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The gates were now in sight.
Massive, ornate, and carved from blackened ironwood, they stood at least four stories tall. Their surface shimmered faintly with mana-etched runes, faintly pulsing as though breathing. They were exactly as Kai remembered from the illustrations in the novel—Harlen Academy's front gate, the first real threshold into the world he'd only known as a reader.
It felt like walking straight into a story.
He almost couldn't believe it was real.
He kept walking, eyes tracing the towering spires in the distance and the perfectly paved road beneath his feet. The buildings beyond the gates looked like a fusion of medieval fortress and high-magic civilization—sleek, but ancient, glowing gently with enchantments built right into the stonework.
This was it.
Harlen Academy.
But even with all that grandeur, doubt began to creep into him again.
One month of training.
One spell.
That was all he had to show for it.
He hadn't wasted the time—he knew that much—but now that he was standing on the doorstep of the most elite magical academy in the world, surrounded by the next generation of powerful mages, warriors, and nobles, he couldn't stop the thought from whispering in the back of his mind:
Was it enough?
He knew it was enough for all its prestige their were plenty of useless bums at this academy people who's lives were constantly at risk and didn't have the power to do anything about it who had to sit and wait for the main cast kai had already stated his resolve
His B+ grade potential gave him a larger mana core, faster regeneration, and a wider capacity for growth but it didn't make anything easier. He had to struggle for every bit of progress. Just learning to use Lightless Slash decently had taken three full weeks of failed attempts, headaches, and burnout. And that was just one of his five starting spells.
He clenched his fists as he walked, his blade sealed and hidden under his sleeve in the form of a small tattoo-like mark near his wrist—a basic storage trick taught in the inheritance scroll.
The others around him didn't look uncertain.
The first years were gathering, funneling through the gate and into a luxurious marble hall just past the courtyard. Tall ceilings. Velvet banners. Mana crystals set into the chandelier that floated overhead, refracting soft blue light across the walls. The sheer wealth and power in the room made his old world feel like a distant blur.
Kai scanned the crowd.
So far, none of the main cast were here yet.
He recognized none of the current students—but he knew that wouldn't last.
And then, just as the whispers started to rise among the first years, a girl walked in from the far entrance.
Her long, jet-black hair fell over her back like a veil of silk. Her posture was effortless. Confident. Her figure drew every eye in the room without her saying a single word. She wore a sharp uniform that had clearly been customized—dark gray with crimson trim, bearing the crest of House Stone.
Rose of House Stone.
Kai's breath caught in his throat for a second. Of course he recognized her. She was one of the central heroines in the novel, often paired against June as both a rival and ally. Cold. Tactical. Blunt. Her signature spell was a black rose that bloomed with each cut she landed in a duel.
Seeing her in person stunned him.
And he wasn't the only one.
The hall had gone quiet for a beat, then buzzed with whispers. Some students stared. Others looked away quickly, pretending not to notice. But Rose? She tuned out the noise like it didn't exist, walking straight past everyone, eyes forward.
Then came the next two.
A tall boy with crimson hair and deep blue eyes walked in, his expression calm, focused. He wore a red-accented coat with twin golden clasps—one for his rank, the other for his noble house.
Eugene Trunsoest.
A duke's heir. And the only first-year in the novel who was said to be on June's level during the early arcs. His magic was overwhelming, structured, and brutal when he needed it to be. Fire and lightning hybrid. A genius
Next to him, a boy with chestnut hair and a warm smile Marlon Argyle.
The "hero archetype." A paladin-type swordsman with strong charisma, high leadership potential, and an annoying tendency to play peacemaker. In the story, he rallied the scattered students during the second arc and was one of the few who could match June in close combat.
The room kept getting louder.
And then a woman in blue and red robes walked toward the front of the hall and stepped up to a floating podium. She tapped a crystal to amplify her voice. Her robe bore the Harlen Academy crest—she was a staff member.
"Welcome, first years," she began, her voice clear and steady. "You have all made it here on merit, talent, or legacy—"
She didn't get to finish.
The final entrance opened with a low chime.
A golden-haired boy walked through, surrounded by a soft ambient light. His steps were slow, unhurried. His posture loose. The kind of carefree, friendly energy that made people like him without even trying.
He was striking.
Even in a room full of standouts, he pulled focus without effort.
June.
The main character.
Kai's eyes locked on him without meaning to. It was surreal. The boy he'd spent so much time hating—reading, re-reading, judging from a distance was here. Real. Living. Breathing.
June's golden eyes swept the room casually.
And for just a moment, he caught Kai's gaze.
He smiled.
Kai's face didn't change. He looked away quickly, expression flat and unreadable. It wasn't hostility. It wasn't fear.
It was just awkwardness.
What do you do when the protagonist of your favorite story notices you?
Kai didn't know.
But he could feel it already this was the start of something big.
And he wasn't just a background character