The academy stood like a carved monument of authority against the horizon, its vast structure rising in layered tiers of stone and steel. Spires of pale metal pierced the sky. From a distance, it looked like a magnificent fortress.

This was the Royal Academy of Primoria.

Built at the junction between the different regions of Earth’s outer ring and the military districts, it was the central institution where every chosen heir, noble child, and gifted civilian with potential was shaped into something useful to the realm.

Massive gates of dark iron marked the entrance, each engraved with the emblem of Primoria: a crowned sun split by a rising blade. Beyond them stretched a wide ceremonial road lined with statues of past graduates, their faces weathered but proud, as if still watching the new arrivals pass judgment on them.

Inside the outer courtyard, groups of students were already gathering. Some wore refined noble uniforms with polished insignias, standing in perfect posture as they greeted each other with practiced politeness. Others came in simpler attire, but even they carried themselves with the forced confidence of people trying not to look out of place.

Above them all, floating platforms drifted slowly between towers, carrying instructors and officials across the academy like silent overseers.

Leo stood at the edge of the arriving crowd, looking up at the structure without saying anything for a moment. He wore the same academy outfit, which was shaded blue and fit perfectly on his body, maintaining his slender posture.

Beside him was Mirage, who wore the same clothing. Taren was also beside them, but he wore a different uniform meant for official troops.

Behind Leo, carriages continued to arrive, each one releasing more students into the courtyard. The sound of footsteps, greetings, and distant instruction calls blended and echoed across the surroundings.

Taren was the first to speak.

"I guess this is it," he sighed.

Leo and Mirage turned to him with mixed emotions. From now on, they’ll be staying in the academy’s dormitory, so they wouldn’t be seeing Taren and the rest for a long time.

Leo was still a bit angry that Yariel and Jean didn’t escort them to the academy and instead sent a chariot and Taren with them. Yet he couldn’t blame them. Yariel was a great figure amongst the Atlantis defense, so she was always busy.

Jean had also just been coronated alongside Elara, so he was supposedly busy. He was always busy to begin with. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

’Is the whole Atlantis family that busy? I thought Mirage and I were their future. Tch, betrayers.’

Noticing the frustration on Leo’s face, Taren smiled lightly.

"You really want to keep acting like this? Don’t you think it’s time to start managing your temper? You’re an Aura Farmer now."

Leo clicked his tongue and gave no reply, continuing forward.

"Okay, I’ll take that as a bye... Byeee," Taren waved, although Leo still ignored him.

He turned back to Mirage and bent down to her height. Mirage was shaking. When was she not shaking?

Taren shook his head and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I’m definitely sure the teachers aren’t going to hate you. No one will hate you or bully you, and no one will definitely pour sewage water into your lunch."

Mirage’s expression worsened.

"You got scared." Taren laughed. "I can assure you such things will never happen, so smile for me, huh?"

Mirage slowly forced a smile until it turned into a reassuring one.

"Can you help me with one thing though?"

Mirage blinked. "What might that be?"

He pointed to Leo, who had stopped in front of the building again, staring at them from afar.

"Make sure he doesn’t beat up the seniors on his first day. His ego knows no boundaries. Can you do that?"

Mirage nodded.

"I’ll try."

After exchanging goodbyes one more time, Taren entered the chariot they brought and flew away into the skies while Mirage summoned her remaining courage and entered the academy building.

After reaching Leo’s side, he didn’t wait for her to say anything and instead started walking directly into the building. She hurriedly ran to his side to keep up with his pace.

The first thing they had to do was register their Volumes and Paths. The academy would have known this even before they arrived, but it was still compulsory to physically register them.

At some point, Leo met some students who recognized him and Mirage as Atlantis members who had awakened two strong Volumes.

Within a few minutes, the news spread like wildfire across the whole academy that they had both resumed.

This made asking for directions and details difficult. Most just kept staring at them with stunned expressions as if Asgard itself had descended, others immediately ran away from them, and the rest simply teased them.

Leo was going to lose it at any moment. All he wanted was directions to the registration center! Godda—

He banged his head against a pillar. That would have hurt if aura wasn’t coursing through his body. It still hurt, though barely enough to notice.

"Just a freaking direction."

He was about to hit his head again when a voice stopped him.

"You’re still a Capricorn. Continue hitting your head and you’ll definitely pass out."

Leo raised his gaze, his eyes meeting calm blue ones.

Standing in front of him and Mirage was a young slender man between the age of fifteen and seventeen.

His dark hair fell loosely over his forehead in a slightly messy manner, yet somehow still looked neat. He wore the academy uniform casually, the collar slightly loose as if he couldn’t be bothered adjusting it properly. His posture was relaxed, almost lazy, with one hand tucked into his pocket while the other rested by his side.

What stood out the most was his expression. He just looked... completely unbothered.

His calm blue eyes carried a strange stillness to them, as if very little in the world could genuinely surprise or excite him. Even while staring directly at Leo, his face remained naturally indifferent, neither smiling nor frowning.

There was no tension around him despite the crowded academy passageway.

It felt oddly difficult to tell what he was thinking.

Mirage was already lost in the young man’s demeanor alongside others in the hallway.

"That’s Louis. A Third Year student."

"He looks so dreamy."

Leo didn’t care if he was royalty himself. He just wanted directions.

’What is dreamy though?’

Leo walked toward Louis and forced a respectful smile.

"Can you please direct me and my sister to the registration center?"

Louis raised an eyebrow as if Leo had said something stupid. He then pointed toward the door by their right.

Leo turned toward it, and his expression immediately soured.

Above the door was a description that read:

"Registration Room."

He turned back to Louis.

"Thanks."

"It’s nothing. Just doing my job as a senior. I heard you’re both the Atlantis kids. You must be Leo Atlantis. The bastard and the adopted. That’s really cool. And she must be Mirage Atlantis."

Leo nodded.

"I’m Louis. Louis Vance, Third Year. Oracle and Tenebris. Aries Rank."

"Nice meeting you, Louis."

Then they exchanged handshakes, causing everyone around them to react dramatically.