Lilith continued her walk toward the Academy, her new clothes fitting her body like they had been tailored specifically for her. The city's air felt pleasantly gentle, almost playful. Here, the atmosphere wasn't suffocating like the wasteland she had just crossed; instead, it was vibrant—alive with shimmering enchantments that danced between buildings in soft trails of color.
For the first time in a long while, Lilith felt a flicker of excitement for what might come next. Still, beneath her calm outward composure, a cold current of fear ran quietly—an ever-present reminder that someone could still be hunting her.
When she finally reached the main gate of the Academy Superior of Arcana (AAC), the entrance was surprisingly quiet. Only one guard stood there, leaning lazily against the massive arch of polished blue basalt, clearly bored out of his mind.
Lilith blinked at him, confused. Is he not going to ask for identification? She already had the Sultanate card ready between her fingers.
The guard let out a loud, annoyed sigh—clearly tired of answering the same question a thousand times a day—and gestured to the faint sky-blue energy gate embedded into the archway.
"Just walk through it," he muttered without even glancing at her. "Portal's got a detection array. Reads your magic, checks for malicious intent. If you're not here to kill anyone, you're good."
Lilith straightened her shoulders under her fitted linen shirt.
This, of course, posed a problem. Her magic wasn't something a simple scanner could interpret without sounding alarms.
As she stepped beneath the arch, she focused. She used the fragment of Malus like a veil, a shifting lens. Instead of letting pure Ether leak from her core—a guaranteed alert—she stained it. Masked it.
The soft blue glow of the arch pulsed once… then flickered into a brief, deep violet halo around her. Ancient Magic. Old, mysterious, and rare—but acceptable, especially for someone claiming to be from the Sultanate.
The guard grunted, unimpressed.
"Next," he called to no one.
Lilith crossed the threshold. She was inside.
The world beyond the gate opened like a kingdom within a kingdom—so vast and immaculate that Lilith's breath stilled for a moment.
The AAC was a sprawling citadel of cream-white marble and enchanted glass, sprawling across the very heart of Ernas. Towers rose in spirals, joined by bridges of floating stone. Translucent runic lines glowed along the walls like veins of light, and shimmering spell-circles drifted lazily above gardens and courtyards.
The air thrummed with controlled power, as if the entire academy itself had a heartbeat.
Lilith moved through an enormous courtyard, where dozens of students practiced openly:
—On one side, a row of mage apprentices stood before floating crystalline targets. Bolts of fire, arcs of blue lightning, and spiraling blades of wind shot across the field. Each spell left streaks of glowing residue hanging in the air like colorful smoke.
—To her right, a large combat arena had been set up on polished obsidian tiles. Students in reinforced training coats sparred fiercely with wooden staves, short swords, and even fist techniques infused with mana. The clang of weapons and bursts of impact echoed like thunder.
—Farther ahead, a group of robed scholars gathered around a levitating orb, arguing animatedly about runic permutations. Their voices layered into a chaotic but strangely charming chorus.
Everywhere she looked, the Academy pulsed with movement:
Elite adventurers in enchanted armor sat on steps chatting and laughing; young nobles posed dramatically as they conjured tiny spells to impress their classmates; a trio of beast-folk carried stacks of books twice their size while debating elemental theory; a floating golem librarian drifted past, humming quietly as it sorted papers midair.
Lilith felt eyes sliding toward her as she walked.
Not hostile—just curious.
The combination of her exotic aura, the clean-cut outfit from Clara's boutique, and her presence that was both cold and commanding drew subtle attention.
So this is it, she thought. My new battlefield.
Lilith continued deeper into the academy grounds, her steps steady on the gleaming marble paths. The more she walked, the more overwhelming the AAC became—like a city of scholars and warriors layered inside a cathedral of magic.
Students drifted past her in clusters: some laughing, others floating books at their sides, some competing with sparks and gusts of mana that fizzled above their palms. A breeze carried the scent of enchanted ink, hot metal, and blooming ether-flowers from the central gardens.
She needed to find the registration hall, and the campus stretched in all directions like a maze built by someone who had never heard the word "simple."
Ahead, near a fountain shaped like a levitating sphere of water, she spotted a small group of students gathered under the shade of a marble archway. They stood out immediately—they were better dressed, better groomed, and carried themselves with the relaxed arrogance of people who had never been denied anything in their lives.
Perfect.
Lilith approached.
The group noticed her only when she was close. Three students stood together: a girl with sandy hair and glasses, a tall boy with a sword made of condensed mana strapped across his back, and another boy—clearly the leader—whose cloak was embroidered with gold thread.