The ceremony ended without incident.
Students began dispersing across the campus in organized waves, guided by announcements and faculty members. Conversations grew louder, more casual—expectations slowly transforming into reality.
Astryx Academy had officially begun its new academic year.
Kraine Hiddel walked along the corridor with unhurried steps, his hands still resting in his pockets. The hallway was filled with unfamiliar faces, voices overlapping into a constant stream of noise.
"…Did you see her earlier?"
"Of course, she's Rank 1…"
"I heard she's undefeated…"
Zenobia Edelweiss.
Her name echoed repeatedly among the students.
Kraine listened, though not intentionally.
"…Hmm."
It wasn't surprising.
People naturally focused on those at the top.
He reached the classroom door labeled:
Grade 11 – Section A
Without hesitation, he slid the door open.
Inside, several students had already arrived. Some were seated, others chatting in small groups. The atmosphere felt… competitive, even without anyone saying it directly.
This wasn't an ordinary class.
These were students who had made it into Astryx Academy.
Each of them carried something.
Ambition.
Confidence.
Or something else entirely.
Kraine walked in quietly and chose a seat near the window, away from the center of attention. He leaned slightly against the chair, his gaze drifting outside.
The sky was clear.
Peaceful.
For now.
"…You're new."
A voice interrupted his thoughts.
Kraine glanced sideways.
A student stood beside his desk, arms crossed, expression curious but slightly challenging.
"Yeah," Kraine replied simply.
"You don't look like you belong here."
Kraine blinked once.
"…Is that so?"
The student studied him for a moment longer, as if trying to measure something unseen. Then—
"Tch. Whatever."
He turned away, clearly uninterested in continuing the conversation.
Kraine didn't react.
Moments later—
The classroom door opened again.
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Conversations stopped.
Eyes turned.
Zenobia Edelweiss entered the room.
She didn't say anything at first.
She simply walked in, her presence alone enough to command attention. Her gaze briefly scanned the classroom—not lingering, but not careless either.
Then—
She moved.
Step by step, she walked toward an empty seat near the front.
And sat down.
Silently.
The room remained quiet for a few seconds longer than necessary.
Then whispers returned—softer this time.
Controlled.
Kraine watched from the back.
"…So she's in the same class."
It wasn't a big deal.
Or at least, it shouldn't have been.
A few minutes later, another figure entered—a teacher this time.
A man in his early thirties, carrying a folder, his expression calm but sharp.
"Take your seats."
The room complied immediately.
He placed the folder on the desk and looked at the class.
"You are Section A. The top class of Grade 11."
No one reacted outwardly, but the tension in the room tightened.
"You've already seen the standards expected of you."
A brief pause.
"My name is Walter Haltz." the instructor introduced himself.
"Now, you will introduce yourselves."
A few students shifted slightly in their seats.
"Name. Background. And…"
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"…what you believe you're capable of."
That last part wasn't normal.
It wasn't just introduction.
It was evaluation.
"Let's begin."
He looked toward the front.
"Zenobia Edelweiss."
She stood without hesitation.
"My name is Zenobia Edelweiss."
Her voice was as composed as before.
"No additional background is necessary."
A subtle confidence.
Or perhaps certainty.
A few students exchanged glances.
"As for what I am capable of…"
A faint pause.
"…I do not lose."
Silence.
Not arrogance.
Not entirely.
It sounded more like—
A statement.
"I look forward to this year."
She sat down.
The air felt heavier.
The teacher nodded slightly.
"Next."
Introductions continued one by one.
Each student revealed fragments of themselves—some confident, some hesitant, some clearly hiding more than they showed.
Then—
"Kraine Hiddel."
A brief pause.
All eyes turned.
Kraine exhaled softly and stood up.
He didn't look nervous.
He didn't look confident either.
Just—
Neutral.
"My name is Kraine Hiddel."
He paused, as if considering what else to say.
"Background… nothing special."
A few students frowned.
"That's it?"
"…And what you're capable of?" the teacher pressed.
Kraine thought for a moment.
Then—
"…I don't really know."
Silence.
This time, different from before.
Confused.
Some students looked annoyed.
Others unimpressed.
Zenobia's gaze shifted slightly.
"…You don't know?" the teacher repeated.
Kraine tilted his head slightly.
"I guess… I'll find out."
It wasn't a joke.
He meant it.
The teacher studied him for a second longer than necessary.
"…Sit down."
Kraine did.
The class moved on.
But something had changed.
It wasn't obvious.
Not yet.
But in a room filled with certainty—
One person who didn't know his own limits…
Was far more unsettling than someone who did.