The Main Event
Letting aside the ridiculous thought, I made my way toward the entrance and handed my temporary pass to the officer standing there.
He glanced at it briefly, tore it apart, and stepped aside to let me through.
After entering, a vast open field stretched out before me.
I began walking.
Then I saw it.
The academy itself.
It stood in the distance like a colossal structure carved straight out of history.
The walls were built from pale stone, layered thick and reinforced, giving off a cold and dignified presence.
Tall towers rose from its sides, banners hanging quietly as if they had watched centuries pass without moving.
The architecture was rigid and imposing, less like a place of learning and more like a fortress.
Calling it an academy felt inaccurate.
It looked far more like a castle.
A stronghold built not only to teach, but to withstand wars, monsters, and time itself.
'Just how massive is it...'
Seeing it in person left me speechless.
Reading about it and imagining it in my mind was nothing compared to actually standing here and witnessing it with my own eyes.
After standing still for a moment, I continued walking.
I stopped a nearby guard and asked where the hall for new students was.
After receiving directions, then asking again when I got lost, I finally managed to reach the place where the first-year ceremonial was going to be held.
It was a massive auditorium.
Large enough to hold over three thousand people.
Rows of seats stretched endlessly, most of them already occupied by students.
At the very front, teachers were seated together, along with several heads of departments occupying the first row.
I found an empty seat somewhere in the middle and sat down.
Looking around, I noticed several familiar faces.
The reason I could recognize them so easily, despite only having read about them before, was because there were illustrations of them in the book.
Seeing them in real life felt strange.
The event was scheduled to begin at ten o'clock.
There were still more than thirty minutes left.
With nothing better to do, I took out a basic magic book from my spatial bag and started reading.
It was the only book I had not finished.
Or rather, the only one I could not fully understand.
Even the name of the book was strange.
Most beginner magic books had simple names.
Things like Basic Magic Every Beginner Should Know, The Beginning of Magic, or Magic Basics Even Children Could Understand.
That last one always felt a little insulting.
But this book was different.
Its name was The Vortex.
At first, I thought it was about wind magic.
Something related to swirling currents or air manipulation.
That was why I bought it.
When I asked the bookseller about it, he admitted he did not know much either.
Since it was placed in the beginner section, he assumed it was meant for beginners.
He even asked if it was for my younger sibling.
I casually agreed and left.
Now, however, I was struggling to even understand the first chapter.
The words themselves were not difficult.
But the meaning behind the sentences was hard to grasp.
It felt like the author deliberately layered meanings together, forcing the reader to unravel them slowly.
When I finally managed to understand one part, another puzzle would appear right after.
Even so, I had only finished the first half of the first chapter.
And I still had no idea what the book was actually about.
While I was reading and thinking deeply about it, a voice suddenly interrupted my thoughts.
"Hello."
I looked up.
At the center of the auditorium stood a man, speaking through a voice-amplifying device floating beside him in midair.
His appearance was rough.
His hair was messy, dark circles surrounded his eyes, and the fatigue in his gaze was obvious even from a distance.
He looked nothing like what you would expect from a professor of a prestigious royal academy.
Students who did not recognize him were exchanging strange looks.
But—
'I know him.'
He was one of the important characters from 'The Last Moment'.
He was the—
"I'm Caelum Verdan. Professor of the Department of Alchemy."
My thoughts were cut off immediately.
"In a moment, the principal of the academy will arrive here. Until then, stay silent and behave properly. Do not turn this place into a fish market."
The irritation in his voice was obvious.
Many students looked confused by his half-hearted speech.
Some began whispering among themselves.
"Is he really a professor?"
"He looks like he hasn't slept in weeks."
"He is kind of rude."
Without caring about their reactions, the professor simply turned around and left.
Just like that.
Leaving behind a hall filled with confusion and an oddly tense atmosphere.
Just then, another person stepped onto the stage.
"Ah... sorry about Professor Caelum Verdan's speech. He did not really mean it."
She bowed slightly as she apologized for his behavior.
"Nice to meet you, everyone. I am Elenaria Lysenne. You may call me Professor Elena, or simply Elena ma'am. I am the professor of the Department of Spirits."
The moment she spoke, the atmosphere changed.
