, "I memorized the names of all my dorm residents. If you can't prove that you're on the list, then I will treat you as an intruder and remove you by force. Now, will you cooperate and show your student ID?"
The bystanders watched in silence. None of them tried to help the boy lest they draw her ire for interference. Moreover, some thought he deserved this humiliation for his stupidity!
He spat on the ground and said, "You damn beast! How dare you attack me, the son of a count? I'm going to complain to the headmaster and have him fire you!"
Drinara laughed. "The supervisor bears ultimate responsibility for a residence hall and cannot be fired for executing these duties. But since you have a problem with my race as a beastman, you are welcome to arrange to stay off-campus. Because you are now permanently barred from this building." The dorm mother pointed her paw at his face. "Now, you could either take yourself out of here, or I'll give you the boot -- literally!"
The boy peeled his body off the wall. He winced and ignored the pain, adjusted his uniform, and staggered out of the hall.
Drinara turned her attention back to the kids. "Now, listen up! I don't care about your family ties. This facility is my house, and I'm both the judge and the jury. I expect everyone to follow my rules. I'm not your mother nor your maid. You're responsible for cleaning after yourselves and doing your laundry. If you feel that you can't do chores because it's beneath your noble status, you could hire a manservant if you don't have one already. You may bring in snacks but no alcohol."
"The school administration assigned your rooms. You may switch out as long as you obtain the other student's consent; both parties must appear in person and register the room change together. If you move to another residence hall, then you must register with both supervisors. Student consent means that you can't bully and coerce the other person to make the change. You could, however, negotiate and provide proper compensation for the hassle."
The Divine Summoner: Godson of Altima Page 44