“Where’s Joey?” Nox asked, straightening his collar and the formal necktie. It was an important evening, and everyone insisted he dress appropriately for the occasion. He didn’t quite understand what that meant. As the owner and operator of the most popular entertainment venue in the city, he almost always wore the finest garments, updating his wardrobe every quarter. The outfits were often uncomfortable, yet Nox invested in them because it was important for a person in his position to present an impressive and successful event—or so his fiancee and family told him. “It's almost half an hour past Sixth Bell. We need to get going.”

“April found something suspicious in the outer rings, and they’re off to investigate.” Caitlin sighed, helping Brianna fix her dress. The party had gathered in Nox’s suite to prepare for the evening and planned on taking carriages to the Noble Ring afterward. “Joey promised me that he’ll be there. It's just likely that he’ll be late.”

“I hate this,” Brianna grumbled, adjusting her strapless gown. It appeared snug around her large chest and muscled abdomen. “I feel naked.”

“Please.” Aria waved dismissively, carefully painting Brianna’s lips. “Your northern outfits and combat gear show far more cleavage than this.”

“That’s not the problem. Does everything have to be this tight? I can barely move or breathe.”

“You’ll adapt.” Caitlin laughed. “I hated it at first, too, but dressing for the occasion was important to my family. Trust me. And an hour later, you’ll forget all about it.”

“Indeed. Your mind will be on your feet.” Aria frowned, picking up Brianna’s shoes. They were flat, unlike what the noble women had on. “These are pretty, but really?”

Brianna shrugged. “I’m tall enough already. The girl in the store told me that if I make myself any bigger, I’ll scare away all the men.”

“So, is it just the five of us?” Nox asked, ignoring the conversation. He glanced through the open doorway at Alexander. The young druid sat splayed on an armchair, snoring softly. The exams had passed, and most were still waiting for results, but he received no break. Dean Woodson had Alexander shadow her all day and practice druidic arts.

“Six,” Ingrid corrected. The apprentice looked significantly older in her dress, with her lips colored and eyes decorated. He disliked the mature look on Ingrid and was sure he’d be worried about older men trying their luck with her all night long. “Or did you change your mind about inviting me?”

“We didn’t,” Aria and Nox said in unison.

Most graduating students only received the right to bring three guests, but Nox received an extra ticket. Aria, Ingrid, Mou, and her husband were his guests. The Woodsons had open invitations as the dean’s family. Joey and Brianna were their dates. Sapna had received an invitation from Dean Oleg, but the oldest of the Ratras rejected the invitation, claiming such events made her uncomfortable. Attending Nox’s engagement party was already too much for her.

Usually, Nox hated such events. He always used an excuse to show up late and leave early. In several instances, he only attended to rub shoulders with potential suppliers and clients. More than often, he attended for Aria’s sake. After all, she represented the barony and its interests in the City of Ygg. Besides the engagement, Nox didn’t recall any other social event he had attended just because he wanted to. The time for handing out diplomas and other qualifications had come.

Everyone boarded the carriages ten minutes later than when Nox had hoped. He and his friends weren’t the only ones heading out for the evening. The bottleneck caused by the gate between the Market Ring and Nobles Quarter resulted in another delay. Security between the city’s sections had lessened since the council declared the troubles over. However, guard presence and frequency of inspections hadn’t yet returned to how they were before the recent craziness.

Student police presence appeared higher than usual when the carriages finally entered Nobles Quarter. Nox couldn’t tell whether Dean Elgin Thorpe took the matter more seriously than Lord Highwater or had installed extra security for the party’s sake.

Woodson University held two graduation ceremonies. One was for the bulk of students who met the minimal graduation requirements. It took place in the finest and largest auditorium on campus, and the best cafeterias on campus provided catering. The deans organized a separate ceremony in the Grand Council Building for the smaller subsection of students who exceeded expectations. It didn’t just include the best graduates but also students who exceeded achievements.

Michelle Beaufort had attended the event twice as a student and was due to again for her graduation. Since she had no family, the party intended to attend as her guests. After Ernest and Kris’s passing, none were in the mood for festivities.

The guests were already seated, and Myrina Woodson was mid-speech when Nox and his friends arrived. Her fellow deans sat on the raised platform at the back of the room, and a young woman in teal robes briskly moved away from them carrying her graduation certificate. She also wore a circular gold broach on her lapel carrying the university’s crest. It marked her as someone who excelled in two departments. The woman hadn’t just done better than her peers but had completed at least two advanced courses.

As Nox and his companions found their seats in the middle of the room, he noted several under individuals wearing similar broaches and badges. Most were silver. Regular graduates wore bronze. Individuals who attended Woodson University and completed courses, performing decently in one department without meeting graduation requirements, also received similar recognition but of wood. Mostly, commoners and ‘lower borns’ fell into the last category. They struggled to pay tuition for four years—the average time most took to graduate—and only pursued qualifications to improve their quality of life. Most such individuals focused on the crafting and war mage departments.

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“It's incredible when years of fruition come to fruition,” Dean Amit Gupta said, stepping up to the front of the class. “Often it's luck, but in most cases, it takes years of hard work, trial and error, and tenacity before you win luck’s favor.” He held up another golden badge and tightly rolled length of parchment. “For his groundbreaking research in the field of artificial, renewable mana sources and excellence in the Department of Arcane Engineering, I grant Orion Silverleaf the title of Mage Second Class.”

Everyone clapped as Orion Silverleaf rose from his seat and made his way to the front of the room. He shook hands with the leader of the research department and fidgeted while receiving his golden badge. Elgin Thorpe took Amit Gupta’s place afterward.