She was beautiful.
Not in a flashy or overwhelming way, but in a refined and elegant manner.
Her long hair flowed down her back like soft silk, its color resembling moonlight touched by gold.
Her eyes were calm and gentle, carrying a warmth that made people feel at ease the moment they met her gaze.
She wore a graceful robe in soft ivory and pale blue, decorated with delicate silver patterns that shimmered faintly under the light.
The fabric hugged her form modestly, accentuating her maturity rather than youth.
Every movement she made was composed and natural, like someone who had been raised with perfect etiquette since birth.
She looked exactly like what one would imagine a noble lady and professor of a royal academy to be.
Almost as if she had stepped straight out of a fairytale.
Just seeing her was enough to leave people mesmerized.
Around me, I could hear whispers spreading instantly.
"She is beautiful..."
"She looks like a spirit herself."
"How is that fair..."
Some female students clicked their tongues quietly.
"Of course the guys would react like this."
"Unbelievable."
"She knows exactly what she is doing."
It was obvious.
She had instantly become the crush of many male students.
And a source of irritation for quite a few female ones.
After letting the reactions settle, she continued speaking.
"I will be hosting today's ceremony. This event marks the beginning of your journey here at the Royal Academy. From today onward, you are no longer just children of noble houses or hopeful commoners. You are students of this academy."
Her voice was calm, firm, and reassuring.
"Today, you will hear from several professors and department heads. Please listen carefully, as this place will shape your future far more than you may realize now."
She paused briefly.
"Now, Professor Aurelius Montvale of the Department of Magic will give a short speech."
A man stepped forward.
"All the handsome male students and beautiful female students present here, it is a pleasure to meet you all."
He smiled as he spoke.
"As Professor Elen so elegantly introduced, I am Aurelius Montvale, professor of the Department of Magic."
He was tall, with well-groomed golden hair and sharp features that could easily be called handsome.
His clothes were rich, layered in deep blues and gold embroidery, clearly tailored to perfection.
Every detail of his appearance screamed nobility.
His speech was smooth, practiced, and confident.
Perhaps a little too confident.
"As students of magic, you will be walking a path filled with knowledge, power, and responsibility. Talent is important, yes, but elegance and refinement are equally vital. Magic is not just strength. It is art."
As he spoke, his gaze lingered noticeably longer on the female students.
Anyone could tell.
He favored them.
Hearing his voice, the male students around me stiffened.
"That guy is definitely flirting."
"Tch. What a show-off."
"He is doing that on purpose."
Meanwhile, the reaction from the female students was completely different.
"Professor Montvale is so charming."
"Did you see his smile?"
"I hope I get into the magic department."
Not all of them were impressed.
But more than half of them clearly were.
After Professor Aurelius finished his speech, more professors followed.
The professor of the Department of Strength.
The professor of the Department of Swordsmanship.
And several others.
Most of their speeches were interesting, some even inspiring.
But then came the department heads.
Unlike the professors, department heads rarely taught classes directly.
Most of them were deeply involved in politics, large-scale research, or administrative matters.
Their speeches reflected that.
They spoke about academy rules.
Ideal behavior.
Responsibilities.
And the importance of maintaining the academy's reputation.
Listening to them made many students grow bored and sleepy.
I could see heads nodding.
Eyes glazing over.
Still, everyone tried their best to sit straight and look attentive.
True to their noble upbringing.
True to the image expected of students of the Royal Academy.
Then, in the midst of the speeches—
Darkness.
Everything around us was swallowed whole.
The lights vanished.
The faces beside me were gone.
For a brief moment, it felt as if my vision itself had been taken away. As if I had gone blind.
No sound or sense of direction.
And then—
My vision returned.
We were still inside the same auditorium.
But the atmosphere had changed completely.
It was eerie.
The professors and the department heads were gone.
The stage was empty.
All of it had happened within seconds.
Before anyone could even process what was going on—
"Aaaaaah..."
A scream tore through the hall.
Panic exploded instantly.
A student plunging a blade into another student's chest.
Blood splattered across the floor.
Someone else was chanting a spell, their face twisted, before fire erupted and swallowed the person in front of them.
Students were killing other students.
The main event of the Ceremonial Day had just started.
