When Angus finally left the academy grounds, the air itself seemed lighter. Baston did not immediately show relief. He waited until the academy carriage bearing the crest of the great mage disappeared beyond the distant gates. He waited until the murmurs of admiration faded. He waited until the
academy's tension loosened its invisible grip. Only then did he allow himself to exhale.
The past few days had been suffocating. Angus was not merely powerful but he was also perceptive. That was the true danger. A powerful man could be avoided yet a perceptive one was harder to escape. Baston had done everything he could. He performed humility. He revealed strength but only the correct amount. He allowed suspicion to settle somewhere else. He fed the narrative everyone preferred to believe.
He was just a lucky poor boy. Everything came by a coincidence. His talent awakened by guidance. It was safer that way. Still, the
thought lingered. Did Angus truly leave without doubt? Baston doubted it. But
doubt without proof was harmless. Until he grew stronger, staying low remained the correct strategy.
Ironically, it had been easier before he revealed his power. Back then, he was simply the fat poor boy living in the damp underground dormitory. He was overlooked, mocked, and harmless. Most of the time, he was invisible.
Yes, some students were crueler than Panto. Bullies did not require reasons. They required only targets. Once someone was labeled weak, the label became permanent. They would press, test, and push until something broke. It had never been about satisfaction. It had always been about vanity. Baston understood that and yet, he chose to show his ice magic anyway. Because
weakness invited endless oppression but strength invited caution.
The academy protected talent. Wizards were assets. They were valuable resources and investments. Even nobles had limits when facing something the academy deemed as precious. As long as he remained useful, he
would not be easily crushed. That was the calculation.
The moment he revealed his ice element publicly, the academy responded quickly. Instruments were brought out again, mana-measuring arrays were activated, and staff members observed with sharpened eyes. The same instrument that once showed impossible numbers. This time, it did not
malfunction. The readings stabilized and they were higher than Alicia's. The result spread like wildfire.
Miss Pashan had stood there speechless. She remembered clearly the day of his first measurement. An absurdly high number then a second reading that dropped dramatically. She had assumed the device had glitches. Truthfully, it had not.
The first result had been real. That realization unsettled more than just her. Baston had potential. Not ordinary potential but a hidden one. The academy declared him as an official wizard candidate. It was truly such a rare case. Inheritances of elements were common among nobles. Alicia's wind magic came from lineage. Families cultivated bloodlines like precious
vineyards. For a poor boy to awaken ice element without pedigree? Either he was
exceptional, suspicious, or miraculous. The academy chose miraculous anyway.
The poor and commoner students looked at him differently now. Hope flickered in their eyes. If Baston could rise, perhaps the hierarchy was not absolute. The merchant class remained neutral. They calculated
everything. If Baston continued rising, they would invest accordingly.
For nobles, they were silent. That silence was heavy. Their pride had been wounded twice in a short span of time. First, the explosion incident then Baston. The investigation regarding the cafeteria explosion concluded quickly but not quietly. The culprits were noble students.
At first, they denied everything. They threatened to report the academy for slander. They invoked family names like shields. But unfortunately, the evidence was unyielding. The magic circle fragments had been traced. The purchase of rare ink and catalyst components was documented. Witnesses had seen suspicious exchanges.
When the academy suggested that the kingdom itself might investigate and that such recklessness could be interpreted as endangering public safety, perhaps even treason would magically shift the tone. Nobles often possessed influence but many did not possess courage. Under pressure,
they confessed. They claimed it was meant as harmless mischief. A prank against the cafeteria head. They did not know the circle was unstable and they had acquired it from outside. That phrase lingered in Baston's mind when he overheard it in passing. From outside. Where exactly?
The academy suspended them immediately. Some noble families protested but the academy stood firm. Quietly, it was understood that once those students returned home, punishment would not be light. Noble households valued reputation above all. If the academy truly wished, they could escalate the matter into a political scandal. They did not for now and those noble families should be grateful.
