The following day, Professor Godfrey held an assembly inside the academy's auditorium. Moreover, students from all five years were required to attend this gathering.
One could understand the gravity of the situation from this, considering that such an assembly including all the academy students had never taken place before. Well, not in the last thirty years at least.
Inside the large auditorium, the students had formed into five separate columns and were curiously looking at the stage where all the professors had gathered. They couldn't help but wonder just what could happen for everyone at the academy to gather.
But there were a few students among the crowd who knew of the great change that was taking place in the Southern Federation.
In the third column from the left, the third-year students had formed a long line and were chatting with one another. Adam was standing somewhere in the middle of this line and curiously looking at the fifth column of students.
So those are the fifth-years? The youth thought to himself, an amusing smile forming on his lips. I wonder if they can be considered fortunate or… hehe.
By now Berger had already briefed him about the secret plane. Sure, it was a land of opportunities, but it was also a place that was riddled with life-threatening dangers.
Every time the secret plane opened, there would be countless people that died inside. This time it would be no different. That was why Adam found it very amusing that the fifth-years found themselves in the middle of this.
After all, if the secret plane opened a year later, none of the fifth-year students would be here to participate. But at the same time, they would have also missed this great opportunity that presented itself once every thirty years.
But I guess they should be fine, Adam thought, they're the strongest students of the Clover Academy, after all.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})A few minutes later, after all the students and the faculty members had arrived at the auditorium, Professor Godfrey made her way up the stage and toward the podium at the center.
She was wearing a gray robe with a clover insignia as well as a pointy hat of the same color. She sported gold-rimmed, round glasses which made her look very scholarly, but also subtly affluent. Nothing too ostentatious.
The Headmistress of the Clover Academy naturally emanated a grand and dignified aura that demanded nothing but respect and admiration from others.
As she stood on the podium, she adjusted the communication and voice amplification magic devices. Then, she gazed at all the students in the auditorium and greeted them with a faint smile, "Good morning, everyone."
"Good morning, Professor!" The students respectfully replied in unison.
Although she was the Headmistress of the academy, Professor Godfrey preferred that others called her Professor, whether it be students, faculties, or even outsiders.
Professor Godfrey's expression turned solemn as she began, "I will keep this short since we have a lot to do and time is of the essence. A great opportunity has presented itself, one that will greatly aid you in your path as a Magus!"
The students looked at one another, their eyes gleaming with curiosity. They couldn't help but wonder just what this opportunity was for the Professor to gather every student and hold an assembly.
"In the City of Glassford, a portal to a secret plane has opened!"
GASP!
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})A collective gasp was heard from the majority of the students present. Being students of the academy, naturally, they knew what a secret plane was. It was a separate dimension carved by powerful Magi!
They had all heard stories of how budding Magi found themselves in a secret plane left behind by a powerful Magus. And when these Magi came out of it, they soared to the skies.
So hearing that a secret plane had opened in the Southern Federation, the students were incomparably excited.
Professor Godfrey added, "The portal has only just recently formed and should be fully open in a month. That should be enough time for you to reach Glassford."
She paused for a moment, allowing the students to digest this information. After everyone had calmed down, she continued, "However, due to the nature of the secret plane, not everyone can enter. I have only managed to secure fifty spots for the academy."
Hearing her, every student deflated like a balloon, their hopes vanquished in a few words. They thought that they all could enter, but the reality was different.
Professor Godfrey didn't bother about the depressed attitude of the students. Securing fifty out of three hundred slots was already the most she could do. Only she knew, how much she had to argue with the representatives of other races and even King Arnold.
She spoke solemnly, "Ten students from each year have been selected to enter the secret plane and represent the Clover Academy. These students have been selected based on their talent and potential. When I call out your names, step forward."
One by one, she called out the names of all fifty students who were going to enter the secret plane. Adam, Edward, and Lisa were naturally selected.
Adam looked around to see who else was going to enter, and when his gaze landed on Jeffrey from the same year as him and Kevin from the fourth year, his lips curled up into a cold smile.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})Good! You guys have lived long enough. He thought to himself as he tightly clenched his fists in rage.
He was snapped out of his thoughts by Professor Godfrey's next words. "I must be honest with you, the secret plane is filled with dangers, and whether you survive or not depends on your skill. Knowing this, do you still wish to enter?"
Not a single student out of the fifty chosen ones refused. The path of a Magus was filled with dangers to begin with. How could they shy away from it? None of them were cowards. They were warriors! They were Magi!
"Good!" Professor Godfrey nodded in approval.
"Based on past experiences, the secret plane will be open for at least a year. I will make it so that when you come out, you will be directly promoted to the corresponding academic year. That will be my reward to you all, who are going to represent the academy." She added.
The fifty selected students were taken aback. But the ones who hadn't been selected were even more shocked. These students, not only had they missed out on entering the secret plane, but they had also missed the opportunity for direct promotion.
However, they would find comfort in the fact that they wouldn't have to put their lives at risk inside the secret plane.
Everything had a price.
Adam was the happiest among the selected students. He almost cried tears of joy thinking that he wouldn't have to needlessly waste his time studying.
He would get directly promoted if he made it out. And he was extremely confident in his abilities to not only survive but thrive inside the secret plane!
Soon, Professor Godfrey concluded her speech. The fifty students that had been selected, made their way to their homes to start packing. They would be leaving for Glassford by the following day.
Just as Adam and his group had made their way out of the auditorium, they were confronted by another group.
Seeing, the person standing at the front of the group, Adam's eyes narrowed and he muttered in an icy tone, "Kevin!"
