Chapter 39: Ranchi's First Day of School

urious about what level his work had reached, to warrant such respect from the examiners."Come with me."Lawrence nodded, his voice calm and composed, as if he had already considered Lance a member of...Chapter 39: Ranchi's First Day of School

In the capital of Icerite, September's air had begun to lose its summer heat. {Write here and I hope readers remember our domain name}

A light breeze in the morning stirred at the Ikterite Academy of Magic, bringing a touch of coolness that made even Ranchi, who resided on the ground floor, yawn.

It's the first day of school, I can't be late.

Flipping out of bed and leaving his bedroom, Lance walked toward the living room with his toothbrush in hand, bleary-eyed. He glanced out the floor-to-ceiling window, seeing a few chirping birds perched on the edge of the small garden-like courtyard that bordered his dormitory's balcony.

When Lanchi drew back the curtains and slowly walked up to the birds, they were still hopping around, not even considering flying away.

Just like that, Lan Chi spent some time in the courtyard, and more and more birds gathered around him.

They are like being very close to Lance, longing to be beside him.

"I'm not a druid, why am I so popular with you all..."

Lanche was brushing his teeth, muttering to himself incoherently.

He had actually already discovered that, whether he was in the border town or after arriving at Icteria Academy, walking around would draw quite a few cute cats his way or birds would treat him as a friend.

The little animals were completely without guile.

Maybe his emerald-green eyes were naturally gentle, or perhaps his aura was as poetic and evocative as a painting.

Anyway, he doesn't mind being surrounded by these little creatures.

After washing up, Lance put on the Wise Academy student uniform sent by the Student Service Center.

Then he stood in front of the mirror.

The young man's face in the mirror had elegant features, a straight nose, and his hair on the left ear was neatly combed behind his ear. His soft black hair shone steadily and brightly in the sunlight. His long, slender eyebrows contrasted sharply with his emerald-green eyes, conveying both warmth and kindness, as well as elegance and composure.

A deep blue coat draped elegantly over his tall frame. The Wise Academy’s design resembled the night sky, mysterious and profound. The sleeves were wide and had golden stitching along the edges, forming the patterns of Hulton Kingdom's art style, as well as ancient symbols from the southern continent.

The shirt collar inside the jacket was folded into a retro white collar decoration. In the center of the collar decoration, there was a small golden badge engraved with the crest of Ictereth Academy and the protective runes of the Wise Men's Institute. Under the sunlight, it shone like a brilliant star, artistic and eye-catching.

Under the shirt was a pair of dark trousers and boots, the boots carefully polished, gleaming with a black sheen.

Ranch stomped his foot, sturdy and comfortable, exactly what an adventurer needs.

Perfect, let's go.

The legendary life of Ranch begins today!

……

The Hekate Institute, Headmaster's Building.

Compared to other classical buildings on campus, this one is quite novel and distinctive. The roof consists of a series of folding photoreactive magic devices that introduce different natural lights while blocking low-angle sunlight.

The Academy of Wise Men has over a hundred qualified students this year, who have been randomly divided into three classes.

Elective courses do not have a fixed classroom, but need to be arranged according to the course schedule to go to the corresponding building. Sometimes, it may be necessary to go to multi-functional teaching rooms or laboratories in other departments.

However, required courses are those that all students must take regardless of their elective choices. Students in a class will all be in the designated classroom during the scheduled time for required courses.

First-year students at the Academy of Wisdom have few opportunities to challenge the real world in their first term, so basic required courses are scheduled more densely.

For example, today there are a full four required courses: Introduction to Magic Control, Spellcasting Techniques, Principles of Silent Casting, and Magic Detection and Shielding.

> "Here I come, class!"

Lanchi found the classroom quickly according to the map signs in the school.

When he looked into the classroom, there were already many students inside.

He was supposed to arrive quite early, but in order to feed the animal friends on the balcony, he spent a few extra minutes than planned.

