After being offered a job at Nirana's place, Mraksha agreed and finally found work. He worked there as a cashier.
The shop where Mraksha worked was fairly busy. People came to buy medicine, asked to be healed, and there were even older men who liked to tease Indira.
"Indira, introduce him to Uncle, will you? Who's that handsome young man? He's your boyfriend, right?" one man said teasingly.
"He's not, Uncle! He's just a new employee here!" Indira replied irritably.
"Hey, your name is Mraksha, right?" the man continued. "What do you think of Indira? She's pretty, isn't she?"
Mraksha smiled. "Yes, sir. I agree."
Hearing that, Indira fell silent, her ears turning red.
Mraksha continued working diligently.
Three days later, Mraksha was working together with Indira. They were extremely busy because a large number of people suddenly came to the shop.
Some bought medicine, others asked to be healed, and so on.
But there were also several women who came with entirely different intentions.
"Hey, you're really handsome. How about having dinner with me after work?"
"Please help me! I've… fallen in love with you."
"My heart hurts—my heart keeps racing every time I see you."
Mraksha heard them all and responded only with a polite smile.
"I'm sorry… I'm just a cashier here."
Seeing Mraksha struggle to deal with those women, Indira smiled in quiet satisfaction, enjoying the spectacle.
Nirana, watching from the side, muttered,
"Hmmm… that face really does attract customers."
Several hours passed, and the sky grew dark. Mraksha, Indira, and Nirana were cleaning the medicine shop before closing.
While cleaning, Nirana asked Mraksha,
"Mraksha, if I may ask, what are you planning to use this money for?"
"To pay for my lodging," Mraksha replied.
Nirana and Indira looked puzzled, so Mraksha explained everything to them.
"So you're a prospective new student at Kaivalya Academy?" Nirana asked. Then she continued,
"Hmmm, how interesting, Mraksha. Actually, Indira is also a new student there—just like you."
Indira nodded.
"In that case, Mraksha, why don't you go together with Indira?" Nirana said.
"I'd be worried if you got lost on your own."
Mraksha looked at Indira.
"Would that be alright with you, Indira?"
"I don't mind," Indira replied.
They finished cleaning the shop, and Mraksha returned to the inn, paying the receptionist the thirty-five gold coins he owed.
The next day, Mraksha was already prepared, waiting in front of Indira's family's medicine shop.
There, he saw a white iron horse carriage adorned with green carvings. Two people stepped out of it.
They were Nirana and Indira. Indira was already wearing the Kaivalya Academy uniform: a white long-sleeved top with a neat high collar, paired with a simple yet elegant black skirt above the knees. Around her waist was a belt supporting a long triangular cloth that covered the front. The cloth was white, decorated with black and blue engravings.
Noticing that Indira's cloth was different from his own, Mraksha asked her,
"Hey, why is your cloth different from mine?"
"Actually, I don't really like this cloth," Indira replied, "but it has a meaning."
She explained that the triangular cloth served as a distinction within the academy:
White (Black Engraving) = Commoners
White (Black and Blue Engraving) = Nobility
White (Blue Engraving) = Teachers
Yellow (Black Engraving) = Staff / Servants
Red (White Engraving) = Student Council
Green (White Engraving) = Headmaster
Hearing this, Mraksha immediately realized that Indira was a noble. He quickly bowed his head.
"My apologies, Lady Indira. I didn't know you were a noble."
Indira replied calmly,
"That's fine. I don't really care about things like that. I also dislike this kind of discriminatory system."
Mraksha and Indira said goodbye to Nirana, then boarded the carriage together.
The carriage began moving toward Kaivalya Academy.
When the carriage stopped, Mraksha saw a long bridge connecting Swargantara to another island.
"Hey, Indira," Mraksha asked, "where are we actually going? Our destination is the academy, right?"
"Yes," Indira replied. "This is the road to Kaivalya Academy."
It turned out that Kaivalya Academy was located on a neighboring island, requiring them to cross the sea.
Indira explained that Kaivalya Academy was the only knight and magic academy in Swargantara. It stood on a special island beside the kingdom—an island nearly as large as Swargantara itself.
As Indira spoke, Mraksha glanced to the left. He could see buildings rising from the island. They had a classical European style, and at their highest points, blue crystals glittered under the sunlight. Every structure radiated a sense of grandeur and majesty.
"Hey, Indira…" Mraksha said in disbelief.
"We're really going to study at that academy? Does it really accept commoners too?"
Indira chuckled softly.
"Yes, you're right, Mraksha. We'll be studying there. And don't worry—it's true. Even though some nobles may dislike it, there are also nobles who welcome commoners studying there."
After their conversation, the carriage stopped in front of a wide-open silver-white gate. The servant driving the carriage stepped down, opened the door, and offered his hand to help Indira down safely. Indira took his hand, and Mraksha followed.
They walked together through the gate.
Indira turned to Mraksha and said,
"Mraksha, welcome to Kaivalya Academy."
Mraksha smiled, and the two of them continued forward.
As new students of Kaivalya Academy, they were directed to enter a large hall-like building to gather all the students. The hall was filled with many seats arranged neatly in rising rows, all facing a stage. At the far end of the stage stood a sturdy podium.
Although the stage was still empty, the seats were already filled with new students of Kaivalya Academy. Their expressions varied—some were happy, some proud, some arrogant, and some indifferent.
They all shared the same expectations and goals: to become the finest knights or mages in the academy. Some chatted, some laughed, and others simply listened.
Suddenly, all voices vanished.
The students fell completely silent, as if choosing to stop speaking even though their conversations were unfinished.
It was because of someone.
Footsteps echoed clearly. A woman walked slowly and authoritatively toward the podium at the edge of the stage. The atmosphere became utterly silent—students and professors alike said not a single word.
She had long hair reaching her back, light blue like the sky, and sharp yellow eyes like the sun piercing through darkness. Her gaze alone felt as though it could pierce anyone. She wore an ivory-white collared shirt and black trousers, with a triangular cloth tied around her waist—green with white engravings.
Recalling Indira's words, Mraksha murmured softly,
"She is the Headmaster of Kaivalya Academy."
When she reached the podium, she snapped her fingers. A cloak flew toward her and attached itself to her back on its own.
Taking a deep breath, the woman finally spoke:
"From ordinary souls… to extraordinary ones."