Nathan wandered purposefully around the school grounds, carefully watching any representative students who arrived. Apart from Jennifer Lumendra, Monica Gladius, and himself, four more representative students arrived individually. Similar to him, they caught all the attention and respect from the others. People either avoided them or stayed humble in front of them. However, Principal Nox had already disappeared from the front gate, unbothered to greet any of them.
The two students of the Schwarz and Blanc clans, William Schwarz and Leo Blanc, arrived almost at the same time. Though only heirs of branch families, their arrival was the fanciest and received the most recognition.
William Schwarz was a short boy with dark hair. Surrounded by a crowd of citizens and other ordinary students, there was a friendly smile on his youthful face, giving a somewhat approachable atmosphere despite his identity.
Compared to the Blanc Clan, the Schwarz Clan possessed many more supporters due to their political beliefs. Putting people, their freedom, and their rights before everything else, they had earned almost every normal citizen's support.
On the other side, Leo Blanc seemed much more reserved and prideful. But Nathan noticed a faint sense of sorrow and anxiety in his eyes. He arrived along with some elders of his clan as well as some aristocrats, on floating rocks powered by wind-element Rune Arts.
To the Blanc Clan, it was the quality of their support that mattered. They believed that the general development and benefits of the kingdom were more important than the welfare of the people. Therefore, most aristocrats and business tycoons sided with them, including the royal family itself.
As they saw each other in the crowd, the hostility between them was laughably visible. Nathan thought they would at least put up an act of friendliness in front of others, but it turned out that their hatred toward each other didn't permit them to do that.
Of course, their conflict was too enormous to resolve. It symbolized the bigger picture of the ministerial battleground between royalty and the Rune Arts Federation. The ideological influence had already affected even the younger generations of the clan. After all, this quarrel had endured since the foundation of the kingdom.
After a while, a luxurious carriage flying in the air landed before the academy gate. Two representative students walked out elegantly. Nathan noticed Jennifer Lumendra as one of them, who shot him a warning look the moment she noticed him.
The other girl by her side had long, straight blonde hair that reached all the way to her thighs. Compared to the wildness of Monica and the viciousness of Jennifer, this girl looked much more like a true aristocrat in Nathan's stereotypical image.
Recalling Arthur Paradox's information, she must be Charlotte Clayfield, the heir apparent of the Clayfield Clan.
The Clayfield Clan was the most mysterious family among the aristocrats. Similar to the Schwarz, the Blanc, and the Paradox, their ancestors contributed greatly to the kingdom's formation. Focusing mainly on combat-type Rune Arts, they directly shaped the foundation of Rune Arts' employment in combat, though they leaned more toward the research type instead of the brawling ones. Not participating in anything else in the kingdom's system, the activities of the Clayfield Clan never entered the public's eyes.
The last representative student to arrive was a chubby, cheerful boy—David Edmonds from the Edmonds Clan.
Compared to all the other representative students, the Edmonds Clan wasn't considered aristocratic. Instead, they had earned the position to be invited for the amount of their wealth alone.
The Edmonds family was the richest in the entire kingdom, and no clans, including the royal family and the Rune Arts Federation, could even compare to their wealth. The existence of the Edmonds Clan was like a spider web that connected the kingdom's economy, their hands reaching into every sector related to financial gain.
David Edmonds was the son of the family head, but among other clan members, he was always considered incompetent and unworthy of the position he had the right to possess.
Nathan also spotted Daniel, Joseph, and Jay among the crowd, though they were occupied with their own business and did not notice Nathan's gaze from the corner.
Surprisingly, all of them accompanied representative students, and from the look of it, they were speaking to them as equals.
Daniel Whitedawn and Charlotte Clayfield talked enthusiastically to each other as if they were friends who hadn't met for a long time. Joseph Gravekin had a sinister smile on his face as he whispered something into Monica Gladius's ear, who nodded mischievously in response. And Jay Short shook hands with David Edmonds. Even though he attempted to pay his respects, David seemed to prefer him to be casual. As businessmen rather than aristocrats, the two disregarded bothersome manners and talked straightforwardly and with confidence.
