Asher POV

Asher was walking toward the auditorium—he was 20 minutes late.

’I got too focused on exploring and forgot about the orientation,’ Asher thought as he opened the auditorium doors and stepped inside.

But the moment he entered, everyone’s attention shifted toward him.

’Why? I didn’t even make a sound. I was just about to sit somewhere in the back.’

Asher thought, and soon Eldric’s loud, clear voice reached his ears—

"What is your name?"

"Asher Astrean," I answered calmly. What was there to fear? I was just a little late—it wasn’t a big deal.

"Son of Selena Astrean?"

Eldric asked with a curious expression.

"Yes."

Then Eldric said, a smile forming on his face—

"I suppose talent runs in the blood. You are even more of a genius than her."

’What is he talking about? This is my weakest vessel, only at Silver 7-star. What genius?’

Everyone seemed to share the same thought, since most of the top ten had already reached Gold Rank.

As for Selena Astrean—she had already reached Gold 3-star at the beginning of her academy days.

"What do you mean by ’genius’?" someone asked.

Eldric replied, "You cannot fool the eyes of a Saint. Even though your cultivation is only at Silver Rank, your mana control is the best among all the students here."

I said nothing in response.

I do have good mana control—but how does he know? I’m not even actively using mana.

"What is your rank?" Eldric asked.

"Twenty-six."

"Why did you score low on purpose?" 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"Because I wanted to live quietly and peacefully during my academy life. But it seems, because of a certain old man, that won’t be possible anymore."

I answered calmly.

I wasn’t angry. Everyone would have found out eventually—just later.

"I see. So that’s the reason," Eldric said.

"Do you know that ranks 1 to 10 can skip classes whenever they want?"

"Really?" Asher said, looking surprised.

"How can I climb the ranks?" I asked.

"You can challenge someone whose rank you want and defeat them in a duel. However, for the first week, you cannot issue challenges—they must accept it voluntarily."

"Also, rankings will change based on your performance in future exams."

"Thanks, old man," I said, walking toward an empty seat in the back.

"Asher Astrean," Eldric said in a serious tone, "I may be an old man, but you are currently in the academy. Address me as Headmaster from now on."

"Understood," I replied calmly and sat down, closing my eyes.

Meanwhile, the other students and teachers in the auditorium were still trying to process the conversation that had just taken place.

But soon, Eldric spoke again—

"Leon Zevark, come to the stage."

With that, everyone’s attention returned to the front.

Leon Zevark—a boy with blue hair and black eyes.

(I’m not going to spend an entire paragraph describing his face.)

He walked up to the stage and took the mic from a staff member.

Eldric didn’t use a mic, as he amplified his voice with magic.

Leon introduced himself with a smile and began his speech—

"Respected Headmaster, honored professors, senior students, and my fellow newcomers.

Today is our very first day at this extraordinary academy, and standing here as the entrance exam topper feels... surreal. Not because it proves I am the most capable among you—but because it reminds me how much I still have to learn.

An entrance exam measures knowledge, speed, and perhaps a bit of talent. But it does not measure perseverance, creativity, courage, or heart—the very qualities that truly define a great mage. Looking around, I don’t see competitors. I see individuals with untapped potential, each capable of surpassing any expectation, including my own.

We all come from different places, with different strengths and different dreams. Some of us may already be confident in our abilities, while others may feel uncertain or even intimidated. But today, we all stand on equal ground—at the beginning of a journey that will challenge and transform us..."

And well—

I fell asleep.

No lullaby can beat a boring speech.

...

When I woke up, everyone was already leaving.

I turned to the person sitting beside me and asked, "Did I miss anything important?"

The boy became nervous at my question, probably because of my status as the son of a duke.

"Nothing... except that there’s a freshmen party tonight at 9 PM," he answered in a shaky voice.

"I see. Thanks," I said, leaving for the dormitory.

Soon, I arrived in front of the S-Class dormitory.

It was a five-story building with six rooms on each floor, and every room had the same structure and facilities.

From the outside, the building looked more like a luxury residence than a student dorm. Tall, elegant walls of polished stone or marble rose several stories high, with large glass windows that reflected sunlight during the day and glowed warmly at night. Manicured gardens, lined with trimmed hedges and soft lighting, surrounded the building, giving it a serene, resort-like atmosphere. A wide pathway, paved with smooth tiles or cobblestones, led up to a grand entrance framed by pillars.

Two guards stood at the entrance, both at Peak Platinum Rank.

After verifying my identity, I entered and took the lift to the fourth floor, where my room was located.

Room 402.

After scanning my fingerprint at the door, I entered.

The room was spacious—containing a bedroom, a bathroom, a living room, and a kitchen.

It was 2 PM.

I entered the bedroom, stored the academy-provided bed in my subspace, and took out my own luxurious bed with pillows.

Then I lay down without a single worry.

’Nothing beats sleeping without worrying about the future.’

Those were Asher’s last thoughts before drifting off to sleep.