Dante was a man of average height—1.7 meters, with ordinary black hair and an even more ordinary expression. On his way to the academy, he came across a garden. Curious, he stopped. This wasn't just any garden—it was a masterpiece.
Everything in it was perfect. Every blade of grass trimmed with precision. Every brick and stepping stone meticulously placed. There wasn't a single bug, rat, or sign of dirt. Instead, bees and butterflies floated lazily through the air, dancing among flowers that looked too pristine to be real. It was like the world's greatest gardener had poured their soul into this place.
Towering oak trees provided a pleasant shade, and in the distance, the most eye-catching feature came into view—a pond. Not just any pond, but a shimmering, crystal-clear pool of water where marble stones lined the bottom and edges with geometric perfection. Above, koi fish glided gracefully, their scales glittering like precious gems. They swam and played, just like the ones in decorative ponds from his previous world.
'Maybe this is one of the connections between the two worlds,' Dante thought, captivated.
He felt drawn to it. Without thinking, he walked over, sat by the edge of the pond, and simply watched the koi swim. Their colors were vivid—orange, white, red, black—and their gentle movements calmed his thoughts.
Across the pond, a few other students sat on stone benches, enjoying their breakfast while admiring the serene view.
Then he heard it—light footsteps behind him. Awkward ones, like someone wasn't sure whether to walk on the grass or the stone path.
He turned.
A girl crouched a few feet away, staring into the pond with wide, glowing golden-yellow eyes. Her long, snow-white hair spilled down her shoulders like moonlight. She pointed excitedly at the koi.
Her face was pale, like porcelain. Beautiful, but otherworldly. She looked like she should be wise, ethereal… ancient.
Then she tilted her head and asked, completely serious,
"Are those tiny dragons?"
Dante blinked. "They're… koi fish."
She gasped in delight. "Koi?! That's a cute name! Can I ride one?"
"…No."
She deflated slightly, then plopped down beside him, crossing her legs like they were old friends. Her robes were half-wrinkled, her boots didn't match, and a piece of grass stuck out of her hair like she hadn't even noticed.
"I'm new," she said suddenly. "My name is Solène. It's nice to see you."
"I'm Dante. It's nice to see you too, Solène."
'Man, this girl is full of energy. Oh wait—she's sitting too close. This is bad.'
Driven by reflex, Dante inched away, trying to reclaim some personal space. To his confusion, Solène simply scooted closer, as if personal boundaries didn't exist to her.
She leaned over and whispered—loudly, "You have really sad eyes. But also… annoying confidence. That means you're complicated."
He blinked. Something about her felt off—not dangerous, just... out of place. Like a puzzle piece that didn't fit, no matter how you turned it.
"You are… odd," he said at last.
Solène nodded enthusiastically. "I know! Isn't that exciting?"
She giggled and tossed a pebble into the pond, trying to feed the koi. The fish ignored it, gliding away without a care.
Dante didn't move. He wasn't sure why, but there was something about her—something warm. Like an invisible barrier of protection surrounded her. Gentle, yet present. She didn't notice it, too busy naming the koi out loud in increasingly ridiculous ways.
'She feels like… a mother bear. No, that's not right. Like someone who'd shield others without realizing it. Protective, instinctively.'
'Wow, she's so full of energy. Is she an idiot? Well, idiots are always happy… good for her.'
An idiot, yes. But an oddly comforting one.
Eventually, Dante stood up, brushing off his pants.
He cast one last glance at the pond and its glittering koi. 'I guess… I wouldn't mind coming back here.'
Solène skipped beside him without invitation. The cheerful chatterbox had attached herself to him like a barnacle.
As they walked, she stared up at a passing butterfly.
"Do you think they talk to each other? Like… whisper gossip?"
Dante sighed. "Only if they're as weird as you."
Solène smiled wide. "Yay. I hope they are."
'Huh… well, whatever.'
The academy building came into view, and the two entered the classroom—just on time. The class wasn't large, only sixteen students, all seated in a circular room with high windows that let in the morning sun.
As he looked around, he spotted a familiar face—Lina. The girl he once thought had disappeared. She was reading an instruction book, her posture straight and focused.
Dante raised his hand, call her name and waved, a faint smile on his face. To his surprise, Lina turned and smiled back—genuinely this time, unlike their awkward first meeting.
After a few moments, the professor entered. An older man with sharp eyes and a briefcase in hand.
"Welcome, everyone my name is Thamus Greylore. Let's take attendance and get to know each other."
The first to introduce herself was Lina. It seemed she had arrived a week earlier than the rest and already settled in.
Next came Orrian, a tall, strikingly handsome young man—1.8 meters of engineered perfection. With his blue-black hair and lean frame, he might have been mistaken for a noble. But beyond the looks, he was just a regular guy.
Then, of course, came Solène.
She stood up, waved both arms, and said, "Hi! I'm Solène, and I like fish!"
There was an awkward silence before polite clapping followed.
Then came Iro Vance. Short—maybe 1.5 meters. Just fifteen years old, glasses perched on his nose, and an anxious energy around him. Rumor was he came from an elite Artificer clan.
After him stood Kaela Brann. She was tall and solid, with a slow, deliberate presence. Her aura didn't scream power—it whispered it. Her brown-red horse-tail braid swayed behind her like a lion's tail. She was listed as a "foreign transfer student from the frontier colonies."
Finally, Rai Tenma stood up, confidently placing his hands on his hips.
"Hey everybody! I'm Rai Tenma. I'm the man who's going to become a Champion!"
Dante raised an eyebrow.
'What… what Champion?'
He looked around. No one else seemed as confused as him. Maybe he missed something.
Class had just begun—and already, the academy was shaping up to be more colorful than he expected.