A few seconds later, the door swung open.
A burly student—twice Jorlen's size—stood in the doorway, looking down at Eren with a questioning expression.
Eren was taken aback at the sight of the towering figure in front of him, feeling somewhat nervous.
Noticing Eren's surprised face, the burly student asked in a polite tone, "How may I help you?"
Eren snapped out of his daze and replied, "I was assigned to this dorm."
The big guy's expression shifted from questioning to welcoming. "Come inside, friend. I'm Balthasar from Blazewatch City. We were wondering where our final dorm mate was," he said with a smile.
Eren felt somewhat relieved by the big guy's friendly demeanor but was still a bit nervous. His refined posture and sophisticated mannerisms suggested he was someone wealthy—or possibly a noble's son—so Eren made sure to tread carefully to avoid offending him.
"I'm Eren from Amberwood Village."
Moving inside, Eren noticed two more students sitting at their study table. As soon as they saw him, they turned and observed him with an air of elegance.
Eren's mind immediately confirmed—these were definitely noble kids. What should I do? Should I change dorm rooms? he wondered, considering the possibility.
Before he could dwell on it further, both students walked toward him, and to Eren's surprise, they introduced themselves.
"Well met, Eren. I'm Nikolaus from Embercrest City," one of them said, standing up from his chair. He was about the same height as Eren but had a noticeably well-built physique.
The last student was slightly taller than Eren, with sharp features—blond hair, blue eyes—and radiated a noble aura that Eren couldn't ignore. "Nice to meet you, Eren. I'm Alaric from Embercrest City," he introduced himself.
Alaric briefly studied Eren before speaking again. "You arrived quite late. Did you encounter any trouble on the way to the academy?"
Eren shook his head. "No, we traveled safely with our instructors."
Balthasar gestured to one of the bunk beds. "You can take the top bunk on this side—it's the only one available."
Eren noticed that all three of them were already wearing the academy uniform, while he had yet to receive his. Seeing Eren's gaze, Balthasar explained, "If you need your academy uniform, you'll have to collect it from the logistics department. They issue two sets to each student, but considering the time, you won't have enough to go there now since the logistics building is on the opposite side of the dormitories."
Eren hesitated, debating whether to retrieve his uniform or head straight to the welcome ceremony.
"It's almost time for the ceremony. If we don't leave now, we'll be denied entry," Nikolaus said in a concerned tone.
Eren nodded, knowing the academy had strict rules, and he dared not break them. Deciding to go in his regular clothes, he followed his dorm mates downstairs.
On the ground floor, Jorlen was waiting for Eren, but as soon as he noticed three other students accompanying him, he tensed.
For a brief moment, panic struck Jorlen—his instincts told him these guys might bully him because of his weight. However, remembering Edward's advice to trust others and treat them kindly, he forced himself to remain indifferent and simply waved at Eren.
Eren approached Jorlen, relieved to see he wasn't the only one not wearing the academy uniform. If he had been the only one, he would have stood out even more.
"Jorlen, these are my dorm mates—Balthasar, Nikolaus, and Alaric," Eren said, gesturing toward the three.
Jorlen maintained his neutral expression and replied, "Nice to meet you all. I'm Jorlen Stormrend from Stormfront Village."
For a moment, silence filled the space as the three of them stared at Jorlen in surprise.
Balthasar was the first to break it. "Jorlen… The greatest awakener of our generation? From Stormfront Village?" he asked in astonishment.
"It's an honor to meet you, Jorlen," Nikolaus and Alaric said, their expressions showing reverence.
Eren was dumbfounded by the situation. He knew Jorlen was famous for his awakening, but even students from the capital city knew his name?
Jorlen was equally surprised by the sudden recognition. Even back home, kids didn't treat him this way when he was beaten down.
"Let's head to the auditorium. It's almost time, and I already have strikes against me. I don't want any more trouble," Jorlen said, composing himself.
The five of them walked toward the auditorium. Along the way, they noticed only senior students walking around, all wearing red tunics and black cloaks—indicating that all the new students had already gone inside. Realizing they were running late, they quickened their pace.
Five minutes later, they reached the auditorium gates, where instructors and senior students stood.
Suddenly, a commotion erupted at the entrance. Instructors and students alike bowed as five figures arrived.
Eren was taken aback by the level of respect Jorlen was receiving. Being a strong awakener is certainly convenient… he thought.
However, Jorlen was just as shocked. Why are they bowing to me?
