Academic Haven

Two days later, Ryder woke up to the sunlight and the sound of birds chirping outside his window. He saw Lily sitting next to him.

"Good morning, sweetheart. How did you sleep?" she asked, with a gentle voice.

He rubbed his eyes and yawned. "I slept well, thanks. How about you?"

"Let's just say I had a good night," she said, in her usual playful manner.

He smiled and nodded. He liked her cheerful attitude. It made him feel more relaxed.

"So, are you excited for your first day of school?" she asked, with a playful tone.

He felt nervous and excited. He had to meet the school owner before classes started. He was glad that Byakuya was taking him, not Emilia, because he wasn't comfortable around her cold demeanor.

"I guess so. I mean, I don't know what to expect. I've never gotten the chance to attend school before, so I'm kinda nervous." he said, with a shy voice.

"Don't worry, you'll do great. You're smart and talented, and you have a lot of potential. Besides, you have Me, Emilia and Byakuya to help you out. We'll always be there for you." she said, with a warm smile.

He felt touched by her words. He gave her a hug and thanked her.

She hugged him back and kissed his cheek. "You're welcome, sweetheart. Now, hurry up and get ready. We don't want to keep Byakuya waiting. He's taking you to school today."

He felt a surge of anxiety. He remembered what she told him the night before. He would get a lot of stares, because he was the captain's brother. He hated being the center of attention, and always preferred being invisible.

He took a shower and dressed up. As if waiting for him to finish, his phone lit up immediately he was done. He saw a text on his phone telling him to go to the dining room. He had gotten a smartphone from Lily. It was like the ones in his old world, but more advanced. It had an AI named Aia, who controlled all the gadgets in the castle.

He met Byakuya in the dining room. They ate breakfast together. He didn't know what to say to him. He just said good morning.

Byakuya smiled and nodded. He sensed his nervousness and tried to make him feel more at ease.

"Good morning. How are you feeling today?" he asked, with a friendly voice.

He shrugged and smiled. "I'm feeling okay, I guess. A bit nervous, but also curious."

Byakuya nodded and understood. He remembered his own first day of school. It was not easy, especially for someone like him, who had a lot of expectations and responsibilities.

"I know how you feel. It's normal to be nervous on your first day of school. It's a big change, and a big challenge. But you don't have to worry. You'll do fine. You have a lot of potential. You just have to be yourself, and do your best." he said, with a reassuring voice.

"If only I could feel this potential you and Lily keep mentioning," Ryder muttered.

He felt a bit more confident and grateful. He liked Byakuya's calm demeanor. It made him feel more secure.

"Thank you." he said, with a sincere voice.

Byakuya smiled, "You're welcome."

He felt happy and touched. He was glad to have Byakuya as his brother figure. He respected him and admired him.

Byakuya finished his breakfast and told him to meet him outside. When he got outside, he saw Byakuya staring at the sky. He was wearing a long jacket, black and white. The jacket had the symbol of the Vanguard on its back— a stylized, radiant crystal, surrounded with dynamic line that formed a shield

Byakuya told him they were going to fly to school. He was shocked and scared. Byakuya told him not to worry. He patted his head and told him to get on his back. He jumped into the air with him. Ryder closed his eyes and felt the wind.

Byakuya stopped and turned left. He saw a group of buildings occupying a large piece of land, some enclosed with their own fence, and all being enclosed with a bigger fence. As they got closer, the buildings appeared bigger, and he saw more things he didn't see before.

They left where they started at 7:30 and got to the school at 7:31. He was more amazed when he learned the school was 12.7 miles from the castle. He wanted to move like that.

When he got off Byakuya's back, someone came to them. A tall lively old man wearing a suit. He looked like he was in his late forties or fifties. His presence was strong and young despite his age. He had an aura of endless youth.

The old man greeted Byakuya. "Captain Byakuya, good morning. It's an honor to have you in my school today."

"I'm sorry we're late, Professor. My brother took a long time to get ready." Byakuya answered, while extending his arm for a handshake.