The classroom with wooden floor and stairs is very spacious, providing each student with ample personal space and desk area.

The side windows overlook a green lawn. Sunlight streams in through the window, making the classroom bright and cozy. The lighting is a combination of natural and artificial light, which can be adjusted as needed.

The students in the classroom all looked at Lance with expressions of "discovering a rare figure" as he stepped in.

The young master with black hair and green eyes, is this year's first place in the Sage Academy entrance exam "Dark Judge" indeed.

This is a nickname some students in the academy gave to Lance. It refers to a new type of mage within the wise men's academy's law department.

Although Lance excelled in the second round of testing, no one knew about his actual combat ability.

The most widely circulated rumor is — "This guy was incredibly lucky. In the third round, he encountered an examiner who had a congenital cardiovascular disease and passed directly with ease."

So, many students actually feel a mix of envy, jealousy, and doubt towards Lance.

"Hey."

As soon as he stepped into the classroom, Lance looked around at the scattered seats and quickly spotted a solitary figure in the back row—

Lady Huberlian.

That was a good teammate he met during the third round of the practical assessment, 【Infinite Illusion Canyon】.

She seemed to have actively sought out a position further back.

But it wasn't just that; there wasn't a single person sitting within a circle around her, as if they were all intentionally avoiding her.

This looks like Hubley is being isolated.

Lancy thought this phenomenon was not good.

So he walked down the stairs to the back of the classroom, until he reached the row where Huberly was, and sat near her.

Good morning, Huberlian.

Lancy smiled and greeted her.

"Hmm."

Huberley glanced at him in some surprise, then turned away and ignored him.

Her conflicted gaze was clearly not intentional coldness toward Lan Qi, but rather for Lan Qi's own good, maintaining a certain distance from him.

Lan Qi, seeing this, did not chat with Huberlian much.

To him, it didn't matter where he sat in class, and he only knew Huberlyan.

So, he opened the "Horton Kingdom Judicial Examination - Real Case Collection" in his hand and began to study it seriously.

During this time of waiting for class to begin, having this morning read is truly the best companion.

……

Until today, the boring required courses ended as expected after the first three sessions.

4 p.m.

The sky has turned orange-red, and the sun will be setting soon. The shadow of the trees outside the classroom window stretches long on the grass, and the wind rustles the leaves.

Huppercia was still sitting in the back seat, and Lance was still nearby.

However, the two people's states are completely different from this morning.

These courses were very easy for me to learn on Hubertian, I could even say they were a breeze.

...and Larench.

He is now lying on the table with his head buried in his sleep.

As if the previous three classes had placed a heavy burden on him, this half hour before the last class began was his rare time of respite.

This classroom is located in a historic renovated building within the Sage's Institute. The wooden frames of the classroom's windows and doors provide a striking contrast to the red brick walls outside.

This space boasts distinctive high ceilings crafted from exquisite plasterwork, with details that retain the classical style of the Heton Kingdom. Several magically-powered lamps on the dome can adjust their brightness, casting a soft light that creates a sense of comfort for the students within the classroom.

Although it was during unoccupied time between classes, it was much more active than the morning.

Apart from the students who were already in their classrooms waiting for the next class to begin, sitting quietly and looking at their textbooks, there were also occasional appearances of upperclassmen or students from other departments. They would come to the corridors and classrooms of the Sage Institute, chatting with acquaintances who had just started school today about various anecdotes.

In stark contrast, the back rows of the classroom were remarkably empty, as if a barrier separated these two spaces.

With amber-colored eyes, Huberlie sat silently, her cold gaze fixed through the window upon the distant sky. Her face held no expression, but her eyes betrayed a multitude of thoughts.

Upperclassmen who come to "visit" some are already friends or acquaintances of the new students before they enter the class, and there are also Vivian Wang, like other classes, even before entering school will be pre-determined by the team as a "star freshman" welcomed by everyone.

However, all this excitement has nothing to do with Huberlyan.

