The next morning was bright. Birds chirped, people chatted, and the sound of footsteps echoed clearly against the brick streets.

  Leo walked straight ahead. His hair was slicked back into a messy ponytail, with only a few strands falling loosely on the right side of his face. It was a disheveled look, yet it suited him so well that no one would have thought it unintentional. His left hand reached up to adjust his tie, which felt a bit tight against his throat. He wore a white shirt, black trousers, and black shoes. Hanging near the lower right side of his waist was a golden-threaded bracelet; it was small, adorned with five tiny stars. Three of the stars glowed with a steady red light, while the remaining two were dull gold, appearing deactivated. The thread it was made up of gold.

  As he moved through the crowd, he drew the gaze of everyone he passed, especially the girls.

  "Oh, look, he’s so handsome," one whispered.

  "My God, I want to be his friend," another added.

  Their voices were so low they were barely audible over the hum of the morning. The summer sun shone brilliantly, casting a warm glow over everything.

  Finally, Leo arrived at a massive steel gate. It was made of vertical rods spaced far enough apart to allow a clear view of the grounds inside. In the center of the gate sat a circular plate embossed with a dragon. Beyond the entrance, the path was lined with vibrant flowers—red, blue, pink, and green.

  The courtyard was paved with clean bricks. A short distance away, three white stairs led up to the main building. The entire structure, from the pillars to the ceiling, was a pristine white, accented by brown-bordered windows that lined every wall. Leo peered through the gate, looking for someone to let him in. Suddenly, a man appeared from the right. He wore a black suit with a white tie and black shoes. His hair and beard were stark white, and his face was etched with deep wrinkles. It was clear he had worked there for a very long time.

  Leo took a step back as the man approached. "Oh, hey... um, sir? Could you open the gate?"

  The old man squinted at him. "Wait, are you...?"

  "I was sent by the King—" Leo began, but before he could finish, the gate creaked open.

  "Yes, I remember now," the old man said. "You may enter, sir."

  Leo stepped inside, and the old man closed the gate behind him. Glancing around at the impressive architecture, Leo asked, "Um, excuse me, sir? Could you lead me to the Principal?"

  The man stepped ahead of Leo. "Yes, sir. Follow me."

  Leo followed him into the building. As they entered a large lobby featuring a long, brown wooden desk. A golden dragon on a red background was carved into the front of the desk like a banner. Behind the desk sat a woman wearing brown-rimmed glasses. Her light-brown hair was pulled into a messy ponytail, and her green eyes were fixed on a book. She was elegant and composed in her black suit. A red carpet stretched across the floor from left to right, and several sofas were arranged nearby for visitors or parents to rest. Sunlight streamed through the windows, supplemented by the warm glow of lanterns in the corners.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  The old man whispered to the woman for a moment, gesturing toward Leo.

  'So this is the academy Aurelius told me about,' Leo thought. 'It doesn't seem that crowded. I expected it to be much—'

  "Sir, you may follow me now," the old man interrupted.

  Leo followed him past the desk. As they passed, the woman looked up from her book, her eyes tracking Leo until he disappeared around a corner. They walked down a hallway lined with paintings and the names of former students, the floor covered by the same red carpet.

  'I didn't understand,' Leo mused. 'Aurelius said this was a famous academy, but it feels so quiet.'

  The old man stopped at a brown door. "After you, sir."

  Leo stepped through and finally saw the true scale of the place. It was massive. Students filled the area; the boys wore yellow shirts—some long-sleeved, some short—with black trousers, while the girls wore yellow tops with black suspenders and black skirts. Both boys and girls were wearing black shoes.

  The academy grounds were paved with clean white bricks. Three large plazas stood before him. The central plaza was straight ahead, connected to two others on the left and right that faced inward toward each other.

  "Welcome to Orisia Academy, Sir Leo," the old man said from behind him.

  Seeing the sheer number of students and the lively atmosphere, Leo changed his mind. 'I guess it really is a famous academy.'

  He descended the three steps into the main courtyard. Many students stopped to look at him as he passed—some with curiosity, others with indifference. The old man led him toward the right plaza. As they climbed the stairs and walked along a brown handrail, Leo watched the students chattering as they moved between classes.

  "Hey, um..." Leo began, still feeling a bit confused.

  "Warrel," the old man said without turning. "My name is Warrel."

  "Right. Mr. Warrel, why are the students wearing yellow uniforms?"

  Warrel laughed softly, stopping to look back with a smile. "Would you prefer they didn't wear uniforms at all?"

  Leo blinked, taken aback. "No! I just mean... this is Rustalia. Shouldn't they be wearing red?"

  Warrel looked up at the wooden ceiling. "Oh, I see what you mean." He started walking again, passing white pillars wrapped in winding golden lines. "Actually, Mr. Leo, Rustalia has no authority over this academy. The King cannot give orders here. This is the greatest educational institution in the world, and it is entirely independent."

  "Independent?" Leo asked. "What does that mean?"

  "It means the academy is not ruled by any empire or king," Warrel explained. "They have their own laws. If any kingdom tries to interfere, the academy can take them to the high courts—and you know how much power the courts hold."

  Leo tapped his chin. "I see. But the front gate had the dragon sigil of Rustalia on it. Why is that?"

  "A gift," Warrel smiled. "A previous King of Rustalia gave that gate to the academy as a gesture of respect."

  "If it’s so powerful and independent, why stay in Rustalia at all?" Leo asked. "Couldn't they just have their own kingdom?"

  Warrel paused for a moment before answering. "Building a kingdom is no easy task, Mr. Leo. And as for why it remains here... well, there are things the general public doesn't usually know and that applies to me either."

  Leo looked out at the students again, distracted by the view, and accidentally bumped into Warrel, who had come to a halt.

  "Sorry!" Leo said, stepping back.

  "It’s quite alright," Warrel smiled. "We are here. This is the Principal's office."

  He pointed to a brown door with a large handle. Leo turned to the old man and smiled. "Thanks, Mr. Warrel."

  "Good luck, Mr. Leo," Warrel replied, turning to head back the way they came.