"Take a look at your rival Empire prodigy. What do you think?" Kellen said teasingly to Luceran.
"Tch, what do you want me to say?" Luceran rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders in mockery of Kellen.
The red-haired youth walked slowly with a slow pace to the stage. Different from the previous noble, this time, the girls and boys were enthralled by the red-haired youth. The crowd could feel an aura of pride from Xoen, as if saying to the crowd, 'Make way for me, you peasants!' He calmly stepped on the stairs and then just slightly bowed to the mentors and tutors and then to the principal. The crowd noticed this behavior but did not complain.
"Xoen Solaris, there is a saying that says 'might makes right,' but remember, 'humility is the foundation of all virtues' I hope you contemplate about this, young man." The principal said, as if he had read his mind and character.
"Do not worry, principal. Your words are taken to my heart." He bowed again to the principal and received the medal. He then walked calmly and exited the stage. Despite saying that, no one knew whether he truthfully took it to heart or just formally accepted an elder's lecture.
"Next, Luceran Kyros!"
Kellen patted his shoulder and said to Luceran, "Go with pride, buddy!"
"It is only the 7th rank. Nothing special." Luceran replied flatly. Despite saying that, he walked with a smile on his face as if pretending and showing his pride for achieving the rank. All eyes were on the youth with the grey hair and silvery eyes. All the girls screamed his name and were saying things like 'please marry me prince Luceran' while the boys were saying different things. Some belittled him for only achieving the 7th rank despite his unfair background, some were applauding him for his humble nature, while some were admiring him, either because of his background or intelligence. Luceran walked slowly to the stage while smiling at the crowd. After he stepped onto the stage, he bowed to his peers, the tutors and mentors, and the principal, the usual custom.
"Young prince, You have something that your brother does not have, which is wisdom. Hold your head high and walk with pride!" The principal said to Luceran.
"Thank you, principal." He bowed deeply and shook his hands. He looked at the necklace looking medal deeply. The medal was made of metal, and there were intricate purple and blue runes carved on it. Luceran knew that this was no simple medal. The medals that were being distributed to the 10 students were magical artifacts created by Vehnar, the Head of Research of the Immortal Academy. With his power, Luceran could feel an aura emanating from the medal. The medal could defend the wielder from physical and magical attacks. He could feel that the medal could even withstand a few attacks from the 4th level, a testament to how important this medal was.
'The price for the 6th to the 10th rank is actually a 2nd tier magical artifact. The Academy is really nice to the graduates.' He said it in his mind.
"Next, for the Immortal Successors award, Sylvia! Come to the stage to receive your medal!" The crowd cheered, especially the boys. The girl walked elegantly in a modest way. She had a neck-length bob cut. Her black hair was a perfect combination with her shining brownish eyes. Her pointy nose, rosy cheeks, and cherry lips complemented her beauty. Despite the attention of the boys, she walked humbly while smiling lightly to the crowd; as for the reason? She knew that it would be close to impossible to beat the shackles of familial background.
"Noble birth does not determine the end point, Sylvia. Be prideful with what you have achieved!" Encouraged the principal warmly to the young beauty. He shook her hands and handed the medal to her. Gazes were still locked on her as she exited and returned to her place.
"Do you want to rope her in to become a part of your personal forces?" Asked Kellen to the young prince.
"Why do you ask?" He replied. "Do you want to make her yours?" He asked teasingly.
"I'm being serious. As the second prince, there will be a time when you have to create your own forces. I have told you about my lifelong goal in life. To make it happen, I have to have my own forces, and I do not want to steal your potential subordinate. If you need her, then I will let you take her; if not, I will try to poach her." Kellen explained.
"If you want her, just take her. Why bother asking me this question?" Luceran replied lazily, looking like he didn't care.
"Are you sure?" Kellen asked interrogatingly to Luceran.
"Should I make an Ancient Oath for this?" Luceran replied to Kellen.
"Uhh… You don't need to." Kellen replied, looking embarrassed. By the time they finished speaking, the principal had called the next top graduate.
"Next, Spero Ravaryn! Come to the stage!" A 2-meter-tall, tanned-skin youth walked out of the crowd. The academy graduation robe that he was wearing could not hide his bulging muscles. He had long black hair with bright dark eyes. His face looked quite refined for his all-brawn build. His every step brought momentum, as if the air and space were shaking, showing his calm and confident nature. The crowd cheered, especially the boys, with some girls even shouting his name. He stepped on the stage confidently and adhered to the usual custom.
"Calm and steady. I hope for a better future for you, Spero Ravaryn!" The principal commented.
"Thank you, elder!" He bowed and received the medal from the principal.
"The Three Kingdoms Alliance must have invested a lot of resources to make him achieve the 3rd level of the body path and the peak of the 2nd level of the soul path when he is still 17 years old." Kellen commented while feeling the 'giant' aura from afar. Hearing his comment, Luceran only looked at him weirdly, only commenting in his mind 'like the Academy didn't do the same thing to you? Heck, the principal himself is your backing.' As if not noticing Luceran's weird gaze, he kept on looking at Spero until he 'slightly' disappeared in the crowd.
"Next, Scarlett Solaris. Come to the stage to receive your medal!" A woman with long red hair walked out of the crowd. Her voluptuous body shape perfected her seductive looks. Different from Xoen Solaris, the woman had dark red eyes that perfectly fitted with her red lips. She showed an aura of arrogance to the whole crowd, showing that she was in an entirely different league from everyone else. As she walked to the stage, all eyes of the boys were glued on her; most of the girls were mocking and sneering at the boys for their behavior, while some were admiring her looks.
"Well, there she is… the princess of the Solaris Divine Empire." Kellen said.
"What's with the comment? Do you like her?" Luceran replied to his comment. While paying attention to his friend's response.
"Are you kidding? She is a snake in a woman's body. Even the devils can succumb to her wits. I'd rather stay single for the rest of my life than marry her." Kellen sneered at his friend's questioning look.
Just like what Xoen did, the princess only bowed to the tutors, mentors, and the principal.
"Princess, victory is indeed important, but honor is above all else." The principal said to the princess warmly as he shook her hands and handed her the medal. The princess only lightly smiled at the principal's comment and then slightly bowed to him again before exiting the stage.
"Tch, what an arrogant bitch." Kellen replied with an angered look on his face.
"Careful, if she heard that, you could get into trouble." Luceran replied teasingly to him for his mocking remark.
"Who cares? As if I have not angered her before. Not to mention, you have angered her more than me, right?" Kellen replied teasingly to his friend's response. Luceran only lightly smiled, as if the notion of angering the princess of the Solaris Divine Empire were a trivial matter for him.