"It's nothing. How have you been?" Freon asked.
Yuna smiled weakly, but Freon could see some sadness contained. "I… was drafted into the army."
"…I see." He looked away, unsure of what to say. Eventually, he added, "Are you… okay?"
She hesitated. "I…"
Before she could finish, there was a loud commotion near the entrance of the hall. Freon turned his head, while Yuna was thankful for the distraction. The ceremony had yet to start, so people were randomly congregating in groups. That included the entrance. However, when this new group of students arrived, everyone stopped and quieted down, naturally giving way to them. Freon quickly realized why. Although they wore the same uniforms as everyone else, confidence radiated from their very bones. Their presence felt noble. And indeed, they were. These students were the direct descendants from the Engelsheft Families, and wielded great Magic Potential and Bloodline Abilities. They had an excellent chance of breaching Condensed Drop Core Level and becoming one of the few pillars of the Zino Kingdom. Their confidence, and thus arrogance, was deserved. Freon scoffed. He was already a Low Condensed Drop Arcanist. Their ability… was beneath him. Freon shook his head and decided to forget about them.
They did not do the same though. They scanned the grand hall searching for someone, and the second their eyes fell on Freon, he groaned. That was because they started coming over. He smelled trouble. Yuna was startled, and the other students looked over curiously, wondering who they were. That was unsurprising really. Freon might be a famous war hero, but few people knew what he looked like. They only heard the stories, which was fine. He disliked the attention. Sadly, he could not avoid it forever. The proud descendants stopped in front of him. Just as Freon expected the worst, the student leading the group stepped up and bowed sharply. Freon was stunned, as was everyone else. Nobody expected this.
"Thank you for saving me, Lord Freon," the boy stated somberly.
Freon scratched his chin awkwardly. "I'm sorry, but you have the wrong person. I don't remember doing that."
"No, I don't have the wrong person. I was near the frontlines during the Siege of Yongtein. Our platoon was retreating too slowly, and the enemies were catching up. They would have killed us, had it not been for your wall of flames."
"I'm glad to hear that I helped someone."
The boy straightened and smiled, extending a handshake. "My name is Aster of the Cisvernia Engelsheft Family. I promise to return the favor one day."
Freon returned the handshake and paused. "Were you… related to Ten Dawn Iris?"
Aster's smile cracked. "She was my aunt."
"The White Healer saved a lot of people, including myself, so you don't have to repay your debt."
"Very well," Aster chuckled, sensing Freon's aversion.
Another girl curtsied with an elegant move. "Lady Solis of the Welgen Family. You rescued me in the Siege of Yongtein as well. I was assigned to the same brigade as you, when we were ambushed by the empire. If it wasn't for you and Her Highness, then I wouldn't be here right now."
"There's no need to thank us. We were only trying to survive. Still… I'll be sure to inform Her Highness. She'll be happy."
Solis held a hand to her mouth and chuckled. "You're too humble, Lord Freon."
"Perhaps," he replied calmly. Before he got hounded by more people, he stopped them. "Let's continue this another time. The ceremony is about to start."
That was a lie, but he was really starting to hate these conversations. Being thanked was great and all. He was not making light of their feelings. The only problem was that… it was starting to get repetitive. This was probably the thirtieth time today alone! Sensing his annoyance, the crowds dispersed. Lord Aster gave a knowing nod and left. Lady Solis smiled widely, her gaze lingering on him longer than normal, before she too left. Freon pretended not to see it, but Yuna clearly had. Her expression burned with a competitive air, trading invisible blows with Lady Solis.
Freon coughed. "Sorry about that… What were we saying before?"
Yuna almost jumped. "I… don't remember."
"Well, whatever."
He shrugged. Their conversation died, just like that. There was nothing to talk about. After all, they both recently returned from the war, and neither were eager to reopen their wounds. Yuna seemed especially hesitant to say anything. She must have had a traumatic time. Freon reigned in his curiosity and stayed silent. He was never very social anyways.
Time passed slowly. People continued to enter the halls, some famous, some not. However, most people belonged to the first category. The First Celestial Magic University had exactly one thousand students, and since it was in the capital city, competition ran high. Being an Arcanist was synonymous with nobility in the Zino Kingdom. It reflected status, power, and wealth, so there was a high motivation to become an Arcanist. The official requirement was to be under twenty years old and have a Medium Gaseous Fog Core Level. Many people had that. So, the hidden requirement was elevated over the years. Things like rune knowledge, spell repertoire, combat ability, and of course Magic Potential and Bloodline. With all the Engelsheft Families in Firecast, they made it nearly impossible to enroll, unless one had an exceptional talent like Yuna. Or… came through questionable connections like Freon. Either way, only the best of the best enrolled here.
Freon lacked any interest, even before becoming a Condensed Drop Arcanist. More importantly, the other students lacked any interest in him, since his ranking was so low. The only reason people gave him any notice was due to his younger sister, Ten Dawn Nassandra, and that was very limited, bordering on disgust. Therefore, he never bothered to learn who those 'high and mighty' figures were and never had a chance to meet them either. Yuna was the opposite though, because she was a high ranking student. She should have had plenty of chances to cross paths. Leaning on the wall lazily, Freon asked Yuna who they were. And as it turned out, Lord Aster and Lady Solis were indeed extraordinary.
Lord Aster Cisvernia was a tall boy, standing out from the crowds. He had lightly tanned skin, sleek black hair that caressed his ears, and a firm gaze. He appeared friendly and harmless, but his demeanor could become fearsome and ruthless against his enemies. It was unknown what his true personality was. As the son of the Cisvernia Family's matriarch, he enjoyed the same benefits of the Bloodline as what made Ten Dawn Iris, the White Healer, so famous. Namely, her extremely potent Magic Perception. Of course, he was not a Condensed Drop Arcanist yet, so his Magic Perception could not extend beyond his body. Ten Dawn Iris was also the exception, not the standard. Her talents were special. Nevertheless, his school ranking from last year was 17 out of 1000, and he was a Peak Gaseous Fog Arcanist.
Lady Solis Welgen was a slim girl with… considerable assets. She had pale skin, akin to snow, golden silky hair, and a round face. In order words, she was gorgeous. That, combined with her elegant and soft personality, made people instinctively want to protect her. Her charm was lethal. Even Freon felt awkward facing her. The Welgen Family was also an Engelsheft Family, and Lady Solis was their young princess. The nature of their Bloodline Ability was a bit unclear, but their Magic Potential was undeniable, giving birth to the late Ten Dawn Lorth. Lady Solis herself was a Peak Gaseous Fog Arcanist, and her last ranking was 21.
Once again, Freon was dismayed by the fact he had the legendary Arcellius Family's Bloodline flowing through his veins. He knew nothing of the Arcellius Family's traditions, its history, or even its people. Nothing, besides its fleeting name. And yet, his hidden Magic Potential was enough to propel him from the bottom of Gaseous Fog to Condensed Drop now. It was absurd. It was ridiculous. It was… unfair. For years, he struggled at Low Gaseous Fog, unable to take a step forward, so he knew exactly how hard it was to reach Peak Gaseous Fog. It seemed distant and forever out of his reach. He wondered if he had achieved anything with his own efforts, or if he had simply cheated with his bloodline. That, if he did not have the Arcellius blood, he would still be a pathetic Low Gaseous Fog Arcanist. He would have had nothing and been no one. The thought was sobering. Freon pushed those thoughts away and looked up. The graduation ceremony was finally about to start.