Even though she was the second-ranked newcomer to the Academy of Sages this year, no team would recruit her.

Before, with her father around, no one dared to bully her because of her demon bloodline. She felt surrounded by good people. Now, isolated and alone, she finally understands the extent of the hostility and suspicion demons face in this country.

It's already a lucky day that we managed to make it through the afternoon peacefully.

Unlike most people, she didn't want anyone to find her at all.

Because if other upperclassmen came to her proactively, they would inevitably be those troublemakers from the royal court, bringing nothing but harm instead of good.

Another fortunate thing, perhaps, is having a kind person by my side. He doesn't think of me as a jinx and has never harbored any ill will since we met.

Huperly looked at the talented, yet somewhat eccentric sleeping youth.

Several students from other classes who had come to inquire about Ranch had already visited the classroom. When they saw Ranch sitting beside her, their expressions changed, and they made excuses to leave.

And, Huberlian finally discovered something.

Ranch, who looks very clever, is actually a magic klutz.

He used magic cards, but he hadn't learned how to use any spells himself. He wasn't like a normal magical combat professional at all.

He is also very honest. Even though he is suffering, he doesn't want to skip class or not study seriously.

Hubberley sighed helplessly, realizing that even this seemingly all-powerful Ranch had its weaknesses.

Although there was chatter among the students in the classroom and noise from the hallway outside.

Huperliann still quietly turned the pages of her book, trying as best she could not to wake Larch beside her.

An ounce of kindness is met with an ounce of reward. She holds grudges, but she also remembers the favors done to her.

Moreover, for some reason, Lance's presence seemed to come with a talent that made the surrounding beings instinctively feel at ease. Even if he was just lying there asleep.

Unknowingly, her thoughts also became immersed in the book.

……

The sky outside the window changed silently with every passing moment, as if heavy clouds drifted by, briefly obscuring the brilliant afternoon sunshine. The natural light in the classroom dimmed intermittently, and the shadows on the floor seemed to be covered by a thin veil.

However, this did not affect Huberley's reading. Because she only felt a strange sense of peace, a feeling she hadn't experienced in a long time.

"Huibalian, I didn't expect you to actually get in."

A soft yet jarring voice sent a shiver down Huberly's spine. She hastily turned her head.

Only then did he see a young man with pale complexion and hands clasped behind his back standing by the aisle beside her seat. His expression was calm and composed, exuding both composure and arrogance.

"…"

Though her expression remained unchanged, Huberly's aura had taken a decidedly sour turn.

"Mordan... what brings you to me"

Of course, this is someone she would very much rather not see.

Mordecai Cassiges, the second son of House Cassiges, is a powerful and gifted Sage from the third year of the Wise Academy. He also stands out as a formidable contender in the Shadow World Challenge.

Compared to the nobles of the opposing faction led by her father, Duke Alansar, she hated the House of Cassiges more. They had been friendly with Duke Alansar before all this.

Since the disappearance of Duke Alansar, Lord Cassius has not only failed to help her but has also been eyeing her with malice, wanting to force her into marriage with his family in order to control her.

"Huperlian, if you want to challenge the Shadow World in your first year, you could consider joining my team. Or, rather, you could only join my team because I'm the only one willing to take you through the Shadow World."

Mordan's words sounded polite, like an elder brother speaking to his sister. However, his eyes betrayed a blatant desire for possession and plunder of Huberlyanne.

"No need."

Hubberley just replied coldly.

She knew, even though she and Lance had both been granted Iron-Rank Adventurer status for their high scores on the entrance exam.

But due to the rule that first-year students cannot participate in solo challenges, she was destined to waste many opportunities to grow stronger during her freshman year.

Because.

As Morden said.

This school won't have any team and its members willing to accept her as a demon.

(The End)

[ ]hey watched the somewhat dazzling crystal screen.Students sitting on the steps of the plaza, covering their hot drinks, were watching the giant screen intently.Their eyes sparkled with shock, amazemen...