Lara's unexpected question hung in the air.
Everyone stared at her—shocked, confused, and a little tense.
Before anyone could speak, Seraphina stepped forward smoothly.
"Everyone, calm down. Before we continue," she said, turning slightly toward Raze and the class, "I should properly introduce her."
She gestured to the girl with glasses.
"This is Lara Frostveil. She was summoned to this world a year before all of you… so she is technically your senior."
A few of the students blinked in surprise.
Someone murmured, "Senior…? I didn't know someone else was summoned before us."
Seraphina looked at her again.
"Lara, why are you here? Today is the academy's day off. You should have been in your dorm room."
Lara pushed her glasses up.
"I was just bored, so I came to read some books. Then I found out that you all were arriving today, so I came to welcome you… and the summoned heroes like me."
Seraphina narrowed her eyes slightly.
"Oh? Then why did you only ask about Kail?"
Lara stiffened, clutching her books tighter.
"Well… w-when I passed the staff room, some teachers were discussing the new summoned heroes. That's where I heard the names."
She looked away nervously.
"But I… I only remembered Kail because I was interested in his ice-mage class."
Raze's expression didn't change, but a sharp thought flashed through his mind.
Suspicious… We haven't revealed our classes yet. So how did she—
His gaze slid to the small floating window that appeared whenever he looked at someone's class.
Lara Frostveil
Class: ???
Just three question marks.
A hidden class.
…Oh. I see. I'll have to keep an eye on her.
Before he could think further, Seraphina stepped forward.
"That's enough for now," she said calmly. "Everyone, return to your assigned rooms."
Then she looked at Lara.
"I'll answer your question about Kail."
Lara nodded quietly, hugging her books as the group began to move again.
As the group turned the corner, Raze slowed his steps ever so slightly.
His voice was low, meant only for Mia.
"Don't look back," he murmured.
Mia flinched. "I-I wasn't—"
"You were," Raze said, still facing forward. "And whatever you think you saw… don't react yet."
Mia swallowed and nodded once.
A few steps behind them, Seraphina finished speaking to Lara and turned to follow the group, leaving Lara alone in the hallway.
None of them looked back again.
But behind them—
Lara didn't move.
Her head was slightly lowered, her expression impossible to read.
Then, as Seraphina's footsteps faded, Lara's lips parted in a whisper only the empty hallway could hear:
"…Kail…"
Her fingers tightened around her books until the pages bent, trembling ever so slightly.
---
Next Scene – Dorm Rooms
The servants guided them down another corridor, and soon everyone was standing before their assigned dorm rooms.
The rooms were simple but clean—large beds, a desk, a wardrobe, and a crystal lantern glowing warmly in the corner.
Everyone settled in quietly. The air felt a little heavier than usual.
And almost no one slept well that night.
---
Next Morning – Academy Grounds
The academy felt completely different when the sun rose.
The courtyard was filled with noise—students training, chatting, carrying stacks of books, sparring with wooden swords.
Most of them wore the same type of uniform, but each had a different crest, showing their class.
Raze and the others gathered near the entrance.
Suzu whispered, "Look… there are so many summoned heroes."
Seraphina nodded. "This academy gathers heroes from every kingdom. You'll see people from all over."
Some students stared at Raze's group with curiosity.
Some whispered.
Some looked impressed.
Some looked jealous.
But no one approached.
A bell rang sharply.
Ding—!
"It's time," Seraphina said. "Your first class begins today."
Everyone followed her inside.
---
First Class – All Together
The classroom was huge, with tiered seats and a floating crystal board at the front.
every one of Raze's classmates was assigned to the same class except Reid, Nichle and Borden.
They sat down together.
Suzu sighed in relief.
"At least we're not separated…"
Seraphina stepped out of the class.
The classroom grew loud with chatter.
Different heroes.
Different kingdoms.
Different classes.
And all eyes kept drifting toward Raze's group.
Especially Tamao and Leon because of their presence.
Raze ignored it all, watching the door.
He felt it before it happened—
A presence approaching.
Stronger than the average student.
Then—
Tap… tap… tap…
Footsteps.
The door slid open.
And someone stepped inside.
A man entered—not old, not strict-looking, but carrying a quiet authority that instantly softened the room's noise.
He looked around thirty-six, maybe a little younger.
Brown hair tied loosely at the back.
A long dark coat draped over his shoulders.
A simple hat, tilted slightly.
Round glasses reflecting the morning light.
