Chapter 193: Astralis Academy According to what Azel knew from the game, they were still only on the outskirts of the academy grounds. The place looked peaceful enough, but he knew better. Old stone buildings dotted the area, some leaning with age, others restored just enough to still function like the place where they were writing the exam. These outskirts weren’t abandoned though — professors often used them for their classes. He had already spotted Professor Luke’s class earlier, the class where the students were seated outside. Luke was a renowned figure in the empire, a sixth-circle mage whose reputation as both scholar and warrior carried weight. He had a lazy air to him, but Azel remembered that in the game, when the time came, that same professor would burn enemies alive without hesitation. To truly enter Astralis Academy, though, they had to go beyond this outer zone. The real heart of the school lay behind the Inner Gates. And those weren’t ordinary gates. ’If the game was right, those gates are guarded by a mage at the third circle and a swordsman who could crush a legion on his own,’ Azel thought, his eyes flicking toward the tall walls that framed the path ahead. It wasn’t just for show — Astralis protected its treasures fiercely. Lorraine walked with confidence at his side. Her black hair swayed behind her, her uniform pressed neat, and her arm looped firmly around his. Azel glanced down at her grip but didn’t say anything. "Hey guys," Lorraine called out lightly as they reached the gates. The two guards stationed there — one in mage’s robes, the other in shining armor snapped to attention. Their eyes widened the moment they registered what they were seeing. ’Is... the president really with a man?’ the mage thought, almost choking on his own breath. The Student Council president was famous across the academy, not just for her beauty, but for her cold refusals. Dozens of men had approached her in the past, and she had turned them all away with barely a word. Some had even made their confessions right here at these gates, only to be politely or sometimes not so politely rejected. It had reached a point where most assumed she wasn’t interested in men at all. And now here she was, holding onto Azel as if she had already claimed him. The swordsman guard cleared his throat loudly, shooting a look at his fellow mage as if to say, "Control yourself." Then he turned toward Lorraine with proper respect. "Hello, Student Council President," he said with a bow of his head. "If you wouldn’t mind, may I ask who the man with you is?" Lorraine didn’t hesitate. She turned her head slightly, her eyes warm as she looked at Azel. "Oh, him?" she said in a tone that carried both pride and familiarity. "He’s Azel Thorne. I promised him a tour." The mage and the swordsman immediately straightened. The principal had requested that they wait for Eliana to escort him when he was done with the exams, the mage had been about to go look for him. ’I wonder what’s so good about this guy,’ the mage thought bitterly, glancing at Azel’s silver hair and calm expression. ’First the president takes his arm like that, and now the Principal himself wants him escorted? What’s next, the Empress herself welcoming him?’ Still, their job wasn’t to question. "Of course," the mage said at last, stepping toward the gate. He pressed his hand on a glowing platform set into the stone. Runes flared alive in lines of blue light, spreading across the gate like veins awakening. With a deep groan of stone and steel, the massive doors began to swing open. "Please enjoy your time inside," the swordsman added. His tone was respectful and Azel liked the guy. Lorraine blinked. Honestly, she had expected resistance. She had prepared to argue her way through, maybe even flash her Council authority a little harder. But in the end, the guards had practically stepped aside the moment she asked. She frowned faintly, though she didn’t let Azel see. ’That was too easy,’ she thought. ’Did the Principal already...?’ Still, she wasn’t going to complain. She tugged Azel’s arm lightly. "Come on," she said. The two of them walked through the open gates, and Azel stepped officially into Astralis Academy. It was like crossing into another world. "Get your magic cores here! Fresh Rank 4 and Rank 5 cores!" "Young man, over here! Finest weapons in the market, affordable prices!" The sound hit him all at once. It was like being in a market, voices rising and falling, vendors calling out to passing students. Stalls lined the walkway, colorful banners waving gently in the wind. Crystals glowed faintly inside glass cases, and racks of weapons gleamed under the sunlight. Azel took in the sight carefully. He recognized it. This was the academy marketplace. A place that looked simple on the surface, but in the game, it was the setting for countless key events. Here, students traded not only goods but also information, alliances, and favors. His eyes drifted to a small stall tucked near the end of the street. If he remembered right, this was where Reinhardt would soon purchase a prototype body-refining pill, one that would play a big role in strengthening him later. ’Should I get it for Feng instead?’ Azel thought, narrowing his eyes. His summon could use the advantage. And stealing away Reinhardt’s opportunities was always a nice bonus. He tucked that thought away for later, only to notice that Lorraine had suddenly stopped moving. Her steps halted abruptly, and she stood stiff, her gaze locked on something ahead. Azel followed her eyes. What he saw made him pause too. A woman stood in the crowd, but she didn’t blend in at all. Long purple hair flowed like silk down her back, shimmering faintly even in the shade. Her figure was elegant and her movements were graceful, but what caught Azel’s attention most were her eyes. They weren’t normal. They were sharp, elongated, with slitted pupils like a predator’s. [You have fallen for Eliana’s Beauty Enchantment.] [Kyone’s Blessing has canceled out the effects.] Azel blinked as the system messages flickered across his vision. ’Eliana,’ he thought. Of course. One of the academy’s famous villains. She wasn’t the type to swing a sword recklessly or summon armies. Her weapon was far subtler — an automatic beauty enchantment that bent the will of men. Any male who looked into her eyes for too long fell under her sway, enchanted to obey. Weak-willed men lost themselves completely. Even stronger ones found their hearts unsteady. Still, he couldn’t deny the power of her presence. She was the kind of woman who turned heads the moment she entered a room. Lorraine clearly felt it too. Her jaw tightened, and her glare sharpened into a dagger. "Hey President," Eliana called out sweetly, her voice like honey dripping over glass. "Nice weather we’re having, isn’t it?" Her lips curled into a smile as her eyes shifted toward Azel. "You wouldn’t believe it," she continued smoothly, "but the Principal sent me over to give Mr. Azel here a proper tour of the academy." Lorraine’s brows knitted. She was sharp enough to know Eliana wasn’t lying — the Principal really might have sent her. Suddenly, the ease with which the guards had let them through made sense. ’So that’s why,’ Lorraine thought with a sigh. ’They opened the gates without hesitation because it was their orders..’ Her grip on Azel’s arm tightened just slightly. "Tell the Principal that I’ll do it," Lorraine said firmly. Eliana chuckled, her eyes glimmering. She tilted her head, purple strands sliding off her shoulder. "Why don’t we ask Mr. Azel instead?" she said, her voice dripping charm as she extended a hand toward him. She let her enchantment pulse a little stronger, subtle waves of magic rolling toward him like perfume. Her smile widened. "What do you think?" she asked, her tone teasing, daring. "Do you want a beautiful lady like me to escort you... or a boring one like her?" [Author’s Note] I’m feeling a bit sick so only 2 Chapters today.