Kialen woke up to the faint hymns of birds; their chirping wasn't annoying as usual, but instead, it came out warm and gentle, as if trying to wake him from his sleep very softly. He felt the golden threads of sunlight breaking through his heavy eyelids to settle on his face, so he moved his head a little while breathing the fresh air with an unusual depth.
He opened his eyes slowly and heavily.
The first thing his sight fell on was the light blue painted ceiling; it looked steady, calm, and had become familiar to his heart. He kept staring at that blue space for long seconds, as if he needed a sensory confirmation that everything around him was real and not just a trick from his imagination. The high mansion, the room that exceeded the size of his old house, the comfy bed embracing his body; all those details were still here.
It wasn't a passing dream.
He sat on the edge of the tidy bed, passed his palm over his face to feel his features, then over his blue hair that was scattered over his forehead. To his surprise, he didn't feel that sharp pain in his head that used to haunt him before; instead, a strange feeling of peace took its place, mixed with a mysterious anticipation he couldn't quite understand. He stood up slowly and went toward the bathroom, turned the tap for the cold water to flow, washed his face carefully, and raised his head to look at his reflection in the polished mirror.
His golden eyes were clear and brighter than usual, and his look was no longer that broken and empty look he knew in his days of confusion.
Magic Academy…
He whispered this word to himself without letting a sound out of his lips.
Before he could go deeper in his flood of thoughts, Namiro's strong voice pierced through the mansion parts with her usual noise:
"Kialeeen! Breakfast is ready!"
Kialen sighed and a light smile appeared on his mouth. He wiped his face well then left the room heading toward the luxury dining hall. As soon as he crossed the doorstep, he froze in his place without realizing; the table was stretching before his eyes filled with various kinds—not a normal filling, but an arrangement reflecting the care of someone who knows the bitterness of hunger and tries to compensate for it by every means.
There was fresh bread with warmth steam rising from it, fried eggs smelling of wild herbs, grilled meat slices shining with their fat, golden pancakes drowning in honey, pure white cheeses, fruit cut with extreme precision, and juice cups reflecting the early morning light. He sat slowly and cautiously, as if he feared this legendary scene would disappear if he moved violently. Hanabi was watching him in silence with a kind smile, then she said:
"Go ahead, Kialen, eat as much as you want and without shyness."
He started eating, not with the greed of the hungry, but with deep focus; every bite carried a unique taste and a feeling of safety he hadn't felt since a long time. This wasn't just food to fill a gap, it was a warm feeling of care and appreciation. After a while, Hanabi broke the rope of his silence quietly, saying:
"After breakfast, we need to change these clothes of yours."
He raised his head a little surprised and asked:
"My clothes? What's wrong with my clothes?"
Hanabi answered in a serious tone but free of cruelty:
"We will buy you clothes suitable for your entry to the academy. You cannot appear there in this humble way. Eat first and we will take care of the matter."
Namiro laughed while leaning her body back on the chair and said:
"Don't busy your mind with thinking too much, we are going now to finish your registration procedures."
Kialen finished his breakfast and stayed sitting alone when the two sisters left. Silence returned to rule the big hall, and he sat thinking about his condition; just few days ago he was struggling for a bite to stop his hunger, and now he finds himself facing an academy, registration, and a bright future. He wasn't totally sure if he deserved all this generosity.
The servant entered after a short period carrying an elegant box wrapped carefully and said:
"These are your new clothes."
Kialen nodded his head quietly, so the servant completed with dignity:
"Wear these clothes, but please take a shower first."
Kialen asked him about the bathroom direction, and the servant pointed with his hand saying:
"Go to the right side and you will find it."
Kialen headed there and opened the door to find a wide and beautiful bathroom in a way that exceeds description, so he closed the door and started showering. After that, he wore his new clothes which were a soft white shirt, a blue jacket embroidered with shining silver threads, and blue pants of the same set, and comfortable polished leather shoes. He stood before the mirror for a long time looking at his new appearance and asked himself with amazement:
"Is this person in the mirror really me?"
He went down the marble stairs with confident steps, so the servant stopped working and looked at him with honest admiration and said:
"Those clothes really suit you and show your prestige."
Kialen replied with gratitude:
"Thank you… truly thank you."
And he hugged him spontaneously, which surprised the servant who soon smiled with friendliness. Kialen went out to the lush garden and sat waiting. After a time that wasn't short, he spotted two hands waving to him from far away. It was Hanabi shouting his name:
"Kialen!"
The two sisters approached him, and Hanabi said clearly:
"You have been officially registered, and your department is Department B."
He wondered about the meaning of that, so Namiro explained that these departments are for organization only. Then they started talking about the guild, the teachers, and the levels of magic soul, and Kialen was listening with focus more than he was talking. Finally, they stood before the great academy gate, and Namiro gave him his ID card saying in a warning tone:
"Keep it well, and wait until your special department is called. And don't fight with anyone, do you understand?"
He shook his head quickly confirming his commitment. He stood alone before the huge gate taking a breath of relief, until he heard a loud voice calling: "Department B!"
His heart moved in his chest before his feet, and he headed toward the gate to be stopped by one of the supervisors asking him for his card. He gave him the card, and the supervisor said to him with welcome:
"Welcome to the academy."
Kialen followed the source of the sound until he reached his assigned class. The teacher was standing there with prestige and majesty; his looks were heavy, his hair was black with white strands in it, his body suggested a practiced athlete, and his eyes were sharp brown. Kialen entered the class quietly, and sat in the last seat, and then the door was closed behind him.