First Lieutenant Mona led the students to a reception hall. Victor looked around the hall, and it felt colder, with dim lights coming from the few torches on the grey stone walls.
His eyes drifted toward the front wall, where a reception counter stood. And behind the counter, a bald man with a bored look sat in a red uniform; on his left chest was 'Staff' written in small golden letters.
"New cadets!" The man shouted in a tired voice.
Mona didn't react; she looked at the clerk with an expressionless face and ordered, "Explain everything they need to know, Smith. Don't skimp on any details."
She turned and left.
Victor gazed at the old man, who had his fists and jaw clenched.
"Make a line!" Man shouted
Everyone, without any resistance, formed a line quietly.
"Now, listen carefully. I'm going to say this only once." Smith bellowed
Everyone nodded like obedient children.
A pleased smile appeared on Smith's face. He continued, "The rules of the Military Academy are simple, you're divided into the Blue, Brown-Gold, and black uniform based on the kind of blessings you get."
"If Holy Goddess Gaia's blessing you'll get the Blue, and if God Fenrir's blessing, then you'll get the Golden-brown uniforms. All other gods are considered lesser, and you'll get the black uniform."
Gasps and whispers echoed in the hall. Victor's eyebrows furrowed.
Smith paused, scanned the students with a narrowed gaze, and continued, "The first six months will be a training period; after that, you'll be assigned the missions."
"Your dorms are assigned already with the badge rank, and a number will appear on it after you wear the uniforms. That number is your assigned dorm room."
Smith took a long breath and sat down in the chair as he finished the speech.
The reception hall buzzed with students' chatter.
'So, I'm the lowest rank, and I'll be wearing a black uniform.' Victor thought.
Zara looked at Victor, biting her lower lip.
'Are they going to separate us? But I don't want to.' Zara thought.
"Now, one by one, come forward, show me your tag, and I'll give you the uniform," Smith said, leaning toward the counter from his chair.
Hush fell over the hall. Students moved one by one at the counter, getting the uniform wrapped properly and moving aside.
Zara, standing before Victor, glanced toward him. He nodded with a smile.
She turned ahead and stepped near the counter.
"Tag," Smith asked, extending his hand, eyes peeled at the register.
Zara gave her badge, and the man glanced at it with a neutral expression. He took out a blue uniform and put it on the counter.
Zara took it and moved aside.
Victor stepped near the counter and put the badge in Smith's already extended hand.
Smith looked at the badge and frowned.
[Rank: Bronze]
(BLACK)
On the badge, back in bold letters were written the rank.
Only staff of the Academy can see it, no one else.
He raised his head and glanced toward Victor; his eyes widened. He exclaimed, "You're a Human!"
Victor didn't nod with a deadpan face. He took the uniform and moved aside. Smith stared at him, frozen in his seat for a few seconds.
Victor stood beside Zara and waited for further instructions.
Smith came out of his daze and pressed the button under the counter.
After a few seconds, the door opened, and a young man wearing the uniform of a soldier entered and gazed at the students.
"Berry leads them to their dorms and tells them their meal timings and training timings," Smith said to the soldier named Berry.
Berry exhaled tiredly, "These are the late ones, huh!"
Smith replied, "Yes, and Lieutenant Mona led them here".
Berry shivered visibly in fear, backing away a little.
He ran toward the door and shouted, "Follow me, new cadets."
Students smiled and snickered at Berry's reaction.
"Please follow closely so I can tell you about the most important things here, juniors," Berry shouted again.
Students ran and followed closely.
Berry smiled at the reaction. "First and most important part, your training starts sharp at 6 o'clock at the backside of the castle."
"Why so early?" one girl shouted, followed by several whispers and murmurs.
Berry didn't mind; he kept moving through the corridors.
"Now,"
Berry shouted, and everyone became quiet.
He continued smirking.
"Mess hall serves breakfast at 7-8 am, lunch at 1-2 pm, and dinner is 7-8 pm. You won't be able to get food even if you come one minute late."
Gasped echoed in the small crowd of cadets.
Berry stopped at the blue door with a symbol of a Woman engraved on it with gold. Her hands were clasped together in a prayer-like gesture. She was wearing a cloth veil, hiding half of her face.
Ding!
[Gaia's Holy door]
[+10CP]
Victor's eyes widened like saucers.
"Holy Goddess Gaia's Holy door?" he muttered under his breath, confused.
Ding!
[Welcome, chosen one!]
Before Zara, a blue panel of the system popped up, but that was not shocking. The shocking thing was the notification.
Zara looked at the notification with a dazed expression. Her blue eyes went wide in amazement.
Zara glanced at the door with a confused expression, and she felt her core of the Origin magic in her heart become restless.
Ding!
[+10,000XP]
[+100CP]
[ +Blessing Staff (Iron rank)]
[Note: A Gift by Holy Goddess Gaia for the chosen one.]
Zara's mouth gaped, eyes bulged as she couldn't comprehend the gifts directly from the Goddess.
An ethereal and holy sound echoed in her mind.
'Use it well, little one.'