Though Jorlen was proud of his strength, he never expected to receive this much respect. He quickly composed himself, realizing the situation wasn't as simple as he had thought. He restrained himself from making any rash moves and stood still as the instructors approached.
Just as Jorlen braced himself for an unbelievable moment, he realized their eyes weren't on him.
"Prince Alaric, we have been expecting you. Please follow me—the orientation is about to begin," an instructor said with reverence.
"Esteemed Balthasar, Nikolaus, please come as well," another instructor gestured, leading them to the front row.
Jorlen and Eren were left standing behind, speechless.
Jorlen let out a relieved sigh—his instincts had saved him from embarrassing himself. On the other hand, Eren's mind was in turmoil. Prince Alaric? Prince of the Embercrest Kingdom? His thoughts raced. Of all the chances… how did I end up sharing a dorm with the prince? Suddenly, staying with noble kids didn't seem like such a bad idea.
Noticing Eren and Jorlen lagging behind, Alaric turned back. "Eren, Jorlen, why have you stopped?" he asked, looking concerned.
Still unsure of what to do, Jorlen was the first to snap out of it. "We'll find seats with our fellow village students. We'll see you later," he said, glancing at Eren.
Eren nodded rapidly, not daring to mingle with royalty.
"Esteemed Dreilicht, can our friends sit with us?" Alaric asked the instructor beside him.
Eren fought the urge to punch the prince. Why won't you just leave me alone?! But he kept his expression neutral.
The instructor hesitated before nodding. "I will arrange seats for them."
Eren's face darkened. Why couldn't you just refuse?
Knowing he had no choice, Eren reluctantly followed Alaric and the others, while Jorlen didn't seem to mind.
As they entered the massive hall, Eren was stunned—it could accommodate an enormous crowd, yet the new students filled only about seventy-five percent of the space.
As they walked toward the podium, their presence drew attention.
Anne and the others immediately noticed Eren and Jorlen. In the middle of the commotion, they overheard whispers about Alaric being a prince.
As they reached the front row, Eren felt dozens of piercing gazes on him.
Nobles and wealthy students scrutinized him—his fragile frame, his mundane clothes, his lack of an academy uniform.
Eren sighed. Why does everything keep happening opposite to what I expect?
Avoiding their gazes, he searched the crowd and spotted Klara waving wildly from a distance. He waved back hesitantly, which only drew more attention.
At that moment, the instructor arranged for two noble students to give up their seats for Eren and Jorlen.
Eren frowned. "Alaric, I don't feel comfortable here. It doesn't feel right to take someone else's seat."
Jorlen agreed. "I'd be mad if my assigned seat was taken. I see my village students nearby—I'll sit with them."
Eren smiled. "I'll see you guys in the dorm later. Thanks." Without waiting for a reply, he walked off.
As Jorlen and Eren made their way to their seats, an instructor stepped onto the podium, signaling the start of the ceremony.
"Welcome to the Eternal Flame Academy," a voice echoed as Eren finally arrived.
"My name is Archon Ignaz Falkenrath. I am the Headmaster of this academy," he announced, spreading his arms wide as if embracing the gathered students.
"From today onwards, you have been chosen to become warriors. You will take an oath to protect your family, your village, your city, and your kingdom," the Headmaster declared in a stern tone.
Everyone listened intently to his speech. Klara nudged Eren's elbow and whispered, "What's the deal with the prince of the kingdom?"
Eren didn't react to her question. He remained focused, listening intently to the Headmaster's words.
"All of you here today are truly special because you have awakened the verse. This defines your ability to travel the world and achieve what ordinary people cannot. It also means that you have a duty to protect the weak."
"In the academy, for a year, everything will be provided—food, accommodation, uniforms, books, and guidance from our academy instructors."
"Your only focus should be on becoming stronger and reaching the peak of your awakening. After a year, you will have to pay for everything by working for the people in the city to earn your stay at the academy."
"For some of you, this may be the first time you have ever left your village or town. There is a reason for that. The world we live in is a harsh and dangerous place. You cannot simply go wherever you please. There are territories where others dare not step—lands ruled by powerful beings. It is your duty to protect your own territories from unknown threats.
I am not telling you this on your first day at the academy to scare you. Rather, I want you to understand that you will face formidable enemies in the future. In this forsaken world, one must become stronger to survive. But fear not—you will learn everything in your daily classes, where various topics will be discussed, and you will gain the knowledge you need." Headmaster let out a deep sigh.
"I wish you all the best in your learning, and I look forward to seeing your progress at this time next year." The Headmaster then returned to his chair.