Mistral Royal Academy

  Adrian stood at the academy's gate, his gaze dropped to the uniform he was wearing: a fitted jacket in deep black with subtle silver trim, paired with matching trousers and polished shoes that caught the light of the rising sun. He adjusted the cuffs of the jacket, smoothing out an invisible wrinkle. I should thank Selena later. Didn't expect her to have this all cleaned up and ready so fast.

  He walked through the academy gates, his posture straight, though his fingers curled slightly at his sides. As was before, eyes trailed him, some covert, others blatantly obvious.

  He exhaled sharply, his lips tightening. They’ve been staring since day one. Do they ever get bored of this? The whispers were muted, but he caught fragments as he passed.

  “That’s him…”

  “...why is he sticking with that elf princess…”

  “...he's too full of himself…”

  Adrian walked steadily through the academy gates, his eyes fixed on the path ahead. The soft murmur of voices surrounded him, the weight of countless stares pressing against his back like an invisible tide. Let them talk. They’re wasting their breath.

  The crunch of boots on gravel caught his attention,more deliberate than the aimless shuffling around him. A familiar voice soon broke through the noise. “Mind if I walk with you?”

  Adrian slowed his pace and turned, his shoulders relaxing slightly at the sight of Alisha. Her pink hair shimmered under the sunlight. She waved at him with an easy smile that radiated confidence.

  “Hey, Alisha,” he greeted, raising a hand in return. “Sure. Walk with me.”

  She fell into step beside him, her movements fluid and poised. The faint floral scent of her perfume drifted through the air, and Adrian found himself appreciating how her presence quieted the noise in his head.

  “You know,” she said after a moment, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, “you handle the staring really well. It’s impressive.”

  Adrian let out a soft snort. “What choice do I have? If I cared about what they thought, I’d lose my mind.”

  Her laughter rang out, drawing attention from nearby students. Adrian caught a few of them glancing their way, but he ignored them.

  “Fair,” Alisha said. “But you’ve got to admit, the way they react to you is kind of funny."

  "Funny how?"

  "It's just that… they don't seem to really know how to deal with people who aren't also nobility."

  "Hmm, now that you mention that, you seem quite comfortable talking to me despite my, uh, upbringing."

  "Oh, please, I don't care about all that stuff. I just like to see people for what they are, and that's that."

  Adrian rolled his eyes, though he couldn’t completely suppress the small smile forming on his lips. But Before he could say anything more, Alisha’s attention shifted. She lifted her hand to wave enthusiastically. “Xenon! Over here!”

  The two soon spotted a black-haired elf boy standing near the edge of the courtyard, half-hidden in the dappled shade of a tall tree. Xenon hesitated for a moment before stepping forward. His uniform was perfectly pressed, though he tugged at his collar as if it felt too tight.

  “Alisha,” Xenon said softly, his voice barely above a murmur. As his green eyes flicked to Adrian, he offered a small, uncertain smile. “Oh, uh… hi, Adrian.”

  Adrian gave him a slight nod, “Hey, Xenon.”

  Alisha’s eyes widened slightly as she looked between the two of them. “Wait a second—you two know each other?”

  Adrian shrugged, the gesture casual. “Yeah. We ran into each other in Oakshield a while back.” His voice was matter-of-fact, offering no further details.

  Xenon nodded, his fingers fidgeting with the hem of his jacket. “It wasn’t… much, but yeah. We met.”

  Alisha raised an eyebrow, curiosity flickering across her face, but then she smiled. “Well, that’s a surprise. It’s good you already know someone here, Xenon. Makes things a little easier.”

  “Yeah,” Xenon replied quietly.

  Alisha tilted her head, giving him a reassuring look. “You’ll be fine. And who knows? You might even enjoy it here.”

  Xenon’s lips twitched into a faint smile, and he nodded again. Adrian watched the interaction silently, feeling a small sense of relief.

  “Well,” Alisha said brightly, clapping her hands once, “we should get moving before we’re late. Don’t want to give the teachers a bad first impression.”

