Aiden lay sprawled on his bed, staring at the ceiling. The wooden beams above him creaked softly with the wind outside, carrying the familiar scent of the wheat fields that surrounded the village. Moonlight streamed through his window, casting a gentle glow over his modest room—a small desk, a wooden shelf stacked with books on magic theory he could never use, and a single wooden chest that held all his belongings.
His mind, however, was far from the peaceful night.
"How am I going to survive at the University of Higher Magic without any actual magic?" He had asked himself that question a thousand times since the tournament ended. It was already a miracle he made it in. But now, surrounded by monsters like Leon Aaldric and Xaleth Vireos? The thought alone sent a chill down his spine.
Just then, a knock echoed through his door, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"Open the door, Aiden! There's a letter for you from the University of Higher Magic!" his mother called from outside.
Aiden let out a sigh and sat up, rubbing his temples. "Must be some information about schedules and dorm arrangements," he thought. He pulled himself out of bed, stretching lazily before opening the door.
His mother, a kind woman with tired but warm eyes, handed him a sealed envelope. "Here, and come down to eat ASAP," she reminded him before heading back to the kitchen.
"Yeah, yeah…" Aiden muttered, carefully breaking the seal. As he unfolded the letter, his eyes skimmed over the contents. His tired expression shifted instantly.
UNIVERSITY OF HIGHER MAGIC
INVITES
AIDEN VARIAN
TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HIGHER MAGIC TO PURSUE HIS STUDIES AND TRAINING IN ADVANCED MAGIC TO SERVE THE KINGDOM OF ARTAHRIS AS A FELLOW MAGE AND PROTECT ITS PEOPLE.
WE HOPE TO MEET YOU AT THE KINGDOM CAPITAL AFTER A WEEK.
TIMINGS OF THE CLASSES ARE 7:00, AND YOU WILL BE PROVIDED A DORM DUE TO THE LARGE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY AND YOUR HOUSE.
FROM THAT DAY ON, YOU WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A SUITABLE MENTOR TO HELP YOU GROW ACCORDING TO YOUR POWER LEVEL.
YOUR MENTOR WILL BE TAKEDA RENZOU.
YOUR TEAMMATES ARE LEON AALDRIC AND XALETH VIREOS.
HOPING YOU GET ALONG WITH YOUR FELLOW TEAMMATES AND, OF COURSE, WITH YOUR TEACHER AND OTHER PEERS TOO.
BEST REGARDS,
NOVUS LEXNUS
ARTHARIS'S 14TH KING
Aiden froze.
His breath hitched, and his grip on the paper tightened.
"Huh? Me… w-with t…t…t-the top students?" His voice cracked as his mind tried to process the information. "W-WHAT?! But how?! I wasn't even in the top 10—hell, I wasn't even in the top 40! What is happening?!"
A sudden rush of panic overtook him. There had to be some mistake. No way he got placed on the same team as them.
"What happened, Aiden?" His mother's voice came from the hallway, footsteps approaching quickly.
Aiden quickly folded the letter, trying to compose himself. "N-Nothing, it's just…" He hesitated before looking up. "Hey, Mom, can someone be placed in a top team even if they didn't score high in the tournament?"
She gave him a knowing smile. "No, dummy, unless a teacher insists."
Aiden's mind raced. "Only if a teacher insists…?"
His stomach churned. There was only one reason a teacher would ever insist on a weakling like him. Either they saw potential, or they wanted to use him for something else.
Takeda Renzou… The name lingered in his thoughts. He had never heard of this mentor before. Why would a top-ranked teacher waste his time with him?
Before he could dwell on it further, a sharp knock on the outer door made him jump.
"Oi, Aiden! Open up, I know you're in there!"
Aiden groaned as he recognized the voice—Elara.
He hurried downstairs, opening the door to find Elara standing in the dim evening light, arms crossed, tapping her foot impatiently. Her long black hair framed her sharp, violet eyes, which gleamed with the faint glow of the lanterns lining the village path. She wore her usual academy uniform, though her cloak was draped lazily over one shoulder. Shadows flickered unnaturally beneath her, responding to her emotions like a living entity.
"Took you long enough," she huffed. Then she paused, narrowing her eyes. "You look like you just saw a ghost."
Aiden scratched the back of his head, still slightly dazed. "I, uh… just got my official invitation to the University of Higher Magic."
Elara's expression shifted instantly. "Wait, for real? Let me see that."
He hesitated but handed her the letter. As she scanned through it, her brows shot up.
"Leon Aaldric and Xaleth Vireos?! You got placed with them?! What kind of messed-up decision is this?!"
Aiden sighed. "Yeah, that was my reaction too."
Elara folded her arms, clearly not amused. "That's insane. Those two aren't just strong, they're monsters. Leon's a royal prodigy, and Xaleth… well, he's weird, but still terrifying. Are you sure this isn't some joke?"
Aiden shook his head. "Apparently, it's real. And my mentor is someone named Takeda Renzou."
That name made Elara freeze.
"…Wait. The Takeda Renzou?"
Aiden blinked. "Wait, you know him?"
Elara exhaled sharply. "Not personally, but his name is legendary in the underground rankings. He's a monster in combat, a warrior who's ranked #1200 in the world. And you're telling me he personally requested you?"
Aiden gulped. "I-I guess?"
Elara ran a hand through her hair, muttering something under her breath. "I don't know if you're lucky or cursed."
Aiden forced a chuckle. "Yeah, me neither."
The cool night air settled between them, the distant chatter of the village filling the silence. Aiden looked out toward the sky, where stars twinkled beyond the vast forests that separated them from the capital.
For years, he had lived here in Eldoria, watching the gifted rise while he remained in the shadows. Now, fate had thrown him into the centre of something far bigger than he had ever imagined.
Elara glanced at him, her expression softer. "You'll be fine, you know."
Aiden raised an eyebrow. "You sure? Because I feel like I'm walking into a death trap."
Elara smirked, stepping back into the shadows. "Maybe. But you've always been stubborn. I doubt even those two can break you."
With that, she vanished into the night, her presence lingering like a whisper in the dark.
Aiden stood there for a moment, letting the weight of everything sink in.
Tomorrow, his life at the University of Higher Magic would begin.
And he had no idea what awaited him.