“We only see candidates who complete Advanced Dungeon Combat, Advanced Military Arts, win three war games, and achieve adept rank in four years. Our next graduate didn’t just accomplish all of the above but has also led the student police for the last three years. I grant Bjorn Handsen the title of Aether Warrior Second Class.”

While ranks served as a marker of an aether practitioner’s power, title signified their role in battle or capability. The class marked their performance and contribution to society. They started at nine and counted downward. Graduating from Woodson University was enough to win someone fifth class. Only the university, the continent’s superpowers, and recognized mage associations had the authority to grant promotions.

It was Dean Oleg’s turn next. A young woman from Sen’s Watch received the title of Aether Warrior Second Class for his work in the production and research departments. All four department heads retook turns, handing out gold badges. Then they stood at the front together.

“Wizardry is a challenging pursuit. It involves the pursuit of all fields of magehood,” Dean Woodson said. “They exceed expectations in combat, research, and artisanry. Most worry that covering all three fields means spreading oneself too thin. A true wizard learns to weave all arcane pursuits together for the good of all mortal kinds. Graduates deserving of the wizard title only appear about once every ten years. This year, we’re privileged enough to grant the title to two graduates.”

Nox and his friends exchanged surprised looks. According to university records, only individuals who gained city-wide fame and impacted the continent with their deeds earned the title of wizard. Given his expanding intelligence network, Nox believed anyone else pursuing the title would struggle to escape his notice.

“Our next graduate started as a stable boy,” Dean Amit Gupta announced. “He chanced upon the spell that resides in his star. It could’ve ruled and ruined his life, but he turned it into a powerful tool that works for the betterment of society. His research on the creation of tamed, intelligent magical beasts will revolutionize the fields of agriculture, construction, war, and dungeon delving. For his groundbreaking research and accomplishments in multiple fields, I name him this year’s Scholar Arcanum.”

“The Department of War Magic has three new courses thanks to his contributions to the university,” said Dean Elgin Thorpe. “He designed their curriculum and coined the new discipline Cavalry Mage. The graduate completed Advanced Military Arts and won a war game in his second semester with the department.”

It was Dean Oleg’s turn. “The graduate took a long break from the Department of Arcane Engineering after completing Intermediate Alchemy and Enchanting. Then, he returned last semester and completed both simultaneously. For his contributions to the university and changing life on the continent as we know it, I’m proud to grant Daniel Ghosh the title of Wizard Second Class.”

“Who by Ygg’s Tits is Daniel Ghosh?” Caitlin whispered. The seat to her left remained empty. Joey hadn’t yet arrived.

“I don’t have the faintest idea,” Aria said.

A skinny, short man with pale skin and dark hair walked to the front of the room. He didn’t have Daksinsthani features as one would expect from his last name. The man appeared familiar, but Nox struggled to place him.

“It’s Pudge,” Alexander said. Audible gasps escaped everyone but Brianna. She glanced at them, looking confused. “So many Seventhday meals together. Why didn’t we hear about this?”

Nox shrugged. “He was always more Lillin’s friend than mine. I’ve been so busy with everything, I guess I never asked what was going on with him.”

“I’m proud of him,” Mou said. She sat between Nox and her husband. “Ghosh. Isn’t that Piya’s last name?”

“I think so,” Nox stated. “Did they get married?”

The conversation ended as the room broke into applause. Pudge faced the other attendees, wearing a gold badge. Instead of a circle, it resembled an open tome with Ygg in the center. The deans moved as soon as Pudge returned to his seat. Nox followed the man’s movements closely, chest filled with warmth. Even though only one graduate received the Scholar Arcanum title every year, Nox wasn’t disappointed. In fact, he was happy for Pudge. He had come from nothing, having suffered a worse childhood than Nox but accomplished more than individuals with far more resources and opportunity than him.

“Our final graduate of the evening is another improbable candidate,” Dean Amit Gupta said. “One wouldn’t expect such achievements from an individual with such extreme mana burn. His dissertation gives people with the same affliction as him a chance at magehood. Aether Warriors will thank him for all the new aura techniques that will come from his discovery.”

“The Department of Arcane Engineering has seen few artisans as accomplished as our graduate.” Dean Oleg spoke next. “He came to us as an apprentice alchemist and gained the adept license in less than a year, doing most of it with independent study. His invention involving flame slimes saved us all from the myconid plague. We also owe him for safe family planning products, and he's become a household name for his unique brews. The department has seen few with his Spell Weaving and wardsmithing abilities, too.”

Finally, it was Dean Myrina Woodson’s turn. She beamed, eyes penetrating the crowd and meeting Nox’s as she spoke. “Our graduate has proven himself to be an exceptional martial artist and mage despite his limitations. He and his party completed multiple rifts, helped solve the Terrastalia crisis, and most recently conquered a dungeon bordering the Adept and Low-Expert ranks. I’m proud to grant Sir Nox Ratra the rank of First Class Wizard.”

Nox’s heart skipped a beat. He expected the title, but no one had graduated from Woodson University with the same accolades in decades. Aria and Mou hugged and kissed him, but he didn’t know how to react. It felt as if he had left his body and was watching the scene from above. Nox rose from his seat, marched to the front of the room, and claimed his platinum badge, struggling to contain the grin that stretched from one ear to the other. As he looked over his cheering peers, Nox’s eyes focused on his fiance, friends, and aunt. Even though his relationship with his mother and brother was still tense, he wished they were in attendance to witness the accomplishment.