The tension simmered beneath the surface. Baston did not involve himself in the matter. There was no performance reward attached. There was no benefit. Anyway, he preferred thinking about his next meal. And yet, the
atmosphere around him changed. Whispers followed his steps.
"Look at him. He's stronger than Alicia…"
"Angus must have personally trained him…"
"It's impossible, otherwise…"
"He was just lucky…"
Lucky, that word amused him. Luck was simply unseen preparation meeting opportunity. But if they preferred to believe in luck, Baston would not correct them. It was safer that way. He had just turned toward
his classroom one afternoon when a firm hand tapped his shoulder.
"Student Baston. The principal requests your presence."
The corridor quieted. Many eyes turned on him. Curiosity sharpened toward the next event.
Baston blinked, "Now?"
"Yes. Please follow me."
There was no room for refusal. He walked behind the teacher, aware of every whisper behind him. They entered an area of the academy he had never seen before. He finally went into the administrative grounds for the first time. The gardens were meticulously maintained and decorative mana lanterns floated silently in mid-air. The pathways were carved with intricate runes that glowed faintly beneath the stone. The atmosphere felt different. Power lived here quietly.
He had once heard that this section was even more luxurious than the noble student quarters. Not because of vanity but because authority required presence. That presence would be recognized once strength was
displayed. The teacher stopped before a tall door engraved with silver sigils. He knocked once, waiting for a reply.
"Enter…"
Inside, Baston was surprised to see Alicia already seated. Beside her sat a noble boy he recognized by face but not by name. He had sharp jaw, upright posture, and controlled expression. Unfortunately, he did not look pleased.
Baston took a seat. Moments later, an elderly man entered. He had white hair, calm eyes, and his robes embroidered with deep blue threads that shimmered like distant constellations. Even without introduction, Baston knew. He was Principal Viral, the one who stood above in Prius Academy.
"Good afternoon," the old man said gently, "I have called you here for an announcement."
His voice carried authority without force, "In one week, our academy will participate in an inter-academy assembly."
Baston felt strange over the word of assembly. It was not tournament nor competition.
Alicia raised her hand. "What is the purpose of this assembly, Principal?"
"It is a formal gathering of junior representatives. There will be exchanges of knowledge, observation, discussion, and potential alliances."
The noble boy frowned slightly, "There will be no selection tournament?"
"No…"
Principal Viral folded his hands. "The invitation specifically requests the strongest junior students based on magical capacity."
Silence settled because the sentence pointed into one thing. The noble boy's jaw tightened.
"If we send weaker representatives," the principal continued, "It implies disrespect."
"But some students may feel dissatisfied," the noble boy insisted.
The principal's eyes flickered toward him briefly, "Strength is measurable but dissatisfaction is not."
Baston kept his face neutral. He understood the tension immediately. By raw magical power, he ranked first. Alicia ranked second and the noble boy supposedly ranked third. The hierarchy was visible now and it did not
align with birth. The noble boy finally leaned back, suppressing further argument.
"Unless a stronger candidate emerges within a week," Principal Viral concluded, "The three of you will represent this academy."
The meeting then adjourned. The conclusion was simple and decisive. When they exited, the noble boy did not introduce himself. He merely walked ahead. Alicia lingered, waiting for Baston. The fat boy should be grateful but
toward such treatment, he felt nothing.
"Do you think he'll cause problems?" she asked quietly.
"There's a possibility," Baston replied calmly, "But if he behaves that way in front of other academies, he'll embarrass himself."
Alicia smiled faintly, "You should be the leader."
"Leadership invites responsibility. Responsibility invites growth…" he glanced at her, "And trouble..."
She laughed softly. It was different from before. Their conversations used to revolve around danger. The cult, the explosion, and Joker. Now, it felt lighter. It felt less guarded. That unsettled Baston slightly. He preferred predictable tension over unfamiliar warmth. Alicia walked ahead after bidding farewell. Unbeknownst to him, she felt equally unsettled. He had changed. Not in strength but in tone. There was humor now. He had confidence and not arrogance. His behavior turned steadier. She told herself it was simply camaraderie forged through shared danger. It was nothing more than that.
