Alista Tudor stood in the large hall teeming with Sleepers, the atmosphere electric with anticipation. This was the day: Sunless (Sunny) and Nephis would finally join the Academy.
Alista was searching for Fors Wall. To his genuine surprise, the "Lazy Bum" had apparently arrived early, though he couldn't spot her. 'When did the Lazy Bum get up so early?' he thought, his internal clock already recalibrating Fors's typical habits.
As he scanned the crowd, his attention was drawn to a girl with long black hair and chilling blue eyes. She wore the standard uniform, but Alista's [Battle Analyzer] registered the subtle, perfect posture of someone trained in combat from a young age—a Legacy, most likely.
The girl approached him directly. "You are Alista Tudor, I presume."
Alista offered a slight smirk. "Who are you?"
The lady smiled faintly. "Well, I will introduce myself later, but I must say, your reputation in the Academy is…"
Alista cut her off, his expression dry. "Bad?"
She chuckled, a clear, sharp sound. "I would say… unexpected. No one tries to fight an Awakened Human voluntarily."
Alista nodded. "Well, I am a peculiar piece of guy. How should I call you for now?"
As she was about to speak, a sudden, sharp slapping sound cut through the hall's low murmur.
Alista turned instantly and saw the scene: Fors Wall had just slapped the new arrival, Sunny.
"Lady, wait here," Alista said to the girl, his smirk replaced by sudden urgency. "I have a situation here to solve." He immediately abandoned the conversation and strode toward the commotion.
[A Few Minutes Before]
Fors walked among the Sleepers, engaging in simple chit-chat with the other ladies. 'Huh, this is good. Now he won't be able to call me Lazy Bum,' she thought, pleased with her early attendance.
As she conversed, she saw him—a petite young boy with black hair. He was short and looked, ironically, like the kind of person one might call a "flower boy."
'Sunless is here,' Fors realized. 'I better not engage in a conversation.' She recalled the novel: Sunny would engage in short, rude conversations to deliberately gain a bad reputation, a side effect of trying to control his Flaw. 'I better never speak with him.'
She tried to ignore him, but Sunny began engaging with the other girls. He started very badly, giving off an instantly rude vibe by mentioning, entirely out of context, that he had killed people for their boots and clothes. Fors tried to ignore him and continued her conversation with the girl next to her.
Suddenly, one of the girls exclaimed, "Hey, I got an Enchanted Cloak!" She summoned it, a beautiful garment that genuinely looked lovely on her.
Sunny looked at both the girls and then uttered the line that snapped Fors's patience. "Actually, I would prefer both to see you without a robe and clothes…"
Fors was enraged. Even if the truth of his Shadow was exposed, out of pure, righteous emotion, she slapped Sunny hard.
Sunny looked at her, his face contorted with pure rage. It was at this moment that Alista Tudor arrived on the scene.
Alista Tudor surveyed the scene: Fors standing defiantly, and Sunny's cheek already turning red from the powerful slap.
"What exactly happened?" Alista asked, looking at Fors.
Fors quickly explained the situation and Sunny's shockingly crude remark. Alista instantly understood the scenario—Sunny was actively engaging his Flaw to gain control.
Alista looked at Sunny. He had to establish dominance immediately to prevent further drama. "You should apologize to the ladies."
Sunny, still arrogant despite the slap, spoke with a smirk. "I told the truth."
Alista was clearly pissed now. The arrogance was offensive. "So, what is your Aspect Rank for you to be this arrogant?"
Sunny, triggered by the challenge, immediately responded, puffing out his chest. "Divine rank, you know. And my Appraisal is 'Glorious' too."
Alista processed the information—a true rival in rank and appraisal. He leaned in, his voice dropping to a low, curious tone. "So, do you have a True Name?"
Sunny was shocked to the core. His face contorted with displeasure and rage, and he stammered, "Y… Yes."
Alista pressed the attack. "If so, what is your True Name?"
Sunny's face went pale. He opened his mouth without a choice, but Alista cut him off before he could blurt out the secret name that bound him.
"No need to spout some nonsense, Shorty," Alista said dismissively. "Now, take some time and give me a proper lie. Next time, I will expect a proper, unique True Name."
Alista grabbed Fors by the arm and firmly dragged her away from the scene, leaving Sunny standing there, breathing a massive sigh of relief before he began cursing Alista under his breath.
Alista dragged Fors to a quiet corner. "Are you feeling better?"
"Even if I read it in the story, actually experiencing it was different," Fors confessed.
Alista sighed. "We are officially on Sunny's Bad Radar. One more headache now."
Fors remained calm. "Whatever it is, let's face it."
After their conversation, Awakened Rock arrived, and everyone settled into their places. Alista, meanwhile, searched for the mysterious girl he'd been speaking to earlier.
Fors noticed his scanning. "Whom are you searching for?"
Alista replied, "Before your trouble, I encountered a girl who greeted me and started a conversation. She looked like a Legacy."
Fors's eyes widened slightly. "Well, good luck searching for her."
Awakened Rock began his regular speech.
[Rock's POV]
Rock scanned the crowd of Sleepers and began his speech in a reverberating voice: "I am Awakened Rock. Sleepers, welcome to the Academy." He continued his solemn warning, detailing the merciless nature of the Spell and the high casualty rate. "The moment Awakened begin to think too much of themselves, they die… The responsibility to survive is yours, and yours alone."
He looked at the Sleepers. Most were in a state of panic, while the Legacies remained steady. Rock resumed his lecture, trying to instill the gravity of their situation. "You are not children anymore. It's a shame, because you ought to be. But the Spell has decided otherwise…"
Snorr...
Snorr...
Rock and the rest of the Sleepers turned their heads, scanning for the source of the noise. They found Alista and Fors sleeping soundly. Fors's legs were casually crossed over Alista's, and Alista's head was resting against Fors's shoulder for support.
Rock's face turned scarlet with fury. 'These brats… they are a pain in the ass!'
Other Sleepers looked on with disdain; some even cursed the pair under their breath for their disrespect. Caster, stood up and walked toward them to wake them up.
Alista and Fors woke up, seeing the entire hall, including Rock, looking at them with unadulterated disdain. Rock quickly resumed his speech, and the two of them were sternly reprimanded later.
As Alista was finally making his way back to his room, he encountered the same girl with black hair and blue eyes.
Alista offered a sincere apology. "Sorry, I was caught up in my friend's problem."
The girl smiled. "No need. I came here to introduce myself. My name is Artemis. I am Saint Madoc's Daughter, the Princess of the Valor Clan. Let's meet tomorrow." She left quickly before Alista could respond.
Alista was dumbfounded. He racked his brain, recalling the storyline, but he could not remember Saint Madoc having a daughter named Artemis. 'Maybe I have forgotten her. It has been a long time since I transmigrated here.'
He shook his head and went to rest. The day passed, and the next day—the day of the Assessment—arrived.
=========================
Kindly give a review for the chapter