Chapter 51: The Speech

Chapter 51: Chapter 51: The Speech

?Cousin?

?Aegon looked at Bella’s silver-blonde hair and sapphire eyes, then looked at Aria’s nearly identical features, and everything suddenly clicked into place.

?"I was on my way to the platform when I spotted a pack of stray dogs barking at your new roommate," Bella said with a laugh, reaching out to affectionately pinch Aria’s soft cheek.

?Aria blushed slightly and gently swatted her hand away before turning to Aegon with a bright, proud smile.

?"Aegon, let me introduce you properly. This is Bella Everlight, my elder cousin from the main family. Back home in the Grand Duchy, she practically raised me like my own older sister. However, she is very strict about rules inside the capital, so while we are on campus, we are only teacher and student, and even I have to call her Instructor Bella."

?"So that’s why," Aegon murmured in understanding.

?Looking closely at the way Bella was smiling at him, Aegon realized that Aria must have sent a communication message to her cousin last night after discovering they were sharing the Prime Villa on Starlight Hill.

For this fiercely protective elder sister to treat him so warmly on their first meeting, whatever Aria had said about him last night must have been quite favorable.

?"My little Aria rarely praises anyone her own age, Aegon. Even when the Imperial Princes visited our estate, she barely spoke three words to them. Yet last night, my communication crystal nearly overloaded from her talking about a certain ruthless genius who took the triple crown. Since you are sharing the Prime Villa with my precious little sister for the next four years, I will naturally be keeping a very close eye on you."

?"Cousin Bella! Didn’t you just say we are strictly teacher and student on campus?! The ceremony bell is about to ring! You should hurry to the faculty seats before Chief Instructor Wane starts shouting!"

?"Alright, alright, I won’t tease the two of you any further. Go take your rightful place at the front of the plaza, Tripple Crown. Oh, and don’t worry about which homeroom you’ll be assigned to after the ceremony. As the head instructor of the First-Year S-Class, both of you already belong to me."

?With a graceful wave of her hand, Instructor Bella turned and walked off across the bridge, the rhythmic clicking of her heels echoing in the morning air.

?Beside Aegon, Aria let out a small sigh, fanning her warm cheeks with the ceremonial scroll before glancing sideways at Aegon.

?"Don’t mind her teasing, Aehon. She only acts like that toward people she genuinely likes. Come on, let’s head to the plaza before we’re late."

--

When Aegon and Aria arrived at the Central Awakening Plaza, the massive white marble square was already packed with thousands of students.

?The one thousand newly admitted freshmen stood neatly in the center, clad in their pristine Academy uniforms, while thousands of upperclassmen occupied the tiered viewing galleries surrounding the square.

High above them all sat the grand faculty dais, draped in the golden banners of the Beliath Empire.

?The moment Aegon and Aria stepped into the plaza, a ripple of whispers swept through the crowd.

?Every eye locked onto the ten-year-old boy in the black-and-gold coat and his signature red scarf. After the broadcast of his brutal massacre in the Ironwood Expanse yesterday, Aegon’s face was burned into the memory of every student and teacher present.

?Ignoring the stares, Aegon and Aria walked straight to the absolute front of the freshman formation.

?Standing just a few paces away were the other top rankers. Prince Larsen Beliath maintained a stiff, polite smile, while Julian Von Draken glared at Aegon with undisguised hostility.

To their left stood Veera, his fists clenched tight at his sides.

Though Veera’s wounds had been healed by the Academy’s clerics overnight, the dark, bloodshot resentment in his eyes burned hotter than ever as he watched Aegon take the center spot that he believed should have been his.

?Dong!

?Elder Vaelen and Chief Instructor Wane stepped forward to the edge of the high dais, looking down at the sea of students.

Beside them, Instructor Bella sat gracefully in a high-backed chair, her sapphire eyes locked onto Aegon with a look of high anticipation.

?"Welcome, initiates, to the Imperial Academy

You have survived the Pillars of Solomon, conquered the Scholar’s Hall, and bled in the Ironwood Expanse. Today, you are no longer children of your respective households. You are the future swords and shields of the Beliath Empire!"

?Clap. Clap. Clap.

Everyone clapped excitedly.

?Elder Vaelen raised a hand to calm the crowd.

"It is a tradition at the Opening Ceremony for the top-ranked applicant to deliver the freshman address. This year, we have witnessed a historic feat. First at the Pillars, first in the Written Exam, and first in the Combat Trial with a record-shattering 540 points. Freshman Representative Aegon Noiré Delacroix, step up to the podium."

::::

The plaza fell into a pin-drop silence.

?Veera gritted his teeth so hard that a faint cracking sound echoed from his jaw. Julian Von Draken crossed his arms, waiting to see if the country bumpkin would embarrass himself on the grand stage.

?Aria turned to Aegon, offering him the silver ceremonial scroll she had received from the attendant earlier.

"Here Aegon, the Scholar Tower prepared a very polite, diplomatic speech about unity and noble honor."

?Aegon glanced at the silver scroll in her hand.

?"Keep it," Aegon said flatly.

?Leaving Aria blinking in surprise, Aegon walked past her and stepped up the marble stairs to the towering runic podium overlooking the entire plaza.

?Looking down at the thousands of faces staring back at him, Aegon’s expression was as calm and deep as an ancient well. His gaze swept over the sneering noble heirs, the anxious commoner students, the glaring upperclassmen, and finally, the expectant faculty members.

?He didn’t bow. Nor he offered a polite greeting.

?"The Scholar Tower prepared a speech for me today. It spoke of noble camaraderie, shared honor, and the beautiful bonds of unity we are supposed to forge inside these walls."

?"But let me tell you, It was completely useless."

Everyone: "....."