"Take a look at your rival Empire's prodigy. What do you think?" Kellen said, teasing Luceran.
"Tch, what do you want me to say?" Luceran rolled his eyes and shrugged.
The red-haired youth walked slowly and deliberately to the stage. Unlike the previous noble, this time, both the girls and boys were captivated by his presence. The crowd could feel an air of pride coming off Xoen, as if his very posture said, "Make way for me, you peasants!" He calmly went up the stairs and only gave a slight bow to the mentors and tutors before turning to the principal. The crowd noticed his behavior but stayed silent.
"Xoen Solaris, there's a saying that 'might makes right,' but remember, 'humility is the foundation of all virtues.' I hope you'll think about this, young man," the principal said, his voice carrying the weight of a person who seemed to see right through Xoen.
"Don't worry, Principal. Your words are taken to my heart," Xoen replied. He bowed again to the principal, got his medal, and then calmly left the stage. Despite his words, no one could be sure if he was truly taking the old man's lecture to heart or just following a formal custom.
"Next, Luceran Kyros!"
Kellen patted his shoulder. "Go with pride, buddy!"
"It's only the seventh rank. Nothing special," Luceran replied flatly. Despite his words, he walked with a smile, though it looked forced. All eyes were on the youth with the gray hair and silvery eyes. Girls screamed his name, with some even shouting, "Please marry me, Prince Luceran!" while the boys had a lot of different reactions. Some looked down on him for only getting seventh place despite his background, others praised his humble nature, and some simply admired him for his intelligence and noble family.
Luceran walked slowly to the stage, his smile a constant presence as he greeted the crowd. Once on stage, he bowed to his peers, then to the tutors and mentors, and finally to the principal, following the usual custom.
"Young prince, you have something your brother doesn't, which is wisdom. Hold your head high and walk with pride!" the principal said to him.
"Thank you, Principal," he replied, bowing deeply and shaking the old man's hand. He then looked intently at the medal, which was a necklace made of metal with intricate purple and blue runes carved into it. Luceran knew this was no simple trinket. The medals given to the top ten students were magical artifacts created by Vehnar, the Head of Research at the Immortal Academy. With his magical power, Luceran could feel an aura coming from the medal. It could defend its wearer from both physical and magical attacks. He could feel that the medal could even withstand a few hits from a fourth-stage practitioner, showing how important it was.
'The prize for the sixth to tenth ranks is actually a master-rank magical artifact,' he thought to himself. 'The Academy is truly generous to its graduates.'
"Next, Sylvia! Come to the stage to receive your medal!" The crowd cheered, especially the boys.
A young woman walked elegantly and with a humble grace. She had a bob of black hair that framed her shining brownish eyes. Her pointy nose, rosy cheeks, and cherry lips made her face beautiful. Despite the boys' admiring attention, she walked humbly, offering only a light smile to the crowd. She knew it would be nearly impossible to escape the expectations that came with her family's background.
"Noble birth doesn't decide everything, Sylvia. Be proud of what you've achieved!" the principal encouraged her warmly. He shook her hand and gave her the medal. Everyone's eyes stayed on her as she left the stage and went back to her spot.
"Do you want her in your personal forces?" Kellen asked the young prince.
"Why do you ask?" he replied. "Do you want to make her yours?" he teased.
"I'm being serious. As the second prince, you'll need to create your own forces eventually. I've told you about my lifelong goal. To make it happen, I need my own people, and I don't want to steal a potential subordinate of yours. If you need her, I'll let you have her; if not, I'll try to recruit her," Kellen explained.
"If you want her, just take her. Why even ask me?" Luceran replied lazily, looking like he didn't care.
"Are you sure?" Kellen asked, his voice a bit like a challenge.
"Should I make an Ancient Oath for this?" Luceran replied, a slight smirk on his face.
"Uhh... you don't need to," Kellen said, looking a bit embarrassed. By the time they finished speaking, the principal had called the next top graduate.
"Next, Spero Ravaryn! Come to the stage!"
A two-meter-tall, tanned youth walked out of the crowd. The academy graduation robe he wore couldn't hide his bulging muscles. He had long black hair and bright, dark eyes. His face looked quite refined for his muscular build. With every step, he gave off a powerful vibe, as if the air and space around him were shaking, showcasing his calm and confident nature. The crowd cheered, especially the boys, with some girls even shouting his name. He stepped onto the stage with confidence and followed 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 got the medal from the principal.
"The Three Kingdoms Alliance must have invested a lot of resources to help him achieve the third stage of the body path and the peak of the second stage of the soul path while he's still seventeen," Kellen commented, feeling the "giant" aura from afar. Hearing his comment, Luceran gave him a strange look, thinking to himself, 'As if the Academy didn't do the same for you? The principal himself is your backing.' As if not noticing Luceran's strange gaze, Kellen continued to watch Spero until he was lost in the crowd.
"Next, Scarlett Solaris! Come to the stage to receive your medal!" a voice boomed.
A woman with long red hair stepped out of the crowd. Her curvy figure and seductive looks were undeniable. Unlike Xoen Solaris, she had dark red eyes that perfectly matched her crimson lips. She had an air of arrogance about her, as if to show everyone that she was in a league of her own. As she walked to the stage, the boys in the crowd were glued to her. Most girls sneered at the boys' behavior, while a few admired the princess's looks.
"Well, there she is... the princess of the Solaris Divine Empire," Kellen said with distaste in his voice.
"What's with the comment? Do you like her?" Luceran replied, paying close attention to his friend's reaction.
"Are you kidding? She's a snake in a woman's body. Even the devils can't match her wits. I'd rather stay single for the rest of my life than marry her," Kellen sneered. Just like Xoen, 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 her warmly as he shook her hand and handed her the medal. The princess simply smiled lightly at his comment and bowed slightly before leaving the stage. "Tch, what an arrogant snake," Kellen muttered, an angry look on his face.
"Careful, if she hears that, you could get in trouble," Luceran teased him.
"Who cares? As if I haven't angered her before. Besides, you've angered her more than me, haven't you?" Kellen shot back playfully. Luceran only smiled lightly, as if angering the princess of the Solaris Divine Empire was a trivial matter to him.