Chapter 147 - Apsalon Magic Academy

  We were dropped off he academy, and the m light allowed me to get a better look at the entrance of the grounds. In the distance, a dense forest surrouhe enormous academy territory, creating a natural mystery that separated this pce from the outside world. We stood at the entrance, where a sing building awaited the udents. Once we passed through it, we would officially be on academy soil.

  I go my side and saw Chloe, clearly nervous but with aed gleam in her eyes. On the ground, Cyl was curiously her surroundings. There were many students around, all first-years like us. The uppercssmen were already inside, living on campus.

  " we go?" Chloe asked eagerly.

  "You're really excited about this pce," I ented with a ugh.

  She walked ahead, her enthusiasm evident in every step. "Of course! I've dreamed about this pce my whole life while stu that castle," she said, running a bit ahead.

  For a brief moment, that strange sensation of being watched hit me again.

  That weird feeling, the same as yesterday.

  A mysterious, lingering presence. I stopped for a sed, gng around the street, trying to be discreet. I sed the crowd of students, but the feeling vanished as quickly as it came.

  What the hell could this be?

  I decided to ig and focus oask ahead. Cyl and I followed Chloe, and as roached the entrance, I noticed the massive fence proteg the academy grounds. From what I khe city's residents always specuted about what y inside, sihe forest with its enormous trees blocked their view.

  When we reached the entrae, a line of other students was waiting to be guided by two staff members, an elf and a demi-human, who were anizing the arrival of the newers. Many students had magical creatures by their side, and I even spotted oudent walking alongside a monstrous boar.

  It was our turn. The demi-humaed us with a warm smile.

  "Wele, udents. We are the Helpers, and there will always be one of us around the academy to assist you. I wish you good lu your first day of css. Remember to be responsible with yid avoid using it improperly," she said, keeping a watchful eye on us.

  "We have rules for familiars, and I expect you to follow them," said the elf, casting a cautious g me. But then something caught his attention. He looked closer, narrowing his eyes as he stared at Cyl, who was by my side.

  "Is that what I think it is?" he asked, intrigued.

  The demi-human crouched down to get a closer look at Cyl, her eyes widening in shock.

  "It 't be... How did you mao tame one of these?" she asked, the surprise clear in her voice.

  Cyl, feeling unfortable with the attention, hid behind me, her ears lowered. The woman stood back up, still incredulous.

  "I've never heard of aaming a moon panther. Few people are lucky enough to even see one in their lifetime," the demi-human expined, looking at Cyl with admiration.

  "These newers keep surprising us. Last year, we had that prih an equally dangerous familiar," the elf remarked, shaking his head with a slight smile.

  It’s rare to meet someone who knows what a moon panther is.

  Chloe and I exged gnces, sharing the same surprise. After we were cleared, we joihe other students, blending into the crowd of newers. A short while ter, we all stopped in front of a woman wearing a white coat with the academy’s logo on it.

  "Dear students, you will now head towards the auditorium, where a short presentation from some senior students will take pce. Follow the white rabbit," said the ointing to a white rabbit wearing a bow tie, calmly standing beside her.

  The rabbit began to move, hopping gracefully, and stopped atop a rge metal circle.

  "How cute!" excimed a student, clearly charmed by the rabbit.

  I gnced down, cheg if Cyl was still by my side. The little panther followed me faithfully, alert to everything. All the students gathered around the metal ptform where the rabbit stood.

  "What are we supposed to do now?" someone asked curiously.

  Before anyone could ahe grouh us began to tremble and move. The metal ptform we stood on slowly sank, like aor desding. Chloe, beside me, lost her bance for a sed and grabbed onto my arm.

  The metal ptfently touched the water, sliding through an underground tuhat resembled a sewer system. The eunnel was illuminated by purple crystals emitting ahereal glow, and as we moved, the ptform began to pick up speed, gliding through the current.

  "This is the baptism of Apsalon Magic Academy," ented a familiar elf roached me, her tone calm as if this were a routine occurrence.

  "I thought it was fun," said Thyra, appearing beside us with a cheerful grin. "I was never allowed to go before!"

  Chloe, intrigued, shot a questioning g the two. "Were you the ones giving the speech yesterday?" she asked, and both nodded with a slight smile.

  The tunnel was well-lit, and the ptflided elegantly along the underground river like a magical watercraft, leaving everyone fasated. The intricate design of the structure left us in awe, and I couldn't help but imagihe plex spells that powered it.

  We spent several minutes in that pce, mesmerized by the light show from the purple crystals as they illuminated our path. Some students began to joke around.

  "What happens if we fall off the ptform?" someone asked with a ugh.

  "Better not find out," audent replied, ughing as well.

  The water’s pace ig up when a fine yer of water hit us like a barrier—thin as if it were a wall.

  Just as I was about to make a ent, the ptform abruptly stopped in front of a massive stone wall. It began to move, slowly opening like an a gate, revealing what was behind it.

