Freshers Party [I]

There were a few more events after the Award Ceremony.

After my concluding speech, the Grandmaster took his leave. He seemed a bit shaken — perhaps he was deeply moved by my words.

Yes, that must have been it.

Soon after, the Cadet Council appeared to escort us on a grand tour of the Apex Academy.

To prevent overcrowding in the walkways, we were divided into small groups. Each group was led by a member of the Council.

My own group was under the guidance of none other than the Council President herself, Vereshia Morrigan. 

The boys around me couldn't peel their eyes off her, admiring her chilling beauty with such fervor that it bordered on worship.

No, really!

They stared at her like pilgrims gazing upon a goddess. I half-expected one of them to drop to their knees before her and start praying.

Meanwhile, the girls were also caught somewhere between envy and grudging awe. They wanted to hate her but just couldn't bring themselves to.

But regardless of their feelings, everyone in her presence seemed tense.

Vereshia's aura was magnetic yet indisputably unnerving, like a siren song laced with danger. 

Her presence wasn't as profound and influencing as some of the strong Instructors, but it still held an edge — like a blade pressed against your neck.

Like you were at her mercy.

Every third-year Cadet was strong. I've noticed that. After all, they had gone through countless missions and slayed numerous abominations to reach their final academic year.

But Vereshia Morrigan was just on a different level.

Everything about her – from the graceful way she walked to the sharp confidence she carried herself with – screamed authority and elegance.

…Anyway, she professionally ignored our venerated and cautious gazes, and led us through the vast academy campus.

As we walked, she narrated every detail of our surroundings with the precision of someone who knew the Academy like the back of her hand.

She then slowed down the tour and told us a bit about what was on some of the Orbiting Islands that was worth taking note of.

Each Orbiting Island served a different purpose and housed unique facilities — specialized training grounds, secluded reading halls, combat zones for testing mettle, and the Archives.

She described the Archives as a library so massive that it could easily shadow a small town in scale. It was big enough to hold millions of books, records, and data drives.

Some islands were restricted, reserved only for Cadets in the top ten ranking or members of some Elite Units and Prestigious Societies.

But that didn't mean the top ten Cadets could go anywhere they wished.

In fact, even the top ten Cadets were barred from entering certain places, like the uppermost floor of the Apex Tower — a sanctum exclusively for the Cadet Council. 

And then, the crowning island that floated directly atop the Apex Tower wasn't welcoming even to the Cadet Council.

Only the Grandmasters and a chosen few were permitted to set foot in it. But since no one knew who those chosen few were, it might very well be a myth.

Of course, I knew it wasn't.

But I kept my mouth shut and kept walking while listening to Vereshia's explanation.

The tour went on for four, maybe five hours.

By the time it concluded, every first-year Cadet was drained.

Why wouldn't we be? We'd been asked to come here sharply at six in the morning.

And now, the sun hung high above us in the middle of the sky, casting its merciless heat as the clock struck one in the afternoon.

Yes, it was already one in the afternoon, and we were starving!

At least I was!

Thankfully, the Academy had thought of it beforehand and arranged a welcome banquet in our honor.

It was an all-you-can-eat brunch.

The Main Island of the Ascent Isles was a self-sustaining city designed with concentric rings of sleek, futuristic architecture. 

Between these rings lay patches of vibrant paradise known as the Sky Gardens.

These gardens were not just simple parks. No, they were masterpieces.

Imagine sprawling terraces filled with lush greenery, cascading waterfalls that seemed to pour from the heavens, and crystalline ponds reflecting light like liquid gemstones.

Imagine fragrant flowers blooming vibrantly under towering trees that swayed gently in the breeze, and winding pathways made of beautifully polished stone.

And amidst this greenery, lavish banquet stalls were set up for us.

These stalls were decorated with the most exotic dishes from all around the world, crafted by some very highly renowned chefs.

The air was filled with the enticing aromas of spices, roasted meats, freshly baked bread, and a variety of other delicacies.

Vereshia guided us to one of these Sky Gardens, gestured toward the stalls, and invited us to indulge.

And indulge we did!

I ran up to the stalls, grabbed a plate, and began piling it with reckless abandon — roasted meats, flaky pastries, steaming soup.

I took basically anything I could get my hands on! 

If it was edible, it was mine!

Was I behaving like a starving barbarian who'd just discovered civilization? Sure.

Was I behaving worse than a poor peasant? No doubt about it.

But in my defense, I was hungry! And I become a bit feral when I get hungry.

While others were making the most of this gathering by socializing, I was single-handedly declaring war on the buffet.

I was wolfing down food with the urgency of someone who thought it might vanish at any second.

By the time I polished off my first plate, I noticed a few Cadets staring at me.

Their expressions ranged from mild revulsion to outright horror, as if they'd just witnessed a crime against table manners.  

I gave them my most charming smile — one that would put even the most elegant nobles to shame — and then ran off to the dessert stalls.

•••

"Ahh, that was good!"  

I daintily patted the corner of my lips with a handkerchief as I moved away from the stalls, finally allowing the others to eat in peace.

As I walked off, people frantically stepped back from me.

Their faces were contorted with unease, as though they feared I might eat them as well if they got too close.

