I hurriedly got ready, hoping not to be late. After awkwardly putting on the academy’s white uniform, I fixed my black hair. Then I stepped out of my room to head to the Welcome party.

  The party was being held in the main hall of the academy.

  Once at the entrance, I adjusted my hair one last time before heading into the room.

  A huge hall with lavish decorations stretched out before my eyes. Chandeliers and mana candelabras illuminated the immense space. The music echoed throughout the room, giving a sense of grandeur. The banquet spanned the entire hall, filling the air with the inviting scents of spiced dishes and fragrant sweets.

  Lowering my gaze, I noticed the students, mostly nobles.

  “Hey, it’s the one without internal energy…” someone chuckled, while another raised an eyebrow in disdain.

  “What is someone like him doing at this academy?”

  “Wouldn’t it be better to throw him out now instead of waiting for him to fail?” hissed a voice from behind.

  Others looked on with amused, self-satisfied expressions.

  All eyes were on me, and I could hear various murmurs. I tried to remain calm.

  This wasn’t the right time to act.

  Keeping my expression neutral, I walked toward the banquet and began filling my plate with various dishes I hadn’t eaten in a long time.

  After that, I moved to the edges of the room to avoid unnecessary attention.

  After a while, a voice rang out:

  “One moment of attention, please. The representative of the freshmen, Kael Shadehart, will now speak!”

  A tall, robust boy stepped onto a raised platform with a microphone. His eyes, as black as the abyss, and his black hair streaked with white locks, radiated authority and power.

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  “Greetings, everyone. I am Kael Shadehart. I have neither the intention nor the desire to give a long, formal speech. I hope you understand that here we are trained to become warriors. The rule of the strongest applies here. There is no room for the weak. I will continue to improve and be the strongest; feel free to try to keep up with me.”

  A long applause broke out as Kael Shadehart stepped down.

  I watched him for a moment before turning back to my place.

  I was walking when I suddenly felt a strange sensation on my head.

  “Sorry, you were in the way, and I accidentally dropped my glass.”

  The water from the glass ran down my head, soaking my hair and uniform.

  A blond boy stood in front of me, laughing after the gesture.

  “What’s wrong? I apologized, are you angry?” he said with a laugh.

  Around them were three other boys, all amused, looking down at me.

  “Ha! And if he’s angry, what could he do without energy?”

  “You should be the one apologizing to Tristan.”

  I raised my gaze, and for a moment, I pierced the boy holding the glass with my eyes.

  “So your name is Tristan?”

  Tristan felt a sense of discomfort but continued to speak proudly.

  “Yes, that’s right. Tristan Iscor. You’d do well to remember my name if you want to stay here a few more months.”

  My expression softened, and a smile appeared on my face. I then bowed slightly and placed a hand over my chest.

  “Tristan… I understand. I apologize for causing you any trouble. I will be more careful next time. I hope you can forgive me.”

  Tristan looked at me with a shocked expression.

  “W-well, I’ll forgive you this time. Make sure to stay in your place next time, you filthy commoner.”

  With that said, both of us withdrew from the center of the hall and moved toward the edges.

  As I returned to my spot, I noticed some familiar faces in the crowd.

  A tall, muscular boy, the best of the first year, watched me with cold eyes.

  A girl with white hair, elegant and detached, stared at me without saying a word.

  Even though no one intervened, their attention made the scene even more tense.

  The murmurs of the students around us didn’t stop, so I decided to move away.

  “Tristan… I’ll remember you.”

  **

  The door closed behind me with a sharp sound. Arriving in my simple room, I loosened my tie. I took off my slightly damp jacket and placed it carefully aside. I collapsed onto the chair in front of the desk and opened a locked drawer. I picked up a large book and began to leaf through its pages.

  “Tristan… Tristan… there he is. An arrogant, impulsive boy. He usually torments those weaker than him.”

  “Son of a baron in precarious financial circumstances. Almost no chance he’ll get involved in that situation..."

  “I’ll remember what happened today.”

  I set the book down and lay back on the bed, lost in thought.

  I still have a long way to go if I want to reach my goals. Better get some sleep for now. Classes will start in a few days, and I’ll have to train until exhaustion.

  With these thoughts and the day’s fatigue pressing on me, my body relaxed… and suddenly, everything went dark.