Like that, the days passed in a flash, and it had been six days since Michael arrived at the academy.
Unlike the first day when the school was nearly empty, it was now much livelier.
Michael saw more people who looked as fresh as he did—clearly new students—and others like Lira, who carried themselves with the composed air of those already familiar with academy life.
In the past six days, Michael had learned far more about the academy than he ever expected.
He had assumed it was just a front, something that acted more like an organization than a real school.
He was, more or less, wrong.
The academy actually did teach, but in a way that was far less rigid than what he was used to.
There was no fixed structure—no system that divided people the way science and art once did.
Instead, the academy operated on a ten-year cycle.
Students didn't advance through exams but by the passing of time.
