Enrolling into the Academy

Year 1993, 11th Epoch, Northern continent;

The spring season arrived in the continent and the admissions for eight-year-olds in every nation began.

Almost every nation follows the same schooling system.

There are two types of Arcana academies. Normal and Special.

Each city has a Normal Arcana Academy that teaches beginners, starting from Grade 1 to Grade 10.

Grade 1 and 2 are for the kids who have yet to awaken their soul card. They will be taught about the world of Arcana as a special subject along with normal education.

Of course, it goes without saying that the subject will cost a dime for the parents.

After awakened, Arcana Masters will be enrolled in grade-3 and goes through an eight-year program until they complete grade-10, upon graduation, where they receive the diploma equivalent to high school in normal schools.

A student of such an academy will be graduated usually at the age of 15, three years prior to a normal school.

Those who are awakened late or miss the timing like Azzy have no choice but to study at home and attend private Arcana training centers.

Or if they have a recommendation from a recognized person in the city, they can get into the academy. This is the solution Affea offered to Azzy.

And there are special academies. Only one such academy exists for one nation.

Unlike normal academies, they don't have any grades. Their education was completely dependent on the Arcana world. The students have to attend universities separately on their own for advanced studies.

While the entry age of such an academy should be at least 15, their graduation isn't dependent on age but their rank.

Aclein Arcana Academy, Aclein city;

Students lined up at the entrance while parents stood on the side.

Azzy felt embarrassed standing in the line filled with eight-year-olds. Thankfully for him, there are students, similar ages to him.

But, being the tallest in the line and have the soul power above rank-4, many parents kept on paying attention to him.

Even the student council Vice-president, a grade-10 student who was overseeing the admissions at the gate was no exception either.

She kept on glancing at him from time to time while vaguely replying to others.

After half an hour, Azzy's turn came up.

She initiated the greeting with a smile, "Hello."

Azzy returned her greetings with a simple nod and handed the recommendation letter directly to her before she asks his details.

"Eh? Divine Physician Oakley?" Looking at the stamp and signature, she was taken aback and looked at it carefully to check whether it's a forgery or it's real.

After all, it is known that six-star Arcana Master Oakley is always hard to approach and has a well-known reputation in the city as the best healer.

But, once she considered Azzy's level, she thought it was normal and even became excited to have a genius like him join their academy.

She raised her hand for a handshake with a smile, "Welcome to Aclein academy of Arcana."

Azzy once again responded with a nod making her embarrassed a little and she quickly backed her hand away before she continued to speak, "according to the letter, you wish to enroll in grade-8, is that correct?"

Azzy responded with a simple nod once again.

"Here." She handed a form and a letter, "fill your details and hand both of them at the reception. You'll be given one of the keys to the room you are allotted, at the dormitory.

Classes start in the last week of this month. You can keep your things in the assigned dorm at any time you want. The fees are 100 thousand credits per annum including everything.

If you can't afford to pay, you can also apply for a merit scholarship at the reception. As long as you are a rank-4 Arcana Master, your fees will be waived, and will even receive 2000 credits per month as a scholarship.

The academy will also open a bank account for you. But, if you already have one on your name, then, you can add those details in the form or just keep it blank.

Don't forget to attend the orientation on the first day. It's very important. Our principal. Mr. Finch Falcon is a seven-star Arcana Master. You don't want to miss such a rare opportunity of attending his lecture.

There are no holidays on weekends except for the Second and Fourth Sunday of every month. Only in those two days, you were allowed to leave the premises unless there's an emergency situation in your family.

And um… What else is there… yeah, every month, there will be a monthly tournament where the shuffling of classes takes place. With your rank, I'm sure you will have no problem staying in Elite class all this year."

She kept on reminding him of this and that, forgetting that there are candidates waiting in the line. The gatekeepers felt, if not for the line, she might have even acted as a tour guide for his new student.

After all the explanation she had done, Azzy once again responded with a simple nod as he took it and entered the premises, dumbfounding her.

What's more, she didn't even take it as an offense and further spoke to herself in realization, "I forgot to ask his name."

Meanwhile, the rest of them who stood in the line thought at the same time, 'not fair.'

While filing the form isn't that difficult, there are a few things that troubled him.

Like his address, his parents/guardian names, if he's an orphan, then, the name of it, the name of the school he studied before, etc...

After thinking for a while, he left out his surname and used the address of one of the orphanages at the town of Sliya, which is in the Southern Qudour nation.

Unless he was a wanted criminal or some Royal family has a grudge against him, no one would bother to investigate his background too much.

He wanted to add the Affea's Mansion as the current address to receive the ID card before the term starts. But, at the last second, he left it blank, implying that he will take it personally from the reception.

After handing it to the receptionist, he was given a key card for him at the boys' dormitory, which is located, exactly behind the administration building.

Perhaps, the dormitories were the same everywhere. This was the first thought that came to Azzy's mind as he walked across the hallway. It is quite similar to the one at Violet Pavilion.

Since the upper-grade students have holidays, Azzy didn't see anyone on the floor.

"307" Azzy stopped before a room and looked at the number, "this is my room."

*Ding!

The red light turned green as the door was unlocked.

As he entered the room, he saw it was a simple room with decent furniture.

Atleast, there are electronic appliances in the dorm, which brought satisfaction to Azzy as his previous dorm at the Violet Pavilion lacked AC, TV, and a fridge.

There are three beds in the room with one being king-size in the middle and the other is a single one at the window.

Luckily, it was an unoccupied room as the previous members graduated.

He immediately chose the single bed and took out his things from the storage card and arranged them.

One week passed;

Affea Mansion;

The family of three sat at the dining table, eating their food slowly in silence.

"Hah!" taking a deep sigh, Princess Snieca commented, "Without the kid's presence, the table kinda feels incomplete…"

Oakley suddenly asked, "Do you want to adopt him?"

While Affea was stunned, Avia turned towards him and blinked for a while in silence.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Author's Note: Each Epoch have 10 thousand years before the calendar resets.

It's because 10 thousand years is the limit of rank-9 Arcana Master.