Today, the highest-ranking magical institution on the continent, Deslan Acadmy of Magic, has welcome its fresh students.
Deslan Academy of Magic accepts new students throughout the year.
However, since most other junior magic academies and certain private institutions on the Aurelia Continent typically graduate their students in June or July, Deslan Academy traditionally experiences its largest influx of new students each August.
This year, however, is unlike any previous year.
The renowned Archmage Ist has joined Deslan Academy as a senior member of the teaching staff, attracting even more promising young talents from across the continent.
Consequently, this year's incoming class not only comprises the brightest young magicians from Aurelia but has also drawn future magical elites from various other continents.
Perhaps among these students, we will see the rise of extraordinary talents who will shine as brilliantly as the legendary Archmage Ist himself.
Xuencer Waugh had walked all the way from his mountain village nestled deep within the central highlands.
Now, standing at the gates of Deslan Academy, he found himself dwarfed by the grandeur around him.
A bustling crowd surrounded the entrance, with horse-drawn carriages lining the path—some of them adorned with gold trim and embedded gemstones, clearly belonging to noble families.
Compared to all this, his weathered cloak, patched satchel, and dusty boots made him look all the more like an out-of-place country bumpkin.
A wave of hesitation struck him.
He lowered his head and instinctively drifted toward the edge of the road, his feet carrying him away from the gate, uncertain whether he still had the courage to take another step forward.
Just then, a warm voice spoke beside him.
"Young man, that path only leads to the Academy.
If you're planning to enjoy the shade of the woods nearby, I'd say that's a fine choice.
But go any deeper, and you might end up as dinner for a wandering beast.
Oh, and one more thing—be wary of the little rabbits around here.They look adorable, but they're especially tasty."
Xuencer Waugh stopped in his tracks at the sound of the voice.
Turning around, he saw a middle-aged man dressed in the simple robes of a traveling mage—not extravagant, yet clearly seasoned by years of experience.
Xuencer responded politely to the kind stranger.
"Thank you very much, sir. May I ask... are you a teacher at Deslan Academy?"
"Oh, no," the man replied with a chuckle, shaking his head.
"Just a wandering scholar passing through."
"I see. Well then, thank you again for the warning," Xuencer said with a respectful nod. He paused for a moment, then seemed to gather his resolve.
"I'll head to the Academy now. Farewell."
The man—Grishi—watched as the young man walked off, his tattered cloak fluttering lightly in the breeze.
"What an interesting young fellow," Grishi murmured to himself, a faint smile curling his lips.
"Let's hope this year's batch brings a few surprises."
------
After checking in at the registration desk, Xuencer Waugh was informed that he needed to report to the Internal Affairs Department.
He didn't quite understand why, but he went along without question.
Naturally, a grand institution like Deslan Academy of Magic had a sizeable Internal Affairs Department.
And because it was so large, no one really knew what business Xuencer had there.
Eventually, a helpful clerk suggested he speak directly to the department head.
When Xuencer reached the office door, he noticed a raised button with a label above it that read:
"Press firmly."
Being a straightforward kind of person, Xuencer obediently pushed the button with considerable force.
At that moment, blue light flared from the doorframe, arcing in erratic lines toward the button.
Caught off guard, Xuencer's finger was struck by the light, and a series of sharp ding-ding-ding tones echoed around him.
Though Xuencer was sturdy and thick-skinned, he still felt a tingling numbness in his hand.
From within, a kindly voice called out,
"Come in."
With a creaky squeak, the office door swung open.
Waving his hand to shake off the last of the numbness, Xuencer stepped inside and said politely,
"Sir, I am the newly admitted student Xuencer Waugh, reporting as instructed."
The head of Internal Affairs, a plump and amiable old gentleman named Grandpa Stanly, smiled knowingly upon hearing Xuencer's introduction.
"Ah, so you're the work-study student from the Dallas Mountains!
Just as I expected—you withstood the 'Arc Flash Trap' seal on the door.
It's not a high-level spell, but it's enough to knock out a normal person.
Not bad, right? A doorbell and a security enchantment, all in one.
Designed it myself, of course."
Deslan Academy was sponsored by the Kingdom of Aerwyn.
As part of the Academy's agreement with the kingdom, they accepted one work-study student each year, giving underprivileged youths a chance to study magic.
This year, the designated selection region was the remote Dallas mountain area.
In truth, nearly all the eligible young men in that region had already left to find work elsewhere.
Xuencer Waugh, who hadn't yet managed to leave, was the only one left.
Up until now, he had no knowledge of magic whatsoever—he was simply known for his extraordinary strength.
But since the location had been officially assigned by the kingdom's upper echelons, he was the one who had to go.
Before Xuencer could even comment on the electrifying doorbell, Grandpa Stanly pulled out a file and flipped through it.
"Xuencer Waugh, is it? You've been placed in Class W-4.
That's where we train the basics for magic warriors.
Your weekly schedule will be: three full days of classes, Tuesday and Friday mornings in class, then kitchen duty in the afternoon.
On Saturdays, you'll be helping the groundskeepers trim the lawns. Sunday mornings, you're on shift in the maintenance office.
Sunday afternoons are your only time off. That sound alright?"
Xuencer, used to physical labor and never one to complain, nodded without hesitation.
"No problem."
Pleased with the boy's attitude, Grandpa Stanly handed him a key.
"Xuencer, you'll be staying in Building Green Thirteen, room 7075. Welcome to the Academy. I hope you enjoy your time here."
------
Holding the key in hand, Xuencer Waugh looked around, unsure where to find Room 7075 in Green Building Thirteen.
But when he spotted a row of red-colored dorm buildings, he confidently headed in that direction.
Green One, Black Two, Red Three… Yellow Twelve.
Xuencer counted every building he could find, but there was no sign of Building Thirteen.
Baffled, he decided to ask a groundskeeper nearby.
When Xuencer asked about Green Building Thirteen, the groundskeeper gave him a strange look—half puzzled, half amused—then silently motioned for Xuencer to follow him.
They walked past the main buildings, around the back of the Academy's kitchens, and into a cluster of small, single-story shacks.
The groundskeeper pointed toward one of the run-down buildings.
"This here's Green Building Thirteen."
Xuencer blinked.
"But… it's only one floor. How can there be a seventh floor?"
Now the groundskeeper's expression evolved from "strange" to "are-you-from-another-world?"
"Why are you looking for the seventh floor?"
"My room number is 7075," Xuencer replied, still confused.
The groundskeeper sighed in defeat, then led him to a doorway and pointed at the sign above it.
"Look—Room 7 of Green Building Thirteen."
He opened the door, revealing a cramped little common area with doors on each wall.
"This is 071, the shared lounge. That one's 072, the bathroom. 073 is for cleaning supplies. 074, that's your study room—well, study closet really. And 075 and 076 are bedrooms. You'll probably have a roommate coming soon."
Without another word, the man turned and left.
Xuencer looked around.
Well… the place is surprisingly spacious, he thought optimistically.
The common room was just wide enough to squeeze in a tiny square table—maybe four people could stand around it to play cards.
The bathroom barely fit a person standing.
The storage room had space for exactly one broom.
The study? A single bookshelf could fit… but not a person.
And the bedroom? It could just about hold a military-style folding bed.
Looks like I'll be living here until graduation, Xuencer thought, still gripping his key.