He looked more like an off-duty professor than someone powerful…
But every hero instinct in the room felt something beneath his calm exterior.
He set his coat on the chair and faced the twenty-six students.
"Good morning," he said, voice steady but gentle.
"I am Elden Cole."
He pushed up his glasses with a fingertip.
"I was summoned with a batch of heroes long before your group. Not as a fighter… but as a Guardian."
Some students nodded—they had heard of the term.
Others whispered, confused.
Elden continued:
"A Guardian's role is simple:
We support you.
Guide you.
Make sure you walk the right path before you are thrown into the real battlefield."
He looked at Raze's group, eyes pausing slightly on each face.
"You twenty-six are the most recent heroes summoned to this world. And I know…"
He exhaled slowly.
"…Some of you already experienced the harshness of this world faster than any batch before you."
The reminder of Kail's death weighed heavily in the room.
Elden didn't force comfort.
He didn't pretend everything would be fine.
He simply continued with quiet firmness:
"I know what you've already seen. And I know you're not the same students you were in your old world."
He adjusted his hat slightly.
"But that's why I'm here. I will make sure you gain strength, purpose, and the skills you need to survive."
He clapped his hands once.
"Now—find your seats. Since this is your first official day… we'll begin with basic introductions and class structure."
He smiled faintly.
"No pressure. Not yet."
The class relaxed a bit.
Raze didn't.
He only watched Elden with quiet interest.
A Guardian… Let's see if he's useful.
---
Elden adjusted his glasses and spoke with a calm, steady voice:
"Because I'm from the same world as all of you, I understand your confusion more than anyone. I was summoned long before your batch, and I learned how this world works the hard way. That is why I was chosen as your Guardian… and your teacher."
The room fell quiet.
He continued, taking out a small crystal and placing it on the desk.
"Let's start with the basics."
He lifted one finger.
"First—divine energy, also called mana. Every hero has it. Every human in this world has it. It is the source of your abilities, your strength, your magic."
Then his tone shifted slightly.
"Demons, however, possess something else—demonic energy, or dark mana. And it functions very differently."
Students shifted uneasily at the mention of demons.
Elden didn't soften his explanation.
"Second—classes and abilities. Each of you awakened a class the moment you arrived here. Some of you have rare ones. Some of you have unique ones."
He paused.
"And some of you… have ordinary or weak classes."
A few students looked down.
Elden's voice grew firmer.
"But hear this clearly: classes don't define strength. You do."
He tapped the board behind him.
"A warrior shouldn't blame his tools. A hero shouldn't blame his class."
Silence settled again—but this time, it was steadier, filled with focus instead of fear.
Raze sat quietly, listening.
Mia clutched her hands.
Elden folded his arms.
"If you're willing to learn," he said softly, "I'll turn even the weakest class into a weapon capable of changing this world."
He adjusted his coat, the brim of his hat casting a shadow over his glasses as he looked at the class.
"Back in our old world," he began, his voice calm but cutting, "people loved to say 'practice makes perfect.'
And the same people also said 'nobody's perfect.'"
He let out a short, humorless laugh.
"Here, both of those sayings are useless."
The classroom fell silent.
"In this world, perfection isn't something you try to reach.
Here, perfection is the starting line.
To survive, you have to become better than perfect."
Several students swallowed nervously.
Raze's hand tightened on his desk.
The teacher's gaze softened—only slightly.
"Our newest heroes already learned this the hard way."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink into every chest.
"They've already lost a friend… Kail."
Murmurs stopped.
Heads bowed.
Reality hit.
The teacher let the silence settle—thick, heavy, unforgettable.
Then he straightened his coat, his tone shifting from somber to sharp.
"Alright… enough mourning."
His glasses caught the classroom light as he looked over all twenty-six students.
"By the way—have any of you received your rankings yet?"
Confused looks spread across the room.
A few shook their heads.
Raze felt his chest tighten.
The teacher smirked.
"I guessed as much."
He stepped forward, the echo of his boots cutting through the silence.
"Then your first training begins now."
A faint thrill of fear rippled through the room.
"You'll undergo a test—your first real challenge in this world."
His voice dropped lower, almost a warning… almost a promise.
"Your performance today will decide your rankings."
The air seemed to freeze.
Outside, the distant sound of a bell rang across the academy.
The teacher turned toward the door.
"Prepare yourselves, heroes."
He looked back one last time.
"Your true journey begins… now."
And with that, he walked out, leaving the classroom drowning in tension, excitement—and fear.
---