The room settled into an awkward silence.
No one quite knew how to react to the handsome elf before them. His subordinate sat comfortably on his lap, happily feeding him while occasionally scolding him whenever he forgot to chew properly. She seemed to genuinely enjoy taking care of him.
Aishwani glanced at her own attendants before looking at the others. Judging by their expressions, none of them were convinced what they were witnessing was real.
Jurian smiled and finally broke the silence. "Dante, may I ask why you gathered us here?"
Dante swallowed another bite of food. One arm rested on the couch's armrest, supporting his chin, while the other remained loosely wrapped around Vexion's waist to keep her seated on his lap as she fed both him and herself.
He smiled. "I wanted to know if any of you actually know how the academy works." Gorgan tilted his head. "What exactly do you mean?"
"The structure," Dante explained. "The rules. What the entrance test is actually like. Whether we're divided into classes. Is it just an academy, or is there something that actually makes it special?"
Elisophere blinked. "...You don't know?" Dante took another sip of his drink before Vexion gently wiped the corner of his lips with a napkin.
After a brief silence, he looked at her. "Would I be asking if I did?" Blisophere frowned slightly. "But... you're a Mythical Being. Information like this should be obtainable if you simply looked for it. Difficult, perhaps, but certainly not impossible."
Dante narrowed his eyes. Is she calling me lazy?
[Yes, Master. And she is correct.]
Dante ignored the System entirely.
"I know the basics. Combat classes. History. Skill Theory. I was simply too lazy to look any further." The demoness sighed. "Dante... are you just an idiot?"
Lexa felt another wave of embarrassment wash over her. Dante pointed his half-eaten fry at her. "Excuse you, Aisha. That's rude." Aishwani bit her lip. "It's Aishwani."
"That's what I said." He waved the correction away. "Anyway, I just want the useful stuff. Things I should pay attention to. Things worth avoiding. Interesting people. Information you can't just find in a brochure."
Seeing Aishwani steadily losing her patience, Jurian smoothly stepped in. "The academy keeps almost everything important to itself. Still, there are a few things everyone eventually learns." He leaned back. "Seniors are allowed to interact with students exactly one year below them. The academy exists to cultivate only the very best, so neither your background nor your Skill Tier guarantees anything. If you can't keep up, you're expelled. Talent is respected. Weakness isn't."
Dante immediately pointed at Jurian with another fry. "See? That's common knowledge. Even I could've guessed all of that." Jurian's smile twitched. A faint headache was already forming. Vexion simply laughed again.
Gorgan asked calmly, "Then tell us exactly what you want to know." Dante thought for a moment. "Can you freely leave and enter the academy?"
Gorgan shook his head. "Rarely. The academy controls territory spanning roughly six empires. Even if you 'leave' the academy, you're still inside academy territory. You could travel for months on foot without ever truly leaving."
Dante frowned. Why is it that big? Gorgan continued. "There are also separate districts and facilities throughout its territory. Every three months there are competitions for resources." Dante nodded. "Standard stuff. Keep going."
"There aren't many fixed class schedules outside the foundational subjects." Dante raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"For example, you'll attend Skill Theory or History normally. But practical courses work differently. You might simply receive a notice saying you have three weeks to defeat a particular individual or accomplish a specific objective. Fail, and you fail the semester."
Dante frowned. ...That's annoying. Aishwani picked up where Gorgan left off.
"Teamwork is mostly left for students to figure out themselves. Some assessments require bringing back beasts of a certain level or completing objectives that are nearly impossible alone." She paused before continuing. "You'll also be expected to either establish or join factions. Some courses—such as Ruling and Business—require you to conquer, govern, and maintain sections of academy territory."
She looked directly at Dante.
"You may be ordered to take control of an existing kingdom and prove you can govern it successfully. Depending on the assignment, you could be responsible for it for several months... sometimes until graduation."
Dante blinked. What kind of class is that? Even Lexa frowned. I'm fortunate Master recruited me. No wonder Father never wanted my sister or me anywhere near this academy.
Jurian nodded. "Those are among the hardest courses. Advancement to the next year depends on Academy Points. Some can be earned through wealth or influence, but there's a strict limit. The majority must be obtained by completing your coursework."
Dante quietly processed everything....This isn't anything like the academy stories I've read. Finding capable subordinates may become even more important than I thought.
Aishwani continued. "Each year changes as well. Higher years involve World Realms, dungeons, dimensional pockets, and other restricted locations. Students aren't permitted to reveal much about them, so outsiders rarely know what each year's requirements actually involve."
Dante slowly nodded. Looking around the room, he asked, "So... I'm guessing the reason you're all willing to share this information is because you're hoping to establish connections before we arrive?" Everyone nodded.
Jurian answered first. "Exactly. For instance, have you heard of the dwarf known as the Ironed Lion?" Dante shook his head. "Eli, have you?" Elisophere smiled slightly at the nickname but shook her head. "So do I," Gorgan added.
Only Aishwani nodded. "He's supposedly a student already. One of the finest blacksmiths of our generation. He isn't much of a fighter himself," she continued, "but the weapons he creates fight on his behalf. Even Mythical-level experts seek out his work."
Dante nodded. That made sense. He had overlooked just how valuable information on current academy students could be. Aishwani continued.
"There are also students who failed to advance. Those held back often remain for another year and sell information about the academy to incoming students in exchange for favors, resources, or loyalty."
"They know exactly what first years are about to face." Dante rested his chin against his hand. ...Now that's actually useful.