The opening day of Atlas Academy was actually quite lively. After all, as the premier institution of the kingdom, the scale of the event was no less than that of a small festival. All of Valgard was brimming with a youthful and cheerful atmosphere.
Although the academy did not impose any strict dress code on the students, Elia had still chosen two sets of aristocratic outfits for Loran and Chloe.
Furthermore, students were not allowed to bring servants or maids. Because of this, Elia pulled Loran aside and gave him many instructions on how to take care of Chloe, which caused the young girl to protest huffily, claiming she was no longer a child and could look after herself.
The road in front of the gate of Atlas Academy was already packed with luxurious carriages. Everywhere one looked, there were handsome men and beautiful women dressed in their finest, all arriving for enrollment.
While Loran was changing at home, he had felt the outfit Elia chose for him was a bit too flashy. However, after seeing these young masters and ladies who were clearly dressed for the sole purpose of attracting attention, he felt his own attire was actually quite low-key!
Once the carriage came to a steady halt, Loran was the first to step out. Out of habit, he turned back to help Chloe down from the carriage. Elia followed closely behind; the dutiful maid insisted on personally inspecting the arrangement of the academy dormitories.
The group of three proceeded along the road toward the academy gate. Although they tried to keep a low profile, they inevitably drew many eyes.
However, to Loran’s surprise, the focus of their attention was not Chloe, but himself.
“…Do you really not need to use the academy’s back door when you sign up tomorrow? You should know that more people are staring at you now than at Her Highness.”
Yuna had headed to the academy a day early to prepare for the arrival of the new students. Before she left, she had made that suggestion to Loran, but he had flatly rejected it.
‘Come on, I’m going to register, not do something shady. Why should I use the back door when the front door is right there?’
Consequently, as Loran found himself surrounded by young ladies and noblewomen once again — just as he had during the Scripture ceremony — he finally understood why Yuna had said that.
A subtle scent of perfume mixed with magical potions floated through the restless air, accompanied by excited, deliberately hushed whispers.
Loran felt his back grow a bit stiff.
He could feel those gazes projecting from every direction. There were the shy yet bold looks from the girls who hadn’t caught a glimpse of him last time, and the scrutinized stares from the young masters, a mix of jealousy and assessment. Beyond that, there were several richly dressed women whose eyes roved over Loran as if they were observing a novel piece of merchandise.
Just as Loran was becoming overwhelmed and frazzled trying to deal with the situation, a familiar voice drifted over from not far ahead.
“Move aside, move aside. Everyone, please keep moving forward and don’t block the way, okay? Honestly, what are the people maintaining order even doing?”
However, this voice seemed tiny amidst the current crowded and noisy throng. Thus, about a few minutes later, the sidewalk in front of Loran, which had been packed tight, was suddenly cleared into a pathway.
It was as if an invisible hand had pushed the crowd to both sides. Those squeezed at the very front stumbled back to the side, their faces filled with shock and dissatisfaction.
Standing at the end of the path was Yuna, her expression indifferent.
Today, she was rarely seen wearing the formal robes of the Atlas Academy faculty. The deep purple fabric was embroidered with a silver astrolabe. Her hair was tied casually behind her head, with only a few stray strands hanging by her cheeks.
Yuna wore the special badge of Atlas Academy on her chest, which glinted with a cold luster in the sunlight. This caused those she had pushed aside with her minor magical tricks to harbor their anger in silence.
“Yuna? Why are you here?”
Chloe asked as she watched Yuna walk over. Her brow relaxed slightly, as if she were letting out a sigh of relief.
“I didn’t have much to do while staying in the academy anyway, so I wanted to come out for some fresh air and see if I could bump into you,” Yuna said with a shrug, her gaze falling on Loran. “Though it looks like… someone is quite popular.”
Loran twitched the corner of his mouth but didn’t take the bait.
“I thought you were supposed to welcome the new students today?” Chloe followed up with another question. “Is it really okay for you to leave your post like this?”
“Don’t even mention it.” Yuna waved her hand. “There are plenty of people fighting tooth and nail to welcome the new students, especially these noble masters and ladies. So, naturally, I’m happy to enjoy some leisure. Besides — “
She paused for a moment, her gaze sweeping over the whispering students nearby.
” — I’m here to pick up the only freshman this year who is directly entering the Radiance Class. That should be considered part of the job of welcoming new students, shouldn’t it?”
Consequently, Loran felt those gazes become noticeably more burning. The surrounding discussions grew noisier, and at the same time, he felt his back starting to stiffen again.
“Let’s go. The process for dormitory assignments and registration is still quite long.”
Yuna gestured with her chin toward the cleared path and took the lead.
Under Yuna’s guidance, the three of them were able to reach the academy gate smoothly. The students who had been pushed aside by her irresistible magic wore various expressions; some were indignant, while others watched curiously.
During this time, it wasn’t as if no one questioned Yuna’s behavior. For instance, a male student who looked like an upperclassman wearing a student council badge blocked their path. He spoke to Yuna in a serious tone:
“Instructor, academy regulations state that all new students must handle their enrollment procedures themselves and receive no special treatment. For you to openly — “
“Special treatment?” Yuna interrupted him with a raised eyebrow. “The crowd at the gate is so blocked that no one can move, yet you in the student council aren’t doing anything about it. Instead, you’re coming here to lecture me about special treatment? Besides, does this academy really lack special treatment?”
As Yuna spoke, those perpetually lazy eyes finally opened fully. She looked at the boy coldly. The latter felt a bit intimidated by her gaze and eventually retreated to the side dejectedly under the stare of that badge on her chest.
“I really have to thank you.” After passing through the crowd, Loran spoke to Yuna in a lowered voice. “You couldn’t stand to see me at peace, so you helped me make enemies in the academy before I even finished registering.”
“What are you afraid of?” Yuna glanced at him. “Once you enter the academy, this is my turf. Other than the principal, whom I truly cannot beat, I’m not afraid of anyone else. Relax, I’ve got you covered here. Besides, your name has already spread throughout the entire academy. Even if you wanted to keep a low profile, it would be impossible. People always bully the weak and fear the strong; it’s not a bad thing to make yourself look a bit more overbearing.”
As she spoke, she secretly winked at him.
Inside the academy gates was a wide-open square. Temporary guidance desks and bulletin boards had already been set up. Students dressed in various outfits and academy robes came and went, the noise of the crowd mingling with the distant sound of the lesson bells, creating an atmosphere full of vigor.
Yuna stopped her pace and pulled out a pocket watch to check the time.
“By the way, the dormitory assignments are displayed over there.” She pointed a finger toward a giant magical bulletin board on the west side of the square, where the names of freshmen and their corresponding dormitory numbers were scrolling in a dense list. “And the dormitory area is on the other side.”
Yuna’s finger then pointed toward the east, where several towering towers and a cluster of exquisite small buildings stood, casting long shadows in the sun.
“Oh, and one more thing. The Radiance Class dormitories aren’t over there. Do you see those detached cottages nestled in the garden? That’s where they are. If you want to visit each other in the future, you’ll have to walk quite a distance.”
Hearing this, Chloe pursed her lips slightly, her gaze drifting back and forth between the small buildings and those distant cottages.