"Dayum."
Vaan raised his eyebrows as he looked around with a shocked look on his face.
"It is as if I am teleported into a different world." He spoke before he looked back and observed the Teleportation building he just come out of.
"Hmm. You seem fine."
Suddenly, Orion, who had been observing everyone for a while muttered as he glanced at his child.
"Well of course. What could possibly happen to me?" Vaan questioned.
"Do you not feel any pain? You just covered an enormous distance of 12,000 km within a single moment, this was probably one of the strongest Teleportation Impacts one can feel. Many people even tend to pass out since their body is unable to handle such an impact. Yet here you stand, with not even a frown on your face."
"I do feel a slight headache if that is what you are asking, but that's about it," Vaan replied.
"Is that so…"
Orion muttered as he then started nodding continuously.
Vaan then turned towards Elara, placing his hands on her shoulder when he realized that she seemed to be in pain.
"Are you okay?" He questioned in worry.
"mm." Elara nodded. She had closed her eyes for a moment since she felt a strange pain in her head.
"Now this is the reaction I was talking about," Orion muttered.
"What happened to her?" Vaan questioned.
"Don't worry, she will be fine within a few minutes," Orion assured.
Vaan started to gently rub and massage Elara's shoulders, trying to ease her pain. Seeing that, Orion couldn't help but chuckle.
Time passed and a few minutes later, when along with Elara, other children of the Vesta Family seemed like they were ready to leave, Orion told them to walk forward.
"So? Is this the Agresia Academy?" Vaan questioned, his eyes stuck at the colossal gates in front of him that seemed to stretch endlessly upward, casting shadows that touched the skies.
He was awestruck. His eyes widened as he gazed upon the towering entrance of the Agresia Academy. The gate alone seemed as tall as a castle, its metalwork adorned with complex runes that shimmered softly, hinting at the magic pulsating within them. Just that was enough to tell that these were by no means, mere Gates.
"It is so beautiful…"
Elara who stood beside him muttered, her eyes reflecting the same wonder as she took in the grandeur of the academy. She held Vaan's arm, feeling the weight of anticipation and excitement. Other Mages, even the ones who weren't here for the first time had similar expressions.
The Vesta Mansion was grand, yes, the Academy, however, had something different about it.
"Alright, you will have an entire year to be awed by this place's beauty, let's go in," Orion ordered, taking everyone inside the Academy. Unlike the children, his expression didn't really change when he glanced at the academy, he just sighed deeply, taking in the air that seemed different from the one in the Vesta City, and walked in.
Beyond the gates, the Academy sprawled like a magnificent city within its own right. Towers soared high, some topped with crystalline domes that refracted the sunlight into a dazzling spectrum. Buildings of varying architectural styles stood in harmony, surrounded by lush gardens packed with magical flora.
Vaan and the others hadn't even registered the majesty of the Gates yet, but when their eyes fell on the sprawling campus of the Academy, they were dumbfounded.
"It really is a different world…" Vaan muttered.
The entire campus hummed with activities that Vaan had never even imagined before, students interacting with holographic displays, conducting experiments with enchanted apparatuses, and modes of transport that seemed like cars but were moving slightly above the ground and had no tires.
The air was alive with a symphony of technology and magic, creating an atmosphere that seemed more akin to a futuristic metropolis than a traditional academy.
The Agresia Academy was not merely a center of learning but a perfect blend of Magic and Technology. A realm where innovation and enlightenment coexisted in a breathtaking display of modernity.
"Dayum," Vaan muttered again, he felt like he had returned to earth… just… 1000 years ahead. His hand automatically strengthened its hold around Elara's hand, not wanting to be separated in this scenario.
"Are you from the Vesta Family?"
While the children looked around, a man walked towards them and questioned.
"Yes." Orion nodded.
"Welcome to the Agresia Academy." The man spoke with a slight bow, he didn't show absolute respect like the ones the Vesta Mages were used to, but he wasn't disrespectful either.