  “Yeah,” Adrian agreed, adjusting the strap of his satchel as they set off together. He noticed the faint tension lingering in Xenon’s shoulders as the boy turned toward his own classroom and silently hoped his day wouldn’t be too rough. It’s his first day. He’ll figure it out.

  Xenon nodded, his hands fidgeting with the hem of his jacket. He offered no additional explanation, and Adrian didn’t press him.

  Alisha raised an eyebrow, glancing between them. Then she grinned and folded her arms. “Well, I’m glad you’re getting along. Xenon could use someone to bring him out of his shell.”

  Xenon’s face turned pink. “I-I’m not that quiet…”

  Alisha laughed, patting him on the shoulder. “Sure you’re not.”

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  Xenon cleared his throat, quickly changing the subject. “The announcement board should be up. We should see which class we’re in.”

  “Good idea,” Alisha said, already turning toward the growing crowd near the large oak board mounted against the main building’s wall.

  The trio made their way through the courtyard, weaving between clusters of students. The hum of conversation grew louder as they neared the board, anticipation buzzing in the air. Adrian stayed a step behind Alisha and Xenon, scanning the sea of faces with mild disinterest.

  Alisha reached the board first, leaning closer to scan the parchment lists pinned in neat rows. “Let’s see… Alisha…” Her finger stopped as she found her name. “Ah! Class Two.”

  Xenon stepped closer to the announcement board, looking over the list. His fingers hovered just above the parchment as if steadying himself. “Xenon… Class Four,”

  Adrian’s gaze roved over the lists, scanning the neatly printed names and designations. His eyes settled on his name near the middle. “Adrian… Class Two.”

  Alisha clapped her hands together, her pink hair catching the light as it bounced with her excitement. “Yes! We’re in the same class.” She flashed Adrian a grin, her tone cheerful. “At least I won’t have to survive a room full of strangers on the first day.”

  Adrian smirked faintly, his voice tinged with dry humor. “Lucky me. Babysitting duty it is.”

  “Oh, please.” Alisha rolled her eyes but laughed. “You’ll be thanking me when I make you the most popular kid in class.”

  Xenon shifted slightly, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “At least you two will know someone. That’s nice.”

  Alisha’s attention turned to Xenon, her expression softening as she registered his assignment. “Wait, Class Four?” She frowned slightly, her brows knitting together. “That’s on the other side of the building. Are you going to be okay?”

  Xenon nodded, his hands clasping behind his back as he straightened his posture. “I’ll be fine. It’s not far.”

  Alisha leaned toward him slightly, her green eyes searching his face for a moment before offering a gentle smile. “Well, if anything comes up, just let us know, okay? And we should definitely meet at lunch to catch up.”

  Adrian gave a short nod of agreement. “Lunch sounds good.”

  Xenon relaxed a fraction, his smile growing a little more genuine. “Thanks. I’ll see you then.”

  Before the conversation could drift further, a playful voice cut through the air behind them, light and teasing. “So, this is what betrayal feels like.”

  Adrian turned sharply, arms folding across his chest as he spotted Kael approaching. The boy’s hair peeked out from beneath his plain headband, the cloth tied securely over his blindfolded eyes. Kael’s smirk was unmistakable, his head tilted slightly to one side in mock indignation.

  “Kael,” Adrian said, his tone flat but not unfriendly. “I didn’t abandon you. You’re late.”

  Kael grinned. “You left me in the dust! I was searching everywhere. Imagine my heartbreak, wandering these foreign halls, lost and alone.”

  Alisha laughed lightly. “Alright, you two, settle down. Class starts soon, and I don’t want to walk in with everyone thinking we’re some traveling circus.”

  Adrian snorted but relaxed his stance. He turned to Xenon, who lingered slightly behind the group, his gaze directed downward. “You’re in a different class. Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

  Xenon gave a small nod, his fingers adjusting his collar again. “I’ll be fine. Thanks for asking.”

  Alisha smiled warmly, patting Xenon lightly on the shoulder. “We’ll meet up at lunch, okay? All four of us.”

  Adrian nodded, his voice firm. “Sounds good.”

  Kael threw an arm around Adrian’s shoulder, his grin as mischievous as ever. “Can’t wait. You can buy me something fancy from the canteen, my dear friend.”