*****
The week passed quickly. The preparations were efficient. On the morning of departure, a specialized carriage waited outside the academy gates. Baston expected something elegant. Instead, he saw something enormous.
It resembled a reinforced cargo carriage. It was broad, layered with protective enchantments, and mounted on thick wheels etched with stabilizing runes. It looked closer to an armored transport than a noble carriage. The inside was surprisingly comfortable. There was cushioned benches,
storage compartments, and insulated walls for temperature control. The interior was efficient and practical.
Alicia examined the enchantments approvingly while the noble boy nodded once. Baston climbed in last. The academy staff gathered to send them off. Some waved and some observed silently. The gates opened and then, the carriage rolled forward.
For Baston, this was his first time going to somewhere else. The nearby town had been quiet. People had their own activities, so regarding the academy, they didn't trouble themselves to look upon the unreachable. This time, they were heading toward the central city. The journey would take quite a
time. As the academy shrank behind them, Baston stared through the rear opening.
He felt something subtle. It was not fear but anticipation. Assemblies between academies were not random. They were curated, watched, and measured. There were opportunities for display or evaluation. The road ahead stretched wide. Fields gave way to forest. The forest gave way to distant path toward their destination.
Unlike ordinary carriages, there were no reins and no driver guiding beasts. At the front of the vehicle, a circular mana core pulsed faintly behind a crystal casing. Engraved arrays stretched outward from it like veins, connecting to the wheels and stabilizing plates beneath the chassis. The
entire structure hummed softly, moving forward with smooth and controlled precision.
Baston could feel the magic operating beneath his feet. It was steady, regulated, and expensive. The academy had invested greatly in this journey. That alone made him uneasy.
The road gradually narrowed as they left the open plains behind. Trees rose taller and their branches weaving together overhead. Light filtered through in broken patterns, casting shifting shadows inside the carriage. For a while, none of them spoke. The noble boy broke the silence first.
"Inter-academy assemblies are not simple exchanges," he said without looking at either of them, "Information is traded, strength is
evaluated, and weakness is remembered."
Alicia closed her notebook, "You sound as if you've attended one before."
"Someone I know did."
"And?"
"He returned quieter than before."
That answer lingered longer than expected.
Baston leaned back slightly, "Quieter because he was defeated?"
The noble boy's eyes flicked toward him, "No. Because he realized many academies outside were more dominant. Prius Academy was only an ant before them."
Silence followed again. The carriage glided over a slight incline. The mana core pulsed brighter for a brief moment, adjusting power
output automatically. Baston let his gaze drift to the moving shadows outside. The phrase from earlier surfaced in his mind again.
"From outside…"
The magic circle had not originated within the academy. Someone beyond their walls had supplied it. Someone with knowledge and resources. If reckless noble students could obtain such a construct so easily, what about organized factions? What about people who understood far more?
His fingers brushed lightly against the old book hidden within his robe. It remained inactive. There was no new quest and no evaluation notice. Yet, the silence felt deliberate as if it were waiting. Suddenly, the
mana core flickered. It happened just once. A small tremor ran through the carriage and all of them straightened.
"Was that normal?" Alicia asked calmly though her eyes sharpened.
The noble boy immediately extended his senses, "The array fluctuated."
Baston closed his eyes briefly, allowing his perception to spread outward. The fluctuation had not come from inside the carriage. It had come from outside like a ripple touching the outer defensive barrier and then vanishing. The carriage slowed automatically for half a breath before
stabilizing. No alarms were triggered and no emergency protocol was activated, yet the air inside felt subtly heavier.
"Probably interference from environmental mana," the noble boy concluded though his tone lacked full certainty.
Baston did not argue But he did not agree either. The road ahead remained empty and the forest was very quiet. The mana-operated carriage resumed its steady pace, humming softly as if nothing had happened. But, Baston no longer leaned back in ease. Opportunity and danger often traveled the same road. And if the assembly was being watched, then perhaps the journey itself
was part of the observation.