Alya woke Mavis by yanking open her window at dawn, letting in a gust of cold air, and announcing at full volume:
"MAVIS. WAKE UP. IT'S EXAM DAY."
Mavis shot upright, hair in her face, blanket tangled around her legs, and Jerry clinging to her shoulder like a shellshocked scarf.
"You could knock," Mavis muttered, rubbing her eyes.
"I did," Alya replied. "Twice. Then I got bored."
Wak peered over Alya's shoulder, blinking judgment at Mavis.
Jerry hissed back.
Both girls ignored their pets.
"Come on," Alya said, grabbing Mavis by the wrist. "We can't be late. Father sent the carriage and everything!"
Ten minutes later, Mavis found herself squeezed into Alya's family carriage—dark wood, velvet seats, house crest stitched into the roof—all very noble, very polished, and very much too fancy for someone who used to live in a foggy shack.
Alya sat across from her, flipping through flashcards made of thin parchment.
"Okay," Alya said sternly, "quick review. How do you greet a noble of higher rank?"
Mavis straightened. "Dip the head, slight bend at the waist, don't make too much eye contact."
"Good. What about same rank?"
"Straight handshake unless they offer a bow. Smile. Don't look murderous."
"That last part was optional, but yes."
"And addressing teachers?"
"'Professor.' Unless they correct me. Never 'sir' or 'ma'am' unless they're from Morality."
Alya nodded approvingly.
"Good. You're only mildly hopeless now."
Mavis glared. Alya grinned.
The scenery outside rolled past in waves of color—market stalls gradually giving way to wide stretches of polished stone roads and carefully sculpted greenery. Lanterns of crystal mana hung from posts, glowing even in daylight. Buildings grew taller, clean, intricate. The closer they rode to the academy, the more the city looked like something out of a legend.
And then—
Mavis saw it.
Arouz Academy.
It wasn't simply large—it was colossal.
Rising over the horizon like a kingdom of its own, the academy sprawled across terraced hills, its towers spiraling upward like the tips of crystal mountains. Bridges arched between rooftops, lined with floating lanterns that gently bobbed in the breeze. The main gate was a great arch carved from pale stone and etched with glowing mana lines that pulsed like veins—alive, breathing, ancient.
When the carriage rolled to a stop, Mavis stepped down and stared up in awe.
The gates shimmered.
Literally shimmered.
She took a breath, the air tasting faintly of magic and something like rain on cold stone.
"This place…" she whispered.
Alya preened. "Impressive, right? My mother graduated here. It's the best academy in the world."
Jerry flicked his tongue in agreement.
Ahead were eight long registration desks arranged in rows beneath a canopy of enchanted fabric that shifted colors like a slow aurora.
Four desks labeled NOBILITY,
Two marked KNIGHT APPLICANTS,
And two for COMMONERS & SERVICE STAFF.
Mavis scanned the lines, her eyes widening at the variety of students.
A tall girl from Dolus wore a deep emerald cloak with gold-threaded sigils, a fox mask perched atop her head. Even her boots had hidden pockets.
to her left a boy from Invidia stood nearby—or atleast she thought—he was in a coat stitched from three mismatched fashion trends; Laetitia sleeves, Ipse buttons, and a Fides-style collar he clearly didn't earn—definitely Invidian.
Mavis continued to scan the room.
From Castimonia, a priest-like student wore white and navy robes fitted with silver clasps shaped like balanced scales.
A group from Fides waited in disciplined silence, wearing reinforced leather jackets with metal plates sewn subtly beneath.
Two girls from Laetitia giggled in pastel dresses adorned with tiny bells that chimed with each movement.
Several Ipse nobles had sharp, business-like clothing, every angle deliberate—thin enchanted cuffs, mana-crystal pendants shaped like geometric prisms.
Even a handful from Lues trickled in—cloaks patched but clean, eyes sharp with quiet determination.
So many people.
So many different lives.
Mavis swallowed.
Alya nudged her forward in the noble line. "Head up. You belong here."
Do I? Mavis thought.
But she walked anyway.
The registration attendant—an older woman with spectacles and a quill enchanted to write on its own—looked up.
"Name?"
Mavis froze for the briefest moment.
Then, with steady breath: "Mavis Van Buqeat."
Jerry tightened around her shoulders in silent support.
The woman checked her parchment. "You're on the list. You'll take your written test in Group C. Proceed to the testing grounds."
"Thank you," Mavis said, bowing her head politely—perfect etiquette. Alya looked proud.
They stepped away from the desk and followed the flow of students toward the academy's outer fields.
A wide expanse of grass stretched out before them, surrounded by floating arcane pillars humming faintly with mana. In the distance, groups of students gathered in circles, whispering nervously.
Mavis frowned. "Why are we outside? Isn't the test inside?"
Alya opened her mouth to respond—
—but a voice boomed across the field before she could speak.
"WELCOME, APPLICANTS OF THE YEAR!"
The air vibrated with mana.
Everyone turned.
At the far end of the clearing stood a man in midnight-blue robes, embroidered with constellations that shimmered when he moved. His hair was silver, tied back, and his presence alone felt like a spell.
As he raised his hand, the floating pillars brightened, casting long rays of light across the field.
"Your entrance exam," he continued, "begins now."
Mavis' heart thudded.
Jerry lifted his head sharply.
And Alya—smiling with a mixture of nerves and excitement—whispered:
"Welcome to Arouz."
The wind shifted.
Magic tingled across the grass.
And the test truly began.