  Adrian groaned, ducking out from under Kael’s arm. “Not happening.”

  “Worth a shot,” Kael said with a chuckle.

  The group split off, Xenon heading toward his classroom while Adrian, Alisha, and Kael made their way to theirs. The corridors were bustling with students, the hum of conversation rising as they passed.

  Alisha walked between the two boys, her pink hair catching the sunlight streaming through the high arched windows. “So, Adrian, how long before you think Kael gets us in trouble?”

  Adrian glanced at Kael, who walked with his hands clasped casually behind his head. “If he doesn’t do it before lunch, it’ll be a miracle.”

  Kael gasped, his tone mock-offended. “I’ll have you know I am a paragon of good behavior.”

  Alisha rolled her eyes. “Uh-huh.”

  When they reached their classroom, the chatter of students quieted as heads turned toward the trio. Adrian felt the familiar weight of their stares, his steps faltering slightly. Alisha walked confidently past the gazes, her expression unbothered. Kael followed suit, his blindfolded eyes offering him a blissful ignorance of the scrutiny.

  They found a trio of tables near the middle of the room. Adrian slid into his seat, Alisha taking the one to his right and Kael lounging to his left. Despite the relative normalcy of their actions, the stares persisted, whispers rippling through the room like an annoying buzz.

  Adrian sighed, “I wish they’d just look somewhere else.”

  Kael shrugged, leaning back in his chair. “Kinda hard to ignore the elf princess sitting with a couple of commoners.”

  Alisha shot him a look, her lips twitching upward. “I’m not just an elf princess, thank you very much. I’m also extremely charming, which might be why they’re staring.”

  The whispers surrounding the trio dulled for a moment as an older man entered the room, his polished shoes clicking softly against the stone floor. He was tall and wiry, with white hair combed neatly to the side and a pair of spectacles perched on his nose. His warm smile softened the deep lines on his face, giving him an air of gentle authority.

  “Alright, everyone,” he said, his voice carrying easily over the quiet chatter. “Settle down, settle down. Let’s save the gossip for lunchtime, shall we?”

  The room quieted gradually, though a few stifled giggles lingered. Adrian straightened in his seat, noting how the man’s presence brought an unspoken calm.

  “Good morning, class. I’m Mr. Hubert, and I’ll be your instructor this year. You’ll quickly find out I’m quite unlike the strict taskmasters you might have heard about.”

  He smiled wider, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “For one, I only make you stand in the hallway if you fall asleep while snoring.”

  A ripple of laughter moved through the room, more genuine than the earlier murmurs. Even Adrian found himself chuckling quietly. He’s different from what I expected.

  Mr. Hubert raised a hand to steady the reaction, though his smile never faltered. “Good. Now that we’re all acquainted, let’s get to the point. I have an important announcement to make.”

  The air in the room shifted, the students sitting up straighter in their seats. Mr. Hubert adjusted his spectacles, his tone taking on a more serious edge. “Due to… unusual circumstances, we’ll be welcoming an additional transfer student to our class.”

  The room buzzed with curiosity, a few students whispering to one another. Adrian exchanged a quick glance with Alisha, who raised an eyebrow, her expression intrigued. Kael, lounging comfortably, muttered under his breath, “Unusual circumstances? Sounds like someone interesting.”

  Adrian tilted his head, his thoughts turning over the announcement. A transfer this late?

  Mr. Hubert tapped his desk lightly with a knuckle, drawing the class’s attention back to him. “I’ll leave the details for the student to share, if they choose to, of course. They’ll be arriving shortly, so until then, let’s go over the basics of this year’s curriculum.”

  He turned to the blackboard, the tip of his chalk scratching faintly as he started listing subjects and their focus for the term. Adrian tried to focus, but his curiosity about the transfer gnawed at him. Alisha, too, leaned slightly closer, her fingers tapping the edge of her desk.

  “This is going to be interesting,” she whispered, a glint of excitement in her eyes. “I wonder who it is.”

  “Bet it’s someone weird,” Kael muttered with a smirk.

  Adrian rolled his eyes. “Unlikely.”

  Kael shrugged, leaning back lazily. “Guess we’ll find out.”