A little over a week had passed since the eventful party, one that Mia couldn't remember due to her alcohol-induced escapades. Her family decided since she didn't remember anything, they would ignore it and maybe forget about what happened, they also did their best to keep alcohol far away from her. During this time, Mia had a multitude of tasks to complete.
First on the list was acquiring new clothes. Her old wardrobe had essentially transformed into house clothes. New outfits were needed for various occasions, from casual outings to her attendance at the academy. While the academy didn't impose a strict dress code, societal expectations loomed, and Mia recognized the importance of at least trying to adhere to them. Besides, she was not opposed to the idea of having cute clothes, especially after gaining access to more information about her previous life and seeing how some outfits suited her.
Lin, with her keen eye for bargains, played a central role in securing these clothes. She managed to obtain numerous stylish garments for Mia to wear on various occasions, as well as practical yet elegant attire suitable for her time at the academy. Most of these outfits had a distinctively Chinese influence, including dresses and kung-fu uniforms. They even managed to find leggings to complete the look. Only one Western dress was acquired, kept on standby for formal events. The shopping expedition had been fruitful, thanks to Lin's resourcefulness.
Meanwhile, Elara and Mei had secured jobs. Luck had favored them as a small restaurant within a respectable walking distance from their house was in dire need of staff. Mei was hired as a combination of a cook and waitress, while Elara took charge of meat processing. Elara's sharp eye for the slightest changes in meat quality, combined with her expertise in butchery, soon earned the restaurant a reputation for consistently offering high-quality cuts of meat.
Liza, on the other hand, spent most of her time at home. Occasionally, she ventured out to engage with the elderly in the neighborhood or to complete minor shopping trips. The dispersion of the shops had made her previous routine of purchasing groceries in one trip impossible.
Huang, Choi, and Kai had fully immersed themselves in their work. Mia's night of misadventure had thrust them into the limelight, and whether the resulting fame was good or bad remained to be seen. Guard and guard-related roles training had intensified. More than a few of them sought to prove themselves against the father and brothers of the girl who had taken a significant portion of the guard force on a whirlwind adventure. This competition pushed all three of them to strive harder. In training matches, they fought to at least avoid defeat, and Huang was pleasantly surprised to discover that even some of the standard guards could hold their own against him, illustrating that one's position and one's power were distinct attributes. Kai began to deviate from his father's fighting style, recognizing that sticking solely to what he had been taught would lead to inevitable defeat. Choi, on the other hand, found himself fighting for his life during training. After a few days, he reluctantly acknowledged that while he could fight, it didn't necessarily mean he was skilled at it. He was a scout and more than once he tried to explain this as he was bombarded with attacks. His exceptional stamina and quick reflexes began to take center stage on those moments.
Amidst all these activities, Mia did what any child should do: she played. She ventured outside, mingled with other children, and ran freely. The bustling cityscape brought a nostalgic feeling, reminding her of her previous life. Although there was no advanced technology here, the atmosphere of a big city held a unique charm she found irresistible. While some people might not appreciate it, Mia enjoyed it immensely.
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Mia also managed to earn some coin by entertaining others with her doll-based storytelling. A few passing mages attempted to replicate her performances, but none possessed her imagination or mastery of magic control. Mia had the ability to control around a hundred dolls simultaneously while using magic to create elemental displays for her stories—something normal magic users couldn't easily replicate.
Finally, the day arrived for Mia to enter the academy. People from various corners of the continent converged, and the academy's gates swung open, welcoming both new and returning students, along with their parents or guardians. It was a diverse gathering, with individuals from various backgrounds. Some seemed to lack financial resources and likely gained acceptance through sheer skill, while others had clearly leveraged their wealth to secure a spot. Mia recognized that having money was a form of power and skill in itself so she couldn't really judge them too harshly. This event was not only an entrance ceremony but also a social gathering by the looks of it, lots of people dressed to the nines.
Attendees were directed to an open area in front of the academy's three main buildings, where a stage had been erected. Once it appeared that everyone who should be present was indeed there, an elderly man who fit the archetype of a wise old mage, complete with a long beard, introduced himself as Maximillian, the academy's principal.
“Welcome everyone. My name is Maximillian, I am the principal of this esteemed learning institute. I must congratulate both our new students who managed to get their spot here as well as our older students who managed to maintain their statuses. But, as our older students know, getting in is the easy part. Over the course of today you will all be tested so we can find where exactly your skills lie.” The principal said in a slightly cheerful tone, something that Mia identified as fake. This man was one of those people who really disliked speaking in public but had to. The fact that some kind of competition was happening also didn't fly over Mia's head. With so many people from outside the country here it would be bad to not allow them to show themselves off a little.
Following his brief speech, the royal family appeared seemingly out of thin air. Older students seemed unfazed, whispering that the King and his family made an appearance each year to welcome the students.
The royal family possessed a distinctive appearance—vibrant blue hair reminiscent of the clearest Caribbean waters and dark, sapphire-blue eyes. Despite Mia's efforts, she couldn't discern intricate details of their features. They appeared to be a fusion of Western and Eastern influences, leaning more toward the Eastern side. Their attire consisted of Western-style dresses and suits adorned with Eastern motifs such as phoenixes, Eastern dragons, lotus flowers, and more.
Aside from the King, the Queen, the Crown Prince, the First Princess, the Third Prince, and the Third Princess were also present. None of them appeared to be twins, leading Mia to ponder the King's busy personal life, having only one wife.
“Welcome to the Blue Flame Military Academy everyone. As the King of this nation it is a joy to welcome those who will become the pillars of our future. I cannot but beam with pride in seeing such a diverse group of people, all coming together with a single objective, regardless of race or background. I hope the bonds you form in the following years become the glue that holds the peace on our lands but don't forget to have healthy competition every now and then. Stagnation is the worst enemy of any nation.” The King said in a small speech that sounded genuine.
With the King's speech concluded, the royal family withdrew, and the academy staff directed the students to their respective testing locations. Parents and guardians were free to remain in a waiting area to observe from a distance, and most chose to do so.
Mia was guided to the academic building, where the first round of tests would take place—a written examination. Uncertain of what to expect, she steeled herself, understanding that performing well here would benefit her and her family in the future.