Orion nodded, he knew how things worked around here.
"Did you bring any new students this year?" the man questioned.
"Yes, Four." Orion nodded.
"I understand, the new students please move to the left while the old ones move towards the right." The man nodded.
The children did as they were told and moved to two sides. The man, however, frowned when his eyes fell on Orion.
"Are you their guardian?" he questioned.
"Sort of." Orion nodded.
"Then please leave, Guardians are not allowed to enter any further."
"No, I came here as their guardia-, ah wait, what do they call it again?
Right, Protector, I came here as a Protector."
"But the Vesta Family already has 2 Protectors here in the Academy." The man's frown deepened.
"And I will be the third." Orion nodded, not seeing this as a problem.
"…"
The man momentarily turned silent.
He didn't know how to react in this situation, after all, as great as the Vesta Family was, this was the Agresia Academy, he couldn't possibly allow them to act as they pleased.
"Sir, I apologize but has the Vesta Family informed the Academy about sending a Third Protector?" The man questioned politely, not wanting to offend Orion.
"We have not, that is the reason they sent me instead of anyone else," Orion replied.
"Sir, then there is nothing I can do. You would need to leave and come back once the Academy approves you as the protector."
Normally, in this situation where the person who humiliated his father was now being humiliated by someone else, Vaelen would have smirked, right now, however, he simply observed the situation with an expressionless look on his face.
The Family's Reputation was on the line here, Orion being humiliated here wouldn't just affect him, but all of them as well.
Vaelen, however, didn't seem worried.
After all, others might not know, he, however, knew who Orion was.
Orion who was not the husband of the Vesta Family Head, but Orion Ravenshadow who had once been a student of the Agresia Academy.
"Will this work?"
Suddenly, Orion took out a black card.
"What is it?" The man frowned.
"I attended the Academy a few decades ago, this is my Student ID."
The moment he said those words, the man's eyes widened in absolute surprise.
"A-A Black Student Id!?"
The man who was calm the entire time when he stood in front of the Vesta Mages, was now looking at Orion with a look that felt like he was looking at some sort of monster.
"C-Can I take a look at it, m-my Lord?" The man spoke, his voice trembling.
"Of course." Orion nodded as he passed his card to the man and the moment he read the name on the card, he took in a cold breath,
"O-Orion Ravenshadow…"
Orion simply smiled.
"L-Lord Orion, please forgive me if my actions were disrespectful." The man bowed his head to a straight 90 degrees. Seeing this, even the Vesta Mages widened their eyes in surprise. Especially the mages who were not here for the first time, they had never seen a person working in the Agresia Academy act like that.
"You were only doing what you were supposed to do." Orion nodded.
"T-Thank you." The man nodded in gratitude.
"There should not be any problems now, should there?"
"Of course not. Please follow me, I will register you as the Protector and enroll the new students you have brought."
The man spoke.
"Huh? Do we not have to stay in a line?" Elric frowned in confusion. Only the influential Families were allowed to send new students every year, so there was no favoritism here since everyone was an elite.
The admission of new students was a game of first come first served.
This time, however, things were different. This time, the Vesta Family had a Black Card Holder with them.
Skipping through the lines, the Vesta Mages were taken to a certain office.
"The old students can go to their respective residential areas." The man spoke. Vaelen and the others nodded as they all walked away.
The man then turned towards the new students and, "You all, walk in, the person sitting inside will ask you some details, answer honestly and he will help you enroll."
Vaan nodded as he and the other three walked into the office the man pointed at.
"Lord Orion, please follow me." The man spoke, his tone completely different than before as his back hunched on its own.
…
Inside the office Vaan and the others walked in, there sat an old man, his eyes fell on the children who had entered, then, without any change in his expression, he took out a device that looked like a tablet and,
"Full Name, Age, Occupation, and Level."
He spoke.