"Haah!" I chuckled softly, making everyone flinch around me. Then, I looked back and sighed to myself.

Juliana was silently trailing behind me. Actually, she had been silent ever since the conclusion of the Evaluation Exam.  

Her silence wasn't obviously out of respect or even resignation.

No, it was sharp, cutting, and laced with simmering disdain.

She spoke to me only when it was absolutely necessary. Even then, her words were clipped and curt, and her tone was colder than ice.

Our longest conversation was when she told me that my speech was absurd and wrote me a new one without waiting for my approval.

Aside from that, she'd been totally quiet.

I knew the reason.  

It was because I had used her against Michael.

Not because I sacrificed her like a pawn on a chessboard, coldly and without hesitation.

No, Juliana understood her role all too well. She wasn't foolish enough to think I wouldn't use her in battle, nor did she expect otherwise.

What truly unsettled her was the reminder of the chains — the invisible, suffocating bindings that tied her life to my will.

The BloodWorm in her chest.

Juliana was someone who cherished her freedom above all else, second only to her all-consuming desire for revenge against my father.

Forcing a girl like that into servitude was bound to have consequences.

I saw it in the tension of her movements and heard it in the brittle silence that clung to her. She loathed the fact that she was chained to me.

Perhaps even more than she loathed me.

She wasn't just angry because I'd sacrificed her against Michael for my victory — though she certainly was, let there be no mistake.

What truly disgusted her was the glaring reminder that her life was not her own.

She hated the chains. And because I wielded them, she hated me too.

I sighed again and looked ahead…  

"Oh!"  

"Ahh!"  

Only to come face to face with none other than Vereshia Morrigan. We were about to collide, but I managed to stop just in time.

Shaking off the momentary awkwardness, I composed myself and gave a slight bow, as any nobleman would.  

"Lady Vereshia," I greeted.  

"Lord Samael," she responded with a warm smile, extending her hand.  

I took her hand with a gentle grip and kissed it — or rather, kissed the thumb I had pressed above her fingers.

In my tradition, it wasn't customary to kiss a lady's hand directly.  

When I straightened, I saw Vereshia's smile stiffen ever so slightly.

Why? Well, because in her culture, it was, in fact, customary to kiss a lady's hand directly. Anything less was a mild slight. 

Of course, there was no way I wouldn't have known this. But I still put my own customs above hers.

It wasn't something that should offend anyone, but we high-nobles were notoriously easy to offend.

Most of us would hang a peasant for simply breathing too loudly around us.

However, if Vereshia took offense, she didn't let it show on her face.

Her smile brightened instead, and without a word, she turned and began walking.  

"...Ah?" I hesitated for a moment before quickly catching up to walk beside her.  

"It's so good seeing you, Lord Samael," she started in a polite tone that's often used for small talk among colleagues. "By the way, I don't believe we've met in person before?"  

"The pleasure is all mine, Lady Vereshia," I replied with a nod. "And no, we haven't. Though I did see you from afar last year when I visited the Southern Safe-Zone for… uh, something. Can't quite remember."  

She chuckled lightly. "Was it for the Ravecrest wedding?"  

I snapped my fingers. "Oh, right! The Ravecrest wedding. Gods, it was so awful that my mind just blocked it out."  

Then, realizing what I'd just said, I coughed awkwardly. "Ah, no offense, of course! I'm sure if your family had been involved, it would've been spectacular."  

The Ravecrests were a Count family under the Morrigans, one of the Ducal clans in the South.

Insulting their vassals wasn't technically insulting Vereshia's family — but it wasn't very far from it, either.  

To my relief, Vereshia laughed a bit louder this time. "Oh, the rumors about you were so true and so off at the same time."  

I frowned. Was that a compliment or an insult?  

Before I could press her on it, Vereshia pulled something from her pocket and held it out to me.  

I stared at it, puzzled.  

It was a… key? A perfectly ordinary key?  

"What's this?" I asked, taking it from her grasp.

"What does it look like?" she replied, her lips twitching as if suppressing a smile.  

"A key," I said flatly.

"Exactly."  

I gave her a deadpan look, and this time, she couldn't hold back her grin.  

"It's the key to Dining Hall 12B," she explained. "As the Ace of the first-years, it's your job to organize a freshers party for them. Tonight. Since classes will commence starting tomorrow."  

"Tonight?!" I blurted out.

Wait, I think I remember Michael having to do something similar in the game.  

"Yes," she said matter-of-factly. "The rest of the gentry, nobles, high-nobles, and alumni children will arrive this evening. Some have already started arriving. They'll be attending this event, so make it good."  

She patted my shoulder reassuringly. "I'll have my Shadow send you a list of caterers and party managers we have in Ascent right now. Don't worry about funds — go all out."  

As she walked off, she added over her shoulder, "Oh, and isn't your twin sister joining the Academy as well? She'll be there too, so really, make it good."

I stood frozen for a moment. Then, slowly, I turned around and lobbed the key toward Juliana.  

She caught it with half-lidded eyes and an unimpressed expression, as if waiting for me to throw this responsibility on her face like I always do.

"Do something, Juli. And don't embarrass me," I said without breaking stride, already walking away.  

After all, I had more pressing matters to attend to than managing a boring freshers party — like moving my luggage into a luxurious dorm.