The old man replied and accepted the handshake. "It's no problem, Captain."

He looked at Ryder and smiled brightly. He looked away and smiled back.

"Looks like we have a shy one here, Captain."

"He's still getting used to the environment. I'm sure he'll adjust soon." Byakuya placed his palm on Ryder's head, gently.

"I see. How about I show you both around before we get to serious business?"

The old man led them to the campus, which harmoniously integrated a high school, a primary school, a middle school, and a prestigious university. It welcomed both those with powers and those without, whom Ryder sometimes called "the ordinary".

"This is the heart of our school, where you can meet people from different backgrounds, ages, and abilities." The old man said, as they walked through the square.

"We believe in diversity and inclusion, and we encourage our students to learn from each other and collaborate on projects," he added

Ryder looked around and saw many faces, some curious, some friendly, some indifferent. He felt a bit overwhelmed by the crowd, but also intrigued by the variety. He wondered if he would fit in, and if he would make some friends.

"Who is he?" He heard someone whisper.

"Isn't that Captain Byakuya?"

"Is he related to the Captain?" Another voice asked.

"Wow, he's so lucky. I wish I could be related to the captain."

"He doesn't look like much. Maybe he's just a normal kid."

He heard more whispers and felt more stares. He wished he could disappear, or at least blend in. He hated being the center of attention, especially when he didn't do anything to deserve it.

"Pay no attention to them. They're just curious. You'll get used to it soon." Byakuya said, sensing his discomfort.

He nodded, but he didn't feel reassured. He hoped the tour would end soon, and he could go to his class. Although feeling uncomfortable, he was amazed by what he had seen in the school, so far.

The old man showed them the sports facilities, which were scattered throughout the campus and customized to the needs of each age group.

"This is the football field, where the high school students practice and play. They have a great team, and they always compete in the national tournaments. Some of them even get scholarships to play in college." The old man said, as they watched the young athletes kick the ball with enthusiasm.

"Hmmmm, I see..." Byakuya said, his tone remaining calm, as always.

"Do you play football, Ryder?" Byakuya asked, with a curious voice.

He shook his head. "No, I don't. I've never played any sports before. I'm not very athletic."

Byakuya nodded and smiled back. "That's okay. You don't have to be athletic to enjoy sports. You can just watch and cheer for them.

He took them to the athletic complex, where a group of university students were training. The complex was vast and impressive, with Olympic-sized fields and courts. The athletes were strong and determined, and the trainers were experienced and supportive.

"This is the athletic complex, where the university students train and compete. They have a great team, too, and they always compete in the national and international tournaments. Some of them even get to represent our country in the Olympics." The old man said, as they witnessed the hard work and the dedication.

"Wow, they're really amazing," Ryder thought as he marveled at the sight of the students training.

After that, they went to the art studio, where a group of students from different levels were creating. The studio was bright and cozy, with paintings and sculptures.

"This is the art studio, where the students create and express themselves," the old man said as they passed by the studio.

"Well, this is something I'm interested in," Ryder whispered to himself.

"Who knows, I might try getting into art after some time."

He noticed the sudden silence and looked up. His eyes met Byakuya who was staring at him.

"So you're interested in art?" Byakuya asked.

"Y... Yeah," Ryder replied

"I like that. You should get into it and put your creativity to work after you settle down here."

"O... Okay," Ryder replied while brushing his hair with his right hand, nervously.

"Well, that concludes the tour," the old man said with a smile.

"Welcome to your new school Ryder," the old man extended his hand towards Ryder for a handshake.

As they shook hands, a figure wearing a black cloak lingered far above them in the sky.

"If it wasn't for the artifact Kai gave me, Byakuya would've probably sensed my presence a while ago," he said to himself.

"No one told me that monster would be with the boy."

"That aside, so that's the target," he squinted his eyes, focusing his gaze on Ryder

"Interesting..."

"Prepare yourself boy," a sinister chuckle escaped his lips

"Enjoy the rest of the days you have..."