The words stung simply because it reminded him too much of home. How the servants would avert their gaze, the soldiers would go silent when he walked past and his father’s insistence of discipline so he would never end up like the rest of his lot. It was hardly his fault. It's a rare chance to get it in a bloodline in the first place but it was practically a social death sentence. Pushing it down he sat in the back of the hall as the countless hushed voices talking amongst each other filled the space with mindless excited chatter. Whatever excitement he had was already spoiled by this as he thumbed his watch in his pocket. Lucas let himself have a small smile at how his mother told him she was proud. But a cough into the vocal arrays that echoed across the hall drew his eyes to the front stage where a podium was situated with a man, silver hair in a silver suit with a wide smile; it could only be one person. Berrick Magrith the successor of the greatest thunder mage.
“Alright, everyone settle down. I’ll keep the key points of this short. I know some of the specialised courses have tests in the evening and you all would like to get settled into the dorms.” His smile was soft but the gaze in his eyes felt sharp as he scoured the crowd. Lucas felt like the man met his eyes but it was probably him being paranoid. “Firstly as you know you will all be starting in the bronze dorms which will be shared for the first term. Afterwards you will be sorted into new dorms with privileges established based on first term grades. Now this is how we felt it’s best to both equalise the playing field early on and to make sure students know humility.”
The murmurs of students both noble and commoner alike burst into discussion, they had expected to be studying amongst each other but not exactly living together. It was certainly going to cause conflict if Lucas took anything from this morning. It’s not like he disliked commoners but he could hardly find himself excited for the prospects after that rat this morning. Clicking his tongue he shut his eyes and let the rest of the speech blow over only bothering to open his eyes once he heard the shufflings of seats signifying students making their way out.
Letting the rest trail out Lucas did not want to risk mixing into the crowd for all he knew he would get someone pointing out his eyes or trying to steal from him. Yet as he watched the dregs of students finally step out a firm hand grasped and he was met with the glittering suit that stood on stage for the past hour and a half.
Startled, Lucas took a step away then faced the man with a hand out and an easily practiced smile. “Headmaster Magrith, it’s a pleasure.”
Berrick had an odd smile as he looked him over that made Lucas wary. “You’re Lucas aren’t you? Belia’s second youngest boy. I remember when Leiland and Julia had their first days here. How are the two of them? They both graduated with flying colours just last year.”
Lucas could only let his smile thin as he chuckled. “They’re doing well. I hardly see them with how busy they are.” That was a blatant lie, he actually never saw them. His father considered him a talentless eyesore and threw him into the training estate away from the main family manor. “But that’s how it is in managing the safety of the borders.”
Berrick patted his shoulder rather harshly as he laughed. “I suppose it is. The damn knife-ears are persistent, throwing their half breeds at us. I recall being called on combat duty, what thirteen years ago? You’d be about three back then. It was certainly a thing of beauty watching as those dwarven war engines became elven tombs when I fried them with lightning.” His grin was wider than before it was clear he was thinking of fond memories. “Do the border villages still mulch the bastards’ corpses for crops?”
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
He nodded, almost avoiding the shudder at how joyful Berrick looked. “I believe they do. Is there any reason for the sudden appearance? I’m certain you must have far more important duties than meeting me.” Honestly he wanted to just leave.
“Ah I suppose I do have more important things to do. I just wanted to check in on you. It’s not often we have children of the Grand Dukes at the academy. Anyways I’m sure you’ll do amazing like your siblings in the combat department. I doubt you’d let them show you up.” With that Berrick turned and as he stepped away a flash of light caused Lucas to flinch and shut his eyes. But opening his eyes Berrick was gone.
“Damn mages.” Lucas hated how they flaunted magic. Not like he could cast anything if he tried. He could name every rune in every spell but do nothing with it. Souring his mood, Lucas began the walk to the dorms. It seemed the rest of his peers had made it far ahead of him considering he barely saw anybody on the path to the dorms all talking to each other. Hushed whispers and the occasional glances were probably about his appearance, his eyes glowed and that was not even the most annoying thing. Getting to the towering dorm halls it was a large building nearly six floors tall and seemed to stretch on for quite the distance in an L-shape with a square courtyard to enter from. Stepping into the reception there was a large number of students looking through boards mounted on the walls next to the reception desk. Moving past them he walked past them to the receptionist. A brown haired man sat at the desk clearly already tired of his job with sunken eyes with a neat shirt and tie.
“Excuse me, I’d like to enquire about my dorm room.” Lucas asked, trying to be polite. It would be rather stupid to get on the bad side of faculty. Though considering that girl from the disciplinary committee… well she hardly counted for faculty in his opinion. Just a brat on a power trip.
The tired man yawned and looked up to him before sitting upright with a jolt once he met his eyes. “O-Of course, sir. May I have your name?”
“Lucas Alphonse, Combat Department.” Giving his name made the man pale a little more as he scoured through the boxes of enveloped categories alphabetically by what he assumed were last names. Taking one out with his name and department it was placed on the desk.
“H-Here you go. The dorm room is situated on the sixth floor and is room number seven. Signified by the tag on the key being 607. Being part of the Combat Department means you will be having your test in the north-western forests. However you are expected to be in the combat training rooms for registration and selection of a weapon if you lack one at four this afternoon. The combat training room is in the west wing of the dorms on the first floor to the hallway on the right. Have a nice day, sir.” The man rambled out a large amount of information that Lucas gratefully accepted from him with a smile as he took his key and turned to head to the room. It did hurt that the man sounded relieved from the deep sigh he took as he walked away.
Heading up the stairwells he started realising a nice view was not worth the work out that would greet his legs every time. Mostly considering no one wanted to face stairs after combat training, he could never count the sheer number of times he had passed out on the stairs back home. A soft chuckle escaped his lips as he looked around, grateful no one heard as he made his way up. After what felt like an eternity he made it down the plush carpet hallways to the mahogany door of his dorm room. Seeing the door slightly ajar he pushed it open and looked inside and could only muster one word.
“Fuck.”