At this point, every freshman student invited to the Imperial Rune Arts Academy of Runalond had already arrived. Though the number was scarce compared to other academies, only around 100 in total, they all seemed to have already found their company. Nathan knew just as well as anyone else that Rune Art mastery wasn't the only valuable lesson taught at this academy. It was the companionships and partnerships made along the way that truly mattered to their future.
"Attention! Everyone!" A loud voice roared from the direction of the academy building. A muscular yet orderly-dressed man walked out of the colossal door with wide steps, his movement filled with power and authority.
"I am Samuel Helix, Vice Principal of the Imperial Rune Arts Academy of Runalond. In a few minutes, the welcoming assembly, informational meeting, and the Elemental Trait Awakening Ceremony will be held at the Great Hall directly behind this door. But before all of that is taken into consideration, I have a few points that couldn't be addressed in a formal assembly but are also cornerstones of your future in our academy." His words were firm and thundering, reaching every corner of the enormous courtyard. The chattering students all fell completely silent as they listened to his speech.
Samuel Helix was a name heard by many. He had almost become a member of the Supreme Seven Seats, and his mastery of Rune Arts was unarguably among the top ten in the kingdom.
"Firstly, I don't care which clan or organization you belong to. Feel free to feel superior that you were fortunate enough to be born into a noble family, but this academy is a place to study and improve, not a playground for you to project your personal hatred toward each other! In this place, your identity will only earn you respect, not power."
"Secondly, let me remind you that the academy does not take responsibility for the students' safety. So keep your hands and eyes to yourselves and be careful not to make any fatal enemies. It is your responsibility to possess, and your consequences to bear."
"And thirdly…" He attempted to continue, but his pupils fixed on a figure in the distance. His expression changed drastically into horror, blocking the words back into his mouth.
Nathan looked behind instantly. For a moment, he felt like his heart had stopped beating.
Two figures slowly and silently advanced into the school grounds and toward the academy building. Without any company's luxurious vehicle or mechanism, the atmosphere they emitted alone was enough to make everyone gasp for breath.
As they got closer, everyone in the courtyard lowered their heads humbly, including William Schwarz and Leo Blanc. Even for figures like them, only fear dominated their expressions.
Except for Nathan.
As the two people marched toward him, Nathan stared at them. For the first time in a long time, his body started to tremble.
On the left was a simply dressed man with scarce, white hair. His eyes illuminated a pale, golden light that seemed to absorb everyone's sanity. But what truly froze Nathan into a statue was the figure on the right.
They wore an elegant cloak that concealed their entire body, the hood on the cloak shadowing even their face.
It was the cloak of his mother.
The mother that Nathan had never met. His memories surged through him like howling waves in a stormy ocean, chaotic, yet awfully vivid.
"Mother…" he whispered to himself. Even though he couldn't be completely sure, his eyes were filled with a mixture of astonishment and hope.
The cloaked figure approached him. Among the crowd, he was the only one who kept his head high. Some students cursed silently at Nathan's ignorance. No matter who he was, the figure in front of him was too powerful—so powerful that even her codename could bring silence to a crowd.
"I am V, the First Seat of the Rune Arts Federation," she spoke, her voice sliding into Nathan's ears smoothly.
"Since the very foundation of the Rune Arts Federation, one law has remained absolute, when in the presence of the First Seat, every citizen of Runalond must lower their head to pay respect. Everyone must follow this rule, aristocrats, soldiers, commoners, and even the king himself."
A shiver ran down Nathan's spine. Trying his best to keep himself calm, he attempted to lower his head difficultly.
But before he managed to do so, a hand rested gently on his shoulder.
"Nathan Modernson."
"You are… the only exception."