The carriage rolled to a stop before the towering gates of Valeon Academy.
Ansel stepped down slowly, his worn boots pressing against the marble path.
Before him stood the great Academy — a city within a city — its endless towers twisting into the clouds, its walls covered with ancient runes that glowed faintly under the morning sun.
The main gate was open, welcoming a flood of students and nobles, each dressed in rich robes embroidered with family emblems.
Flags of blue and gold, Valeon's proud colors, fluttered high above.
Ansel pulled his cloak tighter around his small frame.
His heart thudded painfully in his chest.
Compared to them—
Their shining smiles, their perfect posture, their carriages lined with gold—
He was nothing but a shadow sneaking through the light.
He swallowed hard, ignoring the curious glances from the noble students.
Some sneered.
Some laughed under their breath.
But none of that mattered.
I'm not here for them.
I'm here for myself. For her.
Ansel walked toward the massive stone archway that led into the Academy grounds.
The path split into many roads, each leading to different parts of the campus—
The Training Grounds for swordsmen, the Spell Tower for mages, the Libraries for scholars.
Everywhere he turned, he saw magic—floating lights guiding students, enchanted statues moving silently, and sparkling barriers that separated sections of the Academy.
It was beautiful.
It was terrifying.
He felt like an intruder, stepping into a realm not meant for him.
Still, he pressed on.
At the entrance stood a large announcement board where dozens of students were gathering, searching for their names.
Ansel squeezed through the crowd, standing on tiptoes to look.
After a few tense moments, he found it—small, tucked away at the very bottom:
"Ansel Nighthawk" - New Admission - Class F"
He exhaled shakily.
Class F... the lowest class.
But he didn't care.
A shaky smile touched his lips.
It doesn't matter where I start. It only matters where I end.
Gripping his pendant tightly, Ansel turned toward the Academy's heart.
Each step he took felt heavier than the last.
But he didn't stop.
He had arrived.
And he would endure.
No matter how much it hurt.
No matter how much he was despised.
His path had begun.