Chapter 52: Chapter 52 : Banquet of Snakes
"Am I too early? " Zeres mumbled, the banquet has yet to begin so he spend his time wandering across the entirety of the academy.
"It’s really wide" he marvelled at the sight before him.
A tall building stood there, tall windows and a simple design on the walls, two massive polished dark oak door and a lively atmosphere.
"We’ll have a class about alchemy soon." He said, then he sat on the nearby wooden bench.
The first semester was, after all just the basics. Lessons about the Forsaken, the gifted and some basic foundation for magic. Nothing noteworthy that can help you become a renowned gifted.
However, the hardships will begin in the second semester, many subjects will be added—your class as a gifted will decide on the lectures you’ll attend.
Feilres and Vairel will be sent there—after all, they’re of knight class.
"Wait, does that mean I’ll be the only man inside our section? " the thought crossed his mind, but then he dismissed it.
Because in the second semester, things such as class-A will be demolished, only a wide classroom where all of the same class of gifted will be there.
But still, he was worried—the power of the humans seems to be more than what he expected.
In common sense, he should be happy about it—but not right now, not when the church was already setting the stage to hunt him.
"Fuck, I can’t even have a peaceful life." He cursed under his breath.
"Just what should I do now? " he breathed, his head snapping upwards.
It was already night, the stars shone brightly under the night sky.
Zeres stared at it "Beautiful" he whispered. His hands raising as if he could somehow reach them.
"Overthinking things won’t do me any good. Instead, i should just do my best to survive." He rubbed his temple.
"Should I take a nap? " he mumbled, standing up—he was about to head on the place he usually went at, when he heard the students.
"Ohh, the banquet is already starting!"
The cadets shouted, excitement on their faces as they bolted straight at the place.
"If I knew the exact time, I would’ve gone later." Zeres sighed, putting his hands in his pockets, he crossed the academy ground lazily.
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"That’s some crazy presence right there." Zeres whistled as he neared the entrance.
The banquet hall was far more crowded than he expected.
Crystal chandeliers illuminated the hall while expensive wines and delicacies filled the long tables arranged around the room.
Nobles chatted among themselves. Mages from various towers occupied one corner while members of the church gathered in another.
The sound of laughter, music, and conversation blended together into a constant noise.
Zeres immediately regretted coming.
’If not for Professor Elyssa, he would have been lying comfortably on his bed right now.’ He sighed.
Looking around, his gaze immediately snapped on the tasty looking meat, but he held himself back.
Glancing everywhere, his gaze finally landed on a familiar figure.
Feilres.
He stood there elegantly, a red cape draped over his shoulders, luxurious white suit adorned with golden embroidery. He was smiling softly as he entertained the nobles flocking around him.
’Ohh, right, I forgot—all of them in class-A had a standing on the empire—except for him.
He stared one last time before he went into a waiter, grabbing a glass of red wine, he went straight at the corner.
’This banquet is really not my taste.’ He shook his head, he wasn’t really a fan of people battling with words, exchanging words of dagger draped in a velvet cloth.
For Zeres, he despised it— just the thought if him being associated with them made him want to vomit.
"Scums" he mumbled as a certain memory from the book surfaced.
"Why are you all alone there? " a sweet voice pulled him out of his thoughts. His head immediately snapped towards the sound.
Professor Elyssa stood there graciously, she wore a velvet dress adorned with black embroidery, a Ruby necklace hung on her neck— on her silk gloved hands were a glass of red wine.
She looked like a red rose.
"Not a fan of crowded places." He replied flatly.
"Nothing can be done, the reward ceremony for you guys is just this grand. Bear with it for a while." Professor Elyssa sighed, then she stood beside him.
"What are you doing here? Aren’t you going to your co-professors? "
"That can wait, for now—I’ll accompany my poor lonely student~" she chuckled lightly.
"Don’t worry, I won’t do anything foolish, I know the church have their eyes on me." Zeres muttered.
Professor Elyssa’s gaze sharpened, then she nodded her head.
"I see, so you already knew about it."
"Given the way how they’re glaring at me right now, I’d be a fool not to think otherwise."
"Okay then, I’ll trust you won’t do anything foolish." Professor Elyssa nodded, her long wavy red hair cascading down her back elegantly.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for attending this event. I will now be announcing the awards and the winner of this year’s Luminary Trial."
A loud voice echoed across the entire banquet as the place was immediately filled with silence.
Mages gave started paying attention, so as the knights and the nobles.
’Tsk, they’re just here to scout some talents yet they’re arrogantly flaunting their wealth?’ Elyssa sneered inwardly.
This had been a long tradition, the times where talentes freshmens will get scouted.
’I wonder if he’ll be affiliated with a tower’ she thought as she took a glance at Zeres beside her.
He stood there lazily, his tailcoat folded in her arms, a glass of red wine in his hands as he stared blankly at the podium.
"Prepare yourself, you might get ridiculed and some will flock towards you as you’re the only one without an affiliation within the top rankings." Elyssa warned, a worried expression on her face.
’This damned bastards, they won’t just let him live here quietly.’ She clenched her fist.
She wanted to defend him, yet she also know the bitter truth—that her words won’t have that much of an effect against the church who stood on equal footing with the royalty itself.