  "So, it's true! The academy really operates like this!" someone shouted from the front, and curiosity got the better of me as I peeked betweeudents.

  The wall finally opened fully, revealing a familiar figure standing oher side. It was Director Victoria, standing imposingly, waiting for us.

  "Wele to Apsalon Magic Academy!" she announced, her voice eg through the cave. And in that moment, everything became clear.

  Now I uand why this academy charges 20 gold s a month.

  "his… is a tower," murmured Chloe beside me, her voice filled with awe.

  "No," I corrected, my eyes fixed oructure ahead. "It's a dungeon."

  Behind the director was a vast ke, and beyond that, a colossal bck tower loomed, seemingly reag the ceiling of the enormous underground cavern. It was a massive structure, its surface glowing with a, mysterious energy.

  "This is the Ied Tower," expined Director Victoria, gesturing toward the imposing building. "Here is where you will spend a good part of your academic life when you're craving a bit of a. At the top of the tower is the surface academy, where you'll have your csses and where you will sleep. This is the fastest way to cross the grounds, while also allowing you to withe Ied Tower."

  With those words, the director stepped aside, leaving us mesmerized by the vastness of the pce.

  "e on! We don't have time, we have a schedule to keep," Director Victoria's voice echoed through the vast space as she urged us to follow her.

  Cyl walked beside me, her curious eyes taking in the surroundings, while other familiars apahe students. I saw all kinds of unusual creatures: pigeons in vibrant colors, rats the size of dogs, and even a few animals I couldn't immediately identify—one of which I thought was a rge beetle.

  "You're only seeing the beginning of the Ied Tower," the director expined. "The real tower stretches far below, with levels going much deeper. This se is just a e between the academy and the dungeon, which has 100 floors."

  A murmur of surprise swept through the students.

  "A hundred floors!?" someone excimed, incredulous. "Do we have to quer them all?"

  The director chuckled softly, her tone firm yet reassuring. "Don't worry about that. Wheime es for the expedition, you'll go with your csses and have the support of your professors. It's not mandatory to reach the st floor, nor is it reended. You’re students, and by your final year, the goal is to reach the 40th floor to qualify fraduation."

  I felt Chloe grip my arm, her expression anxious. "Did you hear that? Forty floors…" she whispered, clearly nervous.

  "We’ll be together, don’t worry," I whispered back, trying to calm her.

  We tio follow the director as we crossed a rge stone bridge extending over a crystal-clear ke. I couldn't help but notice the abundance of exotic fish swimming below us. Cyl leaped onto the edge of the bridge, her eyes locked oer, practically salivating as she watched the fish with desire.

  " I eat those fish?" she asked in her ione, her eyes gleaming. "At home, I could eat yours."

  "If they serve them in the cafeteria, I’ll get some for you," I promised, whispering as I picked her up, keeping her from jumping in after the fish.

  Finally, we arrived at the entrance of a rge wooden door intricately carved into the base of the tower.

  "You may enter," the director instructed, her voin as she gestured for us to go inside. "You’ll be weled by the senior students and other academy staff. I’ll remain here."

  With that, the students began to enter, eager and curious. Chloe and I followed the crowd, but suddenly, a hand touched my shoulder, stopping me in my tracks.

  I turned immediately.

  "Nathan Evenhart..." Director Victoria's voice was firm yet somewhat gentle as she called me. She stepped closer, adjusting my hair with a slight smile.

  "That brat Haiten and Adrihna talked to me yesterday and gave me more insight into your situation," she murmured, leaning in so only I could hear.

  "I’ll be keeping an eye on you. That hair of yours... it must stay exactly like this." Her tone was a mixture of warning and uanding. "Later, Adrihna and I will discuss how to teach a mage who’s forbidden from using most of his powers."

  "Yes, ma'am," I replied.

  She gently cupped my face, her closeness making me a bit tense. "And there's still the little matter that my silence about your eyes is teically a crime in your kingdom," she said with a smile, bringing her finger close to my eyes. "Yoing to be a lot of trouble for me, aren’t you?"

  "I hear that from my mom and aunt all the time..." I responded with a half-smile.

  She patted my shoulder lightly, allowio move forward. "Go on now."

  "Chloe Evenhart?" the director called .

  "M-me!" Chloe responded, visibly nervous.

  The director let out a pyful ugh. "I loved the answers you put on your personality test!" She kept ughing, while Chloe turned an even deeper shade of red.

  I immediately knew what the director was referring to. Chloe's answers on that test... well, they were definitely out of the ordinary.

  My cousin was beyond embarrassed.

  "Oh, and this little panther... I like her too," the director added, casting a final g Cyl before walking away.

  Chloe turned her face, uo look at anyone. "P-please, don’t say anything..." she murmured, her voice low and filled with shame.

  "I swear I wasn’t going to say anything," I replied, trying hard to hold back my ughter.

  We quied our pace to catch up with the other students.

  "That woman is strong," Cyl ented.

  It’s no wonder she’s the head of the most powerful academy in all three kingdoms.