The exchange, is gone as quickly as its came.
Nothing really happened after the rejection, the crown prince just, retreat, calmly, sitting in his seat.
The class after minutes of silence, slowly, surely, gain live. Whisper here and there, starting to emerge. Gossiping, talking, gradually forgetting what happen minutes before.
Altaris, sit calmly at his seat. His eyes half closed, almost asleep. Honestly, the entire commotion that happen before is rather ... boring.
Cause he knew it was coming
To make an entrance, to make a presence. A crown prince of entire humanity, who's goal is solely to gain prestige, there is no one the prince will not start something
And something it is
But the thing that hardly understand by Altaris, is the attempt. The move.
It's sloppy
Way too sloppy
A show that rely too much on luck, and submissiveness the hero used to be.
"Is this supposed to be the crown prince"
He cant help but thought, mockingly. The prince knows what his doing, he play the game before. He is doing the right move at the right time. By allowing Terra to shine, it can lower the amount of things he needs to do, making him his proxy. To gain control the crowd full of ordinaries without him to lift his own hands to do it
But the guy, refuse. Nulling the role he's been given
The rejection, the prince may calculate it. Even gain something, but
Is it worth it
Is showing that he, unable to control his soon to be weapon, to the mass at that, worth it
"What is he doing"
"He is making it harder now"
At first place, the idea of showing power, is important.
That's because some student attending the academy are not from human continent. out of 1000, 300 are from different race. Either dwarf, hybrid, or elf. Some even from unknown race. A few of their noble is sent here, to study. Because, theoretically, the fact that human able to fight and even eradicate demons, a superior race, in terms of fields of magic is enough achievement to elevate the standing of academy.
That's why, showing, priding the hero descendants, is a must. It has recorded that they have the potential to become amazing combatant. It's as same as telling other country that you have a walking growing nuke, right under your thumb.
The problem is
"Looks like daddy forget to show him the rope"
Altaris murmured, judging the prince.
Bored at this farce, he force to look at Violet, his lovely mate. Ever since he comes to academy, the only way of him to distract his mind from thinking too much about plan and the like is Violet.
She is his drugs, the sweet, save, kind of drugs
Her beauty is seriously refreshing
"Do you need something love ?"
Getting attention, Violet was forced to ask
"Nothing. Just....enjoying the view"
"Oh, then, should i..... open the window?"
The pause, the tone, borderline mischievous.
"And let all this... peasants, enjoying you? I rather die"
"Hehe....I thought so"
She laugh at his respond. Loving this.....particular exchange. Ever since she come to the academy, she can't stop seducing Altaris. Their dynamic of relationship is clearly not enough for her. She need some fire, some passion. She needs him to initiate, the sooner, the better. She in need to enjoy him
And she want's him to enjoy hers
And, he, the man he is, still cluelessly locking eyes on her, to spoil his sight.
Until a wisp, randomly barging through the classroom door. The thing, move, dashing, wiggling. taking the attention of an entire room.
Sound dimmed, conversation end. a thousand pair of eyes, focused at single point, an entity, strolling across the air. Like symphony, a command, fascinated by a thing they can't understand
Until it stop, high, almost touching the class ceiling. Then it pop, broke, into thousand piece
"And that is magic"
Saying a sound
The voice smooth, gentle, masculine enough, but easily misunderstand. The source, a guy, in white robe. Face covered in a hood, showing not much skin. His finger, up, making a spread like gesture. A clue, showing that he is the source of miracle happening in the room.
"My name is Ark, your magic instructor. You can call me sensei, master, teach, sir, miss, fucker, anything. I don't care. So with that out of the mind.... Lot of you.... to the third floor..... now"
The guy commands, gone all the gentleness from before.
A second, that's what it took for the entire class to digest the information.
Then, all of them, scrambling, going to third floor.
The only one who's not so rushed are Arthur (and friends), who nonchalantly, walk. He practically don't care, still thinking the instructor is beneath him.
Altaris tho, dragged by Violet by hand, she run fast, faster then she supposed to be. She can't wait to learn magic, while also satisfying her curiosity. There is a lot of question in her head after all.
-----------
"As you all know, magic is miracle. Something unscientific, stem from imagination of whoever wields it"
The figure muttered. They now in even bigger room, much more then before. A room with metal like walls and sky high ceiling, a sign of durability. All of the students, standing, looking at a projection like thing, a hologram like construct made by water, smooth and transaprent. Conjured by non other then instructor Ark himself.
The guy, circling, making sure every single student is listening.
"The concept is simple, to explanation, magic was created from the mind. it's foundation, imagination, to make magic, is to imagine. Then with a catalyst, you connected it to the world, giving it power"
He describe, while twindling a ball of fire in his hand
"This catalyst... is what you called.. mana"
"Mana is power. A power with limitless potential. Mana is everywhere, they are uncontrolled, and unbound. To use it, is to guide it. You can't force it to do your bidding. Alright... enough talking"
"The first, the very first step, to learn magic, is to know mana. So... today"
The guy stop, looked at them. The ball of fire that he played before, is gone. He stand straight, hands behind his back. Then with tone devoid of warmth.
"We will force you to know it"
An immeasurable pressure descent upon them